In this sermon, we are called to stop striving for rest through effort and instead come to Jesus, who invites the weary to exchange their heavy burdens for His gentle, grace-filled yoke. By coming to Him, taking His yoke, and learning His heart, we discover true soul-deep rest because Jesus has already carried our greatest burden at the cross and now walks with us in love.

We are invited to a Trinitarian dance. Understanding the Trinity reveals how simple life with God truly is, how secure our salvation stands, and how deeply God is present with us—Father, Son, and Spirit united in self-giving love. In Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, we see the triune God made knowable, inviting us to live in relational love, confident assurance, and Spirit-empowered devotion.

The church is called to live fully in the present with the end clearly in view, reminding us that properly understood, followers of Jesus should long for His return. Revelation shows that Jesus will return to set all things right—bringing justice, exposing sin, rewarding faithfulness, and completing God’s vision of tov and shalom—so our lives now are never meaningless. Because we will ultimately stand before Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, disciples are urged to live faithfully, urgently, and hopefully, joining the Spirit and the Bride in saying, “Come.”

Advent reveals a God who lovingly comes to us in our sin, not after we’ve cleaned ourselves up, as seen in the shepherds—despised, fearful, and ashamed—being the first to receive the gospel. It shows how guilt and shame keep us from receiving God’s love, but the good news of Jesus deals with guilt legally and shame lovingly, offering peace with God to all who receive Christ as Lord. Finally, it calls us to move God’s love from head to heart and from concept to lived experience, through contemplation, humility, and embodied life together in the church.

This sermon traced the deep questions beneath Christmas—what’s wrong with the world, where God is, and whether our lives can matter—and answered them in the name and presence of Jesus: God’s rescue from outside, born to deal with sin, heal what is broken, and come near as Immanuel. True Christian joy, then, is not sentimental or escapist but a settled gladness rooted in the reality that what was wrong has been cured, God has drawn close, and even our ordinary, faithful lives are caught up in His redemptive story.

Advent doesn’t skip suffering—it tells the truth about it. In a world that chases comfort, Jesus enters our grief, sits with our sorrow, and brings a peace that doesn’t erase loss but sustains us through it.

Advent reminds us that God is truly with us, working through ordinary moments and imperfect circumstances to unfold His larger story—even when we can’t see it. In Luke 2:1–7, we see that Joseph and Mary aren’t the main characters; God is, and His sovereignty means that even the chaos, delays, and disappointments of life may be part of His divine timing. Because God is faithfully writing His story, our role is not control but daily faithfulness—slowing down, paying attention, and meeting Him in the quiet, hidden places where He is already at work.

This sermon explores why the church often feels messy—not because God’s vision is unclear, but because it’s entrusted to mere humans—and invites us to move from criticizing the church to rebuilding it with honesty, courage, and biblical wisdom. Looking at Acts, 1 Peter, and the metaphors of the church as a flock, bride, body, army, temple, and city on a hill, we learn that God is forming something beautiful even through our failures. In a world shaped by critique culture, individualism, and consumer Christianity, the call is to step into the arena, take responsibility, and help build the church God wants—not just the one we prefer.

We all have opinions on what the local church should be. What's God's vision for it? The local church is a family that is devoted to very few, but essential things.

Becoming like Jesus requires a person to move from the crowd to discipleship. What keeps us from going there and what are we missing out on?

Discipleship is the invitation of a lifetime. The invitation is given to you and me. Will you follow Jesus?

In a world full of competing voices about who Jesus is, this message reminded us that the greatest threat to our faith isn’t the world’s lies but our own failure to truly know and trust Him. Jesus is not just a good teacher—He is fully God and fully man, our authoritative King and compassionate Friend, and the only sure foundation for life and truth.

In a world where outrage feels easier than love, this message from 1 John 2 and 3 challenges us to choose a different way. “Love or Hate” dives into why love is the true test of spiritual maturity—not just emotion, but a daily, costly decision to seek another’s good like Jesus did. What would it look like if the church became the most loving place on earth?

Genuine saints are not defined by sinlessness, but by how they see their sin and where they turn when they see it—always back to Jesus. Through the moral, theological, and social tests, faithful followers of Christ reveal their belief that what Jesus taught, how He loved, and the way He lived is the true, good, and beautiful life.

In this sermon, “Genuine Followers of Jesus,” the focus is on what it truly means to follow Christ, emphasizing that genuine saints are marked by authentic belief, experience, and identity in Him. Drawing from 1 John 1:1–4 and historical evidence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the message challenges believers to live repentantly, grow as disciples, and share the Gospel faithfully.

In Matthew 18v21–35, Jesus teaches that forgiveness is first a matter of the heart, flowing out of the abundant mercy and grace God has already shown us in Christ. Because God forgives us completely—legally, lovingly, and compassionately—His people are called to release anger, resist bitterness, and extend forgiveness instead of vengeance. True forgiveness is the costly, daily choice to absorb wrongs in love so that others may be freed, relationships may be restored, and the Kingdom of God may come.

In Matthew 18v21–35, Jesus teaches that forgiveness is first a matter of the heart, flowing out of the abundant mercy and grace God has already shown us in Christ. Because God forgives us completely—legally, lovingly, and compassionately—His people are called to release anger, resist bitterness, and extend forgiveness instead of vengeance. True forgiveness is the costly, daily choice to absorb wrongs in love so that others may be freed, relationships may be restored, and the Kingdom of God may come.

In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God is a treasure worth everything — but it will cost us everything. The with-God life isn’t just about heaven someday, but living under God’s reign here and now with joy, peace, and purpose. Yet many miss its value because it often looks ordinary or costly, while culture offers visible but empty substitutes. True discipleship requires honesty, desperation, and a willingness to say no to lesser things for the greater treasure of knowing Christ. The question isn't whether there's a cost — it's whether we see the surpassing worth of life with Him.

In this week’s parable, Jesus unveils His plan to bring change to the world and people. He teaches that it’s like a seed and like leaven. Two easy-to-overlook everyday items that can bring about significant results. Is this how you believe change comes? Are you a part of the church God is building? Are you allowing the Word of God to work its way into you? 

Your life is shaped by what you say yes to and what you say no to. In the parable of Matthew 22v1-14, we see Jesus judge His people because they have chosen to say no to Him and say yes to lesser things. In doing so, they miss out on the invitation of a lifetime. Today, God invites us to come and enjoy life with Him now. Who would say no to that invitation? Join me in praying for our church that we would give a collective “yes” to life with God this Sunday.