Sermons

God wants to grow our faith, but growth doesn’t happen in places of comfort. Our faith flourishes in the places between where we are and our future growth, our faith is grounded in the Bible, and our faith is tested in sacrifice. We must work out our faith to see growth.

Life as a Christian can be uncomfortable. Jesus told his disciples they needed to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. We can’t follow Jesus if we’re focused on or living for ourselves. We have to say “no” to our flesh, “yes” to a life of sacrifice, and make Jesus the focus.

As Christians, we build our lives on the foundation of Bible. When we dig deep into Scripture, we are able to survive the storm, discover freedom, and build higher and stronger than by ourselves.

In a list of Old Testament chronology, we find Jabez, a man who set himself apart through prayer. Through his short recorded prayer, we learn that the solution to our pain is prayer, and that we can pray to God for blessing, for growth, for God’s presence, and for protection.

As we close out our series on Romans, we consider how to “end.” Whether it’s a season or stage of life, a relationship, or a job, we should celebrate and finish strong and committed. We finish strong as we find endurance and encouragement in Scripture, prioritize prayer, get along with each other, and stay focused on Jesus.

Legacy is the impact or impression that we leave behind – but how does our personal view of legacy match up with the legacy God wants us to leave? A Christian legacy says “I did not live for myself,” “I lived for the Lord,” and “I died for the Lord.”

Paul tells us in Romans that “as far as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone.” We don’t just keep the peace, letting things slide and staying silent. We make peace by actively giving people grace instead of what we think they deserve, by being the first to reconcile relationships, and loving difficult people.

This Easter, we think about how the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Jesus had the greatest comeback – from death to life – and offers us the same resurrection power to sustain us, change us, and give us hope.