Sermon Title: Limitless Power, Infinite Love

Text: Psalm 8

Date: 7/5/2025

Speaker: Ben Biles

Campus: Southwood

1 Peter 1:6-12

1 Peter 1:1-5

Acts 1:1-8; Matthew 22:37; Matthew 28:18-20

 Related Topics | discipleship, evangelism, mission, purpose

Acts 27

Romans 12:3-8

Joseph was just a 17-year-old trying to survive in a broken family and harsh circumstances-but God was training him in obscurity. Though unnoticed by the world, Joseph obeyed faithfully, and God shaped his character in the dark before using him to bring light. This story reminds us that unseen faithfulness can lead to unimaginable impact-Joseph became one of the greatest deliverers in all of Scripture.

The perfect model on which we should pattern our lives is the incarnation. Imitate Jesus! He relinquished His rights, and sacrificially served His creatures, even to the point of suffering a cruel death so that we could have life with Him forever.

What we want is not always what we need, and sometimes the strength of our wants gets in the way of seeing and seeking what we really need. What we need, what we truly and eternally need, Jesus provides in abundance.

Some investments simply don't work out – they decline in value or disappear altogether. In fact, from the Bible's point of view, all earthly wealth will ultimately lose all of its value unless it is converted into something of eternal value – PEOPLE. God loves people because people are made in His image, and they will all live forever, with Him or apart from Him. So invest your life – your treasure, your time, your talent – in helping people find and follow Jesus.

A good neighbor extends the unconditional love of God to anyone in need. Do you want to become a good neighbor? Sacrificially serve those who are near and in need.

Jesus isn't manipulative. Jesus isn't deceptive. Following Him is costly, and He doesn't hide the cost. In fact, Jesus encourages us to count the cost, to enter the life of discipleship with our eyes wide open. But He also promises that whatever sacrifices we make, the rewards will be far greater.

Some questions are more important than others. “Who should I marry?”, for example, is more important than, “What's for dinner?” But there is one question that Jesus asked His followers that is by far the most important, “Who do you say that I am?” Putting that question first in our minds, and answering it rightly, will give us abundant life, real life, both now and forever.

Contrary to popular opinion (“God helps those who help themselves”), God helps those who cannot help themselves! That is you! And that is me! We cannot deliver ourselves from our greatest enemies – sin, death and our adversary. But God, through the power and authority of His Son, deliver anyone and everyone who comes to Him for help.

In the face of withering temptation, Jesus' allegiance to His Father, and to His Father's will was unwavering. His steadfast endurance in His wilderness testing serves as an example for us to follow. Using only resources available to us, Jesus said “no” to temptation and “yes” to His Father. As you face temptation and battle the adversary, imitate Jesus!

John the Baptist is the prototype, but we are all similarly called to be forerunners to the King. We are not here to build a kingdom for ourselves. We are here to welcome Jesus and His kingdom. And we are here to point others toward Jesus, our King.

Encountering Jesus will change your life now and forever. And learning to tell the story of your life with Jesus will change the lives of others.

Every person matters to God. And every moment represents an opportunity to represent Jesus before people who are lost and searching. Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see the opportunities, compassion to care and courage to act.

When has your life ever gone perfectly as planned? Never! Our plans may fail, but God's plans never fail. Even when life feels uncertain, confusing and out of control, God is at work in us and through us as we keep trusting and keep obeying.

God's grace offered to us through Jesus Christ seems too good to be true! That God would offer to forgive our sins and give us eternal life through no effort or merit of our own is such an impossibly generous gift. And yet God's grace is exactly what each and every one of us needs. God's grace is worth defending because God's grace is our only hope.

Some churches limp along. They keep the doors open, but they don't make a deep and lasting impact on their community or the world. Other churches thrive because they remain focused on the timeless truth of gospel and the priority of spiritual multiplication. The church in Antioch is an illustration of a thriving, multiplying church. May we follow their example and invest our lives in the things that matter for eternity.

No one is beyond the transforming power of Jesus. If God can change the Apostle Paul from an angry, self-righteous persecutor of the Church into the most ardent and effective advocate the Church has ever known, then He can change you as well. The question for each of us is simply, “Will I allow Jesus to change me today?”

God loves the Church. And through the Holy Spirit, God dwells in the Church. Because of His love and because of His holiness, God will keep the Church purified through discipline when necessary in order to protect us from the consequences of sin and to preserve the power of our witness.

Will you allow God to use your most difficult struggles, and your most triumphant successes, to glorify Himself and build His Church? He can do exceeding abundantly beyond all we can imagine in us and through us when we surrender our lives entirely to Him.

Faith + or faith alone? Acts 2:38, when taken out of context, is often misunderstood and misapplied. Peter's call to “repent and be baptized” does not represent additional steps a person must do to receive forgiveness of sins and the free gift of eternal life. His call to “repent and be baptized” is a challenge to turn away from stubborn self-righteousness and rejection of Jesus, and to turn toward God through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

When God's people allow God's Spirit to speak God's message to them and through them, miraculous things occur. It is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit that sets us apart. Will you allow God Spirit to speak to you and through you today?

Acts is a story that has not ended. Acts lays the foundation for our story, as God invites each of us to find eternal significance and supernatural strength through participation in His Kingdom program through the Church.

The world around us intends to shape our understanding of reality – truth, goodness, identity, meaning, purpose. Its pressures are sometimes obvious, more often subtle, but always deceiving and destructive. Be aware; resist; and actively allow your maker to mold your life to conform you in every way into His image.

God's presence with His people is one of the most consistent and powerful themes throughout the entire Bible. We frequently feel alone, surrounded, and under attack in a world turned against God, but we are never alone. As we remember with David in Psalm 139 God's omniscience (He knows all things) and omnipresence (He is everywhere at all times), our confidence is restored that God is with us and will never forsake us.

Our identity is gift from our Creator, and that identity includes the gift of our sexuality – male and female. But the blessings of this gift can only be fully enjoyed inside the boundaries established by God. Therefore, God's word prohibits homosexual behavior, along with every other form of sexual sin. For those who struggle with attractions and behaviors outside of those boundaries, is real change even possible? The answer is absolutely yes! Our Creator offers us hope and healing through His power that raised Jesus from the dead.

In the beginning, God created us in His image, male and female. His image is reflected in and through our bodies, male and female. His original design and intent remain unchanged, and reflect His desire for men and women to experience the most fulfilling life possible. Knowing God's word on the subjects of sexuality, gender and identity will guide us to accept ourselves and to respond with both truth and love to others living alongside us in a fallen world.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God, but we are also fatally flawed. Only the work of God's Son can restore in us God's beautiful design and purpose – physically and spiritually – both now and forever.

What are the marks of a healthy church? We drive by big, shiny buildings with a cross on top and assume they must be the home of a healthy church. But the New Testament says nothing about buildings, budgets or even the size of churches. Instead the focus is on things like serving together, guarding the truth and relying actively and humbly on God's power. So the question for us is simple? Are we a healthy church? And are you investing in the health of your church?

All people could be characterized as falling in one of two categories: the self-indulgent, and the self-righteous. Both are lost and need to be found by a gracious heavenly Father. Which of the two are you? Will you allow yourself to be found? Will you receive God's extravagant grace extended to you through His Son, Jesus?

Our identity, our purpose and our destiny are all determined by the gospel. Until Jesus returns, our mission remains the same: live out and live for the gospel – the good news of forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ for everyone who believes.

How do we live in a way that honors Jesus in a world that does not? Every follower of Jesus has faced this challenge. The problem is not unique to our generation. Even in the Apostle Paul's day, Christians in Rome were surrounded by a pagan, sensual, hedonistic culture. Paul instructed them, and he instructs us, to honor Jesus publicly by submitting to governing authorities, privately by loving our neighbors, and personally by walking in holiness.

We all make excuses. It's just a natural human tendency to shift the blame when things don't work out as planned or desired. But in Romans 10, Paul makes it clear that there is no legitimate excuse for failing or refusing to believe in Jesus. Specifically, Paul addresses the Jewish people, but his point applies to all. No one will be able to stand before God and offer an acceptable excuse. Everyone will be held responsible for choosing to believe in Jesus for eternal life or choosing to reject him. He is the way, the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through Jesus.

If the Jews are God's chosen people, then why are there so few of them experiencing His grace through Jesus their Messiah? Has God failed to keep His promises to Israel? And if He has failed to keep His promises to Israel, how can we, non-Jews, trust that He will keep His promises to us – namely, "nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"?! Paul argues in Romans 9 that God has always been true to His promises and His character, abounding in mercy to the undeserving. God demonstrates His faithfulness by acting through individuals and among the nations to make His saving power known throughout the earth.

Some churches shrivel and die. Other churches thrive and flourish. What about our church? Will we fade, or will we flourish for generations to come? And more specifically, what can you do to help your church become or remain a vibrant, growing community of faith?

In the year of Jesus' birth, shepherds were not at the top of the socioeconomic ladder! They lived on the margins of Ancient Near Eastern culture, and yet the good news of Jesus' birth was announced to them first! Why? Because they were eager for good news. And when they heard, they believed the good news, they shared it with others, and they worshipped God for the gift of His incarnate Son. Are you eager for good news today?!

When the Spirit leads our lives, we are changed. The moment we trusted in Jesus for forgvienss of sins and eternal life, the Holy Spirit began to live in us. As we listen to the Spirit and follow His leadership, we begin to experience freedom from sin, an ever deepening sense of the love of our heavenly Father, and hope that gives us strength to endure and overcome the challenges of this broken world.

The gospel is good news because the Holy Spirit changes us permanently from the inside out. We can't change ourselves, and following a list of rules won't transform our character, but the Holy Spirit has the power to reorient our entire lives to love and live for righteousness.

If I am in Christ (Romans 6), why do I still battle temptation and sin…all the time?! Why do I do the things I know I shouldn't do, and why can't I consistently do the things I know I should do? In Romans 7, Paul describes and explains the intense battle each and every follower of Jesus experiences as a part of the normal Christian life. This constant battle could lead us to despair, but as Paul concludes the chapter, he points us toward the victory we can experience through the indwelling and empowering Holy Spirit (Romans 8).

If God's grace covers all of our sin, then why should we even bother to avoid sin and pursue holiness? In Romans 6, Paul answers this question by reminding us that sin is completely inconsistent with our new identity in Christ. Sin is a destructive, evil master, and Jesus died and rose again to set us free sin's tyranny! We don't have to say “yes” to sin any longer. Instead, we are free to serve a good master, Jesus, who gives us eternal life, righteousness and sanctification when we say “yes” to Him.

At this very moment, each member of humanity is represented before God by one of two men – Adam or Jesus Christ. Adam's one sin in the Garden brought death to himself and to all of humanity. No one can escape the verdict of condemnation because we are related to Adam. It may not seem fair, but because we were represented by one man, Adam, in death, we can also be represented by one man, Jesus, in life. And the one great hope for all of humanity is that the gracious act of Jesus completely overcomes the deadly act of Adam...and this gift is available to all who believe.

Having believed in the faithful work of Jesus Christ, God has declared us to be in right relationship with him...we are justified! And that is not just a legal declaration. Our justification changes our lives right now. We were God's enemies, but now we are at peace. We were without hope, but now we have hope that endures forever, even when we are experiencing suffering in this life. We were destined for eternal death, but now we have eternal life. Our justification changes everything!

Paul tells us unambiguously that we are justified by God through faith alone, apart from our own best efforts. That's easy to understand, but so hard to accept! We are tempted to add our own good works and religious practices back into the equation to earn, keep, or prove our righteous standing before God. But God gives us Jesus Christ's righteousness for free, so let's learn to enjoy God's extravagant generosity!

Our sin has created a rift between us and God, and there is nothing we can do to make things right again.
But God, in His immeasurable grace, refused to abandon us. Instead, He intervened with a solution: His Son.
Everyone who believes in Jesus receives His righteousness in place of his or her own sin. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We add nothing to the equation; we simply accept what God gives us through Jesus.
This is amazing grace!

God is right – in all that He is and all that He does. God's “right-ness” is revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the fulfillment of His covenant promises through Abraham to the entire world. And God is also right in His condemnation of mankind's active rejection of God and of His self-revelation. Our rejection of God proves our need for God and His saving work through Jesus. Our sin proves our need for the good news of the gospel!

The gospel is good news. In fact, the gospel (a Greek word that actually means “good news”) is the
very best news
ever! In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul explains in great depth and clarity why the gospel is such great news. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, He has the power to make us right with God. He has the power to remove our debt of sin and separation from God, to grant us the promise of eternal life, and to begin the process of transforming us into His image. Through the gospel
all things
will be made new. That's the best news ever!

In the busyness of day to day life, it is so easy for us to become distracted and discouraged from the things that really matter. What is the mission of the Church, and of each and every man and woman who comprises the Church?

We help people find and follow Jesus.

Someday soon there will be a cosmic reversal of fortunes. The proud will be humbled, and the humble will be exalted. Which will you choose – humility or pride? Will you
descend into pride, or will you ascend, like Jesus, through humility? Choose wisely!

More than intellect, knowledge or education, “wisdom” describes skillful living. Wisdom is God's to give, and He loves to give it lavishly. Wisdom blesses; wisdom beautifies; wisdom protects. Will you seek wisdom and receive wisdom from the Lord, or will you choose your own way?

Church, this present world is a spiritual battleground. Walking and talking with God during the battle is essential to our personal growth and our victory over the enemy. When we fail, and we all will fail from time to time, the solution is to ask for forgiveness. When we look to tomorrow and hope to do better, the key is to ask for His protection. Deepening intimacy with our heavenly Father through prayer will give us the confidence and strength to live in a way that honors the Lord.

We have needs and desires that only God can fulfill, and our heavenly Father is more generous than we can possibly imagine. So Jesus instructs us to ask, and to keep on asking!

When we pray, we frequently jump straight to asking God to meet our needs and fulfill our desires. And God does invite us to bring everything that is on our hearts to Him, but Jesus instructs us to first remember that relationship takes priority over requests. Remember! The One who invites us into conversation is our gracious Father and transcendent King!

Prayer is like a foreign language. We don't instinctively know how to speak with God, but deep inside us we need to, and we long to, communicate with our heavenly Father. For this reason, one of Jesus' highest priorities in transforming His followers into His image is to teach us to pray. Are you ready to learn how to pray?

The world's economy runs on to merit, but God's kingdom runs on grace – unexpected, undeserved and unlimited favor from the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. On this Easter Sunday we remember and celebrate the ultimate demonstration of God's grace given freely to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Prayer is always the appropriate response to every situation. James reminds us to pray when life is hard and when life is good, when we are sick and when we are in sin. James reminds us of the value of community in our lives and the power of God unleashed through our prayers. So let's get to work building a deep and enduring lifestyle of prayer!

Prayer is always the appropriate response to every situation. James reminds us to pray when life is hard and when life is good, when we are sick and when we are in sin. James reminds us of the value of community in our lives and the power of God unleashed through our prayers. So let's get to work building a deep and enduring lifestyle of prayer!

We have a problem. A big problem. Our problem is ourselves! Our hearts are divided and our affections are disordered. We want to love God and others, but we also want to pursue our own insatiable self-interest. The result is conflict in our relationships and distance from our God. But God has a bigger solution – His grace, His favor which empowers us to love Him with an undivided heart and love others more than ourselves. And He offers His grace freely to us when we turn from our pride and humble ourselves before Him.

Words are powerful and dangerous. We will one day answer to God for the words we speak. After all, words can destroy people's lives or heal their hearts. And not only are words powerful, they also reflect what's in our hearts. For that reason, the only way we can control our speech is to ask God to change our character. We need His wisdom and His grace to speak and act in ways that build up rather than tear down. When we live according to God's wisdom, our lives and our words will reflect His peace and His righteousness.

Eternal life is a free gift received by faith. Eternal life isn't earned and it cannot be lost. However, God's intention for our lives is not merely to give us eternal life, but to transform our lives so that we reflect His character. And this is James' concern as well – maturity. Mature faith expresses itself outwardly in good works that glorify God. Immature faith, or as James describes it, “faith without works,” is useless and cannot save a Christian from a worthless life and a poor evaluation at the judgment seat of Christ. So, James exhorts us express our faith through our good works and not miss out on all that God intends for our good.

If we turn quickly to anger in the midst of our trials, if we fail to listen attentively to God's voice, if we become distracted by other voices around us, or if we simply choose to ignore His voice, will destroy our intimacy with Him and undermine our journey toward maturity. On the other hand, when we listen attentively, and say “yes” to all that He has for us, our lives will be blessed. Our circumstances won't necessarily turn out pleasant all of the time, but our lives will fulfill God's purposes for us and bring pleasure to His heart.

When life gets hard, we are often tempted to doubt God's goodness, or even to blame Him for the consequences of our own sinful choices. But sin comes from within our own hearts. So James urges us to resist sin's lies, and instead to trust in the goodness of God. God never leads us toward evil and death, but instead He sent His Son to save us from our sins and to lead us into life. God is always good, and always generous, and James calls us to remember this fundamental truth at all times and especially when life gets hard.

It has been observed that suffering will either make us better or bitter. The outcome depends entirely on our response. We can't control when trials come, how frequently they will appear in our lives, or how intense they will be. But we can choose our response. When we embrace the truth that God is able to use our sufferings to deepen and mature our faith, and when we seek His guidance through our pain with an undivided heart, He transforms us. He causes our faith to reflect the character of His Son, Jesus, who embraced much greater suffering so that we could have eternal life.

Nothing is as it should be in this world. But the present struggles will come to an end. The final chapters of our Bible describe a perfect ending, which actually reflects the perfect beginning of the rest of our lives. God will bring heaven to earth and we will experience perfect relationships in perfected bodies in a perfect place with satisfying labor in the very presence of our Creator and Redeemer. There will be no more sorrow, or fear, or temptation, or death, but only the fullness of God's intended blessing. The best is yet to come!

The world as it now exists is not all that God has planned for us. The best is yet to come!
When Jesus returns to the earth, He will fulfill all of God's promises and defeat all of God's enemies. In fulfillment of God's promises to Israel, including all of the blessings extended to the gentiles, Jesus will establish God's kingdom on earth and reign with His people for 1,000 years. After this He will destroy Satan, judge all sin, abolish death forever, and make way for the arrival of the new heavens and the new earth.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will return. And when He returns, He will bring joy to His followers and judgment on His enemies.
He will gather His people together for a great feast, a party that will be better than anything we can possibly imagine. But those who say “no” to Jesus' invitation will face destruction. Are you with Jesus, or against Jesus? Will you have a seat at His table? Are you inviting others to join in His celebration? Are you living your life today for His party or for your own?

In preparation for Christ's return, God will decisively demolish the world system that is full of deception, immorality, greed, and idolatry. This world order that opposes God is described in Revelation as “Babylon,” and it will inevitably fall, exposing people's rejection of God. But even as we anticipate the eventual emergence and then destruction of Babylon during the tribulation, we see the patterns of Babylon in the cultures of our own day. As followers of Jesus are encouraged to flee from Babylon. We are exhorted to keep our selves distinct from the world so that our worship remains pleasing to the Lord and our witness speaks powerfully to the lost all around us.

Have you ever thanked God for His justice? We often talk about God's grace and love, but words like “judgment” and “wrath” tend to make us uncomfortable. But the Book of Revelation shows us that God's justice is good and necessary! His justice is rooted in His character, and it flows from His holiness and love. His justice flows from His commitment to re-create a world in which men and women can flourish. Evil must be abolished for God's perfect kingdom to arrive, and on His kingdom coming and remaining rests our greatest hope. Along with the angels and saints around God's throne, let us praise God for His justice!

From the beginning of human history Satan has been building a counterfeit kingdom alongside the Kingdom of God, competing for the allegiance of men and women who are made in the image of God. Satan's plan will reach its most powerful form during the second half of the tribulation, when through the work of the Antichrist (1^st
beast) and the false prophet (2^nd
beast) he will establish a kingdom which is both political and religious, as well as economic. During these trying times, men and women will face the ultimate choice – Satan or the Son of God?

Satan is the ultimate bully! He is real. He is smart. And he is powerful. But we give him more credit than he deserves. Revelation 12 reminds us that in the cosmic conflict that has been raging throughout all of human history, the devil cannot win. God wins! Our adversary was defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus, and he will be defeated fully and finally when Jesus returns. He can also be defeated today as we, God's people, stay alert, remembering that every day is a spiritual battle and remaining faithful to our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

Nothing can silence the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! But because His gospel includes both bitter news (our sin must be judged) and sweet news (Jesus died and was raised for our sins), all of God's messengers should expect opposition. Nevertheless, no matter how the world responds, we should proclaim His message with confidence. Jesus and His kingdom will prevail!

God is not impulsive or reactive. All His ways are intentional and consistent with His righteousness. When He brings judgment on the earth it will be measured and purposeful. His judgments will vindicate His people who have suffered injustice; His judgments will display His power; and His judgments will expose the hardness of human hearts. And yet even as His righteous judgments come upon the earth, men and women will have opportunity to repent and be rescued by Him.

For millennia God's people have cried out to Him, “How long, O Lord?” How long will you delay bringing justice to this earth? How long will you delay establishing Your righteous reign upon the earth? When the Lamb of God takes the scroll and begins to break its seals, “tribulation” will begin upon the earth. It will be a time of unprecedented distress. God will judge those who oppose Him, vindicate those who trust in Him, and save those who turn to Him. His ways are always right, but even as His justice arrives, His mercy and grace will not depart.

God alone is worthy of worship. And in God's throne room everyone knows what to do – worship. Worship God the Father because He is the Creator and rightful ruler over all that He has made. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom that will not fade away. Worship God the Son because He has redeemed men and women from every nation so that we might give God His rightful worship and exercise dominion over His creation. Worship. God has designed us for worship. May we, like the angels now before His throne, give Him the worship He so rightfully deserves.

What would Jesus say to us if He wrote us a letter?! In chapters 2-3 of the book of Revelation, Jesus dictated to John seven personal letters to seven unique local churches, encouraging them to stand firm in their faith, warning them to turn away from sin, and reminding them of their future reward in Him. And His message still applies to us today. In the midst of a culture hostile to us and to our Savior, never compromise or become complacent, but stand firm until Jesus returns!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is one of God's treasured gifts to the Church. The Revelation shows us the future Kingdom that God will bring to earth, and more importantly, the One who will accomplish God's perfect will for all of His creation. John's vision of the resurrected Son of God in all His glory reminds the Church that Jesus is able to fully accomplish God's plan. Jesus is the One who holds both the present and the future in His all-powerful and loving hands. May we be a people who entrust to Him not only our tomorrow but also our today.

One day God will fulfill all of His promises – He will defeat all of His enemies, He will save all of His people, and He will make all things new. Knowing that God is both faithful to His promises and powerful to fulfill them, gives us joy and hope and purpose that transcend our present struggles and sufferings. Therefore, let's live today in light of that day, and invite others to join us!

We are the Church, the visible representation of Jesus Christ on earth. This includes every man, woman and child from every nation, tribe, people and language throughout history, from the day of Pentecost until the present. And as Jesus Christ's representatives, it is our privilege and calling to reflect His character and His priorities in absolutely every aspect of our lives!

Throughout the Bible God describes Himself as our Father. For some of us we struggle to connect with God as our Father, but God is better than the best earthly father. He loves us. He trains us. He provides for us. He protects us. He fathers us perfectly, and we can trust Him to never leave us or forsake us.

For many us the Holy Spirit seems mysterious and maybe a bit spooky. But the Spirit is a person and He can be known. He is the source of life itself, and it is by following God's Spirit that our lives are transformed.

We all stumble. We all fall. But Jesus is in the business of lifting us up, of restoring us to a deep and abiding relationship with Him and to a life of humble, sacrificial service for His kingdom.

The Christian faith rises or falls on the resurrection. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then our faith is utterly meaningless. But if the historical accounts in the gospels are true, and Jesus really did rise from the dead, then our lives have meaning and our future is secure.

Jesus is the only true source of joy, peace, and the full experience of life that God intended for people. As His sons and daughters, we know this truth, and we have experienced this truth. That knowledge and experience lays upon us both an obligation and an opportunity to pass along this ultimate truth to others. Let's learn together how to share our experience of Jesus winsomely and effectively!

In some of our relationships we are under the authority of others; in other relationships we exercise authority over others. But in all of our relationships, we work for Jesus. To Jesus we are accountable – to submit and to serve – and it is Jesus who will reward us not simply for the outcomes we produce but for the very attitudes and motives of our hearts.

Jesus changes everything: our hearts, our churches, and even our homes. Those who know Jesus have the opportunity to see their families transformed so that they can beautifully represent the love of Jesus. Husbands, wives, parents, and children can now relate to one another in entirely new ways, consistent with our new identity in Jesus.

Take off the ratty garments of the old man, and put on the beautiful robes of the new man! This exhortation applies not only to each of us individually, but also to us corporately as God's family. God's image is being renewed in us together as we love one another, forgive one another, speak God's truth to one another, and allow our lives to be shaped and directed for God's glory above all.

-Isms:
Legalism, asceticism, and mysticism (our efforts and experiences apart from the power of God's Spirit) can never transform us into the people God intends us to be, and the people we so long to become. So what can? Knowing, believing and living out our “newness” in Christ.

There is something appealing to us about making spiritual maturity measurable. If we can boil spirituality down to a list of rules and restrictions, specific behaviors and special experiences, we can more easily feel good about ourselves and stand in judgment over others. But all such forms of “legalism” drive us away from Christ rather than drawing us near. Watch out! False pathways to a deeper spiritual life are all around us. Instead, stick with the simplicity of intentional dependence on and devotion to Jesus Christ.

No one likes to be deceived. But the world in which we live is filled with misleading voices, promising us joy and peace and fulfilment. In Paul's letter to the Colossian believers, he reminds us that everything we most need and most long for is found in Christ. He is complete, and we are complete in Him. Don't believe the lies, but instead continue to walk by faith, trusting in the fullness found only in Jesus.

The message of Colossians is that we are complete in Christ. In fact, we are only complete in Christ. Nothing else and no one else can satisfy our greatest needs and the deepest longings of our heart. Or at least, that is what Jesus promises. But can we trust Him to deliver? Is He qualified? Is He worthy of first place in our lives? The Apostle Paul tells us through his letter to the Colossians that Jesus is worthy because He is our rescuer, He is our ruler and He is our reconciler.

Every day we are asking ourselves, What will make my life complete? What will make my life filled with joy and peace and meaning and fulfillment? The world in which we live offers many answers to this deep longing within us, but all of them will leave us empty in the end. The message of the gospel is this – You are complete in Jesus Christ. The best life is found ONLY in Jesus Christ. With Jesus, you have more than enough, but without Jesus, you really have nothing at all.

Follow Jesus, the humble, sacrificial Servant as you strive toward true greatness. Set aside the world's definition of a great life, along with its scheming and its pride. Trust Jesus. He will exalt you at the proper time.

When God's people, in the midst of crisis, trial or temptation, turn completely to Him, we discover that our God, and our God alone, will save us. In fact, there is safety and salvation in no other. The question constantly before us is, To whom will we turn when the pressures of life assail us? Will we give in to fear, or will we truly believe in “Immanuel,” our God who is with us?

The sin of Adam in the Garden
plunged all of creation into the destructive consequences of sin: guilt, shame, fear, strife, and death. That one sin also left a legacy of sin that affects every one of us every single day of our lives. But thanks be to our Creator who immediately promised mankind victory over our adversary and an end to the curse of sin! Let's celebrate that promise and the inauguration of its fulfillment in the birth of our Savior, Jesus the Christ.

The prophet Isaiah's vision of the throne room of God stands as a timeless paradigm for all who would serve the one true King. The overpowering holiness of God compels us to see everything in His light. His glory convicts us, cleanses us and calls us to into unreserved service of the high and exalted King of all creation.

Make disciples! We know Jesus commanded us to make disciples, and we know that it is the most eternally meaningful way we can invest our lives, but the first step is the hardest. Where do we begin? In this message we lay out a simple plan anyone can use to get started on the journey of multiplying disciples.

Jesus commanded us to make disciples. But what does that mean? And why should we bother? It turns out that making disciples is simpler than most of us imagine, and it is the single most significant way we can invest our lives. When we help people find and follow Jesus, we can leave a legacy that lasts into eternity.

Jesus loves the Church. He really, really loves the Church!

His love is unconditional, sacrificial, transforming and enduring. Because of His great love for us, He calls us and enables us to love one another in the same way.

We, the Church, are like a body – every member is unique, every member is necessary, and every member needs the others. The beauty of our community is displayed to the world as we each live out our unique design in dependence on and care for one another.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “priest”? Would it surprise you to know that the Bible says that if you know Jesus, you are a priest?

We, the Church, are a new priesthood, established by the work of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. And because we are priests, we have been appointed to worship Jesus, to bear witness for Jesus, to live like Jesus and to one day reign with Jesus over His creation. When we fulfill our priesthood, our service and sacrifice brings pleasure to the heart of God and His Son is revealed to a world in need of Jesus.

Our adoption by God changes everything! We are now the family of God. We are sons and daughters of our loving heavenly Father, brothers and sisters with one another, and God's family representatives to a world desperately in need of His love.

Satan delights in destruction. That's the bad news. The good news is that he can be defeated through humble dependence on God and active resistance to his schemes.

We, like Joshua, are called to an overwhelming task, but we serve an incomparably great God. Will you pick up the mantle of spiritual leadership and courageously follow God's calling on your life?

How do we deal with the reality that some people have greater opportunity to hear the gospel than other people? What about babies, or those who are incapable of understanding the gospel? Can we trust that God always does what is right? As we examine these issues, we will learn that we worship a faithful, just, and infinitely gracious God.

The concept of hell is probably the most unpopular doctrine in all of Christianity. And yet Jesus talked about hell quite a bit. What does the Scripture say about hell? Who goes there, and why? What is it like? And how can it be avoided?

From time to time, we cannot help but think to ourselves, “This world is deeply broken…and so am I.” That ache, that frustration, that sense of dissatisfaction with the present order of things is really a longing for heaven. The good news is that Jesus will someday bring heaven to earth and we will experience perfection in His presence forever. In the meantime, we place all of our hope in the promise of Jesus Christ's return, and we share the good news that heaven is on its way.

When we encounter a seemingly unbelievable story like the resurrection of Jesus, doubt is a normal response. Thomas wasn't the only disciple who doubted whether it was true. After all, people don't rise from the dead every day. But doubt doesn't have to be fatal to our faith. Jesus loves doubters, and He can even use our doubts to strengthen our faith. When we acknowledge our questions and sincerely seek the truth, we can find an even deeper trust in Jesus on the other side of our doubt.

Our attitudes toward money and our use of our money reveals a lot about our values, priorities and passions. In fact, money is one of the most direct indicators of who or what we worship. When we learn to share our wealth generously, we grow in our worship of God. When we give, we're responding to the fact that God has been infinitely generous toward us, and given us an opportunity to use our worldly wealth to invest in eternity.

Who is in charge of the church? Jesus. That's always a good answer, of course. Jesus established the church and He is its ruler. But He has also delegated authority to human beings, elders, who are called to serve and to lead the church with the same humility and courage that Jesus modeled for us. And those of us who worship and serve alongside of our elders are called to

humbly submit to them as together we make disciples of all the nations.

Water baptism is a physical symbol of a spiritual reality.
Baptism is a celebration of our salvation. It is a powerful, visible opportunity for each of us to publicly proclaim that we are
identified with Jesus Christ
in His death, burial and resurrection, and we belong to one another.

This past year has reminded us that we are not in control of life's circumstances! We find ourselves much like Paul in Acts 27, tossed and beaten by a storm he did not choose and could not control. And though we cannot control life's storms, God can. And as we learn to trust Him in the midst of the storms, He provides us with courage and the ability to encourage others, even when life feels out of control.

When God's people sing together we strengthen our community and bring joy to the heart of God. Music is a gift from God to us, and singing together in praise and worship is a gift we give back to our Creator and Redeemer.

Is the Church only relevant to those who belong, or do we matter to the world? God's Word says that we matter to the world because we have the message of eternal life and the world is filled with dying people. So Church, by the power of His Holy Spirit, let's live out our eternally meaningful calling with passion and conviction.

In the midst of the current chaos, confusion, strife and division, does the Church even matter? Are we still relevant? Do we have anything to significant to say? God's word answers those questions with a resounding “Yes!” We have the answer and we embody the solution as the unified Bride of Christ. Jesus intends us to live as a preview, a foreshadowing, of His coming, perfect reign of peace on the earth.

In the year of Jesus' birth, shepherds were not at the top of the socioeconomic ladder! They lived on the margins of Ancient Near Eastern culture, and yet the good news of Jesus' birth was announced to them first! Why? Because they were eager for good news. And when they heard, they believed the good news, they shared it with others, and they worshipped God for the gift of His incarnate Son. Are you eager for good news today?!

We all hunger. We all, at least from time to time, attempt to satiate that hunger with many things that can never satisfy. But our hunger is actually a gift from God. Our hunger is a reminder that what we really hunger for is God, who alone can give us the true food that can satisfy our deepest needs and longings forever.

Throughout Galatians, Paul has warned us that we cannot find eternal life through obeying the Law. Nor can we find it through following the desires of our flesh. Instead, he urges us to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, because only the Spirit can make us truly alive. But who is the Holy Spirit? What does He do, and how can we relate to Him? How can we pursue the life that God promises to us, through the power of the Holy Spirit?

Every moment of every day we have to make a choice: will we be guided by the Holy Spirit or give in to the desires of our flesh? Following the flesh always leads to brokenness within and alienation in our relationships. But following the Spirit leads to maturity and a life that reflects the character of Jesus. Choose wisely today…and tomorrow…and the next day….

There are only two ways to live your life – relying on yourself or relying on the Spirit. If you rely on yourself, you will become a slave to your pride or a slave to your passions. But if you rely on the Spirit, He will set you free! You will become free from yourself, free from the power of sin, and free to fully love God and to love others.

We live in a world that is dominated by anger, hatred and division. But we, followers of Christ, are one in Christ! That statement is true whether we believe it or not, and it is true whether we behave like it or not! But when we believe we are one, and when we begin live as one, we fulfill our calling to help people find and follow Jesus by reflecting the nature and character of our Creator and Redeemer to a desperately fractured world.

Who are you? Do you find your identity in your job, your marital or family status, your race, your gender, your political party, your abilities, or something else? All of those labels have meaning, but the Scripture tells us that the first thing that comes to our minds when we think of ourselves should be, “Child of God.” We who have trusted in Jesus for eternal life are first and foremost identified by our relationship with Him. Understanding our identity in Christ has the power to liberate and to transform us like nothing else can.

We are not good at keeping our promises – we make them and then we break them! But God always keeps His promises. Because of this we can have absolute confidence that our sins are completely forgiven and we are in right relationship with God both now and forever. Praise God that our hope is in the faithfulness of Father, Son and Spirit and not in ourselves!

How can you know whether or not you are right with God? Does God approve of you based on how well you follow a certain list of rules? And what happens if you fail to obey the rules perfectly? Galatians tells us that God declares us to be in right relationship with Him, now and forever, on the basis of what Jesus has done rather than on the basis of what we do, and that only the power of Jesus, not a list, can transform us into the likeness of Jesus.

For the past 55 years, Grace Bible Church has been helping people find and follow Jesus, both in Bryan/College Station and around the world. Throughout our history we have remained deeply committed to the Word of God, the gospel of grace, the power of students and families worshiping together, and the call to make disciples among the nations. For the past two years, our Every Knee initiative has allowed us to take bold next steps toward our unique vision as a church. We are grateful to God for how far He's brought us, and we are excited about what still lies ahead.

Do you expect God to do big things, genuinely supernatural things, in your life and in the lives of others? Paul's own life serves as a perfect example of the power of God's grace as revealed in His gospel to reach the hardest of hearts, to transform the worst of sinners, and to commission the most unlikely of servants.

The theme of Galatians is freedom! Not just freedom from the bondage of sin, death, and legalism, but freedom to experience life as God intended: the life of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control that we all desperately long for. This freedom is found only through the pure, unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. Believe it! Live it! Share it!

If you are expecting the extraordinary, you will see it. If you are prepared for opportunities, God will use you in supernatural ways in the lives of others. Get ready to speak about Jesus, and be courageous!

To forgive is to release the debt and to bestow blessing in its place. Through Jesus Christ, God has forgiven the debt of our sin which we could never repay, and blessed us with life everlasting. When we forgive others, we imitate God, the gracious forgiver.

What does it mean to be a good neighbor, not only to those who live on our streets, but also to those who live in our local community? Is it worth the effort for us as followers of Jesus to alter the patterns of our lives to connect with our neighbors? Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan timelessly answers those questions for us.

We were made for relationships because we were made in the image of a relational God. And the first relationship God designed for us was marriage - one man and one woman becoming one together as they follow God and love one another. It's not always easy, but when oneness begins to grow, the world sees a beautiful representation of the Triune God - Father, Son and Spirit.

If you want relationships that will help you know Jesus better and become more like Him, then there is no better place to be than the Church! The Church is God's family, united with one another in Jesus; in other words, we are the Church. The Church needs you and you need the Church. We each have a unique role to play as we seek to love one another and to reflect Jesus to the rest of the world.

We all want good relationships. We all need good relationships. We were all designed in God's image for deep and lasting relationships, but none of our relationships work perfectly, and in fact some of our relationships are downright disastrous. However, within the Trinity we have a model for the relationships we desire and need, and in the loving, sacrificial work of the Son of God we have the power to experience love from God, love for God, and love for one another.

Fear is a natural response to threatening, risk-filled situations. And as we follow Jesus, such situations are inevitable! We don't have a choice in the matter. However, we do choose whether or not we give in to our fears, or by faith learn to increasingly trust in the Lord. In other words, we get to choose where we focus our attention and energy - on the obstacles or on the opportunities. And we get to choose which voices we listen to - the voices of discouragement or the voice of our Redeemer who is all powerful.

God gave Israel a rhythm for worship - daily, weekly, annually and generationally - because all of life is intended for worship. We get out of rhythm when we listen to another song - life is food, or houses, or career, or sex, etc. We get back in rhythm when we consciously, actively seek to praise God through all that we say, do, think and feel because He is worthy of our entire lives.

There are many forms of idolatry, and we are all prone to one, or more, or many. Our chosen idols promise life but deliver death every time. So why are we so foolish? Because we believe the idols' lies and we want a god we can control, one who will give us what we want when we want it; in other words, a god in our own image. In God's grace, He both exposes our foolishness, forgives us and restores us when we crush our golden calves and turn from the lie to the One True God.

Something deep inside us instinctively resists rules. Rules feel inherently restrictive. But God's rules are not arbitrary or capricious. God's rules are rooted in His deep love for us, and His desire for relationship with us. His rules are for our good and lead to best life possible and our greatest freedom, but we can joyfully obey only through His enablement - not through our own determination but through the power of His indwelling Spirit.

God has delivered, and continues to deliver, His people from sin, slavery and death. Build habits of remembrance for all that God has done for you!

There is no power on earth greater than the power of our God. Many may resist Him, but none can defeat Him or thwart His sovereign will. In fact, as you obey Him, expect opposition, knowing that ultimately His redemptive plan will prevail over all forces, both earthly and spiritual. Trust Him. Worship Him. Follow Him.

Moses was called by God. I am called by God. You are called by God. Maybe not through a burning bush, but still God has called each of us into a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus; and He has called each of us to serve Him and bring Him honor through our lives. Moses was afraid and Moses was resistant. Are you afraid? Are you resistant? Or are you willing to answer His call?

The people of Israel had fallen on hard times. They were slaves in Egypt, far from their homeland. Where was God, the One who had promised them a land of their own and enough blessing to share with the whole world? Despite appearances, God was still with them, and God was still at work. And the same is true for us today: even when we cannot see what God is doing, and even when our lives look dark and uncertain, God is at work building His kingdom through people like you and me.

Some churches limp along. They keep the doors open, but they don't make a deep and lasting impact on their community or the world. Other churches thrive because they are committed to remaining focused on the timeless truth of gospel and the enduring priority of making disciples.

Your life has been set apart for God and for others. You were made on purpose and for a purpose. Dedicate yourself to God's intentions for your life, and discover true fulfillment and joy.

Two fish and five loaves placed in Jesus' hands is more than enough to feed a multitude. Are you prepared to give him your 2 and 5? Then get ready to see all that He will accomplish through you!

Our response to unexpected, and often unwanted experiences shapes our souls toward wholeness or barrenness. How will you respond to each of the burdens God calls you to carry through life? Will you allow them to make you or to break you?

The first century Church practiced radical generosity. Having been freed from the debt of sin by the sacrifice of Christ, they experienced joy in sacrificing for one another and for the cause of the gospel throughout the world. We want to be that kind of church for our generation.

From the time of its birth, the mission of the Church has remained unchanged. We are called to courageously bear witness to the resurrected Savior, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to all the nations of the earth, until Jesus returns.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is either a true account, or an outlandish lie. It is either the greatest miracle ever, or it is a malicious hoax. If it's a lie, we are still dead in our sins and without hope. If it's true, then we can have forgiveness of our sins and life that lasts forever only through Jesus. Are you still doubting, or are you convinced?

The story of Barabbas is also our story: we are guilty, and deserving of the consequences of our sin, but Jesus took the punishment that we earned. He became our substitute, standing in our place, and now believing in Him we have freedom forever.

What we most need, Jesus supplies. By sending the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us forever, Jesus has provided us with comfort for our loneliness, clarity for our confusion and courage for our calling.

Jesus rarely got angry and He never became physically aggressive, except for one notable event. When the worship of His Father was interrupted, Jesus pulled out a whip and turned over tables. Nothing mattered more to Him than His Father receiving the honor due to His name, and that everyone, without exception, had the opportunity to join in His worship. Do we share Jesus' zeal for God's worship? Do we share in His passion for all people to experience a way to the Father? Or are there tables in our lives that need to be overturned?

Follow Jesus! He is your Good Shepherd who knows you, cares for you, and protects you forever. He alone can direct your life and lead you into abundant and eternal life.

Why do the unrighteous prosper and the righteous suffer with no reward? Malachi's words are as timely today as they were 2400 years ago: Don't be deceived or discouraged by the delay. Live today in light of that day when God's Messenger will set all things right.

God loves marriage and hates divorce. After His Son, Jesus Christ, marriage is the greatest gift the Father has given to mankind. May we also learn to love, nurture and protect this wonderful gift.

There is no higher privilege or calling than to worship and serve the one, true God. Are we giving Him the honor due to His name?

God loves you! And He demonstrates this love not through pleasant circumstances, but through the extravagant provision of eternal life through the death of His Son.

Conflict is inevitable, but when we practice reconciliation, our unity is protected, our witness remains powerful, and we reflect the heart of God to a fractured world.

We are in this world, but not of this world. Our ultimate allegiance and hope is to the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. Let us live every moment as citizens of heaven, and may we bring others with us.

Nothing is more important than knowing Jesus and becoming like Him. Nothing. We can get distracted; we can get discouraged; we can be tempted to run after other passions. But the goal of life, the prize promised to us now and in the end, is Jesus.

We learn through imitation. We imitate others, and others imitate us, for better or for worse, depending on the examples we choose to follow and the example we set. The Apostle Paul gives us two excellent role models in Timothy and Epaphroditus, men who lived their lives sacrificially for the glory of Christ and the good of others. Their example challenges us to consider whether we too are becoming worthy of imitation.

Eternal life is an absolutely free gift, but a transformed life requires us to lean in with all of our effort, while simultaneously relying completely on the power of God. As we do, our lives become an increasingly powerful witness in a dark and broken world.

We become one, and the gospel advances when we yield our lives to the gospel; when we yield our lives to one another; and when we yield our lives just like Jesus yielded His life for us.

What we really long for, whether or not we can clearly say it, is unfailing joy - joy we cannot lose and joy that cannot be taken from us. We chase after it in the world, but any thrills we find quickly fade because the joy we long for is only found in Jesus.

God always wins. His work of redeeming broken people through the accomplishment of His Son cannot be stopped. Therefore, be bold in your proclamation of Jesus, even in the face of inevitable opposition. The gospel remains forever the only hope for this world.

What we pray for reveals what we desire most. So, for what do you pray most urgently? If we follow Paul's example, the answer will be growth in love that is guided by wisdom. That need surpasses all others, because there is nothing more powerful than true love to show the world the beauty of Jesus.

When you hear the phrase, "the good life," what comes to mind? We chase after the good life, but we often find ourselves lonely and unfulfilled. However, when we pour out our lives for the gospel, we experience purpose in life and the relationships we so deeply long for.

Christ poured out His life for us so that we could have life in Him. The only appropriate response is for us to pour out our lives as well - our earthly loyalties, our self-reliance, our small desires. None of these things come close to the surpassing value of gospel of Jesus Christ.

We help People find and follow Jesus - because He is worthy; because that's the greatest need in every person's life; because that's what gives our life significance. So how do we become more effective in fulfilling this calling? Be willing! Be expectant! Be fascinated! Be prepared!

All of life is infused with spiritual realities - our jobs, families, friendships, major decisions and even the small details of daily experience. How can we honor God and enjoy victory in all of our moments? Joshua's experience teaches us that we must be vigilant to remain in constant, conscious reliance on God's power and guidance.

We, like Joshua, are called to an overwhelming task, but we serve an incomparably great God. He never calls us to anything unless He has also provided us with the resources to accomplish our calling. Our "success" is guaranteed when we courageously follow Him and remain in His presence.

The church in Antioch was rich - rich in the gospel, rich in people and materially eager to share. Recognizing their wealth compelled them to send the gospel beyond their city to those who had never heard. We can learn a lot from their example!

We, God's servants, will be tested. When, not if, this happens, where will we turn? Where will we turn in times of fear, in times of affliction, or in times of affluence and praise from the world? Will we trust in Him and in Him alone? Consistent, lifelong trust in all circumstances is the most vital attribute God intends to produce in His servants.

Most of us believe in generosity. But believing in generosity is different from actually being generous. How can we become generous, giving what we have to God from a joyful heart? We become generous by learning to give consistently, sacrificially, willingly, and wisely.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We all have idols - things we pursue and trust in to make life satisfying and safe. Very often these idols are revealed by how we spend our money. However, when we deliberately choose to sacrificially share from our wealth, we break the hold of idols over our hearts, and we find contentment, freedom and joy in God.

We are rich! Of course, we normally don't think of ourselves as rich because we measure our wealth only in comparison to people who have more than we have. But compared to the rest of the world, we are rich, both materially and spiritually. And because we are rich, we are also responsible to share from the blessings that God has given to us.

We are rich! Of course, we normally don't think of ourselves as rich because we measure our wealth only in comparison to people who have more than we have. But compared to the rest of the world, we are rich, both materially and spiritually. And because we are rich, we are also responsible to share from the blessings that God has given to us.

Some investments simply don't work out - they decline in value or disappear altogether. In fact, from the Bible's point of view, all earthly wealth will ultimately lose all of its value unless it is converted into something of eternal value - PEOPLE. God loves people because people are made in His image, and they will all live forever, with Him or apart from Him. So invest your life - your treasure, your time, your talent - in helping people find and follow Jesus.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

God is worthy of our worship. He is matchless. There is no one and nothing to compare with Him. And one of the most transforming ways we worship God is through becoming generous and joyful givers.

The Bible says that somewhere around 2000 years ago a man named Jesus Christ died and then came back to life. Is it true? And if so, why does it matter? According to 1 Corinthians 15, it is both true and the most important truth in all of human history.

In just a few short days the people in Jesus' day moved from welcoming Him to demanding His crucifixion. What caused their radical change of heart, and what purpose did it serve in God's eternal plan?

Church, this present world is a spiritual battleground. Our adversary continuously seeks to destroy us and to render us ineffective for Jesus. But Spirit-directed and empowered prayer aligns us with the will of God and empowers us for battle. Let's get busy praying!

Seeking and experience and forgiveness from our heavenly Father opens the door for deep fellowship, but withholding forgiveness from others disrupts our intimacy with both God and man. Receive forgiveness, learn to forgive and live in freedom!

Some things matter to God more than other things. Learning to communicate well with our heavenly Father includes discovering what matters most to Him.

Prayer is like a foreign language. We don't instinctively know how to speak with God, but deep inside us we need to, and we long to, communicate with our heavenly Father. For this reason, one of Jesus' highest priorities in transforming His followers into His image is to teach us to pray. Are you ready to learn?

God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is present in our immediate, daily needs - physical, emotional, spiritual - and also in our ultimate need of life that overcomes the grave. May we celebrate during this season that God is with us.

God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is present in our immediate, daily needs - physical, emotional, spiritual - and also in our ultimate need of life that overcomes the grave. May we celebrate during this season that God is with us.

Perfect parenting is a fantasy! So is being the perfect son or daughter! Forget about it. Think progress, not perfection. Kids learn to trust that your parents genuinely want God's best for your life. Parents, focus your efforts on training your children to build their lives around a love for Jesus - in their thoughts, words, deeds and affections - and entrust the final outcome to God.

Marriage is one of God's greatest gifts, but it can also be very challenging. Often the challenges emerge because we fail to pursue God's purpose or follow His design. God's intention for our marriages is that we become a reflection of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church. As both husband and wife each fulfill his or her role in marriage, loving and respecting one another, the world has the opportunity to see the love of Jesus lived out before them.

Who, or what, is in control of your life? If our affections are dominated by darkness, we cannot be the light of the world. But if we are continually conquered by the Spirit of God, we will fulfill God's will for our lives - we will shine and others will be drawn to Jesus' light.

We are new in Christ, so let's live new in Christ. Put off our old sinful patterns and put on our new patterns made possible through His transforming power.

Because of what Jesus Christ has done for us, not just individually but also corporately, we are one. That's a fact. Now our task is to learn to live as one! Each of us can help by discovering our unique design from God, and then putting to use all of His gifts for His glory and for the good of others.

2nd service with special guest Bishop Maurice Green: The Church is on display. The world is watching. Heaven is watching. What will we do with this mystery, this treasure of the gospel? Having been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, will we take up our calling to become reconcilers?

1st service with special guest Bishop Maurice Green: The Church is on display. The world is watching. Heaven is watching. What will we do with this mystery, this treasure of the gospel? Having been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, will we take up our calling to become reconcilers? Special guest: Bishop Maurice Green.

Before Christ we were alienated, estranged, separated - separated from God, and separated from other people. But now in Christ we are not only reconciled to God, we can also become reconciled to one another in one new family. As this reconciliation arises, the Church will shine as a beautiful foreshadowing of the Kingdom of God for a broken world, with men and women from every tribe, tongue, people and nation unified in worship and in witness.

"But God..." These are two of the best words in the entire Bible. We were in a state of separation from God and rebellion against God, destined for an eternity apart from God, "But God...." God intervened! God rescued us from death and created life within us freely by His grace. Now we live in newness of life, empowered to fulfill God's original design for us.

We are rich, but we often live as if we are poor. We allow life's circumstances to make us feel hopeless, worthless and weak, when in fact, because of God's work through His Son we have everlasting hope, value and strength. So let's learn to live rich in Christ!

God has given us greater spiritual blessings than we can imagine! And everyone is in on the blessing - Father, Son and Spirit all working together to enrich our lives now and for eternity. How could we possibly be anything but grateful to God and eager to share with others?!

What is our purpose in life as individuals and as a church? Stated as simply as possible: we help people FIND and FOLLOW Jesus. Discover how to do that in your own life, and hear about how God is calling Grace Bible Church to do that in our community and our world.

There are no substitutes for the one, true God. We, the Church, declare our confidence in Him, even when our present circumstances tempt us to doubt. He is great and He is good - He always has been and always will be.

When you read the daily headlines, how do you feel? Frustrated? Powerless? Desparing? We consume news, bad news, about which we can do nothing. We can engage at a local level and have some influence, but not at a national or global level. Nevertheless, we have hope. "Jesus will reign" answers every troubling headline. It also instructs us how to live each day - in joyful submission to His rule in our lives and hope for His coming kingdom.

This life is rigged. It only works God's way. Follow His path and you will experience blessing, peace, joy and fulfillment. Follow the world and you will experience frustration, conflict and failure. Maybe not immediately, but eventually. Your choices, both small and large, will matter today and for eternity. So which way will you choose?

God's faithfulness changes us, and our faithfulness changes the lives of those entrusted to us.

William Barclay once said, "There are two great days in a person's life - the day we are born and the day we discover why." Why are we here, followers of Jesus? To make disciples who make disciples among all the nations, so that one day there will be men and women surrounding the throne of God, worshipping Him because we figured out the purpose of life and got with the program.

We do what we love. Sounds simple, maybe even simplistic, but in every circumstance we will choose whatever it is that we love most in that moment. Jesus loved His Father, and He loved His Father's will more than anything else in life. So even at great personal cost, He remained resolute in His devotion to His Father. What about you? What do you love? Do you love foolish things that have no lasting value? If so, your affections can be re-formed through intentional devotion to the Father and His will.

The world's economy runs on merit, but God's kingdom runs on grace - unexpected, undeserved and unlimited favor from the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. Thank God that He does not give us what we deserve, but instead provides us with eternal life and meaningful life because of the riches of His grace in Jesus Christ.

Follow Jesus, the humble, sacrificial Servant as you strive toward true greatness. Set aside the world's definition of a great life, along with it's scheming and it's pride. Trust Jesus. He will exalt you at the proper time.

Jesus is the glory of God; therefore, Jesus is all that God is. Though His glory overwhelms us, yet because of His abundant grace, He welcomes us into His presence. But come respectfully, reverently and in awe of His greatness. Come faithfully, unfailingly, and you will be changed into the likeness of His glory forever.

Wealth is a window to the soul. It can reveal what we value, what we love, what we worship. Because earthly wealth is fleeting, we are foolish to pursue it. However, wealth from God enriches us both now and forever.

The leaders of the nation of Israel rejected their Messiah, because He did not conform to their expectations and He threatened their way of life. Their way involved control, toil and fear. Jesus offered hope, peace and rest. They chose poorly. Which way will you choose?

Our Father's love knows no limits. As He has forgiven us, and because He has forgiven us, we can forgive others. And as we forgive, others experience the love of our Father through us. Let us then learn to forgive.

In Jesus' most famous discourse, the Sermon on the Mount, He explains the depth of God's righteousness as revealed in the Law. Here's the bad news: relative to the righteousness of God, you are more profoundly broken than you understand or care to admit. Ouch! And now for the good news: although you can never be good enough, but Jesus is more than enough.

In the face of withering temptation, Jesus' allegiance to His Father, and to His Father's will was unwavering. His steadfast endurance in His wilderness testing serves as an example for us to follow. Using only resources available to us -
God's Spirit and God's Word -
Jesus said "no" to temptation and "yes" to God. Imitate Jesus! Follow the King!

Matthew's gospel presents Jesus as the One True King, the Sovereign over all. Will you follow Him, or will you give your allegiance to another? Will you follow Him, or will you choose to rule over your own life? He promises us fullness of life, a life that can be found in no other.

The gift of eternal life outshines every other gift because it meets our most desperate needs, it satisfies us forever and came to us at infinite cost.

Mary and Joseph were a common, ordinary couple, who had a baby in a small town called Bethlehem. From a human perspective, Jesus' birth was inconsequential and unremarkable. But God often chooses ordinary people, just like you and me, in ordinary places, just like where we live, to accomplish extraordinary work.

Mary and Joseph were a common, ordinary couple, who had a baby in a small town called Bethlehem. From a human perspective, Jesus' birth was inconsequential and unremarkable. But God often chooses ordinary people, just like you and me, in ordinary places, just like where we live, to accomplish extraordinary work.

Major events seem to push us toward fear or faith. The 2016 Presidential election is no exception. Church, let's get some perspective here. God's got this, so we can rest in His sovereignty. He also made us in His image so that we can take action -
vote, serve, sacrifice, live out your faith. Let's be salt and light as we bring the hope of Jesus to a broken world.

You were created by God for a purpose. You have been redeemed by God for a purpose. God has a ministry specifically designed for you. Find it and fulfill it!

The Word of God is true. It is trustworthy. Learn it, love it, and let it transform your life.

Every Christian feels inadequate in prayer. EVERY! SINGLE! CHRISTIAN! So don't feel paralyzed by guilt. Instead, learn to pray better and bigger from the Greatest Pray-er ever, Jesus Christ.

We live in dark times, and we should expect them to only get darker. Prepare for persecution, and pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering today for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Each and every one of us has been uniquely created by God to be useful to God's Kingdom and pleasing to our heavenly Father. Put aside the things that are hindering you, and pursue holiness with others who long for God's best.

God rewards our courageous faith, but if we shrink back we miss out on His best. May we be bold, courageous and sacrificial for Jesus because the gospel is true, the gospel cannot be stopped, and God's best for us is yet to come.

Multiplying disciples, who in turn multiply even more disciples, is THE great task of the Church. Are you all in? In whom will you invest?

The treasure of the gospel of Jesus Christ, entrusted to us, is our most valuable possession. Proclaim it fearlessly and protect it courageously, because in it death is destroyed and life from God is imparted. Nowhere else but the gospel can we find such riches.

Are you controlled by courageous faith, or do you cower in fear? Do you pull back, or do you press on to fulfill God's calling on your life? Fear is the adversary of faithfulness, but God's Spirit can conquer all fear.

Some churches shrivel and die. Other churches thrive and flourish. What about your church? Will it fade, or will it flourish for generations to come? And more specifically, what can you do to help your church become or remain a vibrant, growing community of faith?

God has called us not just to eternal life, but also to a transformed life. And He has provided everything we need to become changed, godly, holy people - people who love Him most and love only the things that He loves.

You didn't earn eternal life, so you can't lose it. The greatest possession in the universe, life forever with God, is both free and secure. Can there be any greater motivation to live like Jesus and to live for Jesus?!

In the image of Himself, God made us to reflect His character and represent His authority on the earth. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, but we are also fatally flawed. Only the work of God's Son can restore in us God's beautiful design and purpose.

The Triune God is unlike any other god. He is personal; He is relational; He is giving, sacrificing, and serving. He is love. He is Father, Son and Spirit - three persons and One God, all delighting in one another, and loving their creation in a manner far beyond any love we have ever experienced in this world.

The Triune God is unlike any other god. He is personal; He is relational; He is giving, sacrificing, and serving. He is love. He is Father, Son and Spirit - three persons and One God, all delighting in one another, and loving their creation in a manner far beyond any love we have ever experienced in this world.

Good theology leads to true worship, and true worship changes our lives. To live well we must learn to think rightly about God and to love what He loves. The study of God (theology) is not dusty, dry and irrelevant; it is life-giving and life-changing.

Our response to unexpected, and often unwanted experiences shapes our souls toward wholeness or barrenness. How will you respond to each of the burdens God calls you to carry through life? Will you allow them to make you or to break you?

Just as a branch can only bear fruit when it remains attached to the vine, so we can only live in a way that pleases the Father when we remain closely connected to Jesus.

Follow Jesus! He is your Good Shepherd who knows you, cares for you, and protects you forever. He alone can direct your life and lead you into abundant and eternal life.

God the Father desires everyone to be with Him in His home, but there is only one way to get there - through His Son, Jesus Christ.

We all hunger. We all, at least from time to time, attempt to satiate that hunger with many things that can never satisfy. But our hunger is actually a gift from God. Our hunger is a reminder that what we really hunger for is God, who alone can give us the true food that can satisfy our deepest needs and longings forever.

When we perceive God's glory in the person of Jesus Christ, we can believe Him for anything, even eternal life. Do you believe in Jesus Christ for life that lasts forever? Do you live like a person who believes - fearless, bold, and courageous? Remember the resurrection of Jesus and be changed forever.

Death happens, and there is nothing under the sun that anyone can do about it. How then can we live useful lives, drawn forward by hope rather than discouraged by despair? Solomon exhorts us to remember our Creator, along with all of the gifts He has given, and will give, to His people.

Human government, like wisdom, wealth, and work, can be a good gift, but it fails miserably as a god. As citizens of both heaven and earth, it is our duty to work for government that fulfills our Creator's intended will, but we should never trust that any mere human efforts could put all things right under the sun. Instead, we are to live wisely in this current age, while waiting for God's chosen King to establish His perfect reign upon the earth. This is our hope.

Work is a blessing, but it can feel like a curse. Our work is one of the primary arenas in which we reflect the nature of God and in which we are transformed into the character of God. But when we begin to despise work, or conversely worship work, it becomes a source of frustration rather than fulfillment. Is work, for you, a blessing or a curse?

Wisdom is a weak god, but a wonderful gift.

Even the best things in life are meaningless... if this life is all there is. Without God and without a clear vision of the life to come, cynicism and despair are inescapable. However, God is real, God is in charge, and God has promised us a life after this one that gives meaning to all of our activities "under the sun."

If you are reading this, it is safe to assume that you want to grow spiritually. But how do you do it, and how do you know that it is actually happening? This message will provide you with some thoughts on what maturity looks like, along with ideas on how to take your next big strides forward!

Everyone leaves a legacy. Yours may be lasting, enduring through many generations, or it may last only for a moment. Choose to live for a legacy that endures.
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Grace that isn't free isn't grace at all!
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The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news for all mankind -
male, female, black, white, young, old. The gospel of Jesus Christ tears down barriers by reconciling man to God and man to man. And it is our calling, Church, to join with God in this ministry of reconciliation.
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Trust God, even when the Church is suffering. God is still sovereign, God is still good, the Gospel is still true, and the followers of Jesus will be vindicated.
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Some churches limp along. They keep the doors open, but they don't make a deep and lasting impact on their community or the world. Other churches thrive, not through entertaining the masses, but through their commitment to a few simple Great Commission principles. May our Churches be among those who have enduring influence for the Kingdom of God.For additional sermons in this series, click here.

No one is beyond the transforming power of Jesus. If God can change the Apostle Paul from an angry, self-righteous persecutor of the Church into the most ardent and effective advocate the Church has ever known, then He can change you as well. The question before you is simply, Will you allow Him to change you today? For additional sermons in this series, click here.

Throughout history, the crowd has rarely gotten it right. The crowd chose stones for Stephen rather than salvation from Christ. But Stephen stood alone and chose Christ over life. Do you have the courage to choose Christ over the crowd?
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We are the Church! We live out our identity as we are changed together, worship together and care for one another. We fulfill our calling as we, the transformed Church, go into the world to bear witness to Jesus Christ. Let's be the Church that the world needs to see! For additional sermons in this series, click here.

Faith plus or faith alone? Peter's call to repent is a challenge to turn away from stubborn self-righteousness and rejection of Jesus, and to turn toward God through faith alone in Christ alone.
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When God's people allow God's Spirit to speak God's message to them and through them, miraculous things occur. Will you allow God to speak to you and through you today?
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Acts is the triumphant story of our God winning the world for Jesus Christ through common people filled with the uncommon power of His Holy Spirit. Acts is a story that has not ended. Acts is our story, as God invites each of us to find eternal significance and supernatural confidence through participation in His unstoppable plan.
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We live in darkening times, but we should not become discouraged. God is at work in and through His people, granting us opportunities to be transformed and to impact everyone we encounter.

You were made for spiritual influence. Find God's place for you, get going, and watch His Spirit change others' lives through your life.

Some day soon there will be a cosmic reversal of fortunes. The proud will be humbled and the humble will be exalted. Which path will you choose today?
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More than intellect, knowledge or education, "wisdom" pertains to skillful living. Wisdom blesses; wisdom beautifies; wisdom protects. Wisdom is God's to give, and He loves to give it lavishly. Will you seek it and receive it from Him?
Will we listen and apply the wisdom of God?
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God is a generous Father who loves to give good gifts. Every good thing comes from Him, and the most valuable gift He offers to us is Himself.
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God is a generous Father who loves to give good gifts. Every good thing comes from Him, and the most valuable gift He offers to us is Himself.
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Because He loves us, God our Father disciplines us so that we might increasingly reflect His character and enjoy His fellowship.
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If you belong to God, you are safe because He is strong.
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If you belong to God, you are safe because He is strong.
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If you belong to God, you are safe because He is strong.
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God our Father turned His face away from the Only Begotten, so that we, children of sin, wrath and death, could be adopted into the family of God. Praise God! We belong to Him!

God our Father turned His face away from the Only Begotten, so that we, children of sin, wrath and death, could be adopted into the family of God. Praise God! We belong to Him!

Unlike all other religions of the world, we worship a Triune God. But what does that mean, and does it really matter?

What does a healthy church look like? Do you know what you should be looking for? Do you know how you can participate in building a healthy church? Healthy churches, and healthy Christians, don't happen by accident. They become healthy by intentionally pursuing the few things that really matter.
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If Christ was not raised from the dead, then we are without hope. Sin and death stand as victors over us... but Christ was raised, and so we have hope, and confidence, and victory, and purpose for our lives.
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Spiritual gifts are for the glory of God and the good of others. When they are used properly, the entire Church is strengthened. When they are misused, the Church is weakened and divided.
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You, along with each and every one of your fellow believers in Jesus Christ, are uniquely and wonderfully designed by God, and empowered by His Spirit to serve Christ's Church. When you serve according to your design, you have the honor of reflecting the very nature of God.
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We owe God undivided love and undistracted worship. The only appropriate way to worship a God such as ours is with our complete affection and attention - not becoming a distraction to others, and not allowing our hearts to become divided among lesser loves.
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True worship is all of you, all of the time. True worship is God's highest priority and your greatest good.
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Are you winning the race to which God has called you? In order to win, the Christian must be disciplined and focused on the things that matter most, always drawn to the prize that God will award to the faithful.
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By choosing to set our minds on what we have, rather than focusing on what we do not have, our character is transformed. And we always have something to be thankful for. If for nothing else, we can give thanks for the complete forgiveness of our sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Savior!

The human heart is easily deceived and easily divided...but God longs for the absolute allegiance of an undivided heart, overflowing in sacrificial love for our fellow believers in Christ.
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God created marriage, and it is a wonderful gift. But your marriage will only become great and remain great if you invest in it. Paul commands husbands and wives to give themselves to one another by staying physically intimate and by staying committed.
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God's will is that marriage, between one man and one woman, last until they are parted by death. But in a broken world, that ideal is often not achieved. Are there ever any biblically permissible grounds for a marriage to be dissolved? What does Jesus say?

Churches, and individual believers, who fail to confront greed will bring shame on themselves and shame on the reputation of Christ. But churches, and individual believers, who protect the vulnerable from the strong, who choose gratitude over greed, who give freely of all that they have, will exalt the gospel and the name of Christ in this world.
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The needs of the world are limitless. How should we respond? Serve...and then stop. Respond to the needs that are "near" you, and then remember that we worship and serve an unlimited God.

We, God's people, must exercise accountability and discipline toward one another. Why? Because we love one another, we love the Church, and we fear the Lord.
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We own nothing. All that we have, indeed all that we are, is a gift from God to be invested wisely during our few short years on this earth.
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The primary goal of the Christian's life is to become like Jesus, to mature, or to state it directly, we are supposed to grow up! Therefore, the question before each of us is simple: Am I growing up in Jesus? Is my life dominated by fleshly desires, or am I longing for more and more of Jesus?
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Embrace the gospel of a crucified and resurrected Savior! It is madness to the world, but power and wisdom and truth from God.
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Do you look more like Christ or the culture surrounding you? Ignore the alluring voice of a corrupt culture and answer God's call to find your life in the riches of Jesus Christ.
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The goal of Grace Bible Church, the goal that drives everything we do, is to engage every person on our campus, in our community, and in our world with the transforming grace of God found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We invite you to join us. Make this your life's ambition.

The perfect theophany is the incarnation - God in human flesh. The perfect model on which we must pattern our lives is also the incarnation. Imitate Jesus! He relinquished His rights, and sacrificially served His creatures, even to the point of suffering a cruel death so that we could have life with Him forever.
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Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world. He is also the Lion of Judah who will return to establish God's Kingdom on earth. Our lives are filled with so many uncertainties that we can become fearful and anxious. However, Jesus Christ's victories of cross and kingdom are so certain that heaven invites us to begin our celebration now!
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Ultimately just one Throne rules the entire universe, and only God is worthy to occupy it. Everything else - in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth - came into existence by the will and for the glory of the One who sits on that Throne. Everything else finds meaning, purpose, joy and peace when, and only when, it is in proper relationship to that Throne. Where are you in relationship to the Throne of God?
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What we most need, whether we know it or not, is a clearer vision of Jesus. When we experience Him more fully as He truly is, we will inevitably be changed.
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All of life is infused with spiritual realities - our jobs, families, friendships, major decisions and even the daily annoyances. Too often we lose sight of this fundamental truth and find ourselves just going through the motions. Joshua's leadership of Israel in conquering the Promised Land reminds us of the critical principles involved in working out spiritual realities in our daily journey.

We, like Joshua, are called to an overwhelming task, but we serve an incomparably great God. Will you pick up the mantle of spiritual leadership and courageously follow God's calling on your life?

Jesus promised us freedom, but that freedom only comes to those who live in the truth. When we believe lies, we become slaves of fear, guilt, comparison, and pride. Discover the lies that enslave us and the truth of God that sets you free.

When Jesus returns, the curse will be conquered, God's Kingdom will come, and all of creation will be restored. Our adversary will be defeated, and we will win because God always wins. Therefore, we have hope!
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We are the Church, God's mystery, hidden for generations but now revealed. We are not Israel, but we are united to God's eternal plan through faith in Abraham's perfect son, Jesus Christ. It is Jesus who has joined us to Himself, to the Father and to one another so that we might share in Abraham's calling to be a blessing to all nations.
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We are the Church, God's mystery, hidden for generations but now revealed. We are not Israel, but we are united to God's eternal plan through faith in Abraham's perfect son, Jesus Christ. It is Jesus who has joined us to Himself, to the Father and to one another so that we might share in Abraham's calling to be a blessing to all nations.
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Without the resurrection, we have no hope. Because of the resurrection of Jesus we have comfort in our sorrow, confidence in God's truth, and courage to live purposefully in anticipation of Christ's return.

The story of the Bible does not begin in the New Testament with Jesus. It begins... "In the beginning." And while the story may not begin in the New Testament, God's Son permeates the pages of Genesis, and He fulfills the promises Genesis reveals. To understand Genesis, we must look for Jesus, and to understand Jesus, we must find Him in the beginning.
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The story of the Bible does not begin in the New Testament with Jesus. It begins... "In the beginning." And while the story may not begin in the New Testament, God's Son permeates the pages of Genesis, and He fulfills the promises Genesis reveals. To understand Genesis, we must look for Jesus, and to understand Jesus, we must find Him in the beginning.
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The story of the Bible does not begin in the New Testament with Jesus. It begins... "In the beginning." And while the story may not begin in the New Testament, God's Son permeates the pages of Genesis, and He fulfills the promises Genesis reveals. To understand Genesis, we must look for Jesus, and to understand Jesus, we must find Him in the beginning.
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Broken lives are rescued through the power of forgiveness. It is God's dream for our lives is that we become examples of the forgiveness of God in Christ. Such forgiveness is costly, but given freely. Are you willing to be trampled, as Jesus was, for Jesus' sake?
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Joseph's life demonstrates that one righteous person can rescue not only an entire family but even entire nations. How is this possible? It begins by overcoming three temptations common to all people: the temptation to give in, the temptation to give up, and the temptation to get even.
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We are broken. Some of us know it, and some of us don't. Either way, only God can put the pieces back together. Fortunately for us, God loves us too much to leave us alone. His grace is relentless. He finds us in our brokenness and rebuilds us.
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Are you in control of your life or is God? Are you willing to let God take over? In Genesis 28-31 God begins the process of breaking Jacob's fear and pride through a terrifying encounter and through facing the pain caused by his own sin.
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God is holy, righteous, just, merciful, patient and gracious. He is also unchanging. Will you choose to be guided by His unchangeable character and immutable truth, and in the process find fulfillment in life? Or will you destroy yourself by choosing your own path apart from Him?
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Following this sermon, Matt, Brian, and Blake recorded two follow up podcasts which discussed homosexuality and the age of accountability in the context of Genesis 19.

Faith is the essence of the Christian religion. But what exactly is faith? What does it mean to believe? Abraham's example in Genesis 15 lays the foundation for the entire biblical understanding of the doctrine of faith.
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Ultimately, meaning and purpose for our lives can only be found through the One who created us and called us into relationship with Himself. Relationship with God transforms our identities from self-seekers to "sent ones" – those who have been sent by God into a broken world to bear witness to His saving grace.

When we stumble and fail, God renews our faith as we repent and worship. Such renewal strengthens not only our confidence in God and His promises, but also our willingness to give, serve and sacrifice for others.
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We fail when we forget God. God must be at the front and center of every thought, motive, word and action in order to successfully complete the journey of faith. Ultimately we must master this counterintuitive truth: we succeed not by trusting in ourselves but in our great God.
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God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. Abraham was not worthy of God's favor, and yet God chose him to become an example of faith and the source of salvation for all humanity.
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Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is still wrong. Whether it's building cities and towers, like at Babel, or getting a degree, closing a sale, or saving for retirement, all of these good things become idols when we look to them for our significance and security. Praise God, we do not need to earn significance or build security, for they are an absolutely free gift for all who turn to Christ in faith.
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Murder, adultery, theft, drug abuse... we'd like to believe that we are above such evil. Yet Cain's story demonstrates that there is no limit to the evil we can commit if we do not halt the invasion of sin in our lives. From his failure we learn how to stop sin before it grows out of control. Victory is possible, not because we are any better than Cain, but because God's grace is more powerful than all our sin.
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Temptation promises pleasure but delivers pain - always. When Adam took the bait, he plunged all of creation into the destructive consequences of sin: guilt, shame, fear, strife, and death. He also left a legacy of sin that affects every one of us. But thanks be to our Creator who is bringing an end to the curse of sin!
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God worked, and then He rested, but not because He needed to work or rest. He could have created earth in a split second (rather than 6 days or 6 billion years, depending on your perspective). God worked, and then He rested, to establish a pattern of life for us. We need to work, and we need to rest. We follow that pattern and experience blessing, or we reject it and suffer the consequences.
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You are valuable, but not because of who you know, or how you look or what you own. You are valuable because God carefully formed you in His image. You were specially designed to live in relationship with God and others, to reflect the glory of God in body and character, and to rule on this earth as God's kingdom representative.
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Women are called to worship. They are called to avoid distracting fashion trends and the example of Eve in the garden, while honoring God through their adornment of good works.