Chapel Hill Bible Church - Sermons

In 1st Samuel 6:1–7:2, the return of the ark reveals a sobering truth: God's holiness is not to be taken lightly. Both the Philistines and the Israelites discover that the living God cannot be treated casually or manipulated to serve their purposes. Their question becomes our question: "Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?" Yet this is ultimately a story not merely of holiness and judgment, but of breathtaking love. At the cross, God struck His Son in our place so that we, sinners who could never stand before Him on our own, might be welcomed into His presence. His holiness is a burning and awful thing—and the very foundation of His saving grace.

In 1st Samuel 5, the ark of God is in enemy territory, and Israel appears nowhere in the story. Yet God is entirely in control. Dagon falls, the Philistines are judged, and the Lord demonstrates that He does not need Israel—or anyone else—to accomplish His purposes. God's got this. But that truth is also an invitation to trust Him: to stop trying to control what we cannot control, to bring our fears and needs to Him in prayer, and to rest in the God who is able to save, sustain, and accomplish His purposes even when we are not in the room.

In 1st Samuel 4, we come to one of the darkest moments in Israel's story: the ark of God is captured, Eli dies, and the cry goes up, "The glory has departed from Israel." But the deeper problem wasn't that Israel had lost the ark—it was that they had tried to use God rather than worship God. As we consider Israel's "Thou Art Useful" faith, we'll be challenged to ask whether we love God for what He gives us or simply because He is worthy. And we'll see the surprising hope of the Gospel: the God who allowed His glory to be shamed in 1st Samuel ultimately takes shame upon Himself in Christ so that His glory—and His gracious presence—might dwell with His people.

This Sunday in 1st Samuel 3, we see a pivotal moment in Israel's history: God speaks again. In a time when "the word of the LORD was rare," God calls the young Samuel and begins to restore His prophetic word and presence among His people. But what does it mean for us to truly listen when God speaks? As we consider Samuel's response, "Speak, for your servant hears," we'll be reminded that God still speaks through His living and written Word—and that His Word both exposes our sin and draws us into the transforming presence of Christ.

In 1st Samuel 2:12–36, we see a priesthood that has become corrupted and leaders who have lost sight of God. Yet even in the darkness, God is at work rebuilding what has been broken. The story ultimately points us to Jesus, our Great High Priest, who perfectly knows the Father, keeps His Word, and gives Himself to secure our redemption. As those who belong to Christ, we too are called to live as His priests in the world—knowing God, worshiping according to His Word, and bringing Jesus to those around us.

We start in 1st Samuel with the story of Hannah — a woman whose barrenness, grief, and desperate prayer set the stage for the birth of Israel's prophet and, ultimately, point us all the way to Christ. In 1st Samuel 1, we watch Hannah move from deep pain to honest prayer to open-handed surrender, discovering along the way that her true need was never simply a child, but God Himself. Her story teaches us how to pray in our own pangs — not with bargaining or preposterous vows, but with desperate honesty and hands open enough to receive whatever God gives, and to give it back to Him. Whether you're walking through a season of waiting, disappointment, or unanswered prayer, Hannah's example — and ultimately the Gospel her story points toward — offers a better way forward than either running from God or trying to strike a deal with Him: trusting the God who is worth loving for His own sake, not merely for what He provides.

As we kick off a new series of study through 1st Samuel, we begin with Hannah's Song in 2:1–10, a prayer that sets the melodic line for the whole story: God humbles the proud and exalts the humble as He establishes His upside-down Kingdom. Hannah's life—marked by years of barrenness, stubborn prayer, and a boast rooted entirely in God rather than herself—teaches us that real, lasting fruit for the Kingdom rarely comes through drive and charisma alone, but through humility, weakness, and dependence on God.

What happens when our deepest feelings and toughest circumstances tell us that God has abandoned us? In Romans 8:31–39, Paul delivers an uncompromising, ultimate assurance: If we are in Christ, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing! Facing down every voice of condemnation—from our own internal self-doubt to the heaviest weight of suffering—we are reminded that our security rests not in our fragile emotions, but in the objective, historical reality of Christ's death and intercession.

What do you do when you simply don't have the words to pray? There are moments when the weight of life leaves us entirely speechless. The pain is raw, the questions are overwhelming, and even prayer can feel impossible. But what if your weakest moments are not the times God is furthest away? What if those are the very moments He is working most deeply?

Is the path of suffering, sacrifice, and daily self-denial really worth it? In Romans 8:18–25, Paul offers an uncompromising answer: absolutely. Looking out at a creation groaning under futility, decay, and brokenness, we are reminded that our current pain is real, but it is not the end of the story. God is not merely repairing individual lives; He is preparing a glorious future where all of creation is liberated alongside the revealed children of God.

What does it mean to move from slavery to sonship? In Romans 8:12–17, Paul reveals that the Spirit’s work in us is threefold: He liberates us from slavery to sin, assures us that we are truly God’s children, and guarantees an inheritance we share with Christ Himself. Drawing on the legal imagery of Roman adoption and Israel’s own Exodus from slavery into sonship, this text confronts the "debtor mentality" so many of us still carry toward old sin patterns. It calls us instead into the startling intimacy of crying "Abba, Father"—the very same cry Jesus offered in His deepest suffering. Paul doesn't shy away from the hard truth that this inheritance comes "provided we suffer with Him"—not as a punishment, but as the primary path into deeper communion with Christ. If you have ever felt owned by a past sin, unsure of your standing before God, or weary in a season of suffering, this text carries a liberating word for you: You are not a slave. You are a child of God.

Last week, we continued our series through Romans 8 with a passage that speaks directly to two of our deepest human longings: to belong and to hope. In Romans 8:9–11, Paul reminds us that if the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, we are not orphans scrambling to secure our own worth—we belong to Him, fully and irrevocably, on the basis of Christ’s righteousness alone. Furthermore, the very same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us right now, anchoring us to a resurrection hope that completely reshapes how we face aging, chronic suffering, and the slow wearing down of our bodies. Whether you are wrestling with an "orphan mentality" in some corner of your life, or simply weary in the waiting, this text calls us to rest in the love of Christ—the unbreakable love that holds our belonging and our future secure.

Last week, we continued our journey through Romans 8 with a passage that gets to the absolute heart of what it means to follow Jesus: the mind. In Romans 8:5–8, Paul confronts a truth many of us feel but rarely name—that the Christian life is a daily battle for our thoughts, our fascinations, and the things we quietly obsess over when no one is watching. But this is not a battle we fight alone or on even terms. The same Spirit who justified us is the Spirit who trains our minds toward life in Jesus, turning what feels like an unfair fight decisively in our favor. Whether you are wrestling with insecurity, lust, self-pity, or simple spiritual drift, this text offers us something far better than more willpower: it offers a reordered fascination, a mind increasingly captured by the Gospel. Join us as we consider what it means to live, even now, in the "already and not yet" of the Spirit’s transforming work.

Happy 4th of July weekend! As our nation celebrated its declaration of independence, we flipped the script this past Sunday. Diving into Romans 8:1–4, we mapped out the path of a New Exodus—a journey of dependence rooted in our union with Christ, leading us out from under the curse of condemnation and into true life, liberty, and the pursuit of holiness. It all flows from the most powerful blessing ever spoken over God’s people!

Last Sunday, we concluded our series "The Renewal of All Things" by turning to Revelation 21 and God’s breathtaking promise of a new heaven and a new earth. While our culture offers countless fleeting visions of utopia, Scripture points us to something far greater: a renewed creation centered on the presence of God Himself. Together, we considered the hope of a world entirely free from sin, suffering, and death, and was reminded that God is already at work making all things new through Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday, we continued our series "The Renewal of All Things" with Part 3: "The Ordinary Food that Fills the World." Looking at Genesis 1:27–31 and 2 Timothy 3:14–4:5, we explored what God’s Word has to do with the concrete renewal of our city and our lives. Paul’s swan song to Timothy cuts right to the heart of what a renewing church must be built upon—and it turns out that the most important room on the battlefield is the mess hall.

In a world that often prizes individual spirituality and personal platforms, Scripture reminds us that God has chosen something wonderfully ordinary—and extraordinarily powerful—to advance His Kingdom: the local church. Last week, as we continued our "The Renewal of All Things" series in 1 Peter 2:9–12, we explored how God uses faithful, Gospel-centered communities to bear witness to Christ and bring renewal to the world around them. Together, we considered the unique mission of the local church, the vital necessity of true Christian community, and how everyday hospitality becomes a tangible expression of God's welcome and grace to a watching world.

Last Sunday, we began a new sermon series, "The Renewal of All Things," and we started where every honest account of the world must begin—with the bad news. Drawing from Genesis 3 and John 15, we looked honestly at what it means to live on mission in a world that is not merely broken, but is, in the deepest sense, at enmity with God. Chapel Hill and the Triangle are places of remarkable intelligence, creativity, and opportunity—yet they are also places of profound spiritual darkness and need. Before we can talk about how Christians renew a city, we have to reckon with the depth of what we are up against, and more importantly, with the depth of grace that sends us into it.

Last Sunday, we looked at the big picture of Acts as we returned to Acts 2:42–47 to ask a simple but searching question: What does it look like for our church to continue the story of Acts? The early church wasn't complicated—it was committed. They were devoted to learning, fellowship, prayer, and mission. But as we'll see, the gap between knowing what a healthy church looks like and actually wanting it is a matter of the heart. We examined the "defeater beliefs" and hidden fears that keep us at arm's length from deeper devotion, and we considered what renewal—real, Gospel-driven renewal—looked like for each of us and for our church together.

Last Sunday, we arrived at the final chapter of our journey through the book of Acts. In Acts 28, we find Paul shipwrecked on the island of Malta, eventually making his way to Rome itself—all the while proclaiming Christ with the same unshakable boldness that has marked his ministry from the beginning. From crushing the head of a viper on a remote island beach to teaching the Kingdom of God under house arrest in the capital of the world, Paul embodies the great theme of the entire book: the Spirit of God empowers ordinary people to keep proclaiming Christ. Even in suffering and rejection, darkness is doomed and light shines again. As we close this study, we will face the question that Luke leaves hanging in the air for every generation of the church that follows: When it comes to the city where God has placed us—when in Rome and when in Chapel Hill—will we follow suit?

Last Sunday, we entered one of the most gripping, surprising, and "Odyssey-like" chapters in all of Acts: Acts 27, the account of Paul’s shipwreck on his voyage to Rome. In a story full of howling winds, desperate sailors, and a prisoner who somehow becomes the most trusted voice on the ship, we will discover that God never wastes a storm. He uses them to purify, prepare, and save. The promise of this text is that the same God who guaranteed Paul’s safe arrival in Rome holds your story just as firmly.

Last Sunday, we continued our journey through Acts by studying Acts 25–26 and Paul’s defense before Festus and Agrippa. In the midst of imprisonment, accusation, delay, and uncertainty, Paul displays an unshakable confidence rooted in one central reality: Jesus Christ is truly risen and truly alive. Together, we considered how a deep-seated belief in the resurrected Christ transforms how we view our time, our reputation, our suffering, and our witness. As Paul boldly proclaims the Gospel before rulers and authorities, we are invited to ask ourselves a searching question: Do we truly believe that Jesus is present with His people through the Holy Spirit—and what would change if we lived like it?

Paul is on trial for proclaiming and believing the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise it holds for His followers. But is it a logical belief? And if so, how does it actually shape and form the life of the believer? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is still on trial today, and we do well to examine it and to live in light of the verdict.

If you have ever been falsely accused, misunderstood, or pressured to keep your faith quiet, this passage is for you. This week we continue our journey through Acts with Paul's dramatic arrest in Jerusalem and his harrowing transfer to Caesarea under Roman guard (21:37-23:35). Beaten by a mob, hauled before the Sanhedrin, and targeted by a conspiracy of forty men sworn to kill him, Paul faces accusation and trial at every turn — and yet the gospel advances at every turn. From his powerful testimony before the Jerusalem crowd to the Lord's midnight word of courage in the barracks, we see that accusation is not the end of the story, but an unlikely stage for God's faithfulness.

In Acts 21:1–36, we follow Paul as he walks knowingly toward hardship, refusing to turn aside from the path God has set before him. In a culture that instinctively avoids cost and discomfort, this passage confronts us with a deeper question: what would we do if we clearly knew obedience to Jesus would be difficult? This sermon invites us to see our lives through the lens of the gospel—where suffering is not meaningless, but often the very path God uses to advance His purposes. As a church, we need this reminder to live not for comfort or approval, but for the pleasure of God, trusting that faithful obedience opens doors for the gospel in ways we may not yet see.

In Acts 20:1–38, we step into one of the most personal and moving moments in Paul’s ministry—a chapter marked by deep friendship, earnest encouragement, and a tearful farewell. As Paul journeys toward Jerusalem, we see how the shared mission of the Gospel knits hearts together across miles, hardships, and even the hardest seasons of goodbye. This past Sunday, we explored how Gospel-shaped friendships are formed in mission, strengthened in worship, and sustained through faithful shepherding. Especially in a transient community like ours, this passage invites us to build relationships that are not only meaningful for today, but that endure into eternity.

HE IS RISEN!!! This Easter Sunday, we will be looking honestly at honest life — crushing debt, fractured marriages, illness, loss, and grief — and asking a question that may surprise you: What does the empty tomb have to do with any of that? Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, the message — An Eternal Weight of Glory — takes us to the heart of what the resurrection actually changes for real people in real pain. Paul's audacious claim is that our present sufferings, however crushing they feel, are "light and momentary" when set against the eternal glory that the resurrection of Jesus is even now preparing for us. This is not escapism or empty optimism — it is the kind of hope that enabled so many simple disciples to say they would not trade their suffering for anything in the world. Join us this Easter as we discover that the resurrection doesn't just give us a reason to celebrate — it gives us a completely new way to see our whole story.

This Palm Sunday, we will witness one of the most surprising moments in all of Scripture: a dying criminal's cry for mercy and Jesus' stunning response: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." Drawing from Luke 23:32–43, we will trace the biblical story of Paradise given, Paradise lost, and Paradise regained—from the Garden of Eden to the cross of Calvary. Along the way, we'll be confronted with an honest question: Are we more like the first criminal, trusting in our own self-sufficiency to get what we want out of life, or are we willing to see Jesus as he truly is—battered, crucified, and dying in our place?

This week we look at Acts 19:21-41. One of the exciting parts of this message is we’re going to relate it to the ordination of J.W. Ruff. I love preaching ordination sermons and this is a great text to frame JW‘s pastoral ministry. It will call us and call this soon to be pastor to preaching the gospel in such a way that idols are dethroned and Christ is exalted.

Now that Paul is in Ephesus, he has a battle before him. His primary tool—one in which he believes deeply—is the Word of Christ: the Good News. For two years, he taught, explained, and reasoned with both Jews and Gentiles—people he loved, many of whom were held in bondage by the dark spiritual realities rampant in Ephesus. As Paul proclaims, Jesus moves in. And whenever Jesus moves into occupied enemy territory, there is a confrontation. From vivid miracles and a humorous "reverse exorcism" to the power of the Gospel to change lives once deeply enmeshed in the occult, this is an encouraging and powerful text. It shows us the real Jesus bringing real cleansing and renewal through the path of costly discipleship!

What does it look like when God leads you beyond what you currently understand? Acts 18:18-19:7 invites us into that journey. Three stories: We see Paul, faithfully making plans yet surrendering every step to God’s sovereign will. We meet Apollos, a passionate and powerful teacher with incomplete understanding that humbly learns about Jesus. And we encounter a group of disciples who move from seeking to becoming fully Spirit-filled believers. Their stories remind us that following Jesus is not just about going somewhere new, it’s about growing from partial understanding into a fuller, deeper faith through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been in a job, a volunteer position, a location, or a relationship that felt like it was time to end? Why did you want to call it a day? Was it God-centered or, truth be told, driven by more self-centered reasons? Last Sunday’s passage, Acts 18:1–17, is a beautiful picture of a tried-and-tested pastor, Paul, who learned the secret to contented perseverance—not by his own strength of will, but rather by the promises of God. How did he experience those promises, and what were they?

We are back in Acts 17:16–34 this Sunday. This is a well-known passage that shows us how the Apostle Paul engaged the high-minded Greek culture of his time. Before presenting the Gospel, he met the leaders and philosophers of Athens on their own terms; then, Paul pointed them toward the true God and the real logic of the world. While this method is helpful and I pray it informs us, my deeper prayer is that we come to love God as Paul did. The reason Paul gave the best of his mind to share the Gospel with these academics is that he was simultaneously provoked by their empty idolatry and moved by compassion for them. I pray that we put this passage into practice because we love the honor of God.

Who are the people that God is redeeming unto Himself? What hints and hopes do we see in the Bible and in the world around us that one day all the families of the nations will worship before the Lord?

Andrew Ginsberg serves as the President/CEO of Operation Mobilization, an international missions organization with over 6,000 missionaries working to develop vital communities of Jesus followers worldwide. A graduate of Duke University and Cambridge, Andrew has a deep professional background in executive leadership, previously serving in senior advancement roles for The Navigators, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and BioLogos. Having led teams across six continents, he brings a global perspective rooted in his local history as a former leader and longtime member of Chapel Hill Bible Church. Andrew and his wife, Marnie, are currently transitioning to Georgia as they continue their mission to reach the least-reached and empower the global church.

What is unique about the God of Psalm 22 (and of the whole Bible) that makes Him worthy of ruling all the nations? And what are the implications of that as we consider God and as we make Him known to others? Join us this Sunday as we look at Psalm 22 and consider the LORD who all families of the nations will one day worship.

Friendship is not sentimental companionship—it is one of God’s primary means of shaping wisdom, character, and faith. Proverbs teaches that friends are never neutral; they either form us toward righteousness or deform us toward folly. This Sunday, we’ll see how friendship was woven into creation, fractured by sin, restored through Christ, and ultimately fulfilled in Him—the truest Friend who stays closer than a brother and lays down His life for the undeserving. In Christ, friendship becomes fellowship, and fellowship becomes something eternal—growing sweeter, truer, and more beautiful forever.

How ironic is it that our passage this Sunday is on the importance of gathering and the fellowship of the local church and it's looking quite possible that we're not gathering due to snow/ice storm?!? God knew! The Greek work for fellowship in the New Testament is "koinonia" which is a legal term meaning two parties are in partnership to the extent that they share in both assets and liabilities. So, question... are you in that kind of fellowship with a local church??? If you want to be a stubborn disciple of Jesus (i.e. keep following), you must be a churchman (or church-woman)!

Prayer is, at its core, fellowship with God—and it is also one of the most powerful ways we fellowship with one another as believers. In Luke 18 is a parable in which Jesus presses us to examine our false views of God and our false assumptions about the moment we’re living in. As those misconceptions are exposed, we begin to see the true God and the true nature of our circumstances—and prayer comes into clearer focus. Prayer is hard, but it is not complicated. The real obstacles are matters of the heart. When those are addressed—often through a gracious but firm spiritual jolt, like a well-aimed parable—prayer begins to flow more naturally, more frequently, and more joyfully.

Right now, truth be told, is your life marked by ownership or stewardship of your finances? What are some specific ways you would love Jesus to grow you in generosity in 2026... include your time and talent? Eternal life is found in following Jesus, forsaking the financial gods our world tempts us with. Today’s passage reveals just how dangerous the love of money is and how it can quickly define our lives and even the state of our souls.

In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, Jesus teaches us that God’s massive heart for us transcends all human ideas about fairness. Though it sounds appealing on the surface, this is a difficult truth, confronting us on the ways live for our own prestige and compare ourselves to others. In this passage, we will come face to face with a generous God who invites us into a new vision of what it means to be His people in a world where status and competition rule the day.

In Ephesians 3:14–21, Paul pulls back the curtain on how he prays for the church—and it may not be what we expect. Rather than focusing on circumstances or outcomes, Paul prays for inner strength, deep roots in Christ’s love, and a growing grasp of the immeasurable riches of God’s grace. This prayer reveals what truly matters for the health and maturity of God’s people. As we listen in on Paul’s words, we learn not only what to pray for a church, but how God delights to work powerfully within His people for His glory and their good.

For our last Sunday in Advent, we looked at Jesus as our Savior in the birth narrative in Matthew. It is a brief passage and one that contains the whole Bible in a sense. Jesus is our promised, incarnate, Savior, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

This third Sunday of advent, we focus on Joy and the work of Christ as our King. God had told Israel they could have a king, but the catch is he had to be totally different than the kings of the nations. He had to be a pastoral king, a fatherly king, the king that served the purposes of the kingdom. Kingship is a really big theme in the Bible, and unfortunately in the Old Testament there are a lot of broken examples. But at the end of the day, they pointed to the perfect King. And we will revel in Him this Sunday.

This second week of Advent, we now look at the picture called Priest. Christ is our Great High Priest and that changes everything. We will look at Hebrews 7 as the author paints for us the Old Testament origins of the priesthood and its goodness but also its incompleteness. We need a perfect priest and a priest who finished the work of purification, once and for all. So, we see that Jesus is and always was the ultimate and forever priest who not only leads but actually is the purity of God's people. And, among other things, that brings PEACE (the theme of the second Sunday of advent), forever peace, powerful peace, experienced peace.

This week begins our Advent Series. Picture the series as four paintings, side by side. I know there are things called triptych, a 3 panel painting, but I am not sure if there are quadtychs? These paintings reveal a different facet of our Christ. One is the Prophet (this Sunday). One is the Priest. One is the King. And the final one is the Savior. We will trace how these four offices were promised in the OT, fulfilled in Jesus, and then what that means for us today and for Advent as we not only gaze into that paintings, but discover we are one of the characters God has painted into the frame.

God loves to right side His people by turning them upside down. This Sunday we will study Acts 17:1-15 and see the gospel turning people and communities upside down and thus right side up! We'll look closely at the Bereans and how they were eager and examined the Scriptures daily to see the connections and conclusions about Jesus that Paul was teaching them. God blessed that. Many were saved.

We continue with the Apostle Paul as the gospel breaks forth into Europe. The Lord is accomplishing His purposes and building His kingdom through faithful gospel proclamation. This is not without opposition, and though we find Paul and his team persecuted greatly, their demeanor, posture and persistence serve as an example to us and a demonstration of Christian contentment in every joy and trial.

Has a door closed on you lately? Has a chapter come to an end, and you did not exactly invite that? To boot, were you trying to serve God when the door closed or the chapter ended? Endings are hard. Really hard. But the things is, God does some of His clearest leading by funneling us by closing doors and then opening new ones. Every closed door leads to a new open door, and a beautiful door. God does not have dead ends. This Sunday's text will remind us of these truths of God's sovereign grace as it leads by way of closed relationships, closed opportunities, and yet new relationships and new opportunities. At the end of the day, we will see that the whole point of our lives is to make Christ known and the only doors we should want are the one's God has planned. What a solid and encouraging place to be.

Legalism is like the Applebee's menu. It promises so much and yet never delivers (apologies to you Applebee's fans 😉). Legalism is not debatable, though. Adding anything to Jesus as the ground of salvation is wrong and it robs us of life. Legalism never relents, it manifests itself in all times and in all cultures. The church in Acts 15 responds swiftly, clearly, and graciously in how it dealt with it in its own time and I think we have a great example of how to respond, teach, and disciple the church on how to reject legalism, all the while embracing the way of Jesus Alone love, which may involve choosing to avoid certain things for unity sake. Legalism is the forcing of unbiblical commands. Love is the choosing to give over rights for the sake of the common good. I think Sunday will be helpful to all of us as we seek to live by grace and truth together.