Mercy Spokane: Sermons

What’s stuck in your head is shaping your life.In this sermon from Philippians 2:1–11, we see how the Apostle Paul addresses a divided church, not with strategy or scolding, but with a song. The early church sang what’s often called the Carmen Christi—the “Song of Christ”—because what we rehearse shapes who we become.Paul reminds us of three things:What we’ve received in ChristThe real problem behind our divisionThe song that can actually change usAt the center is Jesus—who humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, and went all the way to the cross… and is now exalted as Lord over all.The more this gospel gets into us, the more it reshapes how we live with others.Key Passage: Philippians 2:1–11Rev. Tommy Allen, Mercy Spokane

What do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan?In Philippians 1:19–30, Paul sits in prison—yet he’s full of joy. Why? Because his life isn’t anchored to his circumstances, but to Christ.In this passage, we see:How God uses prayer and the Spirit in our trialsWhat it really means to say, “to live is Christ”Why suffering isn’t pointless—and may actually be a giftHow unity helps us stand firm under pressurePaul shows us a better way to live: one where every outcome is a win.If Christ is your life, then even loss can’t take everything.Rev. Tommy Allen, 4/26/26

What do you do when everything seems to fall apart—and God appears to be sidelining your plans?In this message from Philippians 1:12–18, we see how Paul reframes what looks like a complete disaster—his imprisonment—as a surprising victory for the gospel. What seems like failure is actually God’s strategy at work.Through Paul’s example, we discover how God uses setbacks, suffering, and even broken motives to advance His mission in ways we would never choose.Rev. Tommy Allen, 4/19/26

We’re beginning a new series in Philippians by looking at Paul’s opening words in Philippians 1:1–11. What seems like a simple greeting is actually loaded with meaning—and sets up the whole message of the letter.In this sermon, we explore how the gospel creates deep partnership among believers, why unity matters for the mission of the church, and how God’s faithfulness gives us confidence to sacrifice and serve.From Paul’s unlikely church plant in Philippi to his prayer for a divided congregation, we’re reminded that the Christian life isn’t a solo endeavor—it’s a shared mission rooted in grace.Rev. Tommy Allen, 4/12/26

What do you do when the storm hits—and Jesus seems asleep?In Mark 4:35–41, Jesus calms the storm with a word. But the real question isn’t about the storm—it’s about Him: “Who then is this?”We see His authority, the disciples’ fear, and the call to faith. Jesus isn’t just Lord over the storm—He’s the Savior who entered the ultimate storm for us.If you’re feeling anxious or afraid, this passage invites you to remember God’s faithfulness and trust Him now.Rev. Tommy Allen, 3/29/26

In this sermon from Mark 4:21–34, we wrestle with an honest question: If Jesus is really King, why doesn’t it feel like it?Through three parables—the lamp, the growing seed, and the mustard seed—Jesus reveals how His kingdom truly works. What seems hidden is being revealed. What feels slow is actually growing. What looks small will become world-changing.This message calls us to trust God’s timing, embrace our role in sowing the gospel, and believe that what is now invisible will one day be undeniable.Rev. Tommy Allen, 3/22/26

In this sermon from Mark 4:1–20, “The Prodigal Sower,” we explore Jesus’ foundational parable about the kingdom of God and the condition of the human heart. Teaching from a boat to a massive crowd, Jesus describes a lavish, almost reckless sower scattering seed everywhere and then explains why his parables both reveal and conceal the truth.We consider the four soils, the mystery of grace behind true hearing, and the promise that the gospel always bears fruit in those who keep receiving it. The good news is that no one begins as good soil. Wherever you find yourself today, the Sower is still sowing.Rev. Tommy Allen, 3/15/26

In this sermon from Mark 3:20–35, we encounter a striking “Markan sandwich”: Jesus’ family tries to restrain him, the scribes accuse him of being empowered by Satan, and Jesus responds by revealing both the source of his authority and the nature of his kingdom. What unfolds is a call to see him rightly. Not as crazy or corrupt, but as the stronger one who has come to bind the strong man and liberate his people.Along the way, we wrestle with the warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the wide promise of forgiveness for sinners, and Jesus’ redefinition of family. The invitation is simple and urgent: stop standing on the outside looking in. Come sit at his feet, believe, and belong.Rev. Tommy Allen3/8/26

In Mark 3:1–6, Jesus walks into a synagogue and into a trap.A man with a withered hand stands in the room. The Pharisees are watching closely, waiting to accuse. And Jesus does something bold. He calls the man to the center and asks a question that goes far beyond Sabbath rules:“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?”This moment is not just about healing. It is about authority. About control. About who stands at the center.When Jesus restores the man’s hand, the religious leaders respond not with joy, but with a plot to destroy Him. Hard hearts refuse to celebrate restoration. And this is the turning point where the cross becomes inevitable.Rev. Tommy Allen, 3/1/26

Why don’t Jesus’ disciples fast?In this passage, Jesus answers with a wedding image: you don’t fast when the bridegroom is present. The One Israel longed for has arrived, and it’s time for celebration.Through the images of new cloth and new wine, Jesus makes it clear He didn’t come to patch up religion built on merit. He came to fulfill the law, inaugurate a new covenant, and give new life. At the cross, the Bridegroom would be taken away. At the resurrection, He would burst the grave. (Mark 2:18-22, Rev. Tommy Allen)

Jesus calls a tax collector, eats with sinners, and confronts self-righteous religion. In Mark 2:13–17, we see grace in action.Jesus comes not for those who think they are well, but for those who know they are sick. He seeks sinners, welcomes the outcast, and exposes the danger of self-righteousness. (Mark 2:13-17, Rev. Tommy Allen)

In Mark 2:1–12, Jesus does more than heal a paralytic. He forces a question that cannot be ignored: Who does he think he is?This sermon explores the attraction, audacity, and authority of Jesus. His grace draws the broken, his words confront the self-righteous, and his healing power confirms his authority to forgive sins. As in every turning point moment, a decision must be made. (2/1/26, Rev. Tommy Allen)

In this sermon from Mark 1:29–45, we see Jesus step straight into sickness, chaos, and social outcasts. He enters an unprepared home, heals freely as crowds gather, and then does the unthinkable by touching a leper. Grace does not wait for polish or preparedness. It moves toward need, refuses to stay contained, and ultimately trades places with the unclean.This passage points us forward to the heart of the gospel. Jesus does not save from a distance. He steps into our mess, takes our uncleanness upon himself, and restores us by taking our place. (Rev. Tommy Allen, 1/25/26)

In Mark 1:21–28, Jesus enters the synagogue and immediately confronts both religious complacency and cosmic opposition. Unlike the scribes, he teaches with unmistakable authority, and that authority is dramatically confirmed when he silences and expels an unclean spirit. This moment is more than a local miracle. It is a declaration that the kingdom of God has arrived and that the powers of darkness are already on notice. In this sermon, we explore what it means for Jesus to speak and act with divine authority, and why that authority still demands a response from us today. (Rev. Tommy Allen, 1/18/26)

What does it mean when Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled”? In Mark 1:14–20, Jesus steps onto the scene announcing that the waiting is over and God’s kingdom is breaking in now. In this sermon, we explore why Jesus begins in Galilee, what repentance really means, and why his call to “follow me” is both radically gracious and deeply disruptive. As Jesus calls ordinary fishermen to leave their nets and join his mission, we’re confronted with a question that still presses on us today: if the kingdom is at hand, how will we respond? (Rev. Tommy Allen, 1/11/26)

In this sermon from Mark 1:4–13, we step into the wilderness where John the Baptist calls Israel to repentance and prepares the way for the coming King. What does John’s baptism mean, and why does Jesus submit to it if he has no sins to confess?This passage reveals Jesus as our representative. He goes through the waters of repentance, identifies with sinners, and hears the Father’s declaration: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” From the Jordan to the wilderness, the gospel begins with Jesus standing in our place.This sermon explores repentance, forgiveness, baptism, and the stunning truth that what God says about Jesus is true of all who belong to him.Scripture: Mark 1:4–13 (ESV) Rev. Tommy Allen

Matthew’s Christmas story is not sentimental. It's dangerous.In this sermon, we follow Jesus from Egypt to exile to Nazareth and see how the Son of God enters a world marked by fear, violence, and grief. Drawing on the idea of eucatastrophe, this message shows how Jesus relives Israel’s story and bears our guilt, shame, and rejection in order to bring redemption.Christmas does not deny the darkness. It declares that the darkness will not last. (Rev. Tommy Allen, 12/28/25)

Matthew tells the Christmas story from Joseph’s perspective, not as a hero’s tale, but as the story of a righteous man faced with a scandal he did not create. Forced to choose between preserving his reputation and showing costly mercy, Joseph becomes a quiet picture of faithful obedience.This sermon explores why the virgin birth matters, what it means that Jesus saves his people from their sins, and why “Immanuel, God with us” is the true heart of Christmas. Christmas is not about sentiment or nostalgia. It is about a Person. When we understand who Jesus is and why he came, everything changes. (Dr. Tommy Allen, 12/21/25

This sermon explores Isaiah’s vision of a world made new: deserts blooming, the weak strengthened, the fearful reassured, and the redeemed walking home with joy. Spoken to a people worn down by judgment and exile, this passage reminds us that God does not merely rescue from afar. He comes near, restores what is broken, and turns sorrow into singing.Isaiah 35 ultimately points us to Jesus, the One who opens blind eyes, steadies trembling knees, and prepares a highway of holiness for his people. In the midst of weariness and waiting, this text calls us to lift our eyes and trust that God will finish what he has promised. (Tommy Allen, 12/14/25)

"How Can I Know?"Dr. Tommy AllenIn this message we look at Abram’s honest question to God: “How can I know?” God has promised protection, blessing, descendants, and a land—but Abram still wrestles with doubt. Instead of rebuking him, God gives one of the most powerful assurances in the Bible: a covenant ceremony where God Himself walks through the pieces, taking upon Himself the full weight of the promise.We explore why so many of us struggle with assurance, how we try to “finish the job” ourselves, and how the cross becomes God’s final answer to the question, “Will You really keep Your promises?” In Jesus, God bears the curse of our failure and guarantees that He will finish what He started.11/16/25

"Saved by Faith"Dr. Tommy AllenIn this message we look at one of the most important moments in the entire Bible: God reassures Abram, renews His promise of an heir, and Abram simply believes. And that faith is credited to him as righteousness.We explore why Abram longed for the promised Redeemer, how God answers his fears, and why this passage becomes the foundation for the New Testament’s teaching on justification by faith alone. The strength of our faith isn’t what saves us—the strength of the One who carries us does.

"The Call of Abraham"Dr. Tommy AllenIn this message we look at God’s surprising call to Abram — a man settled, comfortable, and worshiping the moon god in Haran — and how that call sets the pattern for every journey of faith. God tells Abram to leave his country, his security, and even his family network, without telling him where he’s going. The only question left is: Will you trust Me?We explore God’s unqualified promises to Abram, how they point us to Jesus, and what it means to follow God into the unknown with imagination, faith, and a long-game view of life.11/2/25

"Babel" Dr. Tommy AllenIn this sermon we look at the famous Tower of Babel story and what it reveals about the human heart. Instead of spreading across the earth as God commanded, humanity bands together to build a city and a tower in an attempt to “make a name” for themselves. Their ambition looks impressive from below, but in Genesis, the whole scene becomes a kind of divine satire—God has to “come down” just to see their great tower.We explore the pride behind Babel, the mercy behind God’s intervention, and how the scattering of languages becomes the backdrop for something greater. In Jesus, the deepest divisions of Babel begin to be reversed, and the desire to make a name for ourselves is replaced by the gift of receiving a name from Him.10/26/25

"God's Bow in the Clouds" Dr. Tommy AllenAfter a year of chaos and uncertainty inside the ark, Noah steps onto dry ground and faces the same question any of us would ask: What now? In this passage, we see God respond with promise, purpose, and grace.We explore how God establishes a world of order again, reiterates humanity’s mission to fill and steward the earth, and gives a striking sign of mercy—the rainbow, God’s “war bow” hung up and pointed toward Himself. This moment anticipates the cross, where judgment and mercy meet once and for all.10/19/25

"But Noah..." Dr. Tommy AllenIn this sermon, we look at one of the most mysterious and sobering passages in Genesis. As human evil grows and the world seems to unravel, God responds with both grief and grace. We explore the strange figures mentioned in the text, the deeper story Scripture is telling about the spread of corruption, and the surprising note of hope that appears at the end: “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”This passage reminds us that God takes human sin seriously, yet He is never without a plan to preserve and restore.

"Blood That Speaks" Dr. Tommy AllenIn this sermon, we look at the story of Cain and Abel, the first visible clash between the two “seeds” God promised would emerge after the Fall. Cain and Abel picture two very different approaches to God: religion that tries to earn favor, and faith that trusts God’s goodness.We walk through Cain’s anger, his fatal choice, and the surprising way God responds with both justice and mercy. And we explore how Abel’s blood cries out in judgment, while the blood of Jesus speaks a better word—one of forgiveness, peace, and welcome.

"Who Is the King of Glory?" Dr. Tommy AllenIn this sermon, we look at Psalm 24 and its central question: Who is the King of glory? The psalm paints a picture of God as the Creator who brings order out of chaos, the gracious King who welcomes people who know they can’t clean themselves up, and the victorious King who enters His city to bless rather than crush.We talk about what “glory” really means, why grace is essential if anyone hopes to stand before God, and how Jesus fulfills every part of this psalm — the King of creation, the King of grace, and the King of glory Himself.9/7/25

"Who Are These?" Dr. Tommy AllenJohn gives us a hopeful picture of a countless people from every nation standing with Jesus. This passage answers the question, “Who can stand when life is hard?” We look at the wideness of the gospel, what “the great tribulation” really means, and the comfort Jesus gives both now and in the future.Learn more at thereismercy.org.8/31/25