New Life in Christ Church Sermons

When we speak to people about Jesus, it is easy to feel responsible for how they respond. Jesus prepares His disciples for both reception and rejection and shows them what He has actually called them to do. So when we talk about our faith with others, what are we actually responsible for?

When life becomes difficult, where do you look for hope? We all experience suffering, disappointment, and uncertainty, but those experiences often leave us asking the same question: Is there any purpose in this? The world offers many ways to cope with hardship, yet few provide lasting hope. Many of the things we trust in can be shaken by suffering, loss, disappointment, or change. Writing to believers facing hardship, Peter points them to a hope that is alive, secure, and beyond the reach of any earthly trial.

In today's text, we will see how to wait with hope in the wilderness. This is the second of a two-part series that considers the biblical theme of the wilderness. See the May 17 sermon (on Revelation 12:13-14) for part one of this series.

When something becomes clear and undeniable, we don’t always respond rightly. We tend to keep it at a distance, minimize its demands, or reinterpret it so it doesn’t disrupt us. In this passage, Jesus’ power and mercy are unmistakably on display, yet people respond in very different ways. This reveals something about us: when confronted with what is true and powerful, we are not naturally inclined to receive it. But this passage calls us to something different—not distance or reinterpretation, but humble faith. So, what does it look like to respond rightly?

There are moments in life when something breaks, and it does not come back. Not everything heals. Some problems linger, and many feel final. In Matthew 9:18–26, Jesus steps into those moments. He does not simply help people cope. He does what no one else can and shows that our only real hope is found in Him. He restores the broken and raises the dead. When life feels beyond repair, where will you turn and what does real hope look like then?

When something is wrong, it is natural to try to fix it and become who we think we should be. But over time, we begin to see that this does not truly change us or bring us closer to God. In Matthew 9:14–17, Jesus confronts that way of thinking and shows that we cannot relate to God through what we do but must receive what He gives. He did not come to improve our efforts, but to give us a new life by grace. When our approach isn’t working, how do we receive the new life Jesus gives?

We live in a world searching for healing and security, yet we instinctively look for salvation in things that cannot save. Many trust power, progress, and self-reliance instead of the Lord. Into that world God speaks, “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” Because there is only one God, there is only one hope for the world, and we are called to make Him known. If there is only one God, what does that mean for the world and for us?

We often know something is wrong in our lives, but we do not always know what the real problem is. We focus on what hurts most, assuming relief will bring resolution. In Matthew 9:1–8, a man is brought to Jesus with an obvious need, but Jesus names a deeper one. Real restoration begins when Jesus exposes our true problem and reveals who He truly is. How does Jesus uncover our deepest need—and what does His revelation require of us?

How often do we see suffering and, instead of coming alongside it, avoid the discomfort it brings? In Matthew 8, Jesus steps into a place everyone else avoids—and refuses to leave things as they are. We have much to learn from Christ, who moves toward what is broken in order to restore it. What happens when Jesus confronts what others have learned to live with, and refuses to leave it unchanged?

Some of the most unsettling moments in life come not when we’re doing something wrong, but when we’re moving forward. That’s what we see in our passage this morning. The disciples are following Jesus, when a storm meets them there. It shows us something surprising: that faithful obedience can feel deeply unsettling. So, the question we need to ask is this: when following Jesus unsettles our lives, how can we know He is still leading us?

Many people want the life Jesus offers, his forgiveness, purpose, love, and joy, but remain unwilling to surrender what is required to truly have it. In Matthew 8:18–22, crowds press in around Jesus. Instead of welcoming their casual interest, Jesus reveals what real discipleship actually costs. Following Jesus means surrendering control over our lives because he claims lordship over every part of them. What happens when following Jesus stops being theoretical and starts costing something real?

Hebrews 2:10-14(ESV) 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

We live in a world marked by separation and the crippling shame that something is wrong with us. When we feel stained by sin, failure, or wounds, we often withdraw and quietly wonder whether God will receive us. As Jesus comes down from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew introduces a man who embodies this experience. He lived in shame, isolation, and uncertainty about whether he could ever be better. This passage shows us that because Jesus is willing to touch the unclean, we can go to Him and be restored. How do we know Jesus will actually receive people like us?

Entering 2026, let’s consider this passage as a sequel or second part to either Pastor Sean's sermon from three weeks ago (December 14; using the same text), or Kyle Ferguson’s sermon last week (December 28; Mark 4:21-25) which showed Christ as our measure of all things. Either way, you are invited to see for yourself how this passage speaks to the way to be filled with the Holy Spirit by considering two principles (see outline below. The beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to evaluate your progress and to seek the LORD to begin anew. Additionally, consider using the bulletin insert for your own personal study through the week. 1. To be filled, you must be emptied. (Ephesians 5:15-18a) 2. To be filled, you must be seeking. (Ephesians 5:18b-21) Q. 97. What special use is there of the moral law to the regenerate? A. Although they that are regenerate, and believe in Christ, be delivered from the moral law as a covenant of works, so as thereby they are neither justified nor condemned: yet, beside the general uses thereof common to them with all men, it is of special use to show them how much they are bound to Christ for his fulfilling it, and enduring the curse thereof in their stead and for their good; and thereby to provoke them to more thankfulness, and to express the same in their greater care to conform themselves thereunto as the rule of their obedience. Rom. 6:14; Rom. 7:4, 6; Gal. 4:4-5; Rom. 3:20; Gal. 5:2

Genesis 38 interrupts the Joseph story with a surprising detour into the moral failure of Judah’s family. But this chapter reveals something deeper: when God's people forget their mission, He doesn’t abandon His plan—He works through surprising means to keep it going. God is committed to multiplying His covenant people; it’s our call to resist selfishness and join Him in that mission.

Jesus first sermon in Nazareth set the paradigm for His ministry-proclaiming freedom through Jubilee. As we celebrate 50 years of missions, we must recommit to proclaiming this freedom to the nations.

How do we deal with difficult people? Relationships are often broken by conflict, mis-trust, and sin. Yet, God calls us to follow Him, act with integrity, and pursue peace inHis covenant. In our passage today, we will see how God leads His people out of con-flict and into His promises.I. Following Gods Call in Difficult Relationships (Genesis 31:1-21) Recognizing When a Relationship Has Turned - Gen. 31:1-2Seeking Gods Direction in Conflict - Gen. 31:3James 3:16-18 Wisdom from above is pure and peaceable.Seeking Confirmation from Trusted Voices - Gen. 31:4-16Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22 The value of wise counsel.Making a Clean Break - Gen. 31:17-21 II. Acting with Integrity in Conflict (Genesis 31:22-42) 1 Peter 2:15-17 Integrity silences false accusations III. The Value of Covenant Relationships (Genesis 31:43-55) A covenant establishes an ongoing relationshipA covenant defines the boundaries and expectations of a relationshipA covenant establishes accountability in relationshipsGods new covenant of grace - Jeremiah 31:31-34; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Conclusion and Application: - Are you handling your conflicts with integrity?- How are you trusting Gods leadership in difficult relationships?- Are you honoring the covenants you have made with God,in marriage, in church, others?- How have you seen God's love in the covenant He has made with us in Christ?

Where does true prosperity come from? Many seek wealth through luck, dishonesty, or personal schemes, but Scripture teaches that prosperity comes through God's blessing, wisdom, and faithful diligence. Jacob's story illustrates how God provides through hard work and trust in Him.