Adoration Church

Death separates us from those we love. But is that separation permanent? In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Paul offers hope to Christians grieving the loss of loved ones. Because Jesus rose from the dead, those who have died in Christ will rise again, and together with the living, they will welcome their returning King. Death separates us, but Christ’s resurrection guarantees our reunion.

On All Saints’ Day, we remember the faithful who have gone before us, rediscover the beauty of our present communion with the Church, and look ahead to the day when every tribe, tongue, and nation will stand before the throne of Jesus.

Resilience, the ability to withstand the tumultuous seasons of life intact, comes from deep roots. How do we keep going when things don’t go as planned? Paul models a different way of following Jesus: moving from outcome-based discipleship to obedience-based discipleship. When we hold our plans with open hands and marry our lives to obedience to Jesus, we can face disappointment without being derailed by it.

Actionable love and holy living in response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (10.18.26)

The world offers countless paths to resilience, from self-optimization to endless introspection, but none can provide the lasting strength our souls need. In Philippians 4, Paul points us to something deeper: union with Christ.

Have you lost your energy to pursue Christ? In this sermon, Matt Makar explores how St. Paul kept pressing on from Philippians 3:10-21. If anyone ought to feel burnt out, it was St. Paul, as he wrote from prison. Somehow he still had the spiritual stamina to encourage the church from his prison cell. This message rediscovers the forgotten Christian doctrine that once fueled Saint Paul’s fervor. It’s not what you think.

Paul points us to the humility of Jesus: though he was in the form of God, he did not grasp his position for his own advantage, but emptied himself and became obedient to the point of death. What if we learned to see our suffering not simply as something to escape, but as something God can use to produce humility, deepen our intimacy with Jesus, and make us more like him?

In this message, Matt Makar walks through Paul’s secret to joy from Philippians 1.

What does it look like for the church to have real love when we don’t agree on everything? In Romans 14, Paul speaks to a church divided over customs and convictions, calling them to something deeper than uniformity: unity. And in Matthew 18, Jesus reminds us that this unity is built on the shocking grace we have first received from God. We have been forgiven a debt we could never repay—so how can we withhold mercy from one another? In a community where we don’t all think, worship, or practice the same way, how do we build a love that is real?

When Paul addresses the spiritual gifts, he gives both encouragement and caution. Most churches only encourage the gifts or caution against them. Romans 12:9–21 shows how genuine love governs the use of our spiritual gifts. Building on the encouragement from Romans 12:3–8, this message calls the church to be both encouraging and wisely cautious, so that our many members serve as one body in Christ. Love leads the way—sincere, humble, and active.