What does the resurrection mean, and what does it reveal about God’s heart toward fearful and faltering disciples?

In this expositional message from Matthew 28:1–10, we follow the first witnesses to the empty tomb as grief turns to “great joy” and worship. Matthew shows us that the resurrection is not only a miracle to marvel at, but God’s decisive verdict on the cross - confirming that Jesus’ saving work is finished and accepted.

We also consider three theological implications of the resurrection: it declares the cross effective, it affirms God’s redemption of the whole person (body and soul), and it inaugurates new creation and living hope for all who belong to Christ. Finally, we see the risen Jesus meet frightened followers with gentleness, receive their worship, and speak family language over faltering disciples: “Go and tell my brothers.”

This sermon is part of Calvary Cork’s verse-by-verse series through Matthew, aimed at strengthening believers, helping honest doubters, and encouraging thoughtful, Jesus-centred faith.

Passage: Matthew 28:1–10
Theme: Victory over death - grace for the fearful

Calvary Cork
Sundays 11am | 25 South Side Industrial Estate, T12 R792
Website: https://calvarycork.org | Instagram: @CalvaryCork | Facebook: /CalvaryCork

In Acts 9, we encounter one of the most dramatic and important moments in the New Testament: the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. This sermon explores what happens when the risen Jesus shows up, not to someone searching for Him, but to someone actively opposing Him.Saul is a religious zealot, convinced that he is serving God by persecuting the early church. He is authorised, confident, and sincere. Yet when the risen Jesus appears, Saul is confronted in his blindness, humbled by divine authority, and radically reoriented. His direction, identity, and purpose are forever changed.This message traces the movement of Acts 9 as Jesus confronts Saul with the truth, reorients his life under Christ’s lordship, and incorporates him into God’s people and mission. Along the way, we see how Jesus identifies Himself with His church, how real conversion produces real change, and how grace transforms even the most unlikely people.The sermon also reflects on themes of repentance, obedience, spiritual blindness and sight, the body of Christ, and what it means to truly follow Jesus. Paul’s later reflections on his own conversion, including passages such as 1 Timothy 1 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, help us understand how deeply this encounter shaped his theology and his life.As this message was preached at the end of the year, it also offers a thoughtful invitation to consider how encountering Jesus leads not only to belief, but to belonging and service within the local church. Following Jesus is never merely private or theoretical; it reshapes how we live, who we serve, and where we commit ourselves.📖 Bible passage: Acts 9:1–31📍 Recorded at Calvary Cork🎙️ Preaching from the book of Acts✝️ Themes: the risen Jesus, conversion, repentance, grace, the church, obedience, and transformation🔎 Keywords: Acts 9 sermon, conversion of Saul, road to Damascus, Paul’s conversion, Jesus appears to Saul, New Testament preaching, Christian sermon, Bible teaching

What does an ancient story about a fiery furnace have to do with Christmas?In Daniel 3, three faithful young men refuse to bow to a false god and are thrown into a blazing furnace. But they are not alone. A mysterious fourth man appears in the fire with them, and everything changes.In this Advent sermon from Daniel 3:8–28, we explore how this dramatic moment points us to the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is not just about where Jesus was born. It is about God choosing to be with His people, even in their fiery trials.This message is especially shaped for a mixed congregation, including children and those new to the Christian faith, and shows how God’s presence, not escape from suffering, is our deepest need. From the furnace in Babylon to the manger in Bethlehem, the Bible tells one unified story of a God who draws near.Key themes include:Faithfulness under pressureGod’s presence in sufferingThe fourth man in the fireChristmas as “God with us”Why Jesus came and what our deepest need truly isWhether you are facing hardship, exploring Christianity, or reflecting on the meaning of Christmas, this message points us to the hope found in Emmanuel, God with us.

In this episode, we sit down with Tobi Bashiru to hear his story, his work as a health and safety professional, and the ways the Lord has shaped him through faithful service at Calvary Cork. Tobi reflects on lessons learned through behind-the-scenes ministry, discipleship, and how God met him with grace during a season of deep loss and trial.

In Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua stands on the edge of Jericho carrying the weight of leadership, fear, and uncertainty. It is here, in this in between moment, that he meets a mysterious figure with a drawn sword: the Commander of the Lord’s army.

In this Advent sermon, Pastor Mike explores how Christ, the true Commander, meets His people in their own liminal spaces. As Joshua discovers, the Lord does not come to take sides but to take charge. He confronts our assumptions, claims our allegiance, and comforts our hearts with His holy presence.

We reflect on what this means for followers of Jesus today: how God meets us in seasons of transition, how He refuses to be co-opted into our agendas, and how His presence turns ordinary ground into holy ground. The same One who stood before Joshua with a sword is the One who stepped into the world at Bethlehem, fully God and fully man, to shine light into our darkness.

If you are walking through uncertainty, change, or fear, this passage offers deep hope. Christ meets us at the threshold, leads us forward, and reminds us that we never stand on the edge alone.

Scripture: Joshua 5:13-15
Series: Light in the Darkness – Advent 2025
Church: Calvary Cork • https://calvarycork.org

In this follow up conversation to our Advent message on Genesis 32, Mike Neglia is joined by Nick Cady, pastor of White Fields Community Church in Longmont, Colorado, to explore Jacob’s long night of wrestling with God and the meaning of walking with a limp.

Together they talk through why God sometimes meets us in seasons of fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion; what a theophany or Christophany actually is; how divine wrestling frees us from self reliance; and why weakness often becomes the place where God’s grace does its deepest work. They also consider how Jacob’s story prepares us for Advent and points to Jesus, who enters our darkness and brings light, hope, and transformation.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re struggling spiritually or being pushed beyond your strength, this conversation offers encouragement and insight.
God often meets His people most profoundly in the struggle.

Watch Nick's sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHcQi3Ilgms

Why would God choose to meet someone in the dark with a fight?
In this Advent message from Genesis 32:22-32, Mike Neglia explores Jacob’s long night of wrestling with God – a turning point not only for Jacob’s life, but for anyone who has ever struggled with fear, uncertainty, or exhaustion.

Jacob is alone at the Jabbok, out of schemes and out of strength. But in the darkness he discovers a God who comes close, who confronts, who wounds in order to heal, and who gives a new name and a new identity.

This message traces the pattern of God’s grace: how He wrestles us out of our self reliance, how He reshapes us through weakness, and how He still meets His people in the places we least expect Him.

As Advent begins, Jacob’s story points us forward to Jesus – the God who enters our darkness, who wrestles in Gethsemane, who is pinned to the cross, and who rises to give us His strength and His peace.

If you are in a season of struggle, or searching spiritually, this message offers hope:
God is often closest when we feel weakest.

In this sermon from Matthew 27:57-66, Mike Neglia explores the often-overlooked moment between the cross and the resurrection: the burial of Jesus. Far from being a narrative pause, the burial is part of the gospel itself. It proves that Jesus truly died, exposes the weakness of alternative theories, and prepares us to grasp the wonder of the resurrection.

We look closely at Joseph of Arimathea and the way the death of Jesus draws courage out of a once-hidden disciple. We consider the costly devotion of those who handled the Lord’s body, the rich symbolism behind His burial, and the way Scripture anticipates Christ taking our cross, our grave, and even our uncleanness.

The message then moves from history to personal hope, showing how Romans 6 teaches that believers share in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. His story becomes our story. His grave becomes the turning of the tide. And because He broke the tomb open from the inside, we can step into the new life He gives.

Title: He Took My Cross, He Took My Grave
Text: Matthew 27:57-66
Speaker: Mike Neglia
Church: Calvary Cork

For more information about Calvary Cork or to find Sunday service details, visit calvarycork.org or follow @CalvaryCork on Instagram and Facebook.

In this episode, Mark Ryan from the Calvary Cork Care Team shares a warm and encouraging reflection on the heart of Christian thanksgiving. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Psalm 100, Mark reminds us that gratitude is not just for good days, but for all circumstances, because God has been faithful in the past and will be faithful in the future. A brief devotional to lift your eyes, steady your heart and stir fresh thankfulness to the Lord.

In this sermon from Matthew 27 v.32–56, Tadgh O’Keefe walks us through the suffering of Jesus as the true King who saves his people through the cross. This passage brings together the promise of Genesis 3:15, the imagery of the Exodus, and the fulfilment of Scripture as Christ conquers evil and makes a way for us to be restored to God.

If you want to understand the cross more deeply or you need fresh encouragement in your own season of suffering, this message points you to the hope found in Jesus and his saving love.

Calvary Cork
Sundays at 11am
25 South Side Industrial Estate, T12 R792
https://calvarycork.org

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