Desert Springs Bible Church Sermons

In this message from the Revelation of Hope series, Pastor Caleb Campbell explores Revelation 14 and its striking description of people who "follow the Lamb wherever he goes." Reflecting on his own unexpected journey from heavy metal drummer to pastor, Caleb considers the lifelong challenge of choosing the way of Jesus when other paths seem easier, safer, or more rewarding. Revelation presents two competing ways of life: the path of Babylon, marked by domination, greed, and exploitation, and the path of the Lamb, which leads toward the restoration of all things. Drawing on Proverbs 14:12 and C. S. Lewis's portrayal of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia, Caleb reminds us that following Jesus does not come with a detailed map. We are invited to trust the goodness of the One who leads us, even when the journey takes us into unfamiliar and uncomfortable places.

Through a moving story of Christians practicing peacemaking during political violence in South America, Caleb illustrates what it means to follow the Lamb into dangerous places. As soldiers threatened civilians, a small group of believers gathered in the street to share communion, remembering Jesus' sacrifice while refusing to respond to violence with violence. Their actions reveal that communion is not only an act of remembrance but also an act of resistance against the destructive ways of Babylon. Following Jesus may lead us toward difficult people, costly acts of love, and circumstances beyond our control. Yet the invitation of Revelation remains the same: listen to the Good Shepherd and follow him wherever he goes, trusting that his way, though not always safe, is good, true, and beautiful.

In this message at Desert Springs Bible Church, Rev. Gary Mason draws on his decades of experience in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to explore what faithful Christian leadership looks like in a divided and polarized world. Reflecting on the violence of the Troubles and the role religious leaders played in both fueling conflict and building peace, Gary challenges Christians to consider how their faith shapes their lives beyond the walls of the church. Turning to the story of Abraham in Genesis, he draws on the writings of Jewish theologian Jonathan Sacks to describe Abraham as an ordinary, imperfect person who courageously followed God's call into an unknown future. Abraham's example invites believers to resist the idols of their age, care for the vulnerable, and remain faithful to the call of eternity rather than being consumed by the noise of the present.

Through Abraham's failures, doubts, sacrifices, and perseverance, Gary reminds us that God does not require perfection before calling people into his purposes. Abraham's journey reveals a God who extends mercy repeatedly and invites his people into deeper trust, even when obedience is costly or the future remains uncertain. Gary also challenges Christians to resist the temptation to retreat into the past or measure success by popularity, wealth, or political power. Drawing on the stories of Solomon and other biblical figures, he emphasizes that the things we often pursue for security and fulfillment cannot ultimately satisfy. The Christian life is an invitation to live for what endures, recognizing that political leaders and earthly kingdoms will pass away, but Jesus Christ remains the center of God's unfolding story.

In this message from the Revelation of Hope series, Pastor Caleb Campbell wrestles with one of the Bible's most troubling questions: How can Christians justify violence in God's name when Jesus calls his followers to love their enemies and become peacemakers? Drawing on his experience visiting Belfast, Northern Ireland, and learning about the religious divisions and violence of the Troubles, Caleb explores the tension between the teachings of Jesus and the ways Christians have sometimes used Scripture to justify harming others. Revelation 19:11–16 presents a striking image of Jesus riding a white horse, wearing many crowns, and making war against evil. Yet a closer reading reveals surprising details that challenge conventional understandings of power, warfare, and victory.

The rider's robe is dipped in blood before the battle begins, his heavenly armies carry no weapons, and the sword he wields comes from his mouth. These images point toward a radically different kind of conquest. While earthly empires use violence to dominate and destroy, Jesus conquers through the power of his Word and the self-giving sacrifice of the cross. His blood is not the blood of his enemies but his own, given to bring healing and restoration. Revelation reveals Jesus as the King of Kings who confronts evil without adopting the destructive methods of earthly kingdoms. For Christians wrestling with injustice, violence, and the misuse of religious authority, this vision invites us to reconsider what it means to follow a King whose victory is accomplished through sacrificial love rather than domination.

In this message, we are reminded that Revelation is ultimately a story of hope for a world that can feel frightening and uncertain. Through the powerful imagery of the dragon and the Lamb, we are given a new lens for seeing the world through Jesus and are challenged to live in the way of the Lamb—with humility, love, faithful witness, and service rather than domination or retaliation. The message points us to the victory of Jesus, who has overcome the power of the dragon and promises to make all things new, wiping away every tear and bringing an end to death, grief, and pain.

Continuing Revelation of Hope, Linda Morris explores some of Revelation’s most difficult imagery: angels announcing judgment, the harvest, and the seven bowls of God’s wrath. She connects these visions to a theme she sees running throughout Scripture: God calls his people to love him, love their neighbors, and remain faithful to their covenant with him rather than being seduced by the systems around them. Revelation’s warnings are therefore not meant simply to frighten Christians or provide an escape plan. They call God’s people to endurance, discernment, repentance, and faithfulness in a world filled with competing voices and deceptive powers. 

The message ultimately turns from judgment toward hope and readiness. Linda emphasizes Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 to watch carefully and refuse deception because no one knows when circumstances will change or when Christ will return. Being ready means more than waiting. It means continuing to live as the light of the world, caring for neighbors, serving people in need, seeking truth, and faithfully doing what God has called us to do. Revelation reminds us that evil and suffering do not have the final word. God is not finished, and his people are called to endure with wisdom, love, and hope until Jesus comes. 

Continuing Revelation of Hope, this message explores the strange imagery of Revelation 12 and 13 through the Dragon and the two Beasts. Rather than treating Revelation primarily as a script for predicting future events, the sermon presents it as a lens that helps Christians see the powers at work in the world. The Dragon represents the deceptive, disintegrating power of evil. The Beast from the sea embodies that power through empire, domination, and violence, while the Beast from the earth looks like a lamb but speaks like the Dragon, persuading people to give their allegiance to beastly power. Together, these images help Christians recognize both overt domination and the more subtle danger of deception that can even disguise itself in religious language.

But Revelation does not leave God's people facing the Dragon and Beasts alone. In Revelation 5, John hears that the conquering Lion of Judah has arrived, but when he turns, he sees a slaughtered Lamb. This Lion-Lamb reversal becomes the key to understanding how Jesus conquers. The followers of Jesus overcome not by out-dominating or out-deceiving their enemies, but through the blood of the Lamb and their faithful testimony. The Beast can bring death, but only the slain and risen Lamb can bring life out of death. Revelation therefore calls Christians to resist the temptation to become beastly when confronting evil and instead fix their eyes on the way of the Lamb, trusting that his power is greater than the powers of domination, deception, and death.

Beginning a series through the book of Revelation, this message asks a question Christians have wrestled with for centuries: What do we do when the world around us seems to offer evidence that Jesus is not actually ruling? Revelation was written for people living amid suffering, violence, corrupt power, and the temptation either to despair or to adopt the methods of empire themselves. Rather than functioning primarily as a roadmap to the end of the world, Revelation is an apocalypse—an unveiling that gives God's people fresh eyes to see what is happening beneath the surface. Its strange and beautiful imagery invites us not to fix our attention on destruction, beasts, or speculation about the future, but to look at Jesus and discover hope in the midst of a world that often seems overwhelmed by death.

Revelation 1 unveils Jesus as the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. He has freed his people and made them a kingdom of priests—not a kingdom built through domination and violence, but one characterized by faithful, priestly service. John himself writes from Patmos as a partner in "affliction, kingdom, and endurance," needing the same hope he offers the churches. When he turns toward the voice speaking to him, he sees the risen Christ in all his glory. Jesus places his hand upon John and says, "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last." Revelation invites Christians in every generation to see their world through that same lens: evil and suffering are real, but they are not ultimate. Jesus is alive, Jesus is King, and Jesus holds the keys.

In this intergenerational service, missionaries Ted and Gracie share about their decades of ministry in Rio Frío, Costa Rica, where relationships with children, families, schools, and the wider community have grown into a local church and opportunities for community development and discipleship. Their story provides a glimpse of the global church and introduces a biblical theme stretching from Genesis to Revelation: God's work has always been intended for all peoples, not merely one culture, country, or local expression of Christianity.

Tracing this theme through Genesis 12, Matthew 28, and Revelation 21, the message follows God's promise to bless all peoples through Abraham, Jesus' commission to make disciples of all nations, and John's vision of the nations walking together in the light of Christ. Christianity can take different cultural forms without losing its shared center in Jesus; the way one congregation worships is a way, not the way. Whether in Phoenix, Costa Rica, or anywhere else in the world, Christians belong to one global family whose future is a beautifully diverse people gathered around Jesus, bringing the unique beauty and splendor of their cultures into God's renewed creation.

Drawing from her experience immigrating from Ethiopia to the United States as a child, guest speaker Deanbo reflects on learning early that much of life lies beyond our control. Yet the uncertainty of entering a new country also helped her discover something far more dependable: Jesus remains the same across circumstances, countries, and cultures. Through Colossians 3:15, she invites Christians to surrender their attempts to control their lives and instead "let the peace of Christ rule," trusting God with their families, finances, futures, and circumstances.

Turning to Colossians 1:15–20, John 17, and 1 Peter 2, the message centers on the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus—the One through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together. Christian life is ultimately not about controlling outcomes or even simply doing more good things, but abiding in Christ so that others encounter Jesus through us. That identity also transcends nationality and culture: followers of Jesus are ultimately citizens of heaven, joined to a diverse people from every background. The invitation is simple but demanding: surrender what we cannot control, remain in Jesus, and let his life become visible through our words, choices, relationships, and actions.

Continuing The Body Politic series, this message turns to Mark 12:28–34 and Jesus’ answer to a scribe searching for a way through the complexity of Scripture. Jesus brings together the commands to love God and love neighbor, offering a through line for faithful life. The sermon applies that same wisdom to the complexity of politics, arguing that Christians should not escape political life, reduce it to a single issue, or simply surrender their judgment to a party or political leader. Instead, Scripture and the community of the church can form Christians to approach public life with wisdom, humility, and a commitment to neighbor love.

The message explores what neighbor love looks like when Christians exercise political power. A vote and a voice are presented as forms of stewardship, resources entrusted to us that can be used for the good of others rather than simply for ourselves. Particular attention is given to neighbors who can easily be overlooked, including the biblical pattern of concern for the widow, the poor, the immigrant, and the orphan. And political action is expanded beyond the ballot box to include embodied acts of service that seek the flourishing of our communities. Through stories of serving as a poll chaplain and Christian ministry in Mexico, the sermon shows how ordinary acts of faithfulness can transform our common life in ways that political victories alone cannot accomplish.