This sermon, “Who Do YOU Say I Am?”, centers on Jesus’ question to His disciples in Matthew 16:15: “Who do you say I am?” While the disciples could identify several respected opinions about Jesus—that He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet—Peter recognized the deeper truth: "Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus explained that this understanding was revealed by God and that this confession would serve as the rock upon which His church would be built—a church powerful enough to overcome sin, death, and the forces of evil. The sermon emphasizes that admiring Jesus as a great teacher, prophet, or historical figure is not enough; every person must personally decide who Jesus is and whether they will trust Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord. Just as Peter had to move from knowing about Jesus to confessing faith in Him, we too must make that personal commitment, repent of our sins, place our faith in Christ, and build our lives on the truth that "Jesus is our Messiah, our Savior, and the Son of God."

This sermon, “Spiritual Blind Spots,” from the 'Road Trip Recap' series, explores Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees in Matthew 15:10–20 and warns against the danger of being so confident in our own understanding that we become spiritually blind to the condition of our hearts. The Pharisees had elevated human traditions and religious rules above God’s Word, focusing on outward practices while neglecting the inward transformation and covenant relationship God desired. Jesus teaches that true spiritual cleanliness does not come from rule-following or external rituals but from the transforming work of God within us through faith in Him. The sermon challenges us to recognize our own tendency toward legalism, pride, labeling others, and assuming we have everything figured out while failing to examine our own hearts. Ultimately, "spiritual blindness is not primarily a matter of the mind but a matter of the heart", and only God can expose our blind spots, heal our pride, and open our eyes to truth. Rather than assuming Jesus’ warning is meant for someone else, we are invited to become receptive to Him, allow Him to search our hearts, and respond with humility, grace, and genuine faith.

What happens to our faith when we believed God was leading somewhere, only for everything to turn out differently than we hoped? Elijah knew what it was like to see God move powerfully and still end up discouraged, confused, and wondering what God was doing. This message explores what happens when our circumstances seem to contradict what we believe about God, how easily disappointment can shake our hope, and why we need something stronger than what we can see or understand in the moment. When life leaves us saying, “I had hoped,” God meets us in our questions, sustains us through His Word, and calls us to place our hope in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 55

This sermon, **“He’s On Our Side!”** (Romans 8:26–39), reminds believers that the entire Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is actively working for their good and their ultimate salvation. Using the illustration of a dominant football player who transformed an average team, the message emphasizes that Christians have an even greater advantage because God Himself is on their side. The Holy Spirit intercedes when we don't know how to pray, the Father works through every circumstance to shape us into the likeness of Christ, and Jesus continually intercedes for us at the Father's right hand. While acknowledging the very real hardships of life—including suffering, loss, and death—the sermon points to Paul's assurance that nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ. Because of God's unwavering presence and eternal promises, Christians are "more than conquerors," able to face life's trials with confidence, hope, and the certainty of ultimate victory through Christ.

Exodus 3:1-10

This message explores the story of Esau trading away his birthright for a single meal and what his decision reveals about the desires of the human heart. Through Genesis 25:19–34, we discover that this is far more than an account of two brothers in conflict. It is a story about the tension between temporary satisfaction and the lasting gifts of God. As the passage unfolds, we see God’s faithfulness to His promises, the reality of His grace, and the danger of allowing our appetites to shape what we value most. Ultimately, this message invites us to consider what we are truly treasuring and how a deeper relationship with God transforms the way we see the gifts He has given.

This sermon explores the lifelong struggle between good and evil that began with humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden and continues in every believer's heart. Using humorous stories about discovering new possibilities and Paul's honest confession in Romans 7, the message reminds us that while we often know what is right, we still find ourselves drawn toward what is wrong because of our sinful nature. Rather than leaving us in despair, Paul points us to the hope found in Jesus Christ, whose grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit give believers the power to live holy lives—not through greater willpower, but through deeper dependence on God. The sermon challenges listeners to practice humble self-examination, recognizing both their inability to overcome sin on their own and their God-given ability to walk in victory through Christ. Ultimately, the message calls Christians to daily choose whom they will serve, trusting that the spiritual battle within them has already been won through Jesus, who faithfully empowers His people to follow His voice and live in His grace.

Jesus' commissioning of the Twelve in Matthew 10 reveals that following Christ is not a promise of comfort but a calling to courageous, compassionate obedience in a hostile world. Just as Jesus sent His disciples out as "sheep among wolves," He prepares them—and all believers—for rejection, persecution, and sacrifice, while also equipping them with His authority and the power of His Spirit to accomplish His mission. The sermon emphasizes that Christians are "the sent ones," called to share the gospel first with those closest to them and then with the world, motivated not by a desire to win arguments but by the same compassion Jesus showed toward people who were "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Believers are encouraged to be both wise and innocent, to faithfully act on the truth they have received, to trust God to provide their needs and words in difficult moments, and to persevere through hardship with confidence that they are never alone, because Christ is with them and empowers them to do hard things for His kingdom.

This sermon explores Paul's question in Romans 6, "How then shall we live?" and addresses the misunderstanding that God's grace gives believers permission to continue sinning. Paul argues that while salvation is a free gift received through the grace of Jesus Christ rather than through works or obedience to the law, grace is never an excuse for sin because sin leads to death while grace leads to life. Through faith and baptism, believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, receiving a new identity and freedom from slavery to sin. The sermon emphasizes that sin not only violates God's will but gradually deadens the soul, while following Christ produces spiritual life and transformation. Drawing on illustrations from Juneteenth, Iron Man, and the process of sanctification, the message teaches that Christians must learn to live in the freedom Christ has given them by making Jesus their ultimate priority, walking daily in step with the Holy Spirit, and remembering their true identity in Him.