EFMC SUNDAYS

This opening sermon of *The Way of Wisdom* series frames the new year as a deliberate quest for godly wisdom, grounding that pursuit in Proverbs 1 and the central truth that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Using the image of starting in the right place to reach the right destination, the message defines wisdom not as information or intellect but as a posture of humble, worshipful submission to God—standing with one’s heart in hand before Him. The sermon contrasts this posture with foolishness, which Scripture describes as dullness, arrogance, and flippancy toward serious things, especially God’s Word. Wisdom is shown to be passed down through generations, cultivated through Scripture, personal experience, community, and the guiding work of the Holy Spirit, and applied to every area of life without exception. Ultimately, the sermon presents a clear choice: to live in reverent submission to God and grow in wisdom, safety, and life, or to reject His instruction and suffer the consequences of self-made folly.

This sermon is about God’s sovereign faithfulness in a broken world. Matthew 2 shows us that the birth of Jesus does not usher in immediate peace, but resistance, violence, and grief. Earthly power reacts in fear, innocent people suffer, and evil feels overwhelming. Yet through every moment—flight, loss, exile, and obscurity—God is actively preserving His promise. Jesus retraces Israel’s story, survives human opposition, and grows up not in honor but in Nazareth, a place of scorn, fulfilling the promise that salvation would come through humility and rejection.

This sermon invites listeners to look at the familiar Christmas story and the gospel with “fresh eyes,” like seeing an old fork as a new “dinglehopper,” by focusing on Paul’s introduction in Romans 1 and the true meaning of the gospel as good news, not good advice. It emphasizes that Christianity is centered on what God has already done in Jesus Christ—through his life, death, and resurrection—rather than on human effort or moral improvement. Paul proclaims that both Jews and Gentiles are called to belong to Jesus, receiving a new status as God’s loved and holy people through faith. Righteousness, the sermon explains, is not something we achieve but a title given to believers because of Christ’s righteousness, with obedience flowing naturally from faith as allegiance and loyalty to King Jesus. Ultimately, the message points from the manger to the cross, declaring that Jesus has changed God’s regard toward humanity, justifying believers by faith, assuring salvation, and calling all people to believe, belong, and live transformed lives in response to this joyful good news.

Pastor Peter Hough, guest preacher

Matthew 3:1-12

This sermon steps into Mark 5 and the story of a man living among the tombs—isolated, out of control, and beyond human help. His life is what it looks like when sin and spiritual bondage run their full course: cut off from people, surrounded by death, and no longer ruling his desires, but ruled by them. We’ll connect that picture to how sexual sin works in our lives and marriages today: it starts small, feels manageable, but slowly steals our peace, hardens our hearts, and rewrites who we believe we are.

Pastor Chris Smith

Pastor Chris Smith

In *Better Than Sex, Part 2: A Purpose with a Plan*, the sermon teaches that God’s design for sex is both purposeful and protective, intended to be experienced only within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Drawing from Genesis 2:19–25 and Hebrews 13:4, the message emphasizes that marriage is to be honored and the marriage bed kept pure, warning of the personal and societal harm that comes when God’s plan is ignored. Pastor Mark affirms that sexual intimacy is a sacred gift meant to unite spouses, build families, and reflect Christ’s love for the church, while also affirming that those who are single are called to celibacy as an equally honorable expression of faithfulness. The sermon highlights both God’s standards and His grace—reminding listeners that even those who have fallen short can find forgiveness, renewal, and strength to live in purity through repentance and dependence on God’s goodness. Ultimately, believers are urged to keep their vows to God and others, living as a faithful “bride of Christ” in anticipation of the final marriage supper of the Lamb.

In the sermon **“An Origin Story”** from the series *Better Than Sex (Pt. 1)*, the preacher introduces a five-week exploration of God’s design for sex, relationships, and community, beginning with the foundational truth that all humanity is created in the image of God. Drawing from Genesis 1–2, the message emphasizes that sex is not primarily about self-gratification but about reflecting the unity, creativity, and love of the Creator. Humanity was made for connection—first with God, then with one another—and sexual intimacy within marriage mirrors the sacred covenant between Christ and His Church. The sermon critiques both cultural distortions that idolize sex and church traditions that treat it as taboo, calling instead for a redeemed, biblical view that celebrates sex as a holy act of covenant renewal. It also highlights the dangers of isolation, the rise of digital disconnection, and the need for Christian community where people can speak openly about sexuality without shame. Ultimately, the message calls believers to root their identity in God’s image rather than sexual expression, to honor Him with their bodies, and to experience sex and singleness alike as sacred reflections of divine love and purpose.