From the Pulpit

Sermon from March 29, 2026 service. Josiah Boyd preaching.

Sermon from March 22, 2026 service. Brian Hartnett preaching.

In a world that prizes visible strength, proven experience, and measurable success, it is easy to assume that security and victory belong to those who appear most impressive. Yet Scripture repeatedly challenges that instinct. In 1 Samuel 17, a familiar battlefield becomes the setting for a deeper revelation about how God’s people are meant to interpret reality. While fear spreads through the ranks of those who evaluate life by outward appearance, faith emerges in the heart of one who measures circumstances by the presence and power of the living God. This passage invites us to reconsider what truly determines courage, stability, and hope. As we follow the unfolding contrast between human perception and divine perspective, we are reminded that the decisive battles of life are not won by stature, resources, or reputation, but by trusting the Lord whose purposes and promises transcend what we see.

In 1 Samuel 16, a kingdom teeters between turmoil and peace. Saul still sits on the throne, a king who seems strong, capable, and in control—but the Spirit of the Lord has departed from him. Fear replaces faith, and his world begins to unravel. At the same time, a young shepherd named David, unnoticed by most, is quietly anointed and filled with God’s Spirit. Where Saul falters, David brings relief and calm—not because of his skill, his appearance, or his position, but because the presence of God rests upon him. This passage challenges readers to ask: where is true stability found? What gives life, clarity, and peace in the midst of chaos? It reveals that the presence of God—not power, titles, or human strength—determines the fate of hearts, lives, and even kingdoms.

Sermon from March 1, 2026 service. Cliff Donaldson preaching.

There are seasons in the life of a church family when what’s needed is not new direction, but grateful recognition—moments to pause and notice what God is doing in and through his people. Faithfulness deserves to be named, grace deserves to be acknowledged, and God’s work deserves to be celebrated, not for human commendation, but for divine glory. Today’s gathering is shaped by appreciation and intercession: thanksgiving for the ways God has been forming, sustaining, and using this assembly of believers, and prayer for the ways he will continue to grow his people in love, wisdom, holiness, and fruitfulness. Our praise today is offered as a grateful response to God’s faithfulness and a prayerful entrusting of the future to his care — for the glory of his name and the good of his church.

We live in a world that is constantly wearing down—bodies weaken, strength fades, and loss touches every life. The pressure of suffering, the weight of uncertainty, and the quiet anxiety of waiting shape the human experience more than we often admit. Yet Scripture tells a deeper story. Though everything visible is temporary, God is doing an unseen work—renewing his people inwardly, dwelling in them by his Spirit, and preparing a glory that will outlast every sorrow and fear. Second Corinthians lifts our eyes beyond what is breaking down to what God is building up. It calls God’s people to live not in retreat or resignation, but with courage, confidence, and faith—walking by what God has promised, not merely by what the world presents.

Sermon from February 8, 2026 meeting. Godsgrace Agu preaching.

Scripture reminds us again and again of the big difference between how and what we see and how and what God sees. We are quick to draw conclusions based on what is visible—success or failure, strength or weakness, danger or security, prominence or obscurity. God, however, works according to purposes that often lie beyond human judgment, his thoughts being far above human thoughts. His plans unfold across generations and circumstances, his care extends to fragile and fickle servants, and his gaze reaches beneath appearances to the heart.

In 1 Samuel 16, at a moment marked by loss and uncertainty for God’s people, the Lord quietly advances his good and glorious purposes—not through what looks impressive or powerful, but through what he knows to be faithful and true.

Warnings are often ignored not because they are unclear, but because they are outmatched. Other voices speak louder—voices of confidence, momentum, pragmatism, and self-assurance. What sounds reasonable in the moment can slowly eclipse what is right, especially when obedience carries cost and delay.

Scripture repeatedly exposes the danger of selective listening. God’s word may be acknowledged and affirmed while still being reshaped by competing priorities. Partial obedience begins to masquerade as faithfulness. Adjustments feel small. Justifications feel necessary. Over time, the authority of God’s voice is reduced from final to marginal to optional.

Scripture calls God’s people not merely to hear him, but to listen to him—to treat his word as decisive and sufficient. When God speaks, his voice is not one among many, but the voice that must govern every other.