Grace Chapel Wilsonville

Drawing from John 16:16-33, this sermon explores what it means to live faithfully in seasons of waiting, uncertainty, and unresolved pain. Using the metaphor of "in-between spaces" -- places where we are no longer where we were but not yet where we are going -- Jake walks through Jesus's final words to his disciples before the cross. Jesus does not promise his followers an escape from trouble, but he does promise peace located in himself, courage rooted in his victory, and a horizon beyond present grief. The central verse, John 16:33, serves as the sermon's capstone: Jesus has told his disciples these things so that in him they may have peace, and though trouble is guaranteed in this world, they can take heart because he has overcome the world. The sermon calls believers to stop seeking peace through circumstances, outcomes, or control, and instead to locate their peace, courage, and hope entirely in the person of Jesus Christ.

Read John 16:16-20 — Jesus tells his disciples that in a little while they will no longer see him, and then after a little while they will see him again, leaving them confused and asking questions among themselves.

There are seasons when God speaks and we simply do not understand. The disciples heard Jesus clearly and still walked away confused. If his closest friends struggled to grasp what he was doing in the moment, you are in good company when you find yourself saying, God, I do not understand what you are doing right now. The in-between is not a sign of abandoned faith. It is often the very place where faith is being formed. Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for their confusion. He met them in it. He is meeting you in yours. The invitation today is not to have all the answers. It is to trust the one who does. Bring your confusion to him honestly and let him meet you there.

Discussion Questions:

-The sermon draws a distinction between demanding explanations from God and choosing to trust him — in what areas of your life are you most tempted to demand an explanation rather than surrender to trust?

-Jake notes that throughout scripture, figures like Abraham, David, and Joseph all lived in extended seasons of waiting between promise and fulfillment — how does their example reshape your expectations about how God typically works in a human life?

-Jake describes 'in-between spaces' as seasons where we are no longer where we were but not yet where we are going — what in-between space are you currently living in, and how has it shaped your understanding of God's timing?

Drawing from John 15 and 16, this sermon confronts what Jesus identifies as the greatest spiritual danger facing his followers: the slow drift away from allegiance to him. Using the Greek root of the phrase "fall away" -- skandalizo, from which the English word "scandal" derives -- Mike teaches that the true scandal of the Christian life is not found in cultural or political controversies, but in the subtle, incremental process by which a believer exchanges the values of Jesus for the values of the world. The sermon challenges listeners to examine their personal values and assess whether those values align with Christ or with the world's system. It emphasizes that the Holy Spirit serves as both advocate and guide, working to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, while also protecting believers from the snares that lead to spiritual compromise. The sermon closes with a call to communal prayer and mutual encouragement as a means of resisting spiritual drift.

Read John 15:13-17

Jesus redefined friendship not as convenience but as covenant. He told his disciples that the greatest expression of love is laying down one's life for a friend. This kind of friendship demands loyalty, not just affection. Consider the values guiding your daily decisions. Are they rooted in the character of Jesus or shaped by the approval of the world around you? True friendship with Jesus means aligning your heart with his words, even when that alignment costs you something. Today, ask yourself honestly: whose friendship am I most loyal to when no one is watching? What is one area of your life where your values may be more shaped by the world than by Jesus? Write down your top three values and compare them honestly against the words and character of Jesus. Surrender any misalignment to him in prayer today.

Discussion Questions:

-The sermon drew a sharp contrast between the value systems of the world and the values of Jesus -- when you look honestly at how you spend your time, money, and energy, which value system do your choices most reflect?

-The sermon suggests that the enemy does not need to convince you Jesus is not real, only that he is not good -- have you ever experienced a season where unanswered prayer or suffering caused you to quietly doubt God's goodness, and how did you navigate that?

-The sermon described how a slow drift away from Jesus often begins with small, incremental substitutions of worldly values for his values -- what relationships in your life help you detect that kind of drift before it becomes a full departure?

In this message, Mike explores one of the most striking moments in Jesus' final hours with his disciples -- his deliberate choice to redefine their relationship from servants to friends. Drawing from John 15, the sermon unpacks what it means that Jesus, the Lord of all creation, extended the title of "friend" to his followers. Mike challenges the congregation to move beyond a purely transactional or performance-based faith and into the deep, loyal, and sacrificial friendship that Jesus modeled through his death. Using the biblical definition of love from 1 Corinthians 13 as the foundation, the sermon argues that true friendship with Jesus requires choosing his value system over the world's, holding fast to conviction while remaining relationally engaged with those who do not yet know him.

Read John 15:12-17

Jesus does not merely tolerate your presence -- he chooses you. In John 15, he draws a striking line between servants and friends, and then deliberately places you on the friend side of that line. A servant follows orders without understanding the master's heart. A friend is brought into confidence, trusted with purpose, and loved with loyalty. This was not a casual invitation. It was spoken on the eve of the cross, which means it cost something. Sit with this today: the God who spoke the universe into existence looked at you and said, you are my friend. Receive that.

What would change in your daily walk with God if you approached him as a friend rather than a distant authority? Set aside ten minutes today not to make requests of God, but simply to be present with him. Practice the kind of friendship that does not always need something fixed.

Discussion Questions:

-Jesus deliberately shifted the relationship with his disciples from servants to friends -- what personal barriers, whether rooted in legalism, past wounds, or a sense of unworthiness, prevent you from truly seeing yourself as a friend of God rather than merely a servant?

-The sermon describes friendship as never neutral but always formative, shaping who we become -- in what ways have your closest friendships either drawn you toward or pulled you away from a deeper walk with Jesus?

-Jesus warned his disciples that choosing friendship with him would mean the world would hate them, just as it hated him first -- where in your life are you most tempted to compromise your convictions in order to maintain the approval of the world?

Emma leads the congregation through John 15:1-11, exploring what it means to truly abide in Jesus as the true vine. Rather than treating spiritual fruit as a personal achievement or to-do list, she emphasizes that genuine, lasting fruit grows naturally from a deep, intentional connection to Christ. Drawing on the imagery of vineyards, root systems, and the gardener's care, she presents abiding not as a passive state but as an active, daily practice of seeking and acknowledging God's presence. She also highlights the essential role of the church community in sustaining and deepening that abiding life, concluding with a guided time of corporate scripture meditation to move the congregation from hearing about abiding to actually practicing it together.

Read John 15:1-11

Jesus does not invite us to try harder. He invites us to stay closer. In this passage, he makes a striking claim: apart from him, we can produce nothing of lasting value. The branch does not strain to grow fruit. It simply stays connected to the vine and fruit becomes the natural result. The same is true for us. Patience, gentleness, love, and peace are not disciplines we master through sheer willpower. They are the overflow of a life rooted in Jesus. Today, resist the urge to manufacture fruit on your own. Simply remain.

Where in your life are you straining to produce fruit through your own effort?

What would it look like to release that area to Jesus today? Choose one moment today to pause, put your hands open at your sides, and simply acknowledge that you need Jesus. Let that posture become a prayer.

Discussion Questions:

-Jesus describes himself as the vine and his Father as the gardener in John 15:1-2, where the gardener both removes unfruitful branches and prunes fruitful ones to produce even more fruit -- what does this tell us about the nature of God's involvement in our lives, and how does it change the way you respond to seasons of loss or pruning?

-Emma described abiding as intentionally seeking and acknowledging God's presence in every moment and allowing that presence to change you from the inside out -- in what areas of your daily life do you find it most difficult to maintain that kind of intentional awareness of God?

-The sermon draws a distinction between striving to produce the fruits of the Spirit through personal effort versus naturally bearing fruit as a result of remaining in Jesus -- where in your own life have you noticed the difference between manufactured fruit and fruit that grew out of genuine connection with God?

This sermon explores Jesus's final words to His disciples in the Upper Room, focusing on His promise not to leave them as orphans. The central message addresses how believers often struggle with an "orphan spirit"—a mindset of living as though we are abandoned, unprotected, and forced to survive on our own, rather than as beloved sons and daughters of God. Through the promised Holy Spirit (the Paraclete), believers receive not just God's presence but His power, advocacy, and constant affirmation of their identity in Christ. The sermon challenges the congregation to stop confusing God's silence with His absence and to transition from trying to earn God's love through performance to resting in the security of being permanently adopted into His family. The key is learning to approach God's Word not as a legal obligation or audit of performance, but as a love letter from a Father who speaks life-giving promises over His children.

Read John 14:15-18

Jesus promised He would not leave us as orphans. In your moments of silence from God, remember that silence does not equal absence. The disciples faced their greatest fear—abandonment by the One who gave them identity and purpose. Yet Jesus assured them of the Holy Spirit's coming. Today, examine where you've confused God's silence with His absence. Are there unanswered prayers causing you to doubt His faithfulness? The Spirit of God stands with His arm around you, silencing every accusation. You are not forgotten. You are not abandoned. His presence is with you forever—no conditions, no clauses, just unwavering commitment to remain with you always.

Discussion Questions:

-In what ways have you confused God's silence with God's absence in your own life, and how might understanding the difference transform your relationship with Him?

-How does viewing God's Word as a love letter rather than a rulebook change the way you approach Scripture and obedience?

-Which of the promises listed in the sermon (forgiven, loved, chosen, blameless, complete, etc.) do you struggle most to believe about yourself, and why?

This sermon explores John 14:1-14, examining Jesus's words to His disciples in the Upper Room after announcing His betrayal and departure. Jake addresses how Jesus comforts troubled hearts not by changing circumstances or providing explanations, but by offering Himself as the answer. The message emphasizes that when life falls apart and we don't know which way is up, Jesus doesn't wait for our pain to be resolved before sitting with us in it. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—not just information about God, but the very presence of God with us in our darkest moments. The sermon challenges believers to stop shelving their pain and instead bring their unresolved grief, disappointment, and confusion directly to Jesus, who understands troubled hearts because He Himself was troubled.

Read John 14:1-4

Jesus speaks His most comforting words in the most painful moments. When the disciples' world was collapsing, He didn't offer explanations—He offered Himself. Notice that Jesus doesn't deny the reality of their circumstances or pretend their fear isn't valid. Instead, He acknowledges their troubled hearts while pointing them toward something greater than their circumstances. The God we serve doesn't comfort us by pretending our suffering isn't real. He enters into it with us. Today, whatever has stolen the air from your room, know that Jesus isn't waiting for you to understand it before He sits with you in it. His presence is the promise.

What circumstance are you waiting to understand before you bring it to Jesus?

Discussion Questions:

-When have you experienced a moment where the air felt like it was sucked out of the room, and how did that affect your faith in God's presence during that time?

-The pastor mentioned that we often shelve our pain and keep following God without knowing what to do with our grief or disappointment. What have you placed on the shelf, and what would it look like to bring that before Jesus today?

-Philip asks to see the Father while looking directly at Jesus. In what ways might you be asking God to reveal himself while missing his presence that is already with you?

-Jesus tells his failing, doubting disciples that they will do greater works, not because of their competency but because of his presence. How does this challenge your belief about needing to have it all together before God can use you?

This sermon explores the final night of Jesus' life, focusing on the Last Supper and the moments surrounding Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial. Jen emphasizes that Jesus, being fully God and fully man, experienced the deep pain of betrayal while knowing exactly what would happen. Despite this knowledge, Jesus chose all twelve disciples, including Judas, from the beginning of time. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond intellectual knowledge of the biblical narrative and truly enter into the emotional and spiritual reality of that night. Central to the message is Jesus' new commandment to love one another with sacrificial, unconditional love—given even in the midst of His own heartbreak. Jen emphasizes that this kind of love among believers is how the world will recognize Jesus' disciples. The sermon calls listeners to examine their own hearts for areas of betrayal, denial, pride, and fear, while remembering that Jesus continues to look at each person with the same deep love He had for His disciples.

Read John 13:18-30; 1 John 4:19

Jesus sat at that table knowing exactly who would betray Him, yet He served Judas anyway. He washed his feet. He broke bread with him. He looked at him with love. This is the scandalous nature of God's love—it doesn't wait for us to get it right. We love because He first loved us, even when we were still sinners, still betrayers, still deniers. The call to love one another isn't a suggestion for when people deserve it; it's a command for when it's hardest. Who in your life feels impossible to love right now? That person sitting across from you at work, that family member who hurt you, that fellow believer you disagree with—Jesus calls you to agape love. Not because they've earned it, but because He first loved you when you hadn't earned it either.

Discussion Questions:

-Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before choosing the twelve disciples, including Judas whom He knew would betray Him. What does this reveal about God's sovereignty and His willingness to work through human free will, even when it leads to painful outcomes?

-The sermon describes how we can become so familiar with Bible stories that we read them like novels rather than experiencing them. How might we cultivate a practice of truly entering into Scripture rather than just reading it as information?

-Jesus spoke about betrayal while sitting at the table with His betrayer, yet still looked at Judas with love. How does this challenge our understanding of loving those who hurt us or disagree with us deeply?

-Peter was so convinced he would never deny Jesus that he could not hear Jesus's loving warning. How does pride in our own faithfulness or spiritual strength make us vulnerable to falling away in moments of testing?

This sermon explores Jesus' radical act of washing the disciples' feet in the Upper Room as a demonstration of true greatness and the path to a flourishing life. Challenging cultural assumptions that equate upward mobility with success and fulfillment, the message reveals that Jesus modeled downward mobility—moving from the highest position of divine authority to the lowest position of servant. The sermon emphasizes that genuine blessing and deep soul-level joy come not from climbing over others to reach the top, but from humbling ourselves to serve others, even those who betray us. This posture of servanthood is presented as the uniform of every Jesus follower and the key to experiencing the abundant, flourishing life Christ promises.

Read John 13:6-9; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Peter's resistance to having his feet washed reveals a profound truth: sometimes it's harder to receive than to give. American culture celebrates self-sufficiency, but the Kingdom operates differently. Admitting we need help, allowing others to serve us, and being vulnerable about our weaknesses requires tremendous courage. Yet Jesus says if we won't let Him wash us, we have no part with Him. Salvation itself is an act of receiving what we cannot earn. Today, consider where pride might be blocking your blessing. Are you resisting community because you don't want to appear weak? Are you refusing help because you want to maintain control? True strength is found in vulnerability. Let someone wash your feet today—metaphorically or literally—by admitting you need prayer, help, or support.

Discussion Questions:

-How does Jesus' movement from highest authority to lowest position challenge our culture's definition of success and upward mobility?

-Why is it sometimes harder to be served than to serve, and what does our resistance to receiving help reveal about our hearts?

-How can we distinguish between serving others out of genuine humility versus serving to be recognized as the greatest servant?

-What would it look like for you to put on the uniform of a servant this week in your workplace, school, family, or neighborhood?

This sermon opens a summer series on John 13-17, known as the Upper Room Discourse, focusing on Jesus's final teachings to His disciples before the crucifixion. The central message emphasizes that our truest identity is being "the beloved of God." Rather than living to earn God's love, believers are called to live from the security of already being perfectly and completely loved by their Heavenly Father. The sermon challenges listeners to identify themselves as John did—as "the disciple whom Jesus loved"—and to reject the lies of shame, condemnation, and performance-based religion. Jesus's sacrificial love on the cross demonstrates the ultimate expression of this complete, selfless love that defines who we are as His children.

Read John 13:1-3; 1 John 3:16

Jesus knew His hour had come, yet His focus remained on loving His disciples "to the end"—completely and perfectly. This wasn't just chronological love; it was ultimate, sacrificial love demonstrated through the cross. John identified himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," not from arrogance, but from understanding his truest identity. Today, consider how you define yourself. Do you lead with your failures, accomplishments, or roles? Or do you embrace your deepest truth—that you are God's beloved? Write your name followed by "the beloved" and let this identity sink into your soul. You are not loved because of what you do; you are loved because of whose you are. What keeps you from fully accepting your identity as God's beloved?

Discussion Questions:

-In what ways do you find yourself living 'for' God's love rather than 'from' God's love, and what would it look like to shift that perspective?

-How does proximity to Jesus through religious activity differ from intimacy with Jesus, and where do you see this distinction in your own spiritual life?

-What does it reveal about Jesus that he chose to spend his final moments before the cross teaching his disciples about love rather than strategy or doctrine?

-In what ways do you project your earthly relationships, especially with parents or authority figures, onto your understanding of God's love for you?

This sermon challenges believers to examine whether they are living with a complacent faith or a compelling faith. Using the metaphor of stagnant ponds versus flowing rivers, the message calls Christians to be conduits of the Holy Spirit rather than spiritually stagnant. The sermon emphasizes that compelling faith requires being compelled by the Spirit, even when it leads to uncertainty and hardship. Drawing from Acts 19-20 and Paul's ministry in Ephesus, the message illustrates how authentic Christianity disrupts darkness and idolatry in culture. The central call is for believers to embrace "disruptive discipleship" - a lifelong surrender to Jesus that interrupts ordinary living, dismantles comfort and compromise, and moves Christians from consumption to mission. The sermon concludes with the challenge that every believer must choose: remain complacent and complicit, or become compelling through Spirit-led obedience.

Read John 7:37-39; Ezekiel 47:1-12

Jesus promises that believers will have rivers of living water flowing from within them. Notice the contrast between stagnant ponds and rushing rivers. A pond collects but doesn't release—it becomes stagnant, breeding decay. A river constantly receives and gives, bringing life wherever it flows.

The Holy Spirit desires to flow through you like a river, bringing refreshment to dry places. But this requires both intake and outflow. Are you receiving from God daily through prayer and Scripture? Are you releasing His love through service and witness? Stagnation happens when we consume without contributing, when we gather but never give. Ask yourself today: Am I a stagnant pond or a rushing river? The Spirit wants to move through you, but He needs your surrender. Where has spiritual stagnation crept into your life? What would it look like to allow God's Spirit to flow freely through you today?

Discussion Questions:

-Paul says he is 'compelled by the Spirit' without knowing what will happen to him, only that hardships await. What would it look like for you to follow the Holy Spirit's leading even when the outcome is uncertain or difficult?

-The sermon contrasts a stagnant pond with a rushing river as metaphors for spiritual life. Which image better represents your current spiritual state, and what specific steps could move you toward becoming 'living water'?

-The sermon lists several types of Christians including the consumer Christian, the distracted Christian, and the knowledge-heavy but action-light Christian. Which of these categories do you most identify with, and what would it take to move beyond it?

-Mike mentions that many churches become stagnant by focusing only on what's wrong with the world rather than where God is moving. How can we maintain awareness of darkness while keeping our primary focus on where the Spirit is at work?