Welcome to the final week of our 12-week sermon series, "Summer on the Mount: Jesus’ Upside-Down Kingdom," from Grace City Church. In this powerful and reflective message, Pastor Casey Olsen takes us through Matthew 7:24–29, where Jesus closes His Sermon on the Mount with a defining challenge: Will you build your life on the rock, or on the sand?

This is more than just the end of a series—it's a spiritual decision point. Jesus invites us not just to admire His words, but to align our lives with them.

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In this closing message, Pastor Casey reminds us that hearing the words of Jesus isn’t enough—it’s about doing them. Our lives are shaped not just by what we believe on Sunday, but by what we build on Monday.

Through honest testimony, biblical insight, and practical wisdom, this sermon explores what it means to build a storm-proof life on the unshakable foundation of Christ.

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In this sermon, you'll learn:

- Why amazement at Jesus’ teachings is not the goal—obedience is

- How storms in life reveal the cracks in our spiritual foundations

- What it means to anchor your life in Christ, not comfort or control

- How habits like prayer, Scripture, community, and obedience build spiritual strength

- That it’s never too late to rebuild, even if the storms have already exposed your weakness

- How a life built on Jesus becomes a source of strength and peace for others

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Key Passage:

Matthew 7:24-29

Summer may be over, but the work God started in you doesn’t end with the season.

This week in our Summer at Grace Devotional, Pastor Casey shares how to carry the fruit of summer—renewal, growth, fresh rhythms—into the busyness of fall.

Take a moment to pause and ask:

What did God begin in me this summer that He’s inviting me to keep tending this fall?

#SummerAtGrace #GraceCityEugene #Devotional #SpiritualFormation #Gratitude #Philippians1 #ChristianEncouragement #FallFaith

In Week 11 of our Sermon on the Mount series, Pastor Chris delivers a powerful and convicting message titled “Versions”, diving deep into Matthew 7:13-23. Through the lens of "choose-your-own-adventure" faith, Pastor Chris challenges us to examine whether we’ve customized our Christianity to fit our preferences—or surrendered to the real Jesus.

This week, we explore:

- The two paths: the wide road of convenience vs. the narrow road of obedience

- The two voices: the flattering echo chambers of false prophets vs. the transforming truth of Jesus

- The two claims: saying "Lord, Lord" vs. truly being known by Him

Key Questions:

- Are you walking the path of convenience or the path of obedience?

- Who are you listening to—voices that flatter or voices that bear fruit?

- Does Jesus truly know you, or do you just know about Him?

In a world of curated faith and customized spirituality, Pastor Chris reminds us: Jesus is not a menu option. He is the only way. There aren't multiple versions of truth—there is one way that leads to life, and His name is Jesus.

Whether you’ve followed Jesus for years or you're just exploring faith, this message will challenge you to lay down counterfeit versions of Christ and step into authentic discipleship—total surrender to the real Jesus of Scripture.

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Scripture Reference:

Matthew 7:13–23 (ESV)

"Enter through the narrow gate..."

Connect With Us:

Website: www.gracecityeugene.com

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In this bonus episode of Summer on the Mount, Pastor Casey takes a closer look at Matthew 7:12—better known as the “Golden Rule.” Often treated as a simple moral guideline, this verse is actually the heartbeat of the Sermon on the Mount, summarizing the entire vision of life in God’s kingdom. Discover how this single sentence wraps up Jesus’ teachings on humility, mercy, and dependence on the Father, while also setting the stage for the sobering invitations and warnings that follow.

Whether you’ve been tracking with the series or just want to see this well-known verse in a fresh light, this conversation will help you understand the radical, Spirit-empowered love Jesus is calling us to live out in our everyday relationships.

Ever notice how summer can leave you carrying more than you expected? 🏖️

More stuff. More commitments. More pressure to keep up.

This week in our Summer at Grace Devotional, Pastor Casey shares how letting go of those “lesser things” creates space for the life Jesus promises—a life of freedom, simplicity, and joy.

As summer winds down, take a moment to ask:

💭 What’s weighing me down that Jesus never asked me to carry?

#SummerAtGrace #GraceCityEugene #Devotional #LivingLight #FreedomInChrist #ChristianEncouragement #SpiritualFormation #Matthew11

“If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” — Matthew 7:11

In Week 10 of our Summer on the Mount series, Pastor Chris Zauner unpacks Jesus’ powerful teaching on prayer in Matthew 7:7–11, inviting us to rethink our relationship with God through the lens of trust, boldness, and sonship.

🔑 Key Themes in This Message:

- Why prayer isn’t about persuading God—but remembering that He already cares.

- The importance of bold, expectant, persistent prayer: ask, seek, knock.

- How our earthly father wounds can distort our view of our Heavenly Father.

- How to reclaim childlike trust and find healing through relationship, not performance.

- The difference between “God’s no” and “God’s not yet.”

- Letting Scripture, not our scars, define the character of God.

- Breaking generational cycles through kingdom fatherhood and restored identity.

🔥 Whether you’ve stopped praying altogether, grown weary in waiting, or struggle to believe that your voice matters in the ears of heaven—this message is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly sermons and share this message with someone who needs encouragement in their prayer life.

📝 Scripture Reference:

Matthew 7:7–11 (NIV)

💬 Let’s Start a Conversation:

- What’s something you’ve been afraid to ask God for?

- How has your relationship with your earthly father shaped how you see God?

- What good gift are you believing for today?

Drop your thoughts in the comments—let's build each other up in faith!

🎧 Need More?

Revisit the full Summer on the Mount playlist [link] to hear how Jesus turns the kingdom of this world upside down.

📍 Grace City Church

Website: www.gracecityeugene.com

Instagram: @gracecityeugene

Location: Eugene, Oregon

Service Time: 10am

Ever feel that summer can pull you away from the very things that keep your faith strong?

This week in our Summer at Grace Devotional, Pastor Chris shares how to resist the “spiritual slump” by staying rooted in Scripture, prayer, and community—so you finish the season alive and anchored in Christ.

As the last weeks of summer slip by, pause and ask:

Am I drifting—or staying connected to the vine?

#SummerAtGrace #GraceCityEugene #Devotional #SpiritualFormation #StayRooted #ChristianEncouragement #John15 #FaithThatLasts

“Before you point a finger, lift a mirror.”

In this powerful Week 9 message of our Summer on the Mount series, Pastor Chris Zauner dives deep into Matthew 7:1–6, unpacking one of the most misunderstood scriptures in the Bible — "Judge not, that you be not judged." What does Jesus really mean by that?

In a culture that loudly proclaims “don’t judge me” while simultaneously judging everything, Pastor Chris invites us to examine our hearts. This sermon confronts the hypocrisy of moral superiority and calls us to humble repentance, restoration, and grace-filled relationships.

Are you quick to point out the faults in others while ignoring the plank in your own eye? Do you desire real transformation and relational healing? This message challenges all of us to stop playing moral police and start becoming humble surgeons, willing to do the hard heart work of reconciliation.

Main Scripture: Matthew 7:1–6

Series: Summer on the Mount – Jesus' Upside-Down Kingdom (Week 9)

Speaker: Pastor Chris Zauner

Church: Grace City Eugene

Key Takeaways:

- What “Judge not” actually means in the context of Jesus’ teaching

- The danger of weaponizing Scripture to avoid accountability

- Why confession must come before correction

- How grace, mercy, and wisdom lead to true relational restoration

- Learning to remove the log from our own eye before helping others

- Jesus’ upside-down call to repent first, speak second

💬 Questions to Reflect On:

Are there areas in your life where you’ve been measuring others more harshly than yourself?

What would change in your relationships if your goal was restoration instead of being right?

Who in your life needs grace, not judgment, from you today?

What if “making the most” isn’t about doing more—but about being present?

This week in our Summer at Grace devotional, Pastor Casey shares how Jesus flips our cultural script: life isn’t measured by how much we fit in, but by how much love and eternal purpose we live out.

Whether your summer calendar is jam-packed or you’re keeping it simple, this 4-minute devo will help you pause and ask:

💭 Am I filling my schedule—or investing in what lasts?

#SummerAtGrace #GraceCityEugene #Devotional #MakingTheMost #ChristianEncouragement #SpiritualFormation #LoveWell #LiveForWhatLasts

In week 8 of our Summer on the Mount series, Pastor Chris Zauner delivers a powerful and practical message on Jesus’ words from Matthew 6:25-34: “Do not be anxious.” Building on last week’s call to choose our true Master, this sermon explores what it means to actually trust God with our tomorrow—beyond just words of allegiance.

Pastor Chris shares relatable personal stories, biblical insights, and four practical steps to combat anxiety:

1️⃣ Name your worry – identify the source of your anxiety and bring it before God.

2️⃣ Release control – surrender the outcomes you can’t manage.

3️⃣ Reorder your life – seek first the Kingdom in every area.

4️⃣ Trust God with the next 24 hours – receive His daily bread without letting tomorrow’s “what-ifs” rob today’s grace.

Through Jesus’ illustrations of birds and lilies, we’re reminded of God’s perfect care as our Heavenly Father—a love greater than our fears, and a provision deeper than our need for control.

If you’ve ever felt the gap between Sunday faith and Monday worry, this message is for you. Learn how to break free from anxiety’s grip and experience the peace of the King that surpasses understanding.

📖 Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

🎙 Speaker: Pastor Chris Zauner

📅 Series: Summer on the Mount: Jesus’ Upside-Down Kingdom – Week 8

#DoNotBeAnxious #SermonOnTheMount #TrustGod #OvercomingAnxiety #PastorChrisZauner #Matthew6 #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ChristianEncouragement #FaithOverFear