Series: "The Good Life: Learning to Live in a Complicated World"

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

April 19, 2026

1. Your Sin Still Matters (vv. 17-19)

2. Your Sin is Worse than You Think (vv. 20-22, 27-28)

3. Deal with Your Sin Quickly (vv. 23-26)

4. Deal with Your Sin Drastically (vv. 29-30)

Jesus teaches that while we're saved by grace, sin still matters deeply in our daily lives. He didn't come to abolish the Old Testament law but to fulfill it, showing us that true righteousness goes beyond external rule-following to heart transformation. The Pharisees focused on keeping rules perfectly, but Jesus reveals that anger is like murder and lust is like adultery in God's eyes. We must deal with sin quickly and drastically, taking whatever measures necessary to remove temptation from our lives. This isn't about earning salvation but about experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers when we stop casually flirting with sin.

Series: "The Good Life: Learning to Live in a Complicated World"

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

April 12, 2026

1. Blessing Comes to Those Who Admit Their Need (vv. 1-6)

2. Blessing Flows Through Those Who Have Been Blessed (vv. 7-10)

3. Blessing Acts to Impact the Outside World (vv. 11-16)

Jesus redefines the good life through the Beatitudes, showing that true blessing comes from spiritual humility rather than worldly success. Those who are poor in spirit, recognizing their complete dependence on God, inherit the kingdom of heaven. This blessed life flows outward through mercy, peacemaking, and authentic living. Christians are called to be both salt and light in the world - preserving truth while showing grace. The good life isn't about comfort but about courageously living as citizens of God's kingdom while serving as His ambassadors to others.

Easter Sunday 2026

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

April 5, 2026

1. Jesus isn't in the Tomb of Past Regrets (Luke 23:50-53)

2. Jesus isn't in the Tomb of Cold Religion (Luke 23:54-56)

3. Jesus isn't in the Tomb of Human Reason (Luke 24:1-8)

4. Jesus isn't in the Tomb of the Possible (Luke 24:9-11)

5. We can Know Jesus Because He isn't in the Tomb! (Luke 24:12)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ challenges us to stop searching for Him in the wrong places. Just as the angels asked the women at the empty tomb why they sought the living among the dead, we often look for Jesus in places where He cannot be found. Many people search for Jesus in the tomb of past regrets, believing their mistakes disqualify them from His love. Others seek Him through cold religious rituals rather than a personal relationship. Some try to find Him through human reason alone, while others limit Him to what seems possible. The truth is that Jesus is alive and offers new life to all who step out of these dead places. He already knows our failures yet still invites us to come to Him, offering forgiveness and transformation that goes beyond our understanding or limitations.

Series: "Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple"

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

March 29, 2026

1. Growing Faith Trades Corruption for Godliness Through Jesus' Power (vv. 3-4)

2. Growing Faith Validates Jesus' Sacrifice (vv. 5-9)

3. Growing Faith Confirms Our Salvation (vv. 10-11)

Many people call themselves Christians but show little evidence of spiritual transformation. Second Peter 1:3-11 reveals that genuine faith should produce dramatic life change over time. Through God's divine power and precious promises, believers can trade worldly corruption for participation in God's nature. Peter outlines eight qualities that should increase in growing Christians: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Spiritual growth serves three vital purposes: it allows us to participate in God's nature, honors Jesus' sacrificial work, and confirms our salvation. Without growth, our faith becomes ineffective and unfruitful, like severe nearsightedness that blinds us to God's bigger picture.

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

March 22, 2026

1. Disciples of Jesus Must Surrender Their Ambitions for His Plan (v. 34a)

2. Disciples of Jesus Must be Ready to Endure Suffering and Death Like Him (v. 34b)

3. Disciples of Jesus Must Follow Him Above All Other Desires (v. 34c)

4. Disciples of Jesus Give Up This Life to Gain the Greatest Possible Reward (v. 35-37)

In this sermon from the Cultivate series, Growing Faith Church explores the radical call of Jesus found in Mark 8:34-37. Drawing inspiration from the life of martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the message challenges the idea of "cheap grace"—the desire for forgiveness without repentance or commitment.

The core of the message focuses on three specific costs every follower of Christ must be willing to pay:

Surrender Your Ambitions: Discipleship requires "denying yourself," which means handing the "pen" of your life's story back to God and trusting His plan over your own dreams.

Endure Suffering: Taking up a cross was a symbol of shame and execution; following Jesus means being ready for ridicule, persecution, or even the sacrifice of one's literal life.

Follow Him Above All: True discipleship moves Jesus from the "co-pilot" position to the driver's seat, prioritizing His lead over personal comfort or consumeristic desi

While the cost is high, the reward is incomparable. As missionary Jim Elliot famously said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose". By losing our temporary lives to Christ, we gain our eternal souls.

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth & the Life of a Disciple

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty NC

March 15, 2026

1. The Church Prepares the Way for Sanctification (Matt. 28:18-20)

2. The Disciple Pursues the Prize of Sanctification (Phil. 3:12-14)

3. God Provides the Power for Sanctification (Phil. 2:12-13)

Spiritual maturity doesn't happen by accident - it requires intentional steps and commitment. The Bible outlines three key players in this process: the church prepares the way by providing resources and community, disciples pursue growth with single-minded focus while letting go of past failures and successes, and God provides the power for transformation. True spiritual growth combines divine power with human responsibility, requiring us to actively pursue Christ while trusting God to work in us.

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth, & the Life of a Disciple

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

March 8, 2026

1. The Prosperous Life is Determined by Where We Find Our Delight (Ps. 1)

2. The Prosperous Life is Committed to Growing in Discipleship (Acts 2:42-47)

3. The Prosperous Life is Powered by God's Grace Through Faith (Col. 2:6-7)

True biblical prosperity isn't about material wealth but about being spiritually planted in the right place. Psalm 1 describes the prosperous person as a tree planted by streams of water, finding delight in God's Word rather than worldly pursuits. The early church in Acts 2 demonstrates six key marks of spiritual maturity: being rooted in God's Word and community, growing in prayer and worship, and reaching out through service and evangelism. This growth doesn't come through self-effort but through God's grace received by faith, like a sailboat catching wind in its sails.

Series: Cultivate: Grace, Growth, & the Life of a Disciple

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

March 1, 2026

1. Maturity Requires Personal Effort (v. 11)

2. Maturity Prepares You for the Mission (v. 12a)

3. Maturity Brings Greater Joy and Deeper Satisfaction in Jesus (vv. 12b-14)

4. Maturity Takes Consistent Training (v. 14)

5. Maturity Protects Us from Evil (vv. 13-14)

6. Maturity Means Learning Deeper Truths About God (Heb. 6:1)

Many Christians remain spiritually immature after salvation, missing out on the abundant life Jesus offers. According to Hebrews 5:11-6:1, spiritual maturity requires personal effort, prepares us for God's mission, brings deeper joy, demands consistent training, protects us from evil, and leads to greater understanding of God. Just as physical growth requires intentional effort, spiritual growth demands daily practice through prayer, Bible study, and spiritual disciplines. Mature believers can teach others, discern truth from error, and participate effectively in God's mission. The church should equip believers through systematic training, but personal commitment to growth is essential for moving beyond spiritual infancy.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC 

February 22, 2026

1. The Light of Jesus Calls Us Out of Darkness (vv. 12-17)

2. The Purpose of Jesus Calls Us Out of the Meaningless (vv. 18-22)

3. The Power of Jesus Calls Us Out of Brokenness (vv. 23-25)

Jesus extends three powerful calls to every person that demand a response and promise transformation. First, He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light through repentance - changing our minds about who controls our lives. Second, He calls us out of meaninglessness into eternal purpose, just as He transformed ordinary fishermen into world-changing disciples who would fish for souls rather than fish. Third, He calls us out of brokenness into wholeness, welcoming all who are diseased, afflicted, and broken with His healing power. Jesus isn't intimidated by our mess or darkness - He specializes in transforming lives completely when we surrender everything to follow Him.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Hidden Majesty

Guest Preacher: Ron Pierce

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

February 15, 2026

Jesus' 40-day temptation in the desert reveals a profound truth about spiritual strength that goes beyond simply knowing Scripture. While Satan tested Jesus with three specific temptations - providing for himself, forcing God to prove Himself, and worshipping something other than God - Jesus resisted not just by quoting verses, but through the deep relationship He had cultivated with the Father during those 40 days. The real power behind Scripture comes from intimate communion with God, not just memorizing words. Many believers struggle with temptation because they're trying to fight spiritual battles without first developing that foundational relationship with God that provides true spiritual strength.