Series: Radical Kingdom: Power and Purpose

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

August 30, 2026

1. The Mission is Critical Because the Need is Urgent (vv. 35-36)

2. The Mission Begins with Prayer for Multiplication (vv. 37-38)

3. We are Called and Given Authority for the Mission (vv. 1-4)

4. God Provides the Strategy for the Mission (vv. 5-11)

5. The Results of the Mission Belong to God (vv. 12-15)

Most of us spend our lives chasing goals that feel meaningful but are ultimately temporary. Jesus calls every believer to something far greater: a mission that echoes into eternity. In Matthew 9, Jesus sees the crowds around Him and responds not with frustration or judgment, but with deep, gut-level compassion. That same compassion is meant to shape how we see the people in our daily lives. God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called, sending ordinary people with His authority and His power. The harvest is plentiful, the need is urgent, and God has called you by name to be part of it.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Power and Purpose

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

August 23, 2026

Faith is believing in Jesus' power to meet our deepest needs and surrendering to His authority in our life.

1. Faith Begins with the Humility of Desperate Need.

2. Faith Means Believing in Jesus' Power Instead of Our Own.

3. Faith is Surrendering to Jesus' Will for Our Lives.

4. Those Without Faith Miss the Joy of Healing.

Faith is not a formula, and healing is not guaranteed by the strength of your belief. In Matthew 9, every person Jesus healed came to Him in humble desperation, not with demands or perfectly worded prayers. The point was never the amount of faith but the object of it. Jesus is the promised Messiah who came with healing in His wings, and the deepest healing He offers is spiritual, not physical. We live in a world broken by sin, and our greatest need is not physical restoration but reconciliation with God. Real faith involves three things: recognizing your desperate need, believing in Jesus' power to meet it, and surrendering to His authority even when He doesn't answer the way you expected. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, surrendered faith says 'but if not' and trusts Jesus no matter the outcome. That kind of faith is not weakness. It is the most honest and courageous response to a God who is completely worthy of our trust.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Power and Purpose

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

August 16, 2026

How do we live a life that displays the joy of the gospel accurately so that people will join the party that Jesus is throwing for them?

1. Let's Show Radical Hospitality to Unexpected People (vv. 9-13)

2. Let's Live with an Unexpected Joy (vv. 14-15)

3. Let's Anticipate Jesus Doing Unexpected Things (vv. 16-17)

What does it actually look like to live out the joy of the gospel? In Matthew 9:9-17, Jesus calls a despised tax collector named Matthew to follow Him, shows up at a party full of sinners, and then defends His actions to the religious leaders of His day. This passage is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of how the gospel works and what it means to carry genuine joy as a follower of Jesus.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Power and Purpose

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

August 2, 2026

1. Some Fear Judgment, So They Harden Their Hearts (vv. 28-32)

2. Some Fear Disruption, So They Keep Jesus Away (vv. 33-34)

3. Some Fear Nothing, So They Miss Jesus Completely (vv. 1-3)

4. Some Fear Appropriately, So They Worship Jesus (vv. 4-8)

When Jesus shows up in your life, a decision has to be made. Matthew chapters 8 and 9 reveal four distinct responses to His power and authority, and each one carries eternal weight. Some harden their hearts out of fear of judgment. Some keep Jesus at a distance because they are afraid of what He might disrupt. Some are so confident in their own knowledge or goodness that they miss Him entirely. And some respond with reverent awe and genuine worship. The right response involves admitting you cannot save yourself, believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and confessing Him as Lord over every area of your life. The most important decision you will ever make is not who you marry or what career you choose. It is how you respond to Jesus Christ.

Series: Radical Kingdom: Power and Purpose

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

July 26, 2026

1. Crowds Settle in One Place. Followers Follow Jesus. (vv. 18-20)

2. Crowds Follow When Convenient. Followers Follow Jesus First. (vv. 21-22)

3. Crowds Stay Behind.  Followers Get in the Boat. (vv. 23-25)

4. Crowds Are Amazed by What Jesus Does. Followers Are Amazed by Who Jesus is. (vv. 26-27)

There is a significant difference between admiring Jesus from a distance and truly following Him. Many people function as fans, enjoying what He offers without ever committing to who He is. Matthew 8 presents three clear contrasts between fans and followers: crowds settle while followers keep moving, crowds follow when it is convenient while followers put Jesus first, and crowds stay on shore while followers get in the boat. Following Jesus is not a comfortable, stationary life. It is a going life that costs something. The storms will come regardless, but there is no safer place to be than in the will of God with the Son of God.

Series: Power and Purpose (Radical Kingdom)

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

July 19, 2026

1. Jesus' Healing Demonstrates a Greater Love (vv. 1-4)

2. Jesus' Healing Displays a Greater Authority (vv. 5-13)

3. Jesus' Healing Calls Us to a Greater Purpose (vv. 14-16)

4. Jesus' Healing Points Toward a Greater Healing (v. 17)

Jesus healed the sick, touched the untouchable, and restored the broken, but His miracles always pointed to something far greater than physical restoration. When a leper knelt before Him in faith, Jesus reached out and touched him, proving that no one is too broken or too ashamed to come to Him. A Roman centurion's remarkable faith revealed that Jesus holds ultimate authority over sickness, sin, and even the kingdom of heaven itself. Peter's mother-in-law was healed instantly and immediately began to serve, showing that healing always comes with a purpose. Every miracle in Matthew 8 points forward to the cross, where Jesus bore our sin disease and made eternal healing possible. Physical healing is temporary, but the spiritual healing Jesus offers is eternal. He has both the power and the willingness to heal us from the thing that matters most.

Series: "All Hands on Deck: The Ships of the Church"

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

July 12, 2026

1. Elders Guard and Direct the Mission of the Church (Titus 1:5-9)

2. The Elder's Role is to Shepherd the Members (1 Peter 5:1-5)

3. The Elder's Purpose is to Equip the Members (Eph. 4:11-12)

4. The Elder's Qualifications are Established by God (1 Tim. 3:1-7)

5. The Church Examines, Affirms, and then Obeys the Elders (1 Thess. 5:12-13)

Church leadership is not about power or prestige. It is about faithful service to God and His people. The Bible establishes a clear pattern for church leadership through a plurality of elders who shepherd, protect, and equip the congregation. These leaders are held to a high standard of character and conduct, as outlined in passages like 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5. Their primary purpose is not to do all the ministry themselves, but to equip every member of the church for the work of ministry. The congregation plays an active role as well, examining and affirming leaders and then submitting to their God-given authority. When this biblical model is followed, the mission of the gospel multiplies far beyond what any one person could accomplish alone.

Series: All Hands on Deck: the Ships of the Church

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

July 5, 2026

1. Fellowship Means Participation in Something Bigger than Yourself (vv. 42-44)

2. Fellowship Means Experiencing the Love We Were Created For (v. 42, 46)

3. Fellowship Means Being Present for One Another (vv. 44-45)

4. Fellowship Means Sharing Life Beyond Sunday (v. 46)

5. Fellowship Means Making the Gospel Visible (v. 47)

Fellowship is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the church. Most people associate it with potlucks and social gatherings, but the Bible describes something far deeper. Rooted in the Greek word koinonia, true fellowship means active participation in a shared mission, experiencing the love we were created for, being consistently present with one another, and sharing life beyond Sunday. Acts 2 shows us a church so marked by genuine love and connection that people on the outside could not stay away. Real fellowship is not a program or an event. It is a way of life, and it is one of the greatest gifts Jesus won for us through the cross.

Series: All Hands on Deck: The Ships of the Church

Pastor Michael Gay

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

June 28, 2026

1. The Transaction of Grace: 1 Cor. 6:19-20

2. The Security of Ownership: Rom. 14:7-8

3. The Daily Surrender: Gal. 2:20

True freedom is not found in self-reliance. It is found in surrendering to the right master. Every person serves one of two masters: their own sinful nature or God. At the cross, Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price to redeem us, which means we now belong to Him completely. That ownership is not a burden. It is the greatest security we could ever have. When we understand the heart of the One asking for our surrender, everything changes. He loved us first, He gave everything, and His love never runs out. True freedom comes from trusting the One who already knows the outcome and loves us enough to lead us through it.

Series: All Hands on Deck: The Ships of the Church

Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC

June 21, 2026

1. Every Believer Needs to Be Added to the Church (1 Cor. 12:13/Acts 2:47)

2. The Church Needs You (1 Cor. 12:15-20)

3. You Need the Church (1 Cor. 12:21-27)

4. The World Needs the Church to Display the Gospel (Eph. 2:11-22)