This passage reveals God as both lavishly generous and sovereignly just, portraying Eden as a divine garden-temple where humanity was created in God's image, entrusted with stewardship, and provided for abundantly, reflecting His love and provision. It establishes the covenant of works, a clear moral boundary where obedience brings life and disobedience brings death, underscoring God's role as lawgiver and judge, while affirming that humanity's failure to uphold this covenant necessitates a divine solution. The sermon highlights that Jesus, as the second Adam, fulfilled the covenant of works perfectly, offering salvation not through human effort but through His righteous life and atoning death, thereby securing a future far greater than Eden. Ultimately, the passage points to heaven as God's ultimate purpose—a restored, eternal reality where suffering is no more, and believers will dwell with God in perfect fellowship, making the present trials insignificant in light of the glory to come. Outline: 1. Garden Temple - God is lavish in his love & provision 2. Covenant of Works - God is the lawgiver & judge 3. Heaven - God's best is yet to come

This address was given at the church's annual Vision Banquet casting vision for the church for 2026. The presentation centers on cultivating a deeper appetite and consistent habit of engaging with Scripture, framing the Bible not as a burdensome duty but as the living, powerful, and infinitely satisfying source of life. Drawing from key passages like Isaiah 55:1–2 & 9-10, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and many more it emphasizes the Bible's divine claims—its ability to pierce the heart, sustain life, and offer lasting fulfillment. With all the amazing claims of Scripture, one would expect it easy to read consistently, but most struggle to maintain desire and the habit. Many people look to a variety of things for comfort and pleasure, none compare with Scripture. One that is particularly dangerous is the ubiquitous pervasivity of digital media. It is critical for the church to confront this modern distraction, digital media, with its addictive nature, which hijacks attention and replaces spiritual nourishment with instant gratification. Nathan argues that the human heart, naturally restless, is prone to idolatry, and thus the digital age intensifies the need for intentional, delayed gratification found in Scripture. His Thesis was: If people in our age struggle to not allow digital media to undermine their relationships with humans they SEE, how much more will this struggle impact their relationship with the UNSEEN God. Practical strategies were proposed such as a daily one-verse challenge all designed to nurture both desire and discipline in a culture of distraction. Music video shown, but not included in this recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM2nMeXvor0

The sermon presents the Sabbath not as a legalistic obligation but as a divine gift designed for weary souls, rooted in God's own rest after creation and reaffirmed throughout Scripture. Drawing from Genesis 2:1–3, Exodus 20:8–11, and Isaiah 58, it emphasizes that the Sabbath is a holy day blessed by God to foster delight in Him, offering a necessary spiritual detox from the relentless pace of modern life and the endless distractions of entertainment. Far from being a burden, the Sabbath is portrayed as a foretaste of eternal fellowship with God, pointing forward to the ultimate rest of heaven where sin and distraction will be no more. The preacher calls believers to rediscover the joy of resting in God, not through rigid rules, but through a heart that longs to delight in Him, mirroring the intimacy God desires with His people. Ultimately, the Sabbath is a sacred invitation to pause, remember, and reorient life around the Christ who sacrificed everything to restore that relationship.

This sermon, rooted in Genesis 1:24–31, presents a theological affirmation of human dignity and purpose by emphasizing that humanity alone is created in the image of God, distinguishing humans from all other creatures and rejecting evolutionary reductionism. It unpacks the creation mandates of being fruitful and multiplying—not merely through biological procreation but also through spiritual reproduction, such as discipling others—and of exercising godly dominion over creation, not as domination but as stewardship under God's authority. The sermon challenges modern secular worldviews, particularly the influence of psychology and evolutionary theory, by advocating for Biblical Counseling and the Bible as the sufficient and authoritative guide for human flourishing, grounded in Scripture's divine inspiration and practical wisdom. Ultimately, it calls believers to surrender personal autonomy to Christ as the true King, recognizing that true fulfillment comes not from self-rule but from aligning life with God's design, beginning in the home and extending to every sphere of life. Outline: 1. We Are Not Animals 2. We Are to Be Fruitful & Multiply 3. We Are to Take Dominion

This sermon defends the claim that Genesis 1 is historical narrative, not poetry or allegory and establishes God as the sovereign Creator who spoke the universe into existence in six literal days. The passage affirms God's eternal power and creativity, declaring the goodness of creation and establishing a clear distinction between Creator and creation, thereby refuting atheism, pantheism, and evolution. It serves as the bedrock for the entire biblical narrative, grounding key doctrines such as human dignity, the Sabbath, marriage, sin, and redemption, all of which hinge on a literal interpretation of Adam and Eve and the early chapters of Genesis. The sermon emphasizes that Scripture must interpret Scripture, warning that undermining the historicity of Genesis unravels the coherence of the entire Bible, and calls believers to submit their worldview to the authority of God's Word rather than to shifting scientific consensus or personal opinion. Outline: Genesis 1… 1. Is Historical Narrative not Poetry 2. Declares the Power & Creativity of God 3. Lays the Foundation for the Entire Bible

The sermon centers on the transformative power of God at work within believers, drawing from Ephesians 3:20–21 to affirm that God's ability to accomplish far more than we can imagine is rooted not in our strength, faith, or effort, but in the resurrection and regenerating power of Christ active within us. It challenges the common assumptions that God's work is limited by our perceived weakness, small faith, or lack of visible progress, instead pointing to the eternal reality of Christ's victory over death and spiritual darkness. Through the lens of Paul's pastoral concern for the Ephesians, the message calls the church to shift focus from earthly discouragements to the unseen, ongoing work of God in sustaining His people and glorifying Himself in His people throughout history. The passage underscores that God's power is not measured by dramatic signs, but by His faithful, sustaining grace in the ordinary lives of believers, where He continues to write His glory in the church and in every generation. Outline: We fail to expect God's ongoing work. Truth: God is at work. 1) We assume that because our faith is small God will not act. Truth: Our faith is not the measure of what God will do. 2) We assume that because we are not able, he is not able. Truth: Our strength is not the measure of what God can do. 3) We assume our efforts explain our progress. Truth: God's power at work within us. (This is the explanation for our growth and vitality- past, present, and future.)

The sermon centers on the foundational truth of Genesis 1:1—'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth'—presenting it as the bedrock of Christian faith, theology, and worldview. It emphasizes God's eternality, His personal act of creating all things ex nihilo (out of nothing), and the vast scope of His creation, which encompasses the entire universe. Through vivid analogies, scriptural references, and a call to humility, the message confronts human pride and invites listeners to trust in God's sovereignty, arguing that belief in creation is not only rational but a fork in the road of trusting God's revelation in its entirety. The sermon concludes with a pastoral appeal to embrace this truth not as abstract doctrine, but as the basis for faith, comfort, and life-altering commitment. Outline: 1. Eternality of God 2. Created Everything from Nothing 3. The Heavens & The Earth

The sermon centers on Jesus' promise to His disciples in John 14:1–6, where He comforts them amid fear and uncertainty by affirming His divine authority and intimate presence. The passage reveals that true peace comes not from understanding every detail of life's trials, but from trusting in Jesus as the exclusive way, truth, and life to the Father. Through vivid imagery of a prepared heavenly home and the assurance that Jesus Himself will return to take believers to be with Him, the message emphasizes divine sovereignty, personal care, and the necessity of faith over human effort. Todd Billman underscores that while questions and confusion are natural—even for devoted followers—Jesus invites all to stop, surrender, and trust in Him as the only path to eternal life, calling listeners to examine their personal relationship with Christ and to seek clarity through honest inquiry and reliance on His truth. Outline: 1) Jesus is Comforting Them with Truth (John 14:1) 2) Jesus is Revealing Their Future (John 14:2-3) 3) Jesus is Reminding Them of the Way (John 14:4-6)

Romans 8:1–17 delivers a profound and hopeful message of liberation, divine indwelling, and intimate adoption, grounding the Christian life in the transformative reality of being set free from sin's condemnation through Christ's victory. The passage affirms that believers are no longer bound by the law of sin and death, but are empowered by the Spirit of life to fulfill God's righteous requirements through both Christ's imputed righteousness and the ongoing work of sanctification. It emphasizes that the Holy Spirit dwells within believers, providing strength, assurance, and the promise of resurrection, while also highlighting the intimate relationship of adopted children crying out to God as Abba, Father. Far from a call to self-effort, the passage calls for a life of surrender to Christ's new management, where growth is not measured by perfection but by the Spirit's presence, the Father's delight, and the joy of seeing progress amid ongoing struggle. This truth, rooted in divine grace and not human performance, is meant to fuel perseverance, community, and joy in the journey of spiritual maturity. Outline: 1. We Have Been Set Free from Slavery to the Flesh 2. We Have the Spirit Living in Us 3. We Have Been Adopted as Children of God

This sermon explores the nature of conflict within the Christian community through the biblical account of Paul and Barnabas' disagreement over whether to take John Mark on their second missionary journey. It distinguishes between two types of conflict—deeply theological disputes, such as the Jerusalem Council's debate over salvation by faith alone versus adherence to Mosaic law, and wisdom-based disagreements, like the decision about Mark's inclusion—highlighting that both require discernment and biblical principles. The preacher emphasizes that while disagreement is inevitable and sometimes necessary, especially when core convictions are at stake, believers must avoid both peace-faking and peace-breaking responses, instead choosing to move forward with grace, humility, and a willingness to change one's mind, as Paul later did by welcoming Mark back into ministry. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to hold realistic expectations about conflict, recognizing that Christ, not human unity or perfection, is the true foundation and sustainer of the church, and that even in division, God continues to advance His redemptive work through imperfect people. Sermon Outline: 1. Two Types of Disagreements 2. Are You Willing to Disagree? 3. Are You Willing to Move On?