In Warning Sign, drawn from Hebrews 3:7–19, we are confronted with the serious danger of a hardened heart. Using Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness as a warning, this message urges us to listen to God’s voice today, resist unbelief, and guard our hearts against drifting from him. The sermon calls believers to persevere in faith, encourage one another daily, and remain obedient to Christ, recognizing that unbelief can keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s rest.

Everyone loves a heartwarming rescue story—especially about a dog like Roxy, who was saved from despair and transformed by love. Roxy began abandoned and frail, afraid of touch, but through patient care and gentle reassurance, she slowly regained her trust, joy, and vitality. Her story mirrors our own deepest human needs, because we all long for the kind of love that lifts us up and gives new life. The good news is that God provides that type of love for us in Jesus Christ. No matter how exhausted or broken we feel, Jesus meets us as our rescuer, redeemer, and Savior—turning fear into hope, isolation into belonging, and hurt into healing. 1 John 4:7–21 reveals 4 ways Christ’s love is transformative in this way.

Dictionary.com defines adoption as the process of bringing a child into one’s own family through legal means for the purpose of raising that child as your own. Almost all of us have some life experience with adoption. When a married couple says, “We are adopting,” we know that means they are going to legally bring a child (not biologically conceived by them) into their own family and raise that child in the same way as a child conceived biologically. They are adopting. They are eager to love a child with that kind of love. Adoption helps us understand and appreciate Christ’s love for us. Ephesians 1:1-14 contains 5 adjectives to describe this adopting love of God.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has so many epic heroes, famous villains, and redemption arcs that echo even greater truths. The Juggernaut is one of those. He makes only a few appearances in the movie franchise but shows up more frequently in the comics. He moves with supernatural force—unstoppable, unless he chooses to stop himself. That kind of imaginary power is an echo us of a far greater genuine strength: Christ’s unstoppable love for his people. Despite lies that we are unloved or that something could block God’s devotion, the Bible teaches us that nothing can thwart the Lord’s passionate commitment to our well-being. Romans 8:31-39 lays out 3 truths about the unstoppable love of God.

Nothing compares to Christmastime in New York City—the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, 5th Ave. lights, Radio City Rockettes Show, Bryant Park Winter Village, Macy’s Santaland, Hudson Yards Holiday light show, Ice Skating in Wollman Rink in Central Park, and more! And then it culminates with the ball dropping on New Year’s Eve in Times Square, where 1 million people gather in-person, and 180 million Americans along with over 1 billion people worldwide watch it on TV. It’s matchless, truly one of a kind. In a much more profound way, Christ’s love is unlike any love we have ever experienced. Romans 5:1-11 describes humanity with 3 adjectives that highlight the 3 aspects of God’s love for us in Jesus that make it unique.

There are so many passages of Scripture in the New Testament about God’s love, which makes sense because God is love and Jesus is the full revelation of God. But we shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking God was a different God in the Old Testament. There’s a common misunderstanding that God was angry and even unloving back then. That’s not true. God is the same today as it was 3,000 years ago as it was before time began as it will be when the sun wears out. He is not like us. He doesn’t change. And neither does his love. Psalm 103 describes the steadfast love of Christ in 4 statements.

Heaven is one of humanity’s greatest mysteries and most heartfelt questions: “What happens after we die?” While Scripture gives only a glimpse, that glimpse offers a breathtaking vision of the church in Heaven—a worship service beyond anything found on Earth, filled with overflowing love, unity, and transformed joy. The future for believers isn’t just heaven, but a new Heavens and a New Earth, a world where all that is good endures without the pain of sin. And when we gather for worship in this final church, people from every nation will join to proclaim Christ’s glory, echoing what happens in churches today but perfected forever. In Revelation 7:9-12, Jesus reveals five aspects of heavenly worship and gives the church on Earth five instructions based on this vision. Church life now finds meaning in its heavenly destination—worshipping Jesus together, forever.

Vacationers sometimes find welcoming bowls of fruit at their rental—only to discover, especially if they take a bite, that the fruit is plastic. Outwardly beautiful, inviting, and seemingly satisfying, fake fruit lacks substance and has no power to nourish or refresh. Plastic fruit is fruitless, not fruitful. That common experience offers a timely lesson for Christians and churches: it’s possible to look rich, successful, and spiritually productive while actually lacking genuine fruit beneath the surface. Jesus wants more for us than a hollow, fruitless life. In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus spoke words of encouragement, correction, and promise to churches that appear prosperous but desperately need his perspective and presence.

In 2006, the Chicago Tribune ran a quirky story about “Flat Dave”—a cardboard cutout that attended family gatherings, celebrated birthdays, and became a local celebrity, even as the real Dave lived three hours away. While the community embraced Flat Dave and his reputation grew, the truth remained: he wasn’t really present, and he wasn’t alive. That funny headline offers a somber parallel to Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:1-6: “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Churches and believers can be active, well-known, and admired, but still lack true spiritual life—a reality far weightier than cardboard imitation. Jesus speaks with both correction and grace, offering encouragement and promise to those who feel spiritually lifeless. True life is found in Christ alone; his words invite every church and every Christian to wake up, repent, and receive the fullness he offers.

The 1980s were marked by optimism, technological progress, and memorable music, yet the era also witnessed tragic events. One of those tragedies, the Chernobyl nuclear plant meltdown, serves as a lasting example of what happens when important warnings are dismissed: tolerance of preventable danger can have devastating consequences. In life and faith, not all tolerance is good; sometimes, what we allow to persist can quietly undermine what matters most. In Revelation 2:18-29, Jesus addressed the tolerant church—affirming the good, but warning of the perils of tolerating sin and false teaching. Christ’s words bring encouragement, correction, and promise to all churches, urging us to discern between commendable patience and damaging negligence. Good tolerance builds community; bad tolerance can erode faith.