Mercy Hill Church Sermons

As Christians, we are called to honor and submit to governing authorities as a testimony of the gospel—while ultimately submitting to Jesus, our true King.

Above anything else in this life, the gospel -the good news of the free grace that's available to us in Jesus through faith-is worth fighting for. In our text, men are trying to add to it, twist it, corrupt it. But the early church fought for it . . . so they could hand it down to us!

The Bible clearly teaches that the road to the kingdom of heaven passes through much suffering. Tribulations come even for Christians, especially for Christians. But why? And how do we get through it? That's what our text is all about!

When Paul and Barnabas attempt to bring the gospel to the Gentiles in a little agrarian village named Lystra, they don't start with the Old Testament scriptures. These people were likely completely unfamiliar with them. Instead, they start with that which these people would have already been concerned with-matters of nature: rain, seasons, harvest, etc. Time and again, we see it: God always meets us where we are and walks with us towards Jesus and the gospel from there. He doesn't demand that we come up to him to get it. Instead, he happily comes down to us to give it!

As beloved exiles in this world, we are called to be holy, despite hostility, as a witness to others for God's glory.

When we think of evangelism, we likely think first of using our mouths. And that's not wrong. Evangelism is "preaching the gospel"— and for that we need our mouths. But there is more to evangelism than just using our mouths. We also must use our eyes and our ears and have hearts full of Christ's love.

How do I find lasting peace in an anxious age? Have you ever wondered that? No doubt you have. Life is hard. There's much to be anxious about. Yet still we long for peace-peace that's not just momentary, but that lasts. We make, it seems, one failed attempt after another in our effort to find it. But, at last, we come to see that, in Jesus, lasting peace has actually come down to find us!

When God delays, when he permits hardship in our lives, we often wonder where he is and what he is doing. The story in John 11 makes it plain: he's right here with us and he's up to good for us. He lets us come under the shadow of death so we'd come to see him as the resurrection and the life.

As the church, God's people, we need to remember who we are as His people and what we are called to do—as we keep in mind His mercy towards us through Christ Jesus.

As the gospel transforms our identity, it also transforms how we love, how we see things, and what we desire.