Redeemer Downtown Sermons

Everyone follows someone's authority, even when they think they're following their own.

In this sermon from the series, "The Last Words of Jesus," Jeff White explores Jesus' final commission in Matthew 28:16-20. Before calling His followers to "go and make disciples," Jesus first declares that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him.

In a culture that encourages us to follow our own truth, this sermon asks whether true freedom is found in self-rule or in living under the authority of the risen Jesus.

Peace is more than the absence of conflict.

In this sermon from the series, "The Last Words of Jesus," Pete Nicholas explores Jesus' words, "Peace be with you," in John 20:19-23. Behind locked doors, the disciples are consumed by fear, yet the risen Jesus meets them with peace that reaches deeper than their circumstances. His scars tell the story of forgiveness, victory, and the restoration of our relationship with God, offering freedom from the guilt, shame, and fear that so often shape our lives. But Jesus doesn't simply give His followers peace, He sends them into the world to embody it and share it.

Discover how Jesus' peace can transform fearful hearts and lead us into lives of courage, hope, and purpose.

If Jesus ascended into heaven, why does that matter for your life today?

In this sermon from the series, "The Last Words of Jesus," Pete Nicholas explores Jesus' words, "I am ascending," in John 20:11-18. Often overlooked, the ascension is not about Jesus leaving His people behind, but about His victory over sin and death, His reign as the exalted King, and the gift of His Spirit.

Rather than signaling God's absence, the ascension makes possible a deeper intimacy with Christ and empowers His followers to live with confidence and boldness. This sermon invites us to see why Jesus' ascension is not the end of His work, but the beginning of His ongoing presence and power.

Freedom begins where striving ends.

In this sermon from the series, "The Last Words of Jesus," Pete Nicholas explores Jesus' final words from John 19:28–30: "It is finished." Far from announcing His own defeat, Jesus declares that the work of redemption is complete. Through the fulfillment of Scripture, the cross reveals God's plan to fully accomplish what we never could. Yet many of us continue striving to earn acceptance or carry burdens Christ has already bore.

This sermon invites us to see the cross not as the beginning of our effort, but as the finished work of Jesus, offering the assurance that nothing more needs to be added to His saving grace.

Could your biggest prayers still be too small?

In this sermon from the series, "Praying Big", Jeff White explores Paul's prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 and challenges us to rethink what we ask God for. While our prayers often focus on changing our circumstances, Paul prays that God would transform our character, reshape our desires, and make us fruitful in every good work.

Rather than simply asking for relief, we're invited to pray for lives that reflect God's calling and bring Him glory.

The strength of your prayers might have nothing to do with the words you use.

In this sermon from the series, "Praying Big", Will Anderson explores Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14–19 and shows that the strongest prayers are not marked by impressive words, but by a deep desire to know the love of God.

Rather than asking God to simply change our circumstances, Paul prays for inner strength through the Holy Spirit, that Christ would truly make His home in us. This sermon is an invitation to move beyond knowing about God's love and into experiencing the transforming power of it.

Belief in God doesn't guarantee nearness to Him.

In this sermon from the series, "Praying Big", Jeff White explores Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15–23 and what it means to grow in a deeper knowledge of God. While many of us approach prayer with uncertainty, Paul invites us to see it as something far greater: participation in God's ongoing work in the world.

This prayer centers on four realities every Christian needs: knowing God more deeply, living with a secure hope, understanding our value to Him, and experiencing the power of the risen Jesus. As our vision of God expands, so does our confidence in prayer.

Why do we keep doing the very things we know aren’t good for us?

In this sermon from the series, "The Power of Good", Pete Nicholas explores the meaning of self-control through Galatians 5:16–23. In a culture that often equates freedom with following our desires, self-control can feel restrictive or even outdated. But what if true freedom is found not in getting everything we want, but in becoming the kind of person who can choose what is truly good?

This sermon explores why self-control is essential for human flourishing, why it is increasingly difficult to cultivate, and how the gospel offers more than mere willpower. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus, we’re invited into a life of deeper freedom, transformation, and maturity.

Most of us know how to fight. Far fewer know how to restore.

In this sermon from the series, "The Power of Good", Pete Nicholas explores the surprising connection between gentleness and justice through Matthew 12:15–21. When strength is often equated with force and outrage, gentleness can seem weak or ineffective. But Jesus reveals a different kind of power, one that restores rather than crushes, and heals rather than condemns.

Through the life and character of Jesus, true gentleness is shown not as the absence of strength but strength under control. Because Jesus bore the weight of justice at the cross, we are freed from the need to take it into our own hands. As we experience His gentleness toward us, we are transformed into people who can extend that same gentleness to others.

What happens when we slowly drift away from what is true?

In this sermon from the series, "The Power of Good", Pete Nicholas explores faithfulness through 2 Timothy 4:6–8 and the Apostle Paul’s charge to “keep the faith.” Faithfulness is more than consistency or reliability, it is the ongoing work of aligning our lives with what is true about ourselves, the world, and God.

Over time, even small compromises can shape the direction of our lives. We exaggerate our strengths, hide our weaknesses, and build carefully managed versions of ourselves that leave us disconnected from others and distant from God.

This sermon explores why faithfulness is a lifelong fight and how the grace of Jesus frees us to live with honesty, integrity, and deeper trust in Him.