Sermons from Church of the Incarnation, Dallas

When life leaves you wrestling in the dark—when your strength fails, when God seems silent—faith still holds on.

In this sermon, Pastor Shawn Torres explores what it means to persevere in faith through struggle, trust, Scripture, and prayer. Drawing from Genesis 32, Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3–4, and Luke 18, he reminds us that our grip on God’s mercy has never depended on our own strength.

“Faith that perseveres is faith that clings desperately, deliberately, and relentlessly to God’s mercy.”

Even the proud and powerful need grace. In this sermon, Rev. Jon Jordan unpacks the story of Naaman, a Syrian commander whose healing teaches us what it means to receive God’s grace with humility and gratitude. Naaman wanted to earn his healing, but God had other plans—grace could only be received, never achieved.

Naaman’s cleansing in the Jordan River foreshadows the transforming grace found in Christ. Rev. Jordan connects this Old Testament story to Luke 17, where another outsider—a Samaritan leper—returns to give thanks. Both Naaman and the Samaritan remind us that grace always comes to the unlikely, that pride blinds us to God’s gifts, and that gratitude is the natural response of a healed heart.

In Luke 17:11–19, ten lepers are healed—but only one returns to give thanks. Rev. Cn. Oliver Lee explores what it means to be truly seen by Jesus and to respond with gratitude that transforms our hearts.

Jesus meets ten lepers on the road between Samaria and Galilee. All cry out for mercy, and all are healed, but only one—a Samaritan—turns back to give thanks. Fr. Oliver shows that this act of returning is the essence of Christian faith: seeing that every breath, every healing, every gift is grace. Gratitude, he explains, is the mark of those who know they’ve been rescued. If our prayers overflow with requests but fall silent in thanksgiving, we’ve missed the heart of worship. True faith returns, kneels, and says, “Thank you.”

📖 Scripture: Luke 17:11–19

“When we really love something—or someone—we don’t need thanks, recognition, or rewards. We’d do it for free.”

In this thoughtful sermon on Luke 17:7–10, Rev. Jordan Griesbeck unpacks Jesus’ parable of the unworthy servant and what it reveals about our posture toward God. Everything belongs to Him, and yet He graciously shares it all with us—not because we’ve earned it, but because He delights in us.

💡 Learn how the Christian life invites us to serve not out of duty or guilt, but out of love, freedom, and joy in God’s presence.

📖 Scripture: Luke 17:7–10

“Fear tells us that we are alone—but God is not afraid of our fears.”

In this moving sermon, Bishop Brewer reminds us that God meets us right where we are—even in our fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:7 (“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind”), he calls us to trust the One whose love is stronger than death itself.

💡 Discover how God transforms fear into faith, anxiety into peace, and control into trust.

📖 Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 37

What do we do with the stark contrast between wealth and poverty in Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus?

In this sermon, Rev. Wes Hill reflects on Luke 16:19–31 and shows the danger of loving money and comfort more than God. Jesus’ parable reveals a great reversal in which the poor are exalted and the rich are brought low. Yet in Christ we find hope, for he who was rich became poor for our sake so that by his poverty we might become rich.

📖 Scripture References: Luke 16:19–31, Amos 6:1–7, 1 Timothy 6:6–19, 2 Corinthians 8:9

When Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus, it’s more than a warning—it’s an invitation to be convinced of God’s mercy, generosity, and grace.

In this sermon, Rev. Annette Brownlee reflects on Luke 16 and 19, Acts 3, and 1 Timothy 6, reminding us that we cannot serve both God and money. Our response to Christ’s mercy should be like Zacchaeus, the woman who poured oil on Jesus’ feet, or the disciples on the road to Emmaus. True life—the life that really is life—comes when we honor God with all that we are and all that we have.

📖 Scripture References: Luke 16:19–31, Luke 19:1–10, Acts 3:1–10, 1 Timothy 6:17–19

In this sermon, Rev. Cn. Oliver Lee reflects on one of Jesus’ most challenging parables—the dishonest manager. What at first seems like a confusing story becomes a striking reminder that every choice reveals our true loyalty.

Scripture makes it clear: money and possessions can either pull us away from God or be used in faithfulness to Him. Jesus asks us to be shrewd not for selfish gain, but for the Kingdom of God. As Rev. Lee proclaims, the ultimate question remains: Whom do you serve—God or money?

#WhomDoYouServe #RevOliverLee #Luke16

In this sermon, Rev. Cody Turner unpacks one of Jesus’ most difficult parables—the dishonest manager in Luke 16. While confusing at first, the story reveals a powerful call: Christians are not children of this age but children of the Light.

In a world marked by anger and violence, we are invited to remember our baptism and live by the values of Christ’s Kingdom—speaking peace, honoring the dignity of every person, and bearing witness to a different way.

#ChildrenOfLight #Luke16 #RevCodyTurner

Bishop Greg Brewer reflects on Jesus’ call to “walk in the light” and become true children of light. Using the story of John Newton—the author of Amazing Grace—Bp. Brewer shows how faith that begins on the surface must eventually break through to the heart, bringing real freedom and joy.

This sermon is an invitation to move beyond affiliating with faith and into the transforming reality of God’s mercy. The cross is not about our best efforts, but about God’s breakthrough grace that shatters guilt, fear, and shame. Even when we wander, the Good Shepherd never lets us go.