Sermons – GraceLife Church: Deltona, FL

In his book, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis writes, “From my earliest years I was aware of the vivid contrast between my mother’s cheerful and tranquil affection and the ups and downs of my father’s emotional life.” He went on to say, “My father, whom I implicitly believed, represented adult life as one of incessant drudgery under continual threat of financial ruin.” Lewis got his emotional cues from his parents. And so did we in ways we may not have even been aware of. What are we projecting to others about the Christian life—whether it’s our children, neighbors, friends, or colleagues? What place should joy hold in the Christian life? The answer may…surprise you.

Take a look around. Observe your family, friends, neighbors, celebrities, online personalities. Who does life work best for? When you really zoom out and see the bigger picture, who is "winning" at life? Take into account all the ingredients of a good life - love, peace, security, success, integrity, relationships, etc. In Psalm 1, we see who life works best for. Join us this Sunday to learn the most foundational and essential factor for experiencing this better life: God Himself.

We need healing—all of us. Not always just from sickness, pain, addiction, and heartache, but sometimes we need to be healed from the things that made us sick and addicted to begin with. Emptiness. Guilt. Loneliness. Greed. Betrayal. Idolatry. Truth be known, it’s impossible to pack into a paragraph all the miseries the human heart endures—miseries from which we all need deliverance. A miracle in John’s Gospel displays both Jesus’ power and willingness to do just that—heal us. He is able. He is willing. He is ready. But only if we want to be made well. That’s his condition. Join us this week at GraceLife, for Healing.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” Need some help loving the difficult people in your life? Do you struggle to forgive, serve, and love your enemies? If we’re honest about our failures, the apostle Paul offers us a master class. That’s one of the many reasons why God gave us the second half of the book of Romans: to help us relationally. Join us this week as we finish this section, “The Good Neighbor, Part 2" and close out this remarkable chapter.

When looking for a new home, almost everyone focuses on what’s on the inside and outside of the house itself. Granite countertops and a finished Basement? Local amenities and a solid school district? New roof? Green grass? But what potential buyers often miss is the most important: who are the neighbors? If you could pick your neighbors, what kind of people would you choose? What characteristics would prove vital? And here’s a more important question: would you make your own list? What kind of neighbor are you? Join us this week at GraceLife as we consider “The Good Neighbor.”

I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy!” We say that when we experience intense affliction. And we mean it. It sounds gracious and magnanimous. And it is—all things considered. That is, all things with the exception of Christianity. What should we wish on our worst enemy? According to Romans 12, we should call down a blessing on them. Sound challenging? Sound counterintuitive? Sound like losing? Join us this week at GraceLife as we dig further into Romans 12 and consider, Love Thy Enemy.

We are living in a time when a growing number of people including Christians are experiencing discontent. We are frustrated with the political climate, our economic reality, close relationships, and so much more. It is hard to hope for a better tomorrow if our today is so clouded with dissatisfaction and unrest. I have been so intrigued by the God-centered view of the Apostle Paul. Paul was willing to endure incredible hardships as long as it meant more grace leading to more gratitude leading to more glory for God. Come join us at GraceLife this Sunday to explore how we can learn (like Paul did) the secret and the virtue of contentment. 10am @ the Deltona High School Auditorium.

Hans Zimmer reached global fame through his film scores. He is able to describe characters in a film simply and powerfully, through music. Close your eyes and you’ll know whether a hero or a villain has entered the scene. Hans lets his music talk to the audience and tell them something about the main character of the story. Did you know the church talks too, not verbally, but relationally. We’re telling the world—and each other—something about the main character of the story, simply by the way we treat each other. What are we saying? Join us for the last message on Authentic Love this week at GraceLife!

We’re grown accustomed to living in a world filled with fakes. If it sounds too good to be true, or looks too good to be real, it probably is. Search for the fine print. Wait for the other shoe to drop. Experience has made us cynical. Nothing is real. Nobody is genuine. We live in a culture of cons. But the Apostle Paul speaks a powerful word to Christians who want to make a difference in an airbrushed world. “Let love be genuine.” We’re back in Romans 12 this week at GraceLife to talk about “Authentic Love.” You’re invited!