In this week's sermon from Genesis 3, as we began our Redemption Stories series, we saw how the voice of shame entered the human story through the lies of the serpent, leading Adam and Eve into sin and hiding. We explored how shame is more than just a feeling—it is a voice that accuses, distorts our identity, and drives us into isolation, whispering lies about who we are, how God sees us, and whether we truly belong. We were reminded that Jesus exposes this voice as coming from the enemy, the father of lies, and shows us a different way by confronting shame with truth and refusing to agree with its accusations. Ultimately, we were pointed to Jesus, who endured the cross and defeated the power of shame, so that we no longer have to hide, but can step into a restored identity—fully seen and fully accepted in Him.

In this week's sermon from Ephesians 2, we saw how the resurrection power of Jesus meets us in our deepest brokenness. We were reminded that apart from Christ, we were not merely struggling, but spiritually dead—living in the effects of the fall through separation from God. Yet we also saw the turning point of the gospel: that God, being rich in mercy and love, stepped into our story and made us alive together with Christ. Through the resurrection, we were reminded that our identity and position have been completely changed—our striving replaced with grace, and our lives set on a path of restoration.

In this final sermon in our Story of Redemption series, we looked at how Jesus meets us in the middle of our disappointment and confusion. Through the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24, we saw how easy it is to lose sight of hope—even when we've been walking closely with Jesus. As they wrestled with what had happened, we were reminded that Jesus draws near, not after we figure things out, but right in the middle of our questions and grief. We saw how He patiently listens, opens the Scriptures, and begins to reshape our understanding, revealing that what feels like the end may actually be part of God's greater redemptive plan. Ultimately, we were invited to see that the same Jesus who walked with them is still present with us—awakening our hearts, restoring our hope, and calling us to step fully into His redemption story.

In this week's sermon from Malachi in our Story of Redemption series, we were reminded of God's unchanging declaration to His people: "I have loved you." We saw that His love is not something we earn, but something that has always existed, continues today, and will never end. Yet we also recognized how easy it is to question that love, often trying to earn what God freely gives. Throughout Malachi, we see God confront His people’s apathy and rebellion while still graciously calling them to return to Him. We were then pointed to the promise of a coming messenger and the hope of the Sun of Righteousness—Jesus—who rises with healing for those who receive His love. Ultimately, we were reminded that in Christ’s death and resurrection, we see the clearest proof of God's love: that while we were still sinners, He came to redeem, heal, and reconcile us to Himself.

In this week's sermon from Zechariah in our Story of Redemption series, we saw how Jesus is the Pierced One who brings grace, mercy, and cleansing from sin. Zechariah prophesied that God's people would one day look on the One they had pierced and mourn for what they had done. From kings and priests to the least of the families, all would recognize their sin and grieve the weight of it. Yet even in the midst of their sin—and ours—God provided Jesus as the One who would be pierced in order to cleanse His people. On the cross, Jesus endured the piercing and suffering demanded by His own people, the very ones He came to save. What appeared to be a dark and devastating moment became our greatest hope, as He took upon Himself the punishment we deserved. When we look to Jesus, the One who was pierced, our mourning can be transformed into joy through the forgiveness that comes through faith in His name.

In this sermon from the Story of Redemption series, we looked at Haggai 1 and saw a God who lovingly invites His people to consider the emptiness of their disobedience. Though they had returned from exile, their focus had shifted from rebuilding the temple to building their own houses. By calling them to consider their ways, God exposed how spiritual drift can lead to lives that feel busy, yet ultimately unsatisfied. When the people responded, we saw that God does not shame them but met their obedience with His presence and stirred their hearts to action. Ultimately, Haggai points us to Jesus, who makes us the dwelling place of God. The Lord who disrupts our misplaced priorities is also the Lord who draws near to restore what matters most, His presence with us.

In this sermon, we looked at the book of Zephaniah and studied a dimension of God that we often struggle to believe. While the early chapters confront sin and announce the coming Day of the Lord, we saw the book take a surprising turn toward joy. The Lord removes judgment, restores His presence, and promises that His people will no longer fear evil. Even more surprising, He rejoices and sings over His redeemed people with loud joy. We were then pointed to Jesus, where the judgment of the Day of the Lord is absorbed at the cross so that what remains for us is not God's condemnation, but His delight. The good news of the gospel is that God not only forgives us, but fully restores our communion with Him—and He rejoices over us.

In this week's sermon from Habakkuk in our Story of Redemption series, we looked at what it means to trust God enough to be honest about our confusion and doubt. Following Habakkuk's journey from the desperate cry, "How long?" to the declaration, "Yet I will rejoice," we were reminded that faith is not the absence of doubt but the courage to bring our questions into our covenant relationship with God. We saw that God's kindness is not always expressed through quick relief, but through His faithful presence. Because of this, we were encouraged that we do not have to clean up our questions or rush our grief in order to draw near to Him. We can bring our disappointment, our doubt, and even our frustration into His presence, trusting that He is at work in ways we cannot yet see.

In this sermon, we looked at the story of Nahum and were reminded that God's justice and God's love are not opposites but work together for the healing of His world. We saw how Nahum speaks to a weary and wounded people, assuring them that God is not indifferent to their suffering and that evil will not have the final word. God's judgment was revealed not as impulsive anger, but as love's settled response to deep-rooted evil—a picture of a God who is slow to anger, yet unwilling to allow injustice to endure forever. We were then pointed to Jesus, where justice and mercy meet fully at the cross. The good news of redemption is that the judgment Nahum announces is ultimately absorbed by Christ, so that sinners can take refuge in God and the wounded can trust that evil will one day be fully brought to an end.

In this sermon, we looked at Jonah 2 and were reminded that God meets us even in the depths of our distress. We saw how Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish reveals that salvation often begins when we stop running, let go of control, and honestly cry out to the Lord. What Jonah initially experienced as punishment, he came to recognize as God's mercy—using desperation to expose his helplessness and draw him back into relationship. As Jonah remembered who God truly is—powerful, holy, kind, and attentive—his heart began to move from self-reliance toward surrender. We also saw how Jesus points to Jonah's story as a foreshadowing of the Gospel. The good news of redemption is that God is still rescuing people today, not because they have their lives together, but because they call on the name of the Lord and discover that salvation belongs to Him.