The Sermon on the Mount, Part 1

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:17; 7:13-14; 10:38; 16:24-25

Sermon Focus: It’s important to understand the context, purpose, and literary structure of the Sermon on the Mount. This will help in how we approach, hear, and apply Jesus’ core teachings. Jesus doesn’t want fans; he wants followers. Therefore, to begin our journey, we’re going to start at the end where Jesus closes his sermon with a choice. In the first message of our series, Pastor David helps us to hear Jesus’ call to repent of our own way so that we can respond to his invitation to walk the narrow road to life.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Enter the Narrow Gate - Sermon Slides (1 of 10)Small Group Discussion Questions (9-7-25)Bulletin (9-7-25)Baptism Testimonials (9-7-25)Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount (Bible Project)Overview of Matthew 5-7 (Bible Project)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 5:1–14; Mark 10:42-45; Philippians 2:3-8; James 4:6-10

Sermon Focus: Peter closes his letter by urging sojourners to live out the gospel in Christian community. He says that leaders serve humbly, and members honor one another. He says that everyone entrusts their cares to God, resists the devil together, holds fast to hope, and stands firm in God’s grace as we await the return of Christ and the fullness of his Kingdom. In the ninth and final message of our series, Pastor David invites us to receive all that the Spirit is saying to us through the book of 1 Peter.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Faithful in the Fire - Sermon Slides (9 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (8-31-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:12–19; Daniel 3:16-18; Matthew 5:11-12; Romans 8:18

Sermon Focus: Peter says that Christians should not be surprised by trials—we should expect them. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves for insults, rejection, and hardships as a direct result of faithfully following Christ. What does this look like today? And what should our response be when we experience suffering for being a disciple of Jesus? In the eighth message of our series, Pastor David invites us to see our “fiery trials” as an opportunity to deepen our trust in God, purify our souls, and become more like Christ.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Faithful in the Fire - Sermon Slides (8 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (8-24-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:1–11; Galatians 5:16; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 John 2:15-17

Sermon Focus: Amid hardships and suffering, Peter calls these scattered exiles to abandon their former way of life, resist cultural pressures to conform to the world, and instead live for the will of God—which always looks like Christ. Peter challenges these followers of Jesus to live in light of eternity as they use their gifts and love each other deeply as a community of sojourners. In the seventh message of our series, Pastor David invites us to live for the will of God as we seek to please him in all that we do.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Living for the Will of God - Sermon Slides (7 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (8-17-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:10-12; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 3:8–22

Sermon Focus: When suffering for righteousness’ sake, believers are called to respond like Christ with gentleness, reverence, and hope in the Lord and trust in God’s power to save and deliver us. Suffering is not failure—it’s part of following Christ in a world that does not align with his Kingdom. In the sixth message of our series, Rich Stuebing, a former missionary to Zambia, shares how sometimes our obedience will result in pain and suffering, and then invites us to be faithful sojourners who endure until the end.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Faithfulness in Suffering & Persecution - Sermon Slides (6 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (8-10-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:1–7; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 5:21

Sermon Focus: Submission within marriage has been misunderstood and misapplied by both Christians and non-Christians. But submission is the posture all believers are to have before Christ. And, particularly in marriages where only one spouse is a believer, Jesus’ example of service and self-sacrifice is what empowers Christian sojourners to love their spouses and point them to Christ. In the fifth message of our series, Pastor Melissa will help us to see how humility within marriage and in all relationships is a sign of a sojourner’s trust in God.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Faithfulness in the Home - Sermon Slides (5 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (8-3-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:1-12; Jeremiah 29:4-8; 1 Peter 2:11–25; Romans 12:17-21

Sermon Focus: Peter urges believers to see themselves as sojourners and exiles who abstain from sinful desires and submit to authorities as a witness to God’s love and power. We must be willing to be misunderstood, treated unfairly, and suffer for Christ in a watching world. This may be the only way unbelievers see the power of the gospel. In the fourth message of our series, Pastor David invites us to live good lives among our neighbors and faithfully follow the example of Jesus when the world turns against us. 

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Good Lives Among Our Neighbors - Sermon Slides (4 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (7-27-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: Exodus 19:3-8; Matthew 5:14-16; John 15:18-19; 1 Peter 2:1–10

Sermon Focus: Israel was chosen by God to be a “holy nation” and a “kingdom of priests” for the sake of the world, but Israel failed to carry out their calling. Therefore, Jesus came as the faithful Israelite who revealed that God’s ultimate desire and original plan was that his “chosen people” would become a “spiritual house” made up of a multi-ethnic church, not a nation-state. In the third message of our series, Pastor David invites us to reimagine what it means to be a part of the holy chosen on the earth.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

The Holy Chosen - Sermon Slides (3 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (None)Bulletin (7-20-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:46-48; 1 Peter 1:13–25; 1 John 4:20-21

Sermon Focus: Peter calls Jesus's sojourners to "be holy as God is holy." He tells us to "love one another deeply from the heart.” Julia Johnson recently challenged us to love people coming to Grantham Church through One80 Ministries with the statement: "Don't just feel something, do something." Such acts of love for others will endure forever by bringing the kingdom of God "on earth as it is in heaven." In the second message of our series, John Yeatts invites us to walk the way of the holy sojourner.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

The Way of the Holy Sojourner - Sermon Slides (2 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (none)Bulletin (7-13-25)

SOJOURNERS SERIES

Scripture Reading: John 17:14-18; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Hebrews 11:13-16

Sermon Focus: Peter opens his letter with encouragement to scattered “exiles” across Asia Minor. He begins by reminding these believers that their identity is in Christ, who has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It’s because of this belief in Christ and God’s good future that we can follow Jesus and live faithfully in exile. In the first message of our series, Pastor David invites us to accept the call to be sojourners who persevere until heaven comes to earth.

WORSHIP RESOURCES

The Call to Live as Faithful Exiles - Sermon Slides (1 of 9)Small Group Discussion Questions (none)Bulletin (7-6-25)I Want Jesus To Walk With Me (feat. Liz Vice)