Sunday, September 6, 2026

In this message, Pastor Jacob walks through Luke 14:12–24 and Jesus’s Parable of the Great Banquet. Through the story of invited guests who make excuses and refuse to come, Jesus exposes the pride that can keep us from receiving God’s invitation into His Kingdom. The banquet then opens to the poor, the outcast, and the overlooked—those who recognize their need and humbly receive the invitation by faith. Pastor Jacob also highlights the mission that follows grace: those who have received the invitation of Jesus are called to extend it to others. This message challenges us to examine what may be competing with Jesus for first place in our lives, to receive His invitation with humility, and to invite others to experience the hope, joy, and life found in Him.

Sunday, August 30, 2026

In this message from Matthew 7:24–27, Pastor Jacob walks through Jesus’ closing illustration in the Sermon on the Mount: the wise and foolish builders. The message explores what it means to hear and obey God’s Word, why Jesus must be the foundation of every part of our lives, and how God’s Word must also remain the foundation of the church. Along the way, Pastor Jacob addresses the need to restructure our lives around Christ, lead our homes with biblical faithfulness, and prepare for the storms and final judgment that reveal what we are truly building on. Founded on the Rock is a call to more than simply hearing Scripture—it is an invitation to trust Christ, obey His Word, and build a life that will stand when the storms come.

Sunday, August 23, 2026

In this message, Pastor Jacob walks through Jesus’s parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value in Matthew 13:44–46. These short stories reveal the surpassing worth of life with Jesus and the joy of surrendering everything to follow Him. Pastor Jacob explores how the kingdom of heaven is worth more than anything this world can offer, and why following Him is not reluctant sacrifice but joyful surrender. The message also considers what can make us hesitate to follow Jesus fully and challenges us to trust Him with all of life. Whether you are searching, unsure, or already walking with Christ, this sermon invites you to see Jesus as the greatest treasure and worthy of everything. 

Sunday, August 16, 2026

In this message, Caleb Whitten (Director of Worship & Outreach) walks through Jesus’s parables of the mustard seed and the leaven in Matthew 13:31–33, showing how the work of God’s Kingdom often begins in small and seemingly ordinary ways. From personal spiritual growth to the mission of the local church, Caleb highlights how Kingdom work starts small, grows gradually, and ultimately changes everything. He encourages believers to trust God with the growth, remain patient in the process of becoming more like Christ, and stay faithful in the work God has placed before them. Looking at Valley Church’s own first year, the message celebrates what God has already done while pointing toward the work still ahead. Caleb closes by challenging listeners to share the hope of Jesus boldly with the people God has placed around them. 

Sunday, August 9, 2026

In this message from Luke 18:9–14, Pastor Jacob walks through Jesus’s parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to show why our posture before God matters. The Pharisee approaches God with pride, comparison, and confidence in his own works, while the tax collector comes humbly, confessing his sin and asking for mercy. The message reminds us that no amount of good works can make us right with God. Pastor Jacob then points to Jesus, the Exalted One who humbled Himself for sinners, paid the debt of sin at the cross, and rose again. The message closes with an invitation to lay down pride, come to Jesus in repentance and faith, and receive the mercy and forgiveness only He can give.

Sunday, August 2, 2026

In this message from Luke 18:1–8, Pastor Jacob Ambrose walks through the Parable of the Persistent Widow and Jesus’s call to pray without losing heart. Set against the promise of Christ’s return and final justice, the parable shows how believers can endure suffering, opposition, and seasons when God’s answers seem delayed. Pastor Jacob shows how the parable contrasts the unrighteous judge with the perfect character of God, explores God’s unwavering faithfulness to His Word and His children, and considers what it means to submit our prayers to God’s will and timing. Alongside Psalm 13, the message gives language for honestly asking, “How long, O Lord?” while continuing to trust His steadfast love through every painful season. It concludes with Jesus’s searching question: when the Son of Man returns, will He find a faith that endures?

Sunday, July 26, 2026

In this message from Luke 10:25–37, Pastor Jacob walks through the Parable of the Good Samaritan and Jesus’s call to love our neighbor as ourselves. Beginning with the lawyer’s desire to justify himself, the message shows why mercy begins with a heart changed by the gospel. It then contrasts the distance created by selfish pride with the compassion of the Samaritan, who moved toward the wounded man at great personal cost. The message concludes with a call to receive the mercy of Christ by faith, repent of pride and selfishness, and to move toward those in need with compassion and love.

Sunday, July 19, 2026

In this message, Gary Merksamer walks through Jesus’s Parable of the Two Sons in Matthew 21:28–32. Set in the tense days between Palm Sunday and Jesus's crucifixion, the parable exposes two ways people resist the Father: open rebellion and respectable religion. One son refuses but later changes his mind and obeys; the other says the right words but never follows through. Gary shows how the story reveals the state of humanity, the danger of empty profession within the church, and the way into God’s Kingdom. The call is not to speak as though we belong to God, but to repent, believe, and bear the fruit of obedience. Because righteousness is received through Christ, believers work from grace, not for it, and are sent out to bear fruit in their everyday lives.

Sunday, July 12, 2026

In this message from Matthew 25:14–30, Pastor Jacob walks through Jesus’ Parable of the Talents and considers what it means to live faithfully until the Master returns. The sermon explores how God entrusts each person with different opportunities, resources, and abilities, and how comparison can keep us from receiving those gifts with gratitude. It also reflects on the urgency of investing our lives for the Kingdom rather than burying what God has placed in our hands. Finally, the message looks ahead to the day when every servant will give an account before Christ. With both warning and invitation, this sermon calls listeners to trust Jesus first, then live as faithful stewards of whatever He has entrusted to them.

Sunday, July 5, 2026

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a trio of parables about The Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son, to reveal the heart of God toward sinners. While the Pharisees grumbled that tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to Jesus, heaven rejoiced over the lost being found. This message reminds us that the lost are deeply loved, pursued by God, forgiven when they repent, and joyfully celebrated when they come home. No one is too far gone for the saving power of Jesus! But Luke 15 also lovingly corrects the self-righteous heart that refuses to rejoice when sinners receive grace. Pastor Jacob reminds us: because Jesus seeks and saves the lost, we should repent of our pride, pray for the lost, welcome sinners, and celebrate when they come home to Jesus.