https://www.gracelifeflorida.com no false en-us ℗ & © 2026 GraceLife Church: Deltona, FL Sermons from GraceLife Church: Deltona, FL GraceLife Church: Deltona, FL Sermons Sermons Dustin Berg info@reformedbranding.com The God Who Responds https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-26/the-god-who-responds One of the questions I often hear from troubled Christians goes something like this: “I feel stuck. I’m not getting the answers I need from God, and I don’t know what to do.” We long for clarity. We can hardly live without hope. So we go searching for both often without realizing it, and often in the wrong places. Genesis 8 reminds us that God often gives the assurance and clarity we need when we come to him in worship. He is the God who responds. Not because we earn his favor or try to bargain with him, but because we place ourselves before him to thank him, to hear from him, and to receive from him. That’s what Noah did. And God responded. He still responds… One of the questions I often hear from troubled Christians goes something like this: “I feel stuck. I’m not getting the answers I need from God, and I don’t know what to do.” We long for clarity. We can hardly live without hope. So we go searching for both often without realizing it, and often in the wrong places. Genesis 8 reminds us that God often gives the assurance and clarity we need when we come to him in worship. He is the God who responds. Not because we earn his favor or try to bargain with him, but because we place ourselves before him to thank him, to hear from him, and to receive from him. That’s what Noah did. And God responded. He still responds… https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-26/510/the-god-who-responds Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:30:00 -0400 The God Who Remembers https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-19/the-god-who-remembers We forget things. Appointments. Birthdays. Names. It happens to all of us. And it’s embarrassing. But we’ve also been on the other side. Forgotten. Overlooked. Hung out to dry. A friend forgotten at the airport feels frustrated. A child forgotten at school feels scared. An anniversary forgotten…feels personal. The closer the relationship, the deeper the hurt. That’s why the statement “But God remembered Noah” in Genesis 8 is so rich and full of hope. We forget things. Appointments. Birthdays. Names. It happens to all of us. And it’s embarrassing. But we’ve also been on the other side. Forgotten. Overlooked. Hung out to dry. A friend forgotten at the airport feels frustrated. A child forgotten at school feels scared. An anniversary forgotten…feels personal. The closer the relationship, the deeper the hurt. That’s why the statement “But God remembered Noah” in Genesis 8 is so rich and full of hope. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-19/509/the-god-who-remembers Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:30:00 -0400 My Story | Emily https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-12/my-story-emily This Is My Story is a collection of real-life testimonies from people in our church family whose lives have been transformed by the gospel. Each message highlights how God meets individuals in unique circumstances—bringing hope, redemption, and lasting change through Jesus. These stories aren’t just inspiring—they remind us that God is still at work today. As you listen, you’ll see the power of the gospel on display and be encouraged to reflect on your own story and how God is writing it. This Is My Story is a collection of real-life testimonies from people in our church family whose lives have been transformed by the gospel. Each message highlights how God meets individuals in unique circumstances—bringing hope, redemption, and lasting change through Jesus. These stories aren’t just inspiring—they remind us that God is still at work today. As you listen, you’ll see the power of the gospel on display and be encouraged to reflect on your own story and how God is writing it. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-12/512/my-story-emily Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:30:00 -0400 Living in the Better Story https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-12/living-in-the-better-story Last week we talked about the broken cultural stories we tend to absorb and the shaping power they wield in our lives. We explored the hustle culture, cancel culture, victim culture, self-help culture, and prosperity culture. Then we saw how God in his grace enters into our broken stories to offer hope and rescue us. That’s a glorious picture of our salvation. But it’s not the end. We still, even as believers, gravitate toward broken narratives that weaken our hope, steal our joy, and damage our witness to the world. So let’s dig a little deeper in the Luke 24 story—and other texts—to learn how we can continue to live in the better story with God’s help. Last week we talked about the broken cultural stories we tend to absorb and the shaping power they wield in our lives. We explored the hustle culture, cancel culture, victim culture, self-help culture, and prosperity culture. Then we saw how God in his grace enters into our broken stories to offer hope and rescue us. That’s a glorious picture of our salvation. But it’s not the end. We still, even as believers, gravitate toward broken narratives that weaken our hope, steal our joy, and damage our witness to the world. So let’s dig a little deeper in the Luke 24 story—and other texts—to learn how we can continue to live in the better story with God’s help. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-12/508/living-in-the-better-story Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:30:00 -0400 The Stories We Believe https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-05/the-stories-we-believe Stories matter. They shape our beliefs. They inform our behavior. They help us make sense of the world. Stories are powerful. They exalt heroes, expose villains, and portray happily-ever-afters. Stories are dangerous. They can mislead us and distort reality. They can hurt us deeply and harm others. Stories are glorious. They give us courage, fill us with hope, and help up face the darkest of afflictions. At its core, Easter is a story—a true story about what God did to rescue and restore his fallen creation. Are you believing that story? Is it changing your life? Stories matter. They shape our beliefs. They inform our behavior. They help us make sense of the world. Stories are powerful. They exalt heroes, expose villains, and portray happily-ever-afters. Stories are dangerous. They can mislead us and distort reality. They can hurt us deeply and harm others. Stories are glorious. They give us courage, fill us with hope, and help up face the darkest of afflictions. At its core, Easter is a story—a true story about what God did to rescue and restore his fallen creation. Are you believing that story? Is it changing your life? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-04-05/507/the-stories-we-believe Sun, 5 Apr 2026 11:30:00 -0400 Stories that Save https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-29/stories-that-save Just before the vagabond nation of Israel entered the promised land, Moses paused to rehearse and reflect on all God had done for His chosen people. From the ten plagues in Egypt to the Ten Commandments; from the parting of the sea to the provision of manna; these stories of deliverance and guidance established the foundation and identity of God's people. Deuteronomy 6 calls us today to continue passing on Stories that Save to the next generation. Just before the vagabond nation of Israel entered the promised land, Moses paused to rehearse and reflect on all God had done for His chosen people. From the ten plagues in Egypt to the Ten Commandments; from the parting of the sea to the provision of manna; these stories of deliverance and guidance established the foundation and identity of God's people. Deuteronomy 6 calls us today to continue passing on Stories that Save to the next generation. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-29/505/stories-that-save Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:30:00 -0400 A Season of Change https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-22/a-season-of-change God is faithful to bring His church through a season of change and He will accomplish His purposes for us as He ultimately works for our good and His glory. God is faithful to bring His church through a season of change and He will accomplish His purposes for us as He ultimately works for our good and His glory. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-22/504/a-season-of-change Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:30:00 -0400 Face-to-Face, Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-15/face-to-face-part-2 To be truly alone is one of the deepest hardships a person can face. Becoming a Christian does not automatically remove that struggle. Many believers still wither in isolation. Barna research shows that over half of Christians say their spiritual life is entirely private. In other words, many suffer quietly without deep connections to other believers. Pastors are not immune. This is why Paul repeatedly longs to see believers face-to-face—because encouragement and growth happen best in embodied relationships. Do you have that kind of connection? You can. You should To be truly alone is one of the deepest hardships a person can face. Becoming a Christian does not automatically remove that struggle. Many believers still wither in isolation. Barna research shows that over half of Christians say their spiritual life is entirely private. In other words, many suffer quietly without deep connections to other believers. Pastors are not immune. This is why Paul repeatedly longs to see believers face-to-face—because encouragement and growth happen best in embodied relationships. Do you have that kind of connection? You can. You should https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-15/503/face-to-face-part-2 Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:30:00 -0400 Face-to-Face https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-08/face-to-face Compelling scientific research tells us we need embodied presence. Babies can’t comfort themselves. Long-distance relationships rarely work. Social distancing wrecked the world. But long before social experiments were conducted and scientific edicts were made, Scripture made the point. In fact, the Bible is the only place we find clear answers as to why we need relational connections in order to thrive and grow. Compelling scientific research tells us we need embodied presence. Babies can’t comfort themselves. Long-distance relationships rarely work. Social distancing wrecked the world. But long before social experiments were conducted and scientific edicts were made, Scripture made the point. In fact, the Bible is the only place we find clear answers as to why we need relational connections in order to thrive and grow. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-03-08/502/face-to-face Sun, 8 Mar 2026 11:30:00 -0500 A Critique of Unbelief | 2 Peter 3:3-7 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-22/a-critique-of-unbelief-2-peter-33-7 A well-known agnostic once made a striking admission: “I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning.”Later, Aldous Huxley identified one of those motives—sexual freedom. In other words, his rejection of the Christian worldview was not purely objective. The surprise was not his lack of objectivity, but his honesty about it. Unbelief is often shaped by motives people do not fully recognize. That’s one reason Scripture gives us both clarity and hope when we encounter unbelief in the world. A well-known agnostic once made a striking admission: “I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning.”Later, Aldous Huxley identified one of those motives—sexual freedom. In other words, his rejection of the Christian worldview was not purely objective. The surprise was not his lack of objectivity, but his honesty about it. Unbelief is often shaped by motives people do not fully recognize. That’s one reason Scripture gives us both clarity and hope when we encounter unbelief in the world. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-22/500/a-critique-of-unbelief-2-peter-33-7 Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:30:00 -0500 Crossing the Line, Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-08/crossing-the-line-part-2 God pulls no punches in describing the pre-flood condition of humanity in Genesis 6. “Every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” and “Now the earth was corrupt…and filled with violence.” This is not a world ripe with potential while drifting and morally confused. It’s a world full of decay and collapsing on itself. And it’s a world that must be blotted out and then renewed. What lessons is God showing us from this heartbreaking section of Scripture? He is giving us a pattern to understand history and our own heart if we’re paying attention. God pulls no punches in describing the pre-flood condition of humanity in Genesis 6. “Every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” and “Now the earth was corrupt…and filled with violence.” This is not a world ripe with potential while drifting and morally confused. It’s a world full of decay and collapsing on itself. And it’s a world that must be blotted out and then renewed. What lessons is God showing us from this heartbreaking section of Scripture? He is giving us a pattern to understand history and our own heart if we’re paying attention. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-08/498/crossing-the-line-part-2 Sun, 8 Feb 2026 11:30:00 -0500 Crossing the Line https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-01/crossing-the-line God created human beings with limits. We must eat. We need sleep. We require healthy relational boundaries and clear parameters to live well. We can’t function without them. But if we’re honest, we despise them—just like our ancestors in Genesis 6. The first eight verses of that chapter uncover an ancient world engrossed in violating boundaries and crossing lines. Their sins provoked a world-wide flood of judgment. But if we look closely, we’ll also see God’s grace. God created human beings with limits. We must eat. We need sleep. We require healthy relational boundaries and clear parameters to live well. We can’t function without them. But if we’re honest, we despise them—just like our ancestors in Genesis 6. The first eight verses of that chapter uncover an ancient world engrossed in violating boundaries and crossing lines. Their sins provoked a world-wide flood of judgment. But if we look closely, we’ll also see God’s grace. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-02-01/497/crossing-the-line Sun, 1 Feb 2026 11:30:00 -0500 Confidence in the Cross https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-25/confidence-in-the-cross When do you feel the most confident? Is it when you look your best? When you're surrounded by people who like you? When you've accomplished something great? The human heart is prone to place confidence in all the wrong things. This Sunday at GraceLife we'll follow the theme of boasting and confidence from the prophet Jeremiah to the apostle Paul.  Join us to see how God brings good news that corrects our upside-down and inside-out approach to confidence. When do you feel the most confident? Is it when you look your best? When you're surrounded by people who like you? When you've accomplished something great? The human heart is prone to place confidence in all the wrong things. This Sunday at GraceLife we'll follow the theme of boasting and confidence from the prophet Jeremiah to the apostle Paul.  Join us to see how God brings good news that corrects our upside-down and inside-out approach to confidence. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-25/496/confidence-in-the-cross Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:30:00 -0500 God's Servants https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-18/gods-servants As you read the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, it’s clear that the church plays a central role in God’s mission to a dark, broken, sinful world. What is that mission? To deliver the saving message of Jesus Christ; to be the “pillar and buttress of truth.” The proclamation of the Gospel is critical in that mission. One of the reasons the apostles and elders remained devoted to that mission was because they refused to let it get hijacked—even by legitimate needs. They kept their priority straight. One of the means for protecting that priority was a special group of humble, devoted servants called Deacons who served and met practical needs in the church. As you read the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, it’s clear that the church plays a central role in God’s mission to a dark, broken, sinful world. What is that mission? To deliver the saving message of Jesus Christ; to be the “pillar and buttress of truth.” The proclamation of the Gospel is critical in that mission. One of the reasons the apostles and elders remained devoted to that mission was because they refused to let it get hijacked—even by legitimate needs. They kept their priority straight. One of the means for protecting that priority was a special group of humble, devoted servants called Deacons who served and met practical needs in the church. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-18/495/gods-servants Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:30:00 -0500 What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-11/what-do-you-want-on-your-tombstone There’s a stirring movie scene where a Japanese emperor asks a captured soldier to tell him how the last Samurai Warrior died. The soldier, played by Tom Cruise, responds, “I will tell you how he lived.” His point was not to minimize the courage with which the warrior faced his death, but the honor in which he conducted his life. Genesis 5 is often rushed through or skipped altogether in daily readings—and sermons!—because it’s a lengthy genealogy. A family tree. But there are riches to be mined in the careful way Moses tells us, not only the deaths of Adam’s family, but their life. What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? There’s a stirring movie scene where a Japanese emperor asks a captured soldier to tell him how the last Samurai Warrior died. The soldier, played by Tom Cruise, responds, “I will tell you how he lived.” His point was not to minimize the courage with which the warrior faced his death, but the honor in which he conducted his life. Genesis 5 is often rushed through or skipped altogether in daily readings—and sermons!—because it’s a lengthy genealogy. A family tree. But there are riches to be mined in the careful way Moses tells us, not only the deaths of Adam’s family, but their life. What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-11/494/what-do-you-want-on-your-tombstone Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:30:00 -0500 The King Unveiled https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-04/the-king-unveiled A plot twist that always resonates with an audience is the underestimated hero revealing his true colors. He is finally seen and admired for who he is. Jesus has been massively underestimated—by both his enemies and his followers. The book of Revelation was written to correct that mistake and unveil Him. Within three paragraphs, we behold Jesus as the Resurrected Victor, Reigning Sovereign, and Returning King. The suffering lamb is transformed into the conquering Lion of Judah. The early church needed that vision for what was coming. We need it too. A plot twist that always resonates with an audience is the underestimated hero revealing his true colors. He is finally seen and admired for who he is. Jesus has been massively underestimated—by both his enemies and his followers. The book of Revelation was written to correct that mistake and unveil Him. Within three paragraphs, we behold Jesus as the Resurrected Victor, Reigning Sovereign, and Returning King. The suffering lamb is transformed into the conquering Lion of Judah. The early church needed that vision for what was coming. We need it too. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2026-01-04/493/the-king-unveiled Sun, 4 Jan 2026 11:30:00 -0500 Walking with God https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-28/walking-with-god As a new year dawns we find another opportunity to reflect on the daily paths we walk and to reconsider God’s invitation to walk “The Ancient Paths”—with Him. His offer is not to add him to a loose list of resolutions, but to enter his fellowship, experience his presence, and enjoy his rest more deeply. Will you consider his offer? As a new year dawns we find another opportunity to reflect on the daily paths we walk and to reconsider God’s invitation to walk “The Ancient Paths”—with Him. His offer is not to add him to a loose list of resolutions, but to enter his fellowship, experience his presence, and enjoy his rest more deeply. Will you consider his offer? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-28/492/walking-with-god Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Joy to the World https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-21/joy-to-the-world Good news still stops us in our tracks: a clean scan, a new job, a baby on the way, an offer accepted. We live for it. And we rarely hear it. Christmas begins with good news—the greatest news. The Gospels are filled with joy: shepherds running, wise men rejoicing, Mary pondering, Simeon blessing God, and John leaping in the womb. Why all the excitement? Because our Savior is born. Nothing else can save us—not money, health, success, or family. Jesus has come. Good news still stops us in our tracks: a clean scan, a new job, a baby on the way, an offer accepted. We live for it. And we rarely hear it. Christmas begins with good news—the greatest news. The Gospels are filled with joy: shepherds running, wise men rejoicing, Mary pondering, Simeon blessing God, and John leaping in the womb. Why all the excitement? Because our Savior is born. Nothing else can save us—not money, health, success, or family. Jesus has come. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-21/490/joy-to-the-world Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Charlie https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-14/this-is-my-story-charlie https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-14/491/this-is-my-story-charlie Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 My Christmas Hope https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-14/my-christmas-hope https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-14/489/my-christmas-hope Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Restless at the Crossroads https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-07/restless-at-the-crossroads Christmas. Finally—a season of peace, celebration, and healing. A time to rest… or so we hope. Time off work and school is a gift, yet the deep rest we long for often slips away. We carry into the holidays the burdens we’ve ignored and the wounds we’ve buried, and an unexplainable emptiness follows us. The answer isn’t to “keep calm and carry on.” Deep rest begins when we stop, look around, ask hard questions, and hear from God. Only then can we walk an ancient path that leads to true soul rest. Christmas. Finally—a season of peace, celebration, and healing. A time to rest… or so we hope. Time off work and school is a gift, yet the deep rest we long for often slips away. We carry into the holidays the burdens we’ve ignored and the wounds we’ve buried, and an unexplainable emptiness follows us. The answer isn’t to “keep calm and carry on.” Deep rest begins when we stop, look around, ask hard questions, and hear from God. Only then can we walk an ancient path that leads to true soul rest. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-12-07/488/restless-at-the-crossroads Sun, 7 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Worth the Wait https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-30/worth-the-wait Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, every child feels the heavy anticipation and must endure the days of waiting. Nothing moves slower than December 1st-24th. Waiting is hard. And you may have noticed that kids don't enjoy it. But here's the secret: adults don't enjoy waiting either. And we're all waiting for something. A promotion. Conflict resolution. Financial security. Relief. Healing. Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, every child feels the heavy anticipation and must endure the days of waiting. Nothing moves slower than December 1st-24th. Waiting is hard. And you may have noticed that kids don't enjoy it. But here's the secret: adults don't enjoy waiting either. And we're all waiting for something. A promotion. Conflict resolution. Financial security. Relief. Healing. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-30/487/worth-the-wait Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Deliver Me! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-23/deliver-me Years ago, a man in Los Angeles was dying from AIDS—a well-known leader in the gay-pride movement. His approaching death both terrified and humbled him. He knew he had no resources left to face it. Friends urged him to visit a well-known church in the valley, promising he’d hear something from Scripture that would help. He slipped into the back pew the following Sunday. The singing didn’t move him. The sermon didn’t make sense. But when the pastor read Psalm 107, one phrase shook him to his core: “Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death… prisoners in affliction… Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them… He burst their bonds apart.” It was his life on the page—darkness, chains, rebellion, helplessness. And like those ancient prisoners, he cried out to God…and God delivered him. That text became his story. It’s a reminder that the Lord still breaks chains. He still brings people out of darkness. He still delivers those who cry to Him. Have you tasted that freedom? Have you experienced that deliverance? You can. Years ago, a man in Los Angeles was dying from AIDS—a well-known leader in the gay-pride movement. His approaching death both terrified and humbled him. He knew he had no resources left to face it. Friends urged him to visit a well-known church in the valley, promising he’d hear something from Scripture that would help. He slipped into the back pew the following Sunday. The singing didn’t move him. The sermon didn’t make sense. But when the pastor read Psalm 107, one phrase shook him to his core: “Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death… prisoners in affliction… Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them… He burst their bonds apart.” It was his life on the page—darkness, chains, rebellion, helplessness. And like those ancient prisoners, he cried out to God…and God delivered him. That text became his story. It’s a reminder that the Lord still breaks chains. He still brings people out of darkness. He still delivers those who cry to Him. Have you tasted that freedom? Have you experienced that deliverance? You can. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-23/486/deliver-me Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:30:00 -0500 The City that Forgot God https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-16/the-city-that-forgot-god It’s possible to live a “successful” life and forget God entirely—to work hard, enjoy your hobbies, stay healthy, grow a family, invest in others, even contribute to society, all while keeping God at the margins. You can build an impressive life with you at the center. But that foundation will take you somewhere tragic, as we see at the close of Genesis 4. Moses pulls the camera back and exposes a sad reality: it’s possible to experience God’s protection without enjoying his presence—and to surround yourself with relationships shaped by that same Godless reality. It’s possible to live a “successful” life and forget God entirely—to work hard, enjoy your hobbies, stay healthy, grow a family, invest in others, even contribute to society, all while keeping God at the margins. You can build an impressive life with you at the center. But that foundation will take you somewhere tragic, as we see at the close of Genesis 4. Moses pulls the camera back and exposes a sad reality: it’s possible to experience God’s protection without enjoying his presence—and to surround yourself with relationships shaped by that same Godless reality. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-16/485/the-city-that-forgot-god Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:30:00 -0500 In the Beginning: Sin is at the Door https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-09/in-the-beginning-sin-is-at-the-door The deadliest sins are the ones you’ve made peace with—the quiet dangers that slip beneath your moral radar. The grudge you nurse. The lust you feed. The secret habit you excuse. They slowly turn you into someone you’d hardly recognize. They never settle for being tolerated; they want control. Yet we remain largely blind to their power. That’s why Genesis 4 demands our attention. It’s the first time sin is described in detail—and God Himself issues the warning: “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Sin, the menacing predator… waiting, watching, crouching. The deadliest sins are the ones you’ve made peace with—the quiet dangers that slip beneath your moral radar. The grudge you nurse. The lust you feed. The secret habit you excuse. They slowly turn you into someone you’d hardly recognize. They never settle for being tolerated; they want control. Yet we remain largely blind to their power. That’s why Genesis 4 demands our attention. It’s the first time sin is described in detail—and God Himself issues the warning: “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Sin, the menacing predator… waiting, watching, crouching. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-09/484/in-the-beginning-sin-is-at-the-door Sun, 9 Nov 2025 11:30:00 -0500 In the Beginning: East of Eden https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-02/in-the-beginning-east-of-eden We once lived in Paradise, basking in the very presence of God. Eden was our dwelling place and God was our delight. But we went rogue and lost them both. Now East of Eden is where we live—fighting to find our way home. But the entrance is blocked. Pain and sorrow overshadow our searches that end in death. Futility is our shared experience. But it won’t have the last word. There’s a way home--an entrance back into God's presence. 3 We once lived in Paradise, basking in the very presence of God. Eden was our dwelling place and God was our delight. But we went rogue and lost them both. Now East of Eden is where we live—fighting to find our way home. But the entrance is blocked. Pain and sorrow overshadow our searches that end in death. Futility is our shared experience. But it won’t have the last word. There’s a way home--an entrance back into God's presence. 3 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-11-02/483/in-the-beginning-east-of-eden Sun, 2 Nov 2025 11:30:00 -0400 A Terrible Trade https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-26/a-terrible-trade Remember the story of Esau? He made a terrible trade. He swapped his birthright for a bowl of stew. I’m sure Jacob was quite the cook and that the stew was next level. But the New Testament gives us a quick, tragic summary of that episode: “Esau sold his birthright for a single meal…and afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” That’s a tough word, but a good reminder for us who are faced every day with temptations to trade the promises of Jesus for cheap substitutes. Join us at GraceLife this Sunday for a quick word about bowls of stew and birthrights. “A Terrible Trade.” Remember the story of Esau? He made a terrible trade. He swapped his birthright for a bowl of stew. I’m sure Jacob was quite the cook and that the stew was next level. But the New Testament gives us a quick, tragic summary of that episode: “Esau sold his birthright for a single meal…and afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” That’s a tough word, but a good reminder for us who are faced every day with temptations to trade the promises of Jesus for cheap substitutes. Join us at GraceLife this Sunday for a quick word about bowls of stew and birthrights. “A Terrible Trade.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-26/482/a-terrible-trade Sun, 26 Oct 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: Everything is Broken https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-19/in-the-beginning-everything-is-broken One of the most common objections to God is this: If He’s good, why does He allow evil, suffering, and injustice? That’s a fair question—but it’s the wrong starting point. A better one is: Where did evil, suffering, and injustice come from? The answer is harder to hear because the blame shifts from God to us. In Genesis 1–2, everything was good. But we disobeyed. We broke trust. We rebelled. And because of that, everything is broken—including us. Other worldviews can’t adequately explain our condition—the relational complexities we face—or offer real hope. But Scripture does. It names the problem and reveals the remedy. One of the most common objections to God is this: If He’s good, why does He allow evil, suffering, and injustice? That’s a fair question—but it’s the wrong starting point. A better one is: Where did evil, suffering, and injustice come from? The answer is harder to hear because the blame shifts from God to us. In Genesis 1–2, everything was good. But we disobeyed. We broke trust. We rebelled. And because of that, everything is broken—including us. Other worldviews can’t adequately explain our condition—the relational complexities we face—or offer real hope. But Scripture does. It names the problem and reveals the remedy. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-19/479/in-the-beginning-everything-is-broken Sun, 19 Oct 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | John https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-12/this-is-my-story-john https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-12/481/this-is-my-story-john Sun, 12 Oct 2025 11:30:00 -0400 A Listening Heart https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-12/a-listening-heart If God told you to ask Him for anything you wanted, what would you say? A chocolate chip donut? So much money that you could buy 200 things in a day? (Those were the answers my 3- and 5-year old sons gave.) Maybe you would ask for healing. Inner peace. Comfort. Relief. In 1 Kings 3, God tells King Solomon to ask for anything. If God told you to ask Him for anything you wanted, what would you say? A chocolate chip donut? So much money that you could buy 200 things in a day? (Those were the answers my 3- and 5-year old sons gave.) Maybe you would ask for healing. Inner peace. Comfort. Relief. In 1 Kings 3, God tells King Solomon to ask for anything. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-12/478/a-listening-heart Sun, 12 Oct 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: The FALL-OUT https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-05/in-the-beginning-the-fall-out Guilt, shame, and fear—the fallout of sin. Guilt says, “I did something wrong.” Shame says, “I am something wrong.” Fear says, “I’m in danger.” We see all three of those emotions in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve cover themselves, hide from God, and deflect blame. But the story doesn’t end there. God pursues them, provides true covering, and promises a Redeemer. That’s “The Fall-Out.” Guilt, shame, and fear—the fallout of sin. Guilt says, “I did something wrong.” Shame says, “I am something wrong.” Fear says, “I’m in danger.” We see all three of those emotions in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve cover themselves, hide from God, and deflect blame. But the story doesn’t end there. God pursues them, provides true covering, and promises a Redeemer. That’s “The Fall-Out.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-10-05/477/in-the-beginning-the-fall-out Sun, 5 Oct 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: The Birth of Self-Deception https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-28/in-the-beginning-the-birth-of-self-deception How did humanity fall into ruin? A forbidden fruit and a subtle serpent factor in—no doubt about it. But at the end of the day, it was a choice. Nobody forced Adam and Eve’s hand. The devil did not “make them do it.” That excuse will never fly. So what happened? First, the serpent deceived Eve. But what happened next is often overlooked. Eve deceived herself. She took another look at the tree and its forbidden fruit. The lie was sown and it instantly bore fruit. Eve viewed the tree differently now. It was good for food. It was a delight to the eyes. It was desirable to make one wise. Do you see the process? She redefined the tree. And so do we—every time we face temptation. How did humanity fall into ruin? A forbidden fruit and a subtle serpent factor in—no doubt about it. But at the end of the day, it was a choice. Nobody forced Adam and Eve’s hand. The devil did not “make them do it.” That excuse will never fly. So what happened? First, the serpent deceived Eve. But what happened next is often overlooked. Eve deceived herself. She took another look at the tree and its forbidden fruit. The lie was sown and it instantly bore fruit. Eve viewed the tree differently now. It was good for food. It was a delight to the eyes. It was desirable to make one wise. Do you see the process? She redefined the tree. And so do we—every time we face temptation. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-28/476/in-the-beginning-the-birth-of-self-deception Sun, 28 Sep 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: Paradise Lost https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-21/in-the-beginning-paradise-lost Have you ever wondered why dogs bite, paint fades, or women carry pepper spray at night? Why are relationships hard, kids afraid of the dark, and our phones buzzing with Amber Alerts? Genesis 2 had no sirens, hospitals, or cemeteries. But now brokenness fills our world. What happened? My Bible labels Genesis 3 as “The Fall.” At the end of chapter 2, everything was very good—love, trust, peace, and joy with no death or disease. But in chapter 3, it all went terribly wrong. Humanity fell—hard. How did it happen? What does it mean? And what hope remains? Have you ever wondered why dogs bite, paint fades, or women carry pepper spray at night? Why are relationships hard, kids afraid of the dark, and our phones buzzing with Amber Alerts? Genesis 2 had no sirens, hospitals, or cemeteries. But now brokenness fills our world. What happened? My Bible labels Genesis 3 as “The Fall.” At the end of chapter 2, everything was very good—love, trust, peace, and joy with no death or disease. But in chapter 3, it all went terribly wrong. Humanity fell—hard. How did it happen? What does it mean? And what hope remains? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-21/475/in-the-beginning-paradise-lost Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Thomas https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-14/this-is-my-story-thomas This Is My Story is a collection of real-life testimonies from people in our church family whose lives have been transformed by the gospel. Each message highlights how God meets individuals in unique circumstances—bringing hope, redemption, and lasting change through Jesus. These stories aren’t just inspiring—they remind us that God is still at work today. As you listen, you’ll see the power of the gospel on display and be encouraged to reflect on your own story and how God is writing it. This Is My Story is a collection of real-life testimonies from people in our church family whose lives have been transformed by the gospel. Each message highlights how God meets individuals in unique circumstances—bringing hope, redemption, and lasting change through Jesus. These stories aren’t just inspiring—they remind us that God is still at work today. As you listen, you’ll see the power of the gospel on display and be encouraged to reflect on your own story and how God is writing it. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-14/480/this-is-my-story-thomas Sun, 14 Sep 2025 11:30:00 -0400 The Connected Life https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-14/the-connected-life When the church was birthed on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, they had no strategy or technique for changing the world. They just wanted to worship Jesus—together. They prayed. They sang. They rejoiced. They grew. They ate. All together. They had a shared devotion, a shared life, and a shared mission. And revival broke out. That’s not a formula for revival (God laughs at our formulas). But it is a beautiful life. It is a powerful life. It is a connected life. And as it turns out, it’s also God’s design for a healthy Christian Community. Are you connected—to God, to others, to His mission? When the church was birthed on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, they had no strategy or technique for changing the world. They just wanted to worship Jesus—together. They prayed. They sang. They rejoiced. They grew. They ate. All together. They had a shared devotion, a shared life, and a shared mission. And revival broke out. That’s not a formula for revival (God laughs at our formulas). But it is a beautiful life. It is a powerful life. It is a connected life. And as it turns out, it’s also God’s design for a healthy Christian Community. Are you connected—to God, to others, to His mission? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-14/473/the-connected-life Sun, 14 Sep 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: This is Our Story, Part Two https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-07/in-the-beginning-this-is-our-story-part-two What is nostalgia? It’s remembering when life was good—really good. It’s remembering and longing to go back to better times. Or at least better moments. A snowy Christmas morning. A satisfying movie. A stirring book. A childhood song. The smell of home. C.S. Lewis called those longings “desires for our far-off country,” but warned not to misplace them. He wrote, “These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself, they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.” Those longings are echoes from Eden, our first home. We all yearn for a time before sin, shame, guilt, and fear wrecked our world. Want to know why your heart can get homesick, even while living in a loving home? What is nostalgia? It’s remembering when life was good—really good. It’s remembering and longing to go back to better times. Or at least better moments. A snowy Christmas morning. A satisfying movie. A stirring book. A childhood song. The smell of home. C.S. Lewis called those longings “desires for our far-off country,” but warned not to misplace them. He wrote, “These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself, they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.” Those longings are echoes from Eden, our first home. We all yearn for a time before sin, shame, guilt, and fear wrecked our world. Want to know why your heart can get homesick, even while living in a loving home? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-09-07/472/in-the-beginning-this-is-our-story-part-two Sun, 7 Sep 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Kingdom Invasion https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-31/kingdom-invasion No matter which way you slice it, Jesus' message while He was here on earth was all about one thing: the kingdom of heaven. He called for repentance and belief because "the kingdom of heaven is here." Jesus' declaration raises immediate questions: What is the kingdom of heaven? How do we know it's here? Can I join the kingdom? To teach His followers more about God's kingdom, Jesus used parables about a mustard seed and leaven. He explains what the kingdom will do and how it will do it. No matter which way you slice it, Jesus' message while He was here on earth was all about one thing: the kingdom of heaven. He called for repentance and belief because "the kingdom of heaven is here." Jesus' declaration raises immediate questions: What is the kingdom of heaven? How do we know it's here? Can I join the kingdom? To teach His followers more about God's kingdom, Jesus used parables about a mustard seed and leaven. He explains what the kingdom will do and how it will do it. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-31/471/kingdom-invasion Sun, 31 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: This is Our Story https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-24/in-the-beginning-this-is-our-story Security. Identity. Liberty. Beauty. Community. Those all fall under the category of universal longings. In other words, human beings have yearned for and sought after those things since the beginning of time. Well, almost since the beginning of time. Once upon a time, we had them all--in abundance. But that time was short-lived. We lost them. And now, we look for them in all the wrong places. Why? Genesis 2 offers us answers. Security. Identity. Liberty. Beauty. Community. Those all fall under the category of universal longings. In other words, human beings have yearned for and sought after those things since the beginning of time. Well, almost since the beginning of time. Once upon a time, we had them all--in abundance. But that time was short-lived. We lost them. And now, we look for them in all the wrong places. Why? Genesis 2 offers us answers. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-24/469/in-the-beginning-this-is-our-story Sun, 24 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: A Day of Rest https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-17/in-the-beginning-a-day-of-rest https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-17/470/in-the-beginning-a-day-of-rest Sun, 17 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Student Ministry Camp Testimony (Audio Only) https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-10/this-is-my-story-student-ministry-camp-testimony-audio-only Hear a powerful story of transformation as a student shares how he encountered God in a life-changing way during his camp experience. Hear a powerful story of transformation as a student shares how he encountered God in a life-changing way during his camp experience. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-10/474/this-is-my-story-student-ministry-camp-testimony-audio-only Sun, 10 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Darkness https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-10/darkness https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-10/468/darkness Sun, 10 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 The Prayer of Love & Passion https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-03/the-prayer-of-love-passion https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-08-03/467/the-prayer-of-love-passion Sun, 3 Aug 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Sing | Psalm 96 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-27/sing-psalm-96 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-27/466/sing-psalm-96 Sun, 27 Jul 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: Defending Our Design https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-20/in-the-beginning-defending-our-design God made us to bear His image—to reflect and represent Him in the world. That’s our design and it includes capacities like affirming human dignity, worshiping our Creator, acknowledging our God-given biological sex, exercising careful stewardship, pursuing relational enrichment, finding meaningful work, and even multiplying the human race. That’s how God designed us. And that’s how life works best. But because of sin, that design is under siege. Whether from the world, the devil, or the flesh, our image-bearing design suffers a multi-front attack. Knowing is half the battle. God made us to bear His image—to reflect and represent Him in the world. That’s our design and it includes capacities like affirming human dignity, worshiping our Creator, acknowledging our God-given biological sex, exercising careful stewardship, pursuing relational enrichment, finding meaningful work, and even multiplying the human race. That’s how God designed us. And that’s how life works best. But because of sin, that design is under siege. Whether from the world, the devil, or the flesh, our image-bearing design suffers a multi-front attack. Knowing is half the battle. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-20/465/in-the-beginning-defending-our-design Sun, 20 Jul 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Jessica https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-13/this-is-my-story-jessica Every second Sunday, we hear a testimony from a member of GraceLife. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance in their life where they saw firsthand the goodness of God. Every second Sunday, we hear a testimony from a member of GraceLife. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance in their life where they saw firsthand the goodness of God. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-13/506/this-is-my-story-jessica Sun, 13 Jul 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: God’s Stewards https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-13/in-the-beginning-god-s-stewards In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. He gave them His image. He gave them each other. He gave them a garden. And He gave them a task: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion.” What does it mean to “have dominion”? The word means to rule. To take charge. To control. To exercise power. That sounds scary. We know what “power” does in the wrong hands. But before sin marred the image of God in us, we were entrusted as God’s stewards. His caretakers over earth. We were given authority and responsibility. You know how that ended. The world has been under poor management since Genesis 3. But God never rescinded that charge to us. We are still to exercise dominion. How can we—and more importantly, how should we—go about that. In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. He gave them His image. He gave them each other. He gave them a garden. And He gave them a task: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion.” What does it mean to “have dominion”? The word means to rule. To take charge. To control. To exercise power. That sounds scary. We know what “power” does in the wrong hands. But before sin marred the image of God in us, we were entrusted as God’s stewards. His caretakers over earth. We were given authority and responsibility. You know how that ended. The world has been under poor management since Genesis 3. But God never rescinded that charge to us. We are still to exercise dominion. How can we—and more importantly, how should we—go about that. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-13/464/in-the-beginning-god-s-stewards Sun, 13 Jul 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: The Relational Life https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-06/in-the-beginning-the-relational-life What does it mean to be a human? How do we know what a mature, healthy human looks like? The answer to those questions is found back at the beginning—in Genesis. God said something shocking and revolutionary before he created us. He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” God was essentially saying: “Let’s make somebody that looks and functions like us; someone with our features.” He is using relational language. Let US. OUR image. Let THEM. Hear the theme? Human beings are relational creatures because they were made in the image of a relational being. What does it mean to be a human? How do we know what a mature, healthy human looks like? The answer to those questions is found back at the beginning—in Genesis. God said something shocking and revolutionary before he created us. He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” God was essentially saying: “Let’s make somebody that looks and functions like us; someone with our features.” He is using relational language. Let US. OUR image. Let THEM. Hear the theme? Human beings are relational creatures because they were made in the image of a relational being. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-07-06/463/in-the-beginning-the-relational-life Sun, 6 Jul 2025 11:30:00 -0400 The Leper, the Little Girl, and the Loving God Who Heals https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-29/the-leper-the-little-girl-and-the-loving-god-who-heals The Bible tells us how enslaving, corrupting, alienating, and defiling sin is. Over and over again, Scripture reminds us of the terrible consequences sin brings. But sometimes, God SHOWS us those truths in stories. The story of Naaman the leper from 2 Kings 5 is one of those graphic reminders of not just the destructive power of sin, but the redemptive power of God in the Gospel. Sin tears us apart, but God puts us back together again—better than before! The Bible tells us how enslaving, corrupting, alienating, and defiling sin is. Over and over again, Scripture reminds us of the terrible consequences sin brings. But sometimes, God SHOWS us those truths in stories. The story of Naaman the leper from 2 Kings 5 is one of those graphic reminders of not just the destructive power of sin, but the redemptive power of God in the Gospel. Sin tears us apart, but God puts us back together again—better than before! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-29/462/the-leper-the-little-girl-and-the-loving-god-who-heals Sun, 29 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: Made in the Image of God https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-22/in-the-beginning-made-in-the-image-of-god Civil Rights. Pregnancy Centers. Hospice Care. Social Services. Department of Justice. It’s easy to take those for granted but impossible to account for them without the creation story in Genesis. Our image bearing privilege is the basis for many of the common grace benefits we enjoy. When God created us, he put his divine stamp upon us. He made us “in his image.” It’s stunning to consider the implications (relational, vocational, cultural, political, and personal) and tragic to deny them. Civil Rights. Pregnancy Centers. Hospice Care. Social Services. Department of Justice. It’s easy to take those for granted but impossible to account for them without the creation story in Genesis. Our image bearing privilege is the basis for many of the common grace benefits we enjoy. When God created us, he put his divine stamp upon us. He made us “in his image.” It’s stunning to consider the implications (relational, vocational, cultural, political, and personal) and tragic to deny them. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-22/461/in-the-beginning-made-in-the-image-of-god Sun, 22 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: The Goodness of Creation https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-15/in-the-beginning-the-goodness-of-creation Christians have a history of imbalance. We notice a distortion in a certain area of life and rush in to fix it. Then we discover that we over fixed it. We rode the pendulum. We overcorrected and therefore put ourselves out of balance again. One distortion with massive implications is our view of creation. How do we interact with the world in all its broken beauty? What perspective do we have on our bodies, the planet, food, drink, and marriage—just to name a few? Are they dangers to avoid? Gifts to indulge? Depending on which era of Christian history you land in, you could be impacted either way. Christians have a history of imbalance. We notice a distortion in a certain area of life and rush in to fix it. Then we discover that we over fixed it. We rode the pendulum. We overcorrected and therefore put ourselves out of balance again. One distortion with massive implications is our view of creation. How do we interact with the world in all its broken beauty? What perspective do we have on our bodies, the planet, food, drink, and marriage—just to name a few? Are they dangers to avoid? Gifts to indulge? Depending on which era of Christian history you land in, you could be impacted either way. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-15/460/in-the-beginning-the-goodness-of-creation Sun, 15 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Ashley https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-08/this-is-my-story-ashley https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-08/459/this-is-my-story-ashley Sun, 8 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Beginning: God's Blueprint https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-08/in-the-beginning-gods-blueprint Humans need blueprints! In our more honest and frustrating moments, we acknowledge this. Who hasn’t tasted the bitter experience of making things up as we go; throwing out the manufacturer’s manual or ignoring it altogether? We need blueprints to assemble an Ikea bookshelf, to find the best route to a strange city, and to flourish as human beings in God’s good world. If you look carefully, even before God created humans, he lays out a blueprint for how life works best. The extreme care God took in forming and filling the universe is instructive. God gave us a pattern—a blueprint. We see wisdom, goodness, beauty, and function. It’s staggering to consider, and tragic to ignore—often yielding confusion and suffering. This week we’re continuing our journey in Genesis. Humans need blueprints! In our more honest and frustrating moments, we acknowledge this. Who hasn’t tasted the bitter experience of making things up as we go; throwing out the manufacturer’s manual or ignoring it altogether? We need blueprints to assemble an Ikea bookshelf, to find the best route to a strange city, and to flourish as human beings in God’s good world. If you look carefully, even before God created humans, he lays out a blueprint for how life works best. The extreme care God took in forming and filling the universe is instructive. God gave us a pattern—a blueprint. We see wisdom, goodness, beauty, and function. It’s staggering to consider, and tragic to ignore—often yielding confusion and suffering. This week we’re continuing our journey in Genesis. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-08/458/in-the-beginning-gods-blueprint Sun, 8 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Genesis: In the Beginning https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-01/genesis-in-the-beginning People are beginning to reckon with the failures and inadequacies of worldviews they once hoped in. Those worldviews (philosophies, religions, political ideologies, technological progress) fell flat—really flat. The “centre did not hold.” They did not explain reality, provide meaning, or offer hope. They couldn’t. So people are ditching them and exploring ideas that were once ridiculed and distrusted. Leaders have reported surges in Bible sales and downloaded Bible-reading apps. We see upticks in church attendance. Podcasts featuring interviews (and debates!) with scholars are going viral. People are reconsidering the claims of Christianity. They are asking questions. Christians are providing answers that are rational, reasonable, and compelling. Those answers begin in Genesis. It’s a great time to participate corporately with what God is doing. We’re launching a study through the early chapters of Genesis. I’m excited to explore the basic foundational storyline of the Bible with you. My prayer is that it both encourages you and equips you to “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15 People are beginning to reckon with the failures and inadequacies of worldviews they once hoped in. Those worldviews (philosophies, religions, political ideologies, technological progress) fell flat—really flat. The “centre did not hold.” They did not explain reality, provide meaning, or offer hope. They couldn’t. So people are ditching them and exploring ideas that were once ridiculed and distrusted. Leaders have reported surges in Bible sales and downloaded Bible-reading apps. We see upticks in church attendance. Podcasts featuring interviews (and debates!) with scholars are going viral. People are reconsidering the claims of Christianity. They are asking questions. Christians are providing answers that are rational, reasonable, and compelling. Those answers begin in Genesis. It’s a great time to participate corporately with what God is doing. We’re launching a study through the early chapters of Genesis. I’m excited to explore the basic foundational storyline of the Bible with you. My prayer is that it both encourages you and equips you to “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-06-01/457/genesis-in-the-beginning Sun, 1 Jun 2025 11:30:00 -0400 In the Wilderness https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-18/in-the-wilderness What comes to mind when you hear the word wilderness? Maybe barrenness, or drought? Isolation, thirst, vulnerability, danger? All those could easily fit into the word—and more. David found himself in the wilderness often. Thank God he wrote about his journeys so we can learn from them. Are you finding yourself in the wilderness these days? Let David help you find your way to the Oasis. What comes to mind when you hear the word wilderness? Maybe barrenness, or drought? Isolation, thirst, vulnerability, danger? All those could easily fit into the word—and more. David found himself in the wilderness often. Thank God he wrote about his journeys so we can learn from them. Are you finding yourself in the wilderness these days? Let David help you find your way to the Oasis. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-18/455/in-the-wilderness Sun, 18 May 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Pam https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-11/this-is-my-story-pam https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-11/454/this-is-my-story-pam Sun, 11 May 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Empowering Words https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-11/empowering-words https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-11/453/empowering-words Sun, 11 May 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Jonah | Chapter Four: Rebuke https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-04/jonah-chapter-four-rebuke https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-05-04/452/jonah-chapter-four-rebuke Sun, 4 May 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Jonah | Chapter Three: Revival https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-27/jonah-chapter-three-revival https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-27/451/jonah-chapter-three-revival Sun, 27 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Jonah | Chapter Two: Rescue https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-20/jonah-chapter-two-rescue https://www.youtube.com/live/KFfIYWjsVSk?si=aJcFAWxLc6G-wRO- https://www.youtube.com/live/KFfIYWjsVSk?si=aJcFAWxLc6G-wRO- https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-20/450/jonah-chapter-two-rescue Sun, 20 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400 This Is My Story | Luke https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-13/this-is-my-story-luke Every second Sunday of the month, we hear a testimony from one of our members. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance where they saw the goodness of God in their life. Every second Sunday of the month, we hear a testimony from one of our members. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance where they saw the goodness of God in their life. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-13/449/this-is-my-story-luke Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Jonah | Chapter One: Running https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-13/jonah-chapter-one-running Our God uses people to reach people. From the very beginning, He has chosen a group to go out and bless the world. But the Bible is full of humans failing to live up to this divine calling. One of the most iconic and ironic examples is the prophet Jonah. Join us this Sunday to see how even polytheistic, pagan sailors reflected God's heart more than Jonah did. Our God uses people to reach people. From the very beginning, He has chosen a group to go out and bless the world. But the Bible is full of humans failing to live up to this divine calling. One of the most iconic and ironic examples is the prophet Jonah. Join us this Sunday to see how even polytheistic, pagan sailors reflected God's heart more than Jonah did. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-13/448/jonah-chapter-one-running Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Don't Get Above Your Calling https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-06/dont-get-above-your-calling https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-04-06/447/dont-get-above-your-calling Sun, 6 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Maximum Wage https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-30/maximum-wage God is GENEROUS. The kingdom of heaven is funded by the generosity of the King as opposed to the earnings of its citizens. Citizens are rewarded in surprising, upside-down, last-shall-be-first kinds of ways in order to highlight the super-abundance of the King. God is GENEROUS. The kingdom of heaven is funded by the generosity of the King as opposed to the earnings of its citizens. Citizens are rewarded in surprising, upside-down, last-shall-be-first kinds of ways in order to highlight the super-abundance of the King. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-30/446/maximum-wage Sun, 30 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Sight for Sore Eyes https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-23/sight-for-sore-eyes https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-23/445/sight-for-sore-eyes Sun, 23 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0400 Who is this Jesus? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-16/who-is-this-jesus https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-16/444/who-is-this-jesus Sun, 16 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0400 INTERCESSION https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-09/intercession https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-09/443/intercession Sun, 9 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Suffering Well https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-02/suffering-well As Christians we are called to do everything to the glory of God. Every aspect of our lives should be glorifying to him and we should be worshipping the Lord in all that we do. If we are honest though, sometimes we forget that suffering is included in that. How can we suffer to the glory of God? How can we suffer well? Join us Sunday as we explore the beautiful truths of scripture that show us what it means to suffer well. As Christians we are called to do everything to the glory of God. Every aspect of our lives should be glorifying to him and we should be worshipping the Lord in all that we do. If we are honest though, sometimes we forget that suffering is included in that. How can we suffer to the glory of God? How can we suffer well? Join us Sunday as we explore the beautiful truths of scripture that show us what it means to suffer well. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-03-02/442/suffering-well Sun, 2 Mar 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Grace & Truth https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-23/grace-truth https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-23/441/grace-truth Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Antifragile Favor https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-16/antifragile-favor What's your definition of success? The way you answer that question will reveal a lot about what you value and how you see the world. In the story of Joseph, we get a very surprising snapshot of what true success looks like. Jospeh experiences back-stabbing betrayal and disgraceful injustice. So there's only one way his story be described as a success: God's favor is not fragile. What's your definition of success? The way you answer that question will reveal a lot about what you value and how you see the world. In the story of Joseph, we get a very surprising snapshot of what true success looks like. Jospeh experiences back-stabbing betrayal and disgraceful injustice. So there's only one way his story be described as a success: God's favor is not fragile. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-16/440/antifragile-favor Sun, 16 Feb 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Shame Off You https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-09/shame-off-you A few years ago, a little girl told me about the teacher at her school who kept scolding the class with these words, “Shame on you!” Shame is the deep sense that you are unacceptable because of something you did, something done to you, or something associated with you. It’s the terrifying feeling that we don’t measure up. We’re unpresentable. Unwelcome and unwanted. The bad news? Shame sticks to us like a bad batch of slime. We can’t wipe it off and we can’t drive it away. The good news? Someone came who can take your shame away—someone who can say, not “Shame ON you!” but “Shame OFF you!” A few years ago, a little girl told me about the teacher at her school who kept scolding the class with these words, “Shame on you!” Shame is the deep sense that you are unacceptable because of something you did, something done to you, or something associated with you. It’s the terrifying feeling that we don’t measure up. We’re unpresentable. Unwelcome and unwanted. The bad news? Shame sticks to us like a bad batch of slime. We can’t wipe it off and we can’t drive it away. The good news? Someone came who can take your shame away—someone who can say, not “Shame ON you!” but “Shame OFF you!” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-09/439/shame-off-you Sun, 9 Feb 2025 11:30:00 -0500 When God Takes His Time https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-02/when-god-takes-his-time God’s sense of timing will probably never match ours. We want deliverance. And we want it now. We want change—yesterday. Whether that change involves spiritual growth, a relationship, a bank account, a career, or even our health, God doesn’t operate on our time-scale. He’s not bound to our rushed schedule. And that’s good news. It’s really good news. He’s a wise, loving father. He always gives us what we need, but rarely when we think we need it. A strange and unsettling encounter with Jesus in the Gospel of Mark highlights that truth. I hope you can join us for, When God Takes His Time. God’s sense of timing will probably never match ours. We want deliverance. And we want it now. We want change—yesterday. Whether that change involves spiritual growth, a relationship, a bank account, a career, or even our health, God doesn’t operate on our time-scale. He’s not bound to our rushed schedule. And that’s good news. It’s really good news. He’s a wise, loving father. He always gives us what we need, but rarely when we think we need it. A strange and unsettling encounter with Jesus in the Gospel of Mark highlights that truth. I hope you can join us for, When God Takes His Time. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-02-02/438/when-god-takes-his-time Sun, 2 Feb 2025 11:30:00 -0500 10 Year Anniversary Service | School of Grace https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-26/10-year-anniversary-service-school-of-grace Reflect on all the teachers you’ve ever sat under. Two kinds probably emerge: those you obey because you had to, and those you obey because you want to. Harsh teachers can squeeze compliance out of you, but good teachers inspire us into change. You might even say they love us into change. For ten years we’ve modeled the ministry of GraceLife after the pattern we find in the new Testament: only a deep experience of God’s grace can transform us. Paul says it like this in his letter to Titus, “God’s grace…teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.” That’s some teacher! Have you ever sat under Grace? Join us for our ten year anniversary celebration this week as we explore the “School of Grace.” Reflect on all the teachers you’ve ever sat under. Two kinds probably emerge: those you obey because you had to, and those you obey because you want to. Harsh teachers can squeeze compliance out of you, but good teachers inspire us into change. You might even say they love us into change. For ten years we’ve modeled the ministry of GraceLife after the pattern we find in the new Testament: only a deep experience of God’s grace can transform us. Paul says it like this in his letter to Titus, “God’s grace…teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.” That’s some teacher! Have you ever sat under Grace? Join us for our ten year anniversary celebration this week as we explore the “School of Grace.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-26/437/10-year-anniversary-service-school-of-grace Sun, 26 Jan 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Before I Go... https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-19/before-i-go Imagine this scenario: you’re closing out a doctrinally instructive letter to a growing church in Rome. You’ve poured out chapter after chapter of rich theology, covering the depths of human sin and the heights of God’s redemptive love in Christ. And now it’s time to sign off. You’ve sent greetings to everyone you know and warned against false teaching that would contradict your instruction. Now it’s time for your final thoughts. What do you leave the Christians in Rome with? Paul can’t help himself. He goes for the gospel—again! What it is, who it’s about, and what it does. It’s a fitting end to his theological magnum opus. And it’s a fitting end to our study of this tremendous letter. I hope you can join us for our final message on Romans this week at GraceLife, Before I Go… Imagine this scenario: you’re closing out a doctrinally instructive letter to a growing church in Rome. You’ve poured out chapter after chapter of rich theology, covering the depths of human sin and the heights of God’s redemptive love in Christ. And now it’s time to sign off. You’ve sent greetings to everyone you know and warned against false teaching that would contradict your instruction. Now it’s time for your final thoughts. What do you leave the Christians in Rome with? Paul can’t help himself. He goes for the gospel—again! What it is, who it’s about, and what it does. It’s a fitting end to his theological magnum opus. And it’s a fitting end to our study of this tremendous letter. I hope you can join us for our final message on Romans this week at GraceLife, Before I Go… https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-19/436/before-i-go Sun, 19 Jan 2025 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Andrew https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-12/this-is-my-story-andrew https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-12/435/this-is-my-story-andrew Sun, 12 Jan 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Cease & Desist https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-05/cease-desist In 1831, a French diplomat visited the United States to study the new democracy and prosperity the young nation was enjoying. Here was his main observation of the people: "Americans are restless in the midst of their well-being." The Frenchman was surprised that the success and comfort of the people did not lead to their rest. They couldn't sit still and enjoy what they had. Some 200 years later, I believe the observation still stands. Why are we so restless? Join us this Sunday at GraceLife as we trace the theme of Rest throughout the Bible. In 1831, a French diplomat visited the United States to study the new democracy and prosperity the young nation was enjoying. Here was his main observation of the people: "Americans are restless in the midst of their well-being." The Frenchman was surprised that the success and comfort of the people did not lead to their rest. They couldn't sit still and enjoy what they had. Some 200 years later, I believe the observation still stands. Why are we so restless? Join us this Sunday at GraceLife as we trace the theme of Rest throughout the Bible. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2025-01-05/433/cease-desist Sun, 5 Jan 2025 11:30:00 -0500 Building Community https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-29/building-community Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together: “It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters.” The final chapter in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome highlights that often forgotten truth. In just a few verses, Paul sends greetings and thanks to dozens of people he knew by name, family, and ministry alliance. He worked hard at building and enjoying community. That was one of the secrets to his fruitfulness and the means God used to bless his work. Join us this weekend for our final service of 2024 as we consider Building Community and how it can shape our lives in 2025. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together: “It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters.” The final chapter in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome highlights that often forgotten truth. In just a few verses, Paul sends greetings and thanks to dozens of people he knew by name, family, and ministry alliance. He worked hard at building and enjoying community. That was one of the secrets to his fruitfulness and the means God used to bless his work. Join us this weekend for our final service of 2024 as we consider Building Community and how it can shape our lives in 2025. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-29/432/building-community Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:30:00 -0500 God With Us https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-22/god-with-us Have you grown numb to the message of Christmas? Here’s a test. Consider these words. GOD. WITH. US. Did your heart leap? Did your head spin? Did your soul rejoice? That truth of the incarnation should stop us in our tracks. But something tragic has happened: it has become pedestrian to us, just another decoration along with tinsel and mistletoe. We’re numb to the miracle of Christmas. God with us. Not God above us. Not God against us. Not God apart from us. Those we get. Those we expect. Those we dread and suppress. No…the message is God has come down to save us. Join us at GraceLife this Sunday for our Christmas service: God With Us. 10am at the DHS Auditorium. Come early for some Christmas treats! Have you grown numb to the message of Christmas? Here’s a test. Consider these words. GOD. WITH. US. Did your heart leap? Did your head spin? Did your soul rejoice? That truth of the incarnation should stop us in our tracks. But something tragic has happened: it has become pedestrian to us, just another decoration along with tinsel and mistletoe. We’re numb to the miracle of Christmas. God with us. Not God above us. Not God against us. Not God apart from us. Those we get. Those we expect. Those we dread and suppress. No…the message is God has come down to save us. Join us at GraceLife this Sunday for our Christmas service: God With Us. 10am at the DHS Auditorium. Come early for some Christmas treats! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-22/431/god-with-us Sun, 22 Dec 2024 11:30:00 -0500 My Help Comes from the Lord https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-08/my-help-comes-from-the-lord https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-08/429/my-help-comes-from-the-lord Sun, 8 Dec 2024 11:30:00 -0500 The Mission-Minded Church Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-01/the-mission-minded-church-part-2 What kind of church—and what kind of Christian—does God use to reach the nations and make disciples? What qualities should we possess? As Paul closes out his letter to the church at Rome, he shows us timeless qualities—both from his own life and the church he is writing to. They are simple, clear, and revolutionary. What kind of church—and what kind of Christian—does God use to reach the nations and make disciples? What qualities should we possess? As Paul closes out his letter to the church at Rome, he shows us timeless qualities—both from his own life and the church he is writing to. They are simple, clear, and revolutionary. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-12-01/428/the-mission-minded-church-part-2 Sun, 1 Dec 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Abounding in Hope https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-17/abounding-in-hope If you had to describe the prevailing mindset of your Christian life, would “abounding in hope” make the cut? When the Apostle Paul nears the end of his gospel letter to the church in Rome, he prays: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” That apostolic prayer represents the heart of God toward his people. God wants to fill you with joy and peace; and make you abound in hope. What do we have to be so hopeful about? Join us at GraceLife this week to find out! If you had to describe the prevailing mindset of your Christian life, would “abounding in hope” make the cut? When the Apostle Paul nears the end of his gospel letter to the church in Rome, he prays: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” That apostolic prayer represents the heart of God toward his people. God wants to fill you with joy and peace; and make you abound in hope. What do we have to be so hopeful about? Join us at GraceLife this week to find out! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-17/425/abounding-in-hope Sun, 17 Nov 2024 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Sarah S. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-10/this-is-my-story-sarah-s https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-10/426/this-is-my-story-sarah-s Sun, 10 Nov 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Gospel Unity https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-10/gospel-unity How do you know if you’ve really understood and believed the gospel? Where’s the fruit? Do you look at the strength of your devotion? Maybe your Bible reading habits and prayer life? Here’s a test the apostle Paul holds out: How’s your welcome of others in church who don’t share your personal convictions? For a person without a strong grasp of the gospel, that’s a huge obstacle. Nearly insurmountable. But when we understand the grounds of our acceptance by God, something powerful happens: we let our guard down. We open up. We welcome others—in spite of their differences. That’s gospel unity. That’s Romans 15. How do you know if you’ve really understood and believed the gospel? Where’s the fruit? Do you look at the strength of your devotion? Maybe your Bible reading habits and prayer life? Here’s a test the apostle Paul holds out: How’s your welcome of others in church who don’t share your personal convictions? For a person without a strong grasp of the gospel, that’s a huge obstacle. Nearly insurmountable. But when we understand the grounds of our acceptance by God, something powerful happens: we let our guard down. We open up. We welcome others—in spite of their differences. That’s gospel unity. That’s Romans 15. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-10/424/gospel-unity Sun, 10 Nov 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Preach! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-03/preach Every weekend, Christians around the world gather together in person to fellowship, pray, sing, and listen to a sermon. The particulars vary, but that’s a common church experience no matter where you go in the world. This week at GraceLife, I want to help you understand why preaching matters, how God has used it throughout history, and how you can make the most of hearing a sermon. I think you’ll be encouraged! Every weekend, Christians around the world gather together in person to fellowship, pray, sing, and listen to a sermon. The particulars vary, but that’s a common church experience no matter where you go in the world. This week at GraceLife, I want to help you understand why preaching matters, how God has used it throughout history, and how you can make the most of hearing a sermon. I think you’ll be encouraged! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-11-03/423/preach Sun, 3 Nov 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Know the Times https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-10-27/know-the-times A cultural frenzy seems to accompany every election cycle. Polarization deepens. Unthoughtful opinions fly back and forth. Misinformation gets thrown into the mix. It’s a toxic cocktail. For those reasons and others, Christians sometimes check out. It’s a tempting prospect. A recent Barna Research Poll projected a shocking 32 million Christians are unlikely to engage in the election this November. That number represents historic disengagement. Reasons were cited such as distrust in the system, distaste for candidates, disillusionment with politics in general, and feeling their vote won’t make a difference. Although there’s no specific chapter and verse in the Bible for how to approach a national election, God gives us wisdom to navigate. I’m excited to share some of that wisdom this week at GraceLife. I hope you can join us for “Knowing the Times.” A cultural frenzy seems to accompany every election cycle. Polarization deepens. Unthoughtful opinions fly back and forth. Misinformation gets thrown into the mix. It’s a toxic cocktail. For those reasons and others, Christians sometimes check out. It’s a tempting prospect. A recent Barna Research Poll projected a shocking 32 million Christians are unlikely to engage in the election this November. That number represents historic disengagement. Reasons were cited such as distrust in the system, distaste for candidates, disillusionment with politics in general, and feeling their vote won’t make a difference. Although there’s no specific chapter and verse in the Bible for how to approach a national election, God gives us wisdom to navigate. I’m excited to share some of that wisdom this week at GraceLife. I hope you can join us for “Knowing the Times.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-10-27/422/know-the-times Sun, 27 Oct 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Raising Cain https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-29/raising-cain Life is hard east of Eden. A distant God. Painful childbearing. A cursed ground. A cunning enemy. In a word, CONFLICT—everywhere. With God. With the creation. With Satan. With one another. We see this in one of the most infamous murders in history. Cain and Abel. God front loads the Bible with this conflict to serve us notice. Sin has a strategy for you, but He offers a redemptive, peacemaking alternative—if we’ll trust Him. Join us for our 5th Sunday service, Raising Cain. Come hungry! Chili Cook Off to follow! Life is hard east of Eden. A distant God. Painful childbearing. A cursed ground. A cunning enemy. In a word, CONFLICT—everywhere. With God. With the creation. With Satan. With one another. We see this in one of the most infamous murders in history. Cain and Abel. God front loads the Bible with this conflict to serve us notice. Sin has a strategy for you, but He offers a redemptive, peacemaking alternative—if we’ll trust Him. Join us for our 5th Sunday service, Raising Cain. Come hungry! Chili Cook Off to follow! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-29/419/raising-cain Sun, 29 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Welcome the Weak https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-22/welcome-the-weak We’ve all encountered THAT guy. He has a sharable list of the do’s and don’ts of Christianity—and he’s crushing it. He knows what to eat, what to drink, what days to observe. He has all the answers. He’s a strong Christian…or…IS he? In Romans 14, Paul shares a word on weak and strong Christians. How do we recognize, welcome, and live in harmony with weak believers? Need some help in that area? Join us at GraceLife this week as we dive into Romans 14. Welcome the Weak. We’ve all encountered THAT guy. He has a sharable list of the do’s and don’ts of Christianity—and he’s crushing it. He knows what to eat, what to drink, what days to observe. He has all the answers. He’s a strong Christian…or…IS he? In Romans 14, Paul shares a word on weak and strong Christians. How do we recognize, welcome, and live in harmony with weak believers? Need some help in that area? Join us at GraceLife this week as we dive into Romans 14. Welcome the Weak. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-22/418/welcome-the-weak Sun, 22 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Incentive https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-15/incentive https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-15/417/incentive Sun, 15 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Joan https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-08/this-is-my-story-joan https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-08/416/this-is-my-story-joan Sun, 8 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Life Together https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-08/life-together When the New Testament describes the first gatherings of the early church, the scene is explosive. Those new Christians met frequently and turned the world upside down. But how? It had nothing to do with programming, administration, or even logistical planning. Their strategy was simple: they wanted to be together—a group of joyful, authentic Christians who devoted themselves to Jesus and one another. Their cultural impact was un-ignorable. Ours can be too. Join us at GraceLife this week as we study Life Together from Acts 2. When the New Testament describes the first gatherings of the early church, the scene is explosive. Those new Christians met frequently and turned the world upside down. But how? It had nothing to do with programming, administration, or even logistical planning. Their strategy was simple: they wanted to be together—a group of joyful, authentic Christians who devoted themselves to Jesus and one another. Their cultural impact was un-ignorable. Ours can be too. Join us at GraceLife this week as we study Life Together from Acts 2. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-08/415/life-together Sun, 8 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Wrestling with God https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-01/wrestling-with-god We hear about Christian “Breakthroughs” all the time: a book that will change your life, or a conference that will restore your marriage. But so often, those “experiences” and resources fall flat. They over-promise and under-deliver. The personal change we sought still seems beyond our reach. What’s missing? Why do we stay stuck in unhealthy patterns of living? The story of Jacob from the Old Testament holds out some answers. It’s a powerful paradigm for how God often engages us—and changes us. At the center of that story is a tremendous personal struggle, with breakthrough on the other side. Often God must hurt us to help us. Wrestling with God, Sunday at 10am. DHS Auditorium. We hear about Christian “Breakthroughs” all the time: a book that will change your life, or a conference that will restore your marriage. But so often, those “experiences” and resources fall flat. They over-promise and under-deliver. The personal change we sought still seems beyond our reach. What’s missing? Why do we stay stuck in unhealthy patterns of living? The story of Jacob from the Old Testament holds out some answers. It’s a powerful paradigm for how God often engages us—and changes us. At the center of that story is a tremendous personal struggle, with breakthrough on the other side. Often God must hurt us to help us. Wrestling with God, Sunday at 10am. DHS Auditorium. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-09-01/414/wrestling-with-god Sun, 1 Sep 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Real Mature. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-25/real-mature The apostle Paul had a strong desire to present the believers in all his church-plants as mature in Christ. The elders at GraceLife have that same goal for our church. But what is maturity in Christ? What does it look like and how do we get there? Join us on Sunday as we chart a map to maturity and sketch a portrait of what a mature disciple looks like. The apostle Paul had a strong desire to present the believers in all his church-plants as mature in Christ. The elders at GraceLife have that same goal for our church. But what is maturity in Christ? What does it look like and how do we get there? Join us on Sunday as we chart a map to maturity and sketch a portrait of what a mature disciple looks like. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-25/413/real-mature Sun, 25 Aug 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Get Dressed! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-18/get-dressed One of the most effective helps in our fight against temptation is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Those instructions in Romans 13 sound strange to our ears because we put on clothes, not a person. But that’s precisely the point Paul makes with the clothing metaphor. Clothing covers you. Clothing protects you. Clothing distinguishes you. Clothing equips you. What you wear matters. Do you need to change clothes? Put on Christ…He looks great on you! He covers, protects, distinguishes, and equips you to live the transformed life. How does that work? That’s our topic this week at GraceLife. Join us for Get Dressed! One of the most effective helps in our fight against temptation is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Those instructions in Romans 13 sound strange to our ears because we put on clothes, not a person. But that’s precisely the point Paul makes with the clothing metaphor. Clothing covers you. Clothing protects you. Clothing distinguishes you. Clothing equips you. What you wear matters. Do you need to change clothes? Put on Christ…He looks great on you! He covers, protects, distinguishes, and equips you to live the transformed life. How does that work? That’s our topic this week at GraceLife. Join us for Get Dressed! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-18/412/get-dressed Sun, 18 Aug 2024 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Russ https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-11/this-is-my-story-russ https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-11/411/this-is-my-story-russ Sun, 11 Aug 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Wake Up! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-11/wake-up https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-11/410/wake-up Sun, 11 Aug 2024 11:30:00 -0400 The Love Debt https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-04/the-love-debt Pay your debts! While that reminder stings, we can appreciate it’s force—especially when someone owes us! But when Paul told the Christians in Rome to pay what they owe, he wasn’t just talking about money (mortgages, school loans, and rent). He had something much deeper in mind, and more valuable. Paul was talking about love. Love is the debt we owe to every image bearer we encounter. Are we paying it? We’ll continue in chapter 13 of Romans this week. The Love Debt. Pay your debts! While that reminder stings, we can appreciate it’s force—especially when someone owes us! But when Paul told the Christians in Rome to pay what they owe, he wasn’t just talking about money (mortgages, school loans, and rent). He had something much deeper in mind, and more valuable. Paul was talking about love. Love is the debt we owe to every image bearer we encounter. Are we paying it? We’ll continue in chapter 13 of Romans this week. The Love Debt. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-08-04/409/the-love-debt Sun, 4 Aug 2024 11:30:00 -0400 God's Memory. Your Legacy. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-28/gods-memory-your-legacy I recently read an article about decision-making. The author encouraged his readers to make "legacy decisions" instead of "ego decisions." It's important for us to make choices today that will impact our legacy in the future, as opposed to making short-sighted and selfish decisions. But how can we ensure our legacy will be a good one? What if we've already made too many "ego decisions?" When it comes to legacy, there's only one Person's memory that matters: God's. Join us on Sunday to see how God's generous memory affects your legacy. I recently read an article about decision-making. The author encouraged his readers to make "legacy decisions" instead of "ego decisions." It's important for us to make choices today that will impact our legacy in the future, as opposed to making short-sighted and selfish decisions. But how can we ensure our legacy will be a good one? What if we've already made too many "ego decisions?" When it comes to legacy, there's only one Person's memory that matters: God's. Join us on Sunday to see how God's generous memory affects your legacy. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-28/408/gods-memory-your-legacy Sun, 28 Jul 2024 11:30:00 -0400 When to Resist Your Government https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-21/when-to-resist-your-government The Bible makes it clear: ALL human authority comes from God. Good and bad. Benevolent and Oppressive. Righteous and Evil. “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Thats Romans 13:1. The Bible is equally clear in that passage that we are to submit to those governing authorities. That raises an important question: what happens when the government oversteps it’s boundaries or violates our freedoms? Then what? That’s the question we’ll be tackling this week at GraceLife: When to Resist Your Government. I hope you can join us as we complete this section in Romans. The Bible makes it clear: ALL human authority comes from God. Good and bad. Benevolent and Oppressive. Righteous and Evil. “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Thats Romans 13:1. The Bible is equally clear in that passage that we are to submit to those governing authorities. That raises an important question: what happens when the government oversteps it’s boundaries or violates our freedoms? Then what? That’s the question we’ll be tackling this week at GraceLife: When to Resist Your Government. I hope you can join us as we complete this section in Romans. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-21/407/when-to-resist-your-government Sun, 21 Jul 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Submitting to Your Government Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-14/submitting-to-your-government-part-2 Face it. You and I were born into a world filled with authority. And God calls us to submit to those authorities, whether in the home, the workplace, the church, or the government. But here’s the rub: because of sin, all human authority is flawed. Greed. Oppression. Abuse. Neglect. No human authority is untouched by the effects of sin. So how do we submit to flawed authorities—particularly, as the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans 13—the government? God calls us to do hard things, but never in the dark. In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul gives us 5 reasons to Submit to our government. We’ll continue our series this week, Submitting to Your Government, Part 2. Face it. You and I were born into a world filled with authority. And God calls us to submit to those authorities, whether in the home, the workplace, the church, or the government. But here’s the rub: because of sin, all human authority is flawed. Greed. Oppression. Abuse. Neglect. No human authority is untouched by the effects of sin. So how do we submit to flawed authorities—particularly, as the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans 13—the government? God calls us to do hard things, but never in the dark. In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul gives us 5 reasons to Submit to our government. We’ll continue our series this week, Submitting to Your Government, Part 2. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-14/406/submitting-to-your-government-part-2 Sun, 14 Jul 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Submitting to Your Government https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-07/submitting-to-your-government Submit. The very mention of that word makes people cringe. It’s a verb. It’s a command. It has teeth. Children, submit to your parents. Employees, submit to your bosses. Wives, submit to your husbands. Church members, submit to your elders. And citizens, submit to your government. Those directives come from God and Christians have struggled for centuries both to make sense of them and honor them. Join us at GraceLife for our continuing series in Romans 13, Submitting to Your Government. Service begins at 10am. Submit. The very mention of that word makes people cringe. It’s a verb. It’s a command. It has teeth. Children, submit to your parents. Employees, submit to your bosses. Wives, submit to your husbands. Church members, submit to your elders. And citizens, submit to your government. Those directives come from God and Christians have struggled for centuries both to make sense of them and honor them. Join us at GraceLife for our continuing series in Romans 13, Submitting to Your Government. Service begins at 10am. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-07-07/405/submitting-to-your-government Sun, 7 Jul 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Feast or Famine? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-30/feast-or-famine How do you deal with your appetite? You have options. You can ignore it. You can suppress it by drinking green tea (I’m not kidding. Look it up). You can practice breathing techniques to help you deal with the hunger pains. You can even distract yourself with a hobby—preferably one that doesn’t burn calories. You could gorge yourself on junk. Some of those approaches may “work” short-term. But in the end, you’re still hungry—and maybe sick too. There’s a spiritual parallel. Some argue that’s why God gave us stomachs and food to begin with, to awaken us to a deeper longing—and point us to the only satisfying source. Wouldn’t it be insane to deprive yourself of food when all along God offers you the feast of a lifetime? Come and see! How do you deal with your appetite? You have options. You can ignore it. You can suppress it by drinking green tea (I’m not kidding. Look it up). You can practice breathing techniques to help you deal with the hunger pains. You can even distract yourself with a hobby—preferably one that doesn’t burn calories. You could gorge yourself on junk. Some of those approaches may “work” short-term. But in the end, you’re still hungry—and maybe sick too. There’s a spiritual parallel. Some argue that’s why God gave us stomachs and food to begin with, to awaken us to a deeper longing—and point us to the only satisfying source. Wouldn’t it be insane to deprive yourself of food when all along God offers you the feast of a lifetime? Come and see! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-30/404/feast-or-famine Sun, 30 Jun 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Surprised by Joy https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-16/surprised-by-joy 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-16/402/surprised-by-joy Sun, 16 Jun 2024 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Todd https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-09/this-is-my-story-todd https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-09/401/this-is-my-story-todd Sun, 9 Jun 2024 11:30:00 -0400 The Better Life https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-09/the-better-life 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-09/400/the-better-life Sun, 9 Jun 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Healing https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-02/healing 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-06-02/399/healing Sun, 2 Jun 2024 11:30:00 -0400 The Good Neighbor Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-26/the-good-neighbor-part-2 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-26/398/the-good-neighbor-part-2 Sun, 26 May 2024 11:30:00 -0400 The Good Neighbor https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-19/the-good-neighbor 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.” 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.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-19/397/the-good-neighbor Sun, 19 May 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Love Thy Enemy https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-05/love-thy-enemy 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-05-05/395/love-thy-enemy Sun, 5 May 2024 11:30:00 -0400 The Virtue of Contentment https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-28/the-virtue-of-contentment 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. 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. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-28/394/the-virtue-of-contentment Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Authentic Love Part 3 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-21/authentic-love-part-3 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! 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! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-21/393/authentic-love-part-3 Sun, 21 Apr 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Authentic Love https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-07/authentic-love 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! 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! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-04-07/391/authentic-love Sun, 7 Apr 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Immovable https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-31/immovable Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face.” Iron Mike is not known for brilliant quotes, but he nailed that one. We’ve all gotten the proverbial punch in the face at some point. Our lives upended, plans ruined, futures uncertain. Fear, anxiety, regret, and even bitterness begin to emerge. So then what? Then you cling to the one unchanging reality in the universe—and you stand. What reality can make us immovable like that? The Resurrection. It’s not just for the end of your life. It’s for the toughest places in the middle: the trials, afflictions, disappointments and disasters. Are you living your life as if the resurrection of Jesus actually happened? GraceLife invites you to our Easter service where we’ll drill deep into what can make us Immovable. He has risen indeed! Sunday at 10am. Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face.” Iron Mike is not known for brilliant quotes, but he nailed that one. We’ve all gotten the proverbial punch in the face at some point. Our lives upended, plans ruined, futures uncertain. Fear, anxiety, regret, and even bitterness begin to emerge. So then what? Then you cling to the one unchanging reality in the universe—and you stand. What reality can make us immovable like that? The Resurrection. It’s not just for the end of your life. It’s for the toughest places in the middle: the trials, afflictions, disappointments and disasters. Are you living your life as if the resurrection of Jesus actually happened? GraceLife invites you to our Easter service where we’ll drill deep into what can make us Immovable. He has risen indeed! Sunday at 10am. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-31/390/immovable Sun, 31 Mar 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Think Like a Body Part 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-24/think-like-a-body-part-2 How does your life change when you begin to follow Jesus? Here’s another way to ask that: what does a gospel-shaped life look like in the West? The apostle Paul says something about the Christian life in Romans 12 that is so counter-cultural it’s jarring to our American minds. “Commit yourself to one another. Use your gifts to strengthen your community.” In a consumeristic culture we bristle at those words. But it’s a beautiful life—a better life. Are you living it? Are you using your gifts to their fullest potential We’re back in Romans this week for Think Like a Body, Part 2. Join us! How does your life change when you begin to follow Jesus? Here’s another way to ask that: what does a gospel-shaped life look like in the West? The apostle Paul says something about the Christian life in Romans 12 that is so counter-cultural it’s jarring to our American minds. “Commit yourself to one another. Use your gifts to strengthen your community.” In a consumeristic culture we bristle at those words. But it’s a beautiful life—a better life. Are you living it? Are you using your gifts to their fullest potential We’re back in Romans this week for Think Like a Body, Part 2. Join us! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-24/389/think-like-a-body-part-2 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 11:30:00 -0400 Kingdom People https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-17/kingdom-people Jesus came preaching the "gospel of the kingdom." He was announcing the beginning of a new era, a new covenant, a new community. But Jesus did more than talk about the new kingdom - He inaugurated it. And He invites us into it. But what does that mean? What does it look like to be kingdom people? Join us this Sunday to see how the kingdom story gives us our kingdom identity and fuels our kingdom purpose. Jesus came preaching the "gospel of the kingdom." He was announcing the beginning of a new era, a new covenant, a new community. But Jesus did more than talk about the new kingdom - He inaugurated it. And He invites us into it. But what does that mean? What does it look like to be kingdom people? Join us this Sunday to see how the kingdom story gives us our kingdom identity and fuels our kingdom purpose. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-17/388/kingdom-people Sun, 17 Mar 2024 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Patti https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-10/this-is-my-story-patti https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-10/387/this-is-my-story-patti Sun, 10 Mar 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Christ is Enough https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-10/christ-is-enough “Blessed Assurance Jesus Is Mine” and “It is Well With My Soul” are just a couple of hymns regarding the assurance we as Christians should have. But if we are honest, we don’t always feel that sweet assurance. I think some Christians struggle with assurance more than they want to admit. The book of Hebrews tells us how what Christ did was indeed enough to provide us assurance and provide us peace here on Earth. It is through clinging to Christ that we can truly draw near with boldness to the throne of Grace. Join us on Sunday as we battle our doubt and wavering assurance together and cling fast to our beloved Christ. “Blessed Assurance Jesus Is Mine” and “It is Well With My Soul” are just a couple of hymns regarding the assurance we as Christians should have. But if we are honest, we don’t always feel that sweet assurance. I think some Christians struggle with assurance more than they want to admit. The book of Hebrews tells us how what Christ did was indeed enough to provide us assurance and provide us peace here on Earth. It is through clinging to Christ that we can truly draw near with boldness to the throne of Grace. Join us on Sunday as we battle our doubt and wavering assurance together and cling fast to our beloved Christ. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-03-10/386/christ-is-enough Sun, 10 Mar 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Know Thyself https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-25/know-thyself Know thyself. That advice dates all the way back to Socrates. And the quest continues. People are still searching for the truth about who they are. The promise to help people understand themselves sells books, generates likes, and garners subscriptions. Have we figured it out yet? Perhaps nothing is more important and yet misguided at the same time. Romans 12 gives us the key. Gather with us this Sunday at GraceLife as we continue our series in Romans 12. Know Thyself. Know thyself. That advice dates all the way back to Socrates. And the quest continues. People are still searching for the truth about who they are. The promise to help people understand themselves sells books, generates likes, and garners subscriptions. Have we figured it out yet? Perhaps nothing is more important and yet misguided at the same time. Romans 12 gives us the key. Gather with us this Sunday at GraceLife as we continue our series in Romans 12. Know Thyself. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-25/384/know-thyself Sun, 25 Feb 2024 11:30:00 -0500 God’s Will for My Life? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-18/god-s-will-for-my-life https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-18/382/god-s-will-for-my-life Sun, 18 Feb 2024 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Jason https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-11/this-is-my-story-jason https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-11/383/this-is-my-story-jason Sun, 11 Feb 2024 11:30:00 -0500 The Cross of Christ: Where Love and Justice Meet https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-11/the-cross-of-christ-where-love-and-justice-meet Is God angry? Does he love us? Not only do we still encounter those questions in various forms—we still doubt the answers when we experience personal adversity, witness global catastrophe, or come face-to-face with evil. Where can we get definitive answers? Only one place: the Cross of Jesus Christ, where love and justice meet. Gather with us this week as we explore the Cross. Is God angry? Does he love us? Not only do we still encounter those questions in various forms—we still doubt the answers when we experience personal adversity, witness global catastrophe, or come face-to-face with evil. Where can we get definitive answers? Only one place: the Cross of Jesus Christ, where love and justice meet. Gather with us this week as we explore the Cross. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-11/381/the-cross-of-christ-where-love-and-justice-meet Sun, 11 Feb 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Inside Out https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-04/inside-out This fallen world assaults our heart with overwhelming force. It hands us a broken belief system and tempts us to incorporate it into every area of our life. In Romans 12, Paul calls us to recognize and resist that pattern—the spirit of this age. But that’s only half the work. And it’s not even the most important part. Paul follows the charge to resist, “Do not be conformed to this world” with an invitation to be transformed—from the inside out. How in the world do we do that? Good question! Join us at GraceLife this week as we tackle the rest of verse 2. Inside Out! This fallen world assaults our heart with overwhelming force. It hands us a broken belief system and tempts us to incorporate it into every area of our life. In Romans 12, Paul calls us to recognize and resist that pattern—the spirit of this age. But that’s only half the work. And it’s not even the most important part. Paul follows the charge to resist, “Do not be conformed to this world” with an invitation to be transformed—from the inside out. How in the world do we do that? Good question! Join us at GraceLife this week as we tackle the rest of verse 2. Inside Out! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-02-04/380/inside-out Sun, 4 Feb 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Join the Resistance https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-28/join-the-resistance Conspiracy Theories abound in our day. Flat Earth. Elite Reptiles who rule the world. Fake moon landings. Immortal Celebrities. The rabbit hole is bottomless. But in Romans chapter 12, Paul exposes the most sinister, dangerous, far-reaching conspiracy to date. But it’s not a theory to consider. It’s a force to resist. This fallen world, influenced by Satan, seeks to press us into its mold and make us into its image. Do you feel it? Are you resisting it? What’s at stake and where do we start? Don’t miss GraceLife this week as we continue in Romans chapter 12. Join the Resistance! Conspiracy Theories abound in our day. Flat Earth. Elite Reptiles who rule the world. Fake moon landings. Immortal Celebrities. The rabbit hole is bottomless. But in Romans chapter 12, Paul exposes the most sinister, dangerous, far-reaching conspiracy to date. But it’s not a theory to consider. It’s a force to resist. This fallen world, influenced by Satan, seeks to press us into its mold and make us into its image. Do you feel it? Are you resisting it? What’s at stake and where do we start? Don’t miss GraceLife this week as we continue in Romans chapter 12. Join the Resistance! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-28/379/join-the-resistance Sun, 28 Jan 2024 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Christie https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-14/this-is-my-story-christie https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-14/377/this-is-my-story-christie Sun, 14 Jan 2024 11:30:00 -0500 Offer Yourself to God https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-14/offer-yourself-to-god https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2024-01-14/376/offer-yourself-to-god Sun, 14 Jan 2024 11:30:00 -0500 The Weary World Rejoices https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-24/the-weary-world-rejoices https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-24/373/the-weary-world-rejoices Sun, 24 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0500 God's Gifts to His Church | New Elder Installment https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-17/gods-gifts-to-his-church-new-elder-installment https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-17/372/gods-gifts-to-his-church-new-elder-installment Sun, 17 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Maribeth https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-10/this-is-my-story-maribeth https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-10/371/this-is-my-story-maribeth Sun, 10 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0500 You Shall Call His Name Jesus https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-10/you-shall-call-his-name-jesus “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So Juliet dismisses the significance of Romeo’s name in Shakespeare’s famous play. And while we might sympathize with the lovesick feelings that would give rise to such a question, we can’t follow her in throwing out the importance of names altogether. Because when God brought His Son into the world, He commanded Joseph to give the boy a particular name. And He did so because through that name He wanted to highlight important truths about this holy child. So what’s in Jesus’ name? What does it mean, and how is it relevant to us today? Join us this week as we study the naming of Jesus in Matthew 1:18–25. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So Juliet dismisses the significance of Romeo’s name in Shakespeare’s famous play. And while we might sympathize with the lovesick feelings that would give rise to such a question, we can’t follow her in throwing out the importance of names altogether. Because when God brought His Son into the world, He commanded Joseph to give the boy a particular name. And He did so because through that name He wanted to highlight important truths about this holy child. So what’s in Jesus’ name? What does it mean, and how is it relevant to us today? Join us this week as we study the naming of Jesus in Matthew 1:18–25. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-10/370/you-shall-call-his-name-jesus Sun, 10 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0500 The Servant Who Came to Rule https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-03/the-servant-who-came-to-rule One word we tend to use a lot during Advent is “King.” We sing it in our Christmas songs: Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel Christmas, in essence, is the arrival of a king. That’s what the word “advent” means. The true king has arrived—to put things right and exercise his dominion. How will we respond? Psalm 2 offers a striking glimpse of “The Servant Who Came to Rule.” Join us for our first Advent sermon this Sunday at GraceLife. One word we tend to use a lot during Advent is “King.” We sing it in our Christmas songs: Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel Christmas, in essence, is the arrival of a king. That’s what the word “advent” means. The true king has arrived—to put things right and exercise his dominion. How will we respond? Psalm 2 offers a striking glimpse of “The Servant Who Came to Rule.” Join us for our first Advent sermon this Sunday at GraceLife. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-12-03/369/the-servant-who-came-to-rule Sun, 3 Dec 2023 11:30:00 -0500 The Ruler Who Came to Serve https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-26/the-ruler-who-came-to-serve And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. 29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. —Mark 1:28–34 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. 29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. —Mark 1:28–34 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-26/368/the-ruler-who-came-to-serve Sun, 26 Nov 2023 11:30:00 -0500 If it Wasn't for Me, I Wouldn't Have Any Problems at All https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-19/if-it-wasnt-for-me-i-wouldnt-have-any-problems-at-all Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. The Beatitudes 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. The Beatitudes 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-19/367/if-it-wasnt-for-me-i-wouldnt-have-any-problems-at-all Sun, 19 Nov 2023 11:30:00 -0500 Struck by Wonder Pt. 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-12/struck-by-wonder-pt-2 Are you numb? Feel dead inside and indifferent to what’s happening around you? Struggle to feel…anything? A growing demographic identifies with those symptoms. So you’re not alone. But you’re also not hopeless. What your numb heart needs most is what God gives us as we behold the penetrating wonders and glorious realities of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Paul helps us grow into deep worshipers who are alive to wonder. Join us this week as we finish Romans chapter 11, Struck by Wonder, Part 2. Are you numb? Feel dead inside and indifferent to what’s happening around you? Struggle to feel…anything? A growing demographic identifies with those symptoms. So you’re not alone. But you’re also not hopeless. What your numb heart needs most is what God gives us as we behold the penetrating wonders and glorious realities of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Paul helps us grow into deep worshipers who are alive to wonder. Join us this week as we finish Romans chapter 11, Struck by Wonder, Part 2. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-12/365/struck-by-wonder-pt-2 Sun, 12 Nov 2023 11:30:00 -0500 This is My Story | Brent https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-12/this-is-my-story-brent https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-12/366/this-is-my-story-brent Sun, 12 Nov 2023 11:30:00 -0500 Struck by Wonder https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-05/struck-by-wonder “Numb to the sensation of wonder.” That’s how one writer described those who’ve grown disenchanted with life. They feel dead inside, indifferent to anything profound. Could that describe you? Have you lost your sense of wonder, maybe through disappointment, neglect, tragedy, or cheap counterfeits? Has your perspective grown dull and your existence become one of mere survival instead of engagement? The Apostle Paul shows us the way back in Romans 11 with a captivating view of God. Come be Struck by Wonder with us this week at GraceLife. “Numb to the sensation of wonder.” That’s how one writer described those who’ve grown disenchanted with life. They feel dead inside, indifferent to anything profound. Could that describe you? Have you lost your sense of wonder, maybe through disappointment, neglect, tragedy, or cheap counterfeits? Has your perspective grown dull and your existence become one of mere survival instead of engagement? The Apostle Paul shows us the way back in Romans 11 with a captivating view of God. Come be Struck by Wonder with us this week at GraceLife. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-11-05/364/struck-by-wonder Sun, 5 Nov 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Jesus & Goliath https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-29/jesus-goliath David and Goliath - it's an iconic story with bigger-than-life characters (literally!). There's drama, tension, and surprise packed in every line. But is it anything more than a great story? What if this passage is more than a motivational message to all the underdogs? Join us this Sunday to see how the story of David and Goliath points to the truly iconic Champion. David and Goliath - it's an iconic story with bigger-than-life characters (literally!). There's drama, tension, and surprise packed in every line. But is it anything more than a great story? What if this passage is more than a motivational message to all the underdogs? Join us this Sunday to see how the story of David and Goliath points to the truly iconic Champion. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-29/363/jesus-goliath Sun, 29 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Living Hope https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-22/living-hope Hope is something all people need especially in times of suffering. People put their Hope in someone or something whether or not they admit it. The reality of this life is that things get hard whether we want them to or not and hope is what can help us push through and keep going. The question is “What is your hope actually in?” Is it in the things of this world or is it in the one person that true living Hope is actually found. Join us Sunday as we talk about the true living Hope we as believers have and how that helps us in the hard seasons of life. Hope is something all people need especially in times of suffering. People put their Hope in someone or something whether or not they admit it. The reality of this life is that things get hard whether we want them to or not and hope is what can help us push through and keep going. The question is “What is your hope actually in?” Is it in the things of this world or is it in the one person that true living Hope is actually found. Join us Sunday as we talk about the true living Hope we as believers have and how that helps us in the hard seasons of life. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-22/362/living-hope Sun, 22 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Out of the Shallows https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-15/out-of-the-shallows It’s easy to grow cynical and jaded with life. Following trending news and consuming superficial content feels comforting—just like eating junk food. That’s where so many people live, work, and play. It’s how their outlooks are being formed. Nobody is denying this, but onward we advance like insects to a bug zapper. How do we resist these forces that are shaping us? We need a more compelling narrative; a more captivating truth to take us out of the shallows. The Apostle Paul introduces us to some stunning realities in Romans 11. He shows us God’s redemptive work in the world in a way that fills us with hope, wonder, gratitude, and humility. There’s a word for that: worship. Will you leave the shallows and explore the depths with us at GraceLife this week? It’s easy to grow cynical and jaded with life. Following trending news and consuming superficial content feels comforting—just like eating junk food. That’s where so many people live, work, and play. It’s how their outlooks are being formed. Nobody is denying this, but onward we advance like insects to a bug zapper. How do we resist these forces that are shaping us? We need a more compelling narrative; a more captivating truth to take us out of the shallows. The Apostle Paul introduces us to some stunning realities in Romans 11. He shows us God’s redemptive work in the world in a way that fills us with hope, wonder, gratitude, and humility. There’s a word for that: worship. Will you leave the shallows and explore the depths with us at GraceLife this week? https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-15/361/out-of-the-shallows Sun, 15 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 God's Plan for Israel Pt. 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-08/gods-plan-for-israel-pt-2 What will happen to the nation of Israel in the future? We’ve been tackling that question from Romans 11. That’s where the apostle Paul gives one of the most tremendous prophecies in the Bible about God’s future plan for Israel. He calls it a mystery now revealed and tells us what God has been up to and what He is going to do in the future. It’s thrilling. It’s encouraging. It’s surprising. It will turn us away from pride, ignorance, and cynicism, and lead us into worship. Join us this week at GraceLife as we continue with, God’s Plan for Israel, Part 2. What will happen to the nation of Israel in the future? We’ve been tackling that question from Romans 11. That’s where the apostle Paul gives one of the most tremendous prophecies in the Bible about God’s future plan for Israel. He calls it a mystery now revealed and tells us what God has been up to and what He is going to do in the future. It’s thrilling. It’s encouraging. It’s surprising. It will turn us away from pride, ignorance, and cynicism, and lead us into worship. Join us this week at GraceLife as we continue with, God’s Plan for Israel, Part 2. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-08/360/gods-plan-for-israel-pt-2 Sun, 8 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Matt J. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-08/this-is-my-story-matt-j https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-08/359/this-is-my-story-matt-j Sun, 8 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 God's Plan for Israel https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-01/gods-plan-for-israel What will happen to the nation of Israel in the future? Will they continue in unbelief, rejecting Jesus until His return? Bible students have debated that question for ages. In Romans 11, the apostle Paul gives one of the most tremendous prophecies in the Bible about God’s future plan for Israel. He calls it a mystery now revealed and in no uncertain terms tells us exactly what God is going to do. It’s thrilling. It’s encouraging. It’s surprising. Join us this week at GraceLife as we consider, God’s Plan for Israel. What will happen to the nation of Israel in the future? Will they continue in unbelief, rejecting Jesus until His return? Bible students have debated that question for ages. In Romans 11, the apostle Paul gives one of the most tremendous prophecies in the Bible about God’s future plan for Israel. He calls it a mystery now revealed and in no uncertain terms tells us exactly what God is going to do. It’s thrilling. It’s encouraging. It’s surprising. Join us this week at GraceLife as we consider, God’s Plan for Israel. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-10-01/358/gods-plan-for-israel Sun, 1 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Suffering Comfortably https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-24/suffering-comfortably Suffering comfortably - is that even possible? Human logic tells us that certain things don't mix: pain and pleasure; joy and sorrow; oppression and refreshment. But Paul teaches that in the Christian life, suffering and comfort go hand-in-hand. We have already been rescued by God's grace and given the Holy Spirit, but we still live in a world where we are surrounded by sin and trouble. The presence and goodness of God can reach down to our deepest points of pain as we wait in the in-between. Suffering comfortably - is that even possible? Human logic tells us that certain things don't mix: pain and pleasure; joy and sorrow; oppression and refreshment. But Paul teaches that in the Christian life, suffering and comfort go hand-in-hand. We have already been rescued by God's grace and given the Holy Spirit, but we still live in a world where we are surrounded by sin and trouble. The presence and goodness of God can reach down to our deepest points of pain as we wait in the in-between. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-24/357/suffering-comfortably Sun, 24 Sep 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Grateful Insiders https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-17/grateful-insiders “I’m just grateful to be here!” That’s a humble response we often hear from newly discovered talent. Fresh in their memory is the poverty and perhaps obscurity they came from. They feel like they don’t belong in the spotlight. They are just grateful to be there. That’s precisely the posture commended for Gentiles in Romans chapter 11. We were impoverished. We were obscure. We were outsiders in every sense of the word. But God…by His sheer grace, has brought us near through Jesus. Now we are insiders. What a rich privilege we share. But are we grateful? Paul has a lot to say about that. Join us this week at GraceLife as we seek together to grow into Grateful Insiders. “I’m just grateful to be here!” That’s a humble response we often hear from newly discovered talent. Fresh in their memory is the poverty and perhaps obscurity they came from. They feel like they don’t belong in the spotlight. They are just grateful to be there. That’s precisely the posture commended for Gentiles in Romans chapter 11. We were impoverished. We were obscure. We were outsiders in every sense of the word. But God…by His sheer grace, has brought us near through Jesus. Now we are insiders. What a rich privilege we share. But are we grateful? Paul has a lot to say about that. Join us this week at GraceLife as we seek together to grow into Grateful Insiders. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-17/356/grateful-insiders Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Vitali https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-10/this-is-my-story-vitali https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-10/355/this-is-my-story-vitali Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Israel's Return Pt. 2 https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-10/israels-return-pt-2 Is God finished with Israel? Lots of Christians have asked that question. Paul—an Israelite—gives an encouraging answer, and shows us why we should care and what role we play as Gentiles. Don’t miss part 2 of Israel’s Return at GraceLife this week. Romans 11. Is God finished with Israel? Lots of Christians have asked that question. Paul—an Israelite—gives an encouraging answer, and shows us why we should care and what role we play as Gentiles. Don’t miss part 2 of Israel’s Return at GraceLife this week. Romans 11. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-10/354/israels-return-pt-2 Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Israel's Return https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-03/israels-return Lots of blood has been spilt over Israel’s place in the world. And lots of ink has been spilt over Israel’s place in God’s plan. It’s no secret that the nation of Israel has rejected Jesus as their Messiah—with some encouraging exceptions over the years. Since they have rejected God, has he rejected them? Is God finished with Israel? And maybe a question people consider but are afraid to ask: what does that have to do with me—a Gentile Christian? Join us at GraceLife this week for, Israel’s Return. Lots of blood has been spilt over Israel’s place in the world. And lots of ink has been spilt over Israel’s place in God’s plan. It’s no secret that the nation of Israel has rejected Jesus as their Messiah—with some encouraging exceptions over the years. Since they have rejected God, has he rejected them? Is God finished with Israel? And maybe a question people consider but are afraid to ask: what does that have to do with me—a Gentile Christian? Join us at GraceLife this week for, Israel’s Return. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-09-03/353/israels-return Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:30:00 -0400 God and Israel https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-27/god-and-israel https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-27/352/god-and-israel Sun, 27 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Careful Counsel https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-20/careful-counsel Have you ever been hurt by a Christian who thought he was helping? Maybe his words hurt you deeply because he showed no compassion. Or perhaps he was more eager to talk than to listen and lacked understanding. Well meaning Christians sometimes do great damage in the name of Jesus. Why is that? One reason is misdiagnosis. That’s not just a medical problem that plagues hospitals. It’s a spiritual problem that infects churches too. Let’s get some help with Careful Counsel at GraceLife this week! Have you ever been hurt by a Christian who thought he was helping? Maybe his words hurt you deeply because he showed no compassion. Or perhaps he was more eager to talk than to listen and lacked understanding. Well meaning Christians sometimes do great damage in the name of Jesus. Why is that? One reason is misdiagnosis. That’s not just a medical problem that plagues hospitals. It’s a spiritual problem that infects churches too. Let’s get some help with Careful Counsel at GraceLife this week! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-20/349/careful-counsel Sun, 20 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Unbelief https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-13/unbelief Why don’t more people follow Jesus? His offer is staggering. Rescue. Redemption. Rest. Restoration. All by grace. Anyone can get in on this! His messengers have been sent with this “good news.” But the response—especially from his own people, the Jews—has been small and unimpressive. Why? And what lessons can we learn from their rejection? Join us at GraceLife this Sunday as we finish up Romans chapter 10 with “Unbelief.” Why don’t more people follow Jesus? His offer is staggering. Rescue. Redemption. Rest. Restoration. All by grace. Anyone can get in on this! His messengers have been sent with this “good news.” But the response—especially from his own people, the Jews—has been small and unimpressive. Why? And what lessons can we learn from their rejection? Join us at GraceLife this Sunday as we finish up Romans chapter 10 with “Unbelief.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-13/348/unbelief Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0400 This is My Story | Marianne https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-13/this-is-my-story-marianne Every second Sunday of the month, we hear a testimony from one of our members. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance where they saw the goodness of God in their life. Every second Sunday of the month, we hear a testimony from one of our members. It could be a testimony of how they came to faith, or any other instance where they saw the goodness of God in their life. https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-13/350/this-is-my-story-marianne Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0400 Out of the Depths https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-06/out-of-the-depths I got arrested when I was twenty-one. It was 3 in the morning. I was afraid. I was embarrassed. I was intoxicated. The jail warden gave me one phone call. I didn’t have to think very deeply about who I’d call. I called my dad—for two reasons: I knew he would come and get me, and I didn’t have anyone else to call. I hit rock bottom that night. I wasn’t a Christian—yet. But God was working. What do you do when you hit rock bottom? Psalm 130 resonates deeply with people who face profound suffering, humiliation, and desperation. Join us this week at GraceLife for “Out of the Depths.” I got arrested when I was twenty-one. It was 3 in the morning. I was afraid. I was embarrassed. I was intoxicated. The jail warden gave me one phone call. I didn’t have to think very deeply about who I’d call. I called my dad—for two reasons: I knew he would come and get me, and I didn’t have anyone else to call. I hit rock bottom that night. I wasn’t a Christian—yet. But God was working. What do you do when you hit rock bottom? Psalm 130 resonates deeply with people who face profound suffering, humiliation, and desperation. Join us this week at GraceLife for “Out of the Depths.” https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-08-06/347/out-of-the-depths Sun, 6 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0400 One Big Story https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-07-30/one-big-story What is the point of all history? What is God up to in this world? What is His motive behind all of it? And how do we respond to Him? These are eternally important questions that our GraceLife Kids have been learning about at their Eureka gathering this week. It's all in God's One Big Story. And the Bible can help us summarize this story in 3 words: God saves sinners. Join us for our family-style celebration service, marking the end of an incredible week together learning about God and His truth. We will enjoy baptisms, new members, lunch, and Jeremiah's Ice! See you there! What is the point of all history? What is God up to in this world? What is His motive behind all of it? And how do we respond to Him? These are eternally important questions that our GraceLife Kids have been learning about at their Eureka gathering this week. It's all in God's One Big Story. And the Bible can help us summarize this story in 3 words: God saves sinners. Join us for our family-style celebration service, marking the end of an incredible week together learning about God and His truth. We will enjoy baptisms, new members, lunch, and Jeremiah's Ice! See you there! https://www.gracelifeflorida.com/sermons/sermon/2023-07-30/346/one-big-story Sun, 30 Jul 2023 11:30:00 -0400