Coram Deo Church Sermons

Because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, you should drop everything and follow Jesus. Every human being is a follower of someone or something. At the end of Matthew 4, Jesus announces that the kingdom of heaven is near and calls his first disciples to follow him. In this sermon, we examine what it means to drop everything and follow Jesus in light of the kingdom of heaven. Series Description: Jes...

Because Jesus resisted temptation, you can too. Temptation isn’t a religious thing; it’s a human thing. Every human being recognizes that there are things they are tempted by. But what’s the solution? In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus himself is tempted, yet he fully resists. In this sermon, we explore the fact that because Jesus resisted temptation, you can too. Series Description: Jesus is the hero of al...

In previous eras, people fought and died for their views of baptism. But in our era, it's often seen as a religious ritual that has little practical significance. In Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, demonstrating that he has come to identify with sinful humanity. In this sermon, we explore the significance of Jesus’ baptism and how, in Christian baptism, the Christian receives the...

Two things are simultaneously true about every human being: we all long for something greater than ourselves to worship and serve, yet we fiercely resist any authority that threatens our control. This tension is represented in the magi and King Herod in Matthew 2. In this sermon, we explore the remarkable truth that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel's hopes (and ours). In Jesus, the nations are g...

Names carry meaning. In his birth account, Matthew introduces two names that reveal who Jesus truly is. He is called Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. He is called Immanuel, because he is God with us. In this sermon, we reflect on how these two names reveal the character and identity of Jesus: He is God incarnate who has come near to save sinners, and his presence never leave...

The letter 'N' is the key to understanding the Bible. Rise, decline, anticipation – this is the story of the Old Testament, and the story of your life may follow a similar pattern. In the introduction to Matthew's Gospel, we learn that the arrival of Jesus is both a culmination and a new beginning. Jesus Christ is the focal point of history – and because he is, we should orient our lives around hi...

In this sermon, we explore the Bible's vision of intentional transformation, summarized powerfully in Romans 12:1-2. Every human being is being transformed. Change is not something only religious people seek; it's something every human being seeks. How do God's grace and our purposeful effort fit together in the pursuit of change? That's the question we seek to answer in this sermon.

By God’s grace, Coram Deo Church celebrates 20 years of gospel ministry this month. As we praise God for His faithfulness and look forward to what lies ahead, we welcome guest preacher Scotty Smith to preach about the transforming love of Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, preached by one of Coram Deo’s church planting partners, Dave Comeau, we explore what it means to follow examples who know where they are going and who also know where they belong. To be human is to seek to imitate and follow someone. Human beings are creatures who gravitate toward the examples of others, whether for good or for ill.

In this sermon honoring Coram Deo's 20th birthday, Pastor Bob unpacks three aspects of a coram deo approach to gospel ministry. In 2 Corinthians 4, the Apostle Paul describes his conviction that gospel ministry is to be done "in the sight of God." This verse was one of the foundational texts behind the name of Coram Deo Church.

In this sermon, we explore what it looks like to bring feelings of doubt and despair before God. Every human being goes through seasons of doubt. But what do we do in those moments? Psalm 74 describes a time in Israel's history when it seemed God had abandoned his people. Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each summer we mine their riches. Their imagery, poetry,...

In this sermon, we follow the Psalmist's own journey to resolve his spiritual doubts and questions as he navigates a world that often seems unfair and unjust. Every human being longs for the right kind of leadership and rule. When we experience good leadership, we want to follow. When we experience poor leadership, we lament and seek other guidance. Series Description: The Psalms are the song book...

In this sermon, we explore the reality that we all want a king who exercises dominion, brings prosperity, and delivers his people. Every human being longs for the right kind of leadership and rule. When we experience good leadership, we want to follow. When we experience poor leadership, we lament and seek other guidance. Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each s...

In this sermon, we unpack what it means to be a people of hope. God's word gives us timely hope for various stages of life, culminating in the timeless hope of the resurrection. Some sort of hope drives every human being. It’s core to our humanity. But is your hope strong enough to anchor you through all the seasons of life? Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and eac...

In this sermon, we explore the gift of desperation and how it can lead us into deeper intimacy and worship of God. As the saying goes, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” To be human is to experience moments of desperation. But in those moments, what do we do and where do we turn? Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each summer we mine their riches. The...

In this sermon, we explore some of the hindrances to resilience, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ empowers us for a life of resilience. If you're going to live a meaningful life, you need to cultivate resilience. But it's a quality that's elusive and increasingly rare in today’s society. Loneliness and opposition can be major hindrances to a resilient life. Series Description: The Psalms are the...

In this sermon, we explore how God’s work in the past anchors God’s people in the present. Every one of us is story-formed. We are shaped by what happens to us and by how we respond. But if we dwell only on our own stories, we can become self-focused and self-absorbed. Psalm 68 shows us the way out: we need a bigger story. The biblical writers ground us in God's story, showing how the narrative of...

Psalm 67 shows us the right way to seek God's blessing: not individually, but communally. We should ask God to show favor to his people, because the flourishing of the church leads to the flourishing of the nations. The word "blessing" might be overused in religious circles, but it gets at something profound: we all want God's blessing. We want God to favor us, to smile upon us, to be happy with u...

In this sermon, we explore the anatomy of Christian worship: the what, why, when, how, and who. Human beings aren't just thinkers or lovers or doers; we are worshipers. And the Bible calls us to worship God. So what exactly does that look like? Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each summer we mine their riches. Their imagery, poetry, and theology invite us to de...

In this sermon, we explore the reality that each one of us needs a greater vision of the God who is provider, powerful, and personal. Whether you are a Christian or not, everyone has an idea about who God is. And how you view God has massive implications for every facet of your life. Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each summer we mine their riches. Their image...

In this sermon, we examine the truth that God is just judge, and we explore why that's good news for the world. Psalm 64 is a psalm full of reversals: the wickedness of humanity is upended and judged by God. Series Description: The Psalms are the song book of God's people, and each summer we mine their riches. Their imagery, poetry, and theology invite us to deeper worship of God and remind us of...

In this sermon, we explore the reality that Christians are called to bear one another's burdens in such a way that we are participating in one another's sanctification. As disciples of Jesus who are filled with the Spirit, Christians are called to bear one another's burdens. But what exactly does that mean? And why, a few verses later, does Scripture exhort us that "each will have to bear his own...

In this sermon, we explore what it looks like to live out the call to "welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you." Throughout his ministry, Jesus Christ welcomed both outsiders and insiders, both the tax collector and the religious scribe. His ministry broke down social, political, and economic barriers. And because Jesus is our Great High Priest, his followers, who have received the welcome...

Whose responsibility is it to teach in the local church? Because Jesus is our great high priest, all Christians are called to "teach and admonish one another" (Colossians 3:16). In this sermon, we explore what it looks like to live out this command in the ordinary life of a local church community.

In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church mandated that Christians confess their sins to a priest. But since Jesus is our great high priest, Christians actually have the freedom and responsibility to "Confess your sins to one another" (James 5:16). What if we actually did that? In this sermon, we explore how the grace of Jesus empowers us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one ano...