FBC Allen - Sermons

Passage: Mark 12:35-44 God's plan rarely looks the way we expect it to, and that is precisely the point. Jesus challenged the religious leaders of His day by pointing to a Messiah who was both Lord and descendant of David, a truth that shattered their limited expectations. He then called out the scribes for their pride and hypocrisy, making clear that God sees what others overlook. In contrast, a...

Passage: Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a lifelong process of becoming more like Him, and Deuteronomy 10 gives us a clear picture of what that journey requires. God calls His people to five foundational expectations: fearing the Lord, walking in all His ways, loving Him, serving Him wholeheartedly, and keeping His commands. The honest truth is that none of us can meet the...

Passage: Luke 7:36-50; Luke 22:14-23 She did not clean herself up before coming to Jesus. She came broken, knelt at His feet, and poured out everything she had. And He called her whole. What would it look like if you stopped trying to earn what He has already freely given? His grace always comes first. Your response is simply what flows from it.

Passage: Mark 12:13-44 What if the very thing keeping you from truth is something you do not even realize is there? Hatred, pride, and self-righteousness do not announce themselves. They just quietly close our hearts. A branch does not strain to produce fruit. It simply stays connected to the vine. Are you striving, or are you abiding?

Passage: Mark 11:27-12:12 You cannot do anything today to make God love you more, and you cannot do anything to make Him love you less. So why do so many of us still live like we have to earn it? Hard hearts do not form overnight. They grow through small, quiet decisions to choose our own desires over God. Are you guarding your heart, or slowly silencing the warnings?

Passage: 1 Peter 2:1-3 What if one of the clearest signs of spiritual growth has nothing to do with how much Bible you know, but everything to do with how you treat people? First Peter chapter two gives every believer a practical and honest look at what it really means to grow in faith. Are you still hungry for God, or have you settled for just enough? There is always more.

Passage: Mark 11:12-26 What if your life looked fruitful on the outside but had nothing to offer on the inside? Jesus walked into the temple and found exactly that. He is not impressed by outward appearances or religious activity. He is looking for real fruit. Are you bearing it? Dig into Mark 11:12-26 and discover what the Prophet King actually expects from His people.

Passage: Mark 10:46-11:11 The crowd was screaming for Jesus to save them. He walked right past their expectations. Bartimaeus had nothing, no status, no influence, no plan, and he got exactly what he needed. What is the difference? One group wanted rescue on their own terms. The other simply asked for mercy. Which one are you?

Passage: Mark 10:32-45 What takes top priority in your life? In Week 24 of our Gospel of Mark series, Dr. Paul Michael Vacca walks through "The Priority of the King," examining how Christ calls us to reframe our vision, values, and devotion around His eternal reign. Streamed live at FBC Allen on August 23, 2026. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this message with someone who needs encoura...

Passage: Mark 10:13-31 What does it actually cost to follow Jesus? Mark 10 answers that question through three encounters that reveal the true nature of the kingdom of God. When the disciples turned children away from Jesus, they exposed a heart shaped by ambition and a misunderstanding of what the kingdom is. Jesus responded with genuine indignation and declared that the kingdom belongs to those...

Passage: Mark 10:1-12 What if your marriage was never just about you and another person? From the very beginning, God designed marriage to show the world something about Himself. When the enemy attacks your home, he is not just targeting your relationship. He is targeting the testimony. Is your home pointing people toward Jesus?

Passage: Mark 9:30-50 They were arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus responded by putting a child in the room. What does it look like to walk in true humility? Not low self-esteem. Not thinking less of yourself. Thinking of yourself less because you are genuinely thinking of others more. That is the life Jesus modeled and the life He calls us into.

Passage: Mark 9:14-29 Is there any area of your life where you are trusting God so completely that there is no plan B? Where if He does not come through, it is a failure? Or is everything still something you can manage and control while you talk the Christian talk? The most honest prayer in all of Scripture might be the one you need most right now: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. God is not wai...

Passage: Mark 8:34-9:13 What if the hardest season of your life is not the end of your story, but the path to something greater? Jesus never spoke about the cross without also speaking about the resurrection. The glory He revealed on that mountaintop was a promise for every believer who follows Him through suffering. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory...

Passage: Mark 8:27-9:1  What if the version of Jesus you have been following was shaped more by your expectations than by His actual words? Peter made the greatest confession of faith recorded in Scripture and then, just moments later, was compared to Satan. Not because he stopped believing, but because he tried to tell God how things should go. Jesus is still asking the same question He asked nea...

God said I will to Abraham. He said I will through Moses. He said I will to David. And He said I will again through Jeremiah. Every single time, He delivered. What would your life look like if you actually took God at His word this week? The covenants of Scripture all share one pattern: God speaks, and His people respond. His faithfulness is not the question. Yours is.

Passage: Psalm 84 What if the problem with your church experience has nothing to do with the music, the seats, or the message? Psalm 84 asks a question most of us avoid: do you actually long for God, or just for what He gives? One day in His presence is better than a thousand anywhere else. Do you believe that? Do you live like it?

Passage: John 13:1-17 Jesus washed the feet of the man who was about to betray Him. He knew exactly what Judas was going to do, and He served him anyway. That single act removes every excuse we have for withholding service from the difficult people in our lives. What would it look like this week to pick up the towel?

Passage: Mark 8:1-26 86 years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me? Polycarp's powerful declaration before his martyrdom challenges us: What does true discipleship look like when following Jesus gets hard? Are you trying to make Jesus fit your expectations, or are you surrendering to his will?

Passage: Mark 7:24-37 What if the very people we avoid are the ones Jesus came to save? When Jesus healed a Gentile woman's daughter and a deaf man in pagan territory, He shattered every cultural barrier. Your background doesn't disqualify you from God's love - and neither does theirs. Are you building bridges to Jesus or walls?

Passage: John 8:2-20 Jesus didn't tell us to find the light—He said follow Me because I AM the light. What areas of your life need His illumination today? When Christ's light reveals the darkness in our hearts, it's not to shame us but to heal us. Are you ready to step out of the shadows?

Passage: Mark 7:1-23 In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is not merely a teacher or miracle worker — He is the King, and He is calling for the throne of your heart. In Week 15 of our journey through Mark, Dr. Paul Michael Vacca challenges us to examine what truly rules our lives and invites us to surrender every area to the Lordship of Christ. True life, peace, and purpose are only found when Jesus reign...

Justin Harvey Passage: John 21:1-14 When life gets overwhelming, where do you rush for relief? The disciples went back to fishing after Jesus' resurrection, working all night with nothing to show for it. But when Jesus appeared on the shore, everything changed. Peter didn't wait to get his life together - he jumped in the water and swam straight to Jesus. What if the rest you're desperately seekin...

Passage: Luke 1:26-56 A teenage girl received the greatest news in human history - and her response changed everything. When the angel told Mary she would give birth to the Savior, she faced potential death by stoning, social disgrace, and family shame. Yet her simple words reveal the kind of faith that transforms lives: 'Let it be according to your word.' What would you surrender if God asked you...

Mark 6:45-56 What if the storm you're facing isn't meant to harm you, but to reveal God to you in a greater way? When Jesus walked on water to His struggling disciples, He didn't just calm their storm - He revealed His true identity in their darkest hour. Are you fighting against God's will or surrendering to discover His presence in your difficult season?