Mercy Fellowship Sermons

Rooted to be Resolved - To be resolved is to endure being uncomfortable for the purpose of a greater reward. There is a lot we will endure on earth before our final reward in Heaven. When we are deeply rooted in Christ, even living scattered in the world, we are resolved that we will not be shattered even in the face of great resistance and even evil. 

Leadership has an Impact – Good intentional leaders facilitate flourishing for all. Absent, apathetic, or abusive leaders cause frustration and inflict pain for those they are called to lead. The answer for bad leadership cannot be a rejection of all leadership, for that would be chaos causing more harm. Rather there should be humble servant leadership.  

Suffering is Not Theoretical – Where there is sin and brokenness in the world suffering will be experienced. This side of Heaven, suffering is not the exception but the rule. However, being rooted in our identity, our dignity, and our destiny helps us endure suffering. At times we may be shaken, saddened, or unsettled, but we shall not be shattered.  

Rooted Together - A Rooted life is not lived alone or on our own. We are redeemed to be part of a community of the redeemed. Our roots will be healthier and deeper when they are growing together with others who are growing. Being Rooted can lead to a greater sense of blessing now and an enduring hope driven by the salvation we have received in Christ. 

We are created for relationships. We have relationships with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Each of these can be important and edifying. However, God has created one earthly relationship unique and distinct from all others both in its nature and in what it represents. Marriage has been given by God to men and women to reflect the exclusive, faithful, and pure relationship He has with...

Submission & Subversion – Obedience to authority is not often our default response, especially when we experience leadership that is at best inept or at worst unjust. How or why should we respond with submission when our desire is subversion? We remember who has ultimate authority and who will bring perfect justice. We follow leadership now knowing there is a greater King ruling forever.

How are we significant? We can often wonder what makes us valuable or gives us purpose in a world where meaning and importance seem fleeting. When we look to other people for our sense of worth, we experience shame when we are met with rejection rather than received with honor and affirmation. Individual dignity is essential for flourishing, but our significance is exponentially greater when our i...

How do we grow and change? Few of us are satisfied with who we are, all of us want to see positive changes in our lives. We know old, ineffective ways of being will not birth what we need to become. Good news for eternity should be good news for today. We are made new to be new. Gospel proclamation, with Holy Spirit power, leads us to a new life of purity. Our conduct matters to God, but it is a r...

Hope is the anticipation of a better future than our current reality. We desire better futures because our present does not satisfy. Without hope we can easily fall into despair, especially in difficulty. When we are rooted in a living hope it can give us real joy and greater endurance in all situations.

Who am I? This is an existential question of identity we all wrestle with. It is essential to understand who we are first for us to effectively navigate what we do and how we respond to the world around us. While we grow and change during our lives, our sense of identity must remain rooted in something or someone greater than us.

The Preacher is closing out his sermon. Because there is a creator God we are being called to faith in Him. Life under the sun is not to be engaged with tepid insecurity, but rather dive in and BE BOLD and rejoice in the good life God has given as early in life as possible.  

Urgency is dialed up to 11 because life is short and the time to dive into greater life is now. Engage your life with a mission and purpose. To enjoy something good and valuable requires a bit of an adventure. There are storms at sea and you can get off course. You experience anticipation, disappointment, resolution, excitement and celebration.

Chapter 10 can feel like a trip to a chaotic farmer’s market where different booths are all connected but sometimes in ways that don’t easily make sense but can lead to clarity and hope.