The Grove Sermon Podcast

The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a moment in history, it changes everything. In this Easter message from Mark 16:1–8, we see how the resurrection fulfills God’s plan of redemption, echoing the Exodus and revealing Jesus as the true and better deliverer. The empty tomb proves that the cross worked, the grave is conquered, and new life is available to all who believe. This isn’t just a story to...

What do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan? In this message from Habakkuk 3, we see a powerful transformation. The prophet begins the book questioning God, but ends it worshiping Him. His circumstances didn’t change but his perspective did. Even in seasons of uncertainty, loss, or confusion, we are invited to rejoice, not because life is easy, but because God is faithful. Ultimately, th...

Evil doesn’t go unnoticed, it doesn’t go untracked, and it will not go unjudged. In this message from Habakkuk 2:2–20, we wrestle with a question every honest heart has asked: Does God really see what’s happening in the world and will He do anything about it? God’s answer to Habakkuk is both sobering and hopeful. He reveals that sin is not random or overlooked. It is building, spreading, and will...

In this message, Pastor Roland explores what it looks like to follow God when His plans feel confusing or even unsettling. Habakkuk wrestles with a shocking revelation from the Lord. God is raising up Babylon, a ruthless empire, to judge Judah. The prophet knows God is holy and just, yet what God reveals doesn’t seem to fit with what Habakkuk understands about His character. Instead of turning awa...

When life feels confusing and God’s response doesn’t match what we expected, it can shake our faith. In Habakkuk 1:5–11, the prophet cries out to God over the corruption and injustice he sees in Judah. When God finally answers, the response is far bigger and more unsettling than Habakkuk imagined. Instead of immediate relief, God reveals that He is already at work among the nations. His plan invol...

Ever felt like your prayers are hitting the ceiling? In this message we step into the tension of a prophet who doesn’t begin with praise but with a burden. “How long, Lord?” Habakkuk isn’t doubting God’s existence; he’s wrestling with God’s apparent inaction. Corruption is rising. Justice is twisted. Violence fills the land and heaven seems quiet. But silence in Scripture does not mean absence. It...

In this message from John 14:15–26, we explore what Jesus meant when He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commands.” Is obedience legalism? Is it optional? Or is it something deeper? In the Upper Room, just hours before the cross, Jesus ties obedience to love, empowerment by the Holy Spirit, and abiding fellowship with the Father. Biblical obedience is not about earning God’s love, it is the...

In Romans 7, Paul describes the frustration of knowing God’s law but lacking the power to obey it. In Romans 8, he reveals the answer: the indwelling Holy Spirit. This message explores three foundational truths: The Holy Spirit defines who belongs to Christ, The Holy Spirit transfers us from self-rule to God’s rule, The Holy Spirit brings resurrection life now and forever. Christianity is not mora...

What does it mean to truly be made new? In this sermon we turn to Ephesians 2:1–5 to see the power of the Gospel at work. Scripture reminds us that we were once dead in our sin, hopeless and separated from God, but through His great mercy and love, God made us alive with Christ. This message calls us to stop defining ourselves by their past and to step into the new life Jesus offers. Victory isn’t...

In a world where truth feels flexible and personal, Jesus confronts us with something far more solid and far more demanding. In this message from John 18:28–38, we examine Jesus’ conversation with Pilate and the timeless question, “What is truth?” Jesus doesn’t present truth as an argument to win, but as a reality revealed by a King. He declares that He came into the world to testify to the truth...

In a culture where truth feels increasingly subjective, how can we know what is real and who has authority to define it? In this message from 2 Peter 1:16–21, we explore why God’s Word is trustworthy and why that matters for everyday Christian living. Peter reminds us that Scripture is not built on myths or opinions, but on eyewitness testimony, divine affirmation, fulfilled prophecy, and the work...

In this message from Colossians 1:13–20, we explore what it means to think biblically about Jesus in a world full of opinions, preferences, and distorted versions of Christ. Paul writes to the church in Colossae to confront a subtle but dangerous error: redefining Jesus instead of submitting to Him. If we misunderstand who Jesus is, we will misunderstand salvation itself. This message calls us to...

What does it mean to think biblically about sin? In Romans 3:9–26, the Apostle Paul brings every person, religious and irreligious alike, to the same conclusion, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Sin is not a minor flaw or a manageable habit; it is universal, corrupting, and destructive. Until we see sin clearly, grace will always feel small. But when we understand the seriousnes...

What you believe about God shapes everything else. In this sermon from Exodus 34:5–9, we begin our series Thinking Biblically by letting God define Himself. Set against the backdrop of Israel’s rebellion with the golden calf, this passage reveals a compassionate, gracious, and faithful God who presses in rather than pulling away. If we don’t allow Scripture to shape our understanding of God, somet...

In this message, we step beyond the manger and into a late night conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a religious man who had everything except new life. Jesus makes it clear, salvation is not about behavior modification or religious effort, but about being born again by the Spirit. Christmas doesn’t just celebrate that Jesus came near, it confronts us with why He came and the answer changes...

Christmas Eve is a sacred pause, a moment when the noise quiets and our hearts are drawn back to what matters most. In this Christmas Eve message, we walk through Matthew 1:18–23 and rediscover the meaning of the name Immanuel. This is not a sentimental title or a seasonal slogan. It is a theological declaration that God has come near. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Matthew 1:18-23 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland C...

Why did Jesus have to die? In this Christmas message from Hebrews 2:14–18, we explore the deeper meaning behind the incarnation and the cross. Jesus didn’t come merely to inspire us, He came to destroy death itself. The manger only makes sense because of the cross. And the cross changes everything. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Hebrews 2:14-18 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online:...

In Colossians 1:15–22, the apostle Paul lifts our eyes to the supremacy of Jesus Christ and shows us why Christmas is more than a moment in history. It is God’s plan to restore what sin shattered. In this message, we see three unshakable truths, Jesus is first. He is the image of the invisible God and the source of all creation. Jesus is supreme. All things were created through Him and for Him, an...

When John opens his Gospel, he doesn’t start with shepherds or angels, he starts in eternity. In this sermon, Pastor Roland walks through John 1:1–18 to show how Jesus came not only to save us, but to reveal the Father to us. If you’ve ever wondered what God is really like, or how Christmas speaks into your everyday life, this message will encourage your heart and draw your eyes toward Jesus, the...

God is faithful to His mission and He invites us into that mission with grace, purpose, and perseverance. In this message, Pastor Roland walks us through the closing scene of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey and shows us what faithfulness looks like in the life of a believer. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:24-28 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.r...

The Gospel keeps moving forward even when life pushes back. In Acts 14:21-23, Paul is bruised, bloodied, and left for dead yet he gets up and walks back into the very towns that tried to destroy him. Why? Because faith runs deeper than fear, and the mission of Christ is worth more than our comfort. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:21-23 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: h...

You can see God move and still miss God Himself. In Acts 14:8-20, Paul and Barnabas perform a miracle in the city of Lystra but the people mistake them for gods. The same crowd that tried to worship them soon tries to kill them. It’s a story of spiritual blindness, misplaced devotion, and the grace of God that still raises the fallen. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:8-20 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contr...

When the Gospel comes to town, hearts are revealed. In Acts 14:1-7, Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium, and the city divides. Some believe, others resist. The Gospel doesn’t flatter; it confronts. It tests, reveals, and refines. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras challenges us to examine which side of the line we’re standing on when the truth of Christ exposes what’s inside. SCRIPTURE REFER...

The Gospel divides hearts. Some draw near with humility, others turn away in pride. In Acts 13:42–52, Paul’s sermon in the synagogue exposes a dangerous truth: you can be surrounded by God’s work and still miss His grace. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras challenges us to examine our hearts, are we following Jesus out of curiosity or conviction? Learn how God’s grace draws us in, pierces ou...

In Acts 13, Paul preaches the Gospel through the lens of history, showing how every part of God's story points to Jesus. From the calling of Israel to the resurrection of Christ, we see a God who is faithful, sovereign, and still at work today. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 13:13-41 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.reachthegrove.com/ Facebook: https://www.fac...