Grace & Peace PGH

“Questions are never indiscreet, answers sometimes are.” – Oscar Wilde

“In the heart of ultimate reality, John saw a Savior who still bears the marks of his suffering – a Lamb who was slain, yet conquered death.” – Nancy Guthrie, Blessed, 98.

“The worship of God is the heartbeat of the cosmos, even when we humans on earth do not see it, participate in it, or value it. Only God is worthy to receive what others, especially powerful political figures, may want or demand: our total devotion, our praise, our crowns.” – Michael J. Gorman, Reading Revelation Responsibly, 107.

“The messages to the seven churches establish a context in which readers of Revelation can ponder the meaning of the visions that will unfold in the next chapters. We have seen that those who were first addressed by the book faced issues ranging from persecution, to assimilation, to the complacency that arises from prosperity… The promises that were made at the end of each message are not forgotte...

“The reproof is startling and designed to bring change. The goal is to shake the congregation out of its complacency and into a renewed relationship with Christ.” – Craig R. Koster, Revelation and the End of All Things, 73.

This is a sermon from guest preacher, Gavin Breeden.

“Could it be that the Christian faith is unthinkable for many people today more from prejudice, misinformation, and neglect than from honest investigation?” – Dick Keyes, “A Crisis of Meaning” in Finding God at Harvard, 85.

This is a sermon from guest preacher, Gavin Breeden.

“…to be heavenly minded is to live in light of the age to come. To maintain a heavenly orientation is not to withdraw from the earthly creation but rather to view the earthly in light of the heavenly.” – Michael D. Williams, Far As the Curse is Found, 301.

“God’s answer to everything that ever terrorized us is a child. The power of God is so far superior to the Assyrias and all the big shots of this world that he can defeat them by coming as a mere child. His answer to the bullies swaggering through history is not to become an even bigger bully. His answer is Jesus.” – Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, 99.

“God’s first word to fallen man has all the marks of grace. It is a question, since to help him He must draw rather than drive him out of hiding.” – Derek Kidner, Genesis, 70.

“You have made us for yourself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in you.” – Augustine

This is a sermon from the guest preacher, Derek Bates.

“The letter to the church at Philadelphia invites us to ask ourselves: Am I walking through the doors that Jesus has opened for me to share the gospel?” – Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation, 82

This week's open discussion.

This is a sermon from guest preacher, Nameun Cho.

Travis' comments on the Letter to the Church of Sardis: "Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy." - Revelation 3:4 Sardis is one of two churches in Revelation 2-3 that receives only a rebuke and no commendation. Some folks wonder if that is correct? Isn't 3:4 a commendation of this church? That i...

Some challenges of idolatry for the modern believer: Far from idolatry being a relic of the distant past of paganism, idolatry is an ever present temptation and struggle for believers in every age, including our materialistic, rationalistic, and scientific one.

"Seven churches, different in so many ways from one another. Seven churches, similar in so many ways to the churches in which we live and serve Jesus. What one thing do all these churches need to fortify them against the enemy's frontal assaults, to make them savvy to his subtle stratagems, and to make them loyal to God and compassionate toward their oppressors? They need to hear Jesus' voice... H...

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." —Jim Elliot

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." —Jim Elliot

"A church can continue only for so long on a loveless course. Continuing on that course means ceasing to be a church. Its lampstand is removed." —Leon Morris

Note: This recording had an error part way through and ended abruptly. Apologies for the delayed upload and partial sermon.

"From this point onwards, the centrality of Christ is the ruling theme of Revelation. All things depend on their relation to him." —Michael Wilcock

"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine." —R.E.M.