Carlton Landing Community Church Sermons

In the middle of the book, Jesus is proclaimed the king of all the nations of the earth. But why doesn't it look like he's reigning? The Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of the earth. It is a proclamation, a mustard seed, and a treasure. Understanding the "already and not yet" of the kingdom helps us to live in and proclaim the kingdom of our Lord until he comes again.

After the 6th seal, we expect a climactic judgment scene in heaven, but instead, as the 7th seal opens, there is 30 minutes of silence. God and the Lamb are present in the silence, and an angel gathers up the prayers of the people and casts them down to the earth. A pattern emerges that every Christian must learn: silence, prayer, and action. 

God's favorite metaphor for leadership in the Bible is shepherding. It was not a glamorous profession, but shepherding shows us an insight into the heart of God. In Revelation 7, the Lamb steps forward to shepherd God's people and we get a glimpse of what it's like to follow Jesus's loving leadership. 

The heavenly throne room erupts with singing, praise, and worship to the Lamb. The chorus crescendoes when the Lamb steps forward to open the scroll and fulfill the promises of God. This passage shows us that Jesus is worthy of our worship and encourages us to join in with the chorus of heaven. 

It's easy to follow the crowd and walk in the way of the world. But God didn't promise to make us better people; he promised to make us new. The Christian life is one of total transformation from beginning to end. Sometimes, it's as simple as walking in a different direction.  Preacher: Terry Feix 

Joy is a trademark of the Christian life, but how do you get it? In Philippians, Paul commands the church to rejoice! In John 15, Jesus promises his followers joy. All through the Bible joy comes from communion with God. Even in trying circumstances and intense suffering, we can find joy through Jesus Christ.  Preacher: Kerwin Dees

We talk a lot about Jesus in the past and Jesus in the future, but what is Jesus doing now? In the book of Revelation, there are nine visions of Jesus that reveal who he is and what he's doing now. These visions round out our picture of Jesus and encourage us to persevere to the end.  

Saul of Tarsus was an unlikely candidate to become a Christian. As a persecutor of the church, he was running the opposite way, and God turned him around, forgave him, showed him grace, and sent him on a mission. As the last testimony in our series, this passage shows us that God can save anyone!

The gospel began making its way out into the world and there was a God-fearing Gentile in Caesarea named Cornelius. He confronts us with an important question: Do good people need to convert? Though he was a good person, through he Gospel he became a godly person. 

On a desert road headed out of Jerusalem, two unlikely characters crossed paths and one was changed forever. The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is a stunning conversion that reminds us of the power of God's word, the nature of evangelism, and the unlikely people God draws to himself. His story is one of seeking, finding, and rejoicing.

Rahab was written off in every way possible. She is one of the least likely converts in the Bible, but she had heard about God. When the opportunity came, she put her trust in him. It's no surprise that she's listed in the great "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11. She shows us what it means to put our faith in God, no matter what we've done or where we find ourselves. She was far off, and by faith, she...

Naaman was an unlikely convert for an unusual reason: he had no need for God. He was totally successful in everything he tried, except for one thing. He had leprosy. He had searched far and wide for a cure when a slave girl asked if he would be willing to try the prophet in Israel. Naaman was incomplete, he received grace, and was made whole. 

All through the Bible, God brings the outsiders and the unlikely into his family. Maybe no one was more unlikely than Obed-Edom, a placeholder for the ark of the covenant whose life was completely transformed by God. What can we learn from his testimony about following Christ? Obed-Edom went from a placeholder to a beholder to a doorholder. We've been called to do the same.

In his final words to the church in Philippi, Paul thanks them for their gifts and encourages them for their generosity. This church was special to him because of their long partnership in the gospel. But then he explains the secret to being content in every circumstance and ends the letter with one of the great lines in Scripture: "And my God will supply all of your needs through his riches in gl...

Do not worry. Easier said than done. But in the final section of the letter to the Philippians, Paul gives us the secret to peace and the antidote to worry.

Our lives are highly influenced by who we follow. Paul calls on all Christians to set their eyes on godly examples who will lead them to Christ. 

Though he seems that way to us, Paul was not perfect. He didn't have it all figured out, but he knew one thing: keep pressing on. The Christian life is lived in motion, moving toward the goal and finishing the race. In this passage, we find tremendous comfort and an inspiring challenge. We press on because Christ has made us his own. That precious truth sustains us through the race.

If you could use one word to describe the apostle Paul, what would it be? He might have picked "joyful." Here in the letter of joy, in the final chapters, Paul shows us how to have joy that can never be taken away.

The Bible is more than a list of what to do and not to do; it's filled with examples of people just like us following Jesus. Paul gives us two of these examples in Timothy and Epaphroditus. These men show us how to live in such a way that those who look at our lives will only be able to conclude that something massive has changed in our hearts.

What is our role in the Christian life, and what is God's? Paul puts it this way, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." But how does this work in practice? Growing requires us to know God's work, our work, and the attitude we should have as we grow. 

When Paul turns his attention to humility, he reaches for the greatest example of all time - Jesus's life, death, resurrection, and ascension. By looking to and imitating Christ, we can walk in humility and unity as a church.

Sitting in prison, how was it that Paul could say, "To live is Christ and to die is gain"? Paul made it his great ambition to make much of Jesus Christ and magnify him in every circumstance. He urges us to do the same. In this passage, we see a great ambition for our lives, a mission to adopt, and growth areas to focus our efforts.

Justin Whitmel Earley spoke at our first Marriage and Family Weekend, April 26-28, 2024. Justin is an attorney in Richmond, Virginia, an author, and a speaker. In this second message, he discusses the habits and liturgies for technology and media.   Get Justin's book Habits of the Household .

Justin Whitmel Earley spoke at our first Marriage and Family Weekend, April 26-28, 2024. Justin is an attorney in Richmond, Virginia, an author, and a speaker. In this first message, he discusses the habits and liturgies of the Christian home. Get Justin's book Habits of the Household .

It was customary to give an update at the beginning of a letter. Paul gives the church a synopsis of his situation but adds a twist. He views his imprisonment not as a setback but as an advance of the Gospel. By seeing Paul's perspective, we too can view our sufferings as the work of God for us and through us.