Central Church Sermons

The last earthly miracle of Jesus before His crucifixion was the cursing of the fig tree in Mark 11:12-14. It is the only one of his miracles that was destructive. What was Jesus' purpose in this often-misunderstood miracle? What is the truth that He teaches us through it?

Peter shares a lot about Christian life and what it should look like. In 1 Peter, he discusses our progression from new believers to what will happen as we mature in Christ. He is direct in the challenges we will face and the difficulties we will have to overcome. He concludes this letter in 1 Peter 5 by addressing the conduct of the church. In this sermon, Heath Hudspeth will dig into 1 Peter 5:1...

When Jesus cleansed the temple in Mark 11:15-18, on first glance, it would appear that He was just angry from what he saw and determined to end the sinful practices going on there. However, as we explore this passage we will see that Jesus goes much deeper than this when He explains His actions to the people. What He says not only affected the people of that day, but also has a profound impact on...

In this sermon, we look at Jesus entering Jerusalem and the Temple in Mark 11:1-11. What does He show us about Himself and His purpose here? How do we (like the crowds) so easily miss it?

What is “mercy”? Today we’ll look at the power of the prayer, “Lord have mercy!” in Mark 10:46-52.

How should the church be led? What is the model of leadership for church leaders? What a relevant question as we are searching for our next Lead Teaching Pastor and seeking to select new elders! This morning we'll look at the Kingdom model of leadership that Jesus teaches in Mark 10:32-45.

Would you follow Jesus if it meant you would lose your job, or  your house, or even being alienated by your family? Today we’ll look at what Jesus says about this in Mark 10:28-31.

How does our wealth impact our ability to follow Jesus and enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Today we'll look at what Jesus has to say about this in Mark 10:17-31.

This week we will study Mark 10:13-16.  In this passage, Jesus uses children to exemplify what it means to receive the kingdom of God.  As distressed parents bring their ailing children to Jesus, the disciples rebuked them.  At this, Jesus turns to the disciples with indignation and rebuked them, warning them that if they do not become like children they will not enter the kingdom of God. My praye...

Last Sunday we looked at how Jesus began to address the subject of divorce by pointing back to God's ideal for marriage in Genesis 1:27 and 2:24. Today we look at what Jesus taught about what happens when we fall short of that ideal.

Mark 10 reveals that the topic of divorce was as controversial in Jesus’ day as it is today. In the first of a two-part series on Mark 10:1-12, we’ll look today at what Jesus teaches about the true design and purpose of marriage.

Today we look at what Jesus taught in Mark 9:38-50 about what the relationships between Christians should look like, especially in times of growing opposition and persecution.

In our humanity we all want to be great at something, just like the disciples in Mark 9:30-37.  However, Jesus teaches the disciples what true greatness is all about. His definition looks very different than the world's definition of greatness.  Which definition are we embracing in our lives?

"I do believe! Help my unbelief!" We can all identify with the father's cry to Jesus in Mark 9:24. This morning we look at what Jesus has to teach us about faith and prayer in our times of greatest need.

Of all the resurrection appearances of Jesus, His appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32 is the most puzzling. Why did they not recognize Him? Why did He not immediately reveal Himself to them?

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of what is commonly referred to as "Passion Week," the week of suffering Jesus Christ endured leading to His crucifixion. How did Jesus prepare His disciples for what would happen this week? He did so through the Transfiguration, which is our text today (Mark 9:1-12).

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus? This morning we will examine Mark 8:31-39, wherein Jesus answers this question. Rather than spend their lives in pursuit of their own pleasure or will, Jesus challenges his disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross and to follow him. This is what it means to truly follow Jesus.

Mark 8:22-26 is the only recorded healing miracle where healing was not instantaneous and took place in two stages. Why did Jesus heal the blind man in this way, and what is its relevance to us today?

Why did Mark include two almost identical accounts of Jesus miraculously feeding people (6:30-44 and 8:1-9) in his gospel? This morning we'll look at the response to these miracles by the disciples, by the Pharisees, and by us.

Is Jesus rude to the Syrophonecian woman in Mark 7:24-30? What does Jesus' encounter with this woman teach us about how we come to Jesus? What does it teach us about how we view people who "aren't like us"?

Today we look at Mark 7:14-23 and what Jesus has to say about whether we are or can be “pure” and “good.”

What is "tradition," and when is tradition helpful and hurtful to our lives, our relationships, and our church? Why is it so hard to change our traditions? How can our traditions hold us back from following Jesus? This week we'll look at these questions as we study Mark 7:1-13.

How do we find ourselves like the disciples in Mark 6:45-52, rowing furiously against the wind and getting nowhere? Where is Jesus in these times, and what does He want to do in our lives?

This week's passage in Mark 6:30-44 gives us a clear picture of Jesus' compassionate heart towards those who are spiritually lost and hungry. We'll also see how Jesus uses us to minister to others when we're overwhelmed and have nothing to offer.

Last fall, our church family nominated five men who they believed fulfilled the biblical qualifications of eldership (Titus 1:5-9, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4). Today, we gather together to support them as they are ordained, and in turn they promise to shepherd and care for us. While modern life does not have us encounter shepherds very often, it is still a powerful image of what our elders and...