Cities Church Sermons

In this sermon Pastor David Mathis examines a chapter and a half from Exodus, specifically examining portions of the case law, and how those portions shed light on the character or heart of God. Mathis highlights the truth that God wrongs no one when he extends his saving compassion to his people in Christ. He did not compromise cosmic justice to show us mercy. He put his own willing Son forward a...

In this sermon, Pastor Joe Rigney examines Exodus 21 and gives us insights into how to approach the "case law" that is included as part of the Old Testament. The case law gives us examples that reveal the morality and will of God, and we can use that to help us navigate various situations in our modern world. This sermon especially highlights the laws related to slavery and helps us understand how...

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley gives us an "Exodus Refresh." He overviews the story of the first nineteen chapters of Exodus and lays the foundation for what we see in Exodus 20 with the giving of the Ten Commandments. In this sermon, we ultimately see that God rescues his people and then gives them the Law as a means of cultivating intimacy with his own chosen people. Ultimately, Jesus pays t...

In this sermon, Pastor Kenny closes our Summer of Psalms series by examining Psalm 44, another Psalm of lament, but this one takes the lament a bit further by not only lamenting but also protesting. The Psalmist raises the question: "If God loves us, why doesn't be stop the tragedies we face? In this sermon we are reminded that there will certainly be times in this life when we feel like God has l...

In this sermon, Pastoral Resident Max Kozak preaches from Psalms 42-43. Max explains the value of laments in the Psalms and how they point us to God—our only hope in times of trouble and insecurity. When we feel alone and in anguish, we can lament, we can cry out to God. He is our hope. And the ultimate hope us demonstrated at the cross, where Jesus Christ took on our sins upon himself and died in...

In this sermon Mike Schumann examines Psalm 41 and gives us a great word of encouragement and challenge. We are reminded that today we have sorrow, today we have pain, today we have worry, today we have doubt, and one day our bodies will be laid in the dust. But we will not go down with it, because God will raise us up to dwell in the city that has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the gl...

In this sermon, Pastor Joshua examines Psalm 40 and reminds us that nothing can stop an "idea whose time has come." Therefore, we ought to seek the Lord and patiently wait for his intervention. God has revealed himself to us, he has shown us his steadfast love and faithfulness, which will always sustain us and preserve us. We can be confident that God will not restrain His mercy from us.

In this sermon Pastor Mike Polley examines Psalm 39 and helps us see David's emotional turmoil as he laments and seeks the mercy of God. We are reminded that, like David, our hearts have illnesses that we do not know of, but Jesus aims to heal them. Jesus is our reconciler. Often, he will not give us to fleeting joys because he loves us too much. Pastor Mike challenges us to trust in Jesus to rece...

In this sermon Pastor Ryan kicks-off our third installment of 'Summer of Psalms' at Cities Church. He examines Psalm 38 and helps us see three things: our sin often messes everything up in our lives, that the pain we experience after our sin is often God’s mercy in disguise, and only God’s mercy can save us from God’s wrath.

In this final sermon of the Living Hope series, Pastor Kenny Ortiz examines the last section of 1 Peter 5. He reminds believers that there is a future grace awaiting Christians, so let us guard one another to ensure that no one is devoured by the devil. We must be alert, and sober-minded, and cast our anxieties on God, because he cares for us. We learn that Christians will win our war against sin...

In this sermon, Pastor Joe examines 1 Peter 5:1-5 and, simultaneously, seeks to model for the congregation the exhortation found in the passage. In this passage the apostle Paul gives insights into the role of the elder and exhorts the elders to shepherd the people well. We are reminded that, ultimately, Christ is the chief shepherd, the overseer of our souls. Christ rules his church and governs h...

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan Parnell examines 1 Peter 4:12-19. In this passage, the apostle Peter returns again to the topic of suffering, which has been a major theme throughout this book, but here especially, in these verses, Peter dives into this topic with more detail. He gives us here the Christian perspective on suffering, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. This is a sermon on...

In this sermon, Pastor David Mathis examines 1 Peter 4:7-11 and exhorts us to remember the times in which we live, rely on the strength and grace of that Christ supernaturally supplies, and to remember our calling, that is to fulfill the command to love another because, as Peter reminds us, love covers a multitude of sins. In the post-pandemic world of the next few months and years, there will be...

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan clearly asserts that our biggest problem is the fact that our sin separates us from God. Pastor Jonathan examines 1 Peter 3:18-4:6 and clearly shows how Christ is the answer to that massive problem. Jesus is our supreme treasure, and he was the one who solved our sin problem. In his death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled God's purpose for us, he defeated our enemie...

In this video, Mike Schumann examines 1 Peter 3 and reminds us that we are called to represent Christ in this age, no matter what face. We ought to be prepared to speak of Jesus and proclaim the hope he has promised us. We may encounter social unease or even harm for the gospel. We're not to be seek ought suffering, we're not to be looking for opposition, looking to pick a fight, for that would no...

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan examines 1 Peter 3:1-7. This passage covers some essential ideas and doctrine related to marriage that seem controversial in our modern culture, specifically with the Bible's call to women to submit to their husbands, and the Bible's call for men to use their authority in a God-honoring manner. However, we must be willing to be informed and governed by the Scripture...

In this sermon Pastor Kenny examines 1 Peter 2:11-25 and exhorts us to keep our conduct honorable. The apostle Peter gives us this exhortation and grounds this in our identity in Christ, which Peter has been unpacking throughout the early segments of this letter. Ultimately, Peter gives us these exhortations: Abstain from the passions of the flesh. Keep your conduct honorable. Be willing to submit...

In this sermon, Pastor Ryan Griffith preaches from 1 Peter 2:1-10 which is a transition passage in this epistle. This sermon is the sixth of fourteen sermons in our series on 1 Peter and this text serves as the key for Peter's Old Testament exposition and his encouragement to the persecuted Christians. This passage is packed with Old Testament imagery, allusion, and quotation which helps us better...

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan exposits 1 Peter 1:22-25 and exhorts us to love one another. The apostle Peter gives us this exhortation and roots this in both the atoning work of Christ and the prophecy of the Old Testament from the prophet Isaiah. Here we are reminded that God caused us to be born again—apart from our own ability or choice. We believed the Gospel because God has given us the abil...

In this sermon Pastor Joe exposits 1 Peter 1:13-21 and helps us to see that the Father pays our debts and ransoms us with something even more precious than earthly material. He pays with the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. This was the plan all along. Jesus was foreknown, chosen before the foundation of the world for this mission, and he was manifested at the...

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan exposits 1 Peter 1:10-12 and helps us see how the Bible is inspired by God and how its message is relevant to our lives. We see that the Old Testament prophets described the living hope in the Messiah and their hope in the resurrected Redeemer, alluding to Jesus, and when they wrote their words they wrote them for us today. The same Spirit who guided the prophets in...

In this sermon, Pastor Mike Polley exposits 1 Peter 1:3-9. He reminds us that God has caused us to be born again and has given us a living hope! When we come to faith in Jesus, we do not merely conform to a set of facts about Jesus, but we believe in him, and trust him... we entrust our lives to him. This births joy in us and inspires us to honor God in our suffering. And when we face trials, our...

In this sermon, Pastor Kenny kicks off our sermon series on 1 Peter. This letter is written to Christians facing suffering. This sermon looks at the introduction of this letter. In the brief introduction Peter refers to Christians as "elect exiles" because we, as Christians, are not living in our homeland, which is heaven. We are sojourners in this world, strangers in this land, just passing throu...

In this sermon, Pastor Joe Rigney examines John 11, highlighting the key elements and themes seen in the narrative about Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead. Jesus waited to arrive—if he had arrived in their town sooner, he would have been able to heal Lazarus before death. But Jesus waited. Why? Because he loved Lazarus. We clearly see that Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus, and becau...

This sermon is the sixth and final installment of our ROOTED series. Pastor Jonathan examines passages from the book of Colossians, exhorting our church to be rooted in the faith, to embrace the vision of our congregation, and to commit to investing in the future ministry of our church. Christ has rescued us, therefore we commit to sharing the good news with others—the good news that Jesus saves s...