Citizens Church Sermons

Psalm 107 is a case study of how God's love works in the lives of his people. He rescues the wanderer, redeems the sinful, saves the fool, and rescues those who are trapped in hard circumstances.

In this psalm, Asaph looks out at the suffering he’s experiencing, looks in at the doubt that ensues, and then looks up to God. Asaph is a great example of someone who when faced with doubts about the goodness of God, he turned those to honest prayer withs God. He turned towards God, even in the doubt, to have faith in the goodness of God. Scripture: Psalm 73

As we close the letters of John, we look back on the joy that John so frequently points to. We rightly long for joy, but we fail in our search for joy when we try to find joy based on circumstances, because joy points to something else. True joy points to the one who holds all of our circumstances, and all of us. Therefore when you see joy as a signpost, not a destination, you’ll find joy in God h...

In the last letter of John, we see two different lives: one self-centered, one other-centered. While pieces of both men live inside us all, the antidote to a selfish heart isn't white-knuckled effort, but locking our eyes onto Jesus—the ultimate King who emptied Himself to serve and save us. When Christ becomes our greatest joy, our lives naturally transform into beautiful expressions of gener...

In a world full of theological disagreement, how do we hold truth and love together? Should our respons be the same in every kind of disagreement? 2 John helps us see truth in love means having an others-centered, Christ-exalting agenda behind the sharing of truth. Scripture: 2 John

The story of Peter is a reminder of how Jesus calls each of us out of the life of sin and shame that we find ourselves, and into is a better one; a life that rests in our identity in Christ, our trust in Christ, obedience, and God’s sanctifying work in us to change us more into the image of Christ.  Scripture: John 21: 4–19

In the conclusion of 1 John, God’s people are charged to confidently carry on in Christ. As our blessed assurance steadily rests in Jesus, it transforms how we talk to God, how we fight for each other, and how we survive a culture filled with idols. Scripture: 1 John 5:13–21

There’s a battle for control in the world, but the victory has already been won by Jesus Christ. And yet sometimes we lose where we are in the story, and we feel discouraged by suffering and sin. But John reminds us in his letter, how the Christian has indeed overcome, because in Christ, victory lies in our faith.  Scripture: 1 John 5:1–12

John is reminding us again that it’s not our commandment keeping that justifies us, it’s the saving work of Christ and the transformation that God brings in his children. Because God is holy and righteous, so too is his love. And as children of God, we can only love because He first loved us.  Scripture: 1 John 4:17–19

This passage in Revelation is a warning for the lukewarm Christian—the Christian who can know the gospel, and live for Jesus but does so moderately, and worse, not realize their mediocrity. Because we can get lost with being comfortable in our faith. God doesn’t require his church to be perfect, but the cure to lukewarmness is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture: Revelation 3:14–22 Guest Preache...

We can only reflect what we have received, therefore in Christ, we are able to love one another because he first loved us. And so through Christ’s cross shaped love, we become a cross shaped people. Scripture: 1 John 4:7-12

We are being formed by everything we take in. We need discernment to test the ways we might be deceived by false teaching, and the ways we might be distracted from the gospel. Scripture: 1 John 4:1–6

Living hope isn’t based on a feeling, it’s based on the Living God. For the Christian, death does not get the last word, because in Christ we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading—a living hope.  Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3–4

This passage highlights the stark difference between our own accusing heart and God’s voice of grace. When the heart convicts, that can be a sign of life, but in Christ, our hearts shouldn’t condemn us anymore. The way to deal with your condemning heart is to humble it in front of the throne of God, with confidence in his character and heart. Scripture: 1 John 3:19-24

Being part of God’s family causes us to live differently. We never fully arrive this side of glory, but we are being slowly shaped to look more like Jesus. To be part of the family of God means to be changed by God’s values. God said love one another, so as children of God, we aim to live and love like Jesus. Scripture: 1 John 3:10–18

This passage really gets at the heart of our identity as God’s children, and what it means to be transformed by Jesus over time. Between the first coming of Christ and His resurrection, and the second coming that is to come with the resurrection of the Saints, we are in the already not yet, lawless, yet still children of God by God’s grace. Scripture: 1 John 2:28–3:10

We are living in a time where it can be hard to know what is real and true? John writes to Christians to give them confidence in the reality of Christ and help them discern how to hold on to the truth. Scripture: 1 John 2:18–27

This passage serves as a warning. John is reminding his listeners of the very nature of our hearts to focus on the things of the world instead of God, because our hearts are deceptive. Instead of looking to the world for identity and meaning, John urges us to look to the age to come when God finally sets the world right. It’s only in God that life eternal is found. Scripture: 1 John 2:15–17 Guest...

Forgiveness of sin is a once and for all act of grace. We continually need it and God continually gives it. Which means our obedience doesn’t have to be perfect, because Jesus is our advocate and our propitiation, we can rest in that assurance, while still pursuing obedience.

In this passage, John unpacks the message that God is light, meaning his very nature and character is always right and true, and good. Out of this confession, our conduct reflects what we believe, and our confidence is bolstered in the one true Savior. Scripture: 1 John 1:5-2:2

Today we begin a new series in the letters of John. The world in which John is writing these letters is not so different from our own—a world with many false teachers, looking for answers everywhere but Jesus. John’s reminder to them is still true for us: If you believe in the gospel of Christ, then you believe in what is true, and even with an imperfect faith, you stand with a long line of Christ...

God’s love is a transformative love that gives regardless of what He receives. He loves those who don’t love him back. It is a love that sacrifices; a cross shaped love. The world can only offer love that costs nothing and changes nothing. But God’s love costs everything, and changes everything. Scripture: John 3:16–18

Our inner voice of condemnation and blame, is a symptom of a heart that’s far from God’s voice of grace. You could lean into performance, or a cultural understanding of happiness, but God’s wisdom is more transformative than that. The better thing is that we bring our condemning hearts into the presence of God, humble our voice towards His, in order to be transformed to look more like image bearer...

This life is not without its trials and sufferings, but when we try to control what’s out of control, we miss God’s true desire for relationship with him. When we remember that life is a gift and God is the giver, we can respond in gratitude and surrender to the one in control.  Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11–13

The apostle John was given a vision for what heaven will look like—A world that is real, where we are with God; a world with no pain, where nothing is wrong; and a world full of love, where all is made right.  Scripture: Revelation 21:1-8