Community Church - Sermons

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. - 1 Timothy 1:5-7

Paul's instructions in this passage place prayer at the forefront of the church's life and mission. Prayer is not an optional discipline or a private last resort; it is the primary means by which the gospel is advanced and society is prepared to receive it. The congregation is called to pray in multiple forms—specific requests, general prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving—so that the church’s w...

First Timothy is presented as a pastoral, practical call to holiness centered on a cleansed heart, sincere faith, and steady service. Timothy’s background—young, discipled by family and Paul, planted as pastor in Ephesus—frames a charge to lead the church as the pillar and foundation of truth. Central to that charge is an inner work: confession, repentance, and surrender produce a renewed heart an...

With a new year underway, attention turns to a fresh journey through 1 Timothy—Paul’s field manual for embodied faith and healthy church life. The backdrop is pastoral and practical: Paul writes from Macedonia to Timothy, his trusted co-laborer in Ephesus, to help a relatively young and timid leader hold steady in a contested environment. Timothy’s story matters here—nurtured by a believing mother...

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him’” - Matthew 2:13

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger...

We are in a season of asking, “What shall we name the baby?”—King, Savior, Emmanuel—and today, Son of God. Scripture calls Jesus the Son of God not as a title of sentiment, but as a declaration of His divine identity and authority. From the beginning, humanity forfeited its God-given rule by obeying the serpent. Evil’s vandalism of God’s world flows from that surrender. But the Son of God came to...

Growing up, we knew Christmas was close when the tree went up. That childhood longing points to a deeper truth: from the very beginning, God has longed to be with His people. In Eden, He walked with Adam and Eve, creating us in His image to enjoy relationship. Sin introduced fear and hiding, but it never canceled God’s desire. Enoch walked with God. God chose Abraham and formed a people. He gave i...

Christmas brings us back to the name given before Bethlehem’s manger ever saw a cry—Jesus. Matthew 1:21 anchors our focus: “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” In Scripture, names aren’t labels; they carry identity and purpose. Just as Samuel meant “God has heard,” and Elijah meant “Yahweh is my God,” the name Jesus—Hebrew Joshua—means “Savior,” an...

We are in Advent, asking, “What shall we name the baby?” and Scripture answers: Jesus, the Son of David, the true King. From 2 Samuel 7, God promised David a dynasty that would endure forever—not a single project or one generation, but a kingdom that would outlast time. That promise reaches back even further to Judah in Genesis 49: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah… until Shiloh comes,” a p...

This morning, the focus is on the heart of missions—what it truly means to participate in God’s work in the world. It’s a privilege that God invites imperfect people to be part of His perfect plan, not as spectators, but as active participants. Over the past five years, our journey in Mexico has involved evangelism, supporting churches, running a secondhand store to help the poor and fund ministry...

As we gather today, we come to the end of our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus lays out the blueprint for life in the kingdom of heaven. He begins with blessings for those the world often overlooks and then turns our expectations upside down, calling us to a radically different way of living—loving our enemies, giving in secret, praying with sincerity, and forgiving one another...

This morning, we gathered to reflect on the heart of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:12, often called the Golden Rule: “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” This single sentence distills centuries of God’s revelation, from the law of Moses to the voices of the prophets, into a call for love in action. God’s desire has a...

The journey through the Sermon on the Mount brings us to a crucial teaching in Matthew 7:1-11, where Jesus addresses the theme of judgment and discernment. The call is not to abandon all evaluation or to live passively in the world, but to approach others with humility, self-awareness, and a deep sense of our own need for grace. Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring ou...

Today’s focus is on the often-overlooked spiritual discipline of fasting, as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Fasting, along with prayer and giving, forms the heart of a vibrant Christian life. While prayer and giving are commonly practiced and discussed, fasting has largely fallen by the wayside, both in our culture and in the church. Yet, Jesus places it on equal footing with the othe...

Today’s focus is on the heart of prayer as Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. Prayer is not meant to be a performance for others, but an authentic, private conversation with our Heavenly Father. Jesus warns against praying for the admiration of people or using empty, repetitive words to sound spiritual. Instead, the invitation is to come before God with sincerity, seeking connection rather...

Today’s reflection centers on the heart behind our giving and the difference between outward acts of charity and genuine generosity. We began by looking at two modern examples: Chuck Finny, who quietly gave away his fortune to help others, and Mark Zuckerberg, who pledged to donate most of his wealth but did so in a way that kept control and public attention. These stories set the stage for Jesus’...

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” - Matthew 5:48

Today’s passage from Matthew 5:21-32 invites us to look beyond the surface of our actions and examine the true state of our hearts. Jesus challenges the mindset that righteousness is simply about avoiding the “big sins” like murder or adultery. Instead, He reveals that the law was always meant to point us toward a deeper transformation—a heart that reflects God’s own character. In a culture, both...

In a world that often resists the message of Christ, God is calling each of us to step out boldly and live as citizens of His kingdom, wherever He has placed us. The call is not to imitate the unique ministry of someone like Charlie Kirk, but to be faithful and unashamed in our own spheres, letting the light of Christ shine through our lives. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, defines what it mean...

The journey through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-16 reveals a radical call to live differently from the world. From the very beginning, God’s desire has been for His people to be set apart, not conforming to the patterns of those around them. This call to distinctiveness is not about outward appearances or mere religious activity, but about a deep, inner transformation that begins with recognizin...

The call to “be the church” is not just about attending a service or belonging to a group, but about living out an active, engaged faith as part of Christ’s body. Every believer, upon surrendering to Jesus, is not only welcomed into the universal and local church but is also called to participate, to serve, and to use the unique gifts God has given. Too often, church is seen as a spectator event,...

Today’s focus is on the truth that we are built to belong—created by God to live life together as a spiritual family. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation, but in deep, authentic community with one another. Just as a single coal quickly grows cold when separated from the fire, so too does our faith lose its vibrancy when we try to walk alone. The early church in Acts 2 gives us...

Committing to the church is not just about signing your name on a membership list or attending services; it’s about surrendering your life to Christ and becoming a living sacrifice, daily choosing to walk in His ways. The journey begins with recognizing our need for Jesus, confessing our sins, and inviting Him to be Lord of our lives. This is the foundation of being part of the universal church, b...

As we gathered, I invited us to reflect on what it truly means to be the church—not just in a universal sense, but as a local body of believers. While every Christian worldwide is part of Christ’s universal church, the practical, tangible expression of that reality is found in our local gatherings, like ours here at 317 County Road 303. In today’s culture, it’s easy to treat church like a buffet,...