Compass Weekly Sermons

Listen to two remarkable testimonies by Jason Carter and Renee Dugan, followed by a sermonette by Pastor Will.

Jesus has arrived, and he has brought peace, joy, and hope. But what is the point of all of this? The point of every promise, every prophecy, every action of God throughout time, is love. God loves us, and He is reaching out to us today, no matter what we are going through.

As we move through the story of the people of God, tracking the expectation of the Messiah, we come across the Davidic covenant. This was the moment when God revealed that there would be a coming king and an eternal kingdom. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant - he is the true coming king. Knowing the coming king and the goals behind the coming kingdom should give us great jo...

One important thread through the scriptures is the suffering savior or the suffering servant. In this sermon, Pastor Will traces this theme through the life of Joseph into Isaiah 53, showing that God is with you in your suffering and that He can bring beauty out of your suffering. Our job in community is to not look away when others we know are suffering.

Looking back at the beginning of the story, we find hope for the coming king from an early time. In Genesis 1 and 2, God grants humanity this remarkable world and authority within it. But in Genesis 3, humanity fails an early test. Thankfully, the story doesn't end there! In Genesis 3:15, we get the first promise of a coming deliverer. We all fail from time to time, but God does not leave us or fo...

In the beginning of the Jesus movement, there was a man named Saul who was zealously pursuing the early church. After Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he needed help. That help came in the form of a disciple of Jesus named Ananias. Ananias was bold to face his fears and trust the Lord Jesus. Because of Ananias, Saul eventually became the apostle Paul and helped teach many people about Jesus...

During the lifetime of Jesus, he faced a lot of conflict with the religious leaders, including the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Sanhedrin. There was so much peer pressure, if you aligned with Jesus, you were kicked out of the religious community! In that charged environment, we find two secret disciples of Jesus in high places: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. These two men decide to boldly...

In a dark time for the people of God, Baruch stood up for what was right. In this sermon, Steve Longley tells the story of Baruch, showing us that we can take a bold stand for God since we are convinced that His Word is true.

In a dark time for the people of God, a noble priest named Jehoiada and his wife save the Davidic dynasty by hiding a future king named Joash. Six years later, Jehoiada boldly leads a coup to place the rightful king on the throne. Victory was won, until Jehoiada died. Joash, the king, was obedient to God while Jehoiada was alive but didn't persevere afterwards. In this sermon, Pastor Will talks ab...

At the end of King David's life, one mighty man of valor stands out for his faithfulness to the Davidic dynasty and his bravery: Benaiah. From his early days winning battles against two trained men of Moab, a lion in a pit, and a super-tall Egyptian until the end of his military career protecting the interests of King Solomon, Benaiah shines as an example of faith and faithfulness. In this sermon,...

In 1 Samuel 25, we come across an interesting record. We find King David running from Saul and waiting for his exaltation to the throne of Israel. And while he usually does a good job of being righteous, in 1 Samuel 25, his anger almost leads him to make a grave mistake. Who saves the King? A woman named Abigail! In this sermon, Pastor Will works through 1 Samuel 25 and the account of Abigail, sho...

Jonathan, the son of Saul, is a remarkable example of courage in the face of difficult times. In this sermon, Dan Kruer walks through 1 Samuel, showing that Jonathan was a man who trusted in God to do amazing things for the people of God, was loyal to his father and his best friend even when they shared animosity, and protected the line of kings coming before Christ.

In the middle of a time when many people were unfaithful to God, Hannah stands out as an example of faithfulness and obedience. After waiting years to have a son, Hannah cries out to the Lord, and He hears her. In this sermon, Pastor Will talks about infertility, Hannah, and how her example of faith prefigures the gospel.

In the book of Judges, one particular judge stands out as faithful, confident, and righteous - Deborah. In this sermon, Pastor Will explains Judges 4 and what we know about Deborah, showing her example of faith in the midst of a seemingly impossible situation.

Rahab had just about everything going against her: she was a Caananite, a pagan, and she lived in a city that was about to be destroyed. But in the midst of all of that, we find a redemption story. In this sermon, Pastor Will explains the story of Rahab and how it shows us that none of us are too far from the reach of the love and mercy of God.

The life of Moses was filled with ups and downs. During the middle portion of his life, one of the constants was a man we know as Jethro. In this sermon, Rev. Leon Weller walks through Exodus 18, showing that wise advice comes from many places and that we have a responsibility to speak up in love when we have the opportunity.

This is the opening sermon in the Unsung Heroes series. What happens when two enslaved midwives disobey the most powerful ruler in the world? In this sermon, Pastor Will explains the story of Shiphrah & Puah, two midwives, showing that true bravery is about doing what is right no matter the consequences.

We have been talking about generosity through the lens of money, but this sermon focuses on "space-time" generosity. What does it look like to give your time and space to those around you? In this sermon, Jason Carter surveys the Biblical practice of generosity, encouraging us to give more with the time and resources that we have to share God's love with others.

One of the big themes in the Bible is that God wants everyone to have what they need. From the beginning of Israel under the Law of Moses to the time of Jesus and the apostles, God's desire has been for the poor to be supported (and ultimately, to not be poor). In this sermon, Pastor Will traces the topic of supporting the poor through scripture, showing the simple truth that generosity to the poo...

What does the Bible really say about tithing? The truth may surprise you! In this sermon, Pastor Will describes the ancient practice of tithing, showing that it is not a New Testament practice. Instead, the New Testament teaches generous freewill giving. God wants us to cultivate hearts full of generosity, ready to share whatever we have in love.

No matter what emotions you are feeling or what your circumstances are, you can (and should) trust in God. In this sermon, John Ely walks through the famous Psalm 23, showing that God is a worthy shepherd for our lives and that we can trust Him in the good times and in the valley of the shadow of death.

Have you ever heard the term "righteous anger"? Psalm 10 shows a beautiful example of righteous anger, with the psalmist lamenting the status of the poor and vulnerable. In this sermon, Pastor Will talks about Psalm 10, the life of Jesus, and how difficult anger can be to master. We need to process our anger before we act.

What happens when we sin? Most people want to hide and try to cover things up. That's what David did in 2 Samuel 11, but that didn't lead to wholeness and healing. Psalm 51 was written after David felt remorse for what he had done wrong, and it provides a pathway to healing through confession. Join Pastor Will as he walks through Psalm 51, looking at the emotion of remorse and the healing path of...

What do we do when we experience pain and suffering? Psalm 22 gives one example of the language of lament and protest. Instead of giving humanity a clear, theological explanation for pain and suffering, God instead gives us language to approach Him in our darkest times. Join Pastor Will as he explains Psalm 22 and its implications for our modern Christian faith.

Psalm 91 is a song likely written to a king or another military leader leading troops into battle. In this psalm, we find ancient wisdom about how to handle fear and anxiety. Join Pastor Will as he walks through this text, showing that God meets us in our place of vulnerability and invites us to open up to Him.