Covenant Community Church Indianapolis

Sunday, December 8, 2024 – Covenant Community Church Scripture Text” Luke 1:67-79 NRSV  As part of our Advent Sermon Series: The Songs of Luke’s Gospel, last week Pastor Wallace focused on Mary’s Song, The Magnificat, which she sung in response to the news that she was to be the mother of Jesus. Today, we will look at the Song of Zechariah. In his song, Zechariah declares to the people that despit...

Scripture Text: Genesis 32:9-10   This week our nation celebrates the holiday of Thanksgiving. Today, our world, our nation, and especially we ourselves are standing at an inflection point, facing a crisis, uncertain what the future will be; languishing between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division. But even at this critical point for Jacob, the son of the p...

Scripture Text: Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Today, many of us are facing a fair amount of anxiety during these post-election days. Many are in shock – terrified, confused, and heartbroken. Perhaps it takes “times like these” to shake us out of a fairly comfortable armchair faith in Christ – to get us to take a deep breath – and to lead us to examine more closely the claims and promises Jesus has made. There...

Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:38; 11:1-2, 12:1-2 (NKJV) In today’s message Pastor Wallace concludes his Hebrews Sermon Series -Part V, on “The Only Way to Live.” Hebrews 11 is set up by Hebrews 10:38 which says, “Now the just shall live by faith.” Habakkuk lived in a day of violence, degradation, apostasy and danger. God told Habakkuk his responsibility was to live in an uncertain age by faith. Accor...

Scripture Text: 1 Kings 17:1-16 (NIV)  In First Kings 17, a grievous drought had spread throughout the land, but the Lord had kept His servant Elijah safe, secret, and satisfied by brook Kerith. One of the questions the story about Elijah raises is how do we not only survive but THRIVE? How do we prosper? How do we receive the blessings in life that God wants to give us? When things are going grea...

Scripture Text: Hebrews 3:1-6 (NRSV) Today, we are launching a new sermon series on the Book of Hebrews. The preacher of the Book of Hebrews is writing to encourage the Christians to not give up or lose their faith during the difficulties they are facing for serving the Lord. The writer reminds them and us that we share in a heavenly calling. Jesus has made you holy and is bringing you to glory pa...

Scripture Text: Hebrews 4:12-13 (NRSV) In today’s message, we will discover why the Bible is so important for our church. In Part II of our sermon series on the Book of Hebrews, we will learn another way God helps us to keep our faith to the end: we are reminded about the Word of God. Pastor Wallace takes this opportunity to reflect upon what is said in this passage with a desire to renew and incr...

Scripture Text: Hebrews 10: 32-36 (KJV) In today’s message, Pastor Wallace continues to teach about the writer of Hebrews encouraging us to keep up, not to give up our faith in hard times. Therefore, he reminds us that we have need of patience. Having said that, there are three things Pastor Wallace wants to write upon your heart as we look at this Scripture telling us how to hold on to a promise....

Scripture Text: Hebrews 10:32-37 (NRSV)   In Hebrews 10, verses 32 and 33, you have the story of God’s people that were enduring affliction. These people were suffering – they were suffering emotionally, physically, and economically. Although America’s economy is among the strongest in the world; yet many Americans are suffering. Some of the early Christians were thinking about throwing in the tow...

Christians often think of Jesus as the guy with all the answers. However, when you read the biographies of His life in the New Testament you will find that Jesus preferred to ask people questions. Maybe it’s because the right question can open the door to radical transformation. Jesus asks questions that invite pondering, that encourage contemplation, that don’t lend themselves to easy answers.  O...

Part 5 in our sermon series: “Endure” is “Finish Well,” and the Apostle Paul was the foremost example of one who finished well. The lessons we learn from this aging apostle will enable us to run well today, while encouraging us to finish well tomorrow. First, Paul sees himself as a “drink offering” about to be poured out. The drink offering was a symbolic way of saying, “I gladly give all that I h...

The verses towards the end of 2 Timothy underscore the reality of life as a disciple of Jesus. Sometimes you can do everything right and still be mistreated – even by those who claim to be Christians. This was the case with Paul as he expresses in today’s passage, 2 Timothy 4:14-18. No one stood in his defense. This deeply wounded Paul. Humanly speaking, he stood alone. There is an epidemic of lon...

In continuing Part IV of our sermon series: “Endure”, we see that Paul encouraged Timothy, his “son in the ministry,” to keep going. To Continue. In verses 1-7, Pastor Wallace shares with us the things that are needed for Timothy and you to continue on. They are: 1) The Pattern of a Godly Life (vv. 10-11); 2) The Price of a Godly Life (vv. 12-13); 3) The Perseverance of a Godly Life (vv. 14-15); a...

In today’s message, Paul is telling Timothy to receive strength, to be strengthened. The source of that strength is not in Timothy. He did not tell Timothy “be strong by believing in himself.” He did not say, “be strong for me.” He said: “be strong in the grace.” The source of strength is in Christ Jesus. Pastor Wallace challenges us to think about two critical questions: 1) Why do you need to be...

In today’s passage, Pastor Wallace teaches about the Apostle Paul’s charge to his son in the ministry, Timothy to spare nothing to protect the gospel message. Though hardship would come, Paul wanted Timothy to continue in those things he had learned. He challenges Timothy and us to endure in the faith, even to the point of death. Clearly, as believers we are in the midst of trying times. Notwithst...

Today, we begin our summer sermon series on the Book of 2 Timothy entitled: “Endure,” and today’s message is “Fan the Flames.” Though hardships would come, Paul wanted Timothy, his son in the ministry, to continue in those things he had learned, drawing on the rich heritage of faith that had been passed down to him. The theme of 2 Timothy is faithful endurance to the Lord even amidst difficult cir...

The cross and resurrection of Jesus is the hope of the world. It is what brings changes and new life. The cross provides us with hope on our journey through life. It and it alone can give us spiritual and eternal life. In today’s message, Pastor Wallace reminds us of what St. Paul told the Corinthians that the Gospel isn’t about the preacher, it’s about the message of the cross of Christ. There ar...

In a Christian’s life, there must be change, there must be growth, there must be transformation, because that is the grace of God in your life. Today, drawing from insights from Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, Pastor Wallace is going to examine if the grace of God is intended to change a believer’s life, how are we to respond to the intention, to the grace of God in our life? Is there somethi...

The cross and resurrection of Jesus is the hope of the world. It is what brings change and new life. The cross provides us with hope on our journey through life. In today’s message, Pastor Wallace teaches from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In this epistle, Paul wanted the saints in Ephesus and us, above all else, to see the far greater spiritual blessings they had, and we have in Christ. Therefo...

Happy Easter! Today is the celebration of the highest and holiest victory of all eternity and our Christian faith. Because He lives, everyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ will live as well. In our Scripture text today: Matthew 28:1-10, we proclaim the mystery of the faith: Christ is Risen! Today’s message is centered around a proverbial question: “So what?” He is Risen! What does it real...

In four months, the eyes of the world are going to be on France and the Summer Olympic Games. In order to get to the Olympics, you have to have three things: speed, skill and most important of all, you have to have endurance. If you don’t make it to the end of the race, you are not going to win any medal. The good news is that the Bible tells us that God always finishes what He starts. In today’s...

If you desire to grow spiritually and embrace all God has for you, you must know and accept God’s amazing grace. Our Lenten Sermon Series: “Understanding the Grace of God” will help you grow in the grace and knowledge of God. The last two previous messages were on God’s saving grace and enabling grace. Today’s message is about His sufficient grace. Pastor Wallace’ thesis in this message is that be...

Today, in our second part of our sermon series: Understanding the Grace of God,” we focus on God’s enabling grace. His grace enables us to be who we are meant to be and to do what He wants us to do. This can only occur as we abide in Him. So, Paul writes this second epistle (2 Timothy) to Timothy and says to him, “Be strong in the grace that is found in Christ.” Pastor Wallace teaches us in this s...

You can’t understand the Christian life at all unless you understand grace. It is the heart of our faith. It is the heart of our relationship with God. Today, Pastor Wallace begins a new sermon series during this Lenten season: “Understanding the Grace of God.” His goal is that through this series, you will not just understand grace; but you will experience it, you will feel it, you will enjoy the...

What makes your strength so great? You see, that was Delilah’s question. And one of Samson’s problems was that he answered that question. A short story takes place in Gaza, one of the major Philistine cities. Samson leaves Israel and heads to Gaza and finds a prostitute and sleeps with her. Delilah proceeds to press Samson to reveal the “secret of his strength. In today’s  message, Pastor Wallace...