Creekside Sermons

How can we live so that we leave behind an eternal legacy? We might not be remembered for very long, but we can still influence the lives of other people for the sake of eternity. The example of the apostle Paul shows us how: Be humble, love sincerely, persevere, and preach the Word. Lives that display those values also reflect and honor Jesus. And when we use our lives to honor Jesus, we can make...

For those of us who believe in Jesus, there is no such thing as an ordinary person or an insignificant moment. Every moment is an opportunity to reflect the good news of the gospel, and every person matters deeply to God. Are our eyes and hearts open to the people around us who need to know Jesus? Are we willing to courageously and compassionately share the truth with the people we encounter in ou...

Life never goes according to our plans. There are so many things outside of our control! The good news is that nothing is out of God's control. His plans never fail, even when ours do. The ministry of Paul demonstrates that even life's detours cannot thwart God's plans. Our responsibility is simply to trust Him and to obey Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Everyone loves the idea of grace, at least in theory. In reality, though, grace is messy and controversial. It seems unfair! How can God welcome undeserving sinners into His family, and give them eternal life for free? The message of the gospel, however, is we are all undeserving sinners. Grace is our only hope of salvation. For that reason, grace is worth defending and fighting for, even when it...

In Acts 12-14, God shows us 3 marks of a church that multiplies: a commitment to seeking God through prayer, sending people to the nations, and sharing the Gospel with people around us.

Do you believe that Jesus can transform God's enemies into His friends? Do you believe that the gospel can reach even the hardest hearts and save the most hopeless sinners? When Saul of Tarsus encountered Jesus, everything changed. God gave him a new perspective, a new identity, and a new mission. Saul's story demonstrates that nobody is beyond the transforming power of the gospel.

Are you open to the thought that God might want to use your life in a way that breaks your boxes and stretches you beyond what you think you're ready for? The life of Philip demonstrates that God often calls unlikely people in extraordinary ways to go to unexpected places. Will you trust Him and obey Him when He calls you?

How will we respond when we face hostility or persecution for the sake of Jesus? Are we ready to be faithful and bold, even if it costs us dearly? Our ability to withstand pressure depends upon the character we are cultivating on a daily basis. The life of Stephen demonstrates that when we display Christ-like character under pressure, we demonstrate the power of the gospel.

God disciplines his church as beloved children. He does this because sin is destructive, his discipline protects us and the church is strengthened whenever we walk in a fear of God.

It's easy to be discouraged when our lives don't turn out like we expect or hope them to. But what if God has plans for us that are much better than our own? What if He has an eternal purpose for our lives that is greater than our earthly dreams? In Acts 3, Luke tells us about one man who realized that his story was just a part the much greater story that God is writing. God used his most difficul...

The Scripture tells us that believing in Jesus is the only requirement for us to receive eternal life. So why did the apostle Peter tell his listeners on the Day of Pentecost to "repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins"? Are repentance and baptism necessary for us to be saved? Once we examine Acts 2:38 closely, we will find that we can rest assured that we can have eternal life by...

Without the Holy Spirit, the church is an unremarkable group of people. But when the Holy Spirit shows up, He changes everything. The church is not defined by its buildings, programs, staff, or events, but instead by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Christ ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples a mission to accomplish. He instructed us to spread the message of His love to every nation, until the day He returns. He did not leave us alone, though: He gave us the power of His Spirit to help us accomplish the task. What are you doing to participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, here and around the world?

As a church, we share a common faith in Jesus Christ, and a common mission to make disciples of all the nations. But in order to fulfill that mission, each one of us must use our individual gifts to help the church become both mature and effective.

undefined

We all feel afraid sometimes. What can we remember about God in those moments of fear? How can we find the courage to trust Him and to obey Him, even when fear threatens to drown us. Psalm 91 tells us that God is our shelter, our courage, and our salvation. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.

How can we draw near to God when He seems to be far away? How can we change our perspective, even when we can't change our circumstances? King David wrote Psalm 63 when he was in the wilderness, separated from his home and feeling spiritually distant from God. In the midst of his pain, he chose to reflect on God's good character, to remember God's perfect faithfulness, and to rely on God's generou...

The Scripture is God's Word. We believe that it is divine, true, and relevant to our lives. If we want to know God, we need to know the Bible. So how can we grow in our desire and our ability to read and to obey it?

When we're unified (as a church family, with friendships, in marriage, etc.), we can enjoy God's incredible blessings.

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and familiar chapters in the entire Bible. But have you ever really meditated on what it means that the Lord is our Shepherd? What kind of Shepherd is He? King David tells us that we follow a Shepherd that we can trust to protect and to provide for us, both now and forever.

The greatest antidote to discontent and anxiety is to remember how faithfully and fiercely God loves us. We see God's loyal love reflected in creation, in history, and in the free gift of salvation. Psalm 136 reminds us, over and over again, that His love endures forever.

Though God is transcendent in His qualities of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, He uses those characteristics to be involved in the lives of His people intimately. He knows YOU, chooses YOU, is with YOU, and has a plan for YOU.

A bad question: will we mess up, fall, and sin? Obviously! A good question: how will we respond when we mess up, fall, and sin? Psalm 51 takes us through a template of responding to sin like a man after God's own heart. In it, we see 4 do's and don'ts of dealing with sin, all of which lead us to a place of renewed joy.

Nations and empires throughout history have aligned themselves against God and against His people. But they will never win, because God's authority over the universe - and the authority of His Son Jesus - is absolute and unstoppable. For that reason, we can fix our hope on King Jesus, because He will never fail us.

How does one live out the blessed life, the good life? The life that causes others to say, "Look at the person experiencing God's favor and abundance!" Psalm one kicks off the Book of Psalms by introducing the reader to two pathways, two antithetical lifestyles; our destination will ultimately be determined by the path we take!