Elmwood Church - Sermons

Psalm 109 gives language for bringing anger, pain, and cries for justice honestly before God. Rather than acting in revenge or suppressing difficult emotions, believers are invited to give their anger to the Lord in prayer, trusting him as both righteous judge and loving Father. Because Jesus has taken our sin, wrath, and suffering to the cross, we can come to God with all of ourselves and wait in...

 In Matthew 18, Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant shows that those who have received God’s overwhelming mercy are called to forgive others from the heart. This sermon explores forgiveness as a decision of the will, not forgetting or excusing, and warns that unforgiveness creates bitterness, spiritual bondage, and distance from God. True freedom in Christ includes releasing offenses by God’...

In “God’s Good Work,” Colossians 3:23–24 frames work and rest as part of God’s calling, not as separate from the spiritual life. From creation to fall, redemption, and restoration, work is shown as originally blessed, now affected by sin, and redeemed through Christ. Because God sees and values even ordinary labor, Christians can approach their work with purpose, gratitude, and faithfulness, doing...

 Paul’s call in 1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1 shows us how to live with wisdom in a spiritually complex world. Because everything has the potential either to become idolatry or to become worship, Christians are called to filter all of life through the pattern of the gospel: Does this glorify God, and does this benefit others? In Jesus, we see the perfect example of one who gave up his rights for God’s...

Unpack Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 10:14–22 that idolatry divides our allegiance from God. While the Corinthians faced the specific temptation of participating in idol feasts, the deeper danger remains for us today: treasuring created things above the Creator. Because God alone deserves our total loyalty, we are called to flee from every form of idolatry and run to Christ, who remained faithfu...

This sermon reflects on 1 Corinthians 10 and Paul’s warning to run hard after the lasting prize of Christ. Through the cautionary example of Israel in the wilderness, we are reminded that persistent, unrepentant sin and idolatry can pull us away from faithful endurance. Yet God is faithful, providing a way of escape from temptation and calling us not only to flee from sin, but to flee toward Jesus...

Empty me. Fill me. Use me.  What if the key to reaching the people around you started with a simple three-line prayer? This message unpacks how Paul's radical approach to connecting with wildly different people can inspire all of us to slow down, show up, and let God do something wonderful through our ordinary lives. Spoiler: you're going to mess it up — and that's actually the best...

In this Mother's Day message, we turn to Exodus 2:1–10 and the story of Jochebed — a mother whose courage and trust in God changed the course of history. Her willingness to defy Pharaoh and entrust her son to God's providence points us forward to Jesus, who embodied that same courage and trust on the cross. Whether you are a biological mother or called to invest spiritually in others, th...

In this message, we dive into 1 Corinthians 9:1–18, where the Apostle Paul sets a radical example for the church in Corinth — and for us today. Rather than demanding what he was rightfully owed, Paul willingly laid down his right to financial compensation so that nothing would get in the way of the gospel taking root in people's lives. Paul's pattern points us back to Jesus, who gave up...

What does it look like to live without anxiety in a world of overwhelming abundance? Drawing from Matthew 6:25-34, this message offers a framework for navigating material abundance without losing your soul to it. We dig into what the Bible actually says about enjoyment, the hidden costs of accumulating stuff, and why contentment isn't about owning less — but about treasuring something more.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said it is possible to live a financially and materially non-anxious life. In order to live this life, Jesus tells us to do two things: 1) Go to school in the classroom of creation 2) Remember whose you are

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said it is possible to live a financially and materially non-anxious life . This message explores the foundation — our relationship to money and possessions. In order to live a financially non-anxious life, we need to: See the limitations of money and possessions See the power of money and possessions See the ultimate Treasure is available to us

In the first sermon recorded in the early church, Peter announces the good news — Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jess rose. This simple message has the power to change our lives if we let it. 

The main theme of Psalm 84 is homesickness for the presence of God. As we look at this song, we'll see the pattern it sets, how that pattern is brought to completion in Jesus, and how we should respond. 

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life.

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life.

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life.

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life.

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life. 

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life. 

How does the body of Christ grow and come to maturity? In Ephesians 4, Paul tells us that the body grows to maturity as each part does its work. Here are two truths that will change how we live as members of the body:  1) God has prepared unique ministries for each member of the body 2) Through works of service, we participate in the cosmic victory of Jesus

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life. 

When we read Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, we see a church whose attitudes and actions are sometimes indistinguishable from the Roman culture around them. The church in Corinth is messy and divided, but it belongs to God. The letter of 1 Corinthians shows us a beautiful picture of how the gospel can bring transformation and renewal to every area of life.