First Pres Colorado Springs Sermons

Paul was preparing to travel West with the Gospel, all the way to Spain. From Corinth, he wrote to the church in Rome, a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians. The letter was to introduce himself and his ministry in hopes of eliciting support for his future missionary travels, but if he could not carry that mission out, at least the letter would travel and share the full truth of the salvation won...

As you start a new year, turn over a new leaf with Jesus. How will 2026 play out? We want to live in the light of Christ. We want to be children of the day, not offspring of darkness. How will you keep watch this year? The Day of the Lord is how the Bible talks about the end of time. That last day is always approaching. Ask the Lord to help keep you awake, alert, watchful and prepared.

The light we see in glimpses, or partially, now will one day envelop us for all eternity. To dwell with God in Heaven is to live in him as your everlasting light. Darkness comes from sin and disobedience. One day that will all be over. Every debt paid, every wrong put right. We will not need light to come and break into our darkness because one day the darkness will all be gone and the everlasting...

In 1865, Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest, then rector of Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land during Christmas. One evening after dinner the group rode on horseback two hours until they broached a hillside and looked down on the town of Bethlehem. It inspired him to write the poem which his music minister put to music, producing “O L...

 God doesn’t expect perfection out of us. That’s why he sent his Son Jesus. God calls us to strive for a holy life, knowing that we will not attain it in this lifetime. If we pretend we have no faults, no sins, we stay lost in them. If we open up our lives to his light with honesty and humility, the blood of Jesus purifies us. To walk in the light does not mean you never stumble. It does mean you...

 We don’t want to be exposed. We don’t want a decent exposure! Something in us prefers the dark where we can stay hidden. What do we do when our deeds are exposed? Everything hidden will one day be revealed. There is forgiveness in Jesus, “for God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Everything dies out. Candles burn out. Battery powered flashlights and phones eventually die out. Even the sun is burning itself out! But there is an everlasting light. There is a light that is not diminished as it shines. God is our light that never goes out. When you are at your darkest and tried to the maximum of your endurance, when the shadows and darkness creep in, turn to the light that is...

The world can get pretty dark. Our disobedience from God and unwillingness to honor his Word and seek his ways sends us into distress. We grope around for help, even trying various spiritual avenues, but the dawn never comes by those means. Still God has a promise. God promised to come with light from on high. God promised a dawn would break for his people. When Jesus was born, the light came into...

When you are slandered, take heart, the truth will eventually prevail. Let your actions be your testimony. Do what is right, as much as you can, and let the falsehood roll off your back. It is very hard not to take the low road and match attack with attack, fight fire with fire, but this is not what John teaches. Love suffers much, but always prevails in the end. The truth will never fall away. St...

Faithfulness is not a solo endeavor, not a lone wolf activity. We need the support of faithful friends. John celebrated his friend Gaius. His life is marked with faith, hope and love. John cares about his friend’s well-being, his health, his business, his family, and all that stuff. Friends care for one another in little and big things. Thank God for faithful friends.

 The evil one is known as diabolos, the divider, the deceiver. The devil attempts to divide the church through lies that wedge into the fellowship and split the church into factions. Lies are only given power by believing them. Some people inadvertently run themselves counter to Jesus, anti-Christ, by believing and sharing lies. Our primary act of spiritual warfare is telling the truth, teaching t...

Novelty is fun, but in Christian circles, it is not always a good idea. We should be truly creative and innovative about many things surrounding our methods, but never compromising and never innovating about our message: the truth. The truth endures and does not change. We do not come up with new truth, we continue faithfully in the truth we have received, the commandment to love one another. 

We all long to have a lasting impact, to overcome death by making our names great so that all will remember. But this world is passing away, with its desires (cf. 1 John 2:17). How do we truly participate in the eternal? By following the will of God. We invest in the eternal through our commitment to God’s work (giving of time, talents, treasure). Let’s commit ourselves once again to participating...

Sitting at the table for the Last Supper, the disciples start arguing about which one of them is greater. We long for power. We want to be in control. We want to know we have all it takes to overcome any obstacle without needing help. So, we seek physical power (gym) and vitality; we seek spiritual power (manifesting). Jesus turned power dynamics on their head. Ours is the only God who died on the...

When Jesus nears Jericho, a blind beggar refuses to be silenced. He cries out, not just for sight, but to be seen. Jesus stops, calls him near, and restores more than his vision. If you’ve felt overlooked or undervalued, this sermon is for you. In a world that ties worth to performance and opinions, Scripture announces a better truth: your value is secure in Christ. Come hear the voice that knows...

The rich young ruler does not find peace. He is like the seed in the Parable that falls among weeds, cares and concerns of the world choke out his peace. We long for peace, both outer and inner peace. Outer peace desires push us to set up confidence in money for security. Inner peace pushes people to spiritual practices (yoga; meditation). Where is peace truly found? Even Peter expresses worry abo...

We all have a longing for justice. We want to be treated fairly, and we want to see fairness and equal treatment for others. Where do we go with this longing for justice? Sometimes we go to social justice groups, protests, politics, and advocacy efforts to find our meaning and purpose. There is a place for advocacy, but it will not satisfy the thirst in your soul for things to be put right. Ultima...

What does it mean to be pure? For some, it sounds old-fashioned or even negative. But in Scripture, purity isn’t about rules or appearances—it’s about wholeness, integrity, and being made new from the inside out. In Mark 7:14–23, Jesus challenges the idea that external rituals can make us clean, pointing instead to the heart as the true source of impurity. Christ alone purifies and restores us, of...

This Psalm is a lament on how evil people seem get rewarded in this world while good people suffer. It sounds like if you do the right things, God will give you what you want! What it actually says is that when you love the Lord, when you take delight in God, God alters and adjusts the desires of your heart to match His. Then, when the desires of your heart are met, there is an overcoming and endu...

The church is an embedded representation of the gospel. We are an outpost of the Kingdom making disciples, and as we stand up First Pres for the future, we are standing up an emblem of God’s own heart to seek and to save the lost of Colorado Springs. The gospel rings out from a strong, vital church. Our First Pres Forward campaign sets the stage for years of faithfulness to come. It is our full in...

Finding your place is about taking on some commitments to serve. Where will your particular gifts make a difference here? When we serve together, we develop true friendships, sharing our lives together. Like loving parents, First Pres wants to help you figure out your gifts and where you can work to make a difference. We are on a mission to share God’s Word with a lost world. You can find a place...

Just as the new believers in Thessalonica gave up their attachment to idols, we learn together how to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Finding your people is about committing to a second hour past Sunday worship. This could be a class, or a Life Group, or a Bible Study. It is hard to find your people if you only attend worship, and that sporadically. Church feels so different when you enter a me...

Life in the church begins with new life in Christ. First we respond to the gospel and come to Jesus, then Jesus leads us into fellowship with one another in the church. In practical terms, we need to know how to be a part of church. We may need to imitate others. We want to help you find your healthy worship pattern, to pick a worship service to put on your calendar every week and stick to it. Tha...

We think of Jesus as being perfectly good, and that He is. But it took self-control. It wasn’t easy for Jesus to do right all the time. He had to choose obedience to the Father, which He did choose, every moment of every day, without the slightest variance or disobedience. But He was tempted as we are; He had to exercise self-control to not sin. Nowhere is the agony more exposed than in the Garden...

How tenderly our Lord calms our worries and concerns! Jesus often referred to His disciples as little children. It was not an insult. In fact, He wants all of us to be as little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But it is also tender, sweet and gentle. Do not be afraid, little flock. In the face of Jesus there is gentleness. Speaker: Tim McConnell