Following Jesus Toward Healing and Wholeness

Jesus did not come merely to give us a “not-guilty badge” or a ticket out of hell. He came to conquer death and fill us with resurrection life. In Matthew 9:18–26, Jesus raises a dead girl and restores a woman who had suffered for twelve years. These intertwined miracles give us a snapshot of the Kingdom of Heaven: death gives way to life, suffering gives way to healing, and isolation gives way to...

What if the good news of Jesus is even better than forgiveness? In this message from Matthew 9:1–8, Pastor Nick explores the deeper, cosmic problem Jesus came to overcome: humanity’s bondage to sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus does more than change our legal status. He cleanses creation from death, reconciles us to God, and fills his people with the...

In Matthew 9:1–17, Jesus heals a paralytic, calls Matthew from the tax booth, eats with tax collectors and sinners, describes himself as the Physician for the sick, and teaches that new wine needs new wineskins. This message from our Bear With Me — Round 2 series focuses on one simple truth: What Jesus says goes. Jesus is Lord over the storm. Jesus is Lord over the powers. And Jesus is Lord over s...

In Matthew 8:28–34, Jesus crosses the sea and steps into a place marked by death: two demonized men living among the tombs, cut off from community, violent, isolated, and enslaved by the powers of darkness. But when Life Himself enters the scene, death does not get the final word. In this message from our Bear With Me — Round 2 series, Pastor Nick explores how this strange story of demons, pigs, t...

What do we do when Jesus seems asleep in the storm? In this message from Matthew 8:23–27, we look at the story of Jesus calming the storm and the kind of faith that can say, “God can deliver me… and even if not, I will trust Him.” The disciples cried out, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And in that moment, they had not yet fully realized who was in the boat with them. Jesus was not only able to...

Repentance is God’s invitation home. It is a gift of participation in His removal of everything that separates us from Him.

In the final message of our Bear With Me miniseries, we look at Matthew 8:14–17 and the story of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law. After Jesus touches and restores her, she gets up and serves Him. And that simple act of service becomes part of the larger story of healing, freedom, and restoration that unfolds in Capernaum that night. This message reminds us that Jesus doesn’t restore us just so...

What do you need to lose faith in… so you can trust Jesus more fully? In week two of our Bear With Me miniseries, we look at Matthew 8:5–13 and the surprising faith of the centurion. Last week, we saw Jesus touch and restore a leper—someone pushed to the edges of society. This week, we meet someone who seems like the opposite: a man with authority, status, influence, and respect. But when sufferin...

Series: The King in the Chaos (The Gospel of Matthew) MiniSeries: Bear With Me Theme: Jesus bears what divides us, so that He can restore us to life with God and one another Text: Matthew 8:1–22 📲 Want to go deeper? Check out the study notes and extra resources under the resource tab. What if what you’re asking God for… isn’t the deepest thing you need? In this first message of our Bear With Me m...

(see the attachment for ideas on applying this message) In Matthew 7:13–27, Jesus talks about the narrow gate, false prophets, good and bad fruit, and the difference between building on rock or sand. At first glance, it can sound like a warning to try harder, do better, and prove yourself. But what if that’s not the point at all? In this message from The King in the Chaos series, we explore how Je...

Most of us are really good at noticing what’s wrong in other people… and really bad at noticing what’s going on inside of us. In Matthew 7:1–12, Jesus doesn’t just say, “Don’t judge.” He invites us into a completely different way of living—one that leads to healing, wholeness, and real change. In this message, we explore three simple but powerful steps: Know what YOU need Pursue what you NEED GIVE...

Easter is the day we celebrate that Jesus did what He came to do. At its core, the message is simple: Everything is about one movement— from death… to life. Death isn’t just something that happens at the end. It’s a force that divides, corrupts, and drains life even now. But life looks different. Life gives, restores, heals, and multiplies. From the beginning, humanity has lived in that tension—ch...

What do you do when God doesn’t meet your expectations? Palm Sunday is full of celebration—but underneath it is a tension we know all too well. The crowd expected one kind of Savior… and Jesus refused to be that. They wanted victory. He chose the cross. And at the cross, everything looked like failure. In this sermon, we wrestle with that moment—what it means to trust Jesus when your experience te...

Humility is often misunderstood. Some think it means thinking less of yourself… But what if humility isn’t about thinking less of yourself at all? In this message, we explore the humility of Jesus in Philippians 2—and discover that true humility is not self-hatred or self-promotion… it’s self-giving love. Jesus, fully equal with God, did not use His position for His own advantage. But instead… He...

Life is about relationships. Relationships require skill. That skill is wisdom. In this message we explore the biblical idea of wisdom as the ability to choose shalom—the fullness of life God created us for—by applying our knowledge, skills, and resources in ways that build loving relationships with God, others, and ourselves. Through everyday stories, reflections from 1 Corinthians, and the story...

Why does it feel like the harder we try to move toward the life we want, the more the current of the world pulls us in the opposite direction? In this message, we explore how modern culture disciples our hearts toward more—more possessions, more upgrades, more status—and how Jesus names this powerful force: mammon. Mammon isn’t just money. It’s the system of trust, power, and devotion built around...

Dr. Hud McWilliams invites us to slow down in the wilderness and to get to know ourselves. If we are in Christ, we can learn to know ourselves as saints, embracing God’s forgiveness of us and sharing that same mercy with others in our relationships.

We often think of sin in terms of right and wrong, but Scripture tells a deeper story — one about life and death. On this first Sunday of Lent, we walk with Jesus into the wilderness and discover that His three temptations reveal the same questions we face every day: What is feeding you? What is defining your story? What holds your allegiance? From the Garden of Eden to the cross and resurrection,...

What if the wilderness isn’t a detour… but preparation for new life? In this message we begin the season of Lent by looking at our instinct to avoid discomfort, fill our lives with noise, and rush past anything hard — and how the way of Jesus invites us into something deeper. Lent is not about earning God’s love. It’s about retraining our hearts, renewing our minds, and learning to live from the l...

In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives — not about food, clothing, or tomorrow. But what does that actually mean? Is Jesus telling us to ignore the future? Stop planning? Pretend stress doesn’t exist? In this sermon, we explore: Why anxiety is rising even in the most prepared society in history The difference between planning for tomorrow and trying to control it How...

If this message speaks to you, be sure to check out an extra suggestion on how to apply it to your life here: https://youtu.be/a3k5JshwZ-s What if the way you see the world is shaping the condition of your soul? In this message, we explore Jesus’ parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20) and His teaching about “healthy eyes” and “treasure” in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6). Why did...

Grace is not opposed to effort—it’s opposed to earning. In this message, Nick reflects on a word God gave him for the new year from Deuteronomy 8: a picture of a good land—full of fertile fields and treasure-rich hills—where every blessing is a gift, and every gift invites us into meaningful work. This sermon holds together two truths that often get pulled apart: You are already seen, accepted, lo...

Many of us were taught that the Christian life is about avoiding failure, earning approval, and keeping God from being disappointed in us. But Jesus invites us into something far better. In this sermon, we explore how fear, shame, and performance quietly shape our faith—and how Jesus offers a different posture altogether. Through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, we discover a way of relating to God...

What if your deepest need isn’t to do more for God—but to rest in being seen, accepted, and securely loved? In this sermon from Matthew 6:1–18, we explore Jesus’ invitation to live from a place of deep belonging rather than performance. Jesus warns us that even good, beautiful actions—giving, praying, fasting—can become hollow if they turn into a way of proving ourselves or earning approval. The r...

In this Advent sermon on Love, we explore the simple but radical truth that love, by definition, must be shared. Just like “dehydrated water” isn’t really water, a life lived alone — disconnected, guarded, self-contained — isn’t the life we were created for. Drawing from 1 John 4:7–12, this message looks at love through a holistic, Trinitarian lens: God is love — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and...