Grace Chapel Knoxville Sermons

Ezra is now confronted with the brokenness and sin of the people of God. Instead of blaming others, or ignoring the problem, he faces it head-on. Through this story, we get a powerful example of how we should deal with the brokenness in our own lives and in the church. May we all approach sin and repentance the way Ezra did with honesty, humility, and true godly sorrow, so that through the power a...

Just as Ezra was called to journey from Babylonia to Jerusalem, the Lord will often call us to risky journeys of faith. May we learn from Ezra’s example to use wisdom to plan well in preparation, while ultimately trusting in the Lord and not our own strength. It’s tempting to just leap out in faith unprepared, or give ourselves a false sense of security by trusting our own wisdom and planning. But...

In Ezra chapter 7, we move into the period in Israel’s history when Ezra leads a new wave of returning exiles. He brings with him a sound anchoring in the Word of God and needed reforms to the people of God. All that Ezra will experience and accomplish comes through God’s good hand upon him, and his own heart posture to submit to the Lord's yoke, through his “skilled” study, application, and teach...

In Ezra chapter 6, we see the conclusion of this long journey of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. This leads to a time of dedication, being set apart as God’s people, and worshipping Him in joyful celebration. Now, because of the salvation we have through Jesus, God’s Presence resides with and in us. We are His Temple. May we be dedicated to Him - cleansed, set apart, and full of joy in His Pre...

In Ezra chapter 5, after a 16 year stoppage, God’s people obey His call to get back to the construction of the Temple. They face immediate opposition to this work, but due to God’s faithful presence and His word of assurance through Haggai the prophet, the people find the courage to continue the work. By God’s grace and through a surprising and often painful process, the obstacles we face become a...

This week, Shawn Stutz teaches on Ezra 5: 1-5 and explored how the Israelites stopped rebuilding the temple for 16 years because comfort, distraction, fear, and spiritual disengagement slowly replaced obedience to God. Through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, God called His people to return to Him, reminding them that obedience is not about striving harder but about living a “with God” life empo...

This week, special guest Pastor Dave Buehring joins us and teaches on the pacing of Jesus. Jesus modeled a life that was purposeful, unhurried, and fully surrendered to the Father’s will. Rather than being driven by pressure, demands, or urgency, He lived from a place of secure identity, obedience, healthy rhythms of rest, and intentional investment in others. The message challenges us to compare...

This week, Krystal walked through Ezra 4 and the opposition the Israelites faced as they rebuilt the temple, showing that the resistance was not simply political but spiritual. Zerubbabel refused to let the surrounding pagan nations join in the building because God’s people were being called back to a life of holiness, devotion, and being set apart unto the Lord alone. She emphasized that God was...

This passage reminds us that God is not calling His people to admire the work, but to join it. As the foundation of the temple was laid, the people worshiped in the middle of uncertainty. While some grieved the loss of former glory, God was inviting them to release the past and step into the new thing He was building. In the same way, we are called to follow Jesus, be shaped by Him, and actively p...

This sermon centered on what it means to put first things first as God’s people, using Ezra 3 to show that before anything else was rebuilt, the people gathered to build the altar. Even amid fear and uncertainty, and before the temple’s foundation was laid, they chose to prioritize worship, sacrifice, and the realignment of their hearts with God. The altar was not merely a physical structure but a...

This week, Shawn Stutz walked through Ezra 2 to show what spiritual restoration really looks like. He emphasized that God’s restoration is personal, often difficult, but always purposeful. The return from exile was not just about a nation, but about real people, families, and generations being restored, making the story feel closely connected to everyday life. He highlighted that although people w...

The opening message of the City of God series introduces the story of Ezra and Nehemiah as God’s work of restoring a people, a temple, and a city through His sovereign plan. It emphasizes that Israel’s exile was the result of rejecting God’s compassionate warnings, yet their return reveals His mercy, faithfulness, and initiative in redemption. God stirs both pagan leaders like Cyrus and His own pe...

Easter reminds us that the gospel isn’t just a good idea, it’s the announcement of something that actually happened. Jesus died and was raised, and that changes everything. If the resurrection isn’t real, then none of this matters, but because it is, it means new life is available to us right now. Paul describes our lives like seeds being planted. What looks like loss, weakness, or even death is a...

Mark’s Gospel records the response of Jesus to an unfruitful tree and an unfruitful people as He comes into Jerusalem for his final days before going to the cross. Jesus offers us a life in Him that we can rest into that produces lasting fruit. We live in a world that needs to taste the fruit of the life found only in Jesus, that they too may find their place among His people. As the people of God...

Today, we hear from guest speaker Steve Fry on the freedom of discovering dependence on God.

Friends and ministry partners, Andrew & Dira Soreano, share about family life and ministry work in Indonesia.

This past Sunday, we talked about the significance of the Sacrament of Water Baptism. Baptism into our new life in Jesus comes by faith as we repent and confess our sins and receive forgiveness. We are now a new creation, with a new identity and family, made to bear fruit as we submit our lives to King Jesus. May we faithfully live this out and share this freely with those who need Jesus.

This week, we had special guest, Joe Daltorio with us. Sunday's message centered on the contrast between the “spirit of adoption” and the “spirit of the orphan.” Joe emphasized that God’s desire is to bring people into family, not into performance. The world often feels like an orphanage where shame, fear, entitlement, and comparison distort our identity, but the Father’s heart is to restore sons...

In today’s message, we are focusing on the sacrament of Communion, and the powerful ways the Lord ministers to us as we partake together. Some of the key things we can experience through communion are remembering Jesus, seeing Him revealed in the here and now as He truly is active and present in our lives, and rejoicing for the hope we have in Him as we share in His abundance while He sees us thro...

This week in our yearly update message, Jake reminded us that the church is not a building, staff, or Sunday service, but a people called to actively participate in God’s work of making and growing disciples. He highlighted the importance of engagement over passive attendance, generosity rooted in stewardship, and a shared commitment to both local and global mission. While structure helps support...

Living on purpose was never meant to be done alone. In Acts 1, Jesus called His followers to stay together and devote themselves to prayer while waiting for the promise of the Father. Their unity, with one accord, positioned them to receive power, direction, and boldness from the Holy Spirit. This kind of unity required intentional, Christ-centered relationships marked by humility, patience, forgi...

This week, Jake began a new mini-series, Living on Purpose, and today we discussed how before Jesus sent His followers into action, He commanded them to wait. After the resurrection, Jesus clarified their purpose: to be witnesses to all nations, but instead of giving a strategy, He promised power through the Holy Spirit and instructed them to stay, tarry, and abide in Jerusalem. This waiting was n...

Following the birth of Jesus, we see a beautiful picture of what it looks like to be dedicated to God. Through the lives of Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna, we see what faithful and sacrificial worship of God produces in our lives. May we experience a growing love for God, and find our hope refreshed and renewed as we dedicate ourselves to Jesus.

As we come to the story of the birth of Jesus, we see a beautiful collision of faith and joy right alongside the difficulties that come with radical obedience. May the Lord renew and strengthen our faith in Him, as we embrace the precious things He entrusts into our hands as well.

In Luke chapter 1 we have the story of the angelic visitor Gabriel, delivering the news of the coming births of both John the Baptist and Jesus. This good news brings with it some very real challenges. Can Zechariah and Elizabeth hold on to hope after years of disappointment? Can Mary receive both the blessing and the incredible sacrifice that comes with the gift of being the mother of the Messiah...