Grace Church Indiana Sermons

Every human being, regardless of background or belief, carries the same deep drive for meaning, connection, and something bigger than themselves. Scientists have studied it, neuroscientists have mapped it in the brain, and every major religion in history has tried to answer it. So what is that longing, and where does it actually lead? This sermon looks at Jesus' conversation with a Samaritan woman...

Everyone has that feeling when they watch the news, or see someone get taken advantage of, that something is deeply wrong with the world. Where does that come from, and does it mean anything? This sermon looks at one of the most unjust moments in history, the trial of Jesus in John 18, and asks what it tells us about justice, power, and why we all long for things to be made right. The answer isn't...

Looking for Someone Looking for You by Grace Church

As the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders reaches a boiling point, Jesus gives one of the most intense and incendiary teachings about their failure to live up to their role. He repeatedly calls the religious leaders of Israel “hypocrites” and points out their lack of integrity – placing unbearable religious demands on the people while ignoring their own sin and wickedness. Within thes...

After coming to Jerusalem and beginning his final week before the crucifixion, Jesus teaches daily in the temple. Here, his teachings reveal not just his expert subversion of the religious leaders of Israel, but the profound beauty of his kingdom message. When they are trying to trip him up about the “most important commandment,” Jesus quotes from two Old Testament laws which encapsulate the entir...

When the mother of two of Jesus’ disciples asks for them to be given roles of great importance and power in his kingdom, Jesus reveals a surprising truth: that those desiring greatest influence should seek the humblest position of a slave. As we see many times throughout the gospel of Matthew, Jesus upends the ordinary expectations of humanity by introducing an “upside down” kingdom. In his kingdo...

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Holy Spirit in our world is the overwhelming life that is made possible by his presence. Although this absolutely applies to the new, resurrection life we can experience in the New Creation thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus, the Spirit of Life goes even deeper in our world, now. Throughout Scripture we see God’s Spirit as the vivifying source of all life in...

One of the primary challenges for the health of the Church is that it’s made up of… well, people. We are prone to division and easily fall into traps of “othering” those not like ourselves. The good news is that God’s Spirit is constantly working to overcome those divisions to make us one. It is God’s Holy Spirit who allows a diverse community of faith, made up of different cultures, perspectives,...

One of the surprising outcomes of God’s Spirit taking up residence in the hearts of Christ-followers is that otherwise ordinary people began developing extraordinary power – power to heal, to serve, to teach, and to speak truth about the very heart of God. This power, otherwise known as the “spiritual gifts” given to believers, is one of the primary ways that God grows, supports, and guides his Ch...

January 23 & 24 | Christmas at Grace | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church

As Jesus prepared for his death, resurrection, and ultimate ascension, his followers were understandably worried. What would they do without Jesus by their side? Who was going to teach them? How would they know what was true? Jesus’ promise in response to these worries was that God would give them “another Advocate,” the Holy Spirit, to be with them forever. This promise, which remains true for al...

As we have seen throughout our study of the book of Matthew, the gospel writer frequently writes on multiple levels. In the case of the magi from the east, Matthew is not just looking back to the Hebrew Bible and the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises. He is also offering stark commentary on the current realities faced by his readers in the late 1st century. Matthew’s readers faced cultural pre...

December 7 | A Story Fulfilled | Follow Me Part III | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church

In this final message of “Follow Me: Part II,” we will explore the famous passage of the rich man who “went away sad” when invited by Jesus to sell his possessions and follow him. The story is a stark reminder that we are invited to surrender our lives to Jesus, not just go through the religious motions. The words of the martyred missionary Jim Elliot ring true here. “He is no fool who gives what...

November 23 | Who Is The Greatest In The Kingdom? | Follow Me Part II | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church

In the final week of our Peter miniseries, we see this rash, eager, and imperfect disciple witnessing the true nature of Jesus as the son of God during the transfiguration. In this sacred moment, Jesus takes three of his disciples away to a high mountain where he is transformed into a being of radiant light, pouring the glory of God into the world. Peter’s reaction is predictably bumbling but refl...

In this second part of our Peter trilogy, we will explore some of the highest and lowest moments of Peter’s relationship with Jesus (until the crucifixion and resurrection, of course). First, Peter’s declaration of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah is met by Jesus with a declaration of his own: it is upon the “rock” of Peter’s faith that Christ will build his Church. Second, however, this is followed...

Part II begins with a prayer of thanksgiving by Jesus, as well as one of his most famous invitations to the weary and burdened. Through his prayer and invitation, Jesus is continuing to set up a sharp contrast between himself and the religious leaders of Israel. Where they offer strict religious restrictions for the people and favor the wealthy, educated, and elite, Jesus offers an “easy yoke” and...

In the final week of the series, we will get very practical about how we as individuals can respond to God’s call during this divisive time. As we will see, Paul sets a high bar for his readers in Colossae. First, to “set your minds on things above” – to live in such a way that our minds are laser focused on the things God cares about. Second, to “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking wi...

As we continue exploring Colossians, we will dig deeper into the mixing (a.k.a. “syncretism”) which is happening in the church today between the gospel of Jesus and the powers of this world. We will specifically explore the god of Domination and the god of Self, which have so infected our body with “empty philosophies” and “high-sounding nonsense.” To untangle their influence over us, we will expl...

Paul wrote his letter to the church in Colossae because they were mixing pagan elements into their Christian faith (i.e. worshipping Jesus as well as some of the elemental powers of this world). His aim in the letter was to help them understand that Christ is supreme over the powers, and that their mixing is not only muddying the gospel, but downright dangerous to their faith. In the American Chur...

Our world is burdened by the broken place of hatred. We see discrimination, racism, genocide, dehumanization, and segregation along so many different lines (gender, age, race, nationality, ability, etc.). Most of the time when we try to fix these problems, however, we don’t acknowledge the fact that these are outcomes of a much longer path of hatred which starts anytime we see ourselves as better...

With so many other issues swirling around us in this broken world, it can be very easy to think that caring for the planet falls pretty low on our priority list. Why worry about climate change or species extinction when there seem to be so many more pressing matters? The answer is simple: because God cares about his Creation and we should too. In this message we will explore how God’s love and sus...

To discuss the broken place of pain, we must start by acknowledging the universality of pain and the many forms it takes (body, mind, and spirit). From the grief we experience at the loss of a loved one, to the anxiety and depression so often clouding our minds, to the chronic illness and pain which beset our bodies, pain is a part of all of our lives. Then we must explore the character of our God...

Along with being created to be in relationship with our Creator, we were also created to be in relationship with one another. Yet again, however, the rebellion of humanity against God’s intentions has led us into places of deep isolation. This is especially true today, when loneliness is epidemic. In the famous story of the woman at the well, Jesus plows through social protocols to show love to an...