Grace in Louisville

On this Easter Sunday, we spent time think on the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus, the necessity of faith, the transforming power of the resurrection for those who believe, and the beauty of the gospel masterpiece.

In a story with no hero, we learn how not to pursue God's blessing. In Isaac and Esau we see the way our love of things or people can cloud our vision, and in Rebekah and Jacob we see how we can resort to manipulation or deception to seek God's favor. In all of this, God is working for our good and his glory, calling us to faith.

As we journey with Isaac from fear to faith and famine to feasting, we are called to trust God's promises to bless us with provision and the gift of his presence.

In a moment, Esau makes a decision that will mark him for the rest of his life. We learn from his character and actions that we should value the things of God far above the things of this earth.

When Rebekah inquires of the Lord why her pregnancy is so pain-filled, God informs her of the strife that will exist between her sons and of the fact that the younger of the two was the chosen seed of promise. In this message we wrestle with God's sovereign choice of who to bless, ultimately rejoicing in his purposes exercised for his glory.

When Isaac and Rebekah could not have children, Isaac prayed... for 20 years! In this first sermon back in the book of Genesis, we look at the first 24 chapters of Genesis and then learn from Isaac how to persevere in prayer, find the fruit of faith, and give God glory.

As Jonah makes clear his anger regarding God's mercy being extended to the people of Nineveh, God merciful helps Jonah and us see how foolish it is to love ourselves, only those like us, and temporary gifts more than the souls of others.

As Jonah receives a second chance to obey God, he brings a message of judgment to Nineveh, which results in their surprising repentance and a lavish display of Go'd's mercy towards them.

As we hear Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish, we learn that God's mercy delivers believers from despair to thanksgiving despite the corruption of the heart.

As we begin our series in the book of Jonah, we get a glimpse into the human heart - our foolishness and callousness - and the heart of God - his relentless pursuit of sinners and the wideness of his mercy.

One of the roots of the acceptance and promotion of abortion in the world is the belief that children are not a blessing and a cause for joy, but an inconvenience and a cause for sorrow. On this Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, we come against this idea with the biblical truth that every child is a gift given by God that should be received with joy.

Having talked about the core truths of the gospel, we took time this week to think on the truth that when we repent and believe in Christ, we are not only united to Him, but also to his people. We considered the corporate nature of salvation, the blessings of the local church, and then reminded ourselves of our church covenant and all that it call us to do and be for one another.

Having just considered the core truths of the gospel, this week we spent time thinking on our union with Christ in his death and resurrection and how that changes the way that we live. We thought on the reality we must believe, the mentality we must have, and the brutality with which we must fight for holiness.

When we understand who God is, who we are, and what Christ has done, the next question we must answer is, "Now what?" In this message we consider how we are to respond to God's good news, and the answer is in repentance and faith.

In this third message on God's Good News, we consider how who Jesus is and what he has done makes salvation possible in the light of God's holiness and our sinfulness.

In this second week thinking about God's Good News, we considered the reality of sin, seeking to answer three questions - what is sin, who has sinned, and what are the consequences of sin. This is the bad news we must hear and believe before we can understand the good news of salvation.

In this first sermon walking through the core truths of God's good news, we consider what we need to know about God to understand his message of salvation - that he is the creator, he is our creator, he is good, and he is holy and righteous.

In the midst of our desire for more and more, Scripture teaches us how to be truly content and find more joy with less stuff.

Within the call to enjoy all of God's good gifts to his glory, there are cautions and tensions. Yet those fences are given by God for our good and the increase of joy.

How do we as physical/spiritual beings rejoice in God and his gifts? Is there a divide between the sacred and the secular? Am I to enjoy the things of this earth or seek to free myself from them? In this first sermon on "The Stuff of Earth and the Glory of God," we seek to emphasize the clear call to enjoy all that God has given us in this world with hearts full of thanksgiving and gratitude.

As we wrapped up the book of Luke, we considered Luke's overarching message - that Jesus is the Savior of the world and the Lord of all, and that we are called to submit to him as such and join the worldwide proclamation of the good and certain news about Jesus.

As Jesus ascends into the clouds, he fills the hearts of all true disciples with worship and joy. How can the departure of Christ be good news? That's the question we seek to answer in this message.

As Jesus verifies his resurrection for the disciples, he foreshadows the future for all who believe in him and calls his followers to go to all nations as witnesses to the good news of the gospel.

Jesus, resurrected and revealed, brings comfort and clarity in the midst of our sadness and confusion.

Luke's account and the reactions of the women, the disciples, and Peter give us certainty about the truth of the resurrection and reveal our deep need for Jesus to not be dead.