Sermons from Grace Church, Bristol

At the heart of Acts 16 is a life-changing question: “What must I do to be saved?” This baptism Sunday sermon explores the joyful answer: Jesus saves all who put their trust in him.

Who do you think you are? In Romans 8:14–17, Paul reminds Christians that we are not slaves living in fear, but adopted children of God. Because we belong to the Father, are led by the Spirit, and are heirs with Christ, we can face weakness, suffering, and uncertainty with real security and hope.

Condemnation is gone — but sin has not disappeared. So how should Christians fight the sin that remains? In Romans 8:5–13, Paul shows us the difference the Holy Spirit makes: changing what we desire, confirming who we are in Christ, and empowering us to put sin to death.

After the anguish of Romans 7, Romans 8 opens with one of the most glorious declarations in the Bible: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” In this sermon, we see why that verdict is secure — because God has done what the law could not do, sending his own Son to condemn sin in the flesh and fulfil the righteous requirement of the law for us.

We often say God is big, but our anxious, busy, self-reliant lives can reveal that we are living with a much smaller view of him. In this sermon from Genesis 1:1–2, Tom helps us lift our eyes to the eternal Creator who made all things, needs nothing from us, and yet has come near in Jesus so that we might call him Father.

31/05/26 | Matt Chapman Why does the Christian life still feel like such a battle? In Romans 7:14–25, Paul gives voice to the struggle believers feel with remaining sin — and shows us that our hope is not in ourselves, but in Jesus Christ our Lord.

24/05/26 | Matt Chapman Sin rarely introduces itself honestly. It promises freedom, comfort, and life — but Paul shows us that sin is deceitful, predatory, and deadly. In Romans 7:7–13, we see how God’s good law exposes our sin, how sin seizes every opportunity, and why only Jesus can give us life.

17/05/26 | Matt Chapman What kind of life is worth giving ourselves to? In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul shows us that because Christ is risen, our labour in the Lord is not in vain, steadfastness matters more than impressiveness, and ordinary faithfulness bears eternal fruit.

10/05/26 | Ezra Joy What does it mean to be released from the law? In this passage, we see that believers have died to the law through Christ and now belong to him, serving God in the new way of the Spirit.

03/05/26 | Matt Chapman What if true freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever we want? This passage challenges the idea that grace gives us freedom to go on sinning, and shows instead that real freedom is being set free from sin’s rule to live for God.

26/04/26 | Peter Bowley What does it look like to live as those who are no longer ruled by sin? This sermon helps us see how grace empowers real change, calling us to resist sin’s rule and offer our lives to God.

19/04/26 | Matt Chapman If grace really is free, why not keep sinning? In Romans 6, Paul gives a surprising and liberating answer: Christians have died and been raised with Christ, and so sin no longer fits who they are.

12/04/26 | Matt Chapman Why does death reign—and why does the world feel so broken? This passage shows that our greatest problem isn’t just what we’ve done, but who we belong to. We’re either in Adam or in Christ—and everything depends on which.

Easter Sunday: What Are You Looking For? | John 20:11-18 | 05/04/26 | Matt Chapman

Good Friday: It is Finished | John 19:28-30 | 03/04/26 | Peter Bowley

4. The Keeping of the Heart | Life Weekend Away 2026 | Ezra Joy The heart must be carefully guarded. This message shows how we can actively keep our hearts—by wisely shaping what influences us and cultivating new desires that honour God.

Loved at Your Worst | Romans 5:6-11 | 29/03/26 | Matt Chapman What kind of love holds onto people who are weak, ungodly, and undeserving? Romans 5:6–11 shows us the heart of the gospel: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This sermon explores the unshakable love of God, the certainty of our salvation, and the deep joy of being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

3. The Battleground of the Heart | Life Weekend Away 2026 | Matt Chapman The heart is still a battleground, even for the Christian. This message explains why the struggle with sin continues—and how to understand and engage it.

2. The Renewal of the Heart | Life Weekend Away 2026 | Matt Chapman The heart isn’t just something we manage—it’s something God renews. This message explores how, through Christ, God gives us a new heart that begins to think, desire, and choose differently.

1. The Centrality of the Heart | Life Weekend 2026 | Ezra Joy The heart is at the centre of who we are, shaping what we think, desire, and do. This message shows why the Bible places such weight on the heart—and why real change must begin there.

23/03/26 | Peter Bowley In a world that avoids suffering at all costs, Romans 5 shows us that God does some of his deepest work through it. This sermon explores how suffering produces endurance, shapes Christian character, strengthens hope, and ultimately points us to the steadfast love of God poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel Equation | Romans 5:1-2 | 15/03/26 | Ezra Joy

Resurrection and the Life to Come | 08/03/26 | Matt Chapman

The Church of the Triune God | Ephesians 2:13-22 | 01/03/26 | Matt Chapman

The God Who Dwells With Us | John 14:15-23 | 22/02/26 | Matt Chapman