Sermons from The Grove

Jesus continues the Olivet Discourse by describing when the destruction of the temple will occur. Within this text, there's a tale of two figures, the abomination of desolation and the son of man. Christians are called to stay awake for the coming of the Son of Man and not be led astray.

When one of Jesus' disciples draws his attention toward the beauty of the temple, Jesus declares that in the future all the stones will be thrown down. When asked about the specifics, Jesus instead commands his disciples to be on guard and to not be anxious about the troubles that are to come.

Shortly after Jesus teaches about loving the Lord with all heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself, Jesus gives a warning about the scribes who oppress widows and then points to the example of a widow who gives out of her poverty. The Lord calls us to give of our financial resources in our abundance and our poverty.

In a series of four teachings, where Jesus responds to questions in the temple, Jesus lays out the rendering, the reward, the requirements, and the ruler of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus addresses the chief priests and the scribes in a parable about a vineyard left in charge of tenants, who mistreat the servants sent to collect fruit. In this rebuke of the Pharisees, we're called to examine our own hearts and ask if we are more concerned with the blessings of the Lord or a relationship with God himself.

In the temple, Jesus has a confrontation with the chief priests and challenges them to choose between a fear of God and a fear of man. As Christians, we also have to choose which fear drives our lives.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, Jesus addresses inauthentic followers who praise Him as He enters but fail to follow Him. Jesus curses a fig tree, pointing us to beware of follows who look like they are producing fruit but lack actual fruit. Jesus also cleanses the temple, condemning those who are not sharing the mission of God.

Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus as he's leaving Jericho, highlighting the fact that Jesus can restore the sight of the blind. Contrasting with the spiritual blindness of the disciples, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus can heal our blind spots.

The events of Easter Sunday changed the entire world. But can we trust the words of the gospels? Did Jesus Christ actually rise from the dead? The earliest gospel has an abrupt end that can reassure us that Jesus is alive and well, still working today.

As Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem, James and John ask Jesus for places at his right hand and his left, revealing a deep desire for position in our hearts. But Jesus responds by showing the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God.

When a rich young ruler comes up to Jesus and asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus points him to the gospel, reminding all of us that there's nothing we can do to earn our salvation.

When Jesus enters Judea, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus with a question about divorce. But as Jesus responds, he points to the heart of the Lord that marriages are meant to be eternal and that children are meant to be cherished.

As the disciples walk, they discuss who is the greatest among them, and then Jesus redefines what greatness truly means.

While Jesus is being transfigured on the mountain, nine of his disciples fail to cast out a demon from an afflicted boy. When asked why they could not cast the demon out, Jesus tells him that it's from a lack of prayer. Prayer is our source of power and our method of reliance on God.

After Peter confesses Jesus is the Christ, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain and is transfigured before them. However, most of us live in the valleys of life instead of on the mountaintops, revealing that we need to be constantly reminded of the mountaintops while we're in the valley.

Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, but Jesus makes it clear that the disciples' image of the Christ is one that reigns but does not suffer, and this is an incorrect understanding of who the Christ was called to be. Then Jesus calls all of his followers to take up their crosses and follow him.

After his confrontation with the religious leaders, Jesus goes to the Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon and heals a woman who is a Gentile and heals a deaf man, demonstrating that the Messiah came to save Jews and Gentiles.

In one of the first confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees, Jesus reveals that God cares more about our hearts than our external actions.

As Jesus feeds the 5,000 and walks on water, He reveals that He is sustainer, sovereign, and shepherd. Knowing all of these things, we can be confident that Jesus is our true source of rest.

The Lord commands the people of God to pass on the laws of the Lord onto their sons and their son's sons. We are also called to serve the Lord as parents and invest in the next generations, whether as parents or as those who disciple.

To serve the Lord with our marriages and our singleness we look to the letters of Paul, specifically Ephesians 5, to learn the distinct roles that God has given men and women and how we can fulfill those roles.

Be strong and courageous because the Lord is with you. Become more like Christ through reading the word this year.

700 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah foretold a child to be born that would provide security for all of mankind.

Expanding his ministry, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples two by two to call people to repentance. Just after this, Mark shares the story of John the Baptist's death, demonstrating the cost of following Jesus.

As Jesus crosses back over to Capernaum, he demonstrates his ability to heal and proves that He has power over death itself, making a stark contrast with those who believe and are amazed and those who cannot believe He has power.