Sermons from The Water's Edge

God's grace is writing a story that includes all of us. He saw the heavens open and something like a sheet lowered down by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”Surely not, Lord! Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean. The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do n...

Your past may explain where you've been, but it doesn't get to define where Jesus is taking you. Ananias left and went into the house where Saul was staying. Ananias placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me. He is the same one who appeared to you along the road. He wants you to be able to see and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 9:17 The darkness...

We all have an important role to play in the story God is writing. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45Christian service is not about proving our worth to Jesus; it is about reflecting the love we have received from Jesus.

Some of God’s greatest plot twists begin as interruptions to our ordinary routines. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. -Acts 2:42Preoccupation rarely makes us unkind; it usually just makes us unavailable.

The Holy Spirit can write a better story for your life than you could on your own. How the Holy Spirit Works in Us1. Presence 2. Power 3. Guidance 4. TransformationHow We Engage with The Holy SpiritAsk – Read – Listen And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.2 Corinthians 3:18

This is the start of our new sermon series, "The Rest of the Story," in which, over the next 9 weeks, we will go through Acts together. We'll discover that Acts is not just the rest of the story. It's the beginning of ours. ________ Waiting on God is not wasted time when we stay open to what God is forming in us. He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the...

Jesus does not meet our failure with shame. He meets us with grace, restoration, and a next step. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. – John 21:4-6

What feels insufficient in our hands becomes enough in the hands of Jesus. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed tothose who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11

Jesus often meets us in the places where we feel tired, empty, and ordinary—and he calls us to trust Him there.“Jesus, show me where to throw my net.”

Jesus is always speaking. The question is whether we are becoming the kind of people who can hear Him, receive Him, and bear fruit. "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times." -Mark 4:8 What kind of soil are you offering Jesus right now?

We do not become more like Jesus by accident. We become more like Him by introducing small, intentional habits that change us over time. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. -1 Timothy 4:8

Lasting change doesn’t happen by trying harder to change behavior, but by staying connected to Jesus so He can transform us from the inside out. Lessons from Yellow Lights1. A yellow light is a warning before the drift becomes the direction. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? -Mark 8:36 2. A yellow light is connection before correction. I have told you thes...

If we want to become new, we have to confront the old habits that have been forming us. Real change starts by stopping what keeps us stuck. 1. What Red Light habits and patterns are present in your life? 2. How can God and I make progress on this?

Early in the morning, the women went to the tomb. The story of Jesus had reached a DEAD END.But the stone was rolled away...The tomb was empty. Why do you look for the living among the dead? What felt like the end wasn't the end at all. He is Risen!

This Week’s Big Idea: Surrender isn’t giving up. It’s trusting God with what we can’t control while taking the next right step in love—so fear doesn’t make the decisions for us, and we can walk into Holy Week with courage. Questions to think about:1. Can I control this? 2. Is it mine or God’s?3. Have I invited God in?

This Week’s Big Idea: Unity isn’t uniformity. It’s a way of belonging to each other in love (even when we disagree) so pressure doesn’t turn into contempt, and we learn to live the prayer of Jesus in real life. Sermon Notes:The people closest to you usually feel your pressure first. Pressure turns little things into loud things. Unity focuses on what’s most important before the little things pull...

This Week’s Big Idea: Grief doesn’t mean your faith is failing. It means you’re human. Prayer in grief is not about rushing to answers; it’s about bringing your pain into the presence of Jesus, so sorrow doesn’t isolate you and hope can slowly return. These 10 truths remind us that pain and faith can exist in the same space.1. Pain in life happens2. Grief doesn’t mean your faith is failing3. Jesus...

This Week’s Big Idea: Gratitude isn’t pretending everything is fine. It’s staying connected to God when things are hard—so weariness doesn’t harden us, and we can receive rest for the road ahead. Three Ways to Deal with Disappointment1. Tell the truth2. Give thanks3. Come to Jesus

This Week’s Big Idea: Prayerful discernment doesn’t erase hard decisions. It helps us choose with love, honesty, and courage—so pressure isn’t the loudest voice in our lives. When pressure rises, anchor down:1) Love2) Honesty3) Courage4) Community

This Week’s Big Idea: Things like prayer, solitude, and rest are not an escape from real life when the day is already too loud. They are how we return to real life with God at the center. Three Myths about Dealing with Pressure Myth #1: More Effort = Less Pressure Myth #2: Loud = Important Myth #3: MY Pressure, MY Problem Truth #1: Pressure isn’t relieved by more output. It’s relieved by the right...

God has empowered you to serve by giving you unique gifts, experiences, and passions to meet real needs in the world. How to Discover Your Gifts 1. Things You’re Good At 2. Things You’ve Experienced 3. Things You Have

Your purpose isn’t out there somewhere. It’s right here—love God, love people, and witness to Jesus in the places and relationships you have and will have.

Yes, God created you because the party wouldn’t be complete without you. Significance doesn’t mean being in the spotlight—God uses ordinary people, in ordinary places, to reveal His goodness in extraordinary ways. A little light is all it takes to overcome a room full of darkness.

You belong in God’s family, the Church, where you can be known by others, needed for who you are, and formed through shared life together. Here's the invitation:1. Come near to God again.2. Come out from behind the wall.3. Take your place in the house.

You are not a label, a résumé, or a regret—you are a cherished child of God. Your identity is received, not achieved.