TFRC Sermons

Matthew 13:44-47 Brandon Craig from Operation Mobilization explores the parables of the hidden treasure, the priceless pearl, and the net and how they apply to global mission field.

1 Samuel 15:7-15 The Amalekites were a people whose animosity towards Israel began in Exodus. Because of this, King Saul was commanded to eliminate them as a threat. However, he disobeyed and spared King Agag (and probably others) as well as sheep and cattle. He did not do this out of mercy, but out of greed. His greed led him to disobey the Lord and then claim that he did what the Lord commanded...

1 Samuel 18:1-9 Theme: Jealousy - As David became more and more beloved and influential, King Saul became jealous of what he had. He lived into his own insecurities, lacked contentment with who he was, began listening to the outside noise of the world, and ended up losing sight of what mattered most. Rather than ruling the way God had called him to, he became obsessed with being Greater than David...

1 Samuel 13:5-14 Theme: Impatience - 1 Samuel 13:1-14 (Didn’t wait for Samuel) We often like to work and live at our own pace and schedule, but God often works on his own timing. So what happens when we are impatient with God’s timing?... We make a fool of ourselves; we keep ourselves from living out the potential of who God has called us to be. In our passage King Saul was impatient with God’s ti...

1 Samuel 11:6-14 We all have great potential, but it is our character flaws that keep us from reaching it. Saul showed great leadership, character, and courage in this passage - it was a moment where the people saw the king he could be. However, Saul’s flaws would eventually keep him from being the king Israel was hoping for.

Mark 9:14-24 As we celebrate graduates this time of year, Youth Director Tanner Smith reminds us that with regard to faith (and other things), it’s okay to not have it all figured out. The key is to make progress and make your faith your own, relying on Jesus to perfect your faith as you move into whatever's next.

Acts 2:1-4 Pentecost was the remembrance of the Israelites receiving the Law of God at Mt. Sinai; given as a guide since they were delivered from Egypt. But In the book of Acts, God gives the disciples the Holy Spirit to guide believers since they were delivered from sin. The Spirit is an improvement from the law and fulfills what the law started.

Psalm 103:19-22 God rules over all things; there is not one aspect of creation that is not under his rule. Angels and mighty ones do His bidding. Thus the blessings of God are ever-present and never-ending. His sovereign rule makes Him praiseworthy by all things.

Psalm 103:15-18 Scripture teaches that our lives are fleeting; like the grass and flowers, we are here and then gone and remembered no more. But God doesn’t forget those who fear him. He remains faithful to the children’s children of those who fear Him. Our faithfulness to God will benefit our descendants who come after us.

Esther 4:10-17 We are linking our mission partners and our congregation to a deeper connection in God’s mission; reminding everyone that they are made for such a time as this in God’s plan.

Psalm 103:6-14 Our sins put us in a position deserving God’s anger and wrath; they have put us in a place of distress and chaos. But even though God is the one we have sinned against, He sees our distress and wants to alleviate us from it. So God relents from His anger and does not respond to us as we deserve. Rather He removes our transgressions from us to give us relief from our suffering in thi...

Psalm 103:1-5 Our passage starts by framing our hearts for how we should respond to God’s blessings - we are to praise him with all our inmost being! We are encouraged to do this through remembering that God renews, forgives, heals, redeems us, and satisfies our desires with good things. When we remember the renewal God provides, we live and praise him with greater gratitude.

John 20:10-18 Jesus conquered death, bringing salvation and new life!

Mark 9:33:-37 The disciples were arguing about which of them would be the greatest in what they assumed was a top-down hierarchy in heaven. But Jesus turns this upside down and says the greatest is the one at the bottom. In the same culture, children were at the bottom of the social ladder; they were not considered “great”. However, Jesus identifies with them, saying "if you welcome this child, yo...

Matthew 16:24-27 Jesus tells his disciples to not focus on worldly gain since it is temporary. The path to life is not fulfilling our desires, but being willing to give them up. Even if we gained everything the world had to offer, that would still not be worth the sacrifice of our souls.

Mark 10:17-22 When the rich man asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, he was hoping that his conduct alone would get him there. But Jesus revealed that the true path to eternal life was not based around good behavior, but instead surrender and sacrifice. We have to be willing to surrender our pride, our security and our life.

Matthew 9:1-8 While healing a paralyzed man, Jesus also forgives the man’s sins, displaying His authority over sin. The Pharisees did not think Jesus was allowed to speak forgiveness into that man’s life, so their thoughts were evil because they did not recognize Jesus’ authority. How do we refuse Jesus’ authority in our lives?

John 6:61-69 There are some things in the Christian faith that are just a “bridge too far” for us. What are some of those things? Are we still willing to follow?

Mark 4:35-41 In this story, the disciples have plenty to be afraid of - they are traveling in a boat at night; a storm comes and water is coming into the boat to the point it is nearly swamped; and Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat. There are lots of things we are understandably afraid of. However, Jesus expects us to not despair because He will address that which causes us to fear.

Daniel 6:10-13,16-17,19-23 Faithful living often gets us in trouble in our world. It can get us fired, create tensions in friendships, and even confront us with our mortality. When we live faithfully to God we will experience persecution, whether great or small, but how does God call us to live in the face of it? We are still called to put our trust in the Lord even in the chaos of the lion’s dens...

Daniel 5:22-31 Knowing the story of his father humbling himself before God, King Belshazzar still chooses to pridefully set himself up against God. He chose not to honor God with his living and paid the price with death. We have to choose to die to our pride, or we will die from it. Last week we talked about the hope of restoration when we submit to God, this week we see the consequences of contin...

Daniel 4:28-37 Daniel 4 revolves around King Nebechudnezzar; a character study that highlights what happens to our humanity when we embrace the sin in our lives and the restoration that is possible when we live the way God designed us to live. We live in a world that can easily bring us to act like animals, giving into our carnal desires, but we can experience restoration when we choose to submit...

Daniel 3:16-27 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to betray their God by worshipping the gods set up by Nebuchadnezzar. Even under immense pressure, they refused to yield. Their faithfulness does not come with an expectation of God’s deliverance, but they will not betray their God regardless of what happens to them. That is the kind of loyalty that God values and displays.

Daniel 2:19-29 While we are in the world but not of the world, we sometimes forget how temporary life is. God is the God of history as He changes times and seasons, raises up and deposes kings, and knows what lies in the darkness. It is easy to get caught up in the latest trend the world has to offer, but everything the world offers is simply a mist: here today and gone tomorrow. We remain faithfu...

Daniel 1:8-16 Daniel exemplifies what it looks like for us to courageously stand up for our faith and convictions in foreign land, or a land that goes against Christian values. Daniel blends conviction with wisdom and tact; he doesn’t compromise truth, but he communicates it humbly, respectfully, and creatively. Courageous standing up for our faith doesn’t need to be combative. Godly conviction sh...