The Chapel | Sermons

In “Legacy,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen concludes the series on David’s life with the message, “Life is hard, but God is good.” Like David, we all experience hardships of many kinds. However, God remains good, sovereign, present, forgiving, and better than our disappointments. We must focus on Jesus as our ultimate example and trust that He walks with us through all of life’s difficulties. Dave Gustavs...

We all wrestle with pride at times. In "Arrogance," Pastor Ted Voltmer teaches from a time in David's life when his pride and arrogance took over, and how he overcame it. In contrast, Jesus modeled humility and service. We can resist arrogance is by following His example. Ted Voltmer | August 18, 2024 Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .

Have you ever had your heart broken? In “Heartbreak,” Pastor Paul Klouse explores various heartbreaks in David’s life, which include betrayal, displacement, and grief. When our hearts are broken, we can find hope and healing when we go to Jesus, the better and truer David, who gets us more than anyone else. Paul Klouse | August 11, 2024 Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram...

In “Sin,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen uses King David’s adultery as an example to warn about the dangers of sexual sin. Though sexual sin (and all sin) is harmful, it can be overcome by turning away from it and towards God. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, forgiveness is possible. When we choose to repent, we can be forgiven and experience restored joy. Dave Gustavsen | August 4, 2024 Visit our website or conn...

How do we respond when God says “no?” In “Covenant,” Matt Smith teaches from a time in David’s life when he was told “no” to something he wanted to do for God, but God gave him a greater promise instead. David teaches us to trust God’s wisdom, do our part by submitting to His will, and expand our vision of God. Ultimately this story points us to Jesus, whose ultimate submission encourages us to tr...

In “Joy,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches that true joy is found in God’s presence. He uses David’s story to show the importance of understanding God’s holiness and mercy. Access to God's presence requires sacrifice, and that was paid in full by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Instead of taking God too lightly or ourselves too seriously, we should let God transform our hearts so we can experienc...

Pressure is a common experience, often due to a lack of time, money, or the need to please others. In "Pressure," Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches how to walk through life's pressures by looking at David's life. Jesus faced the ultimate pressure on the cross, and by recognizing his sacrifice, we can find the strength to endure life’s challenges without being crushed. Dave Gustavse...

How peaceful are your life and relationships? In “Peacemaker,” Ryan Olsen teaches from the story of David and Abigail, highlighting two types of people: peace breakers and peace makers. Which are you? Abigail's example shows us how we can bring peace into our lives. There is peace that can be made in the world today, and with Jesus as our ultimate peacemaker, we can spread His perfect peace w...

In “Mercy,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches us to handle mistreatment like David: respect God’s design, rely on His justice, and expect His blessing. Instead of holding grudges and seeking revenge, we should listen to God’s voice, seek peace and trust Him to handle our hurts. Jesus is the ultimate example of how to overcome mistreatment and He offers us true blessing and freedom when we give our bur...

David made it through challenging times not just because of God, but also with the help of his good friend, Jonathan. In “Friendship,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen highlights what good friends do: they sacrifice for us, stick with us, stand up for us, and strengthen us. Jonathan was the kind of friend we wish we all had – but Jesus is the ultimate friend! Embracing Jesus’ love and example will help us cr...

In “Fugitive,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen explores times in David’s life where he was on the run in the desert, revealing lessons on how to handle our own deserts – times that are unfamiliar, unsafe, and unfair. David’s experiences teach us the value of seeking wise counsel, serving others, and trusting in God. Ultimately, Jesus’ sacrifice gives us strength for the desert. We can keep walking through o...

The story of David and Goliath teaches us how to respond to the giants we face in life that try to intimidate, insult, and paralyze us. In “Courage,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen examines David’s response to Goliath. David had a passion for God’s fame, confidence in His faithfulness, and a reliance on His power. His victory over Goliath points us to our ultimate hero, Jesus Christ, who defeated death and...

In “Vision,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen talks about how we see, how God sees, and how we can start seeing the way God sees. The story of God selecting young David to be king over his older, more outwardly impressive brothers illustrates how God looks at the heart. In contrast, we are often distracted by looks and miss what really matters. Adopting God’s way of seeing would positively change many areas...

May is Mental Health Awareness month. You have probably experienced anxiety or depression or know someone who has. In “God’s Response to Anxiety and Depression,” Pastor Paul Klouse teaches from the highs and lows of Elijah’s life, and shows how God responds with generosity and gentleness. Just as God cared for Elijah, we can support others who might be experiencing anxiety and depression. Paul Klo...

Malcolm Gladwell says that “We have a storytelling problem. We’re a bit too quick to come up with explanations for things we don’t really have an explanation for.”  In “A Whole New World,” Stuart Hall states that whenever we stop trying to do what seems impossible, we settle for a version of life that God never intended. For the sake of the next generation, he urges us to keep doing what seems at...

In “Finish the Work: Staying Focused,” Pastor Ted Voltmer encourages us to learn from Nehemiah about how to stay focused on God’s vision, and remain steadfast in our purpose. We will face opposition and distractions, but we should not let them stop us! Like Nehemiah, we should pray for strength and trust God to provide what is needed to fulfill His purposes. Ted Voltmer | May 5, 2024 Visit our web...

In “Keep Going: When Opposition Comes,” Pastor Ted Voltmer reminds us that when we are on the receiving end of criticism, we can learn from Nehemiah’s example of prayer, encouragement, and action because they are based on Nehemiah knowing his identity and purpose. Ted Voltmer | April 28, 2024 Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .

In "Clarifying Your Vision," Pastor Ted Voltmer walks us through Nehemiah 2 and shows us that a strong vision is prayerful, personal, practical, and purposeful. God was leading Nehemiah to do great things and He can do the same for you! April 21, 2024 | Ted Voltmer Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .

In “Finding Your Purpose,” Pastor Ted Voltmer teaches from the life of Nehemiah, showing how ordinary people can be given extraordinary purposes, when they allow God to stir something in them. God has equipped each of us uniquely to fulfill a specific purpose, and He longs to do ‘great things’ through us. It will probably feel overwhelming – but that’s OK, because God’s power will help us accompli...

Our relationship with Jesus changes our past, present, and future. In “Second Chances,” Pastor Ted Voltmer shares Peter’s story: Peter loved and followed Jesus, but failed by denying Him three times. He wrestled with guilt and feeling like a failure, something we can all relate to. But, Jesus, in grace, restored Peter and transformed his life! Jesus wants a relationship with each of us – all we ne...

Easter celebrates the most important event in history – Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. He’s alive! He paid for our sin and He conquered death. The fact that Jesus is alive should cause us to ask, how does that affect me? In “Get Up!”, Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches that when we encounter the resurrected Christ, we can’t just sit there… we should get up and follow Him. March 31, 2024 | Dave Gust...

Five days before He went to the cross, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and presented himself to the people of Israel. Today, He presents himself to every individual, and we need to decide how we will respond. In “A Different Kind of King,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen urges us to recognize our King; worship our King; and then go out and imitate our King. Dave Gustavsen | March 24, 2024 Visit our we...

The world says greatness comes through competition and domination, but in “A Different Kind of Greatness,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches that Jesus says greatness comes through sacrifice and service, in the power of Christ. Dave Gustavsen | March 17, 2024 Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube .

Money is a sensitive topic for many, but Jesus talked about money all the time, because it affects our relationship with God. In “A Different Kind of Wealth,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen teaches us that money can blind us to spiritual truths, but God can transform us, leading us to love Him more deeply than anything else - including money. Dave Gustavsen | March 10, 2024 Visit our website or connect wit...

How do you define success? In “A Different Kind of Success,” Pastor Ted Voltmer shares how Jesus redefines success for us. We can either be a Consumer, seeking personal gain from our relationship with Jesus; or a Follower, aligning our desires with His. Following Jesus comes at a cost: we are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Despite the costs, true Followers gain much m...