The Grove Sermon Podcast

What does it mean to think biblically about sin? In Romans 3:9–26, the Apostle Paul brings every person, religious and irreligious alike, to the same conclusion, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Sin is not a minor flaw or a manageable habit; it is universal, corrupting, and destructive. Until we see sin clearly, grace will always feel small. But when we understand the seriousnes...

What you believe about God shapes everything else. In this sermon from Exodus 34:5–9, we begin our series Thinking Biblically by letting God define Himself. Set against the backdrop of Israel’s rebellion with the golden calf, this passage reveals a compassionate, gracious, and faithful God who presses in rather than pulling away. If we don’t allow Scripture to shape our understanding of God, somet...

In this message, we step beyond the manger and into a late night conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a religious man who had everything except new life. Jesus makes it clear, salvation is not about behavior modification or religious effort, but about being born again by the Spirit. Christmas doesn’t just celebrate that Jesus came near, it confronts us with why He came and the answer changes...

Christmas Eve is a sacred pause, a moment when the noise quiets and our hearts are drawn back to what matters most. In this Christmas Eve message, we walk through Matthew 1:18–23 and rediscover the meaning of the name Immanuel. This is not a sentimental title or a seasonal slogan. It is a theological declaration that God has come near. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Matthew 1:18-23 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland C...

Why did Jesus have to die? In this Christmas message from Hebrews 2:14–18, we explore the deeper meaning behind the incarnation and the cross. Jesus didn’t come merely to inspire us, He came to destroy death itself. The manger only makes sense because of the cross. And the cross changes everything. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Hebrews 2:14-18 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online:...

In Colossians 1:15–22, the apostle Paul lifts our eyes to the supremacy of Jesus Christ and shows us why Christmas is more than a moment in history. It is God’s plan to restore what sin shattered. In this message, we see three unshakable truths, Jesus is first. He is the image of the invisible God and the source of all creation. Jesus is supreme. All things were created through Him and for Him, an...

When John opens his Gospel, he doesn’t start with shepherds or angels, he starts in eternity. In this sermon, Pastor Roland walks through John 1:1–18 to show how Jesus came not only to save us, but to reveal the Father to us. If you’ve ever wondered what God is really like, or how Christmas speaks into your everyday life, this message will encourage your heart and draw your eyes toward Jesus, the...

God is faithful to His mission and He invites us into that mission with grace, purpose, and perseverance. In this message, Pastor Roland walks us through the closing scene of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey and shows us what faithfulness looks like in the life of a believer. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:24-28 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.r...

The Gospel keeps moving forward even when life pushes back. In Acts 14:21-23, Paul is bruised, bloodied, and left for dead yet he gets up and walks back into the very towns that tried to destroy him. Why? Because faith runs deeper than fear, and the mission of Christ is worth more than our comfort. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:21-23 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: h...

You can see God move and still miss God Himself. In Acts 14:8-20, Paul and Barnabas perform a miracle in the city of Lystra but the people mistake them for gods. The same crowd that tried to worship them soon tries to kill them. It’s a story of spiritual blindness, misplaced devotion, and the grace of God that still raises the fallen. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 14:8-20 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contr...

When the Gospel comes to town, hearts are revealed. In Acts 14:1-7, Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium, and the city divides. Some believe, others resist. The Gospel doesn’t flatter; it confronts. It tests, reveals, and refines. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras challenges us to examine which side of the line we’re standing on when the truth of Christ exposes what’s inside. SCRIPTURE REFER...

The Gospel divides hearts. Some draw near with humility, others turn away in pride. In Acts 13:42–52, Paul’s sermon in the synagogue exposes a dangerous truth: you can be surrounded by God’s work and still miss His grace. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras challenges us to examine our hearts, are we following Jesus out of curiosity or conviction? Learn how God’s grace draws us in, pierces ou...

In Acts 13, Paul preaches the Gospel through the lens of history, showing how every part of God's story points to Jesus. From the calling of Israel to the resurrection of Christ, we see a God who is faithful, sovereign, and still at work today. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 13:13-41 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.reachthegrove.com/ Facebook: https://www.fac...

This week, Pastor Roland preaches on what it means to be bearers and proclaimers of the truth. In this powerful passage, we see the Spirit sending Paul and Barnabas, truth confronting deception, rebellion leading to blindness, and faith being born through the Gospel’s power. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 13:4-12 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.reachthegrove....

Some of the most powerful moves of God begin in ordinary moments of worship. In Acts 13, we see the church in Antioch become the launching pad for global mission. Through worship, fasting, and prayer, the Holy Spirit speaks, and the church obeys. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 13:1-3 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.reachthegrove.com/ Facebook: https://www.fac...

Every heart is a glory seeker, but whose glory are you living for? In Acts 12:20–25, Herod Agrippa’s hunger for self-glory ends in destruction, but God’s mission marches on. This message challenges us to fix our focus on the true King and live for His glory alone. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Acts 12:20-25 SPEAKER: Pastor Roland Contreras ---- CONNECT WITH US: Online: https://www.reachthegrove.com/ Faceb...

In Acts 12, James is executed, Peter is imprisoned, and the church is under attack. Yet God shows us a powerful truth: His mission cannot be stopped. In this message, Pastor Roland unpacks three key truths from Peter’s miraculous deliverance: God is moving—get ready. God is leading—follow Him. God hears His people—pray. This passage reminds us that God uses both persecution and miracles to advance...

What happens when people refuse to acknowledge God? Romans 1:28–32 shows us that God “gave them up” to a debased mind, a mind that chooses what ought not to be done. The result is a world filled with sin’s corruption, from the sins that make headlines to the “smaller” sins we excuse in our daily lives. In this sermon, Pastor Roland Contreras unpacks Paul’s words to show us three urgent calls for b...

What happens when people refuse to acknowledge God? Romans 1:28–32 shows us that God “gave them up” to a debased mind, a mind that chooses what ought not to be done. The result is a world filled with sin’s corruption, from the sins that make headlines to the “smaller” sins we excuse in our daily lives. In this sermon, Pastor Roland Contreras unpacks Paul’s words to show us three urgent calls for b...

When the world witnesses senseless acts of evil, like the recent murder of Charlie Kirk, we are reminded of just how dark and broken sin truly is. These moments leave people grieving, searching, and asking questions. As the church, we cannot remain silent. The world will always offer its own answers, but the gospel offers hope, truth, and a response that leads to life. In this video, Pastor Roland...

What happens when people exchange the glory of God for their own desires? Romans 1:24–27 shows us the tragic downward spiral of sin: celebrating what God calls dishonorable, corrupting His design, and becoming enslaved to our passions. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras unpacks Paul’s words and points us to the hope of the gospel, Jesus Christ, who alone can give us a new heart and set us fr...

We live in a world that trades diamonds for dust, glory for garbage. Romans 1:21–23 reveals three downward steps of idolatry: rejection, futility, and exchanging the glory of God for worthless substitutes. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras shows us how idolatry begins in the heart, how it shapes our thinking, and how the gospel frees us from counterfeit gods. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Romans 1:...

We live in a culture filled with bad trades; trading integrity for influence, marriages for flings, and truth for trends. In Romans 1, Paul reveals humanity’s greatest tragedy, we’ve exchanged the truth of God for lies. This message challenges us to face that reality and points us back to the only hope we have, the true Jesus of Scripture, not the counterfeit “cultural Jesus” our world prefers. In...

What fuels your faith when life gets hard? In Psalm 44:1–8, we see that true faith is anchored not in feelings or circumstances but in remembering the mighty works of God. Before the psalmist laments betrayal and suffering, he leans on the testimony of God’s past faithfulness, and so should we. In this message, Pastor Roland Contreras unpacks three life-giving truths about remembering. SCRIPTURE R...

Where do you turn when joy feels out of reach? In Psalm 43, we meet a man surrounded by injustice, feeling far from God, yet determined to hope in Him. Joy is not found in perfect circumstances, it’s found in the presence of God Himself. Whether you’re walking through a dry season, feeling misunderstood, or simply longing for something more, this message will point you to the One who is your excee...