In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to…
As High Priest, Jesus serves as mediator between God the Father and his people. As mediator, Jesus prays for his people and makes a way for his people to pray to the Father.
In our sin, we betray Jesus. Though we love Him, we continue to fall into sin. Yet Jesus is gracious to forgive, and He restores His people through gracious, gospel renewal. The story of Peter’s restoration reminds us that Jesus renews and restores His people.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
Jesus is always calling sinners to repentance. He is also calling His people to repentance as well. When we see that we have sinned, we repent, turning away from sin and running to the Savior. The story of the Prodigal Son shows the need for repentance and returning home to the Father.
Like the church of Ephesus, we need to stop and remember the love of Jesus. This is the love He had for us. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. In His grace, He invites us to His table to remember just how much He truly does love us.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
Jesus, in His grace, invites us back to Himself. He longs for us to be of good service to Him. He longs for us to fall in love with Him all over again, just like we did the day he saved us.
In Matthew 12, Jesus states that His true family is His spiritual family, individuals who have been adopted as brothers and sisters. God’s family is identified by having the same…
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to…
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are Generous Contributors. God has given all things to us and invites us to share in His generosity. He sees our hearts and seeks for us to generous contributors to His mission in the world.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are Passionate Prayers. Jesus’ ministry was marked by consistent, passionate praying. Hours before his death, Jesus modeled for us the importance of praying earnestly, knowing that prayer gives us strength to accomplish the will of the Father.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are joyful encouragers. When we encounter Jesus, He gives us a greater joy than anything we could ever find in…
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are Obedient Disciple-Makers. Jesus sends us out to teach others about who He is. He models for us what we are to teach others. Every follower of Jesus invites others to come and see who Jesus truly is.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today. Today, they are joined by Darin Damron, our Director of LifeGroups, and Chris Holstein, our KidLife Director.
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are Bold Missionaries. Bold Missionaries are willing to go and bring sinners to Jesus. They recognize the problem and they recognize that only Jesus has the authority to forgive sins.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
As people who have been transformed by God’s grace, we are gospel champions. We no longer live for self, we live for Christ, which means we take up our cross…
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
On this week's episode, Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben walk us through what it means for our church to pursue a culture of grace.
A family trait is the way that family members are alike or similar due to the genes they inherited from their parents. For the church, the characteristics that we have should be Christlike characteristics. It is our desire to pursue a culture of grace because Jesus is full of grace and truth, and only He can make us like Himself.
As we begin a new series on the Grace Life Church Family Traits, Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben introduce the family traits and how they are an identifiable marker for those who belong to our church.
For more information on our Family Traits, visit thegracelifechurch.org/familytraits.
God calls the earth to sing praises to his name. Knowing the what and why of our singing matters. The heart captivated by Christ is unashamed to sing praises to…
It is the responsibility of every Christian parent to take a stand for the way of Christ. We do not give in to culture, but with a deep reverence for…
God’s commands protect us. Sin brings destruction—but Jesus brings restoration.
God’s methods may not follow human wisdom, but His plans never fail. Much like Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, what wisdom of God that looks foolish to the world contains the greatest victory!
God's presence leads His people into new territory that God had prepared for them. Although it requires faith, we step out onto the path God leads even when the waters…
Christian parenting is a commitment to intentionally, enthusiastically, and lovingly invite our children to follow the same Jesus in whom we deeply believe.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
In this weekly podcast released after the Sunday sermon, Pastor Matt, Pastor Ben, and special guests along the way discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
Marriage is a good gift from the Lord between one husband and one wife for life. In God’s good design, He intends for the husband and wife to reflect the gospel. The relationship between a husband and wife is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Jesus and His bride.
In this weekly podcast released every Thursday, Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
Habakkuk asks why present circumstances are seemingly being ignored by God. Through his dialogue with God, we learn that God asks us to remain faithful even when we don’t understand…
The church is the redeemed people of God and in God’s plan for the church, the church lives together in unity. There are no isolated Christians. We live together in…
In this weekly podcast released every Thursday, Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
In this weekly podcast released every Thursday, Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben discuss how we can continue to apply the sermon text to our lives today.
Grace Life Church is powerless without the Holy Spirit. We cannot rely on ourselves and we must rely on the power of the one who dwells in us and works…
Nahum takes a look at God’s judgment of all people while focusing on the imminent destruction of the Assyrian empire. Opening with a declaration of God’s character, we see both…
The Book of Acts is the story of the early church and how, through the power of the Holy Spirit, ordinary men and women turned the world upside down for…
As parents, we have been given the responsibility to care, protect, and disciple our children. Their Creator has entrusted us to nurture them and raise them up to know the…
Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount by stating that the person who hears His words and obeys them is wise while the one who hears and ignores them is…
Jesus will issue a startling reality: confessing him as Lord and even doing good works in his name is not enough to enter heaven. Heaven is only open to those…
There is only one path that leads to life and the path of life produces healthy, God-honoring good works.
In Matthew 7:12, commonly known as the Golden Rule, Jesus commands that we treat others the same way we want to be treated, modeling how Jesus has treated us.
Jesus tells us that our Father in heaven desires to give us good gifts that we need to live for his glory.
Text: Matthew 7:1-6 Jesus, the one true judge, warns us of being judgemental towards others and commands us to inspect our hearts and deal with our own sins. Jesus desires…
Psalm 8 is about the greatest show we know in the heavens and on earth with the most majestic name in all the earth and a guest of honor that…
God’s Mercy frees us from the temptation of trusting in ourselves to praise him for who he is.
We rightly study the Bible because God, through the Spirit-inspired Bible, has revealed Himself to us, proclaimed the glorious salvation He offers to sinners, and has shown us how His…
God’s Word and Prayer go hand in hand. When we pray, we should pray from the Words of Scripture, speaking to our Father who has first spoken to us.
Psalm 139:1-18 reveals three important attributes about God’s character, namely that He is all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful. Because of this, we as Christians have a blessed assurance that He who…
We must see the richness of God’s Word that teaches us of the goodness and mercy of God and will leave us with a sweet taste of eternal nourishment for…
God has made His plan for His people clear. God cares about the heart behind how we relate both to other people and to God. God will restore and redeem…
Jesus speaks to our anxious hearts by reminding us that God is sovereign and the source of our peace and therefore, we are to seek after Him.
God sets out His case against Israel, calling out their prideful heart. His desire is for true repentance and worship, not empty words and actions. God’s forgiveness and mercy is…
The Day of the Lord will bring together not only the remnant of Israel but also all those who desire to obey Him. There will be a great war and…
The treasures of this world are empty while the treasures of heaven are eternal. We can only choose one and what we choose to gather reveals what our heart truly…
God’s judgment against Israel and Judah comes about from the unjust and selfish actions of their political and spiritual leaders. He has clearly set out His desire for his people,…
Sin is a deadly enemy. We don’t casually pet it, but actively seek to destroy it. When temptation comes, through the Lord’s strength, we run to the One who will…
Psalm 110 is about Christ fulfilling two roles – King and High Priest. It shows Christ’s role as king over all and in complete control, and when we recognize who…
The Book of Jonah gives us a glimpse into the future as we look to Jesus, the one who obey the Father, went to sinners, and shared a message of…
Jesus calls for us to go to our Father for forgiveness and to forgive those who have sinned against us. Forgiveness is an act of mercy that is at the…
After being vomited by the great fish, Jonah heads to Ninevah to deliver the message God had given to him. As a result, the people of Ninevah turn to God…
The Book of Jonah is the story of God sovereignly working in the lives of his people and sinners. Jonah runs from God's command to go to Ninevah and God…
Everything we have and everything we need comes from our Father in heaven. He is the one who sustains us physically and spiritually.
The shortest of the Minor Prophets, Obadiah tells of the wrongdoings of the nation of Edom and God’s eventual restoration of the nation of Israel. Those who mistreat God’s people…
When we behold the empty tomb, we leave marveling at all that Christ has done. The Resurrection of Jesus raises dead sinners to life.
How can you call the day Jesus died a good day? Well, it's the day our sins were atoned for. Friday begins in the Garden of Gethsemane and ends in…
The events of Maundy Thursday are focused on the Last Supper. Here, Jesus ushers in a New Covenant, proclaiming His death for the sins of the world. The cross looms…
After a long day Tuesday, Wednesday is quiet for Jesus. In fact, Scripture doesn't mention what Jesus does on Wednesday. Pastor Matt and Josh Bird take the time to reflect…
Tuesday is a very long day for Jesus and His disciples. Jesus spent the day teaching throughout the temple and answering (and sometimes not answering) questions presented to Him. Jesus…
The events on the Monday of Holy Week reveal Jesus' righteous indignation toward the hearts of those who are only looking out for themselves and never consider what God is…
The Final Week of Jesus - Episode 1 The week begins with Jesus and His disciples entering Jerusalem. It’s a long week ahead of them, but it begins with a…
Our desire should be to do the will of our Father because His will is good and holy and is always accomplished.
The shortest of the Minor Prophets, Obadiah tells of the wrongdoings of the nation of Edom and God’s eventual restoration of the nation of Israel. Those who mistreat God’s people…
Main Text: Matthew 6:10a While we live as temporary citizens of a temporary government, we belong to a glorious kingdom whose king reigns over all things and whose reign is…
In the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus invites us to pray that the holy name of God will be highly revered by all people because his name is…
God calls his people to repentance. The nation was currently physically thriving, but not only were they spiritually dead, they would soon also lose the status they were so sure…
As we begin our 21 Days of Fasting on March 10th, it will be good for us to understand what Scripture has to teach us concerning fasting and how we…
God’s appearance near the altar shows that He is coming to personally deal with the nation. No matter where they try to hide from Him, they will be unsuccessful. God…
Jesus instructs us to pray to our Father in heaven. The God we pray to is the eternal, all-mighty God who created all things, and in His sovereignty rules over…
God says He will withhold His word from Israel. Although the people will finally seek God out, He will not reveal himself. They look to everything but God for solutions…
Through all of life’s circumstances, we can only find total satisfaction in God. He is our Sovereign Provider, our Sure Foundation, and our Great Protector.
The apathetic attitude of the Israelites stems from where they are truly placing their hope: in the greatness of their land, goods, and armies. Comfort and success has bred complacency…
God’s Judgment of the Nations- Amos 1-3 As the word of the Lord comes to Amos, God continually repeats the phrase “for three sins of ___, even for four, I…
Text: Matthew 6:9a Summary: In his model prayer, Jesus begins by bringing our attention to our Father in Heaven. When we see and behold our God above, it will radically…
Joel's message is clear- the day of the Lord is coming, and it will be terrible for those who fall under judgment. But for those who would repent and seek…
Text: Matthew 6:5-8 Summary: Prayer is neither optional nor is it an obligation. Prayer is a gracious gift that our Father in Heaven has given to us so we can…
The provision of a Holy God is beautiful for those who are recipients of His restoration. Complete satisfaction can only be found in God, and all who would call on…
Text: 1 Timothy 3 Summary: A healthy church is a church that stands on the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all things and stays true to the truth and structure…
The judgment of a Holy God is terrible for those who are recipients of His wrath. Joel describes what that complete devastation looks like in a variety of ways: an…
No matter the circumstances we face, God is never distant. Our God hears our prayers, has proven Himself trustworthy, and is the only One Who can provide everything that we…
TET: Psalm 1 Psalm 1 tells of the blessedness of the Godly life and encourages the Godly to follow after the way of God and reject the way of the…
Main Text: Lamentations 3:21-26 We have no idea what 2024 will bring us, but we can be confident that the Lord will be providentially faithful to us and His mercy…
Text: Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:1-14 The Virgin Birth of Jesus gives us a glimpse at the power of God who works in unexpected ways to display his glory and bring…
Text: Isaiah 11 The Christmas story is more than tradition and far greater than we realize. The Christmas story is the telling of the greatest miracle ever.
As we recap the major themes in the Book of Hosea, we turn to Romans 8:5-11. This same hope was presented to the people in Hosea’s time, and the power…
TEXT: Revelation 4 Because our Living and Active God reigns from a place of complete power, holiness, and worthiness, in all things we must depend on Him, seek to become…
TEXT: Matthew 6:1-4 The hypocritical heart seeks to bring glory to self. The heart of a Jesus follower seeks to bring glory to God alone.
TEXT: Matthew 5:38-48 As we close out Matthew 5 today, Jesus helps us learn how to treat people who mistreat us. Through His love and patience with sinners, Jesus shows…
The disobedience of Israel resulted in the destruction of their kingdom. But this is not the end of them, but a chance for a new beginning. The nation as a…
Jesus desires for us to see lying as a sin against God and to be passionate about the truth, which is only found in Jesus.
God appears here in the gut-wrenching situation a father feels when his children choose something he knows will hurt them. The full measure of God’s wrath is stored because of…
TEXT: Matthew 19:13-15 As children are being brought to Jesus, the disciples interfere, but they soon learn Jesus invites children to come to Him. In the same way, He invites…
Continuing to reject God’s call to repentance, we find a detailed scolding of Israel for her actions. And ultimately God outlines a return to the conditions the Israelites abhorred- slaves…
The people remain unrepentant and continue to defy God through their evil kings, dependence on foreign relationships, and lack of true worship. Although what they are doing is no worse…
Today's Text: Revelation 3:14-22 The Laodiceans believed they were a self-sufficient people who were rich, prosperous, and needed nothing. Christ’s message to them and us is that without Christ we…
God lays out the issues of idolatry, prostitution, and the overall rebellion against God. Hosea moves from the sign acts of his family to God’s direct message to the northern…
We look to Scripture’s teaching on divorce to see that a healthy, Christ-centered marriage is God’s design and, when we set our selfishness and pride aside and put on Christ,…
Main Text: Matthew 5:27-30 As Jesus teaches against the sin of lust in His Sermon on the Mount, He goes after our hearts by showing us how we are enthralled…
Hosea’s marriage and children represent the messages God has for the people of Israel. First, he calls Hosea to an extreme step, as a prophet marrying a prostitute would be…
Text: Matthew 5:27-30 Marriage has many good gifts, one of which is sex. God's Word is clear that sex is intended to be between a married man and his wife.
God has designed marriage and he has designed it to be a gracious gift. The gracious gift of marriage points us to the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Acts 9:1-22 The glory of Jesus is displayed in salvation and celebrated in discipleship. Those who are called by God are called to make disciples who make disciples.
Revelation 3:7-13 The sixth letter Jesus writes in Revelation is to a church that humbly and patiently endured because they truly knew who Jesus is.
TEXT: Luke 24 When we consider the Bible as a whole, we see 66 books of various genres, over 40 authors of various jobs and life stories, a span of…
Sermon Text: Acts 6-7 While God calls some to go overseas to be missionaries, He calls every one of us to be a loving, Christ-centered gospel influence to those around…
Philippians 3:12-4:1 Spiritual maturity in the life of a church and the individual Christian is marked by how similar we are to Jesus.
A Sermon from Acts 2:42-47 Jesus gathers His people together and establishes a commonality among them. It is a gift of grace to gather and connect with one another in…
The Bible sets the baseline for what a healthy church looks like. It is good for us to stop and make sure we are aligned with Scripture. Ultimately, a healthy…
Today's Text: Revelation 3:1-6 As Believers called by Jesus, we must listen to His Word and conform to His standards. May we be a local assembly of called-out ones who…
In the life of young King Josiah, we are reminded that God has given His Word to His people, both young and old, so we can know Him and glorify…
Nehemiah 8:1-12 - God has given us His Word so we can know Him. When we engage God's Word both when we gather and when we are alone, we see…
The Bible is the very words of God for the church today. God’s Word is true, profitable, and good. Scripture was given by God to His people so that we…
Jesus speaks to a compromising church. Faithful believers are instructed here to hold on until Christ returns. By faithfulness, not by compromise, will the church attain its true position in…
Jesus shows us that the law is not a matter of behavior but of heart. To live in anger towards someone is an issue of the heart and has no…
Jesus shows us that the law is not a matter of behavior but of heart. He is not simply seeking to change us on the outside but seeks to transform…
Christian parenting holds to a deep belief that there is no greater legacy to leave to our children then to leave them rejoicing in the name of Jesus.
The Church in Pergamum is written for us to see the dangers of compromising our faith instead of standing firm in our faith in Jesus.
Jesus has come to fulfill the teachings of the Old Testament and because He has done so, we are now free to not only obey His commands, but to teach…
As we share the Gospel, we must remember the power of God is what truly brings salvation. We also recognize as we pursue holy living that He empowers us to…
Paul makes his final call to stick close to the Gospel and repel anything that goes against God’s word. And he reminds them of what ultimately matters- Christ and Christ…
The thesis statement for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount tells us why He came; not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. But what does this mean for Christians…
We can only do good because of Christ in us. More and more the failure of the flesh continues to show up, as we see that it only brings about…
Happy Mother's Day! For many of us, the greatest mission field we will ever have will be at home, pointing our kids to Jesus. Jesus helps us as parents be…
Continuing off the end of the last section, Paul exhorts us to support one another through the Christian walk. This will look different from person to person and situation to…
It's one thing to know we are the salt and the light, but what does it look like practically in the life of a believer who seeks to live out…
We get two lists in this passage. First is a list of acts that may seem obviously “bad” but include things like hatred and envy, which are more internal and…
God has called us to be his representatives on this earth. We represent the gospel as salt because the gospel isn't bitter and it preserves our lives. We are the…
Pointing out a potential misinterpretation, Paul makes sure to point out that freedom in Christ isn’t a license to complete, unabashed freedom from God’s plan for personal holiness. The Spirit…
We return to our intermittent series on the Seven Church of Revelation where we see a reminder to us today: Jesus knows your suffering but remember this, even though life…
There is no doubt now about Paul’s tone. He expresses strongly his feeling about the false teachers who are distorting the Gospel. Let this be a warning to us, both…
As Jesus closes out the Beatitudes, He ends on a different note, a note of loyalty. Those who believe in Jesus will face persecution and with persecution comes an opportunity…
Paul keeps preaching the message of freedom. The law cannot save you, only Christ can! And so the Spirit works in us, giving us the hope we have through faith…
The death of Jesus Christ is a reminder that our salvation was won on a battle field and the resurrection of Jesus is a reminder of the eternal victory we…
“You who want to be under the law.” It is hard not to read this with a biting tone. But Paul is desperately trying to show the Jewish believers that…
It is clearly evident from the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is more concerned with our hearts than he is with our behavior. The condition of your heart, the…
The mercy of God is most extravagant when we understand the deep depravity of our sin and the awesomeness of His holiness. And for those who have received mercy from…
We see the specific way Paul had met the Galatians. They met his need and welcomed him. Now, they are questioning him. In the same way Paul pleads for the…
Doctrine, endurance, and works are important aspects of a Christian’s walk with Christ, but if we lose our love of Christ or our love of others, they are in vain.
Hunger and thirst are fundamental needs we experience every day. In Jesus’ day, water and food were scarce blessings. Jesus uses these two needs that we fully understand to encourage…
This kingdom characteristic of meekness is living with the heart of Jesus. It’s a proper understanding of who God is and who we are, both in this world and in…
Life is not always easy as a Christian, but before we knew God, things were markedly different. Paul reminds us not to go back to those old ways of living. …
Grief is the natural and good response to a profound loss. But the grief Jesus refers to is not grief over loss, but grief over our own sinfulness and our…
So many truths about Christ are revealed in this passage. We see His deity, His humanity, His submission to the Father, His role as Redeemer. And Paul also points out…
By speaking of the poor in spirit, Jesus is not speaking to financial or material poverty but rather to the reality of how much we need Him. We are dependent…
No! Christ ushers us into God’s family as heirs! Paul wraps up all of his arguments, pointing out Christ as seed, promised heir, and totally obliterates the pro-Jewish argument once…
As Jesus begins His earthly ministry, He lays out a way of holy living for His followers. The greatest sermon ever preached is a sermon that still applies today. We…
As we have seen, the law, though it was instituted as a guardian in order to align God’s people to His holy standard, failed to be able to make anyone…
The book of Revelation opens with a call not only to seven churches but also to the church today as we look forward to Jesus’ return. The practical charges found…
While we wait for our future glorification, we still battle the weakness of our flesh. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and He intercedes for us.