Ekklesia Church at Raleigh

Through personal stories, cultural critique, and a dose of humor, this message explores the seventh commandment: You shall not commit adultery. What might this ancient command teach us about sexuality, relationships, and what it means to be human?

This Sunday we take a look at the sixth commandment: "You shall not murder." On the surface this seems like a pretty easy one. But Jesus challenges us to look deeper into our hearts with this commandment. What is the deeper calling this commandment is pointing to?

For some, keeping the Fifth Commandment — honoring their parents — is easy, and even joyful. For others, it is much more complicated. What does it to honor parents who have caused great harm? This honest exploration of the fifth commandment offers no easy answers, but suggests ways to move forward that honor truth and break cycles of harm.

This week in our series on the 10 commandments, we arrive at the sabbath command. Perhaps no other commandment is more difficult for us to discuss in our modern context, but that is also why it is so important. How can the sabbath help us rehumanize time and rehumanize ourselves in the process?

What can a child's name on a lunch bag and the back of a baseball card teach us about not taking the Lord's name in vain? In this homily, we explore the deeper intent of the third commandment — how to "carry" God's name rightly.

We're constantly surrounded by images—on social media, entertainment platforms, and news sources. But how often do we consider how these images are shaping us? In this sermon, Pastor Greg explores the deeper wisdom of the second commandment—not as a rule to follow, but as an invitation to recognize the image of God in one another.

Today we begin our new sermon series on the Ten Commandments with a discussion about "covenant" as well as the first commandment. Is having no other gods before God an ancient and irrelevant command? Or is it still as relevant as ever?

What does it mean to 'proclaim Christ's death' on a day when we celebrate resurrection? This Easter message explores how the cross and empty tomb challenge us with what should — and should not — be resurrected in us.

Jesus’s last words on the cross in the gospel of John are, “It is finished.” In Greek, this is just a single word: tetelestai. What can this word, along with a tree in New York City, teach us about the Gospel?

Jesus' words from the cross, "I thirst," fulfill a vengeful Psalm of David in an unexpected way, bringing humanity's storyline of violence and retaliation to an end. Through the cross, Christ forges a new path — one of reconciliation and healing. How can we step deeper into this new path?

Today, our saying from the cross is, "Here is your son, here is your mother." This saying can feel out of place among the other quotes from the psalms, symbolic statements, and deeply theological words from the cross. But it’s that simplicity and domesticity that actually makes it so important. Additionally, we shone a spotlight on one of our campus partners, The Bridge International, to learn about their important work with survivors of human trafficking.

When Jesus said "Into your hands I commit my spirit" from the cross, he wasn't improvising — he was drawing on prayers that had shaped him his entire life. Our daily practices aren't just things we do; they're shaping who we become and how we respond to what life throws at us.

This Sunday we discuss Jesus’s words to the “criminal” being crucified next to him. This interaction has many historical, spiritual, and theological resonances. But perhaps the thing we need to hear most from this is the intimate and personal.

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." These words from Jesus on the cross invite us into a deeper understanding of both the grace and challenge embedded in authentic forgiveness.

This Sunday, we conclude our series on the Lord‘s prayer with the doxology. What does this section about the kingdom, the power, and the glory, which appears in some versions of the Lord‘s prayer but not others, teach us about the church and ourselves?

From movie villains to social media algorithms, evil takes many forms. In this exploration of the Lord’s Prayer’s plea for deliverance from evil, we examine how Jesus’ wilderness temptations reveal evil’s true nature and favorite temptations. What does this ancient prayer teach us about modern struggles with power, influence, and the seductive promise of Kingdom without cross?

This Sunday, we arrive at the line of the Lord's Prayer: 'Lead us not into temptation.' However, 'temptation' can also be translated as 'testing.' How does this translation change the way we look at this line? Plus, a brief discussion about the Super Bowl halftime show.

Forgiveness isn't only personal - it's also communal. In this sermon on 'forgive us our trespasses,' we explore how Germany's approach to historical memory offers lessons for our own angry, divided moment. From Jewish tradition to contemporary examples, we'll explore what it means to acknowledge our trespasses and find freedom in forgiveness.

When Jesus tells us to pray for our daily bread, he is not introducing a new concept. Rather he is building on centuries of tradition. This Sunday we look at the stories Jesus is pointing us to with this line of the prayer and ask what we are really aiming for when we pray it.

With divine timing (or perhaps divine humor), this sermon on "Thy Kingdom Come" lands during inauguration week, inviting us to examine what this prayer truly demands of us. Through stories of ancient Rome and Civil Rights history, we discover how Jesus' vision of God's Kingdom remains a radical challenge to every earthly power structure – calling us not just to pray differently, but to live differently.

Through stories of college sports and modern culture, we explore the phrase "Hallowed be Thy name." How might the radical-individualism of our age be challenged by these words from the Lord's Prayer?

"Our Father in heaven" - four words that have opened countless prayers through history. This week we consider their surprising meaning in Jesus' world, and what they could mean for us today.

This year we will be walking through the historic Christian Catechism - The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles Creed. Today we look at some background and context, as we prepare to look at the Lord’s Prayer in more detail over the next 8 weeks.