Grace Community Church Clarksville, TN

In this parable, we see that God gives us all that we have in our lives. He calls us to use whatever he has given to us in service to his Kingdom agenda. Scriptures: Matthew 25:14-30 Keywords: parables, comparison, envy, jealousy, stewardship, joy, Matthew

Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reveals to us that to love God is to unquestionably live out his love in a self-sacrificial way to those around us. To love God is to respond to the needs around us at every level. Scriptures: Luke 10:29-37 Keywords: compassion, parable, love, questions, mercy

Scriptures: Luke 9:18-25

Parenting is one of the most beautiful, rewarding, stressful, and scary jobs. How do I know if I'm doing it right? How do I parent? How do I respond to my parents? Thankfully we have the greatest example from the greatest Father, God, to show us the way. Scriptures: Ephesians 3:14-15 Keywords: Parent, Child, Parenting, Child of God, Responsibility, Role, Authority, Teaching, Discipline

There is a true and forever joy that is found only in Christ and we have an opportunity to live in joyful response to the abundance of God. This joy begins with our trust in Him, and grows as we know him more. Scriptures: Psalm 126:1-6 Keywords: Joy, Hope, Trust, Psalms, Anticipation

What does it mean to be blessed by God? In this sermon we look at Numbers 6 and see how God blesses us with what we need most - his willingness to be near to us. Scriptures: Numbers 6:22-27 Keywords: blessing, peace, kindness, Aaron, Numbers, security, grace

The Bible is full of stories of people who heard God's voice. In this sermon we look at why we struggle to hear God's voice and how to cultivate an ability to hear from him. Scriptures: Isaiah 58:6-12 Keywords: God's voice, guidance, spiritual growth, Isaiah

We can all agree that love is big, beautiful, important, life changing, but when it comes to loving in the way that Jesus loves us, and calls us to love, we don't all agree how. We all have a measure of how we love people, a specific standard for who we will give our love to, and how much, but at some point we all fall short of our own standard of love, and at some point we will question the love God has for us too. How can we begin to truly understand love, and the measure of love we are supposed to give? Scriptures: Luke 19:1-7 Keywords: Love, Measure, Zacchaeus, People, God, Grace

Paul concludes his thoughts on personal growth with one, chiefly important truth: God loves us. In this sermon we see how believing this truth can help us truly change. Scriptures: Romans 8:31-39 Keywords: love, acceptance, Paul, Romans, growth

In this sermon, we see how the Spirit helps us grow through our weaknesses. He intercedes for us and gives us a deep and hopeful assurance of God's will. Scriptures: Romans 8:26-30 Keywords: change, growth, intercession, prayer, assurance, Spirit, help, Romans

Suffering and Pain is not meaningless, it carries with it the hope of future glory. The divine intention for creation and us is not death, it is new life. Scriptures: Romans 8:18-25 Keywords: Suffering, Hope, Promises, Glory, Creation

Jesus promises us a powerful reality: that, through his work, God adopts us into his family. In this sermon we see how the Spirit helps us realize this truth and, because of it, leads us to change. Scriptures: Romans 8:12-17 Keywords: growth, guidance, adoption, spiritual formation, Romans, identity

Paul shows us that how we think determines how we life. With the Spirit's help, we can change how we think, which leads to change in how we live. Scriptures: Romans 8:5-11 Keywords: change, growth, Spirit, formation, Romans, Paul, flesh, mind

God's Spirit reminds us that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus - we are pardoned and set free. From this place of freedom, we can now experience the Holy Spirit's constant help in our growth. Scriptures: Romans 8:1-4 Keywords: change, growth, Paul, Romans 8, condemnation, shame, Holy Spirit, freedom

Before we look at how the Spirit helps us with our spiritual growth, we first look at why we need to grow - and why growth is so hard. Scriptures: Romans 7:14-25 Keywords: personal growth, spiritual growth, Romans, Paul, sin, change, health

When Jesus rises from the grave, his resurrection not only gives us a powerful reason to worship him, but also a powerful opportunity to join him in this new life. Scriptures: Mark 16:1-8 Keywords: Easter, resurrection, new life, Jesus, Mark, hope

Before Jesus faces his death on the cross, he prays to God in a garden. In this sermon, we see how Jesus prepare his soul for suffering. Scriptures: Mark 14:32-42 Keywords: Suffering, pain, comfort, Jesus, Mark, Palm Sunday, Gethsemane, prayer

Before Jesus faces his death, he takes the ordinary elements of bread and wine and transforms them into powerful symbols of what we most deeply need - his provision and grace. Scriptures: Mark 14:12-16, 22-25 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, Communion, Lord's Supper, Last Supper, grace

A religious leader asks Jesus what he has to do to please God. Jesus responds with two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor. Scriptures: Mark 12:28-34 Keywords: Jesus, Mark, love, greatest commandments, neighbor

As Jesus enters Jerusalem to face his own death, he does so as king who is about to give us the greatest of gifts - freedom. Scriptures: Mark 11:1-11 Keywords: Jesus, Mark, freedom, kingdom

We all struggle with giving. We struggle to pour out to those in need. But what if the real life that Jesus has for his calls us to be willing to give of everything? We might see that we all have something to give. Scriptures: Mark 10:46-52 Keywords: Giving, Mark, Sacrifice, Blind, Life

In Mark 10, Jesus doesn't offer us warnings about greed or encouragements towards generosity. He instead is saying that there is something radically wrong with us and that money has a particular power to blind us to the mistake of finding our identity in a savior other than himself alone. Scriptures: Mark 10:17-27 Keywords: Wealth, possessions, savior, identity

Divorce is a common experience in today's world. In this sermon, we look at one of the places in which Jesus addresses divorce and see how it can shape our thinking about marriage and divorce today. Scriptures: Mark 10:1-10 Keywords: Divorce, marriage, discipleship, Jesus, Mark, legalism, relationships

The Kingdom of God is defined to us by Jesus in more than terms of a reward, He speaks to us also of the costly sacrifices required. The demanding requirements of discipleship provide both an escape from the destructive ways of sin, and the grace fueled adventure of living for his purpose. Scriptures: Mark 9:42-50 Keywords: Sin, Repentance, Persecution, Reward, Jesus

We all want to be successful - and to have others see us as successful. In this sermon, we see how Jesus defines success and encourages us to place our truest identities in him. Scriptures: Mark 9:33-37 Keywords: Pride, humility, Jesus, Mark, success, greatness

How do we make sense of Jesus? In this sermon, we see that because Jesus is the Son of God and because he gives us a resurrection from the dead, we can trust him with our lives. Scriptures: Mark 9:2-13 Keywords: Jesus, Mark, transfiguration, Moses, Elijah, law, prophets, spiritual growth

What does it really mean to follow Jesus? In this passage, Jesus tells us that it (at least) means we need to deny ourselves, take the lower places in life, and keep close to him. Scriptures: Mark 8:31-28 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, self-denial, discipleship, suffering, spiritual growth

New Years Eve, one of the most hopeful days of the year. It's a day where we take time to plan out our goals, dreams, and resolutions for the next year. But what if we were setting ourselves up to waste another year before it even began based on our resolutions, dreams, and goals? What should we truly be living for in 2018, to not only give us a year, but the beginning of a life, where we truly live? Scriptures: Matthew 22:36-40 Keywords: New, Years, Eve, 2017, 2018, Matthew 22:36-40, Resolutions, Dreams, Goals, Living, Life, Love, Love God, Love people

As we celebrate Christmas Eve, we see a God who sometimes makes us wait for things - and the beauty he works through our waiting. Scriptures: Luke 1:26-45, Luke 2:1-7 Keywords: Christmas, Advent, Luke, Jesus, incarnation, waiting, hope

How we see God shapes how we interact with him. In this sermon, we look at how Jesus helps us see God for who he really is, and consequently how we can know this same God in personal ways. Scriptures: Mark 8:22-30 Keywords: Mark, blindness, spiritual growth, Christmas, advent, Peter

As Jesus continues his ministry, he warns us about the failure of religious performance and instead invites us into a relationship based on grace. Scriptures: Mark 8:11-21 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, Christmas, Pharisees, heart, pride, arrogance, humility, grace

As Christmas approaches, we see how the story of Jesus feeding four thousand people helps us ask four important questions about who Jesus is, and what he is up to in our world. Scriptures: Mark 8:1-10 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, Christmas, fish and loaves, spiritual growth

In this passage we see Jesus confront the religious traditions of the day. In this message, we unpack the reality that Jesus reigns and rules over the religious traditions of men. Scriptures: Mark 7:1-13 Keywords: Jesus, Religion, Rules, Tradition, Freedom

This Sunday we look at God's gracious call to compassion for the world around us as we also announce our partnership with Compassion International. Scriptures: Micah 6:6-8 Keywords: Compassion, justice, peace, gospel, wholeness, poverty, compassion international

When Jesus walks on water, he shows us more than just a miracle - he shows us how God cares for us when we experience trials. Scriptures: Mark 6:45-52 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, water, faith, discipleship, spiritual growth, trials, suffering

As we continue in the book of Mark we find Jesus comes in contact with 2 people, each in desperate need of help, and each responding with overwhelming faith in Him. What does their story show us about what our faith should ultimately be put in, and what does that faith do for our lives? Scriptures: Mark 5:21-43 Keywords: Faith, Hope, Mark, Mark 5, Trust, God's Plan, God's Timing, God's Goodness

In the presence of a storm-filled sea, Jesus shows how much he cares for us by hearing our questions, and asking us a few of his own. Scriptures: Mark 4:35-41 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, story, boat, sea, fear, faith, suffering

Jesus uses a powerful story to show us how our hearts grow best towards him. Scriptures: Mark 4:1-9 Keywords: Mark, soil, seed, sower, parable, spiritual growth, heart

Jesus says there is only one sin that God will not forgive. In this sermon we look at the "unforgivable sin" of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Scriptures: Mark 3:22-30 Keywords: Mark, Holy Spirit, unforgivable sin, scribes, pride

When Jesus is confronted with the most religious of his day he responds with a truth that brings the good news of his arrival along with the freedom to pursue him without tradition or burden. Scriptures: Mark 2:18-28 Keywords: Sabbath, fasting, disciples, pharisees, religion, gospel

What is our greatest need? Jesus not only reveals but also meets our greatest need - to be forgiven. Scriptures: Mark 2:1-12 Keywords: Forgiveness, grace, love, Mark, Jesus, paralytic, faith

In this sermon, we see how Jesus' announcement of the kingdom is backed up by a unique kind of authority - one that serves others in their deepest places of need. Scriptures: Mark 1:21-34 Keywords: Authority, healing, unclean spirits, humility, service, Jesus, Mark

As Jesus begins his public ministry, he shows us two of the most important practices in our relationship with God, and how they can change our lives. Scriptures: Mark 1:14-20 Keywords: Repentance, belief, Mark, Jesus, fishermen, Kingdom of God

This week, we begin our journey through the Gospel of Mark as we look at the important themes in his book - repentance, belief, and the call to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. Scriptures: Mark 1:1-11 Keywords: Mark, Jesus, discipleship, repentance, faith

Negativity is an area of emotional unhealthiness that we all struggle with, and it's an area that God truly cares about. Negativity is something that impacts how we view the world, our relationships, and ourselves. God offers us something that can combat this area of emotional unhealthiness, which gives us the opportunity to be defined by joy. Scriptures: Philippians 4:4-8 Keywords: negativity, joy, the Gospel, forgiveness, peace

Part of becoming wise is learning to value the right things. In this last sermon in our series about emotional maturity, we look at the kind of values that lead to wisdom and maturity. Scriptures: Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 13:19, Proverbs 14:16, Proverbs 15:5, Proverbs 17:16, Proverbs 17:24, Proverbs 29:9 Keywords: Emotional maturity, spiritual growth, Proverbs, values, wisdom

Using the book of Proverbs as our guide, we are going to look at how God wants to transform our destructive tendencies to be defensive when receiving correction or instruction. God's desire is for our relationships with others to be life giving; grounded in trust, community, confession, and humility. Scriptures: Proverbs 20:5, 18:2, 24:29, 18:6 Keywords: Wisdom, Defensiveness, Criticism, Anger, Proverbs, Trust, Acceptance

Another mark of a foolish person is the presence of pride and stubbornness. This week we lookout how pride limits our emotional growth and how we can overcome it. Scriptures: Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 14:9, Proverbs 15:5, Proverbs 17:10, Proverbs 18:2, Proverbs 26:3, Proverbs 28:26 Keywords: Emotional maturity, spiritual growth, Proverbs, pride, humility

One of the marks of a foolish person is a lack of self-control. This week we look at the importance of self-control and how we can see it grow in our lives. Scriptures: Proverbs 10:8, Proverbs 12:23, Proverbs 14:16, Proverbs 20:3, Proverbs 26:11, Proverbs 29:9, Proverbs 29:11 Keywords: Emotional maturity, spiritual growth, Proverbs, self control

As we close this series on prayer, we look at how using prayer to remember who God is helps us have hope for what we face in our lives. Scriptures: Psalm 77:11-20 Keywords: Prayer, Psalms, Psalm 77, Remembrance, Hope