Gospel Grace Church Sermon Audio

- Speaker: Isaac Gagarinas - Our class which has considered the transmission and canon of the Bible now turns to its history; is the Bible historically reliable? However, to answer this question, we will specifically consider the reliability of the resurrection. The resurrection is potentially the most important event in the Christian faith. Further, the authority of Scripture rests on the authority of Christ, and the authority of Christ rests on his resurrection. Therefore, this class asks the question, can we have confidence that Jesus actually rose from the dead? And if He did, does this increase our confidence in the Bible?

Acts 28:17-31 - We are at the end of the book of Acts! It has been a wonderful journey. We have seen the continued Acts of our resurrected Lord. We’ve learned about how Jesus is building his church, and how his name is still spreading from neighbors to nations. In this final segment of chapter 28 we discover Paul’s commitment to serve the Lord until he sees the Lord. It’s a challenge to all of us. Wherever we are, tell whoever will listen, for as long as we have, that Jesus is King.

Ephesians 3:7-12 - Speaker: Christopher Hile - Where does the church fit in God's plan to redeem and restore the world through Christ? The Bible pushes us to consider that the church is not a superfluous feature of God's creation; instead, it is indispensable: it is God's chosen instrument to proclaim the gospel to a lost and broken world. As such, the church is necessary for the world. This week, we will explore the mission of God, the church's place in God's mission, and your place in the church.

- Speaker: Isaac Gagarinas - The Bible is a composition of 66 books. But why these books? Why not other books? The goal of this class is to consider the criteria used for including certain books in the biblical canon (specifically focusing on the New Testament) and not others. As we explore, it is evident that the early church did not subjectively or forcefully choose the books in our Bible. Rather, they accepted and received them as inherently authoritative. The church had faithful reasons to do so, and you do too.

- Speaker: Jake Larkin - Jesus is rightly considered the most well known and influential person in all of human history. Yet we live in a world that is filled with competing narratives about who he really was. Some speak as though they are unsure Jesus even existed. Others speak about Jesus as just a man who gained a large following and then died unremarkably. Similarly, some claim he was a good person whose life was at least worth emulating. Some even go as far to say that he was a remarkable person, a prophet to be listened to. Yet each of these fail to address the wealth of historical evidence for Christ. What’s more they fail to capture the identity claims of Jesus himself in the New Testament. This class will equip you with a compelling case for Christ—His existence, His divine claims, His resurrection, and His unmatched influence on history. Maybe you are someone seeking to understand Jesus for yourself. Maybe you wonder if Jesus really did exist, and if so what was he like? Or perhaps you know the Je

Acts 27:1-28:16 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - At the end of the Book of Acts, Paul makes a treacherous journey to Rome. He’s transported as a prisoner by boat from Caesarea to the capitol of the empire and center of the known world. The trip, however, is filled with chaos and catastrophe. Paul is shipwrecked, nearly killed by Roman guards, and bitten by a poisonous snake along the way. The only consolation throughout the difficult trek is that God always showed up. The Lord was Paul’s constant companion through thick and thin. And the truth is, God is our constant companion as well. May we trust him in the storms of life that come our way.

- Speaker: Isaac Gagarinas - Can you trust your Bible? Before one considers the claims of the Bible, one must first consider the reliability of the Bible. The transmission or copying of the Bible is central to its trustworthiness. The aim of this class is to show that Scripture has not been corrupted over thousands of years, as some may object. Rather, through God’s providence, the Bible has been faithfully and reliably preserved.

- Speaker: Christopher Hile - Before we can answer the question of the church’s necessity, we should first consider: what is the church? In our context especially, misconceptions about the nature and function of the church run rampant. Therefore, this class aims to address this foundational question by constructing a biblical definition of what the church is.

- Speaker: Jake Larkin - Jesus is rightly considered the most well known and influential person in all of human history. Yet we live in a world that is filled with competing narratives about who he really was. Some speak as though they are unsure Jesus even existed. Others speak about Jesus as just a man who gained a large following and then died unremarkably. Similarly, some claim he was a good person whose life was at least worth emulating. Some even go as far to say that he was a remarkable person, a prophet to be listened to. Yet each of these fail to address the wealth of historical evidence for Christ. What’s more they fail to capture the identity claims of Jesus himself in the New Testament. This class will equip you with a compelling case for Christ—His existence, His divine claims, His resurrection, and His unmatched influence on history. Maybe you are someone seeking to understand Jesus for yourself. Maybe you wonder if Jesus really did exist, and if so what was he like? Or perhaps you know the Je

Acts 25:1-26:32 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In Acts 25-26, Paul stood before the Roman governor Festus and King Agrippa II. Festus couldn’t figure out what charges to put down against Paul before shipping him off to Rome. So, he had King Agrippa listen to the Jewish accusers as well as Paul’s defense. While the path of obedience hadn’t been easy, and although many people resisted the message of God’s grace, Paul wouldn’t be silenced. He used every opportunity to speak about the resurrected Savior. Only Jesus can turn people from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, from sinful enslavement to freedom. So Paul proclaimed Christ to all who would hear. May the Lord use his word to encourage each of us to walk in his will and share his message of grace.

Acts 24:1-27 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Critics of Christianity can say all kinds of things. Paul understood this. In Acts 24 he was accused of being a public menace, the leader of a religious sect, and a desecrater of the temple. But amidst the accusations, he acknowledged one thing - belief in the resurrection. Paul denied false charges, but he did confess that he was a follower of the Way and a proclaimer of the good news. The fact is, the risen Lord can’t be ignored. You can accept him or reject him, but you can’t ignore him. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Our living and loving Savior longs to seek and save the lost this Easter. So, prepare your hearts to worship and pray that unbelievers would saved.

Isaiah 53:1-12 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In the days when Jesus walked the earth, people looked for a king with a scepter, a deliverer with a crown of gold. Our Lord however wore a crown of thorns. His scepter was reed shoved into his hand by soldiers who mocked him. He had no throne on this earth, only an old rugged cross. And do you know why? It’s because he didn’t come to display military might or win some political victory. Jesus came to conquer sin and crush the works of Satan. He came to seek and to save the lost. As you prepare for our Good Friday service, take some time to reflect on the cross. Remember that Jesus’ death was your payment for sin. He was condemned so you wouldn’t have to be. He was forsaken so you could be forgiven. On Good Friday we’ll gather to declare and delight in the saving death of Christ. We’ll celebrate communion, sing about his cross-work on our behalf, and glory in the cross of our Lord.

Acts 22:30-23:35 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Acts 23 recounts Paul’s final days in Jerusalem. He stands before the Sanhedrin and explains his hope in the resurrection of the dead. But that infuriates many of the council members such that he’s nearly torn apart. Thankfully, God delivers him from the lion’s mouth, so to speak, and Paul is safely transported to Caesarea where his trial continues. The text challenges us to stand up for Christ even in the face of danger. And if we do, Jesus will stand by us all the way to the end.

Acts 21:15-22:29 - Speaker: Jotham Manoranjan - This week, we enter a pivotal moment in the life of the Apostle Paul. As he returns to Jerusalem, we witness a man walking knowingly into suffering. Paul would live out the rest of his life as a prisoner. With rumors flying, tension brewing, and the fragile fabric of Jew-Gentile relations under strain, Paul agrees to a plan that inadvertently leads to his arrest. Why? Because for Paul, gospel clarity and church unity were worth the cost—even his freedom. This week we will be challenged by Paul’s humility, his discernment of what matters most, and his desperate love for the very people who sought to destroy him.

Acts 20:1-21:14 - Speaker: Jon Kopp - In Acts 20–21, we find several narratives of Paul’s travels, complete with lists of various names and places. Nestled within these accounts is a lengthy and heartfelt message from Paul to a group of elders whom he deeply loves. It seems to be a randomly assembled collection of Paul’s activities and teachings as he finishes his third missionary journey. But, our text today is far from random. One activity ties it all together. From the beginning of our text and all the way through, Paul is gathering Christians to minister to them. This is a unique turn in the Book of Acts. Up to this point, the predominant focus hasn’t been on Christians. It has been on telling those who aren’t Christians about Jesus. Paul has been in synagogues with Jews and in public places with Gentiles proclaiming the gospel. He has had great success, and he has suffered. But, the primary focus of the accounts has been on his evangelism. But now as we come to Acts 20, Paul’s focus has changed. And as

Acts 19:1-41 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In Acts 19 we get a picture of what Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was like. Luke gives us three little vignettes to help us understand the city and the people. Paul meets 12 (likely Jewish) men who hadn’t ever heard of the Holy Spirit. He hears about 7 exorcists who try to use a second-hand version of Jesus and get beat up as a result. And finally, Paul is in the middle of a city riot because the idol-makers don’t like the impact Christianity is having on their sales. Ephesus was a huge city with the cult of Artemis right in the center. But they desperately needed the gospel of the grace of God. What we discover in our text this weekend, is that the word of Lord prevailed. May it prevail in our hearts and our city as well.

Acts 18:1-28 - Speaker: Will Galkin - In Acts 18, we see that God is faithful, and the gospel is fruitful even amidst opposition. God sovereignly provides gospel partners like Aquila and Priscilla, turning negative circumstances, such as Emperor Claudius’s expulsion of Jews from Rome, into opportunities for ministry expansion. Despite initial rejection by the Jews, Paul’s ministry bears remarkable fruit, reaching unlikely converts like Crispus, the synagogue ruler. Furthermore, God protects Paul through the unlikely means of Roman governor Gallio’s indifference, granting Paul freedom to preach without fear of persecution. Ultimately, Acts 18 emphasizes God’s faithfulness in preparing new laborers, as evidenced by the rise of Apollos, who was discipled by Aquila and Priscilla and powerfully carried the gospel forward.

- Speaker: Will Galkin - Christian parenting begins with the end in mind. Children must eventually leave their parents so that they, too, can participate in the creation and Christian mandate. Notice how Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 in Ephesians 5:31, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is why Christian parents must be intentional in prepping their children for adulthood.

Mark 1:15 - Speaker: Bill Kelly -

- Speaker: Lukus Counterman - A Mobilizer is someone who connects God’s people to God’s purposes for the nations.