Sun, Mar 01, 2020
Duration: 40 mins 58 secs
John receives his seventh and final letter; it's headed to Laodicea. Of all the messages, this is the most scathing. The believers in Laodicea have little to commend. Their arrogance and independence has made Jesus sick to his stomach. He offers them a reality check. They're not as great as they think. Not even close. Their wealth is a shame. Their deeds are a shame. But Jesus is not finished with them yet. The letter serves as a rebuke and invitation to reject the plush life and return to Christ.
Sun, Feb 16, 2020
Duration: 50 mins 38 secs
John receives his fifth letter; it's headed to Sardis. This city has seen livelier days, but it still rides on its reputation. Well, that is until Jesus exposes them. Their lack of evangelism and watered down faith have soiled them. This letter is a call to change, to repent, to pay closer attention to Jesus. They don't have to fear his coming if they learn to enjoy his company. This message will challenge us to curb the temptation to coast on our reputation, and learn to practice the presence of Jesus.
Sun, Feb 02, 2020
Duration: 49 mins 29 secs
John receives his third letter; it's headed to Pergamum. This city plays host to many gods. Emperor and idol worship posed real threats to believers; some in the church make compromises. Thus, Jesus warns of dire consequences. Fortunately, the invitation to repent stands, and the promise of intimacy with Jesus remains. While sex is not the only snare for this church, it represents one of our modern day idols. We must guard our sexual appetites, feeding them only as God directs, not as our gluttonous culture tempts us.
Sun, Jan 26, 2020
Duration: 49 mins 32 secs
John writes his second letter to the first church of seven. The church in Smyrna is living under pressure--poverty, slander, imprisonment, and threat of death. Jesus warned his followers there will be a cost. This lovely church heard a loud and clear message from the Risen Lord: Fear Not. No matter the trial, Jesus would uphold them. This promise has proven true for the earliest martyrs and today's persecuted church. And it's true as we face financial, physical, and social pressures of our own.
Sun, Jan 12, 2020
Duration: 44 mins 18 secs
John has a grand vision of Jesus. This is not your flannel graph version of the meek Messiah. He is mighty. He is royal. He is glorious. The opening vision of Revelation sets the tone for the book, where God's people are called to overcome their trials by keeping their eyes focused forward. They're not simply looking to the future; they're looking to their Risen King Jesus. Too many followers of Jesus have accepted an historic, familiar, tidy portrait of Jesus. This sermon calls us to have our vision tested.
Sun, Jan 05, 2020
Duration: 45 mins 15 secs
Every year we get only so far in our goals, resolutions, and dreams for becoming different. The reality is this: willpower can take us only so far. If we really want to become different, we need God's Spirit and spiritual community. Paul writes about this to the Corinthian church. He asks his readers to dive deep into life with God and his people to make a major difference in the world. This sermon launches the annual theme at Leesburg Grace: Immersed.
Sun, Aug 26, 2018
Duration: 38 mins 13 secs
The early church threatened everything. Its followers did not set out to overturn the religious, political, economic, or moral standards of society. They set out to bear witness to Jesus as Lord. Their loyalty to the risen and ascended king, however, made them dangerous because neither lobbyists, legalists, nor morally lax crowds could persuade them to shut up and stop loving others in Jesus's name. The modern day church could learn a few lessons from their fearless proclamation of Jesus is Lord.
Mon, Aug 20, 2018
Duration: 46 mins 32 secs
Health things grow. This includes people and plants and local churches. Growth is not simply a numbers game, but it includes spiritual depth, as well. The book of Acts records dramatic growth of the church, showing the partnership between God and his people who were committed to spreading His word.
Sun, Aug 12, 2018
Duration: 46 mins 49 secs
The Holy Spirit is shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding. We know what the Spirit does; we don't always know how the He works. Bu the book of Acts records his falling, fitting, filling, fortifying, and focusing of the early church. There is no church without the Spirit.
Mon, Aug 14, 2017
Duration: 43 mins 54 secs
Greetings and good-byes matter. They set the foundation or establish the tone of a relationships. The apostle Paul encouraged the church to "greet one another with a holy kiss" on several occasions. The kiss leveled the playing feel and linked people together. It was a way of including others and showing love. We must learn to express our welcome with a warm embrace.
