Grace Clarksville

As we celebrate Christmas, we are looking at the ancient promises about Jesus in the book of Isaiah. In this sermon, we see how God promised he would be with us, especially in uncertain times, and this promise can be sign of his work in our lives today.   Key Verses: Isaiah 7:10-14 Key Words: salvation, advent, Christmas, hope, faithfulness, grace  

Over the first 5 chapters of Galatians, Paul has clearly shown that the gospel cannot be earned by any work or keeping of the law, contrary to what the false teachers were leading people to believe. In chapter 6, he wraps up his letter by sharing some practical implications of believing the true gospel.  Key Verses: Galatians 6:1-18 Key Words: Jesus, gospel, law of Christ, communion, eternal life, bearing burdens, reaping and sowing, Galatians  

How do we really change? In this sermon, we see that real growth does not come from fear of being punished or pride from being good, but rather from something powerfully growing inside of us — the fruit of the Spirit. Key Verses: Galatians 5:22-35 Key Words: fruit of the spirit, growth, change, love, 

How do we become better people? In this sermon, Paul shows us where true growth comes from, why it’s so difficult, and how we can make real progress in our lives today.   Key Verses: Galatians 5:16-26 Key Words: new life, sanctification, growth, change, Holy Spirit

Paul encourages his readers to remain centered on God’s great freedom and to avoid a return to their old way of living. In this sermon, we look at why we need to hear this encouragement still today, and how we can honor God’s gift of freedom through a new way of living. Key Verses: Galatians 5:1-15 Key Words: grace, resilience, gospel, justification, freedom

Paul admonishes his readers to “become like him.” What does he mean? In this sermon, we see how connects his experience of freedom with two famous Old Testament stories, and how we can experience the same sense of freedom today. Key Verses: Galatians 4:8-31  Key Words: freedom, Abraham, promise, weakness, strength, hope

We all have a family and for some those feelings we have toward our families are good, warm, happy, but for some they are heavy, difficult, and troubling. For all of us though our families are a mixture of both. Families are complicated. The family of God can feel complicated too, but Paul in Galatians 4:1-7 likens salvation to being part of the family of God through adoption, so how do go from being in God’s family to being part of His family? Key Verses: Galatians 4:1-7  Key Words: rules, law, obedience, faith, justification, grace, submission, salvation, freedom, sacrifice, intimacy, Holy Spirit, family

If God promises to forgives us and love us, no matter what do, then what was the point of all of the rules — or the “law” — in the Old Testament? In this sermon, we look at why God gave his people the law, what it tells us about ourselves, and how it fits into God’s grace today. Key Verses: Galatians 3:15-29  Key Words: rules, law, obedience, Abraham, faith, justification, grace

Paul continues his relentless appeal for the Galatians to fully believe that God will do all He has promised. Paul clarifies the issues at stake for the Galatians as they attempt the unthinkable: attempting to finish the Christian journey by their flesh rather than by the Spirit.  Key Verses: Galatians 3:1-14  Key Words: faith, personal experience, theology, promise, Abraham

After confronting Peter about his hypocrisy, Paul explains — again — the power of God’s free gift of grace. In this sermon, we explore Paul’s experience with grace, his theology of grace, and his life through grace. Key Verses: Galatians 2:11-21  Key Words: grace, power, growth, hypocrisy, new life 

What does it mean to be inside of God’s saving love? In this sermon, we continue to explore this question with Paul. He shows us that God’s salvation both frees us and binds us to a new way   of living. Key Verses: Galatians 2:1-10  Key Words: freedom, salvation, gospel, courage, calling, compassion 

Paul received a revelation that literally changed his life. In this sermon, we look at what this revelation was, why he needed it, and how we can get this same revelation today.   Key Verses: Galatians 1:10-24  Key Words: grace, freedom, revelation, solitude, silence

As we begin our series on the book of Galatians, we hear Paul clearly tell us one thing: faith in Jesus is the only thing we need to be saved. In this sermon, we explore what Paul means by this startling claim and how it can encourage our hearts today.   Key Verses: Galatians 1:1-9  Key Words: freedom, gospel, salvation, transformation, change, hope

Do you ever feel like you are spending most of your time and energy just holding on for dear life? Hebrews 4:14-16 gives direct instructions to the followers of Jesus about what we are to hold on to and how we can persevere in it. This sermon looks at the hope that we have available to us as we live out the two separate (but related) challenges from this passage- let us hold fast our confession and let us draw near to the throne of grace.  Key Verses: Hebrews 4:14-16   Key Words: Jesus, community, perseverance, grace, prayer, high priest, hope

As the story of Esther ends, we see evil destroyed and peace instituted. In this sermon, we see how the Esther’s ending of peace points to the greater ending we all long for — when God will right every wrong and restore everything that is broken.    Key Verses: Esther 10: 1-3  Key Words: peace, hope, future, heaven, goodness

As the story of the Jews in the book of Esther continues, we see a spontaneous celebration of relief, commemorating a month of reversals. They begin to see their survival of life together during extraordinary circumstances worthy of being celebrated as a joyous gift. We also are challenged to live a life of celebration for what God has done in our lives. Letting moments of celebration bring us renewed focus and joy for the everyday parts of our lives.  Key Verses: Esther 9:20-22  Key Words: celebration, joy, community, perspective

One of the most important aspects of life with God is the art of perseverance. In this sermon, we look at the nature of our often difficult lives and how to persevere through them, with hope.   Key Verses: Esther 8:3-8  Key Words: hope, endurance, perseverance, long-suffering, joy, grace  

As we follow the story of Esther, we repeatedly see how God calls his followers to obedience. In this sermon, we explore why obedience matters and how it can lead to blessings in our lives. Key Verses: Esther 6:1-11 Key Words: obedience, surrender, spiritual growth, blessings, feelings  

It is impossible to separate life with the living God and surrender. In this sermon, we see how Esther surrendered to God’s invitation for her life, and how her surrender brought her real freedom and power.   Key Verses: Esther 4:12-17 Key Words: Esther, surrender, obedience, holiness, sacrifice

In chapter 4 of Esther, we begin to see how Mordecai and Esther will respond to the impending genocide of the Jewish people. Their conversations and actions reveal a reliance upon the sovereignty of God that is drastically different from the self-reliance that the King and Haman have shown in the earlier chapters of the book. Key Verses: Esther 4:4-14 Key Words: sovereignty, humility, prayer, hope, Mordecai, Esther