Giving Thanks for 40 years of God’s Faithfulness

This past week, we gave thanks to the Lord as a congregation for His faithfulness to us over the 40 years of the church’s existence. A large amount of time, energy, and financial resources went into that celebration. Is it legitimate to do something like that celebration? Why should we be overt in our expression […]

Sermon: We Give Thanks to God

We Give Thanks to God Colossians 1:3-8 August 11, 2019 A tremendous amount of effort has gone into acknowledging GBC’s 40th anniversary. Hours and hours in planning, interviewing, designing logos, phone calling, ordering (food and shirts and…), setting up tables and chairs, mowing, marking parking, and more. Is it worth the effort? Is there value […]

The Lord, Our Help — for 40 years (and counting)

Much of life is ordinary and routine. Get up in the morning, get a cup of coffee, get the kids ready for school, go to work, come home, pay bills or mow the lawn, go to bed. Get up. Repeat. But periodically, circumstances change unexpectedly, and unusually joyful events are interjected into our lives. Babies […]

Sermon: The Light of God’s Word in the Darkness of the World

The Light of God’s Word in the Darkness of the World Psalm 119:105-112 August 4, 2019 We live in a dark world. We live in a world where people are blind to the reality of God, the devastation of sin, the truth of Christ and His righteousness. We live in a world where blind people […]

Words of (great) grace: “but God…”

Profound words are often not multisyllabic, impressive words. Profound words are often simple words interjected at significant moments. They are words like, “I love you,” “I will help,” “I’m coming,” “Yes,” or “No,” and “I am with you.” The profundity of the words is that they are helpful and gracious words interjected at a moment […]

Sermon: The Grace of God Has Appeared

The Grace of God Has Appeared Titus 2:11-15 July 28, 2019 Forty years ago this summer, Grace Bible Church held its first worship service. For forty years, GBC has been worshipping God, discipling believers, evangelizing unbelievers, and sending the gospel through missions to foreign lands. For forty years we have seen and experienced God’s faithfulness […]

When Scripture speaks

The Apostle Paul is fond of quoting from the Old Testament — particularly in the book of Romans. In that theological treatise, the apostle quotes the Old Testament directly over 60 times. And over half those quotations appear in three chapters — Romans 9-11. As Paul lays the foundation for God’s sovereignty in salvation in […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 4

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 4 Romans 9:6-18 July 7, 2019 There are some things we don’t like to talk about or think about. Because we don’t like to think about our finances we don’t balance our bank statement for six months — and that tends to make us want to think about it even less! […]

How God chooses men for salvation

Romans 9 is the beginning of an extended section in Romans about the sovereignty of God in salvation — how does God bring about salvation in those who were hated by Him and who hated Him? That God is not only the author of salvation in that He accomplishes it, but He is also the […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 3

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 3 Romans 9:6-13 June 30, 2019 Starting at the end of July, we are going to spend a few weeks reflecting on God’s glory and grace to us as a church body, as we think about 40 years of ministry at GBC. We will think about a variety of ways that […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 2

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 2 Romans 9:6-13 June 23, 2019 Unless you are a devout historian, you probably don’t know the name Nicholas Winton. “Nicky” Winton died four years ago at the age of 106. That’s remarkable, but that’s not what is most remarkable about him. His life began somewhat unremarkably, a Jewish son in […]

If you have a need, ask God

In a potent, revelatory, and brief set of verses, Jesus upends what His hearers know and believe about prayer. Matthew 7:7-11 contains instruction and hope for praying. But the concise words are more than just “teaching” and “encouragement.” They are revolutionary words about the believer’s prayer life. They are revolutionary and transformative in at least […]

Sermon: The Good Gifts of the Good Father

The Good Gifts of the Good Father Matthew 7:7-11 June 16, 2019 Approximately 80 years ago, the Germans started bombing England in what was known as the Blitz. Over the course of eight months, the Germans dropped 30,000 tons of bombs on Britain, more than half of them on London. While many had nowhere to […]

Sermon: God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt 1

God’s Sovereign Mercy, Pt. 1 Romans 9:6 June 2, 2019 Several years ago, Alexis Gould, a 15-year-old in Magna, Utah was fighting nerve cancer. The family was trying to figure out how to pay Emily’s significant and growing medical bills when an anonymous local businessman stepped up with a $40,000 donation to help pay those […]

A consideration of Hell

Romans 9 contains what appears to be a preposterous statement; it is so audacious that Paul affirms in three ways that he is speaking the truth, that this really is what he longs for and wants (Rom. 9:1): were it possible to pray for his own damnation in exchange for the salvation of his kindred […]