Grace Clarksville

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