A Reason to Rejoice

Originally preached on June 14, 2025.

scripture

Romans 5:1–5

Series

Summer Sessions

summary

In Romans 5:1–5, Paul reminds believers that because we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God, grace in which to stand, and hope that sustains us through suffering. Rather than denying hardship, the gospel teaches us to rejoice in it, knowing that God uses suffering to produce endurance, character, and deeper hope. Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Christians can face trials with confidence, celebrating Christ’s faithfulness and the glory that awaits them.

A Reason to Rejoice

Aaron Halstead

Call the Doctor

Originally preached on June 7, 2025.

scripture

Matthew 9:9–13

Series

Summer Sessions

summary

This sermon from Matthew 9:9–13 presented Jesus as the Great Physician who came to heal the sin-sick. Through Matthew’s calling and Jesus’ fellowship with tax collectors and sinners, the sermon emphasized that Christ welcomes those who recognize their need for grace, while those who think they are spiritually healthy miss their need for a Savior. Jesus’ diagnosis is that all are sinners, his prescription is mercy over self-righteous religion, and his mission is to call sinners to himself. The central encouragement was that Jesus does not turn away those who know they need him—he came precisely to seek, heal, and restore them.

Call the Doctor (Matthew 9:9–13)

Aaron Halstead

God Brings Us Together

Originally preached on May 30, 2026.

scripture

2 Corinthians 13:11–14

summary

In this Trinity Sunday sermon, we see how Paul calls a divided church to live in unity because of who God is: the grace of Christ restores us, the love of the Father forms us, and the fellowship of the Spirit binds us together. Therefore, the church is to rejoice, pursue restoration, comfort one another, seek unity, live in peace, and welcome one another as family. The Trinity doesn’t just command unity—it creates it, making the church a people held together by God himself.

God Brings Us Together (2 Corinthians 13:11-14)

Aaron Halstead

The Spirit & the Church

Originally preached May 24, 2026.

scripture

1 Corinthians 12:1–13

series

Summer Sessions

summary

In this Pentecost Sunday message from 1 Corinthians 12:1–13, the church is reminded that the Holy Spirit leads and shapes the people of God by directing them to affirm Christ, serve one another, and live in unity. Paul teaches that spiritual gifts are not about personal status or spectacle, but are gracious empowerments from the Triune God given “for the common good,” so that every believer can participate in the life and ministry of the church. Like a construction site, the Spirit acts like a foreman coordinating diverse people and gifts into one living community, where unity is maintained not through sameness but through shared allegiance to Jesus, sacrificial service, and dependence on the Spirit’s presence and power.

The Spirit & the Church (1 Corinthians 12:1-14)

Aaron Halstead

for reflection:

1. In what ways is the Holy Spirit currently leading you to openly affirm Jesus as Lord in your everyday life, relationships, or decisions?

2. What gifts, abilities, or opportunities for service has God given you, and might you use them more intentionally for the “common good” of the church rather than yourself?

3. The sermon describes the church as a messy but Spirit-led construction site. How can you contribute to the unity of the church even when community feels difficult, imperfect, or frustrating?