Coram Deo Church Sermon Audio

Coming to Jesus means repenting and resting.Every human being is weary. We carry burdens we were never meant to bear: the weight of performance, the exhaustion of trying to prove ourselves, the endless striving for approval. In this sermon, we explore how Jesus offers rest to the weary — but receiving that rest requires repenting of our pride and trusting in him alone.

Jesus both subverts and fulfills our expectations.To be human is to have expectations about how we hope life to go. Even John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, has expectations about who Jesus is and what he should do. In this sermon, we explore how Jesus both subverts and fulfills our expectations, and why that is good news.

The essence of mission is putting Jesus first.Every human being longs to live with a sense of purpose or mission. But it can be easy to get caught up in strategies, methods, and outcomes while losing sight of the mission. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out his disciples with sobering warnings as he calls them to mission. In this sermon, we explore how the essence of mission is not success or safety, but putting Jesus first — above safety, comfort, and even family.

Christians are a going people.Every human being longs to be part of something bigger than themselves. In Matthew 9:35-10:15, Jesus looks at the crowds with compassion and sends his disciples out to proclaim the kingdom, thus calling them into a vast and compelling mission. In this sermon, we explore how God’s people are to be a "going" people, sent into the world to further Christ's cause.

Faith looks to Jesus when despair would be easy.We often think of faith as something we must work up or conjure within ourselves. But what if faith is actually a response to being pursued? In Matthew 9:27-34, we read about Jesus healing two blind men who persistently pursued Him, followed by the healing of a mute man who needed to be brought to Jesus by others. In this sermon, we explore the beautiful truth that because Jesus pursues us first, we are free to pursue him in return.

Faith looks to Jesus when despair would be easy.Every human being faces moments of despair. In Matthew 9:18-26, two people approach Jesus in despairing situations: a synagogue leader whose daughter has died and a woman who has suffered for twelve years. In this sermon, we explore how faith looks to Jesus even when despair would be easy.

Jesus has come to set people free.Many people think following Jesus means adding more rules, more obligations, more religious performance to an already exhausting life. In this sermon, we explore how Jesus doesn't patch up our religious systems; he offers us something entirely new: freedom from sin, separatism, and scrupulosity.

What you need in your life is not less authority, but good authority.We live in an age that's deeply suspicious of authority. Yet every human being lives under authority of some kind; whether it's our own desires, cultural pressures, or destructive forces beyond our control. In this sermon, we explore the truth that what we need is not less authority in our lives, but good authority — and Jesus is the King whose authority brings peace, not oppression.

With Jesus, no one is unclean, unworthy, or unseen.The insecurities we carry about ourselves often hinder us from coming to Jesus. We feel unclean because of our shame, unworthy because of our sin, or unseen because of our story. As a result, we hide in obscurity or shrink back in fear. But as Matthew tells us of Jesus cleansing a leper, healing a centurion's servant, and healing Peter's mother-in-law, he reveals that with Jesus, no one is unclean, unworthy, or unseen.

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we continue exploring this transformative reality, we turn from death to resurrection. In this sermon, we consider the simple yet profound truth that union with Christ produces life.

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we turn the corner on another year, we pause to look more closely at this reality. In this sermon, we consider the simple truth that union with Christ requires death.

Because Christ has come, we should love him.In the fourth and final week of Advent, we look at Isaiah 11:1-10 and how it encourages us, in light of the coming of Jesus, to be a people who deeply love him.

Because Christ has come, we should rejoice.In the third week of Advent, we consider the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-7. In light of Christ's coming, Christians should be a people of profound joy!

Because Jesus is our peace, we can be a people of peace.In the second week of Advent, we consider Micah 5:2-5, and how it encourages us in light of Christ, the prince of peace, to be a people of peace.

Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.Advent Series Description: Advent is the season of the year when Christians reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Our Savior's lowly incarnation & birth at Christmastime was the fulfillment of prophetic hopes the Scriptures had been sounding for centuries. In this series, we explore four key prophetic passages that reveal Christ and point to the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.To begin the Advent season, we consider the prophecy of Isaiah 40:1-11, a passage that encourages us to set our hope on Christ. Because Christ has come, you should set your hope in Him.

Heeding warnings is a pathway to wisdom.From the earliest moments of childhood, warnings play a vital role in developing maturity and wisdom. While warnings might not feel good in the moment, we instinctively understand their importance. In this sermon, we examine three warnings Jesus offers as he concludes the Sermon on the Mount.

Christian maturity is a journey, not a destination.Every human being recognizes at some level that life is a journey full of ups and downs. Yet we’re prone to seek out quick fixes and easy solutions. In this sermon, we explore Jesus’s teaching that discipleship is a long, slow journey from pride to humility; from fear to faith, and from apathy to love.

Your heart follows what you treasure.Worry and anxiety seem to mark our cultural moment. Yet when we truly understand the character of the Father in heaven, worry is abated. That’s what Jesus wants his hearers to understand. In this sermon, guest preacher Dr. Jonathan Pennington explores Jesus’ teaching on treasure, worry, and why we can rest in the Father’s good care.Series Description: Jesus is the hero of all of Scripture, the center of the biblical story, and the most important figure in history. The Gospel of Matthew gives us a firsthand look at the life and teachings of Jesus. It stands as a “bridge” between the Old and New Testaments, grounding us in the rich story of Israel while revealing the in-breaking reality of the kingdom of heaven. Through this preaching series, we seek to help people encounter the gospel of the kingdom and embody it as flourishing disciples who live under the gracious rule of God.

You must kill your need to be seen.Every human being is born with the God-given desire to be seen. The problem is that this desire is easily distorted. We often want others to notice us for the wrong reasons: self-centered approval, building a reputation, or being seen as better than others. In this sermon, we explore how, through Christ, we receive what we long for — to be deeply seen and deeply loved by the Father.Series Description: Jesus is the hero of all of Scripture, the center of the biblical story, and the most important figure in history. The Gospel of Matthew gives us a firsthand look at the life and teachings of Jesus. It stands as a “bridge” between the Old and New Testaments, grounding us in the rich story of Israel while revealing the in-breaking reality of the kingdom of heaven. Through this preaching series, we seek to help people encounter the gospel of the kingdom and embody it as flourishing disciples who live under the gracious rule of God.

You were meant to live a life of ethical beauty. Jesus shows us how.How should I live? It’s one of the most important questions in life. Every human being is a moral creature; the problem is that we don’t all agree on morality. But what if there was an objective moral standard that's true in all times and places? That's exactly what Scripture gives us - and it's exactly what our conscience needs. In this sermon, we explore how faith in Jesus makes it possible to live a life of ethical beauty.Series Description: Jesus is the hero of all of Scripture, the center of the biblical story, and the most important figure in history. The Gospel of Matthew gives us a firsthand look at the life and teachings of Jesus. It stands as a “bridge” between the Old and New Testaments, grounding us in the rich story of Israel while revealing the in-breaking reality of the kingdom of heaven. Through this preaching series, we seek to help people encounter the gospel of the kingdom and embody it as flourishing disciples who live under the gracious rule of God.