Trinity Church of Portland Sermons

Pastor Thomas Terry preaches on John 20:24-31, exploring the story of Thomas's encounter with the risen Jesus. This sermon examines how past disappointments can train us to hold back from hope, making Thomas's demand for physical proof deeply relatable to modern believers who have experienced crushed expectations. Pastor Thomas traces Thomas's journey from loyalty to confusion to defiance, showing how unbelief often stems not from lack of evidence but from fear of being hurt again. The sermon unfolds in three scenes: Thomas's demand for proof, Jesus's gracious response by showing his wounds, and Thomas's profound confession "My Lord and my God" - which becomes the theological climax of John's Gospel. Pastor Thomas emphasizes that Jesus pursued Thomas rather than abandoning him, meeting him exactly where he drew the line. The message concludes by highlighting Jesus's blessing on those who believe without seeing, affirming that modern believers are not second-class disciples but are pronounced blessed by Christ himself for trusting the written testimony of Scripture."

Pastor Thomas Terry preaches on John 20:1-23, exploring the resurrection of Jesus through the metaphor of \"read receipts\" - those notifications that tell you when someone has read your text message. He argues that Mary Magdalene and the disciples initially misread the silence of the empty tomb as absence and loss, when it was actually evidence of Christ's presence and victory. The sermon traces three scenes: the evidence (the empty tomb and grave clothes), the encounter (Jesus appearing to Mary and then to the disciples), and the effect (the transformation from fear to peace through Christ's presence). Thomas emphasizes that the resurrection is not just a historical event to believe in, but a present reality to live in - Christ meets us in our grief, fear, and confusion, calling us by name and breathing his Spirit into us for new life and mission."

Pastor Thomas Terry preaches on the profound beauty found in the ugliness of Christ's crucifixion, drawing from Isaiah 53:3-5. In our culture obsessed with curated beauty and polished appearances, Thomas argues that we have been trained to see beauty only in the obvious places, causing us to miss the deeper beauty found in the ordinary, messy, and even broken aspects of life. This sermon explores how Isaiah's prophecy, written 700 years before the crucifixion, reveals the stunning paradox of the cross: the most gruesome and shameful event in human history is simultaneously the most comprehensively beautiful. Terry walks through Isaiah's description of the suffering servant who was despised and rejected, showing how the crowd saw only ugliness while missing the substitutionary beauty underneath. The cross is beautiful not because it is pleasant to look at, but because it represents perfect justice and perfect love intersecting as Christ bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, and was pierced for our transgressions. The wounds of Christ are not regrettable scars but eternal beauty marks that prove the price of our redemption.

Pastor Andrey Gorban continues his exposition of John's crucifixion account, focusing on the completion of Christ's atoning work in John 19:28-42. This sermon explores the profound significance of Jesus' final words "It is finished" (tetelestai), demonstrating how these words represent the complete accomplishment of salvation rather than merely the end of Christ's earthly life. Pastor Gorban examines the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in every detail of Christ's death, from his thirst being quenched with sour wine on a hyssop branch to his side being pierced while his bones remained unbroken. The message also highlights the remarkable transformation seen in Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, two previously secret disciples who courageously emerged to honor Christ in his burial, illustrating how the cross changes hearts and compels bold discipleship.

Andrey Gorban preaches on John 19:17-27, walking us through the crucifixion scene with reverence and unflinching honesty about what the cross cost Jesus. From the physical horror of Roman crucifixion to the shame of hanging naked before the world, John's account reveals a Savior who bore suffering, humiliation, and abandonment — and yet still turned in compassion to care for his mother. Gorban draws out the stunning biblical thread that the naked One on the tree is the very One who clothes his people in garments of salvation, connecting Eden's shame to Calvary's grace. This sermon invites you to marvel again at the Lamb who took the cross meant for Barabbas — and meant for us.

Paul Hoffman preaches on John 19:1-16, exploring how stories shape our values and how Jesus confronts our narratives about power and authority. The passage reveals the striking irony of religious leaders abandoning their allegiance to Yahweh for Caesar, while Jesus demonstrates true kingship through self-sacrificial love rather than political manipulation. Hoffman challenges the church to resist trading allegiance to Christ for temporary political security.

We're all searching for the good life. Portland promises it through success, influence, and experience. But what if you already have everything you're looking for—and you just don't know it yet? In this powerful message from Colossians 1, our guest preacher from All Saints Church challenges us to stop climbing mountains to reach God and embrace the stunning truth: God came down the mountain to us in Jesus. If you're in Christ, you're not trying to become qualified, forgiven, or redeemed—you already are. You've been transferred from darkness to light, given a seat at the greatest party in history, and made completely new. The Christian life isn't about earning what you already have. It's about taking off who you used to be and living as the person you actually are in Christ. This is the good life Portland is searching for, and it's only found in Jesus.

In John 18, the system designed to protect the innocent condemns the only truly innocent man who ever lived. Religious leaders obsessed with Passover purity orchestrate the death of the Lamb the Passover points to—tragic irony at its worst. As Jesus stands trial before Pilate, he reveals a kingdom that doesn't advance through political power or cultural dominance, but through truth. When Pilate cynically asks "What is truth?" he fails to recognize that Truth incarnate stands right in front of him. The crowd then chooses Barabbas over Jesus—choosing the wrong son—and in that choice, we see the greatest injustice become the stage where divine justice and mercy meet at the cross.

In a world that cancels people at their worst moments, Jesus offers something radically different. This sermon explores Peter's devastating failure beside a charcoal fire—denying Jesus three times—and his tender restoration beside another charcoal fire weeks later. Through the sensory detail of smoke and embers, Jesus pulls Peter back to his worst moment not to shame him, but to rebuild him. Before questions, there is mercy. Before correction, there is breakfast. And before Peter can even explain himself, Jesus names him personally at the empty tomb: Tell the disciples and Peter. This is the anti-cancel gospel: grace that pursues, restores, and recommissions even the most epic failures.

In this sermon from John 18:1-12, Pastor Andrey Gorban brings us into the dark garden where heaven's plan collides with human treachery-the moment when the Lamb of God is betrayed and unjustly arrested. Opening with the sobering reality of wrongful imprisonment in America (3,645 exonerated between 1989-2024, averaging nine years each), Andrey confronts us with a haunting paradox: we viscerally hate injustice, yet the unjust arrest and execution of Jesus is the only way any of us are made right before God. How do we reckon with the fact that the wrong we despise is the cornerstone of our salvation? As the hymn declares, "In my place condemned, He stood." Drawing on the profound garden motif that bookends Scripture-from Eden's disobedience to Gethsemane's obedience-Andrey shows how Christ enters the place of humanity's fall to reverse its curse. Where the first Adam chose his own way and brought death, the second Adam surrenders to the Father's will and brings life. Through three movements, this message unveils the awful betrayal of a trusted friend, the quiet surrender of the great I AM who knew all that would befall Him, and ultimately the Lamb of God becoming man's substitute. Andrey reveals Jesus not as victim but as victor-knowing, willing, and advancing toward the cross that would accomplish our redemption. In a world that rightly recoils from injustice, this sermon reminds us that the greatest injustice in history secured the greatest mercy for sinners. Christ stood condemned so we could stand justified.

In this sermon from John 17:20-26, Pastor Andrey brings us into the final movement of Jesus High Priestly Prayer, where Christ intercedes not just for His immediate disciples, but for believers across the centuries-including us.Drawing on the profound reality that Jesus was praying for future believers before they ever existed, Andrey reveals the staggering truth of our inclusion in Christs eternal love. As Jesus prepares for the cross, He looks across time itself and prays for those who would believe through the disciples witness, demonstrating that our salvation was secured not just in the cross, but in the prayer that preceded it.This passage unveils Christs deepest desires for His people: supernatural unity that serves as compelling witness to a fractured world, and eternal glory that awaits those who are loved with the very love the Father has for the Son. Andrey shows how Christian unity is not optional preference but evangelistic necessity, rooted not in our similarities but in our shared identity in Christ.Ultimately, this message stirs fresh longing for the day when faith gives way to sight and we behold Him face to face, while calling believers to live out the unity that makes the gospel credible to a watching world. In a time when division seems easier than love, this sermon reminds us that we are prayed for, chosen, and destined for glory.

In this sermon from John 17:6-19, Pastor Sean takes us into the heart of Jesus high priestly prayer, where Christ intercedes for his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion.Sean reveals the stark contrast of a Savior who never abandons those he calls his own. As Jesus prepares to return to the Father, he prays not for their removal from a hostile world, but for their protection within it.This passage challenges our fundamental understanding of what it means to belong to Christ. Sean unpacks the profound shift from being of the world to being in the world but not of it, a reality marked by four simple prepositions that define our entire existence: out of, not of, in, and into.Sean warns against the danger of becoming so comfortable in this world that we lose sight of why were here. The Father has set us apart through his truth-not to escape the world, but to be sent back into it as representatives of his kingdom.Ultimately, this sermon calls us to live as sojourners who know their true citizenship, ambassadors who remember their mission, and children who trust that the unchanging God will keep what he has claimed as his own. In a world where everything seems uncertain, we find our security not in our circumstances, but in our belonging to the One who never changes.

In this sermon from John 17:1–5, Paul Hoffman invites us into the climactic moment of Jesus’ farewell discourse-the prayer that stands on the edge of the cross.Drawing on J.R.R. Tolkien’s idea of eucatastrophe-the sudden, joyful turn in a story-Paul shows how what appears to be tragedy in the eyes of the disciples is, in fact, the triumph of God’s redemptive plan. As Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven and prays for glory, we see that the cross is not a defeat but a victory, not chaos but sovereign purpose.This passage points us backward to the incarnation and forward to the resurrection, revealing the shared glory of the Father and the Son, the supreme authority of Christ over all flesh, and the gift of eternal life found in knowing the one true God through Jesus Christ. Paul unpacks how the work Jesus accomplished becomes the foundation for the church’s mission today-carried forward not in our own strength, but through the power Christ shares with His people by the Spirit.Ultimately, this sermon calls us to see Jesus as the true King, the perfect revelation of God, and the model for what it means to be fully human. In a world longing for transcendence, meaning, and hope, the gospel stands as the true story-one that begins and ends in joy.

What do you stand on when clarity doesn’t calm your fear, and life begins to unravel?In this message from John 16:25–33, Jesus speaks to His disciples on the eve of the cross-not with sentimental comfort or vague optimism, but with unshakable certainty. As He prepares them for betrayal, suffering, and scattering, Jesus anchors their hearts in three enduring realities: they are loved by the Father, held by the Son, and safe in the end.This sermon explores how Jesus moves His disciples from confusion to confidence, not by minimizing the hardship ahead, but by revealing the finished work, sovereign authority, and eternal security found in Him. We consider what it means to “take heart” in a world marked by tribulation, and why Christian peace is not rooted in circumstances, strength, or clarity-but in the victorious Christ who has overcome the world.Whether you’re walking through fear, loss, uncertainty, or simply wondering where real peace can be found, this message calls us to rest not in ourselves, but in the One who came from the Father, entered our broken world, went to the cross on purpose, and now reigns in power.When things fall apart, the gospel reminds us: you are not.

Dear Church Family,Your generosity this past year has not only been remarkable, but a clear marker of genuine faith. It has been steady, joyful, generous, and deeply faithful. More than numbers on a page, your giving reflects something far more important. It reflects a heart that understands money as a gift from God, entrusted to us for the sake of His gospel.When Scripture says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” it is clear where your treasure lies. Again and again, you have shown that the treasure of your heart is Christ and His kingdom. To give freely and sacrificially is no small thing. It speaks to a people who are being set free from the enslavement of money and who trust the Lord with one of the most vulnerable areas of our lives, our provision.Through your radical generosity, you have demonstrated that Jesus is kind and that He is sufficient. Not merely in words, but in action. Not reluctantly, but gladly. What a testimony this is, both to one another and to the watching world.I am deeply grateful to serve a church that values the people of God and the coming kingdom more than comfort or possessions. That kind of faith is rare, and it is a gift of God’s grace.May the Spirit of God continue to shape us into a people who are sacrificially generous, for the good of His Church and for the glory of His great name.With deepest humility and gratitude,Thomas, on behalf of the Pastors of Trinity Church

In this message from John 16:5–15, Jesus speaks tenderly to sorrow-filled disciples on the eve of His departure-and offers them an unexpected gift. Though His going feels like loss, Jesus insists it is to their advantage, because the Helper is coming. In this sermon, we explore why the coming of the Holy Spirit is not a downgrade from Jesus’ physical presence, but the gracious completion of God’s redemptive plan.Together, we consider the Spirit’s work in convicting the world, comforting the repentant, revealing the truth, and glorifying Christ. Set within Jesus’ final hours before the cross, this message invites us to marvel at the Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-and to rejoice in the miracle of God dwelling with, and within, His people.

What does real spiritual fruit actually come from?In John 15:1–17, Jesus reminds weary disciples, and weary believers, that lasting fruit, deep joy, and genuine love do not come from striving harder, but from remaining connected to Him, the true Vine. In this sermon, we explore how life flows from union with Christ, how obedience is meant to protect joy rather than diminish it, and how love for one another becomes the visible fruit of a life rooted in grace.This message is an invitation to stop performing, stop hustling for spiritual results, and return to the only place where life and fruit truly grow-abiding in Christ.

In this Advent message, Pastor Andrey Gorban invites us to look again at the arrival of our King and to see not just thatHe came, but how He came.Drawing from Zechariah 9:9, this sermon contrasts the kings the world expects with the King God promised. While earthly rulers arrive with power, spectacle, and conquest, God’s King comes righteous and bringing salvation-humble, gentle, and riding on a donkey. This is a King who does not intimidate or dominate, but who gives Himself for His people.From the quiet fulfillment of God’s long-standing promises to Jesus’ triumphal entry and march toward the cross, this message calls us to behold the beauty of God’s plan done God’s way. If your faith feels stale, your joy muted, or the Christmas season has become routine, this sermon invites you to fix your eyes once more on Jesus-the humble and lowly King, our Savior, and our Emmanuel, God with us.

In this Advent message, Pastor Thomas opens the season by taking us back to God’s covenant with David-one of the most significant promises in the entire storyline of Scripture. In a world exhausted by failed leaders, political polarization, and deep cultural cynicism, this passage meets us with a different kind of hope: the promise of a perfect, eternal King.Tracing the biblical story from Genesis to Revelation, Thomas shows how every earthly king-from Saul to Solomon to David himself-proves unable to carry the weight of our longing. But in 2 Samuel 7, God announces a King who will-a Son He will raise up, a house He will build, and a throne He will establish forever. That promise echoes through the prophets, breaks into history at Bethlehem, and rises in full splendor in the book of Revelation, where the Son of David is revealed as the Lion, the Lamb, and the King of kings.This sermon explores four scenes in the Davidic Covenant:The King God establishes, the House God builds, the Son God gives, and the Kingdom God secures forever. And it brings this ancient promise down into the realities of everyday life-our fear, our longing for stability, our loss of control, and our need for hope that won’t collapse under pressure.Advent reminds us that the King we need is the King God gives. He comes in humility, reigns in righteousness, and returns in glory. His throne isn’t up for grabs. His reign can’t be overturned. And His kingdom-begun in Bethlehem and consummated in Revelation-is the unshakeable hope believers stand on today.If you’re longing for stability in an unstable world, this message will lift your eyes to the only King who cannot fail-and who invites you into His kingdom by grace.

This exploration of John 14:15-31 confronts us with a challenging truth: love isnt proven by our words or feelings, but by our actions. When Jesus says If you love me, you will keep my commandments, Hes not placing an impossible burden on our shoulders-Hes defining love the way God defines it. The beauty of this passage is that Jesus never commands without providing what He commands. We cant obey alone, and we were never meant to. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, comes alongside us as the Spirit of Truth, dwelling within us forever, empowering the very obedience Jesus calls us to. This isnt about white-knuckling our way through the Christian life or collapsing under guilt. Its about understanding that obedience flows from union with Christ. Were not orphans left to figure things out on our own. Christ lives in us, the Father makes His home with us, and the Spirit illuminates Scripture and brings Jesus words to remembrance exactly when we need them most. The peace Jesus offers isnt the worlds temporary distraction from fear-its His own peace, the peace that carried Him to the cross. When we face anxiety, guilt, or overwhelming circumstances, the Spirit whispers back the very promises we thought wed forgotten. This is why we saturate ourselves in Scripture: so the Spirit has material to work with when storms come. We obey because He obeyed. We love because He loved. And we stand because He stood in our place.