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Grace Community Church

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What does true evidence of salvation look like? Hebrews 6 teaches that the power of the age to come is not displayed in dramatic experiences or spiritual fireworks, but in a steady love for Christ's name shown through serving His people.
A heartfelt sermon reminding believers of the reality of suffering, lament, and the effects of sin, while pointing to the unshakable hope and promises of God in Christ. Drawing from Revelation 21 and other Scriptures, it emphasizes that Christians mourn with hope, clinging to God's promises of a new heaven and new earth where tears, pain, and death will be no more. The message encourages holding fast to God's promises through trials, trusting in Christ as the solid rock and the ultimate fulfillment of every hope.
Paul lifts our eyes to the "Father of mercies and God of all comfort," showing that trials are not wasted. First, God comforts us in every affliction to make us able ministers who pass that same comfort to others—His consolation is meant to flow through us, not stop with us (vv.3–7). Second, God uses crushing seasons to kill self-reliance and teach reliance on "the God who raises the dead" (vv.8–11). Past deliverances fuel future hope; God often comforts by means (e.g., Titus' arrival and report), and He multiplies help through the prayers of many. View suffering as both ministry training and dependence training.
Prayer is called "the key of paradise" and "the soul's blood," yet for many, it remains a source of frustration and mystery. We ask but do not receive. We speak but feel unheard. We wonder if our prayers have any real power.
This sermon explores the significance of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem as described in Mark 11:1-11. The speaker emphasizes that this event, often called Palm Sunday, reveals Jesus as a humble, sovereign, and misunderstood king who came not for earthly conquest but for service and sacrifice.
This sermon centers on Jesus as the helper of the helpless from Matthew 9:35–38. It highlights how Christ's compassion for the crowds—harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd—reveals both the reality of human spiritual helplessness and the sufficiency of God's grace.
In this Ask Pastor Tim (from 2019) we study Ecclesiastes 7:16—"Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise"—and unpack what Solomon really meant by that warning. We'll walk through three foundational hermeneutical methods (compare Scripture with Scripture, examine context and genre, cross‑reference translations), see how translation differences affect our understanding, and survey New Testament passages that call us to genuine holiness without slipping into legalism or laxity.
What true Christianity really is, is a the topic that Stuart Olyott opens in 2 Thessalonians 2 :13 – 3:5 and paints a portrait of "true Christianity." A real Christian, he says, is saved—a word "stronger than helped or rescued"—delivered from God's wrath through Christ's death and resurrection. That rescue rests on God's loving choice, the Spirit's sanctifying work, and believing the gospel truth: "God chose you as the first‑fruits to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth".
About "Humility: Adopting Paul's "Less Than the Least" Mindset" Isaac Watts saw pride as a root‑poison in the soul and wrote these pages to help Christians dig it out by its very source. Here you will find no mere rules or moralizing, but a steady unfolding of: Pride wears subtle disguises in every heart. Christ's humility is our pattern, and Paul's self-abasement is our example. There is quiet power in depending on God and knowing our nothingness. Peace and grace flow from esteeming others and denying self. Read slowly. Let each gentle conviction awaken you to your own need. Then, having learned to think "slightly less of yourself and slightly more of others," discover the unsearchable riches Christ gives to the humble of heart. A worm may lift itself up above other worms, but one step from a man crushes it into the dust. So it is with us. We may seem greater than our neighbors, but in God's presence, we are nothing. — Isaac Watts
In this message we zero in on Paul's five rapid-fire imperatives in 1 Thessalonians 5:15–18 and the importance of that little word "always." He tells us never to repay evil with evil but to do good to everyone; then he commands us to rejoice, pray, and give thanks without pause. Living "always" can feel impossible—until we remember we're united to Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who both wills and works in us for His good pleasure. Join us as we discover how every moment of our daily grind can become an act of worship when the Spirit empowers us to obey these "always" commands.
A study of Mark 10:17–31 unpacking the rich young ruler's question about eternal life, Jesus' call to forsake all for His kingdom, the impossibility of self-made righteousness, and the surprising promise of a hundredfold blessing and eternal life.
In this sermon we dive into Hebrews 10:18–31 to understand why the author calls us to "not neglect meeting together." Exploring the three "let us" responses—drawing near in prayer, holding fast in hope, and stirring one another to love and good works—we unpack vivid analogies like the wedding rehearsal and the lone coal by the fire. Discover how Christian community fuels our faith, protects us from spiritual isolation, and prepares us for the day of Christ's return. Read Tim Challie's full article here: https://www.challies.com/articles/the-most-dangerous-thing-a-christian-can-do/
The sermon explores the challenging intersection of wealth and faith, examining a rich young ruler's pursuit of eternal life and the disciples' astonishment at Jesus' teachings. It highlights the inherent impossibility of human achievement in securing salvation, emphasizing that true faith requires relinquishing self-reliance and childlike trust in God's power. Through the narrative, the preacher underscores the necessity of pruning away pride and self-sufficiency, illustrating that God's intervention is essential for redemption, and that even seemingly impossible circumstances are opportunities for divine work, ultimately calling for a surrender to God's grace and a reliance on His power to achieve what human effort cannot.
Well, brethren, today we press into Mark 10:1–12 and tackle a subject nobody loves—divorce. When the Pharisees come testing Jesus, He cuts through their "well-baited" questions and exposes the root sin: hardness of heart. Marriage, He reminds us, is a lifelong covenant—what God has joined, let no one separate. Yet in our fallen world He grants a concession to protect the innocent. We'll wrestle with Deuteronomy's certificate, Malachi's "I hate divorce," and the gospel-powered call to fight for every covenant, extend grace, and lean on Christ's strength.
Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you—He will never permit the righteous to be moved—so rather than longing for wings like a dove, roll today's stick (Newton reference) onto Him and be kept.
Better to cut off the hand, foot, or eye that causes sin—and to avoid dragging Christ's little ones into stumbling—than to be cast into the unquenchable fire; be pure salt within yourselves and live in peace.
In this deeply personal interview, Pastor Mack Tomlinson recounts his year-long battle with spiritual darkness and chronic insomnia, how the Psalms became his lifeline, and the miraculous moment when God delivered him through a trusted friend's counsel. He offers practical wisdom for pastors facing similar struggles—emphasizing the necessity of preaching God's promises to ourselves—and closes by sharing specific prayer needs for faithful preaching, writing, family, and health in the seasons ahead.
Paul's message in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 assures believers that Christ's return will be sudden, yet not fearful: as children of light we stay awake, sober, and encouraged, knowing God has destined us for salvation through Jesus. This sermon calls us to live ready, strengthen one another, and share the gospel while there is still time.
Mack Tomlinson
Walking through 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, this message shows how the coming of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, and our gathering with Him replace fear with confident hope and motivate holy, brother-loving lives.