Sermons of Redeeming Life Church

Following Christ isn’t about pretending everything is okay; it’s about learning to trust God’s promises even when we can’t see what He is doing.  In his message, “The Dawn of God’s Faithfulness,” Pastor Josiah walks us through Luke 1:39–80 and shows how God breaks 400 years of silence with the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. We watch Mary and Zechariah move from confusion and waiting to Spirit-filled praise as they realize God is fulfilling the promises He made to Abraham and David. Along the way, we connect their story to ours: what it feels like when life is barren, when prayers seem unanswered, when God feels distant. Because God has already kept His biggest promise in Jesus, we can trust Him in the darkest moments of our lives and worship Him even when life seems hopeless.

This Sunday we began a new sermon series through Luke’s Gospel as Pastor Alex preached a message centered on Luke 1:1-38. In his sermon, “A Tale of Two Mothers,” Pastor Alex reminded us that despite the difficulties we face is this life, we can trust that God is always faithful to keep His promises. Since God the Father was faithful to keep the most amazing promise he’s ever made, sending his only son, Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sins, then we can rest assured that the Lord will always care for those who belong to Him and are called by His name.

This week we are concluding our series in the book of Acts as Pastor Alex preaches a sermon centered on Acts 28:11-31. In his sermon, Pastor Alex shows us how, like the Apostle Paul, we too must be faithful to proclaim the gospel to the world. Regardless of how others respond to our gospel call, we must remain steadfast, trusting God for the results.

Join us this week as we continue our series in Acts! In his sermon “Eternal Confidence” centered on Acts 27:1-28:10, Pastor Alex shows us through Paul’s tumultuous journey to Rome how God sovereignly reigns over every trial and in every storm we face in life.  Just as we observe from the Apostle Paul, the best way to endure trials in our own life is to trust in God and place our hope in Him.

What holds you back from boldly sharing the gospel—fear, shame, or something else? In this week’s message, we follow the Apostle Paul as he stands before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, not to defend his innocence, but to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s word challenges us to see that, like Paul, we too are commissioned by Christ—not just saved from darkness but sent into a dark world with the light of the gospel. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak with boldness, even when mocked or misunderstood. And we are called to long for the salvation of others with the same burning desire Paul displayed, regardless of the cost.

When accusations or misunderstandings come against your faith, what does it look like to give a Christ-centered defense rather than a self-defensive reaction? In his sermon: “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!” centered on Acts 24:1 – 25:12, Pastor Josiah walks us into the Roman courtroom of Caesarea, where the apostle Paul stands accused before Governor Felix. Surrounded by power, politics, and hostility, Paul defends himself not with manipulation but with conviction—his worship is to the Lord, his hope is anchored in the resurrection, and his conscience is clear before God and man. This passage reveals that the gospel itself, not merely Paul, is on trial—and that even in chains, God’s mission is unstoppable.As Christ’s chosen people, we are called to live with integrity and to boldly defend His truth before all. When our eyes are fixed on Christ and our hearts are full of love for Him, we truly can’t lose—because even through persecution and hardship, the gospel advances, God’s purposes prevail, and His truth cannot be silenced.

In difficult times and through the trials of life, it can be hard to recognize God’s providence at work in and around us. In his sermon “Holy Interference,” drawn from Acts 23:12–35, Alex reminds us that God was sovereignly working through ordinary people to bring about an extraordinary turn of events in Paul’s life, even amid persecution and imprisonment. In the same way, God continues to work through the everyday moments and people in our lives to accomplish His purposes and fulfill His sovereign plan throughout the earth. How might God be moving “behind the scenes” in your life today?

Life is hard! Suffering and brokenness feel like a normal part of our daily lives. However, just as he did with the Apostle Paul, the Lord is seeking to encourage us today by reminding us to have courage. For the Christian, we have no need to fear because we are never alone, the Lord is always with us!

In what ways do fear or comfort keep you from boldly defending the gospel? How might your life look different if you truly believed your story was part of God’s redemptive mission? Through Paul’s defense before a hostile crowd, we see that God’s sovereign hand not only redeems broken sinners but also redeploys them for His mission. Just as Christ met Paul on the road to Damascus, He also stands ready to meet each of us in our brokenness, offering forgiveness, purpose, and courage to testify to His saving grace.

What if following Christ led you into suffering instead of comfort — would you still obey? In “Chained in Obedience,” Pastor Josiah unpacks Paul’s costly journey to Jerusalem in Acts 21:15–36 — a story that reminds us that following Christ faithfully does not guarantee comfort, favor, or safety. Paul’s obedience led him into chains, not away from them. Yet through those chains, God advanced the gospel and displayed His sovereignty. Paul’s example calls believers to embrace the truth that faithful obedience often includes suffering, and that despite persecution God’s plan still succeeds! The same Lord who ruled over Paul’s prison cell reigns over every trial we face today, turning our suffering into a testimony of His grace and power.

As Paul journeys toward Jerusalem, the Spirit repeatedly warns him that suffering awaits. Friends beg him not to go, but Paul’s response cuts to the core of discipleship: “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.” This is not reckless ambition—it’s the fruit of a heart transformed by the Gospel. The Gospel calls us to die to self, strengthens us to endure hardship, and assures us that death itself has been conquered. Paul’s resolve reminds us that following Christ was never meant to be safe, but it is always worth it. When the Spirit calls you into costly obedience, will you shrink back—or press forward, trusting that Jesus is worth it?

Prayer connects ordinary believers to an extraordinary God who keeps His promises and draws His people to Himself. In James 5:13–20, we’re reminded to pray in every season, pray for one another, and pray boldly in the righteousness that comes through Jesus. Tune in to this week’s message and discover how ordinary prayers connect us to an extraordinary God who saves, restores, and sustains His people.

Life is filled with waiting — waiting for answers, for relief, for justice. In James 5:7–12, God’s word calls His people to patiently endure in the face of hardship, oppression, and uncertainty by trusting His sovereign rule and the certainty of Christ’s return. This powerful message points us back to the heart of the gospel. Just as Job endured suffering and ultimately experienced the mercy of God, so too Christ endured the cross to secure mercy and compassion for all who believe. And now, we live in a new hope — not wringing our hands in worry, but standing firm in faith, knowing that the Judge is at the door and His promises never fail.

Does God really hear the cries of those who are cheated, wronged, or overlooked? In his message centered on James 5:1–6, Pastor Josiah shares a powerful warning from James: selfish hoarding and dishonest gain may look like success in the world’s eyes, but before God they will testify against us. Earthly riches corrode, unjust dealings oppress the vulnerable, and self-indulgence leads to judgment. Yet in Christ, there is an eternal treasure that moth and rust cannot destroy. For the oppressor, God’s word declares judgment. For the oppressed, we can be comforted – God hears your cries and will bring the unrighteous to justice. And for all who believe, the gospel gives hope: true riches are found in Christ alone.

What fears or ambitions keep you from fully submitting your life to God’s will? In his sermon, “Stop Playing God,” Pastor Josiah shows us how James 4:11-17 calls us to humble ourselves in full submission before God. As Christians we need to stop criticizing our brothers and sisters, stop pretending we control tomorrow, and start entrusting every part of our lives to the Lord’s will. Our lives are but a vapor, and at the end of the day, only what is done in Christ will last. Because God alone is the final authority, we must quit playing God and joyfully submit our lives to Him.

Why do our desires so often leave us empty, even when they’re fulfilled? In this week’s message centered on James 4:1–10, Pastor Josiah unpacks both the problem and the promise regarding the difficulties we face in life. Our passions and worldly pursuits leave us restless, divided, and far from God. Yet God does not abandon us—but gives grace to the humble. In Christ, the true Bridegroom, we are invited to lay down our pride, resist the lies of the enemy, and draw near to the God who draws near to us. This passage is not just a warning but an invitation: to forsake the emptiness of the world and discover the joy of full devotion to Christ. What would it look like for you to go “all in” with Christ today?

Where do you turn for answers when life is hard? What type of wisdom is shaping your life or affecting your decisions? In his sermon, “Wisdom from Above” centered on James 3:13–18, Pastor Josiah unpacks the sharp contrast between false wisdom that is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic—and true wisdom that comes from God. Earthly wisdom seeks pride, ambition, and self-exaltation, but it inevitably leads to disorder and destruction. Godly wisdom, however, is marked by purity, gentleness, mercy, and peace. Most importantly, James shows us that true wisdom makes us peacemakers—sowing peace that produces a harvest of righteousness.This sermon reminds us that wisdom is not measured by intelligence or worldly success, but by a transformed heart that reflects Christ. Only by embracing the wisdom from above do we become the kind of people who strengthen the church, bring peace into broken relationships, and share the hope of the gospel with the world.

If your words were placed on trial, what would they reveal about your faith? In this week’s sermon, Alex Trotter unpacks James 3:1–12, confronting the sobering truth that our words reveal the condition of our hearts. The tongue, though small, wields extraordinary power—to bless or to destroy, to build up or to tear down. For those in Christ, speech becomes a mark of transformation: increasingly God-honoring, gracious, and edifying, not because of self-discipline alone but because Christ is reshaping the heart. Even when we fail, every careless and sinful word has been covered by the blood of Jesus. For those outside of Christ, however, the tongue exposes the futility of self-reform; apart from the cross, our words testify against us before a holy God. True hope for taming the tongue lies only in the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.Ultimately, this passage presses us to examine the fruit of our faith through the words we speak. Our speech is never neutral—it either confirms the reality of Christ at work in us or exposes our desperate need for Him. The cross of Christ is sufficient to forgive our failures and powerful enough to transform our tongues into instruments of praise. What difference would it make if every word you spoke was filtered through the cross of Christ?

This sermon confronts one of the most sobering questions in Scripture: What kind of faith saves? In his sermon centered on James 2:14–26, Alex shows us that genuine faith is never alone—it produces the visible fruit of obedience. Works do not contribute to our justification before God, but they are the God-given evidence of a heart transformed by the Spirit. For the believer, this is both a call to self-examination and a comfort: God Himself works in us to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12–13). For the unbeliever, it is a gracious warning that mere profession without transformation is empty, and that Christ alone gives living faith that bears fruit in keeping with repentance.

In a world obsessed with appearances, James confronts the church with a bold command: Don’t play favorites! In his sermon on James 2:1-13, Pastor Josiah explores how favoritism contradicts the very mercy that saved us. When we elevate the wealthy and ignore the poor—or vice versa—we forget that at the foot of the cross, all distinctions vanish. Jesus didn’t rescue us because of status or success, but solely by his mercy. Therefore, Christians must reflect that mercy in how we see and treat others. This message is for everyone—rich or poor, polished or broken—because Jesus welcomes all who will come.