Grace Downtown: Recent Episodes
Grace Downtown
Grace Downtown is an inwardly growing, outwardly serving church community in Downtown Washington, DC. Each week, we will share the latest sermon from Grace Downtown plus a second recording from the Grace Downtown archives, which include classes, events and sermons from throughout Grace Downtown's history.
Grace Downtown is part of Grace DC, one church made up of a network of congregations serving and worshiping throughout Washington, DC.
Our mission is to know God by knowing Jesus His Son. How do we get to know Jesus? We pray in and through the Holy Spirit, to better understand Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us experience Jesus better.
Spiritual growth is more than just you and I; it's us as a whole. We cannot grow spiritually apart from one another.
It is not enough to know the lyrics of God's song, we must also know the melody. God's song is beautiful and he is calling all to come to sing and know God's salvation.
One of the most common prayers in the Bible is the prayer for justice. The first thing we can do is accept our weakness towards issues of justice. Weakness drives us to prayer to the God of Justice.
Jesus is enough. He calls us to pray with hands wide-open to receive and give back because all we receive is from our heavenly Father.
Repentance is a sign of spiritual life. Jesus calls us to repent and turn to him and he will receive us, heal us, and guide us.
Will you ask Jesus, the great Intercessor, to pray the true prayers that we need to overcome our sins and faults and bring us closer to God and his righteousness?
Jesus came to restore power unto us, power not to sin, power to overcome in and through him, and power to persevere. WE are powerless, but he is power.
The cross makes suffering meaningful. Jesus came as a servant who would suffer, and through his suffering conquered the world. Through Jesus, we also can conquer our suffering and sin.
Forgiving others brings great healing, but what about feeling forgiven of our sins? Do we carry out guilt with us? Or, do we allow Jesus' forgiveness to penetrate deep in our hearts?
Many of our issues may seem only on the surface, but all our problems come from deep within, our sinful condition. We need healing deeper than the surface, we need total healing that only Jesus can do.
Enlightenment is made of two aspects: grief and grace. The Lord does not dispense his wisdom and kindness without cost. Denying God's signs brings grief, but his grace overcomes all things.
Jesus is the answer to all our doubts. Faith is not about facts and reason; instead, it's about a relationship with God that grows daily through the reading of his word.
God's vision of mission is very different than ours. He does not cast away the bruised and broken; instead, he lifts us up in appreciation, compassion, and liberation.
God seeks to heal us in totality, mind, body, soul, and spirit. More than that, he desires to heal all things in and through Jesus. Jesus is our source of healing.
Rev. Dr. Russell shares a love letter to his son, Andrew Russell as we celebrate Rev. Russel's ordination service. God works through covenant families.
The Law if timeless and serves a purpose to show us our sinfulness, but more than that, to show that we need a Savior and God's constant grace.
Jesus' view of blessing is to be in a state in relationship with God and is a by-product in relationship with God. To have this relationship means we are reconciled with God. God blesses in our highs and lows, in our winters and our summers.
Pastor Glenn explains how Jesus uses the Old Testament to withstand temptation. Jesus did not rely on his own power or take short cuts to achieve what was already his; instead, he used God's Word to guide him through life's difficulties.
Pastor Andrew exhorts us to not rely on human power or might to build God's church. God will build his church by his Holy Spirit. We are not to give up on our church because God is working in the small things.
Pastor Mike walks us through Psalm 121 and the pilgrim's struggle with faith. Where does our help come from? It comes from God, and the pilgrim confesses his faith in God who sees him through all his troubles.
Elder Ryan Bratt delves into what comes next in the story of Jesus after his birth. He unpacks God's unfolding story which includes us. Christmas may seem anticlimactic but God wants us to enter into his story.
Pastor Cyril preaches on the coming feast of the Jesus. God has invited us to a great feast that will inaugurate his new creation. He calls us to remain faithful in this life and draw near to him at the end.
Pastor Glenn explains that life seems to be unfair, but God will bring all things and people into judgment. We are exhorted to seek his righteousness by accepting his judgment that came upon Christ for our sake.
Pastor Duke pulls back the curtain and shows our already but not yet victory over all our spiritual enemies. We are in a daily battle with spiritual forces but we are not to worry because God has already won.
Pastor Russ walks us through Revelations 7:9-17. He explains how unity is found through diversity but unified in doxology. Doxological diversity brings glory to God. Christ came to unify us, including our differences. A weary world waits with anticipation for the reunification of God's people.
Christianity is the only religion that teaches that God humbled himself and became human to endure what we endure. He did so to rescue us from our sin. Jesus is God's word made human flesh.
Pastor Glenn explains that God's gracious promise will lead to character change. We are to unite gospel believing and gospel doing and receive God's promise to us for character growth.
Pastor Cyril unveils the place where God lives. God dwells in our weakest moments. We all ensure hard times and during these times God wants us to draw near, to run to him and not from him.
Pastor Glenn explains how we experience more rest by receiving a correcting word from God. We enter into God's rest through correction.
Pastor Glenn calls us to the balcony of God's grace to see the light of sin and grace so that we may also see everything from his perspective and not our own.
Pastor Andrew discusses what it means to receive counsel as a servant and a sojourner. God wants to open our eyes to the wonder of his word to counsel us through life's most difficult situations.
Pastor Glenn explains how God uses his word to deliver people from their trials. Because we are more than what we think or believe, we need to renew our mind by seeking God's word.
Pastor Glenn explains the amazing food that God gives us to eat from his word. He lays out the importance of understanding the benefits of God's Word for our spiritual lives.
Jesus stoops low to woo us to him. He chases after people who do not love him to bring them to him.
Pastor Mike Park digs into the Parable of the Builder. He shows us the truth behind the parable is rooted in the foundation and not the quality of material or wisdom of the builder. Storms are inevitable but he exhorts us to hold onto our faith in Jesus Christ as the only foundation that will weather these storms.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg leads us through Proverbs 4 "prayer of illumination" to help us understand how God's word can be and should be precious to us. We are to treasure God's word as we treasure our loved ones.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preps us to delve deeper into God's Word and apply it to our lives. He shows us that the first step is prepare ourselves to listen not just hear.
Mr. Will Stockade explains the biblical foundation of serving our neighbor. We are to serve our neighbor in the power and ability the the Holy Spirit enables. We serve in a capacity available to us.
Elder Ryan Bratt lays out a biblical foundation for gospel hospitality. He exhorts us to welcome one another as Jesus welcomes us to his feast.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching from 1 Peter 4:7-11.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching from James 5:13-20.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching from James 5:13-20.
Pastor Andrew Russell continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching on Colossians 3:12-17.
Pastor Andrew Russell continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching from Colossians 3:12-17.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues the series, "One Anothering," preaching from Colossians 3:12-17.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues our series on "One Anothering," preaching from Romans 12:9-21.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg introduces our new series, "One Anothering," preaching from Romans 12:9-21.
Pastor Mike Parks preaches on "The Need for Rest" from Exodus 20:6-11 - finding our rest in Jesus every day.
Pastor Joel Littlepage preaches on Titus 3:1-15 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Makeover."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Galatians 5:16-25 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Fruit of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Romans 8:12-17 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Assurance of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Romans 8:1-11 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on John 15:26 - 16:15 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Truth of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on John 3:1-21 to continue our sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Rebirth of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Acts 2:1-21 to start our new sermon series, The Gift of the Holy Spirit, with this sermon, "The Sending of the Holy Spirit."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 16:1-8 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Resurrection Weak."
Pastor Russ Whitfield delivers the homily for our Grace DC Network Good Friday service.
Pastor Duke Kwon offers a spoken word poem "Who Wants to Be a Servant?" for our Grace DC Network Maundy Thursday homily.
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 11:1-10,15:1-5, 16-20 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "The King Went In."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 14:43-15:15, to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Nobody Knows But Jesus."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 12:32-42 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "The Heart of Faith."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 14:1-11 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "A Beautiful Thing."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 13:1-37 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Stay Awake."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 12:18-27 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Following Jesus into Life"
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 11:1-10, 15-19 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "The Return of the Priest."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 10:32-52 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Not to Be Served, But to Serve."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 10:17-31 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "One Thing?"
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark:9:30-50 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon "First-Hood and Servanthood."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 9:14-29 as he continues our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Help My Unbelief."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 8:27 - 9:13 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "A Cross That Carries."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 8:1-21 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "New Year Abundance."
Pastor Irwyn Ince preaches on Isaiah 9:1-7 as he continues our Advent sermon series, Awaiting a Savior, with this sermon, "Waiting for the King."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Isaiah 25:6-9 as he continues our Advent sermon series, Awaiting a Savior, with this sermon, "Waiting for Joy."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Isaiah 40:1-11 as he continues our Advent sermon series, Awaiting a Savior, with this sermon, "Waiting for Comfort."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Isaiah 11:1-10 as he starts our new Advent sermon series, Awaiting a Savior, with this sermon, Waiting for Restoration."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 7:31-37 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "The Sign Language of God."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 7:1-23 to continue our sermon series, Follow Me, with this sermon, "Washing Our Shame."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 6:1-6 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Following Jesus into Rejection."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 4:35 - 5:43 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "The Authority of Jesus."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 4:1-9, 21-34 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Kingdom-Growth."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 3:7-12; 22-35 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Insiders and Outsiders."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 2:1-17; 2:23-28; 3:1-6 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Following Jesus Through Controversy."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 1:40 - 2:12 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Following the Healer."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Mark 1:14-20; 1:35-39; 2:13-17; 3:13-21 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "When Jesus Calls."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Mark 1:9-13 as he continues our sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "The Life of Following."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Mark 1:1-8 as he begins our new sermon series through the Gospel of Mark with "Preparing to Follow."
Pastor Joel Littlepage shares from Proverbs 31 in his sermon titled "Songs My Mother Taught Me."
Pastor Remargo Yancie shares from Luke 18:1-8 in his sermon titled "While We Wait, Pray"
Pastor Cyril Chavis shares from Genesis 12:1-13:2 in his sermon titled "Who Has Your Back?"
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Amos 8:1-14 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "Learning from Judgment."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Amos 7:1-17 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "Please Forgive!"
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Amos 5:18 - 6:14 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "Truth In Advertising."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg preaches on Amos 5:1-17 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "Seeking Justice."
Pastor Duke Kwon preaches on Amos 4:1-13 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "The Cows of Bashan."
Pastor Russ Whitfield preaches on Amos 3:1-15 to continue our series on justice with this sermon, "Confronting Injustice."
Pastor Glenn Hoburg begins our series on Justice through the book of Amos 1 & 2 with "Introducing Justice."
Pastor Duke preaches on Ephesian 2:20-21 during our annual Network-wide service. This is the entire service.
Pastor Duke Kwon continues our series on Hebrews 11 in Faith not Sight #6. This is the full service.
Pastor Duke Kwon continues our network-wide series "Faith Not Sight" on Hebrews 11:8-16.
Pastor Russ preaches on Hebrews 11:4-7 during our network wide worship service. This is the entire service.
For more information, please see our website - gracedc.net
Listen to the April 19 network-wide service as Pastor Glenn preaches on Hebrews 11:1-3.
Pastor Glenn shares about God's leading His people through the Red Sea from Exodus 11:17-22.
Pastor Russ discusses 1 Peter 1:3-9 in The Tested Genuineness of Your Faith in a virtual service - the entire service is provided.
Pastor Glenn concludes our Election Year Recall series with "Recalling our Duty" on Acts 5:17-21a, 27-33.
Pastor Glenn Preaches on Psalm 146 - Recalling our Security as part of our Election Year Recall Series
Pastor Glenn Hoburg talks about Election Year Unity - Ephesians 4:1-6.
Taking into account both where we live, DC [where passions run high], and our "state" in Christ (oneness--which calls for empathy, charity) throughout the election year process.
Pastor Andrew Russell preaches on Mark 10:17-30 - Family Inheritance, part of the "Jesus Talks Family" Series.
Jesus Talks Family Series continues -- Pastor Glenn preaches on Family Conflict - Matthew 18:15-20.
The Crest in the Christian's Coat of Arms is Love. It is a unique design and it is what we are to proclaim to the world. We carry the banner of love in Christ to the world.
One can be happy even when one is unhappy. How is this possible? How do we become more like what Jesus speaks of in the Be-Attitudes? We are transformed by God's mercy operating in our lives.
The Christian faith is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. Society tells us that reciprocation is the key to relationships. Jesus tells us to invite, feed, and give to those who cannot reciprocate. We are grateful for his actions that we cannot reciprocate.
Who do we consider our family? Do we play favorites on who is and is not our family? Jesus calls us to love others that may not fit our category of family. By showing love to others, we share the love that Jesus has shown us.
Who do we turn to when life gets tough? Do we strive to make pacts and agreements with those who are powerful, influential, and rich in this life or do we turn to he who is sovereign overall?
No matter how much trouble we face in this life, we are called to press on in our faith. How do we do this? The author of Hebrews tells us that the Word of God and our High Priest, Jesus are the two things that will help us persevere.
The advent season teaches us many things and one of those things is this: God does not abandon us. God is with us and advent grace is for the confused, broken, and even for the sinner.
God delights to give his good news to the unexpected. And he does his best work in unexpected times. Jesus is an unexpected King but he's king nonetheless.
In an age of materialism and hedonism, self denial and simplicity are seen as moral responses, but those things in an of themselves can be a threat to our understanding of the goodness and grace of God.
God says that the end will be sweeter than our present or past. He is leading us to perfection in Christ. We are not to allow fear of the future burden us now. Instead, we maintain our hope in Christ for our future.
Our present is at times cluttered with being overwhelmed by our possible future and being burdened with our past. God wants us to live in the present to bring his joy and peace to everyday life.
There are some of us that allow what has happened in the past to affect us in the present and to affect our future. But God wants to redeem our past and to use it for our good.
It's been cited that the #1 trait modern parents want to instill in their kids is "compassion". Yet, often that compassion is in want when it comes to those with whom we disagree. As the book of Jonah closes, God tests our compassion. How will you do?
It is better to steward the ‘little’ well and take one small step of obedience to satisfy the intentions of Father God, than take one big stride in the flesh to fulfill the expectations of others.
At times we get angry with God and his plan because his plan is not turning out how we would like it. And even in our anger, even in our self-pity God cares for us and consoles us. He truly is a gracious God.
A Christian's life is a life of repentance. Jesus gives us the freedom to not only repent of sin but to repent of our goodness and righteousness as well.
Jonah had run from God and now was in the depths of the sea. In his darkest moment, he looked again toward God. When we feel the weight of our decisions upon us, will we look again to Jesus for his gift of salvation?
Someone once said "All life-changing love is some kind of substitutionary sacrifice." When we can grasp the heights and depths of God's mercy toward us, it enables us to become vessels of mercy for others. But sometimes it takes us being thrown over the side of a boat first.
James is not positing any new type of religion, rather he is reaffirming what Jesus taught. A true believer will bear fruit. Are you and I bearing fruit?
It's natural to want to hide from storms, but when God sends them, sometimes hiding is worse than the storm.
Did you ever try to run away when you were a child? Some things never change. God's children are still tempted to run away from him.
Society tells us that we should look out for ourselves first, "self before others". God tells us that a healthy family lives with a "self for others: attitude. We look to benefit others before ourselves. Unity is vital for the functioning of the family and loving others as we love ourselves is the key.
God lives in family and he created us to be apart of his family. He came and made a covenant with Abraham that lives on even today. He calls you into his family, will you join us?
Is every day, mundane, monotonous work really serving God? We work because God worked, and working is just another part of us being made in his image. Why do we work? We work to love our neighbor. By doing our job well, we are showing love for our neighbor. So work well to serve your neighbor and in doing so we serve God.
In an affluent society, it is easy to get caught up looking at what others have relative to what we have. It is not enough to change one's perspective or try harder to not be envious. We must turn our focus to God and the promises found in Scripture.
Truth bombs may be socially acceptable, but are they supported by Scripture. In a society where truth is relative to the person, how do we confront someone else? Scripture tells us how to confront out of love and or love and not from revenge or a position of hurt.
Does our speech identify us with the world and society around us or would our words distinguish us as followers of Jesus? What we say has a lot to do with what is in our hearts and we are to guard our hearts so that our words share with others the love of Jesus that he shares with us.
Friendship is action orientated. Friendship focuses on what we can do for the other person for their sake. Friendship is considerate and selfless. A true friend will call out our faults and help us correct our actions. This is what Jesus did and continues to do for us every day as our friend.
Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fullness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariable wise. J.I. Packer
It is tough to make wise decisions. Knowing that the Lord is sovereign over all is the first step. If we put our faith and trust in him, his grace will be sufficient in all circumstances. Sometimes being wise means letting go and letting God who the way.
God’s invitation to wisdom’s way is a welcome into the art of living well. It involves rejecting the paralyzing fear of failure as well as the boastful arrogance that overconfidence can engender. Wisdom, from God’s perspective, is exceedingly precious.
Patience is required of everybody everyday. It is especially demanded of leaders. James teaches us the necessity of patience.
Mr. Ryan Bratt challenges us to consider how we use our wealth and power from James chapter 4 and 5.
Our desires have the capacity to create a world of delight or of pain. Sadly, we often live our lives out of touch with our desires. The wisdom of God leads us to redeem our desires.
Pastor Mike Park challenges us about considering our words and taming the tongue from James chapter 3. The scripture is read both in Cantonese and English.
In the business world, there's a lot of concern about the gap between what people say and do. James has a similar concern about our spiritual lives. And it amounts to the difference between useless faith and useful faith.
"His wife said if he stacked up all his good deeds it was just an elegant wall where he could hide behind who he really was" Westworld, Season 2, Episode 4
God's word matters because it will act as a mirror revealing things he is calling us to do and not do. God's word calls us to listen intently, look deeply and then live it out genuinely.
James tell us that from beginning to end life is a test. That thought can be overwhelming. However, when we grasp that God intends for the finish line banner to read "tried and true" instead of "tried and failed", we press on with endurance.
In Acts 4, we get a glimpse of the ideal world for which we all long and labor. However, there's a key element that often escapes us. And it all hinges upon the resurrection.
Happiness is based on circumstances, but God given joy goes deeper. It does not minimize the grief we feel but it helps us to get through it. We know deep down that the best is yet to come because Jesus conquered death and secured ultimate joy for us.
Society today tells us that guilt can be dispensed because it's only an emotion. But guilt is more than a feeling its a condition. Modernity and Moralism will not relieve the guilt. Only Jesus can take our guilt. Though there is cause for condemnation in our lives, because of Jesus' sacrifice those who have accepted Christ will not face condemnation.
Why did Jesus come to die? He came to die so that everyone who believes in his name can live together with him in heaven. Why would we want to live with him in heaven? Because heaven is a place of perfection that we can't quite grasp now, but imagine a world with no sorrow, death, pain, envy. This is perfection.
One of the things that chronically inhibits our prayers is the feeling that we're distant from God and not knowing what to pray. The Spirit persuades us of the intimacy we have with God. And the Spirit betters our prayers.
How does our prayer life change when we understand we are children of a father who hears?
As a fully human person, Jesus faced the same requests and calls for time and attention as we do (and more!) What do we learn from the way Jesus prioritized his life?
Dr. Musgrove spoke on his book Chocolate City: the History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital. He explained how he believes that ever since the Washington, DC was built on tobacco plantations and up until the present day, DC has always been a chocolate city, ie. bursting with black people, black culture, and black political power. He further describes how churches have played crucial roles in the city's cultural development and flourishing. He invites us to listen and learn more about the roots of the city we call home.
Each of us has felt the consequences of having a schedule bursting at the seams. But we often aren't aware of the spiritual root causes that lead us to this place. Throughout the scriptures, we observe Jesus in his humanity setting boundaries.
Have you ever tried to learn something? It's not easy. Spiritual growth is no different. Did Jesus know what this is like?
Pastor Andrew Russell delved into the humanity of Jesus Christ. We might think that Jesus had an unfair advantage, but in Christ's humanity, he had to depend on the Holy Spirit. And we do too!
As Jesus was human like you and me, he enjoyed things such as a good food, laughter around a table, a fine glass of wine (and was criticized for it). However, many of the things he approached with joy mystify and challenge us--suffering and sacrifice. How do we come to know this joy?
When you consider all the damage anger has wrought in our world--genocide, murder, assault, slander, verbal abuse--we must ask: can anything good come of anger? However, there is an alternative: righteous anger. It is the anger we see in Jesus Christ.
God became human in the person of Jesus, so we could know him. We often focus on knowing Jesus' teachings, miracles, and suffering--but what about his feelings? To know God is to know his feelings.
Throughout history, the full humanity of Jesus has been questioned and debated. But there is more at stake than theology. It's a matter of knowing God understands you.
As 2018 comes to a close, we reflect on the times that God has brought us through. Good times and bad times, times of blessing and times of need. When our inner person begins to grow anxious in the new year, we can bring to remembrance the blessings that God has given us and stand upon God as our solid hope for all things.
All who have come to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are bound for a eternal destiny of beauty. These children of God will be robed in beautiful garments and living in a beautiful city and God will be with them. Though the world is harsh and ugly at times, the children of God have the capacity to look beyond the ugliness and wait patiently for the beauty that will be revealed.
One of our deepest human longings is intimacy. We desire nearness with others and being known by others—perhaps, most especially with God. Unfortunately, we’re daily drawn to counterfeit versions of intimacy—which never satisfy and often destroy us. Advent promises the recovery of true intimacy—beginning with the coming of Immanuel (intimacy embodied), and consummating in his return.
Pastor Russ Whitfield exhorts us to hold onto our check that is linked to God's joy account. God will not fail in cashing this check in the here and now and in the future. Focusing our attention on the God's end game will allow us to see through the darkness that pervades our current situation.
Mercy is God's tender compassion to those in need. The parable of the Good Samaritan explores the implications of mercy.
Many churches refer to their ministry to the poor, widow, orphan, and immigrant as "mercy ministry". The Bible more often refers to these as "justice" ministry. Are we missing something?
Anyone who reads of the life of Jesus can see he served tirelessly, yet he never burned out. How is that possible? What can we learn from him?
The fullness of what it means to be the image of God is too rich to be fully realized in a single individual. The fully furnished image of God is found in a reconciled diverse community.
Every human being is made in the image of God and for this reason everyone has individual dignity and worth. An individual's dignity and worth is not rooted in anything outside of being God's image bearer.
Pastor Irwyn opens the discussion on what the Welcoming Church looks like by delving into the Beauty of God. God's beauty is found in His simplicity and in the unity of His diversity.
We live with a daily gratitude to God as the peace of Christ rules over our hearts and the word of Christ dwells in our hearts.
The mission of God and the promise of God go hand in hand. The promise of God becomes more critical, especially when the mission of God becomes more challenging.
Pastor Mike Park exhorts us to have the mind of Christ in order to build a community that expresses the fullness of the gospel in our city and among one another.
Unlike beliefs outside of the Christian faith, spiritual growth doesn't begin with duty, it begins with a promise.
Research from Northwestern University has concluded people are not good at anticipating the power of their urges, and those who are the most confident about there self-control are the most likely to give into temptation. The bible would support this finding, but more importantly shows us how remembering the promises of God can give us the power to resist temptation.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg expounds upon the dichotomy of being a child of God and the afflictions that come upon us. How do we reconcile both the blessings and the discipline of God in our lives.
Often when we ask God for something we desire, we try to prove our worthiness. The Bible offers a better strategy: appealing to God's character and promises
The Christian faith teaches that believers will gain a great inheritance. What is in store for them?
Pastor Glenn Hoburg discussed that everyone builds their life on a promise, but most people are not aware of it. What does a life built on God's promises look like?
Pastor Glenn Hoburg shared about lessons learned from his trip to Israel and 6 week sabbatical. He was reminded of the importance of real world religion and that only God can truly quench our thirst.
Where do you run to when you need to feel safe and secure? Why should the God of the Bible be our refuge versus other places of safety?
What captures our hearts shapes our practices. Only as we grow in intimacy with God can we become a compelling community that will be salt and light in the city.
Man cannot reach God, God must reach us. This sermon based on Psalm 95 looks at the worship and welcome of God.
How does God(the storyteller)tell our story? And what does it mean to trust God(the storyteller)?
God listens to our cries before he gives the divine prescription. God's prescription is His steadfast love in the day and His song in the night.
God is worthy of all of our praise, and He takes great delight in our imperfect worship.
For many, politics functions like religion, yet the Kingdom of Jesus should be the reigning influence over how we think about politics.
Generally speaking, in patriarchal marriages, the roles of the husband and wife are lopsided, and in egalitarian marriages, the roles are flattened. What does it look like for the roles of the husband and wife to complement one another? Consider marriage reimagined.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the damage of pornography, our culture has become aware of the dark side of sexuality. How does knowing God shape our understanding of sexuality and protect the dignity of our neighbor?
Creeds and confessions are often associated with dead dogma, but for those of us who have been made alive in Christ, creeds and confessions are a reminder of the security we have.
Should there be leaders in the church? If so, how should the kingdom of God change their leadership?
Does God choose people to be saved? or Are we responsible for our salvation? Ephesians 2:1-10 gives us an answer.
For some people baptizing babies is adorable, for other its deplorable, and for others it's ignorable. So why does the bible instruct us to baptize infants?
God reiterates his promise to bless Abram with a child and land. As a guarantee God makes a covenant with Abram as if to say, "I will do this. I swear my life on it."
The fact that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead means we can have real hope and real restoration.
All of Jesus' miracles have the aim to bless, except this one. Why would Jesus curse the fig tree?
When Jesus performed miracles, many understood their purposes - healing, provision of food, and social restoration. But few understood he was going to battle.
Faith has its own tenacity when trying to get in the presence of Jesus. What would you do to bring your need before the Healer? Glenn Hoburg speaks on Matthew 9:1-8
Pastor Glenn Hoburg looks at Matthew 8:14-22 and examines the cost of discipleship and the personal commitment of Jesus to provide both physical and spiritual healing.
As Jesus meets a centurion with great need we come to understand both the reality of Jesus' authority and the range of it. This sermon looks at Matthew 8:5-13.
What happens when the one that touches you is the Son of God? You become spiritually clean. This sermon looks at the significance of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew 8:1-4.
Miracles are signs that point to Jesus' kingship, sonship, and salvation. The "Signs of the King" sermon series will look at how Jesus performed miracles in the book of Matthew.
God reveals his name to Moses to display his covenantal promises to the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ fulfills God's promises by not only revealing God's name but also God himself.
Jesus satisfies are deepest longings, spoken and unspoken. The result is to share the transformative power of the gospel.
Ryan Bratt kicks off a new series, New Day, New Life with this look at John 3 and a reminder that our Savior will not stop bringing transforming grace to our lives.
A panel discusses their experience of growing in cultural awareness of their own white culture, how they are perceived and perceive the world around them and how the gospel calls us to shape our understanding of culture through biblical values.
The rhythms of Old Testament worship and community life are baked into the story of the New Testament. The very fact that the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost says something utterly surprising about what we are supposed to learn about life from the Old Testament discipline of celebration.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues our series "Shadows ofChrist" exploring what we can learn about Jesus from the Old Testament worship by exploring what he meant when he called himself Lord of the Sabbath.
"God only knows/God makes his plans/The information's unavailable to the mortal man."
The Bible tells a very different story than the lyrics quoted by Paul Simon above. It tells the story of a God who wants to know and be known, even across what should be an overwhelming gulf. The role of the priests in the Old Testament point to this aspect of God's character in a way that's fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament.
Pastor Zack Eswine concludes the series of talks he started on our 2017 Fall Retreat with a look at what the early Roman world's reaction to the emerging Christian faith can teach us about our relationship to our neighbors today.
The clothes may not make the man, but for the Old Testament priests, the clothes sent clear messages about what their role was—and prepared us to better understand what was to come in the future.
This sermon is part of an ongoing series on seeing Christ reflected in Old Testament religious life.
Pastoral Fellow Andrew Russell on how the love of Christ compels us to serve others—and changes us in the process.
Guest preacher Remargo Yancie from our sister congregation in Columbia Heights shares how one of Jesus' most famous parables can inform how we live as neighbors in our city.
This line from the sermon sums up the main points Pastor Glenn made tonight. God understands that we are human, and that it’s helpful for Him to reach us in different ways to really get his point across.
I often feel closest to God when I am appreciating the things he has made a hike on a beautiful spring day, babies, the abilities of the human body and all of the unique people he created. As Glenn said, “Man can’t open their eyes without being compelled to see God.” God also speaks to us through his word. While I can see him in the things he has made, I sometimes find it more challenging to fully believe all of God’s words. In this sermon, I was relieved to hear that even in ancient times, people would ask: does God speak reliably? In 2 Peter 1.16, Peter assures us, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” An eyewitness account! And yet I still have doubts? These doubts are compounded when I’m surrounded by so many people who don’t share my faith and by a culture that is full of messages of self-salvation. Glenn described this as “forces at work to break your hold on Christ.” However, there is hope! Glenn pointed out that God seeks out men and women who hide. Just after the sermon, when Pastor Mike was introducing communion, he reiterated “Christianity isn’t about how well we can hold on to Christ, it’s about how well he can hold on to us.” And God has a pretty good hold on us! While I don’t really feel as though I’m hiding from God (although there are areas of my life I could be better about opening up to him), I can see that God has sought me out. God has drawn me into Christian community, surrounded me with believers, and sent his only son to reassure me that he can sympathize with my human experience. These are some of the many things God has done for me. Not only did he send his only son, Jesus, to the earth, that his son died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected. Thankfully, in Glenn’s words, Resurrection was the assurance of God’s acceptance of Jesus’ payment for our sins.
The charge at the end of the sermon, to think about “What words are you hearing? What words are shaping your life and directing you?” has challenged me to think about those questions, and has reinforced the need to be filling myself with the word of God daily. And when I fall short of that, which I inevitably will, I am relieved to know that he is holding on to me.
The great and pervasive brokenness that the Bible calls sin slowly turned King David from a pro-active and just person into someone who was passive, envious and willing to take things that didn't belong to him. Even the "man after God's own heart" wasn't immune from this moral decay—and neither are we. Psalm 113.1-4; 1 John 1.5-10; Psalm 33.1-2, 5; 2 Samuel 11.1-5, 11.14-17, 12.1-7
Cities are important parts of human life—they are centers of arts, culture, academics, science, industry and government, as well as the best places to see a country's gods and idols. What does it mean to care for a city? How do we know a city and feel for it well enough that we can pray over it in our lives and serve it in our work? Psalm 36; 1 Peter 2.1-5; 2 Peter 2; Nehemiah 1.1–11
When Jesus enters our lives, the way we understand the world around us begins to change—not just on a superficial level, but in a deep and wholistic way. Even the things that might have seemed repulsive to us before can become compelling and even beautiful.
Becoming like Christ is the primary calling of all Christians, but the idols of our hearts can not be uprooted--they can only be replaced.
Everyone puts their belief in some set of ideas, stories, practices and institutions to give shape and order to our lives. But what do we do when that belief fails us?
Everyone has an understanding of and approach to the idea of marriage that they likely take for granted. Most of us don't quite land on the Bible's idea of marriage.
Hospitality is an essential hallmark of the Christian faith—but the Bible lays out a vision for hospitality that welcomes in people beyond our comfort zone.
Sex, dating and romance take up a lot of mindshare for most people in our city, but one of the biggest changes the Christian faith asks us to make is a recontextualization of the role romance plays in our lives.
Grace Downtown welcomed in eight new Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses this weekend, and Rev. Glenn Hoburg's sermon offered a charge to both our new leaders and the rest of the congregation.
In a culture that rewards achievement, grace can be horrifying, disruptive--and wonderful.
Psalm 23 is one of the most famous psalms, if not one of the most famous passages from the Bible. The themes of shepherding and rest are prominent throughout the Old Testament--and they come together and reach their climax in Jesus.
For many people, reaching out for something transcendent when things are hard is easy. The harder challenge is recognizing your need for transcendence when things are going smoothly.
Contentment is a radical act in a city known for ambition and a society whose motto is "more is more." But it's also an enduring hallmark of the Christian faith. What is it? Where does it come from? What does it change?
Living "Life In The Spirit" means living our lives together with others--not just sharing our success and grieving our hurts, but also accepting challenges or corrections when other people recognize things we might miss about ourselves.
The highest command of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is found in the call to love one’s enemy. It is perhaps the defining mark of a follower of Jesus. We may be able to pull off being religious, moral, self-disciplined, and even kind to those like us. But the will and ability to love your enemy is evidence of something special – something which God’s enemy-love alone can produce.
One of the character types which Shakespeare developed is the “wise fool”—the person thought least likely to discover the truth, but does so in the end. In some sense, Paul sees himself and all followers of Jesus this way. The message of Christianity—Jesus and the cross—appears foolish to the culture; however, in the end, those who understand it will be seen as wise. It’s very tempting to abandon this identity as a wise fool for things like self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction. This is the temptation for the Corinthians and for us as well.
We close out our sermon series on the book of Romans with a look at Paul's lengthy list of greetings at the end of the letter. Who was he sending his salutations to? And what do these greetings teach us about the nature of Christian community?
As we reach the end of our study of the book of Romans, Paul turns our attention to what the faith that he has outlined means not for us, but for those around us.
Easter is more than just a flexing of God's muscles or the guarantee of a promise that would have been too lofty to believe—it is also a daily commission.
Grace Downtown pastoral fellow Andrew Russel kicks off our celebration of Holy Week with a sermon on the biblical account of Palm Sunday.
We continue our investigation of what it means to be weak and strong according to the book of Romans, leading us to a deeper understanding of Christian unity and the power of respect.
What does it mean to be strong or weak in the gospel? And what does Paul mean when he says that what you eat is a reflection of your strength?
For contemporary Americans, chapter 13 is one of the hardest passages of the book of Romans to grasp—at a time when our country's ideas about justice are so polarized, how can we understand this passage about the role of the state? But our dilemma isn't new: This passage was just as difficult and confusing for people living under Rome. And it is as vital for us as it was for the original audience.
Christian love is not natural--it is supernatural. The book of Romans outlines just how unique it is.
Guest preacher Pastor Remargo Yancie kicked off our Advent Season series "The Word Made Flesh" with a sermon on "The Gift of the Lord's Glorious Grace."
Chapter 12 is where the book of Romans makes a shift: After ten chapters of explaining the significance of God's lavish mercy, Paul begins walking his readers through what an appropriate response to that mercy looks like.
The book of Romans is about to take a turn from the theological to the practical and exhortative. But before it does, Paul takes time to explain what all of the grand truths he sketched out in chapters one through ten mean for God's relationship to his people of the Old Testament.
In this sermon, pastor Glenn Hoburg brings us through one of the most inspiring passages in the book of Romans—and possibly in the entire Bible. After working to build up the confidence of his Roman Christian audience, Paul's letter launches into a testament to God's ferocious and reliable love.
"There is now no condemnation..." It is one of the Bible's most famous declarations. Why is it so hard to accept? And how do we live in line with it?
Sin is a hard concept for us to get our heads around—acknowledging it as a concept flies in the face of how many of us conceive of happiness and the good life. But it is an important concept, and one that the book of Romans does not shy away from.
Pastor Glenn concludes our series on the birth of Christ with a look at the prophet Jeremiah and the intersection of the Christmas celebration and the new year's "fresh start."
Rev. Mike Park continues our Advent series taking different looks at the birth of Christ and what it means for us today.
"Don't cut out the middle man--he's far too valuable!" Pastor Russ Whitfield of Grace Mosaic kicks off our mini-series on the importance of the Advent season by looking at the idea of mediators and middlemen.
Pastor Glenn delivers the last sermon before we pause our series on Romans for the Advent holidays.
Pastor Glenn continues our series on Romans with an exploration of what Paul's letter tells us about how we get the right to stand tall and secure no matter what our circumstances seem to be.
Rev. Owen Lee closes out the weekend of our Fall Retreat with a vulnerable sermon on how failure and discipline touch our lives—and lead us to glory.
What gives you a sense of satisfaction, the feeling that you're worthwhile, that the things you do aren't in vain? Do you have faith in yourself? Faith in your work? Faith in your faith?
Pastoral Fellow Andrew Russel shares how the book of Romans doesn't just leave us dwelling on our sin and the way it works in the world but goes on to point us toward deep, heart-changing hope.
Pastor Glenn continues our deep dive into the book of Romans. Paul's extended introduction gives a fuller picture of the "bad news" of the way sin works in our lives. After outlining sins of disobedience and sins of religiosity, Paul turns his attention to the ways in which we make excuses for the sin in our lives.
Paul opens the book of Romans by denouncing illicit activity in a way that would likely get his listeners' heads nodding—but then he asks them to take a look at themselves...
Randy Newman (not the singer!) is an author and Christian teacher who has spent years helping people learn how to talk about their faith with people who don't yet share it. In "Everyday Evangelism," a class we held this past weekend, he let us know that it doesn't usually get easier, and then helped us learn how to have those conversations anyway.
The good news is only good news to people who understand the nature of bad news. Pastor Glenn continues our Roman series by taking us through another dimension of sin: self-righteousness.
In order to appreciate just how good the "good news" is, we have to confront the reality of "bad news"—and of our part in it.
Pastor Glenn kicks off ROMANS: THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL, an extended sermon series taking us through the entire book of Romans. In this first sermon, we wrestle with what makes the Christian story "good news" when compared to the claims of other religions and philosophies.
God reveals himself through the world generally and then through his Word specifically. Pastoral fellow Andrew Russel shows us why these facts should lead us to sing.
We all want the things we spend our time on to matter, but how much of a legacy can we really expect to secure for ourselves or our families?
Pastor Glenn continues our series looking at the attributes of God as described in the psalms.
One of the darkest, most depressed passages of the Bible is also one of its most stirring statements of faith in the goodness of God...even when that goodness seems hidden by darkness.
How do we reconcile the fact that we don't want to be judged with the fact that we often want to see judgment passed upon others?
Matt Miller takes us through Psalm 63, what the wilderness means for our humanity, and what the psalm tells us God means for our experience of the wilderness.
Pastor Mike continues our series exploring the ways in which the Old Testament Psalms teach us to celebrate Jesus.
In the wake of violence and despair, does the Bible offer any kind of comfort, wisdom, hope or paths forward?
Hopes that have gone unfulfilled. Prayers that seem to have gone unanswered. If you made a list of God's attributes, would "generous" be on there?
We're mixing it up this week: We taught Lectio Divina in our 2013 prayer workshops and then again in our recent class on praying privately, but it's a difficult exercise to go through on your own. This week's Grace Downtown podcast gives you prompts for the four readings that make up Lectio Divina, and spaces them out appropriately so that you can have time for the necessary reflection in between.
Use this week's podcast as a way to structure your devotional time or as a way to help prepare yourself for longer periods of prayer.
Amid storms of suffering, tragedy and struggle, does Christian faith offer any substantial hope or comfort?
Our appetites, ambitions and tendencies toward short-sightedness have the potential to undo us. Pastor Mike kicks off a new series on the psalms by looking at the ways in which Jesus saves us from ourselves.
In the final sermon in our series on 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Glenn follows a look at Christianity's ultimate promise by examining our ultimate response to that promise.
The Christian faith's final claim isn't just that Jesus gives us new resources for living a different life now, but that God can deliver on his promise of a different and better future for us and our world than we can build ourselves.
Work is an integral part of the Bible's vision for what it means to be human, but that vision actually sketches a relationship between the believer and work that is unlike anything else our city posits.
In an era when most conversations about sexual ethics begin and end with discussion of consent, is a broader and more pro-active understanding of sexual health possible?
The way you conduct your life sends a message to the people around you about where you look for value and validation.
What does it mean to believe that the Bible is "the Word of God?" What do we mean when we use that phrase and why are we able to use it with confidence? And if we're right when we use it, how does that change the way you understand the Bible?
Rev. Tom Holliday shares a message about discipleship and partnering with God in our spiritual growth. If you're interested in hearing more from Rev. Holliday, join us for our Discipleship Catalyst Open House on May 2. Visit us at gracedc.net/downtown for more information.
Guest preacher Rev. James Forsyth shared a stirring sermon this week, but our recording of it malfunctioned. Thankfully, he had recently delivered the same message at McLean Presbyterian Church, and we are delighted to bring you a recording of that delivery.
In part one of this two-part class, Pastor Glenn explains why place is important to living the Christian life well and outlines a few aspects of our city's history and culture that have shaped the life of our community. Join us for part two this Sunday. More information at gracedc.net/downtown.
Jesus calls his followers to help others connect to the joy that's offered by the God of the universe, but doing so requires living an open life.
What does it mean to live your life in light of Jesus' promised return? And how does the Bible lay out a vision for a life that is deeply interconnected with the lives of others?
Easter is the central holiday of the Christian faith, and possibly the celebration of the most important event in history. Pastor Glenn Hoburg talks us through some of the implications of the Easter holiday.
As we approach the celebration of the end of Jesus' life and the beginning of the Christian church, Rev. Mike Park helps us take a look at Jesus' warnings about the end of the old order and the beginning of a new era.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues our ongoing series exploring what it means to follow in Jesus' steps.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg on Jesus' advice to a man—and a culture—suffering from materialism.
Jesus' disciples were defeated, confused and publicly embarrassed. And his response to them was that they were still too proud.
Pastor Glenn's second sermon in a series looking at what we can learn about following Jesus from the gospel of Mark.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg kicks off our new series exploring who Jesus is and what it means to follow him.
Rev. Mike Park walks us through a different take on Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan.
Seminarian and Grace Downtown staff member Matt Miller shares how the gospel affirms, challenges and goes beyond conventional wisdom on gratitude and its effect on our lives.
Rev. Mike Park's Advent sermon as delivered to our friends and family at Grace Meridian Hill on November 29, 2015.
Rev. Duke Kwon visits to close out our "Songs of Advent" series by teaching us what Jesus' birth means for people experiencing defeat and despondency.
One of the great needs that we have as human beings is the need for comfort. But where can true and lasting comfort be found? According to the Christian faith, the answer to this question is found in Advent—the arrival of Jesus Christ. Listen in as guest Pastor Glenn Hoburg shows us the good news in Simeon's Song.
NOTE: This recording is from Grace Mosaic's November 29, 2015 worship service. The Grace Downtown pastors are rotating congregation to congregation for the Advent season. Pastor Glenn delivered a similar sermon at Grace Downtown on December 6, but the recording was damaged.
Rev. Tom Gibbs' second talk from this year's Fall Retreat covers the ways in which the gospel empowers us to live renewed lives.
Pastor Russ Whitfield kicks off our Advent sermon series by looking at Mary's song of joy at learning that she will be mother to the promised savior, Jesus.
This week, we present the recording of Rev. Irwyn Ince's talk on "Embracing the Other" from last week's Cultural Intelligence forum.
We conclude our series "Renewed Day By Day" with a look at how the good news of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and eventual return changes the way we look at loving and serving the people and city around us.
We recently welcomed Randy Newman, author of several great books on conversations with friends and family who don't share your faith, to talk to past and present participants in our Discipleship Catalyst program, answer questions and lead us in an exercise. This week, we're brining you the lecture portion of his presentation, and then following it up with a quick suggestion of how to put it into practice this Thanksgiving holiday.
As we approach the end of our series on the ways in which the gospel can renew our community as we embark on the next decade of our life together, pastor Glenn Hoburg discusses the courage and confidence we should find in Jesus' life, death and resurrection.
If you missed the 2015 Fall Retreat, you can enjoy the first of the three talks delivered by pastor Tom Gibbs over the course of the weekend. His talks encouraged us to let the gospel challenge the way we think of ourselves, our city and our church.
Pastor Tom Gibbs joined us this past Sunday evening to share one final message before heading back to San Anotonio. Over the course of our Fall Retreat, Tom spoke about the ways in which the gospel changes our relationship to the people and city around us. He rounded that out with this sermon on the ways Jesus' life, death and resurrection change the way we understand our purpose.
Is sex an appetite like any other? A dangerous activity that needs to be restrained and regulated? Or is it something altogether different? And is the Bible uncomfortably stuffy about sex? Or does it posit that sex is something altogether different from what we're inclined to think?
The Grace Downtown 2015 Fall Retreat is next weekend and will feature a talk from Tom Gibbs, founding pastor of Redeemer San Antonio. For more information on the retreat, visit gracedc.net/downtown.
It is often said that the story of the Bible is the story of humankind moving from a garden to a city, but that overlooks God's clear vision for a city-positive human community that brings out the best in our cities now, in the in-between part of the human story.
Our current sermon series kicked off with Glenn's opening remarks at this year's Day of Vision and Prayer. Whether you couldn't make it or just want a refresher, we hope that this helps you get an even better idea of what God is doing in our community this season.
The reality of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and eventual return changes the way we understand our obligations to one another.
Pastor Glenn discusses what goes into living a life marked by what the Bible calls "the fruit of the Spirit."
The good news of Jesus' life, death and resurrection changes every dimension of our lives—including our relationship to power and the way we wield it.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues last week's discussion of the reliability of scripture—and objections to it.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg looks at what we can learn about the reliability of the Bible from history, archaeology, 2 Peter 1:16–21 and 2 Timothy 3:14–17.
Glenn prepares us for this week's Day of Vision and Prayer with the first sermon in a new series.
Rev. Casey Bedell talks us though what it means to present ourselves—every dimension of ourselves—as "living sacrifices."
Pastor Russ Whitfield connects the ancient story of deception and insecurity amongst our faith's patriarchs with how Jesus can change our lives today.
We continue our trek through the messianic psalms—the poems, songs and prayers in the Old Testament that outline what we should expect of Jesus.
In Psalm 16, King David lays out a framework for understanding how to properly order our hearts' delight.
Rev. Scott Bridges shows us what the first entry in the Bible's songbook and prayer book can tell us about our savior.
The poets sang about Jesus before we ever met him. This brief series looks for signs of Christ in the music of the Old Testament.
In commemoration of our Ten-Year Anniversary Celebration, we welcomed Dr. John Hutchinson to offer a sermon on memory, hope and the gospel. For more photos, videos and recordings from our Ten-Year Anniversary Celebrations, visit gracedc.net/downtown
This Sunday, Dr. John Hutchinson will visit Grace Downtown with a special message commemorating our Ten-Year Anniversary. Dr. Hutchinson has been a good friend to our congregation over the years, dating back to when he was senior pastor of McLean Presbyterian Church during the period when McLean helped our community get started. This week, we're bringing you the first sermon Dr. Hutchinson ever preached at Grace Downtown (then called Grace DC).
In preparation for our upcoming Ten-Year Anniversary Dinner, we are digging into the archives to bring you the sermon Glenn preached at our very first official worship service.
Rev. Mike Park continues our look at the life of Daniel, who lived faithfully in the face of a coordinated campaign of targeted marginalization and persecution. What does Daniel's life whisper to us about Jesus'?
In anticipation of Grace Downtown's upcoming Ten-Year Anniversary Celebration, we are going back to the beginning...Or at least as close to the beginning as we can get, bringing you the recording of pastor Glenn Hoburg's talk from one of Grace Downtown's earliest preview meetings.
Don't forget to visit gracedc.net/downtown to RSVP for the Ten-Year Anniversary dinner. Registration closes July 12.
Pastor Mike Park discusses Old Testament believers being tossed into a furnace out of political spite on the excuse of their faith, and how the Son of God equips us to love even in hostile environments now.
Grace Downtown was planted in partnership by McLean Presbyterian Church in McLean, VA, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. A few weeks ago, Grace Downtown hosted Redeemer's senior pastor, Dr. Tim Keller, to give a talk on church planting to a room full of DC pastors. This week on the podcast, we bring you that talk.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg continues our look at the life of Daniel and what it can tell us about living as God's people in DC today.
Pastor Glenn kicks off the final section of our series studying the lives of Faithful Ambassadors by introducing us to the prophet Daniel.
At last week's Network-Wide Members' Meeting, Rev. Glenn Hoburg discussed the role faith plays in our lives and in our communities.
Grace Downtown member Carson shares his experience struggling with doubts about God's goodness and his place in the world.
At the same time that Jesus was being stripped of his clothes, his dignity and ultimately his life, he was stripping away evil’s power over those who claim him as Savior. Through the fullness of our Savior and the salvation He provides, we are set free.
We continue our look at what the book of Esther can tell us about living faithfully in a diverse city.
There are times when an event reveals the core character of a person or society. For the Jews in exile in Persia, such a moment came when a powerful magistrate convinced the emperor to wipe the Hebrews out. It was a moment of life-or-death, with two of God's people placed close to the center of the action—but decidedly on the outside.
Within months of Jesus’ crucifixion, the earliest Christians had begun forming relationships that crossed ethnic, religious, cultural and class boundaries in ways the world had never seen before. This archived sermon from 2012 asks what the earliest generation of Christians understand about the cross that made radically diverse relationships spring up in their lives? And are the things they understood still true today?
In our continuing study of biblical figures who navigated competing cultures and value systems, we appreciate the ambiguity of the book of Esther. The story presents us with a series of actions but no insight into the decision-making process that led to them. Whether it is the way we are handling work, politics or friendships, it's almost impossible to not project our own struggles and confusions into the text—and learn from it to see Christ in our own decisions.
By the time he hit his thirties, Joseph had rebounded from a youth beset by tragic injustice and had ascended to one of the most powerful jobs in the world. How he got there and how he handled it are very, very instructive...
We received a request to re-run Glenn's three-part sermon series "Influenced by the Cross," exploring the ways in which understanding the meaning of the cross changes aspects of our lives. This week, we bring you part one, covering the words we use, what they reveal about what we trust and the purpose behind the things we say.
We kick off a new series looking at biblical figures who have served God well in pluralistic settings.
This week, we are flashing back to a sermon Glenn delivered in March 2011. Israel is at a place we are well familiar with: feeling like a barren landscape. Their relationship with God is at a low point morally and spiritually. Injustice is rampant. By way of the prophet Isaiah, they have just learned that they will be sent into exile as severe mercy. However, almost in the same breath, they learn of God’s intention to forgive, restore and renew them. And these grand promises are attached to one who is referred to as “The Servant of the Lord.” In Isaiah 40 we learn of this Servant’s compassion.
Grace Downtown member Sarah Park shares the ways she has come to better understand God's grace through her experiences on the Mercy Team.
"More money can't make you more generous." So, then, what can? And why should we care? Pastor Glenn Hoburg digs into the role generosity plays in our culture and why we probably teed to re-think our approach to it.
The Grace DC network brought together over 100 people from throughout Washington, DC, for a half-day of lectures and discussions on how we can better love our neighbors and serve our city. This week on the Grace DC podcast, we bring you pastor Glenn Hoburg's opening remarks.
Pastor Russ Whitfield's song and sermon from the Grace DC network's 2012 Good Friday service.
If you are in the Washington, DC, area, please join us Friday at noon in downtown DC for a 40-minute lunch-hour Good Friday reflection. The service will be hosted at Calvary Baptist Church (755 8th Street NW).
Pastor Mike Park talks us through the story of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem as we prepare for Holy Week 2015. If you would like daily email reflections to help you reflect on the meaning of the holidays that pepper this week, sign up online at gracedc.net/downtown.
For the next two weeks, as our community prepares to celebrate Holy Week and Easter, we will be revisiting recordings from Good Friday services from earlier in Grace DC's history. This week, Duke Kwon, David Noble, Russ Whitfield and Glenn Hoburg bring us reflections on Jesus' arrest and execution all the way from 2010.
Jesus' final prayer before his arrest is one of the clearest looks we get at what God wants for our lives. Visit gracedc.net/downtown for a response to this sermon from a member of our community.
This week, we bring you the conclusion to Dr. Howard Griffith's three-part class on The Trinity in Scripture. This class was offered as part of the Grace DC network's 2015 Winter Term. The next Grace DC network-wide event is March 28's Mercy Conference. If you live in the DC area and want to learn to better love your neighbors and serve your city, visit gracedc.net/downtown to register for the free half-day conference.
"The last part of us to convert is our wallet."
Pastor Mike Park kicks off our road to Easter 2015 with a sermon reflecting on Mary's sacrifice of a full year's wages in order to celebrate Jesus eating in her home.
Dr. Howard Griffith, Dean of Reformed Theological Seminary, continues his three-part discussion of the nature and history of the Trinity.
In this first official episode of the Grace Downtown Podcast, Dr. Howard Griffith shares the first of three talks on the foundations and the history of the concept of the Trinity. Dr. Griffith is a long-time friend of Grace Downtown and dean of Reformed Theological Seminary in McLean, VA. Dr. Griffith delivered this talk as part of Grace DC's 2015 Winter Term.
Do you see God as an impersonal force in the heavens or as someone you can have a personal relationship with? How does your view of God shape your views on faith? Faith is ultimately about God's graciousness. How do we view God's grace? Do we see him as gracious only when we get what we want or do we see God's care for us even during trials? Our guest pastor, Glenn Hoburg reminds us that God has done enough in all of our lives to merit our trust in God. Consider this as he takes us through the book of Hebrews.
Pastor Glenn Hoburg on Jesus as Lord of the Way and what that means for our relationships to our city.
It's the sacrifices people make for us that we remember. In this week's sermon from Grace Downtown, pastor Glenn Hoburg further unpacks Jesus' claim of being "the good shepherd" by exploring what kind of sacrifices shepherds are usually willing to make for their sheep.
What does Jesus have to say about himself? Rev. Glenn Hoburg continues taking us through the statements Jesus used to describe the role he plays in our lives.