Redeeming Grace Church (RGC) Sermons: Recent Episodes
Redeeming Grace Church: Georgia, VT
Sermons preached at Redeeming Grace Church, Georgia VT. See the sermons and seminars podcast page on our website for outlines and additional downloads.
https://www.rgcvt.org/sermons
Being right with God is — and has always been — a free gift that comes through faith alone.
Despite our ignorance, arrogance and half-hearted obedience, God's amazing grace to us in the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross is what spurs us on to be faithful followers who willingly reach out to the last.
Until we understand our sin and God's righteous wrath, we'll never understand the gospel.
The gospel that saves us also remakes us such that its proclamation becomes our passion.
The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes and leads to the obedience of faith.
We should eternally praise God for who He is (His character) and what He has done (His work).
We must celebrate God's salvation, His righteousness, and His faithfulness in delivering His people. We are called to praise the Lord with joy for His marvelous works, as He reigns as a just and righteous King.
Our great creator God chooses to use the weakness of men to fulfill his purposes on the earth.
Nothing could ever compare with the glory and beauty of King Jesus - let us forsake all for love of him.
1 John gives us a concise snapshot of the truths Christians believe and the life Christians live.
Dear Christian, no matter what happens, be confident in this - that Jesus Christ and all His blessings are yours.
If we want to live, we must believe God's compelling testimony concerning Jesus His Son, for the Son is the only one in whom is eternal life.
Redeeming Grace, love one another, because God has loved you and love is the essence of His commandments.
Don't be deceived by lies but be discerning by listening to those who speak the truth about Jesus.
God's children fix their hope on Jesus' return, and so they purify themselves by remaining obedient and prepared.
Let us abide in Jesus by holding fast to the truth of the gospel we received, even though others abandon and deny it.
It is God's pleasure for us to come to Jesus with our burdens. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain in Christ. May we let nothing hinder us from coming to Christ and finding rest in Him.
Let us keep God's commands by loving our brothers and thus be assured that we know God.
We are commanded to walk in accordance with the Holy Spirit, not the desires of the sinful flesh, because we are necessarily changed from the inside out by the Spirit if we belong to Christ Jesus.
God's intention is that the church should be protected by godly and able leaders, who teach and defend the gospel which is according to godliness.
Christian, God's good plan for you is to live out your faith in community with your brothers and sisters in Christ here at RGC.
The Christian life is lived in total dependence upon God; practically speaking, this means being devoted to the Word of God and prayer.
Those who have believed in Christ have been made holy, are being made holy and will be made holy. This is sanctification.
We are great sinners, but we have a great Savior, through whom we are forgiven and counted righteous by faith alone.
Christ invites you to eternal life. Come to Him today through repentance and faith and be saved.
Why would you not receive God’s gift of his Son, seeing how precious this gift is, and how greatly you need it?
Prepare for the coming of the Lord by turning from your sin and trusting in Jesus Christ.
The Lord WILL come to judge and save; be ready by trusting and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance, by gladly rendering to God what you owe him, including a full portion of the wealth that he has given you.
Marriage is about the gospel and so we've got to embrace God's design and desire in this most holy matter.
The Lord is our Father and King! Beware of offering Him lackluster, impure, or begrudging worship.
Child of God, know for certain that God has chosen you and that he loves you. Let this truth melt any coldness in your heart toward Him.
Christian, it's a new day! God's blessing is upon you and God's King will soon reign. So keep going.
Let us shake off lethargy and distraction, and get busy building the house of the Lord.
It is our privilege to know God as He is: the eternal Son who took on flesh to save us and make us His friends.
It is our privilege to know God as He is: our Father who has eternally loved us in Jesus Christ.
It is our privilege to know God as He is: one God existing eternally in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Would you have a heart like God's? Pray generous prayers, for all sorts of people, because God's salvation is for all sorts of people.
Godly lament is a response of faith – it's how the child of God gives voice to his grief and pain. When troubles overwhelm him, he offers up prayers to the One able to save him from death.
Prayer is chiefly about orienting our hearts to God's purposes and glory and submitting ourselves to Him.
Sin brings utter destruction, but God's salvation is available for those who turn to him in repentance. So let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Let us pray at all times to speak the gospel with boldness, for opposition for Jesus' sake will surely come, but God will answer our cries for help.
Believers in Christ are empowered to run the race of faith with endurance, which may include persecution, by laying aside everything that hinders them, by following Jesus' example, and by looking forward to the joy of being in His presence, where there will be pleasures forevermore!
Paul's passionate love for the Thessalonians drove him to pray for their spiritual good.
The Christian life is gospel-driven, mission-minded, church-centric, Christlike and abounding in hope.
The resurrection is real and coming. Hold fast to the gospel and live gladly abd fully for Christ.
The resurrection of the body undergirds Christianity. Without it our faith is worthless.
Jesus equips His disciples for the Great Commission by instilling in them sure faith in His ressurection and redemptive work, by clarifiying Scripture's message, and by promising the Spirit's empowerment.
Jesus empowers and edifies His church through spiritual gifts. Let us understand them and grow in our zealous and loving exercise of them.
Redeeming Grace, none of you are superior or inferior to one another because every part of the body is vital for the health of the church.
Through Christ’s resurrection and restoring mercy, Peter experienced both forgiveness and a power that transformed his fearful cowardice into fearless proclamation.
How will you respond to Jesus? That all depends on whether or not you understand who he truly is and what he's come to do.
Let's strengthen and protect our blood-bought unity by rightly practicing the Lord's Supper.
Church, when we gather for worship, we must worship in a way that reflects joyful submission to God's glorious gift of authority.
In the new covenant, God has already freed us to say "no" to sin and "yes" to beholding and being transformed into His image as we groan for bodily resurrection.
Let's live for the glory of God by living for the good of others, that they might be saved.
You have an abundance of freedom in Christ. Be willing to deny your freedoms to serve all, in order to win some.
Love, not knowledge, is the true sign of Christian maturity, therefore deal gently with love toward Christ's church, since she was bought with his precious blood.
As believers, we should seek to serve Christ contentedly and devotedly right where God has called us, regardless of our circumstances.
Glorify God in your body according to your situation, whether married or unmarried. Both are honorable conditions, with different blessings, challenges, opportunities, and obligations.
As Christians we can live confident and joyful lives, even in adversity, because the Christian life is lived on a path of hope grounded in the glory of God.
Because we are guilty, what we need is a High Priest, who can take away our guilt and shame by atoning for our sin. His name is Jesus.
God speaks fully and finally through Jesus - it is a privilege to hear him and a tragedy not to listen. Who are you listening to?
Christian, do not be mastered by sexual immorality! You are blood-bought, and rightly belong to another Master.
Church, we must not wrong one another! Rather, we must live righteously because we are righteous. To do anything less puts us in danger of not inheriting the kingdom of God.
The gospel creates a holy church. If a member remains in unrepentant sin that MUST be addressed for the good of the member and for the good of the church. To do anything less is unloving and tells lies about the gospel.
Going up and on in the Christian life toward maturity and godliness requires that we keep the gospel central. How do we do it?
Christ brings God's kingdom in power, and faith responds by heeding the signs, receiving deliverance, and persevering in the word of God.
To live your life after the pattern of the world, rather than the pattern of the cross, endangers your soul. Repent.
Don’t use the world’s tools to build the church. Boast in the cross and be faithful to the cross.
Understand that the Church is ultimately God's work, not man's; therefore, take care orient your lives and labors on Jesus Christ, the Church's true foundation.
Knowing God isn't a matter of human discovery but divine and sovereign revelation through the cross of Christ.
God's wisdom – the cross – appears foolish and weak, yet it is true wisdom and real power. Let us live by it, boast in it, and proclaim it.
If we adopt man's wisdom, our church will digress into divisiveness. We must think and live in keeping with the gospel.
Church, remember who you are and be thankful for all God’s done – and will do – in Christ.
Real spirituality is founded upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, shows itself in increasing humility, godliness, and love, and holds fast to the truth.
As we approach the fall, let God's Word remind you of some basic, good things to be engaged in this year - things that will promote your own soul's welfare and the building up of Christ's church.
Even though we are broken sinners, God uses broken people, surprising circumstances, and the judgment of His enemies to work out salvation for His people. Therefore, we should worship and praise God for His salvation and judgment.
As those who serve God (who is true), let us labor to be true witnesses with our lips and our lives.
Since we've been saved by God's generousity in Christ, we must not steal but be generous in every way.
The command to not commit adultery addresses our actions AND our thoughts, ultimately calling us to purity and devotion to Christ alone.
The command to not murder addresses our actions AND our thoughts, calling us to love one another through Jesus Christ.
In the fifth commandment, God calls us to give all proper honor to the authorities He has placed in our lives, and especially to His Son.
In the Sabbath command, God calls us to repent of all our self-sufficiency and self-righteousness, and to rest in His Son by faith.
God’s name is to be magnified! We must honor Him with our lips and our lives through Jesus Christ.
God demands and deserves our exclusive devotion. Let us give ourselves to Him through Jesus Christ.
God demands and deserves our exclusive devotion. Let us give ourselves to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus has won, is winning, and will win the victory over all His enemies. Let us fight confidently alongside Him, so as to promote His victory.
The plots of the Seed of the Serpent are thwarted, as he goes down in humiliation and defeat before the Seed of the Woman.
Israel's demand for a king is a rejection of Yahweh as their king and a desire for security in worldly fashion. We learn the following lessons from the story; always keep the LORD as the object of your faith and don't let the ways of the world entice you away from the LORD.
Esther's intercession points us to Jesus, who is the perfect intercessor, who dies and is raised up on the third day, and now intercedes for us always to save us from our curse.
Let us not be surprised when God's people are assailed; the Serpent and his seed always rage against the Seed of the Woman. Rather, let us stand ready to be good foot-soldiers in the great conflict.
Do you need the King of Kings to be well-disposed toward you? You need someone who has the King's favor, with whom he is well-pleased - who will be in a position to advocate for you.
Jesus' death was indeed fruitful - look what a great harvest of life it produced! Let us celebrate that glorious resurrection life, with worship, love, and service to our risen King.
The hour has come for Jesus to be glorified as God's King - but not in the way anyone expects. He will be glorified as He is lifted up upon the shameful cross, for His death will accomplish the salvation of the world.
Brothers and sisters, we must pray! God has given prayer to us as the right response in all situations, and especially as an effective remedy for spiritual restoration.
As we live in light of the end, let us watch our words, remember who's in charge, beware the love of money, and patiently endure until Jesus returns.
Worldliness in your heart is destructive and adulterous - you must repent of it and humbly submit yourself to God.
You have an eternally significant choice to make: what will rule your life - the destructive wisdom of the earth or the peacemaking wisdom of heaven?
The tongue is incredibly powerful, destructive and revealing, and it is only through the power of the gospel that we can keep our tongues under control.
What kind of faith is real faith, saving faith? Only faith that works, that transforms, that obeys. Anything else is false and worthless.
In our serving to be doers of the Word, let's first and foremost make sure we're loving the brethren impartially.
What will determine if our profession of Christianity is ultimately worth anything? Whether or not we are doers of the Word of God.
God is not the source of our temptation - that comes from inside us. He is the source of every good gift, and the best gift of all is the new birth!
Don't let your trials sidetrack you! Instead, joyfully embrace and live out a heavenly perspective in your trials, which will lead to eternal life.
True faith is marked not merely by hearing the Word of God, but by obeying the Word of God - in every way, every day, until the end of days.
You need, you really need, the church, because it's through the church that Jesus intends to provide most of His loving care for you. So, lean in!
Given that our God is just and loves to act on behalf of His beloved church, let us resolve to pray and keep praying in 2022.
As those born again by the Word of God, having tasted and seen that He is good, let us long for and abide in His Word in 2022.
Jesus came to fix us - to take us in our brokenness and transform us into saints whose lives are characterized by love for and obedience to God.
Jesus came for the broken - for the seemingly moral, for the shockingly immoral, and for every shade of sinner in between. Jesus came to save us.
Jesus came from a broken people, and he came to save a broken people. Where do you come from? What's your past? No matter the answer, be assured you can come to Him. He wants you to come to Him.
Israel's broken all of her covenant vows - again! What's it going to take to break this cycle? A better covenant, established by a greater Redeemer, whose blood provides true cleansing and lasting change.
As members of the new covenant, let us labor to keep our covenant vows to obey all that Christ has commanded, knowing that the end of such things is eternal joy in the presence of God.
At the end of the day, the bottom line is that God is good and we are not. The question is will we own it, receive His grace in Christ, and follow Him? Or refuse and go our way?
If we would be a joyful church and pleasing to our God, we must gather to receive and respond to His Word with obedient faith.
Satan relentlessly tries to attack Christ's Church, using many cunning devices. Let us resolve to stand firm in the face of his attacks, knowing we have a God who strengthens weak hands.
Nehemiah called God's people to love one another, and he forswore his privileges and rights to model such love. Nehemiah points us to Jesus who generously and sacrificially laid down his life for the church and calls his church to follow in his steps.
Nehemiah's leadership in building the city of God points us to Jesus who leads us to build His church in the midst of opposition, working diligently and in prayerful dependence upon the Lord.
As servants of God, we must have the welfare of the city of God as our all-consuming priority - with our hearts engaged and our hands busy working on her behalf.
It is a matter of utmost seriousness that we as Christ's people keep ourselves unstained by the world; therefore we must view worldliness as grievous compromise and earnestly repent when we find ourselves entangled in it.
Despite opposition, Israel labored on in rebuilding the temple and ultimately completed the work because God ensured her success. So too it is with us! We must labor to build Christ's church through gospel proclamation, trusting that success is guaranteed through the One who promises that the gates of hell will not prevail against us.
Upon Israel's return to the land after her exile due to sin, of first importance to her was reestablishing worship of the Lord. This poses a good question for us as those no longer exiled from God's presence through Christ – is the worship of God of first importance to us?
In Ezra, God initiates a second exodus and sovereignly frees His people from captivity. These events point forward to the greatest exodus of all – the freedom given to captive sinners like us through Jesus Christ.
Ezra and Nehemiah are about the rebuilding of the city of God. Ultimately, this is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, through whom God is building the heavenly Jerusalem - His church. Are you dwelling within her walls? Are you building her up?
Israel, the vine of God's planting, is ravaged and desolate because of his rebellion. But God is working a glorious plan that will see his vine restored to unbelievable fruitfulness.
The Christian life is war, and if we're to stand against the wiles of the devil and walk worthy of our calling, we must deploy the full armor of God.
As members of God's new society (the church), the gospel radically and often counter-culturally, re-orients the way we live as those under authority and those in authority.
Parents and children: let us labor to live in keeping with God's good design for our homes.
Marriage is ultimately a picture of the gospel and God is pleased and our marriages will flourish as we joyfully embrace and live out our gospel-displaying roles that He has given to us.
Unto us a son is given, a kingly redeemer who restores life and builds up the house of Israel.
God's appointed redeemer spreads his wings over his beloved and provides her with rest.
The LORD hears the cries of the desperate, those who cling to Him in faith, and he will deliver them.
As Christians, God would have us to walk carefully, in wisdom and being filled with the Spirit.
As those who are no longer darkness but light in the Lord, we must walk as children of light.
As Christians, we must live as Christians: thinking and acting differently than non-Christians and above all, imitating God by walking in love.
God's plan for church growth is for His people to grow in maturity, stability, and Christ-likeness - and He's given us what we need for that through gifted leaders who equip the saints for the work of ministry.
The gospel compels us to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the church of Jesus Christ.
Prayer is the gift of God for the people of God to grow in all the ways of God, for our good and His glory.
It is an immense privilege to proclaim the gospel that gives all people full and free access to God's salvation through Christ. Exercising this awesome privilege brings suffering, but even that, God turns to glory.
The cross is the power for peace, peace with God (despite our hostility and alienation) and peace with one another (despite our hostility and alienation). If we want peace, we must be a people of the cross.
If we're to live lives pleasing to God, we must know that salvation is a gif totally apart from works but we must also know that salvation calls us unto a life devoted to works.
We were dead, in bondage to sin, headed for destruction, hopeless. But God - by sheer grace - made us alive, raised us from the grave...saved us.
God desires that we would know Him and specifically that we would know His power - really comprehending that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now at work in us!
That Jesus Christ rose from the grave is no mere factoid in a world drowning in information overload; it is the ultimate truth that matters eternally to each and every soul.
Jesus came not to be served, but to serve - ultimately giving his life to save us from our sin - and He called His church to follow His example.
God, according to His good pleasure, has given us in Christ a mind-blowingly glorious inheritance and sealed us His Spirit until we enter its fullness.
By God the Father's rich grace we have redemption through the blood of Christ, and our redemption is a glorious part of an even more glorious purpose to bring all things under the lordship of His Son.
The doctrine of election urges us to praise God because it reveals His loving design to save sinners who don't deserve it.
As a result of God's eternal purpose, all who call on Christ in faith are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, the church. As such, we must walk in a manner worthy of our calling, preserving the unity of the church by living new lives in love, in light, and in wisdom.
The theme of the Torah is the theme of the Bible. God is orchestrating all things to save ruined sinners
The people of God come into the fullness of God's blessing through the mediation of One greater than Moses, who was faithful as a Son over all God's house.
Our sin, which deserves God's judgement, is no barrier to eternal life because God is mighty to save through the cross of Christ. Therefore, let's place all our hope in His cross.
The obedience that God demands and eternally rewards is given through faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. To choose life is to choose Jesus Christ and walk by faith in Him.
The Scriptures are clear - those who don't abide by all that is commanded in God's law will receive His just condemnation. Yet the Scriptures are also clear - Jesus took upon himself the curse of the law in order that we might receive the blessing of eternal life.
God is the ultimate giver and we do well to remember, rejoice in, and reflect His generosity.
God, who is committed to promoting the welfare of His covenant people, also obligates them to do the same, by working for the good of their neighbor and by protecting the community from threats that would defile it.
If we are to be strengthened in our practice of prayer, we must embrace the reality that we are in a pitched battle for eternal souls, including our own.
Because the Word of God both gives and sustains our spiritual life, let us give ourselves to it with vigor in 2021.
The glory of Christmas is that God has come in Christ to deal with our sin, end our warfare, and gather us into His arms eternally – this is our comfort.
God's people must practice righteousness within the covenant community of faith and righteousness as they gain victory over God's enemies.
If the Lord's people are to continue in righteousness, they need the righteous leadership that He promises to raise up to speak and act on His behalf.
The entire law is summed up by two commands: love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Given the importance of the second command, let's be sure we understand what it means to "love your neighbor."
As the church of the Lord Jesus, God calls us to live lives of worship under the authority of His Word - distinct from the world, consecrated to Him, generous and joyful - every day, until the end of our days.
God's demand for single-minded love and devotion is satisfied only by Christ who gives us his standing by faith and gives us new hearts to love God like him.
God graciously offers eternal blessing to all who choose life - that is, fulfill His covenant by loving Him, obeying Him, and holding fast to Him. Such fulfillment is ultimately only satisfied by Jesus Christ and the obedience of faith in Him.
Faith perseveringly believes the promises of God and fights the fight of faith, determined to inherit the rest God gives to all who belong to Jesus Christ.
As God's people, our response to His love in Christ is faithfulness in our worship of Him and faithfully keeping our vows to Him.
Those who will enter into the Promised Land deeply desire it, earnestly seek it, and faithfully follow their Shepherd in order to claim it.
The church of the Lord Jesus is eternally blessed and nothing - no enemy without or enemy within - will change that. Be encouraged. Be strengthened. Be confident.
The law of God, revealed in the first five books of the Bible, is ultimately a picture of God's salvation fulfilled through Jesus Christ who is the only way to enter heavenly rest. Are you trusting in Him?
If we would be unified as a church, we must be unified around and passionate for the mission of making disciples.
In these days of communicational chaos, it is essential that God's people go back to the basic principles and practices of godly communication, the goal of which is live.
If we would be a unified local church, we must not judge one another for differing thoughts or practices in matters of conscience but accept one another as Christ has accepted us.
Church membership is foundational to unity because it makes clear that the Christian life is not a solo sojourn to heaven but a community-wide sojourn characterized by a mutual commitment to one another's spiritual well-being.
The local church is a supernatural, unified and joyful community bound together through faith in Jesus Christ and devoted to doctrine, prayer, one another and gospel ministry.
Unity within Christ's Church requires that our inevitable sins against one another be justly covered
Unity within Christ's Church requires that we be right in standing relationally with one another; therefore, our inevitable sins against one another have to be justly dealt with through the regular, fervent practice of repentance and forgiveness.
God's design has always been to save an ethically diverse people for himself through His Son Jesus Christ and we as his church must live in light of that design.
Jesus, having been exalted by the Father, is filled with joy for all the blessings he has received, and now he is intent on reigning until all his enemies are put under his feet.
Cheerful, generous, and sacrificial giving for the cause of the gospel is for our eternal good.
Through faith in Jesus Christ we are called to stand firm by pursuing harmony with our brothers and sisters, by rejoicing and trusting in God's care, and by right thinking and living, which all leads to experiencing the peace of God, even in hard circumstances.
God calls his children to press on toward greater Christian miaturity, aiming our hearts and lives toward heaven.
The God who rules over nations and nature is with us and for us, so come what may we have nothing to fear.
Sin's taste is bitter because it leads to death, but all who believe the gospel enjoy the sweet taste of eternal life that is theirs through Christ Jesus.
Eternal life is found only through willing submission to the divine authority of Jesus Christ, our great high priest.
We must run the race with endurance, with persevering faith if we're to make it safely into His kingdom.
The first generation of Israelites teachesus that only obedient, persevering faith is true faith that saves. Therefore,let us evermore and always cling to the cross and follow hard after our Savior.
Saving faith does not rebel against God's provision or providential dealings with us; instead, it gratefully rests in Him while traveling the challenging path between the cross and the crown.
Only the clean can enter into God's rest. And the only way to be clean is to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ poured out on the cross and received by faith alone.
Israel’s preparation for rest symbolically reveals Christ as our conqueror, our righteousness, and our redeemer
Eternal death and destruction await all who reject God's promise of rest through faithless disobedience, but God is faithful to bring into His rest all who desire a better country through true faith in Jesus Christ.
If the saints at RGC are to grow in living "on mission" in 2020, let us understand how Jesus intends the Church to fulfill His command to make disciples of all nations. Then let's get to work!