Grace Raleigh: Recent Episodes
Grace Raleigh
Grace Raleigh is a friendly, flourishing and multigenerational church in Raleigh, NC whose mission is to love Jesus, love our neighbor and live faithfully. Find more information about Grace at graceraleigh.org.
Moses, at the burning bush, has one of the most profound and impactful conversations in the entire Bible. This week we will look at what was said and the implications of God’s words.
Moses at the burning bush is one of the most memorable and important stories in the Bible. We will take the next two weeks to see what we can learn from this pivotal moment.
We begin our summer series on Moses by reflecting on the marvelous sovereignty of God. He knew what He was doing then, and He knows what He is doing now.
We tend to view suffering as negative and simply something to be endured. But what if there were a more helpful way to think about hard times?
Why does an all-powerful God need our worship? This week we’ll explore what true worship means, why we were created to worship, and how misplaced worship can leave us empty. Discover how God’s invitation to worship is actually an invitation to find true life and fulfillment.
Doubt is a natural part of our experience of faith. Yet we often try to ignore it or shame it when really, we should explore it. The truth is, doubt is often a great sign of health, and Jesus, in His goodness, meets us there.
Understanding salvation is vitally important to our faith. And yet we so often base our understanding on misconceptions and poor teaching. This morning we are endeavoring to understand the miracle of salvation in a way that inspires and uplifts.
How can we know when God is speaking to us? How can we be sure that we’ve heard His voice? This week, we take a look at these questions that can sometimes confuse us and lead to uncertainty.
Even in her grief, Mary Magdalene showed up — ready to serve and honor — even when hope seemed gone. This Easter, we’ll look at what happened when faithfulness met an empty tomb and everything changed.
Two weeks ago we were challenged to love and serve like Jesus does. But we didn’t talk about what makes that possible. So this week we revisit the idea and ask how it's possible for us to do something that comes so unnaturally.
There is a tremendously challenging and appropriate teaching from Jesus when He encounters a man of means who wants to follow Him. As American Christians, we should lean all the way in to this conversation.
Having just arrived from Istanbul, where I had the honor of spending the week with pastors from a persecuted country, I wanted to take a Sunday morning and share with you a bit of what I gleaned from the experience.
We all have fears in life. Fear of change, fear of loneliness, fear of rejection, to name a few. But what if these fears are holding you back from all that God has for you? What if that next step of obedience, of doing it scared, actually leads you to find more of Him?
The transfiguration of Christ is one of the more remarkable moments in His incredibly remarkable life. This Sunday, we reflect on that moment and what it means for us to simply marvel at our Savior.
We all have big plans and dreams for our lives. But what if God has bigger and better ones? And what if He insists that we live the life He has for us rather than our own?
Garbage in, garbage out. This is a universally familiar phrase. But what if there were something to it? What if this were actually one of the most important principles in personal holiness? Wouldn’t it be worth a second look?
The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus’ most famous parables. Nevertheless, it is often misunderstood and therefore misapplied. But what if there were a way to understand this parable that informed our response to God’s Word today?
Sometimes a need seems blatantly urgent to us. It consumes our focus and our prayers, and the need seems incredibly obvious. But it's possible in these times that God sees a greater need than we do and addresses that need first.
As we open our series in Mark, we begin by reflecting on the remarkable recruitment of the disciplines and what that means about Jesus’ belief in and pursuit of us.
The Bible talks about finances way more than we do. So this week, let’s have a frank discussion about them.
When we think about how to be a good husband or wife, we often forget that it is our sacred duty to participate in their sanctification by loving them toward Jesus.
This week we will spend time with a prayer out of Deuteronomy called the Shema. In this short prayer, we find a clear and concise definition of our call to love God wholly.
We all leave a legacy or inheritance to the generations that come after us. What sort of inheritance will you leave?
As we begin the new year, we focus our attention on a magnificent prayer Paul prayed over the church of the Colossians and ask what it looks like to pray it over ourselves for this year.
This Christmas Eve we're reflecting on this year and how we can be still, be small, and behold, as the Holy Family might have just after Jesus' birth.
Zechariah prophesied that the coming Messiah would arrive in Jerusalem as a king, but not a conquering one. What does it mean to us that Jesus arrives in our lives, but never desires to conquer us?
Likely with the help of a world-famous song, Isaiah 9:6 has become the most recognizable messianic prophecy of all time. It has also become known as a Christmas prophecy. This week we look at the rich description of Jesus found in this famous verse.
As we begin to look at what the Old Testament tells us about the coming Christ, we turn our focus to the promised new covenant in Jeremiah 31. Why was this new covenant SO MUCH better?
In a life full of blessings from God, one blessing shines above the rest – that we get to be in His presence. This week we are reminded that our lives should motivated and sustained by the fullness of joy that is only available in God's loving presence.
It’s time for a campaign update, and it's time for us as a church to put our focus on taking this step of obedience together.
What if true humility isn’t a reduction of ourselves, but simply seeing ourselves as God sees us – and the result is much greater productivity in His kingdom?
Worship is our response to who God is and what He has done for us. When we worship, it glorifies God and shapes our hearts toward, and focuses our minds on, the things of God – bringing hope, joy, peace, and rest. This Sunday, we will pause and spend our morning worshipping together. The beauty in corporate worship is not only the songs we sing, but the fact that we sing them together. We hope you’ll join us as we declare and celebrate the greatness of our God and all He has done for us.
Psalm 126 is a song of exultant joy. It shows us the path to joy in our lives and even helps us find optimism in the pain.
It is no mistake that the Psalms of Ascent begin with a Psalm of repentance, as every journey with God begins with a first step of repentance.
Psalm 121 speaks to us about God’s provision and protection as we travel in our faith. It is a psalm of trust, assurance, and hope. It serves to remind us that, while our journey may be difficult, God promises to be with us every step of the way.
In our final week of our culture-defining series, we arrive at the apex trait we want to be true of all partners. We want to produce kingdom builders.
What if the Bible told us there was one simple thing on which we could focus, and the rest of life would just kind of fall into place? Well guess what… it does!
Being conduits of grace may be the trait that comes most naturally and is most foundational to our culture as a church. We are a church that offers lots and lots of grace. So this week we ask what is the source of Grace’s grace?
Perhaps our most foundational trait, that which truly defines who we are at Grace, is that of Partner. This week we explore what it truly means to partner in life and in ministry.
At Grace, we are Step Takers. We take steps of obedience. This week, we are challenged to take a step of faith together as a family of faith.
The church in Corinth faces many issues and questions that our modern church faces today. To all those questions, then and now, Paul offers the singular answer of the gospel.
In Philemon, Paul leaves us a tremendous example of how Christians should seek to change the minds and behaviors of those around them.
Romans is one of the most complex and theologically rich books in the Bible. This week we make it approachable and applicable for all Christians.
Though 1 & 2 Timothy, as well as Titus, were written specifically to pastors, there is advice within them that rings true for all believers.
Fear and anxiety are on the rise these days. However, fear and anxiety are nothing new. In the book of Philippians, Paul gives the people of Philippi some excellent advice on how to develop a mindset like Christ to use as a tool to ward off the fear they dealt with daily.
We’ve all encountered some type of legalism in Christianity. In the book of Galatians, Paul addresses some legalistic views that began to spread throughout the region and reminds the churches in Galatia of their faith and how that impacts their life.
As we dive back into our New Testament series, Twenty-Seven, you'll hear about lousy poker players, top-notch detectives, three great untruths, emotional reasoning, fickle feelings, competing realities, the power of the mind, a great migration having nothing to do with wildebeest, Monarch butterflies, or Canadian geese...all in service to Paul’s overarching message to the Ephesians!
One of our faithful ministry partners, Sarah Prince, is our guest speaker today and is going to share a bit of her family’s story of faith, struggle, and triumph in service to God and His kingdom in South Africa.
Most of us would probably not say at first glance that we struggle with idolizing comfort. But the reality is we are so culturally numb to this that we are far more susceptible to this idol than we realize. And the consequences are disastrous.
Self-discipline, diligence, and order are very good things. But when we allow our bent towards those things to go too far, we begin to idolize control. And when we do that, we are ultimately just getting in God’s way.
To some extent, the approval of others is a fundamental need in today's society. We require approval to thrive in areas such as interviews, marriage, and friendships. However, when seeking the approval of others becomes an idol, we end up living a life we never intended and find it difficult to break free from it.
When we make something an idol, we put it in a place of worship. The problem is, idols cannot bear the weight of our worship.
This week we pause and appreciate the imagery of the two most important Christian traditions, baptism and communion.
God, amazingly, offers us perfect peace. What does this mean, and how might we attain it?
On this very special Mother’s Day, we have the opportunity to dedicate some children to the Lord and explore what it means to be a spiritual family of faith.
We often fall into the trap of insisting that God should make sense to us. But Isaiah reminds us that we should actually be comforted by the mystery of God.
Isaiah 6 provides us with one of the most glorious experiences with God recorded in Scripture, as God calls Isaiah to serve Him as a prophet. Through Isaiah's witness and response to God's call to obey, we are encouraged to examine our own motivations for obedience.
A critical facet of Biblical prophecy are the prophecies about Jesus Himself. No book has more to say about the coming Messiah than the book of Isaiah. This week we look at the sweeping prophecies of Jesus found in Isaiah.
In the opening chapter of his book, Isaiah presents the gospel in 9 extremely powerful verses.
This week we cast a vision for Grace to walk in harmony with the unity prayer of Jesus found in John chapter 17.
In John 17 we get the gift of the High Priestly Prayer, in which Jesus prays for the church. His single petition to God on our behalf is unity. How can we pursue this unity, and what are the biggest threats to this goal?
John 13:34-35 are some of the most profound and compelling verses in all of scripture. This week we dive into this passage and all of its implications.
Last week we talked about the importance of abiding in Christ. This week we ask how we can practically do that amidst the chaos and confusion of life.
How is it possible that Jesus going away was good news? This week we will take a closer look at a promise Jesus made to comfort His disciples.
In this opening sermon of the series, we discuss the import of the upper room discourse and the implications of the invitation of Jesus.
A very important update on the status of our building campaign, as well as a few thoughts on the spiritual discipline of giving.
This week we arrive at the climax of the prayer and the main petition Paul makes for the church in Ephesus and, in turn, us. The desire of Paul is quite simple – that we would know God.
This week we dive deep on one of the implications of the great Ephesians prayer, reflecting on why Christianity was never, ever intended to be a solo exercise – and what we should do in light of that reality.
The concept of being rooted in Jesus’ love is the concept through which the rest of this wonderful prayer flows. So what is so important about being rooted in the love of Christ?
We are starting the new year with one of the great prayers in scripture and making that our prayer for Grace for the year. This week we look at Paul’s first priority for everyone he encounters.
The Christmas story in Luke ends with Mary treasuring things up in her heart. What was she treasuring, and how can that lend a deeper meaning to Christmas?
Though there are no recorded words of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, I believe there are profound lessons to be learned from his quiet, humble obedience.
In the Christmas story, the wisemen beautifully encapsulate and demonstrate what it means to be a Christian.
In Luke 2, we see two people with two very different responses to the arrival of the Messiah – the Innkeeper and Simeon. This week, we will ask what we can do to be more like Simeon and less like the Innkeeper who didn’t make room.
As we enter into the Christmas season, we understand that Christmas and holidays are not always easy for everyone all the time. So if this Christmas isn’t easy, then this Sunday is for you.
This week we look at the power and wisdom of prayer through the stories of the praying kings of Israel as we learn more about the great song “Battle Belongs”.
More Like Jesus is a song with ties all throughout Philippians. As we explore those ties, we are rewarded with a precise insight as to how we may pursue a life that is lived more like Jesus.
A series called The Songs We Sing wouldn’t be complete without a morning dedicated to worship. We hope your heart is moved to praise by this service. (You can view the service in its entirety on Grace Raleigh’s YouTube channel or via this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/edUYJ54g2Ng?si=34AfmsQEVwM494-b)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness comes straight out of the book of Lamentations and has stood through the decades as an anthem of defiance against the attempts of evil to break our faith.
You can’t possibly do a series on the songs the church sings without focusing on the songs found in the book of Psalms. This week, we focus on a quintessential psalm of praise, Psalm 8.
All churches for all of history have sung. Why is it important to God that His people are a singing people?
What does it mean when we sing that God’s love is reckless? And how can this recklessness possibly create a safe space that enables us to offer the same kind of love to others?
Have you ever wondered what keeps us from being as compassionate as we’d like? How different would our relationships look, and how much of a difference would we see in the world around us, if we began to reflect the compassion we see in Jesus? This week we’re taking a look at how Jesus overcame the same challenges we face and showed the compassion we hope to.
Most churches have Members, but Grace has Partners. Why? We'll learn more about one of the ways that you can partner with us – through volunteering on a Service Team!
We live in a culture that wars on our contentment. But what happens when we allow Jesus to fight for us and take us to a place of true contentedness?
The big reveal! We are sharing our hopes for the building we will build, as well as what we believe God wants to build in and through Grace.
In the small book of Jude, we have a great depiction of how the Bible remains both remarkably deep and yet easy to to approach and apply.
The three letters of John to the churches are only a combined 7 chapters long. And yet in this brief collection, John reiterates a singular idea 12 times! Why? What is the idea and why is it so important?
Peter was one of the disciples closest to Jesus, as well as one of the most influential leaders in the early church. What did he have to say to the saints at the end of his ministry?
Hebrews goes to great lengths to explain the supremacy of Christ by highlighting the different ways in which Jesus is superior to differing elements within the Hebrew culture. But why does the superiority of Jesus still matter to us today?
The book of Acts serves as a telling of the great work of the Holy Spirit that links the two great works of Jesus. Further, it shows us that the Spirit is still working today.
In 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes to clear up some misunderstandings the Thessalonians had about the Second Coming of Christ. Paul's ultimate goal is to remind the Thessalonian Christ-Followers that the Lord had placed them exactly where they were, on purpose, and had a plan for them in their normal lives, for as long as they were still on earth. And that is a truth worth reflecting on and celebrating!
Have you ever wished for an instruction manual for living your life in light of your faith? Well, you have come to the right place, as we unpack the book of James and his practical tips for living a life for Jesus.
This week we take a break from our current series to learn more about the ministries we partner with outside the walls of the church, and to hear from a special guest speaker – Ru Sen.
If Paul’s heart behind the letter to the Colossians was to tell us how a Christian is supposed to live, why did he start with what a Christian is supposed to believe? How different would our lives look if we focused on the simple belief and life that Paul is pointing out in this incredible letter?
What stands out in 1 Thessalonians is the way Paul goes about teaching and ministering to the people of Thessalonica. As we unpack this letter together, what will be revealed is a genuine, relational love between Paul and the people of Thessalonica that reflects the love of Christ and offers an open door to speak the truth of Jesus.
John is the most unique of the Gospels and beckons us to know Christ, that we would find life in Him.
Why did Luke craft an entire Gospel with the intent of displaying the humanity of Christ? The answer is what separates Jesus from all other gods.
The Gospel of Mark depicts Jesus as a servant, which, when we think about it, runs counter to all we would expect of a person seated in a position of maximum power.
The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jewish community to show them Jesus actually was the Messiah. They needed this Gospel because they were prevented from seeing Jesus due to their unfair expectations of Him. What expectations do we have of Jesus that could potentially blind us?
God describes Himself as a jealous God, which feels counterintuitive to the Christian who also knows that God condemns jealousy. So how can we reconcile God’s jealousy for us with His warnings about our own jealousy?
Sometimes life can make us feel like we don’t matter. Elijah, one of God’s greatest servants, felt that way. But God showed up for him the same way He shows up for us and reminds us of how much we really do matter to the Creator of the Universe.
What should you do when someone blows up on you? To answer this, we look at a story from the life of David that highlights three crucial New Testament practices.
What do you do when you’re constantly reminded of the one moment you would like to forget the most? What can we learn from Peter so our most regretful memories don’t shape our tomorrow?
We rarely see Jesus express anger of any kind. But He breaks His pattern of patient forbearance when He cleanses the temple. Why did He do that, and what can we learn?
What should we do when we feel overwhelmed? First and foremost, we should look to Jesus.
Easter doesn’t just seal promises made, but it gives us assurance of future promises kept.
The most famous meal of Jesus’ life was the Last Supper. What is it about this meal that is so significant that all of our history and future relies upon it?
In the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus uses the table for provision. But what if, in our efforts to relate to and learn from the story, we learned to see it from a different perspective?
We may not realize it, but joyful celebrations are an integral part of the Christian life and, if done well, result in exuberant praise.
The table is a vital building ground for relationships that make it possible to live out our faith. Jesus understood this and used the table to pursue those relationships.
Whether we realize it or not, meals occupy a sacred space in our lives. Jesus used this sacred space for ministry, which causes us to wonder: What would happen if we used our meals as Jesus did?
Blessed are the peacemakers. When we read this we often apply it to our relationships with others and see it as an encouragement to be people who reconcile human relationships. But what if this encouragement towards blessing is actually so much bigger than our human relationships?
Jesus tells us that we are blessed if we are poor in spirit. What does it mean to be poor in spirit, and how can we possibly be blessed by being in that challenging position?
Jesus blesses those who mourn, which seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? For those of us who have mourned deeply, there doesn’t seem to be blessing in the midst of the distress. And yet, there is. How can that be?
As we begin our series looking at the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, we focus on what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness. In this examining we wonder if perhaps our souls have longed for Jesus all along.
What is our faith known for within our American culture? What should it be known for, and how can we work towards that?
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus tells seven churches what they are known for. If Jesus were to address Grace, what would He say we are known for? What would we hope He would say?
We all want our families to be successful. But what if true success actually looked more like health than prosperity? What if all of our families were known for being healthy?
What are you known for? What do you want to be known for? More importantly, what does God want you to be known for and why is it so important?
God designed and intended family to be the primary delivery system for His love and good news. But what do we do when our family hasn’t quite done that for us? Perhaps the answer lies in the good news of Christmas?
Christmas is fundamentally about noticing the unnoticed. Jesus spent His entire life doing this. So what better way to honor the arrival of our savior than to continue His example of seeing the unseen?
Sometimes life can make us feel as if we are all alone. Like God may have forgotten about us, and no one sees our plight or our struggle. But Christmas reminds us that God sees us and we are not alone.
The prayer of Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful and intimate descriptions of God and His relationship to His people that can be found in all of scripture. As we are reminded, through this prayer, exactly how God sees His people – and the depths of which He loves us – it becomes much more frivolous to seek identity and worth through any other means.
As we near the end of our series on powerful prayers, we ask how we can become more powerful in our praying as well.
David’s sin with Bathsheba is perhaps the most famous and “biggest” sin in the Bible. This week we wonder what we can learn from the prayer that follows this great sin.
In this great prayer from Paul, we unpack what he prays over his churches again and again. And when we pay attention, what he doesn’t pray for speaks almost as loudly as what he does ask for.
In the final week of our series about the traits that define Grace, we discuss Grace’s approach to discipleship.
At Grace we don’t have members, we have partners. This week we talk about that distinction and why it is so important to us.
We say often that the single greatest habit anyone can have is to wake up every day and spend time in God’s Word and time in prayer. This week, we talk about why we believe that.
Being a gleeful recipient of freely given grace allows us to gleefully give the grace we freely get!
We finish up our series with the story of the 10 Commandments. It's an incredibly simple story with an incredibly profound impact.
We’ve all marveled before at the story of Jesus calming the storm. It reminds us that our Jesus still calms storms. But what if we are asking Him to calm the wrong ones?
Gideon’s story is equal parts incredible and inspirational. It forces us to ask “what happens that causes Gideon to shift from timid hesitancy to confident clarity?”
The story of Samson is certainly one of the most confounding stories we come across in the Bible. What lessons are there to learn from this “hero” of the faith?
In the story of Daniel in the Lions' Den, we find a man so tethered to his faith that he chooses to continue to pray to his God, knowing it will lead to him being thrown into a den of lions. This type of heroism seems almost otherworldly, but a deeper look reveals that it is Daniel's consistent obedience to God that allows the Lord to make a miraculous impact through him, when the time was right.
The themes in the story of The Fiery Furnace echo the themes of the rest of the stories within the Book of Daniel: God is in control, and Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel have complete faith in that truth. Today, we look to discover what gives these men the faith to stand together, in the face of death, to glorify God.
This week we hear the story of a rebellious prophet who sparks one of the largest revivals in human history. But wait until you hear how it happened! (It’s a bit fishy...)
Have you ever met someone with unshakable faith? It's inspiring when you see someone continue to trust God and do what He leads them to do, especially when it doesn't seem to be helping. This week we look at Joshua and examine how he kept his faith in God when he didn’t see anything that gave him a reason to.
This week we take a break from our current series to invest an entire morning in learning more about the ministries we partner with outside the walls of the church.
This week we focus on the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water – while drawing parallels to the story of Doubting Thomas – to learn how Jesus responds to fear and doubt. These stories help offer a peace that Jesus is always with us, along with a motivation to continue to pursue a deeper faith in Him.
Last week we were encouraged to pursue love. This week we find out the amazing promise we are given if we will dedicate ourselves to that pursuit.
We all know we are called to love others as Jesus loves us. But what if that’s something we build to rather than begin with?
If others in the church are paying attention to your example, then you’re a leader in the church. What does God ask of His leaders? Peter tells us in chapter 5 of his letter.
What is your reason for being a Christian? Having a good answer to that question may be more important than you think.
Parenthood is an enormous blessing and an enormous responsibility. What can we do to ensure that we leave a lasting spiritual legacy?
In the second part of our series, we examine the revolutionary idea that God has made His children “Living Stones."
Scripture makes it clear that suffering is inevitable. But why does God allow it, and what can we possibly gain from it?
God wired the human brain to learn so much from images and imagery, and then gave us an image in Baptism to intentionally remind us of the miracle of Easter!
If we will expand our understanding of generosity, we will realize that it might just be the greatest apologetic there is.
The teachings of Jesus make it clear that, for the Christian, offering unlimited forgiveness is not optional. But how could the Father possibly look at His children in their greatest hurt and instruct them to forgive?
Repentance is mentioned throughout scripture, and yet often we do not find ourselves focused on it. But maybe if we listen to God’s Word and cultivate a heart for repentance, we will discover why God’s kindness leads us there.
We often turn to prayer out of a sense of duty or desperation. But what if we began to see prayer as God intended it to be? What if we understood it to be absolutely essential to the life He calls us to live?
This week as we observe Lent, we are focused on the idea of stillness. Why is it so difficult to be still? How can we choose it, and what happens when we do?
We continue in our Lent Series: A Holy Pause by discussing how Fasting helps to set our minds and our hearts on Christ. The hope is that it will serve as an encouragement to stand strong in, and get the most from, our 40-day fast through Lent.
This year at Grace, we are observing Lent for the first time in quite a while. As we prepare to observe this ancient season, we thought it wise to take a week to explain why we think it’s so very important to observe this fast, inspired by Jesus Himself.
In the household codes that Paul details in Colossians 3, we actually see a bigger principle of radically reshaping our lives around Jesus.
To be a Christian is to live at war with yourself and always wonder how we are supposed to live the life God calls us to live. In Colossians 3, Paul shows us the way.
As a culture, we love the mythology and romanticism of a cowboy. We love the idea of going it alone and finding our own way. But the Bible really doesn’t embrace that mythology when it comes to our faith. In fact, it teaches the exact opposite.
The Colossians are a church in need of encouragement. So Paul offers them a sweeping and soaring picture of Jesus to do just that.
When we call Grace Partners to be “all in”, what does that look like? We can find our answer in the example of John the Baptist.
What would it look like if instead of simply consuming the local church, we decided to allow ourselves to be consumed by the local church? Is that what Jesus actually intended all along?
When we think about Jesus, we often think about His time on earth in the past, or we think about how we will be able to meet Him in the future. We often forget that Jesus is now and will always be at the right hand of God, as our High Priest, bringing our pleas to God and continuing to redeem us every second of every day. Simply put: Jesus's life in heaven is consumed by drawing us closer to the Father. This should produce a faith in us that is not simply past tense or future-focused, but ever-growing and life-encompassing.
How did God the Father experience Christmas? What must it have been like for Him to watch the world receive His good and perfect gift? And what makes Jesus the greatest gift of all?
This week we do our best to see Christmas through the eyes of King Herod and the wisemen. Why did they respond so completely differently, and what can we learn from their responses?
After Jesus’ birth there is a poignant moment when Mary was surrounded by people, but remained silent and treasured everything up in her heart. What was it that Mary knew that the rest of the crowd didn’t?
The shepherds play a significant role in the Christmas story, as they were the first people invited to witness the awe-inspiring birth of Christ. This invitation into glory to some of the lowliest citizens of their day draws great parallels to the wonder of the Gospel, where the most broken and sinful of us are invited into an eternal relationship with God.
As we wrap up our Revelation series, we arrive at the end of the book only to realize that the end of the book is really about the beginning of the eternity for which we were created.
Finally. Christ returns as the capstone of God’s wrath and promises. And with His arrival not only do we have a final victory over evil, but also an invitation to finally lay down the burdens of hope and faith.
In part 5 of our series, we take a look at some of the prominent figures of the Tribulation in the hopes of better understanding their role and purpose in the end times.
Through all the imagery and figures within the Tribulation period, it can be difficult to know what is actually going to happen and when. We hope this week’s sermon will help clarify for us the events of the Tribulation.
We cannot walk through the book of Revelation without encountering God’s wrath in the Tribulation period. So this week we ask the important questions: What is the Tribulation and why is it necessary?
In Revelation 4 and 5 Jesus steps forward as the only one worthy of opening the scrolls sealed by God. These seals are the culmination of the justice due throughout history and set in motion the events that will bring about eternity.
As we begin our study of Revelation, we discuss taking the right approach to this mysterious book as well as focus on the best promise within it.
This week we reflect on the entire saga of Joseph and see that just like Joseph, we are right in the middle of God’s plan.
In part 6 the story of Joseph reaches its emotional and hopeful conclusion. The words of Jacob at the end of the story are words that we can claim with great faith today.
Although many of us love mystery in a good book or an engaging movie, we don’t so much in our own lives . . . But God does!
The Lord shows favor for Joseph over and over again. Joseph’s father, Jacob, was shown this same favor but never seemed to be able to see it and rest easy in it. Why was that? What was the difference between Jacob and Joseph?
In part 3 we find that Joseph chooses to continue to honor God even when he can’t see his plan. You would think this choice would make life easier for Joseph, but this week we see that is not always true.
As a teenager, Joseph receives some visions from God that seem to indicated a very promising future. But what does he do when it looks like that future isn’t going to come about? What would we do?
As we begin our look at one of the most stunning examples of God’s sovereignty, we go to Joseph’s roots by studying the life of Jacob and ask the obvious question: “Why in the world does God choose to bless Jacob?”
Community is God’s primary tool for tethering, comforting, and sustaining his children. We hope you will listen or watch this week’s message and reflect more on the power of community.
We have all heard that Christians need to have Jesus-Centered homes and we all probably want that to be true of our homes. But how do we practically do that? Watch or listen this week for very practical steps to making Jesus the center of your home.
In a world of constant distractions, frantic schedules, and rampant burnout what would it look like to take to heart the simple encouragement found in Psalm 46:10, to be still and know that he is God?
We all know God wants us to give, but the interesting question is why. Why does God want his people to be ones characterized by generosity?
Psalm 16:11 is more of a greatest hit than a one hit wonder. It’s an incredibly hopeful verse that promises fullness of joy. So the question is, why don’t we always experience it?
We are taking this Sunday to focus on several of the organizations and individuals with whom we partner in ministry. The highlight will be hearing from Jennifer Taylor with Refugee Hope Partners and Casey and Sarah Prince with Ubuntu and Acts of Grace.
The Book of Jude is written as a letter to warn Christians of teachers who "pervert the grace of our God" by teaching the Gospel, while their lives are being lived completely in sin and their own selfish desires. Through this warning, Jude reminds readers what it looks like to live a life in Christ, along with the goodness of God's saving and sustaining grace through Christ.
What if we told you there was a test that every Christian’s faith needed to pass before it could grow into maturity? Well we believe that there is and that you can find that test in a little known passage of the little known book of Habakkuk.
A special message from Pastor Nate about the condition of Grace and how we can best serve the church moving forward.
This week we take a look at Jeremiah 29:11 and the dangers of plucking a verse out of the Bible as well as what we have to gain from understanding the whole context of a verse. We hope you will have a deeper and richer appreciation for this famous verse of comfort.
We take a look at a verse in Micah that succinctly and effectively sums up just what God wants from his children.
As we wrap up our series focusing on women in scripture, we take a look at the story of one of Israel’s unsung heroes: Deborah. She was a woman of courage and faith and leaves a legacy of obedience that we can still learn from today.
Lydia was an affluent member of society in Philippi when Paul showed up to share the gospel. She leveraged what she had to help him plant a hugely impactful church. This week we ask together what could happen if we approached stewardship and generosity like Lydia did.
Jochebed may have been the greatest mother of all time. What made her so great at raising children and how can we apply that to every aspect of our lives?
As we continue to look at the faithfulness of Ruth this morning, we discover how the Lord is able to work through Ruth's big and small steps of obedience to bless her and her family. And as we close out Ruth 4, we find that God's blessings throughout the story of Ruth have a far greater impact than simply on her family, but on all of eternity. With this in mind, we are able to see how God is also working through our faithfulness to not only bless our lives, but to create ripples that will far exceed the scope of our own stories.
Ruth's faith in God and commitment to Naomi are astounding. While most people immigrate to a new land for the hope of a better life, Ruth does so with the expectation of a worse one. It is clear that Ruth has a faith strong enough to understand that there is no better life than one within the Will of God, even if it feels contradictory to her own worldly goals and expectations.
Mary of Bethany was one of maybe three people in Jesus’ life who saw him for who he really was and understood what he came to do. Why was she able to see him clearly when so many others couldn’t?
This week we kick off our series looking at the amazing women in the bible with Esther. Who would ever think a beauty pageant would have anything to do with rescuing an entire people from genocide?!
We conclude our series in Hebrews this week by focusing on two simple, yet profoundly impactful verses at the beginning of Chapter 12 and talk about what it means to run our race.
Everything in the Old Testament and every practice prescribed in the New Testament is really just designed to point our hearts to Jesus. And Easter, more than any other day, does exactly that.
Last week we marveled at Jesus being our great High Priest. This week we learn in Hebrews chapter 10 how to live in this new reality.
This week we arrive at the most mysterious figure in the whole Bible, Melchizedek. Who was he and why is it important to know that Jesus is our High Priest?
In Hebrews 3 and 4 we find great encouragement for those who have been tempted to wander away from the faith. If that’s you, then we hope this message will encourage you persevere in your pursuit of God.
Hebrews is perhaps the most beautifully written book in the Bible. It was written to compel the believers of the early church with the majesty of Jesus. We open our series by seeking to understand the context of this early church and just how the author of Hebrews depicts Jesus.
As we conclude our series in Ecclesiastes, we take a step back and view it through the lens of scripture and find that really, this book is designed to point us to Jesus.
Even though Ecclesiastes is a bleak book, it contains within it some wisdom that can lead us to deep and profound joy. Today we arrive at that wisdom.
In part 2 of our series, we take a look at another stark reality that Ecclesiastes forces us to confront. The good news is that on the other side of this confrontation awaits tremendous joy.
In part 1 of our series, we take an honest look at the end result of our worldly pursuits and conclude… there must be something more.
We hear a lot about God’s grace and mercy, but can we explain them? Would we be able to define them? Most importantly, does the reality of God’s grace and mercy drive us to grateful praise? It should.
We’ve all heard of Satan… but who is he? What is he like? More importantly, what does he want and how does he get it?
There is so much MORE to the Sabbath rest than just rest. We hope you'll watch and find out just how much more.
There are some basic questions surrounding the Bible that EVERY Christian ought to know the answer to. This week we take some time to walk through those questions and help us arrive at greater faith in the Holy Scriptures.
The symbolism of baptism, representing the death of our sin and of our old selves, and the rebirth of our new and blameless selves in Christ, is one of the most beautiful in all of scripture. This Sunday we remind ourselves of the importance of baptism and take a look at why we celebrate baptisms publicly.
Joy is one of the most precious gifts that we receive as we celebrate Christ's coming each Christmas. But if the Gospel is true... if Jesus did come and did take on our sin to die in our place, to solidify our salvation for eternity.. the Joy of Christmas is a joy that is available, not only once a year, but every single day! We are able to rejoice today, tomorrow, and forevermore!
In the second week of advent, we light the candle of love and reflect on the incredible miracle of God’s love for us personified in his son, Jesus.
As we kick off our Christmas Series Advent, we take a look at the real hope that is offered to us through God's gift to us... His Son, Jesus.
We wrap up our James series by discussing the reality that no matter what happens, we can always cling to prayer and to a God who keeps his promises.
How can we bring peace and unity to a culture that is so very divided? James shows us this week in chapter 3 of his letter.
James 2:14-26 is one of the most challenging passages in the Bible. Ultimately, however, when we properly understand the message of James we can walk in clarity and certainty.
The tongue has the capability to do both great harm and tremendous good, which raises the question, “How am I able to control what comes out of my mouth?” In this week’s sermon we will be focusing on taming the tongue, and how the only answer is through our hearts.
As we begin the book of James, we will invest a week in an essential set up for the wisdom we will unpack for the remaining weeks of this exciting new series.
Video
Bible Project: Overview James https://youtu.be/qn-hLHWwRYY
This week we wrap up our series by talking about the posture that allows us to live life as God intended, Life With God.
We wrap up our four improper postures with a discussion on Life For God this week. What happens when our spiritual lives begin to form around our ego and need validation rather than our need for God?
Life Over God exchanges God for distilled down best practices and spiritual wisdom. But what does this exchange cost us?
This week we launch our series based in Skye Jethani’s book, With. Join us as we examine what it means to live life Under God.
The book of Kings is a tragic one, but in the midst of their greatest devastation is also a glimmer of their greatest hope.
Josiah stands out as one of the greatest examples of character in the Bible and is doubtless one of the best kings of Israel. Let’s find out what we can learn from his tremendous example.
Good is the enemy of great. This is true in the business world and Jehu shows us its also true in the spiritual world in 2 Kings 10.
For many of us, 2020 has been particularly difficult and distressing. In Kings, Elijah walked through a season like this one and we believe God’s response to him can be encouraging to us today.
The showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is one of the greatest stories in the Old Testament. But what is hidden away inside the story that can still punch us in the gut today? Listen and find out!
Rehoboam had every reason in the world to be a successful king, yet by all measures he was an abject failure. What was his mistake and what can we learn from it ourselves?
The fact that Israel ever even had a physical king stands out as a cautionary tale for us through the centuries. We will unpack that reality this week as we look at the real reasons why Israel demanded a king and what we can learn from that to help us today.
As we wrap up the series in Acts, we look at the way Paul invested the final years of his life and wonder how we can invest our similarly.
While the Apostles Paul and Silas were experiencing the Lord doing incredible things through them in their travels, their experiences were not all positive. This week we take a dive into Acts 16 as we see not only how Paul and and Silas worship God amidst hardship, but how that worship impacts the people around them.
In Acts 15, the disciples face the difficult problem of integrating gentiles in their faith. The resolution they reach sets some guideposts for us that should still mark our faith today.
In the conversation of Saul to Paul, we unearth a principle that illustrates exactly what is at stake when God offers us a chance to be used in his kingdom.
This week we arrive at one of the most inspirational stories in all of scripture, the stoning of Stephen. What boldness will this story inspire in you?
Everything happening in our country and culture right now makes us all wonder, what would God have us do now? This week we discuss God’s heart for racial equality and justice.
In Acts 2:42-47 we find a list of 7 distinctive characteristics of the early church that we believe we should still embody as the church. This is our second week exploring what those are and applying them to ourselves.
In Acts 2:42-47 we find a list of 7 distinctive characteristics of the early church that we believe we should still embody as the church. We will spend the next two weeks exploring what those are and applying them to ourselves.
In Acts chapter 2, Peter calls the Jewish crowd to a vitally important repentance. What is this repentance he asks for and how is it still applicable to us today?
This week we launch our new series based in the book of Acts and ask what sort of building block God uses to establish his church.
The parable of the Shrewd Manager is one of the most confusing and elusive parables in the Bible. But when we lean into it what we find is a very simple, yet very challenging message.
Abraham’s Bosom is one of the most layered and mysterious parables Jesus tells, but within it we find a clear message which leads us into a challenging question.
We all know the story of the Prodigal Son, but what if we could learn new things from this story that will help us see it in a whole new light?
This Easter doesn’t feel like most Easters. And we believe there is a special verse of comfort tucked away in the book of Isaiah that can she a whole new light on this Easter.
We all know that the story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that everyone is our neighbor. But what if there are other truths waiting for us in the nuances of this famous story Jesus tells?
Have you ever felt like your passion for Jesus has grown stale? Maybe you just wish you felt more than you did? This week Jesus tells a short but powerful parable that could help us with that tremendously.
In our first virtual service we pause our Storyteller series to focus on a particularly relevant conversation between Jesus and the disciples.
We begin our series in the parables by looking at the parable of the talents and allowing it to shape our life goals.
As we wrap up our campaign series, we take a Sunday to dream together about what God might do through the church we love so much.
This week, one of our long time partners, Doug Bergeson, shares with us his unique perspective on stewardship and generosity.
This week we discuss how we believe God would have Grace grow in our breadth of impact in our community through the ministry of evangelism.
As Grace moves forward in health, how do we intend to make disciples? How does Grace define discipleship and what does it look like for us to go through the process?
As we launch our campaign, we wanted to take a week and share with you all that has gone into this huge decision for our church as well as where we think God is taking us in the next phase of Grace.
All of us, at times, are mentally and emotionally unhealthy. What does it mean to pursue health and how can we help ourselves and others strive towards true health?
Do you want a better marriage? The Bible is rich with wisdom on how to go from surviving to thriving. Marriage is better with God at the center.
Even though the Bible doesn’t have much to say about parenting, what if there are themes in the families of scripture that can inform us on how to raise our children today? Listen as we explore what it means to parent biblically.
As we begin the new year, how does God want us to invest our time? We are busier than ever and maybe we don’t need to be!
No one better personifies the joy of Christmas than Simeon in Luke 2. We are going to take a look at his joy and use it to help us understand what is really happening at Christmas.
Everyone wants to be happy at Christmas. We believe gratitude could be the key to unlocking a great Christmas and so much more.
The bible has a lot to say about forgiveness, but what does it really mean to forgive and how can we find joy in that?
Just as John The Baptist was called to be a witness to the light of Christ, so were we. We should not simply witness out of obligation, but out of the joy that comes from knowing Christ.
Whether we realize it or not, we are in a battle every day. What should we do about that? Ephesians 6 tells us.
Ephesians 4 and 5 answer the common question of how Christians should live by telling us to be imitators of Christ. But that’s a pretty tall order! How in the world are we supposed to do that?
Ephesians 4 presents us with 5 spiritual gifts from Jesus. What are they? How do they work? Which one are you? Listen to find out!
This week we arrive at a crucial prayer that Paul prays for the church in Ephesus and in turn, all Christians everywhere. We believe that understanding this prayer can change the way we understand everything else.
Who are we? Why are we here? What am I supposed to do with my life? These are questions everyone has asked for all of time and ones that are uniquely answered in Ephesians 2:10.
The book of Ephesians begins with the rich reminder that, as followers of Christ, we are spiritually blessed in Christ. Even when our material blessings seem low, we are chosen before the foundation of the world by a loving God who cannot be shaken.
As we wrap up our series, we spend a week talking the Feast of Weeks and the resulting truth that we are a people of the Second Pentecost.
This week we take a look at the Feast of Firstfruits and how it neatly sums up all the festivals we have studied already.
In this fourth week of our Feast series, we look at Passover and Exodus 2:23-25. Just as the Israelites earnestly cried out their need for the Father and rescued them, when we earnestly and honestly admit our brokenness to God and our inability to fix our lives ourselves, He will rescue us.
The Feast of Trumpets was an invitation to stop thinking about what we want from God and remember all the good things he has given us. What if we were to stop and do that today?
Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement, was known as the holiest of days in the Jewish calendar. This week we take a look at how Jesus was the fulfillment of all of the theatre and wonder of that holy day.
As we kick off our new series, we focus on the Feast of Trumpets and ask: “What does God want for us in the coming year?”
As we finish up our summer series, we take a look at a passage with perhaps the most obscure heroes in the Bible, Hebrews chapter 11.
This week we dive into the story of Josiah, one of the only good kings and the youngest king of Israel. What can we learn from this fascinating figure?
Rahab was a foreign woman caught up in a life of hopelessness and sin. She was a broken thing that God used to create beauty and he can do the same with us.
Nathan was a prophet who was given the terrifying task of speaking truth to power. He stands as an example of faithfulness and courage even to this day. What can we learn from this tremendous example of faithfulness and courage?
In part 4 of our series, we look at the story of Eli, who stands as a shining example in scripture of faith in the face of tragedy.
In our third week of Obscure Heroes, we take a look at the story of Namaan getting healed of leprosy and ask the question, “How is this healing relevant to us in 2019?"
In week 2 of Obscure Heroes, we explore Deborah’s story. What can we learn from her life and leadership that can help us with ours?
The central question running throughout the entire Bible and all of human history is this: “Do you believe, are you completely convinced, that God is both able and willing to provide what’s best for you?” Our human struggle is that sometimes our answer is: “No! Not always!” We’re simply not convinced... at least not enough to give up complete control.
So, we decide for ourselves what’s best. And when we do that, we forfeit some portion of the abundant life that God so desperately wants for us. And that’s why Gamaliel is a hero. His wisdom and insight remind us again that God is true to His Word -- always -- and is going to do what He promised to do. If I’m going to trust God completely -- not rely on my own wisdom, but surrender control in all areas of my life, not just some of them – I need that assurance.
As we wrap up our series on spiritual disciplines, this week we discuss a few disciplines or practices that sometimes get a little less attention than the others.
Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing. This instruction feels impossible to many, but what if there were a way to approach or think about prayer that helped us become far more consistent in the discipline?
When we worship authentically, we are glorifying God in His presence with our voices, bodies and hearts.
This week we kick off our new series discussing a discipline we all know we need, but but very few of us actually have.
This week we finalize our series on the Holy Spirit by tackling the question of how exactly we are to experience the Spirit.
This week we take a look at the roles of the Spirit. We know him as our Helper, but how exactly does he help us?
This week we discussed the gifts of the Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 and learned that spiritual gifts are God's on the job training and are an affirmation of and an invitation into the privilege of ministry.
Jesus told the disciples that it was better for us that he was leaving so that we could receive the Spirit, which is an audacious claim. This week we will take some time and examine how that claim can possibly be true.
Erin Winston, Grace Kids pastor, looks at one of the forgotten heroes of the Bible, Gideon. If you have ever felt as if you are not good enough, not skilled enough or not qualified for a task you have been asked to do, then the story of Gideon should be a heartening one for you!
In John chapter 21 we find one of the most restorative, hope-giving conversations ever recorded in the Bible. This week we look at that conversation and reflect on what it might mean to us.
All of us will face a Saturday during our lives – a time of hardship when we may feel as if God is silent. But the silence of Go doesn’t equal the absence of God. Sunday is coming – and Jesus ALWAYS comes through!
This week we cover the most gratitude-inspiring story in the Bible — the crucifixion of Jesus.
John 17 contains the longest recorded prayer of Jesus. This prayer reveals his heart for the world and for you. Let’s look at what Jesus most wants for his children.
All Jesus asks of us is to abide in him. What is required of us to “abide” and what happens if we actually do it?
In John chapter 13, Jesus gives us a new commandment. What is the commandment and what does it mean to us as Jesus followers?
In part 6 of our John series, we look at John 10:10, a verse so powerful that if you actually believe it will change your life forever.
What motivates you to follow Jesus? Have you ever thought about it?What if there is one motivation to follow Jesus that is actually the right one? Would you want to know if that were your motivation?
How does a conversation that Jesus had with a Samaritan woman connect to our lives? Spoiler: much more than you would think.
Why did Jesus call John the Baptist the greatest man to ever live? We think the answer to this question could profoundly change all of our lives.
John opens his gospel with a startling and stunning claim. This claim doesn’t just establish who Jesus is, but what he does for us.
This week we launch a new series exploring the book of John by focusing on two questions: 1) Why should we study a gospel; and 2) what is unique about John’s perspective?
We wrapped up our META19 student conference by discussing the need for all of us to do our parts to make sure the generations behind us have a deep and rewarding knowledge of Jesus.
Change is hard. Sometimes spiritual change is the hardest – but that’s all right! This week we learned the value in the process of spiritual transformation.
Just like simply going to the gym doesn’t make us physically healthy, neither does simple church attendance or involvement make us spiritually healthy. This week we look at what a commitment to spiritual health entails.
There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian. This week we talked about why others are so fundamental to our spiritual health.
We know that being new to a church can be hard. This week we cover five things we would love to tell everyone who walks through the doors of Grace Raleigh.