5 Stones Church - Weekend Messages: Recent Episodes
5 Stones Church
5 Stones Church is a life giving, bible based church in Franklin, TN. We exist to honor God and love one another, becoming disciples, as we invite others to follow Christ with us. Here you'll find all of our weekends services to listen to. For video or live services, be sure to visit our website.
In the first chapter of 2 Thessalonians, Paul gives thanks for a church whose faith and love keep growing—even as they endure persecution and affliction. Pastor Sean Clarke walks through 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12, looking at what God does in His people through suffering and why the return of Christ gives believers reason to persevere.
Jesus teaches that giving, prayer, and fasting are expected rhythms of the Christian life—but never as a way to earn God's favor. In this message from Matthew 6, we explore how these spiritual disciplines flow from God's grace and draw us into deeper communion with Him. Rather than changing God's heart toward us, they transform our hearts to trust, desire, and depend on Him more fully.
The Forgiving King
Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant confronts us with the immeasurable mercy of God and the call to forgive others from the heart.
Biblical forgiveness does not mean pretending the wrong never happened, immediately restoring the relationship, erasing consequences, or instantly removing the pain. Instead, forgiveness releases the offense to God, reflects the mercy we have received from Him, and reveals Christ’s sanctifying work within us.
As we pray specifically, confess our sinful responses, and remain surrendered to Christ, forgiven people learn to forgive.
Laborers in the Vineyard
The landowner pays everyone the same wage — and the all-day workers grumble. This message from Matthew 20 unpacks how confusing earned wages with given grace breeds entitlement, how comparison turns gratitude into resentment, and how remembering we were once "outside the vineyard" turns our work into worship.
The Good Samaritan
A lawyer asks Jesus, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" — and Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan. In Part 1 of The Parables of Jesus, we discover that the Law is a mirror, not a ladder, and that the true Good Samaritan is Christ Himself, whose love is compassionate, caring, costly, and complete.
The Two Kingdoms
Paul's final charge to Timothy reminds every believer to faithfully preach God's Word, endure hardship, and fulfill the ministry God has entrusted to them. This message contrasts the temporary priorities of the world with the eternal hope found in Christ and challenges us to live with our eyes fixed on His appearing rather than the passing comforts of this life.
In 2 Timothy 3, Paul warns Timothy that difficult days will come—not merely because of unbelievers outside the church, but because of people who claim godliness while denying its power. Paul contrasts counterfeit faith with authentic faith and calls believers to remain anchored in Christ, committed to the church, and grounded in God's Word.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to recognize false teaching, pursue genuine Christlike character, persevere through hardship, and remain steadfast in the Scriptures that equip us for every good work. Authentic faith isn't measured by information alone, but by transformation through the power of Christ.
In Part 2 of our study through 2 Timothy, we examine Paul's call to faithful endurance in the midst of suffering. Writing from prison, Paul reminds Timothy that the gospel is worth suffering for because Christ is worth remembering, God's Word cannot be chained, and God's people need the message of salvation.
As believers entrusted with the gospel, we are called to pursue holiness, remain focused on Christ, and faithfully pass the truth to others. Even when following Christ is costly, the gospel continues advancing because God's purposes cannot be stopped.
As Paul writes his final letter, he challenges Timothy to live courageously and remain faithful to the gospel. Rather than pursuing comfort, reputation, possessions, or personal goals, believers are called to dependence, witness, service, and sanctification. This message reminds us to remember God's sovereign grace in salvation, trust His protection, follow gospel-centered examples, and faithfully guard the treasure entrusted to us through the Holy Spirit.
In a world filled with pressure, fear, striving, and uncertainty, God calls His people to live differently. Through Philippians 4:6–7, this message reminds us that peace is not found in greater control of our circumstances, but in deeper trust in Christ.
As culture pushes us to achieve more, compare more, fear more, and carry more, Scripture calls us to know Christ more, trust Christ more, and rest in Christ more.
No matter what burdens you are carrying today, Jesus invites you to cast your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.
Paul closes 1 Timothy by calling believers to flee the empty pursuits of this world and fight the good fight of faith. This message challenges us to trust God instead of wealth, pursue godliness, and live with eternity in view.
Real spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. In this message from 1 Timothy, we see how God grows His church through His Word, faithful people, and lives marked by integrity. Discover the difference between a cultural church and a biblical one — and how you can be part of what God is building.
In this message from 1 Timothy 4, we explore what it means to grow in the truth of Christ in a world full of distraction and deception.
Scripture warns that some will fall away—not by accident, but by attaching themselves to false teaching. So how do we stay grounded?
We look at:
Why people drift from the faith
The danger of trying to “earn” your way to God
What real spiritual growth actually looks like
How discipline leads to godliness
Why your life—not just your words—matters
Key Truth:
What we know to be true of Christ shapes how we grow in the truth of Christ—and what we show others of Christ.
📖 Passage: 1 Timothy 4:1–16
The church isn’t built on preferences—it’s built on truth.
In this message from 1 Timothy 2–3, we look at what it means for the church to be the “pillar and support of the truth.” From prayer and mission to leadership and godly character, this passage gives a clear picture of how God designed His church to function.
📖 Passage: 1 Timothy 2–3
🧱 Theme: The Church as the Pillar of Truth
This week we begin our series through the book of 1 Timothy.
What the Church believes shapes how we behave. But what is the actual goal of biblical teaching?
In this message, we see that the goal is not information, arguments, or religious performance—but love that flows from a transformed life.
Palm Sunday is a celebration—but it’s also a warning.
In Matthew 21, the crowd welcomed Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna!”—declaring Him King. But within days, everything changed.
What went wrong?
The issue wasn’t their enthusiasm.
It was their expectation.
They wanted a political deliverer.
Jesus came as a suffering Savior.
In this message, we unpack the dangers of:
Selective listening (hearing only what we want from God)
Conditional worship (praising Jesus only when He meets expectations)
Misaligned hope (wanting God to move… but on our terms)
Through the P.A.L.M. framework, we see what Jesus actually came to do:
Propitiate God’s justice
Atone for sin
Liberate from sin and death
Minister reconciliation through us
The same question the crowd faced is the one we face today:
👉 Are we following the real Jesus… or the one we prefer?
Every test reveals what’s in us. James shows the contrast between prideful, earthly wisdom and humble, godly wisdom—and calls us to live anchored in Christ through every season.
Our words reveal the condition of our hearts. In this message from James 3–4, we see how the tongue can build up or destroy, bless or curse. While no one can tame the tongue through self-discipline alone, God transforms our speech when we submit our hearts to Him. True maturity in Christ begins with humility and a heart surrendered to God.
Faith in Christ is more than belief—it is a life that demonstrates trust in Him through action. In the book of James, we see that trials give our faith a stage on which it can grow and mature. When believers encounter testing, they have an opportunity to stand firm in Christ and allow their faith to deepen.
James reminds us that faith must move beyond simply hearing God’s Word. Followers of Jesus are called to be doers of the Word, allowing the truth of Scripture to shape both their hearts and their actions. Genuine faith reveals itself in how we treat others, especially when it comes to favoritism. Showing partiality contradicts the character of God and is inconsistent with the gospel that calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Finally, James teaches that faith without action is dead. True faith produces visible fruit through compassion, generosity, and obedience. Every opportunity to serve others becomes a chance to demonstrate our trust in Christ. As believers grow in their relationship with Him, their faith becomes active, visible, and life-changing for the people around them.
Trials are not interruptions to our faith — they are the stage where our faith is revealed, refined, and strengthened. In James 1, we are reminded that perseverance is not how we earn God’s grace, but evidence of God’s grace at work in us.
When temptation comes, we don’t blame God. When deception whispers, we don’t doubt our Father. Instead, we ask for wisdom, trust His unchanging goodness, and receive His Word with humility.
Every trial gives our faith a stage to show itself — and to grow as we stand firm in Christ.
In Colossians 3:17–4:9, we see that following Jesus is not just personal — it’s relational. God uses our marriages, parenting, work, leadership, and everyday interactions to draw us into deeper union with Christ.
When we crave “more of the world,” we drift toward pride, entitlement, and self-centered living. But when we pursue “more of Christ,” our homes, workplaces, and conversations are transformed. Biblical submission, leadership, obedience, and authority are not about control — they are about honoring Jesus.
Because we belong to Christ, we live differently. We work as unto Him. We lead with love. We speak with grace. We pray with expectation. And we share the hope we have in Him.
Union with Christ changes everything.
In Colossians 3:1–17, Paul shows us what it looks like to live in union with Christ.
Because we have been raised with Him, our lives are no longer rooted in earthly identity but hidden with Christ in God. We are called to actively mortify sin, recognize the idols of the heart, and put on the new self that reflects the image of Christ.
Salvation reveals Christ in us. Sanctification reveals Christ through us. And one day, Christ will be revealed to all in glory.
This message walks through what it means to:
• Set your mind on things above
• Kill what belongs to your earthly nature
• Put on compassion, humility, and love
• Let the peace and Word of Christ rule your life
• Represent Jesus in everything you do
Christ is all, and in all.
In this message from Colossians 2, we explore Paul’s warning against spiritual deception and empty religious substitutes, and his call for believers to remain firmly rooted in Christ. Human philosophy, legalism, mysticism, and asceticism all promise spiritual depth but ultimately fall short. True wisdom, freedom, forgiveness, and fullness are found in Christ alone. Because Jesus fully reveals God and has defeated every opposing power, believers can walk in confidence, gratitude, and spiritual stability — complete in Him.
A verse-by-verse look at Colossians 1 highlighting God’s sovereign grace in rescuing, redeeming, and reconciling His people, and our calling to remain steadfast in the gospel and proclaim Christ.