Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Deuteronomy 7 describes how God’s people are supposed to be distinctively different from the Canaanite nations they are about to displace. Moses grounds this call in the electing purposes of God. You see, Israel wasn’t just another people group peppering the pages of human history. No, Israel was chosen out of love to be holy among the nations for the glory of God. So, they needed to live in light of their identity. And we must do the same. Centuries later, the apostle Peter would look to the church and say, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession… Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy… that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9-10). May we learn to live distinctively because we are the elect of the true and living God.

Gospel Grace Church Sermon Audio

God's Distinct People

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Easter is a time when Christians celebrate the risen Savior. The biblical record explains how Jesus was crucified on behalf of sinners, and if that would have been the end of the story it would have been a tragedy. But instead, on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. He had victory over death. The tomb could not hold him, and as the Author of Life, he emerged that first Easter as Lord of all. As we prepare to worship our risen Christ, consider all that the resurrection means. It means Satan doesn’t get the last laugh. It means Jesus payment was enough. It means Christ is Lord even over death itself. It means the living Savior can offer life. It means so much to us. So, consider the resurrection and worship Jesus this Easter!

From Doubt to Faith

Speaker: Will Galkin - Christians know the endgame. God has revealed that one day He will conquer all evil and reign supreme over the universe. However, the people of God can often wonder about the chaos around them and question the reality of the Lordship of Christ. This possible confusion is why Jesus in Luke 13 did kingdom work by delivering a woman from an 18-year disabling spirit. Furthermore, Jesus shares the parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven to communicate that despite opposition and seemingly insignificance, the kingdom of God will prevail.

Palm Sunday: The Ever-Expanding Kingdom of God

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Have you ever thought about what it means to live a life that pleases God? Deuteronomy 10:12-13 provide a brief but memorable summary of a Godward life. Many scholars believe that this was one of Israel’s earliest catechisms. It starts with a question, “What does the Lord your God require of you?” And then it provides a short but comprehensive answer: “fear the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, love him, serve [him], and keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” This sort of life is only possible after God changes our hearts, but this sort of life promises the greatest satisfaction and blessing we could ever experience. So, may the Lord teach us to live for him.

A Life That Pleases God

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In our text, Moses talks to the nation of Israel about their entrance into the promised land of Canaan. They were about to be blessed beyond measure and inherit what they could only have dreamed of as former slaves in Egypt. And the temptation of blessed and victorious people is to attribute success to one’s own goodness instead of God’s graciousness. So, Moses made it clear that the favor of God is a gift to be received not a prize to be earned. His blessings are tokens of divine generosity, not rewards for personal merit. Christians can learn some important lessons from Moses’ sermon. Our salvation, and all the blessings that accompany it, are not because of our righteousness but according to his mercy. And the only appropriate response to such grace is to praise and worship God. May the Lord deepen our humility and enlarge our gratitude for his grace.

Confidence in a Gracious God

Speaker: Josh MacAvoy - Have you ever been in a social setting where someone, maybe it was you, did something incredibly awkward, embarrassing, and sadly memorable? Our parable for this week is at the center of one of those awkward social encounters. In the middle of a dinner party an obvious and well-known sinner begins to make a scene. People begin to wonder. Doesn’t she understand this is not the place? What is she doing? Why isn’t Jesus stopping her? As these questions are thought and whispered, Jesus teaches through a parable. And through it all, we find that the dinner guests didn’t understand this woman’s actions because they didn’t understand key elements of forgiveness. But it is not just the dinner guests of that particular party that don’t understand forgiveness, we too struggle to understand key elements of forgiveness. By including this parable in the Gospel of Luke, God is teaching what we need to understand about forgiveness. Read Luke 7:36-50 to understand the story and prepare for our time together this Sunday.

The Power of Great Forgiveness

Speaker: Paul Campbell - Why does Jesus warn us about being His disciple? It looks like Jesus is trying to talk people out of following Him. Why would He do this? Jesus wants to make sure that any potential follower takes the time to count the cost. And, the cost is high! Being a disciple of Jesus will cost you your family, your safety, and everything that you own. Are you ready for this? Are you really His disciple? If you are already a disciple of Jesus, what are you still hanging onto that has taken priority over your discipleship? Jesus is going to show us that following Him will cost you everything! This sounds appalling to the unbeliever. But to the follower of Jesus, this truth means life.

Following Christ Will Cost You Everything

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Some people look at the Israelite’s forty years of wandering in the wilderness and think, “What a waste!” But God actually had good intentions and purposeful plans for his people during that season of difficulty. You see, in times of adversity, God can work blessings. And the opposite is true as well. In times of blessings, we can be struggle with new forms of adversity. When the Israelites entered the promised land with all its abundance, they encountered a new set of spiritual challenges. But whether it’s a place of difficulty or blessing, God wants his people to depend on him alone. The wilderness can’t kill, and the promised land can’t fill – we live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Depend on God Alone

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Jesus was once asked which commandment was greatest. His response came from Deuteronomy 6:5 “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” This is the first and greatest command. What God wants is a love for him that eclipses and displaces all others. And it’s not an unfounded desire. You see, God deserves our love because he alone is the Lord of glory. All other loyalties should be uprooted, and all other idols should be torn down because he alone is worthy of our worship, affection, and devotion. May the Lord teach us to love him, fear him, and serve him with all that we are and all that we have. May he be glorified through our lives.

One Lord, One Love, One Loyalty

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - As the people of Israel gathered for worship, Moses reminded them of God’s majesty, and his word’s authority. At Mount Sinai, the people beheld the glory of God and heard the word of God, and that was supposed to make a life-long impact. Whenever God reveals himself it is a work of grace, and the only appropriate response is to draw near in a relationship of reverence and obedience. That’s precisely what the people of God did in Deuteronomy 5. Consequently, the Lord promised his blessing to all those who lived according to his will. The lesson of our text this week is that God reveals his glory so that we might live in relationship and experience his rewards. May the Lord open our hearts to receive his word such that we hear and do it.

Revelation, Relationship, and Rewards

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - God ordained the government to promote good and punish evil (Rom. 13:3-4). But the current realities of abortion in our country depict great failure on the part of the state. Our government is not protecting the innocents nor is it penalizing the guilty. Instead, it has abdicated its responsibility and millions of unborn babies are paying the price. If we believe the bible, then we must speak out against the injustice of abortion. If we believe the gospel, then we must compassionately introduce sinners to a God who forgives entirely, heals deeply, and restores completely. Our holy God hates abortion. But our loving God forgives sinners. May the Lord lead us in both grace and truth as we consider the sanctity of life this Sunday.

God's View of Abortion and You

Speaker: Jon Kopp - In today’s text, we find Jesus’ last counsel to his disciples before He goes to the cross. And, as He prepares them for the difficulty that they will face in the days ahead, He is concerned with something surprising—their joy. He wants them to know that even as they face deep sorrow and difficulty–even personal failure--they could find a joy that “no-one could take away from them.” A joy that “asks anything of the Father and it will be given to them” A joy that “is courageous in the face of trouble.” In Jesus, we can have courageous joy. This is what Jesus wanted His disciples to remember as he was taken from them and mocked and beaten and hung on a cross to die. "In me, you have everything that you need to face the coming days, because in me, you have courageous joy." I love how Athanasius, one of the early church Fathers speaks of the importance of living in that same joy. ”Let us be courageous and rejoice always, believing that we are safe. Let us consider that the Lord is with us, who broke evil’s power. Let us consider and lay to heart that while the Lord is with us, our foes can do us no hurt…If they see us rejoicing in the Lord, contemplating the bliss of the future, mindful of the Lord, deeming all things in His hand, and that no evil spirit has any strength against the Christian, nor any power at all over us—they are discomfited and turned backwards. Thus, if we are wishful to despise the enemy, let us ponder over the things of the Lord, and let the soul ever rejoice in hope.”

Courageous Joy

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Welcome back to Deuteronomy. Like a long-lost friend we are looking forward to returning to this rich book of the Bible in 2021. In Deuteronomy 5 we are going to encounter the second giving of the Decalogue (popularly known as the Ten Commandments). God’s plan was to describe principles of covenant relationship that would bring life to his people. As the One who redeemed them from slavery and graciously led them to the promised land, God wanted to reveal his will so that they could flourish. As we encounter this well-known list, let’s ask God to help us “hear,” “learn,” and “do” what he commands. Let’s ask God to help us abide in the vine and bear the fruits of covenant love and obedience.[1] Let’s look to Jesus for mercy and strength since he perfectly fulfilled the law and is willingly imputes his righteousness to all who believe in him.

When God Speaks

Praying that Calms Your Storms in Life

Speaker: Dr. Sam Horn - "Paul’s fundamental concern is the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To that end, he has worked, prayed, and asked for prayer that the word of the Lord would speed ahead and be honored and that he and his companions would be delivered from wicked and evil men. Paul’s prayer for deliverance is not motivated by concern about his own health or security but by his desire to advance the gospel. Knowing that his calling will lead to confrontation with those in Thessalonica or elsewhere who do not love Christ, Paul nevertheless boldly proclaims the truths and responsibilities of the gospel. He reminds his readers (and us) that the Lord is faithful and will establish and guard his people against the Evil One. Established on these glorious gospel truths of God’s faithfulness, Paul communicates his confidence that the Thessalonians and all true believers will do the things that Jesus Christ and his apostles command." - Gospel Transformation Bible

Praying that Transforms Your Life

Gospel Grace Church exists as a church to honor God by making gospel-centered, grace-saturated disciples of Jesus Christ.