Sound House Church

This sermon explores the destructive nature of pride, identifying it as the root of many sins and a significant obstacle to living a fulfilling life. It contrasts pride with humility ("Anavah"), which is presented as a posture of dependence on God and the key to unlocking the capacity to love others. The sermon draws on biblical examples and psychological studies to illustrate the negative consequences of pride and the positive benefits of humility, emphasizing that choosing humility leads to a life aligned with God's intentions and characterized by stronger relationships, happiness, and overall well-being.

In today's Easter message we discuss the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection to explore the concept of a hope that cannot die. It contrasts the fleeting nature of worldly hopes with the enduring hope found in the resurrection of Jesus. The message illustrates how this resurrection hope reaches people in various circumstances – the brokenhearted, the reluctant, the ashamed, the demoralized, and even the antagonistic – and ultimately calls on listeners to consider if they possess this unfailing hope.

This sermon explores the "Prayer of Will," a prayer of surrender where we align our desires with God's plan, even when it differs from our own. Using Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane as a model, it delves into the battle between our will and God's will, highlighting the importance of trust, obedience, and recognizing God's goodness. The sermon contrasts the expectations of the crowd on Palm Sunday with Jesus' ultimate act of surrender, emphasizing that God's will, though often challenging, leads to a greater purpose, as seen in the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice

This sermon explores the “Prayer of Completion,” focusing on the Christian hope for Jesus' return and the restoration of all things. It emphasizes that this hope provides vision and endurance for believers as they navigate the present while eagerly anticipating the future. Using biblical examples and Jesus' teachings, the message encourages active and faithful stewardship in the waiting period, urging believers to live out God's will on Earth as it is in Heaven. Ultimately, it's a call to embrace the “Come, Lord Jesus” prayer with anticipation and live in a way that reflects that longing.    

This sermon explores the concept of "calling" and vocation, addressing the common misunderstanding that only those in traditional ministry roles have a true calling. It delves into the history of this misunderstanding, highlighting the Reformation's emphasis on everyone being called to serve God through their unique roles and talents. The message emphasizes that every believer has both a general calling (to follow Christ) and a specific calling (to use their gifts to serve God and others). Using Isaiah's prayer as an example, the sermon encourages listeners to offer themselves willingly to God's plans, trusting that God will equip them for the task. Ultimately, it's a call to embrace one's unique contribution to God's kingdom and respond with "Here I am, send me".

This week's sermon explores the "Dangerous Prayer" of examination, found in Psalm 139:23-24, where we invite God to search our hearts and reveal any offensive ways within us. Just as we might avoid a doctor's visit for fear of what we’ll discover, we often hesitate to fully surrender to God’s examination. However, this sermon encourages us to trust God's goodness and perfect timing, allowing Him to conduct a "heart audit" to expose and address those areas that hinder our relationship with Him. It's a call to complete surrender and a willingness to confront any inconvenient truths, ultimately leading to freedom and the incomparable fruit of walking in the Spirit.

This sermon explores the concept of "Oikos," which refers to the people within our sphere of influence—those we love, respect, and trust. The message emphasizes that every Christian is called to be a witness for Christ, sharing their personal experiences and knowledge of Him with others. We all have an Oikos, a God-given network of relationships, and we are responsible for sharing the Gospel with them. The message encourages us to embrace our role as witnesses, focus on our Oikos, and understand our "why" – our purpose and passion for sharing the love of Christ with those around us.

As we begin to close our Galatians series, we unpack Paul's closing instructions on practical Christian living. We explore themes of restoring fallen believers, bearing each other's burdens, and focusing on our own growth instead of comparing ourselves to others. The message emphasizes the importance of generosity, humility, and living to please the Spirit in order to reap a spiritual harvest. 

In this sermon, we explore the concept of Christian freedom and how it connects to the message of the Gospel. We examine Galatians 5, where Paul addresses the Galatian church's confusion regarding the practice of Jewish law. Paul emphasizes that true freedom comes from faith in Christ alone and warns against using this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Instead, he calls for believers to serve one another through love, which is the fulfillment of the law. The sermon also highlights the opposing forces of the flesh and the Spirit, encouraging believers to walk by the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.          

Todays message on Galatians 3 deals with the concept of legalism, which is defined as looking to something besides Jesus Christ for acceptance and cleansing before God. Paul emphasizes the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus and not being distracted by other things. We also discuss the relationship between faith and works, arguing that while we are justified by faith alone, our works make our faith visible. This message concludes by discussing the purpose of the Law, which is to illuminate the principles of living set apart for God, reveal sin, and show the need for atonement. Because we have Christ we receive we are no longer under the law but sons and daughters of the law giver. We hope that this message will compel you closer toward your Identity in Christ. 

This sermon "Galatians - The Gospel of Grace" emphasizes the transformative power of God's grace and warns against the dangers of legalism. We discuss the apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians to illustrate how the message of grace can be distorted by those who would add works of the law to the gospel message. This message also also highlights the importance of remaining true to the gospel, even when faced with opposition, and encourages believers to live in the freedom that Christ has won for them.          

This sermon discusses the challenges and rewards of change, emphasizing that it is a constant in life. Ryan argues that people do not resist change itself, but rather resist being changed. The sermon then explores the role of community in facilitating growth and change, highlighting the importance of care, mutual encouragement, and accountability among believers. It emphasizes the necessity of community support in navigating the "drift" that can lead people away from their faith. He then concludes by underscoring the value of mutual encouragement and accountability in the Christian journey.             

In today's message, we're focusing on the importance of conviction in our spiritual journeys and the process of transformation. We emphasize that conviction, often inspired by the Holy Spirit, is crucial for spiritual growth and change.  This message also highlights the need to soften our hearts to be receptive to God's guidance, which can be achieved through humility and stillness.  We are encouraged to dismantle the walls of pride, fear, and busyness that prevent us from hearing the Spirit's call and to create space for God's voice through prayer and meditation.    

This message explores the beauty of God's love, emphasizing its power and transformative nature.  God's love is essential for life, just as the sun is for the earth. Christmas is a significant expression of God's love, culminating in the sacrifice of Jesus as the ultimate demonstration of this love. Our life's mission is to receive and share God's love freely to those we already love and to the stranger who needs to know God's love. We hope that this message encourages you in this Christmas season.