SERMON: It's Time - Week 3

It’s Time to Look Ahead with Hope! | A Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 An unexpected diagnosis. A frightening phone call. An empty place at the table. Death can make the future terrifying. We try to prolong life or keep ourselves busy enough to avoid thinking about its end. Yet our efforts cannot overcome the sin that brought death into our world. Where can we find lasting comfort? God directs our eyes to Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again. His victory gives us certainty about our future. When he returns, the dead in Christ will rise, and all his people will be gathered to be with him forever. The coming Judge is our Savior, who has secured our eternal life. This promise changes how we face today. We can grieve with hope, face uncertainty with confidence, and encourage one another with God’s sure Word. Even when our earthly lives draw to a close, our life with Jesus will never end. It’s Time: To Look Ahead with Hope. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

It’s Time to Act Like a Kid Again! | A Sermon on 1 John 3:1–3 Of all the blessings God gives, consider this one: he calls us his children! On All Saints’ Day, we marvel at the Father’s love and the joy of belonging to his family. Yet we often live as though we were on our own. We forget both the Father’s faithfulness and the identity he has given us. God answers our doubts with the certainty of his gospel. Jesus gave his life to forgive our sins and make us members of God’s family. We are his beloved children now, even when our feelings or circumstances suggest otherwise. And our future is secure: when Christ appears, we will see him and be like him. Death cannot separate the family he has gathered. This hope changes how we live today. Forgiven and loved, we learn to trust our Father, love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and reflect his character as we await our heavenly home. It’s time… to act like a kid again. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

It’s Time to Stand Steadfast! | A Sermon on Matthew 10:16–23 It’s easy to confess our faith when everyone around us agrees. But what happens when following Jesus costs us acceptance? Jesus prepares us for opposition and gives us promises on which to stand. The Savior who warns us about suffering is the Savior who suffered for us. His death and resurrection assure us of forgiveness for every failure and eternal life that no persecution can take away. This Reformation Sunday, we remember how God’s Word sustained believers like Martin Luther—and how that same Word strengthens us today. We face the world’s hostility with our Savior’s forgiveness, the Spirit’s help, and the certainty of salvation. It’s time… to stay steadfast! Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

It’s Time to Preach! | A Sermon on Luke 1:1–4; 24:44-53 Preaching is a pastor’s job, right? Yet Luke was a doctor who proclaimed Christ. God’s grace came to Luke and reached others through Luke, and that same grace has come to you. All Christians get the privilege proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins—not a prescription for saving ourselves, but good news about what our Savior has accomplished. That good news gives us joy before we ever share it. You don’t need a pulpit or a polished presentation to speak of Christ. You have a certain message, a single Savior, and people God has already placed within your reach. Your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers need the good news you have received. God’s grace to you becomes God’s grace through you. It’s time… to preach! Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

It’s time to rejoice in what God has done! | A Sermon on Isaiah 25:6-9 We often tell ourselves that we will finally rejoice when life gets better — when we have more security, better health, greater success, or fewer problems. Yet the things of this world cannot give lasting joy. They cannot remove our guilt, defeat death, or give us the righteousness we need before God. Like the guests in Jesus’ parable who wanted the feast on their own terms, we are tempted to look elsewhere for what only God can give. But God graciously invites unworthy sinners to his feast. Isaiah shows us the Lord who prepares salvation, swallows up death, wipes away tears, and removes disgrace. Jesus shows us a King who invites people into his kingdom. Paul reminds us that the gospel is the power of God for salvation and that righteousness is received by faith, not earned by us. God has done what we could never do for ourselves through Jesus Christ. God has done it all. God has done it for all. God has done it for our good. It’s time to rejoice in what God has done! Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

It’s time for listening that leads to living. | A Sermon on Matthew 21:33–46 God patiently speaks his Word into our lives, but does our listening lead to living? In Jesus’ parable, a generous vineyard owner provides everything his tenants need, yet they reject his messengers and kill his son. Their faithless response confronts us: What story are we telling ourselves about the many gifts God has entrusted to us? But Jesus tells this story on a mission of mercy. Knowing he will be rejected and killed, he willingly gives his life to forgive sinners—including us. His death and resurrection change our story. Forgiven in Christ and welcomed into his kingdom, we delight in producing its fruits—not to earn God’s love, but because we have it. His gospel transforms how we worship, gather, serve, give, and witness. It’s time for listening that leads to living! Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

Unexpected Truths: In Search of Humility | A Sermon on Philippians 2:1-11 We long for relationships marked by love, unity, and genuine concern for one another. Yet we live in a world that continually directs our attention toward ourselves: our feelings, our preferences, our happiness, our reputation. That message finds a willing audience in our hearts. God turns our eyes toward someone else: Jesus. Though true God, he willingly took the place of a servant and humbled himself to death on a cross. While we were looking out for ourselves, he was looking out for us. Our search for humility leads us to this Savior. Through his Word, the Holy Spirit draws our attention to Christ’s love and forms his mindset in us. Secure in his grace, we are freed to notice others, value them, and serve their needs. United with Christ, we grow in unity with one another. Looking to Jesus changes how we see the people beside us and how we love them. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

Unexpected Truths: Grace that leads to Gratitude | A Sermon on Genesis 8:15-22 When life is going well, gratitude often comes easily. We thank God for our health, our families, our homes, and the blessings we enjoy. But those things can change quickly. Sickness, loss, hardship, and disappointment can shake the things we normally depend on and make gratitude much harder. Today God shows us a deeper source of thanksgiving. Noah stepped out of the ark into a world that had been devastated by the flood, yet his first response was worship. His gratitude was not rooted in what he still possessed, but in the grace of the God who had seen him, rescued him, and kept his promises. The same is true for us. God’s greatest grace is found in Jesus, who rescued us from sin and judgment. Because God’s saving promises do not change, our gratitude does not have to depend on changing circumstances. God’s grace leads to unshakable gratitude. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

Unexpected Truths: Boundless Forgiveness | A Sermon on Matthew 18:21-35 When someone hurts us, forgiveness does not come naturally. We may want to keep a record of the wrong, demand repayment, or decide that we have forgiven enough. The deeper the hurt, the harder it can be to let go of what someone owes us. Even when we know that God calls us to forgive, our hearts may struggle to do so. Forgiveness without limits seems unexpected because it goes against our sinful nature. Today God reveals the unexpected truth of boundless forgiveness. Joseph forgives his brothers despite the evil they committed against him. Jesus tells of a king who mercifully cancels an unpayable debt, showing us the immeasurable mercy God has shown to us. Through Christ’s perfect life and sacrificial death, God has forgiven the debt of sin we could never repay. This forgiveness is not only ours to receive, but also ours to share. As Paul reminds us, we are called to forgive one another just as God in Christ has forgiven us. God’s grace transforms us from debtors into forgivers, moving us to show mercy from the heart, without keeping score. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/

Unexpected Truths: Spiritual First Responders | A Sermon on Matthew 18 When danger strikes, most people instinctively move away from it. Fire, violence, accidents, and disasters trigger a natural desire to find protection and safety. Yet first responders do the opposite. Firefighters, police officers, and paramedics run toward the very scenes others are fleeing. They enter burning buildings, approach violent situations, and kneel beside the injured in chaotic moments. This response is unexpected because it goes against basic human instinct. Today God calls us to be spiritual first responders when we see people in trouble because of sin. Instead of self-preservation and comfort, we choose service to them and to our Lord. Our motive is the grace of God and his desire for the salvation of all mankind. Visit TheWayChurchVA.com to learn more about The Way Church in Fredericksburg, VA! https://thewaychurchva.com/