Grace Chapel Knoxville Sermons

This Sunday we dove into the book of Hebrews and explored how Jesus as our perfect and eternal High Priest has provided rest for us. So much of our life can be wrapped up in striving - to face our own sin and struggles, to grapple with the difficulties of the world around us, even just to maintain and endure during hard seasons. Yet, Jesus offers us peace and hope in the midst of the storms of this life. As Hebrews 6:19-20 says, Jesus has gone before us into the holy place as an anchor for our souls - may we find comfort and rest in the presence of God now and always!

Thanks for joining us this week as we explore Paul’s second letter to Timothy. There is a great need in the church for people to step into their God-given areas of influence with real purpose. In this letter, Paul emphasizes some key aspects of leadership that we would do well to walk in. We are all called to have Kingdom influence in our lives, so let’s purpose to tend our faith, pour into others, and be rooted in gospel truth.

Merry Christmas! Today we are discussing the important and challenging issue of reconciliation. Paul writes to encourage his brother in Christ Philemon to see the power of love, forgiveness, and fellowship to help bring about healing in a broken relationship. I’m believing that during this season as we remember and celebrate Jesus coming to earth to reconcile us to God, that as his disciples we would participate in the process of reconciliation in our relationships with one another. “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” (Philemon vs. 7)

Our world is in desperate need of hope. Not some pie in the sky wishful thinking in order to cope in a hard world, but instead something solid and lasting that can offer real hope in the midst of life’s difficulties. As we discuss in today’s sermon, Jesus is the only source of true lasting hope. We can discover this hope as we trust in the promise of heaven, believe in the glorious work Jesus is doing in us, and cooperate with Him to live a fruitful life sharing this hope with a world in need.

Happy Thanksgiving! Dear friends, as we gather to celebrate this week let’s all purpose to voice our gratitude. Take time to open your heart to the Lord and thank Him for His faithfulness, and be purposeful to speak encouragement into the lives of your friends and family as you express your love and gratitude for them. May we all be filled with courage as we embrace thanksgiving and give it its full expression in our lives! “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3)

This week we explore the Power of Grace as we dive into Paul’s letters to the Galatian and Ephesian churches. All that Jesus is calling us into and longs fur us to enjoy are possible because of His Grace. God’s Grace is directly accessed through a personal relationship with Him. His very presence in our lives brings Grace that empowers us to be free, to grow and be fruitful, and to walk in victory. Let’s not settle for anything less than Amazing Grace!

Thanks for joining us today, as we discuss the important issue of receiving godly correction. My hope is that we can learn how to position ourselves to receive the hard things we need to hear from time to time. Let’s always emphasize gospel truth, prioritize gentleness and love, and then purpose to allow our Jesus-centered relationships to be a source of godly correction in our lives. “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)

This Sunday we are exploring the power of living in Christian Community. In our churches today it has become common to love the idea of being in “real relationship" and yet we hold each other at arm's length, approach relationships from a selfish mindset, or walk away as soon as things get tough. Paul offers us an alternative perspective in his letters to the Corinthian church. He contends that we are too easily influenced by the culture around us and our own immaturity, and that living as ministers of reconciliation is the pathway to healthy relationships and our own spiritual growth as followers of Jesus.

Hi Beloved, Today we are going to spend a little time talking about comfort in affliction. Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth, begins by encouraging them regarding times of difficulty and suffering. He reminds them that we have a God who brings comfort in all seasons and that we are called to love and comfort each other as well. May we all become conduits of the love and comfort of Jesus. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3)

This week we explore the ever-important topic of God’s Love. It’s so essential for the church today to define love the way God does, and then to grow and mature into the people of love God is calling us to be. The health of the church; and the hope of a world in need are at stake, so let’s purpose to love God and love people as Jesus taught us!

In the midst of a long week of waiting for election results, let’s consider what Jesus calls us to in the waiting of this life. Paul encourages us in his first letter to the Corinthians to keep our eyes set on our future hope in Christ, and therefore to live a life that is steadfast, immovable, and purposeful in working for God’s Kingdom! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

This Sunday we started a series that will last several weeks as we begin to read through the NT letters to the church. There is a huge need in our day for the church to rediscover the power of God in our midst. This week as we work through Paul’s letter to the Romans, we explore the power of the gospel - how we have gotten off track, and how we ought to respond to God and see hope come to a world in desperate need.

Beloved, This week we are spending some time in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Early in this letter, Paul expresses his desire to spend some time in person with this church, and he shares the importance of mutual encouragement. My prayer for you today is that you would consider how the Lord is calling you to both give and receive encouragement in your relationships with other members of his body. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do . . . ” (Hebrews 10:25)

This week as we explore the second half of the book of Acts, we have a lot to learn from Paul and how he used his platform to spread the message of Jesus' Kingdom. Whether in the voting booth, interacting on social media, or just in private conversations, our political stance should always be dictated by our allegiance to our eternal King. May we all learn to use our voice and influence to focus on faithfully living and sharing the Good News of Jesus our Lord!

Thanks for joining us today as we spend a little time considering the example of some early followers of Jesus found in the book of Acts. May we all learn to be more and more at home in the family of God, eagerly receiving instruction from others, and spending regular time in His Word ourselves! “They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

This Sunday we begin the book of Acts and spend some time exploring the essential role that the Holy Spirit has in our lives. May we all be bold enough to step into new territory, experiencing the power and presence of God’s Kingdom in our lives, and choosing to share that life with a world in need.

This week we are exploring a short passage from Acts 8, where the Holy Spirit leads Philip on an adventure of faith. I’m believing that we can all learn to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice in our lives and grow in faith as we learn to trust and follow him daily! “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I (Jesus) go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

Today we explore a couple of stories found in John’s Gospel and see the powerful role that faith plays to bring healing and growth in our lives. Through moments of crisis - like suffering, loss, doubt, and failure - Jesus works to produce grace and peace in our hearts. May we experience Jesus as our anchor in the various seasons of this life, and may we grow in faith to receive life and healing in Him!

Today we are joined by Pastor Dave Buehring, who shares Part-2 of his sermon in the Gospel of Luke on the Kingdom of Heaven.

In this week's Letters to the Beloved in Knoxville, we hear from Pastor Alex, who shares from Romans. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (Romans 8:5-7) I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)