Gracelife Sarasota

What do you do when someone in your church doesn’t share your convictions? Not about Jesus. Not about salvation. But about how a Christian should dress. What worship should sound like. How to parent. How to engage with culture. What do you do when someone’s walk with Jesus doesn’t look like yours? Most of us make snap judgments. We size people up. One conversation about money, parenting, schooling… and we quietly file them into categories. Faithful. Immature. Legalistic. Worldly. Safe. Problematic. But what if those categories don’t belong to us? What if the real issue isn’t them at all… but our pride? How we tend to rank or put our priorities & desires over people? Is your obsession w/being right about 2ndary opinions louder than your gratitude for the redeemed, you and others Have we made our favorite traditions an arbitrary proof or marker for spiritual growth? Ch14 confronts all of that. This might be one of the most needed lessons for the modern American

Is there anyone you think of when you hear words like Payback, Retribution, Revenge, Comeuppance, Grudges, Vengeance? Is there someone you wish would experience some of these things? Why is it so easy & natural for us to hold onto someone’s failure, and so hard to extend grace & forgiveness? Why do we treat payback like it’s justice, or bitterness, like it’s righteous wisdom? We don’t say it out loud, but many of us are walking through life carrying receipts. We keep proof of how we’ve been wronged, stacked and ready. But those receipts are heavy, and they’re hurting us. They distort our worship, poison our relationships, and dim the light we’re called to shine in the world. Jesus never modeled retribution. He never once encouraged payback—so why are we so comfortable with it? The way we respond when we’ve been hurt is a clear sign of whether grace is something we actually believe in. If we’ve been rescued from darkness, then it’s ti

What if your attitude toward the government is actually a window into your view of God? What if the way you talk about politics says more about your theology than your party? Let’s be real, some of us have stronger opinions about Washington than we do about the Word of God. When your guy is in office, you’re blessed. When he’s not, you’re persecuted. We’ve acted like the Kingdom of God is hanging by a thread every time there's a new bill, scandal, or election cycle. But if your faith can’t survive the wrong president, your faith might be in the wrong king. And don’t worry, I’m not here to bash your favorite leader or defend your least favorite one. This isn’t about red or blue, left or right, MAGA or woke. This is about if we really trust the God we say we follow. We live in a world where our politics has become our identity, our passion, a modern-day American idolatry. Do you believe He’s in control even when the headlines are wild? Or hav

Is it possible we have come to a severe misunderstanding of what worship really is? What if it’s not about the atmosphere, the songs, what you feel in the moment, but your life when the moment is over? Could it be that real spiritual worship of God is less about singing, but more about something you become? We must not confuse a moving worship experience with a life that’s actually being transformed. Worship isn’t measured by your emotional response during a worship set, but by obedience when the songs are over. God’s intention in providing you with His sovereign grace is to completely rewire everything about how you live. Like… How you speak about others when they aren’t around. How you show up to serve when you’re tired. Your work ethic when there isn’t a public or monetary reward. Repenting quickly when you’re wrong. Generosity when others are in need, even when money is tight. Being in community even when you don’t feel like it. Having

What drives your worship? Is it mood? Music? Memories? Or is it just a deep love for a certain kind of vibe? We live in a moment where worship is being rebranded as an experience to consume rather than a response to truth. Worship music has become a global industry, and while I’m grateful for its growing impact, I’ll be honest. Part of me still struggles with how easily any kind of ministry can start to feel like big business. Sometimes it feels like worship is a top 20 playlist. This isn’t criticism, it’s just something I wrestle with in my spirit. Biblically, worship is what happens when the Spirit of God opens our eyes to the truth of God’s Word. It’s what happens when the revelation of God’s truth breaks through our pride… & gratitude breaks loose in our hearts. Today we’re going to watch that happen, not in a song set, but at the end of a theological argument. Real worship isn’t lit by stage lights or stirred by harmonies; it ignites w

I’ve seen diff kinds of faith: Loud, boastful kind celebrating itself on FB, the quiet, smug kind that always has to be right. We see in recovery. When People get some clean time, they have a presumption they are better than other people. I’ve seen faith that sings the songs, says the prayers, shows up on Sunday, and thinks: “I get it. Others don’t.” The kind that sounds like faith… until the trials come, the fruit doesn’t show, and the roots are exposed. How can you tell if what you call faith is actually really just spiritual pride in disguise? Because spiritual pride can mimic faith. It can look alive, sound sincere, and even seem obedient, for a while. But when testing comes, it withers. And what’s left isn’t really faith at all… it’s just dry, religious bark with no fruit. The scariest kind of pride is the kind that hides behind devotion, the kind that never really produced any fruit at all. Today, we’re going to look it

Do you realize God has chosen people like you and me to represent Him in this world? Have you ever wondered why? We're flawed, messy, often inconsistent. We stumble, struggle, and rarely feel qualified for anything deeply spiritual. Wouldn’t God be better off using the powerful, or the smartest, brightest, best looking people? If you were God, would you trust someone like yourself to carry an eternal message of hope and salvation? But what if the whole point is God intentionally chooses the least likely to carry the most important message? What if the fact that you feel unworthy or unqualified is the very thing makes you the perfect candidate in God's eyes? Today, we're going to explore one of the most surprising truths about God's plan to change the world. He doesn’t primarily use flashy speakers or religious celebrities; most often, He intentionally chooses ordinary, flawed, ugly, dirty vessels like Scotty T to carry a precious treasure; His most important message. If you've ever doubted your

Last week I joined 8,000 Sarasota drivers in the last 4 weeks who got a speeding ticket from the new 24/7 School Zone Safety program traffic cameras, mine stamped 9 p.m. when only thing in the crosswalk might be a hungry raccoon. My wife graciously handed me the envelope. My response? “Good! I deserve it. Totally fair. I love justice! Praise God!” Ever felt justice was robotic—and unfair? Some people feel the same way when they meet our text today. Is God unfair? - Is grace unfair, the idea that no one gets a second chance unless God grants it? Is mercy supposed to be for everyone? Why does one heart melt while another hardens? Upbringing, IQ, sheer effort? What if mercy has nothing do with whether people are smart enough to ask, but a rescue for people who never would Paul says the real answer kills our human pride, and through that, also rescues us from its dangerous consequences. Paul expected this to sting. But Paul’s goal isn’t pain; it’s to shatter pride

Isn’t a church supposed to be where humble people come together in gratitude, to worship God, and love one another? Isn’t a place like GraceLife the last place that should be in conflict, where we look down on others in our church family? I’ve seen churches fracture over church growth strategy, worship style, liturgy, leadership, politics, even social-justice. Why do we get so angry? Don’t we all come from the same desperate place? Don’t we all follow Jesus? Let me be clear: this isn’t about defending the Gospel, that noble fight is our calling. But churches lose their focus! When a church forgets God’s sovereignty and God's grace, we all drift toward pride, entitlement, and division. We wander far away from the fight, the frontlines, back in the barracks, squabbling about the color of the paint. These are symptoms of arrogance, we’ve forgotten how overwhelming God’s grace is, how helpless we are without it. If you’re worn out by church dr

One of my jobs as a pastor is funerals. Funerals are hard. Families hurting, grieving, trying to make sense of the pain. Sometimes they are struggling with regret or shame, like they could have done more, or loved the one they lost more. That’s why in almost every funeral I do, like for James yesterday, I turn to today’s passage in Romans. You’ll see why. In those moments, people don’t need pious clichés, polished religion, “thoughts & prayers. They need something real. They need rock-solid truth. They need to know for certain that God hasn’t let go. That He’s still holding on. But here’s the thing: this passage wasn’t actually written for funerals. It was written for life. Why do we wait until a funeral, a crisis, or when it feels like it’s too late, to turn to promises meant for everyday life? Paul wrote these words so all of us would know, in good times or bad, God’s sovereign grace has no limit and no rival. So all God&#

Let’s be honest, there are few theological concepts that seem to make modern Christians tense up like predestination. Some people hear predestination and don’t like it because it makes it seem like God is some cold, cosmic chess master. Others weaponize it like a trophy, proud they “get it,” looking down on the people who don’t. Others avoid it altogether, nervously tiptoeing around it, afraid that saying the word out loud might start a theological fight. But here’s the irony: when Paul taught this doctrine, it wasn’t to stir up debates, inflate egos, or make people squirm. It was to give a suffering 1st-century church comfort, to remind the redeemed that in a world wrecked by pain and uncertainty, God’s plan hasn’t fallen apart—and it never will. He wants them to remember their salvation didn’t begin with them. It started with God, and it’s still in His hands. Today, I hope to pull resentment, arrogance, and fear out of prede

Have you ever butted heads with someone you didn’t know all that well that turned into a precious relationship? Did you ever have a coach, or teacher who seemed to unfairly ride you, but some became a lifelong mentor you loved? They pushed you harder because they saw more in you than you saw in yourself, and later in life, you understood why. It’s precious when someone who feels like an enemy suddenly feels like family. Take that story and stretch it to eternity. Picture God, who started off as a judge condemning your sin - standing up, ripping the rap sheet in two, and saying, “Come here—call Me Dad.” This is the miracle Paul is about to unfold: the moment when God the Judge becomes God the Father. Do you feel like you have a lot of work to do in this whole ‘God’ area? You want His blessings but don’t deserve them? Does your past feel like this insurmountable obstacle between how you feel God sees you vs. who you want to be? Paul’s about to show

Social Media is full of influencers & self-help gurus preaching about hidden virtue waiting to be unleashed inside your heart. You also hear a lot of this in our recovery community, in the rooms etc. That inner strength is the key to success. It’s the core of Eastern mysticism, New Age thinking: that you can tap into some inner reservoir of goodness. That we have the power within us to conquer whatever lies ahead. But what if Scripture says the exact opposite? What if, apart from Christ, there is no divine spark inside us, but a rebellious, rotting sin nature, itching to break out? Searching for redemption within is like digging through a landfill hoping to find buried treasure. You can meditate all you want, cultivate a positive mindset, even convince yourself you hold something sacred. This is a hard truth, but it can also be liberating: There’s nothing of eternal value in our fallen hearts without Christ. We need righteousness that doesn’t come from within, a Rescuer outside of us&#x

How many Easters have come and gone, with familiar sermons leaving your heart unchanged? Maybe what we need isn’t another typical Easter message, but a fresh encounter with resurrection power. This morning, we’re focusing on Lazarus’s story in John 11, which happened just a few days before Jesus’ resurrection. It’s kind of a preview of the Power of Jesus, and what He can do with all the dead places in our lives, and in our world. Places of spiritual deadness, dark corners of hidden hurts, regrets, dead ends & burdens we’ve all carried here today. Let’s be honest: our world is steeped in the power of death—broken relationships, crushed dreams, spiritual emptiness. If the resurrection doesn’t speak to the daily funerals of our hearts, how can we trust it with our eternity? Because witnessing resurrection power should provide hope in every kind of “death” we might face in this life. Resurrection power isn’t just about what happen

Have you ever felt stuck in a relationship you just couldn’t make work—constantly trying, constantly failing? Have you ever been in a relationship that became toxic, not because of what the other person did, but it was all your fault? Ok, I see most of you with this puzzled look “No, not me, never. It's always been the other person’s fault.” Sometimes our spiritual lives feel like that: we’re trying to be “good enough,” but end up burdened with guilt & shame. Today, as we open to Romans 7, Paul uses a surprising analogy to explain how powerful grace is at providing Hope! He uses the analogy of marriage, a failing one at that, to illustrate just how powerful the grace of Jesus can be. He talks about marriage, death, and adultery… “Wait Pastor, I thought you said this was a hopeful sermon!” Paul’s example may feel jarring, but there’s a powerful reason behind it. You’re going to hear some powerful theology today, g

A discussion with Dr Nic Williams, pastor of South Shore Community Church in Sarasota Florida.

Let’s be honest—we love the idea of being in charge of our own lives. We don’t like being told what to do. We want to believe we’re the boss. The author. The ruler of our own little kingdom. We don’t like limits. We definitely don’t like being told we have a master, that someone or something else controls us. But here’s the truth that no one wants to admit: Self-rule is a facade. It’s an illusion dressed up to look like freedom. You’re not as independent as you think you are. You are not spiritually neutral. You are not spiritually free. We’re all serving something, or someone. The world tells us: “Be true to yourself.” “Follow your heart.” “You do you.” But Scripture says something else entirely. It says your heart isn’t free, it’s bound. It says you’re not the master—you’re the servant. It says every soul has an owner. Every life is shaped by a master. So, the qu

We love to talk about grace when we think of forgiveness—when we need mercy, when we fall short. Is that all grace is? A pass to live however you want, thinking God will forgive you? That kind of grace is cheap & boring. Shouldn’t real grace be powerful, exciting, Shouldn’t grace have a massive impact? Shouldn’t it actually change you? Has grace made you different? Or do you still struggle with the same sins, the same compromises, the same habits? Has whatever you have defined as grace enabled you to make peace with sinfulness? “Well, nobody’s perfect,” or “God is love, He understands “At least I’m forgiven”… This sermon is about the power of grace—not just to wipe your slate clean, but to write a whole new story. Not just to pardon you, but to transform you. Because if grace is real in your life, something should be different. And if nothing has changed? Then maybe you don’t understand grace at all. Today, Roman

Look around. The world is broken, and not just in small ways. Everything dies. Everything decays. Everything falls apart. No matter how much we try to fix it, history keeps proving that we cannot escape corruption, suffering, and death. But this isn’t just bad luck, it’s not random. The chaos, pain, deep ache inside every human heart all trace back to a single moment, a single man. And everything that was lost—everything sin has stolen—can only be restored by 1 man. Today, we’re not just asking why the world is this way. We’re asking where you stand in it. Because whether you realize it or not, your entire life is bound to 1 of 2 men. One brought sin, the other salvation. One brings death, the other gives life. One man ruins, one man restores. In the end, you’re either in Adam, or in Christ.

Have you ever needed a fresh start, a new beginning that provided some hope, just the potential for joy or satisfaction? Maybe it was a job, a relationship, new form of self-discipline that might provide that fulfillment or peace you long for. This world constantly offers false hope for peace, but none of them will ever bear the weight, the price of real peace. What happens when those things you’ve pinned your hope for peace on unravel or collapses? It’s the opposite of peace. Scripture calls it shame. That feeling of not measuring up, feeling unworthy or defective. These false hopes always fail, leaving their victims in shame, still searching, & even more restless than we were before. Shame is one of the worst experiences of human nature. I think all of us desire its opposite… Peace. But what is peace really? How do you know if you have attained it? If you have, how can you keep it or maintain it?