Coram Deo Church Sermons

Offended by Jesus | Matthew 11:2-19

Jesus both subverts and fulfills our expectations.To be human is to have expectations about how we hope life to go. Even John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, has expectations about who Jesus is and what he should do. In this sermon, we explore how Jesus both subverts and fulfills our expectations, and why that is good news.

Jesus Over All | Matthew 10:16-11:1

The essence of mission is putting Jesus first.Every human being longs to live with a sense of purpose or mission. But it can be easy to get caught up in strategies, methods, and outcomes while losing sight of the mission. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out his disciples with sobering warnings as he calls them to mission. In this sermon, we explore how the essence of mission is not success or safety, but putting Jesus first — above safety, comfort, and even family.

Harassed and Helpless | Matthew 9:35-10:15

Christians are a going people.Every human being longs to be part of something bigger than themselves. In Matthew 9:35-10:15, Jesus looks at the crowds with compassion and sends his disciples out to proclaim the kingdom, thus calling them into a vast and compelling mission. In this sermon, we explore how God’s people are to be a "going" people, sent into the world to further Christ's cause.

The Thrill of the Chase | Matthew 9:27-34

Faith looks to Jesus when despair would be easy.We often think of faith as something we must work up or conjure within ourselves. But what if faith is actually a response to being pursued? In Matthew 9:27-34, we read about Jesus healing two blind men who persistently pursued Him, followed by the healing of a mute man who needed to be brought to Jesus by others. In this sermon, we explore the beautiful truth that because Jesus pursues us first, we are free to pursue him in return.

Faith in an Age of Despair | Matthew 9:18-26

Faith looks to Jesus when despair would be easy.Every human being faces moments of despair. In Matthew 9:18-26, two people approach Jesus in despairing situations: a synagogue leader whose daughter has died and a woman who has suffered for twelve years. In this sermon, we explore how faith looks to Jesus even when despair would be easy.

The Freedom of a Christian | Matthew 9:1-17

Jesus has come to set people free.Many people think following Jesus means adding more rules, more obligations, more religious performance to an already exhausting life. In this sermon, we explore how Jesus doesn't patch up our religious systems; he offers us something entirely new: freedom from sin, separatism, and scrupulosity.

Good Authority | Matthew 8:18-34

What you need in your life is not less authority, but good authority.We live in an age that's deeply suspicious of authority. Yet every human being lives under authority of some kind; whether it's our own desires, cultural pressures, or destructive forces beyond our control. In this sermon, we explore the truth that what we need is not less authority in our lives, but good authority — and Jesus is the King whose authority brings peace, not oppression.

Unclean, Unworthy, Unseen | Matthew 8:1-17

With Jesus, no one is unclean, unworthy, or unseen.The insecurities we carry about ourselves often hinder us from coming to Jesus. We feel unclean because of our shame, unworthy because of our sin, or unseen because of our story. As a result, we hide in obscurity or shrink back in fear. But as Matthew tells us of Jesus cleansing a leper, healing a centurion's servant, and healing Peter's mother-in-law, he reveals that with Jesus, no one is unclean, unworthy, or unseen.

Union with Christ Produces Life | Colossians 3:1-4

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we continue exploring this transformative reality, we turn from death to resurrection. In this sermon, we consider the simple yet profound truth that union with Christ produces life.

Union with Christ Requires Death | Romans 6:1-14

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we turn the corner on another year, we pause to look more closely at this reality. In this sermon, we consider the simple truth that union with Christ requires death.