Sermons by Will Branch
The Gift of True Friendship
This message explores the friendship between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul. (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20:1-42) Sermon Outline True Friendship Is Marked by Covenant, Not Convenience (1 Samuel 18:1–4) Jonathan “loved David as himself” — selfless, committed love. He gave David his robe and weapons — surrendering his royal rights. Their bond was spiritual — rooted in purpose, not personality. Challenge: Are your friendships based on covenant loyalty or just mutual benefit? What are you willing to give for…
Run Like You Want to Win
Paul explores the way that discipline factors into life with God. A great chance to focus on spiritual formation and discipleship. (1 Corinthians 11:1-34) Sermon Outline Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24) I. The Race to Run (v. 24) One Race One Winner One Way II. The Way to Run (v. 26 – 27) Don’t Run Aimless Don’t Fight the Air…
The Connected Life
This week introduces John 15, building upon Psalm 1, and talks about abiding life as connected to God. Specifically, this explores the love of God in which we are deeply connected. Sermon Outline The Role Jesus – The True Vine God – The Intimate Gardner Us – The connected Branches The Goal What is God really after? What does it mean to remain? What does God command? The Fruit Love Answers Lasting Impact DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Verse 2 tells us that…
The Community of Repair
The list of builders by section seems sort of odd to us but is also an important recognition of the workers who apply themselves to the task. This is really not about Nehemiah but about the people. (Nehemiah 3:1-32) SERMON OUTLINE What Reason Did They Have to Rebuild the Wall? The Voice of Reason: We need Walls Nehemiah’s Reason: We are Disgraced (Nehemiah 2:17) The Best Reason: For His Name & on His Heart (Nehemiah 1:9,11; 2:12) What Did It…
“He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”
This series walks through the Apostles Creed as a basic summary of our faith but also as a way to live our faith out with God in the world. Each weekend of this series will explore the biblical and theological roots of the Apostles Creed, while also providing specific spiritual practices and approaches to living out what we know as we ‘proclaim and embody’ the Creed in our daily lives. This week focuses on the phrase,”He ascended to heaven and…
Jesus on Greatness
What is greatness really all about? Jesus flips it upside-down with three separate teachings about personal greatness, welcome of the least of these, and His pathway to greatness. (Matthew 18:1-14; 19:13-15; 20:20-28) Sermon Outline “… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for…
His Healing by Faith
Jesus’ turn toward Jerusalem is framed by two stories of healing. This brings into focus the healing that comes through Jesus to a world turned upside-down with pain. (Matthew 17:14-20; 20:29-34) Sermon Outline “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) The Faith Problem (Matthew 17:14-20) The father and son: I want to believe The disciples: I thought I believed The teachers of the law: I won’t believe The…
The Messiah’s Sign
Jesus is asked for a sign and only references the sign of Jonah. This is a cryptic reference to what would come in His death and resurrection. Matthew 12:38-45 SERMON OUTLINE Their Sign and Response The Ninevites: Heard but didn’t see – Repented The Queen of the South: Heard and came to see – Believed The scribes and Pharisees: Heard and saw – Criticised What it Means The Ninevites: Condemnation because no repentance The Queen of the South: Condemnation because…
The Way of the Wilderness
The wilderness temptation of Jesus is pivotal for defining his way of ministry as opposed to Satanic pathways. This also echoes the people of Israel’s wilderness wanderings and presents Jesus as a new sort of Israel. Matthew 4:1-11 SERMON OUTLINE “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1) The Wilderness: Where will my provision come from? The Wilderness: Where will my protection come from? The Wilderness: Where will my praise…
A Crash Course in God’s Blessing
Paul works through the ways that God has blessed “with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (1:3). In and around his summary of redemption, adoption, and predestination in Christ, Paul offers up a series of prayers of praise to God for who He is and what He has done. SERMON OUTLINE “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) What is…
Prayer in Weakness: a Father of an Afflicted Boy
Throughout his ministry, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray. It is in the midst of an ordinary exchange with an ordinary father, however, that we learn what it looks like to come to God in total weakness to find Him more than sufficient in Mark 9:22-25. Sermon OutlinE “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. . . “ (2 Corinthians 12:9a) Our Weakness (Mark 9:14-22a) God’s Strength (Mark…
Labor
Unless God is at the center of all that we are, whatever we are doing is in vain. This will include some exploration about work, effort, vocation, and worship. Psalm 127 shows us that our work is a gift from God. No matter what work we are doing, we should treat it as a joy because our work can be a reflection of worship unto God, if we give glory to God in our work then He will bless our…
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