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In this sermon, Pastor Blaine sets aside his notes to walk the church through Psalm 34 in the immediate aftermath of the tragic shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. He points to a God who is near to the brokenhearted rather than distant in grief, and addresses honestly where God's justice is when evil feels unanswered. Drawing on 1 Corinthians 15, he pushes back on the well-meaning but hollow claim that death has no sting today — it does sting, but it is not the end of the story. He closes with practical counsel for showing up for hurting people without having the answers, for telling your kids the truth, and for carrying hope into a city that badly needs it.

In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8, Pastor Blaine works through Paul's list of spiritual gifts, spending most of the time on the most debated one: prophecy. He traces the difference between the Old Testament office of prophet and the New Testament gift, and argues the modern church has quietly lowered the definitions of prophecy, tongues, and healing so people can clear a bar God set much higher — usually because they want others to see them as anointed. He then walks through the remaining gifts (service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and mercy), showing with real examples that each one looks nothing like a platform. He closes with practical help for finding your own gift: start serving until you discover what you're good at, double down on it, and look for where your natural abilities, spiritual gifts, and burdens intersect.

In this sermon on Romans 12:3–5, Pastor Blaine lays the foundation for spiritual gifts by starting where most conversations about them don't: humility. He argues that grace doesn't just save us, it also gifts and assigns us — so there's nothing we've accomplished that we get to take credit for, and the real measure isn't how much influence we've been given but whether we were faithful with it. He warns against the cheap praise of men and the ways the modern church has twisted spiritual gifts into platforms for vanity, noting that if applause sticks to you, so will criticism. Finally, he makes the case that the Christian life can't be lived apart from the church — not as something we consume, but as a body we're obligated to serve.

In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2, Pastor TJ picks up after eleven chapters of theology to ask what it actually looks like to respond to God's mercy: presenting your whole self as a living sacrifice. He challenges the compartmentalized, "Sunday only" Christian life, arguing that no part of our lives is untouched by the gospel — even the mundane can glorify God. He then offers practical diagnostic questions for spotting where the world is quietly conforming us, from sin and screen time to patterns of neglect. Finally, he shows how real transformation comes through a mind renewed by Scripture, not an inward journey of self-discovery.

Pastor Blaine closes the Romans 9–11 series by unpacking the "mystery" in 11:25–36 — Israel's hardening is partial and temporary, lasting until the "fullness of the Gentiles" comes in, after which "all Israel" (all whom God purposed to save) will be saved. Drawing on Isaiah, Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Acts 1, he argues Scripture points to two still-future, literal events: Christ's second coming in power and a mass, nationwide repentance of Israel — insisting these prophecies shouldn't be spiritualized into the church but read as unfulfilled literal promises. He stresses this future salvation still comes by grace through faith, not ethnicity, since "the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable," and both Jew and Gentile are saved only after being shown mercy in disobedience. He closes by insisting theology must lead to worship, not just knowledge, ending with a prayer of gratitude for grace and a call to live faithfully awaiting Christ's return.

This sermon on Romans 11:11–24 argues Israel's rejection isn't final — God used it to bring salvation to Gentiles, hoping their faith would provoke godly jealousy and eventually draw Israel back, pictured in the olive tree analogy of branches broken off for unbelief and grafted in by grace. Pastor Blaine warns Gentile believers against arrogance, since inclusion is by grace alone, and stresses God's kindness and severity apply to anyone without true faith, not just unbelieving Israel. He then names two figures (Joel Webbon and Dale Partridge) for racialized "replacement theology," and reads from local churches' inclusive "who we are" statements that skip repentance — calling both extremes, ethnic pride and doctrine-less inclusivity, forms of apostasy. He closes urging the church to fear God over public opinion and stake everything on Christ alone.

This sermon by Pastor Blaine works through Romans 11:1–10, addressing whether God has rejected Israel — his answer is no, proven by Paul himself (a saved Israelite) and by a faithful "remnant," echoing God's reply to Elijah that 7,000 had not bowed to Baal. He distinguishes Israel as God's chosen people from the redeemed people of God, insisting salvation has always come by grace through faith alone, never bloodline or works — otherwise "grace would no longer be grace." Applying this today, he warns against shallow "podcast theology" on Israel and surveys ways people reject the gospel: outright rejection, paganism, cults like Mormonism, and works-based "morality and tradition" (including a critique of drifting toward Catholic/Orthodox aesthetics as mistaking formality for reverence). He closes by defining the gospel as grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, then leads the church into communion with a call to sober self-examination rather than empty ritual.

Pastor TJ teaches through Romans 9:30–10:4, explaining that righteousness cannot be earned through religious effort but is received by faith in Christ. Using Paul's imagery of running a race, TJ shows that Israel pursued righteousness through works and stumbled over Jesus, while the Gentiles received righteousness as a gift through faith. He emphasizes that truth without faith and faith without truth both fall short—genuine salvation comes when the truth of the gospel is met with faith in Christ. TJ encourages believers to pray persistently for those who don't know Jesus and reminds us that we can never work our way into right standing with God. Christ is the finish line, and our righteousness rests entirely on His work, not our own.

Pastor Blaine continues through Romans 9:19–29, addressing difficult questions about God's sovereignty, human responsibility, and judgment. He explains that God, as Creator, has authority over His creation, while emphasizing that His judgment is never unjust and His patience toward sinners is itself an act of mercy. Blaine shows that understanding the seriousness of sin and God's righteous wrath makes His grace all the more beautiful. He also addresses the fear that someone might genuinely desire Christ but be rejected, emphasizing that Jesus never turns away anyone who comes to Him in repentance and faith. Using the two criminals crucified beside Jesus, Blaine illustrates both humanity's responsibility and God's sovereign mercy. He concludes by calling unbelievers to respond to Christ's open invitation of salvation and believers to respond to God's mercy with humility, gratitude, and a desire to share the gospel with others.

Pastor Blaine continues through Romans 9:13–18, addressing the difficult doctrine of God's sovereign mercy and justice. Using the examples of Jacob and Esau, Moses, and Pharaoh, he explains that salvation is never earned by human effort or merit but is entirely the result of God's gracious mercy. Blaine challenges believers to approach this passage with humility, recognizing that God owes mercy to no one and that His justice is never compromised by His sovereign choices. Rather than asking why God would withhold mercy, he encourages Christians to marvel that God extends mercy to sinners at all. The sermon concludes by pointing to Jesus as the greater Moses, whose death and resurrection provide the ultimate rescue from God's righteous judgment, calling all people to repent, trust in Christ, and rest in the unmerited grace of God.

Pastor Blaine continues through Romans 9:6–12, explaining that God's promises have not failed because true membership in God's people has never been based on physical ancestry but on His sovereign promise and gracious calling. Using the examples of Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau, he demonstrates that salvation is not earned by heritage, works, or human effort, but rests entirely on God's gracious choice. Blaine encourages believers to approach difficult doctrines like election with humility, trusting what Scripture clearly teaches even when it stretches human understanding. Throughout the sermon, he reminds Christians that God's sovereignty should produce confidence rather than fear, leading them to faithfully obey what God has called them to do while resting in the assurance that their salvation is secured by His grace alone.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69f78e84-57e8-83e8-928f-42a14d731c61-2" data-turn-id-container= "request-69f78e84-57e8-83e8-928f-42a14d731c61-2" data-testid= "conversation-turn-90" data-turn="assistant"> Pastor Blaine begins Romans 9 by explaining Paul's deep sorrow over Israel's rejection of Christ, even after receiving God's unique blessings, covenants, law, worship, and promises. He reviews the gospel message of Romans 1–8 to show that salvation has always been by grace through faith, then introduces the central question of whether God's promises to Israel have failed. Rather than responding with bitterness toward those who reject Christ, Blaine emphasizes that Paul's example calls believers to compassion, courage, and gospel proclamation. The sermon concludes by reminding Christians that they are saved solely by God's grace, leaving no room for pride and every reason to extend that same grace to those who have not yet believed.

Pastor TJ teaches through Psalms 119, highlighting the beauty, power, and sufficiency of God's Word. He explains that Scripture is more than information—it is God's revealed truth that gives life, strength, hope, wisdom, comfort, and direction for every season of life. TJ shows that as believers grow in their understanding of God's Word, it shapes both their hearts and their actions, producing delight, awe, and a deeper longing for God. Throughout the sermon, he encourages Christians to intentionally treasure Scripture by guarding it, storing it in their hearts, meditating on it daily, and building their lives upon it, trusting that God uses His Word to transform His people and sustain them through every circumstance.