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In this sermon, Pastor Mark explores Ephesians 1:7–10 and urges us to use the grace God has already given us in Christ. Jesus' blood has redeemed us from the real guilt of our trespasses, and His forgiveness is sufficient for both our sins and the sins committed against us. God's grace makes us rich through union with Christ, and He lavishes it on us rather than rationing it. This redemption is part of God's purpose to display Christ and, in the fullness of time, unite all things in Him. Because that future is coming, we can begin surrendering our wills to Christ today instead of wasting the life His blood has purchased. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Ephesians 1:7–10 01:50 Introduction – Don't Waste Your Forgiveness 09:55 Redemption Through Christ's Blood 13:14 Redemption Means Forgiveness of Trespasses 15:02 Seeing Our Real Guilt 25:56 The Cross Shows Sin and Redemption 30:20 Rich in God's Grace 36:23 Grace Is Poured Out 38:00 Pursuing Pennies Instead of Grace 38:55 God's Purpose Revealed in Christ 44:36 One Visible Purpose Amid Unanswered Questions 46:29 God's Plan to Unite All Things in Christ 52:20 Begin Uniting Your Will With Christ 54:31 Closing Prayer

In this sermon Pastor Rick Walker explores Ephesians 1:3–6 and asks why God’s people can sing even when their lives are on fire. Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ: the Father chose us before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of His will and adopted us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Adoption gives us a new identity as God’s children, the assurance of His Spirit (Romans 8:15–16), and a loving Father we can approach with trust and intimacy. We are invited to stop living like orphans or finding our worth in accomplishments and instead rest in our belonging to God. These blessings lead to the praise of His glorious grace—not only through Sunday singing, but through offering our bodies and daily lives in worship (1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Romans 12:1). When the song of our lives matches the song of our voices, others can see God’s glory, even through suffering. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Ephesians 1:3–6 03:37 Introduction – Chosen for Worship 07:41 Blessed in Christ 09:57 Chosen Before the Foundation of the World 16:32 Chosen According to the Good Pleasure of His Will 18:41 Chosen for Adoption Through Christ 21:35 Adoption Provides a New Identity 29:38 Adoption Provides a Loving Father 40:07 Chosen to Praise His Glorious Grace 49:30 Closing Prayer

Pastor Mark South begins our series in Ephesians “Don’t Waste Your Life” by showing how the opening words of Ephesians reveal the way to a life of lasting purpose. Drawing on Paul’s transformation in Philippians 3:4–7, Mark explains that the grace of God’s will turns rebels into servants of Christ: a life directed by God’s will may not be easy, but it will not be empty. Believers are saints—sinners claimed and set apart by God—whose truest address is not their circumstances but “in Christ.” Paul’s greeting of grace and peace summarizes the gospel: God’s unearned favor leads us to faith and repentance, the experience of reconciliation with God, and war against every competing loyalty. Through Acts 19:18–29, the message shows that the gospel both frees people to abandon their idols and provokes resistance from those whose gods are threatened. A life is not wasted because following Jesus costs something; it is wasted when spent on what can never give grace and peace. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Ephesians 1:1–2 01:46 Introduction: Don’t Waste Your Life 10:02 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus 14:03 The Battle of the Wills – Philippians 3:4–7 18:00 God’s Will Turns Rebels into Servants 22:36 Saints: Sinners Claimed by God 27:57 Faithful in Christ Jesus 31:25 Your Truest Address Is in Christ 37:55 Grace and Peace from God 43:24 From Grace to Faith, Repentance, and Peace 45:28 When the Gospel Came to Ephesus – Acts 19:18–29 47:09 Grace Makes War Against Idolatry 48:57 Christ’s Lordship Resisted 52:03 The World Resists a Jesus Who Replaces Its Gods 52:26 The Way to the Unwasted Life 52:55 Closing Prayer

Pastor Gregg Katz concludes Living Stones’ core values series by exploring what it means to be in the city for the city. Beginning with God’s call to the exiles in Jeremiah 29:4–10 to seek the welfare of Babylon, Gregg draws on 1 Timothy 2:1–7, Proverbs 11:9–12, Matthew 22:34–40, and Titus 3:1–3 to call Christians to pray for their leaders, speak with kindness, love their neighbors, and be ready for every good work. He offers practical ways to be present physically, culturally, and spiritually through local relationships, community involvement, generous service, prayer, and sharing the gospel. Although our citizenship is in heaven, the promise of God’s eternal city in Revelation 21:1–4 gives purpose to our life here: we seek the good of our city because we want its people to be in God’s city. The message closes with encouragement to keep doing good, serve through local ministries, and invite others to know Jesus. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Jeremiah 29:4–10 01:48 Introduction: In the City for the City 07:48 Seek the Welfare of Your City – Jeremiah 29:4–10 11:40 Pray for All People and Leaders – 1 Timothy 2:1–7 13:36 Speak Encouragement into Your City – Proverbs 11:9–12 15:37 Love God and Your Neighbor – Matthew 22:34–40 17:19 Be Ready for Every Good Work – Titus 3:1–3 22:05 Physically: Be Present and Invest in Your City 24:42 Culturally: Participate and Influence for Good 26:53 Spiritually: Pray and Share the Gospel 28:17 We Are Exiles: Our Citizenship Is in Heaven 30:08 We Want the People in Our City to Be in God’s City 30:46 Our Eternal Home – Revelation 21:1–4 34:00 Keep Doing Good: Your Neighbor Needs Your Service 36:12 Practical Next Steps: Serve Locally and Invite Others 38:57 Closing Prayer

Guest pastor Caleb Richardson of Radiant Church in Alaska continues Living Stones’ “This Is Us” series by exploring the core value of churches planting churches. Drawing on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19–20, the Spirit’s power in Acts 1:8, and the church at Antioch in Acts 11 and 13, Caleb shows that church planting is the fruit of a healthy church, is led by the Holy Spirit, and requires going out to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Through stories from Alaska and pictures of multiplying dandelions and fireweed bringing life to burned ground, he illustrates how the gospel brings hope to communities marked by sin and brokenness. Grounded in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, the message calls every believer to consider their part in God’s mission and pray for people, places, and provision for new churches. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Acts 13:1–5 03:16 Introduction: Caleb Richardson and Church Planting in Alaska 08:00 This Is Us: Churches Planting Churches 12:25 The Great Commission – Matthew 28:19–20 18:00 Empowered by the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:8 21:45 The Gospel Spreads to Antioch – Acts 11 25:29 Antioch Sends Barnabas and Saul – Acts 13:1–4 27:00 Church Planting Is the Fruit of a Healthy Church 30:12 Church Planting Is Led by the Spirit 34:40 Go and Proclaim the Good News – Acts 13:5 36:21 Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection – 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 41:50 Fireweed: Gospel Hope in Broken Communities 43:55 Our Part: Pray for People, Places, and Provision 47:35 Closing Prayer

Pastor Mark continues Living Stones’ “This Is Us” series with the call for disciples to make disciples. From Paul’s return to the city where he was stoned, his repeated proclamation of the gospel, his strengthening of believers through tribulation, and his appointment of elders, Mark shows that disciple-making is ordinary “garden work” rather than impressive “cathedral work.” It is one of the greatest ways to spend a life, makes Jesus unmistakable and unavoidable in everyday relationships, returns continually to the gospel, and takes a church where people are known, strengthened, and encouraged to persevere. Because discipleship is cross-shaped, Jesus does not promise an easy life, but he does promise his presence; wherever God plants us, we are called to follow Christ, help others follow him, and make Jesus the hero of our story. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Acts 14:19–23 00:39 Opening Prayer 03:07 Introduction: Returning from Ireland 04:16 St. Patrick and the Garden 06:19 Disciple-Making Is Garden Work 11:29 One of the Greatest Ways to Spend Your Life 19:09 Make Jesus Unmistakable and Unavoidable 20:31 Gospel, Gospel, and More Gospel 25:06 Strengthening Souls and Continuing in Faith 30:33 Disciple-Making Is Cross-Shaped 34:46 The Prayer of St. Patrick 35:17 Disciple-Making Takes a Church 39:15 Make Jesus the Hero of Your Story

Gabe Dye continues Living Stones’ “This Is Us” series with the core value that the gospel is for all people. From Luke 24:44–48, he shows that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures through his suffering and resurrection so that repentance and forgiveness could be proclaimed to every nation: Christ denied heaven’s privileges to bring sinners near, turns rebels into sons and daughters, and followed the Father’s will all the way to the cross. Because Jesus went first, Luke 9:23–25 calls everyone who comes after him to deny self, take up the cross daily, and follow him—dying to comfort, approval, success, and sin while seeing others as God’s image-bearers and carrying the gospel locally and throughout the world. Hosea’s pursuit of Gomer pictures Christ’s costly, relentless love and returns the sermon to its central question: Is Jesus worth our time, commitment, and sacrifice? 00:00 Scripture Reading – Luke 9:23; 24:44–48 00:51 Opening Prayer 01:14 Introduction: Was It Worth It? 05:38 The Gospel Is for All People 11:25 Christ Denies 21:02 Christ Turns Sinners into Saints 27:17 Christ Follows the Father 32:48 Deny, Take Up, and Follow – Luke 9:23–25 33:47 Deny Yourself 36:37 Take Up Your Cross Daily 39:30 Every Day Something Will Die 40:01 Follow Jesus 42:21 Is Jesus Worth It? 44:00 Hosea and Gomer: Redeeming Love 47:38 Closing Prayer

Pastor David introduces Living Stones’ core value of making outsiders insiders through 1 Peter 2:4–10. Because Christians were once outsiders who received mercy and became God’s people, the church is called to share the gospel by following Jesus’ example and Paul’s willingness to become all things to all people—laying down freedoms, removing unnecessary barriers, going to people, welcoming guests, and defending the vulnerable. Yet the goal is more than belonging or community: outsiders are invited to come to Christ, the rejected cornerstone, and be built together into a spiritual house and holy priesthood. The sermon warns comfortable religious insiders not to mistake familiarity with church for faith in Jesus, and points to Christ, who became an outsider so sinners could be brought in and made free. 00:00 Scripture Reading – 1 Peter 2:4–10 01:20 Opening Prayer 02:01 Introduction: Living Stones’ Core Values 05:59 Making Outsiders Insiders 08:03 Why: Once We Were Not a People 11:46 Everyone Was Once an Outsider 15:38 Outsiders Don’t Know What They’re Missing 16:28 The Joy of Being an Insider 19:03 How: Become All Things to All People 24:05 Jesus Went to Outsiders 30:01 What: Built as a Spiritual House and Holy Priesthood 32:37 Invitation to Come to Christ

Pastor Mark preaches from Daniel 10, where a devastating word leaves Daniel mourning, fasting, praying, and waiting before God. Rather than seizing control or reacting out of fear, Daniel pauses in God’s presence and discovers that heaven has not been idle: his prayer was heard from the first day, even though the answer was delayed. The chapter pulls back the veil on a spiritual conflict beyond what Daniel can see, reminding believers that God rules every visible and invisible power and gathers their prayers into his larger purposes. Christian maturity, then, is not the absence of fear but the grace to stand faithfully while trembling, assured by God’s declaration that his people are greatly loved. Daniel’s experience ultimately points to Jesus, who trembled in the garden, submitted to the Father’s will, and stood for sinners so that no one who trusts in Christ is abandoned. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Daniel 10 03:06 Opening Prayer 03:54 Introduction: Stand Trembling 09:43 Can Your Faith Tremble and Still Stand? 11:41 Daniel’s Reaction: Pause, Don’t React 20:21 While Daniel Mourns, Heaven Is Not Idle 22:25 Delay Is Not the Same as Unheard 24:22 When Prayers Go Unheard 26:41 God Rules Every Visible and Invisible Power 30:54 Prayer and God’s Larger Purposes 35:19 Stand Trembling Before Frightening Realities 36:08 You Are Greatly Loved 38:46 Jesus Stood Under the Weight 41:15 Invitation to Respond 41:55 Closing Prayer

Pastor John Wolfe preaches from Daniel 9, where Daniel finds hope not by denying the pain of exile or manufacturing optimism, but by remembering God’s promises in Scripture. Reading Jeremiah’s promise of seventy years, Daniel learns that God remains sovereign, that judgment is not abandonment, and that biblical hope is confidence in God’s goodness because of his past faithfulness. This hope enables Daniel to pray with open, honest confession, trusting the covenant-keeping God for mercy rather than pleading his own righteousness. When Gabriel answers Daniel’s prayer, God gives a larger promise: not only release from Babylon, but the final defeat of sin and everlasting righteousness through Jesus Christ. The sermon calls believers to bring their circumstances honestly before a God who loves them, hold fast to his goodness, and find lasting comfort not in speculation but in the gospel. 00:00 Scripture Reading – Daniel 9:1–5, 17–19, 22–22 03:25 Prayer 04:40 Introduction: Standing in Hope 09:21 Daniel’s Hope Begins in Scripture 11:26 Biblical Hope Defined 13:08 Judgment Is Not the End of the Story 16:30 Hope Enables Us to Pray Openly and Honestly 19:25 Daniel’s Confession and God’s Character 22:08 Honest Confession Before a Good God 23:00 Corporate Confession and Spiritual Weakness 28:03 Pleading God’s Mercy, Not Our Righteousness 30:48 Bringing Our Circumstances to the Lord 32:31 God Uses Us at Every Stage of Life 34:13 Hope Looks Beyond Present Hardship 36:27 Gabriel’s Answer: You Are Greatly Loved 38:18 From Babylonian Exile to Freedom From Sin 40:46 The Purpose of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks 42:55 Jesus Brings an End to Sin 45:01 Comfort in God’s Goodness, Not Speculation 46:33 God Cares About Present Circumstances 47:08 Closing Prayer

Pastor Mark preaches from Daniel 8 on why self-made greatness always falls while the weak are made to stand by the greatness of God. Mark traces Daniel's vision of the ram, the goat, and the little horn through Persia, Greece, Alexander the Great, and Antiochus, showing that every kingdom and every human attempt at permanence is borrowed power that cannot bear its own weight. He presses the church to see where we are standing in our own strength, where success has made us exposed, and where we are trusting kingdoms that will not last. In contrast, Daniel is overwhelmed, confused, and unable to stand, yet God has already arranged what he needs, commands what he will supply, and raises him up by grace. The sermon calls believers to rest in Christ's unbreakable greatness, receive God's sustaining touch, and return to the King's business even when we do not yet understand everything. 00:00 Scripture Reading - Daniel 8:15-27 03:48 Welcome and Announcements 06:28 Introduction: What Do You Think Will Last? 09:45 Daniel in a Kingdom That Will Fall 12:16 Why Do the Great Fall but the Weak Stand? 13:24 Daniel's Vision of the Ram, Goat, and Little Horn 18:48 Three Portraits of Self-Made Greatness 21:49 Daniel 8 in History 27:07 Self-Made Greatness Cannot Stand 28:56 God's Diagnosis of Greatness 31:26 Living Inside Kingdoms That Will Not Last 33:58 Self-Made Greatness Is Borrowed Power 38:18 Success and Exposure 40:07 Stand on the Greatness of God 41:16 Daniel's Sequence: Straining, Falling, and Standing 43:36 God Arranges What We Need 46:27 God's Commands Supply Power to Obey 49:18 Daniel Did Not Stand; He Was Stood 54:44 Standing Before Understanding 55:56 Back to the King's Business 57:38 Closing Prayer

Daniel 7 gives God's people a vision for standing firm in the chaos of history. As Daniel sees four beastly kingdoms rising from the sea, the sermon traces how Scripture uses the waters as an image of disorder, judgment, and fear, while showing that man-made kingdoms are only temporary attempts at "micro heaven." In contrast, the saints receive an everlasting kingdom from the Most High, one finally given to the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. Even though evil speaks lies against God, wears out the saints, and tries to redefine reality, its power is limited by the Ancient of Days. The call is to stop building false heavens, hold fast to Christ, serve and obey him today, and hide the promise of his forever kingdom in our hearts. 00:00 Scripture Reading - Daniel 7 06:20 Prayer for the Word 07:18 Introduction 09:13 Reading Daniel 7 Without Speculation 10:00 Lamenting Chaos in the World 13:50 Standing When the Ground Shakes 15:00 Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts 18:34 How Do You Stand in the Chaos of History? 20:14 Kingdoms Rising from Chaos 24:21 Man-Made Kingdoms and Micro Heavens 27:18 Receiving the Kingdom of God 31:40 Beastly Powers Are Real 34:24 The Enemy Makes War on the Saints 37:18 Lies, Loss, and Laws 40:20 Chaos Has a Leash 43:23 The Son of Man Receives the Kingdom 46:18 Serving and Obeying Jesus Now 48:51 Living for the Forever Kingdom 51:18 Hiding the Promise in Your Heart 52:33 Closing Prayer

Guest pastor Mike Rydman preaches from Daniel 5 on Belshazzar's feast, the writing on the wall, and the danger of proud, unrepentant defiance before God. Belshazzar desecrates the vessels from the Jerusalem temple, praises man-made gods, ignores what he knew from Nebuchadnezzar's humbling, and discovers that his power, religion, security, and kingdom cannot save him from God's judgment. Daniel stands before the king with the truth: God numbers kingdoms, weighs the proud, and brings down those who refuse to honor him. Mike calls the church to see our own need for repentance, to receive the heart of flesh promised in Ezekiel 11, and to stand in the gospel by believing Christ, repenting of sin, trusting God's timing, and sharing the hope of Jesus before the night is over. 00:00 Scripture Reading - Daniel 5:1-12 02:23 Opening Prayer 03:40 Introduction and Daniel Series Review 05:25 Belshazzar's Feast and Irreverence 06:32 Babylon's Troubled Dynasty 08:25 Man-Made Gods Then and Now 08:51 The Writing on the Wall 10:38 Belshazzar's Terror Before Justice 12:27 False Religion Fails Him 13:50 The Queen Remembers Daniel 15:15 Belshazzar Insults Daniel 17:06 Daniel as the King's Last Hope 18:32 Daniel Refuses the King's Rewards 19:39 Nebuchadnezzar's Humbling Revisited 21:09 Standing Secure in the Reality of God 21:43 Belshazzar Knew and Still Refused 23:15 Information Cannot Transform the Heart 24:14 Mene, Tekel, and Peres 25:39 Judgment for the Unrepentant, Grace for the Repentant 27:35 God Gives a Heart of Flesh 28:40 Belshazzar Honors Daniel Too Late 29:02 Babylon Falls That Very Night 31:53 What Are You Standing On? 32:55 Stand in the Gospel 33:25 Trust God's Timing and Patience 34:26 Share the Hope You Have 35:08 Closing Prayer

Pastor Mark preaches from Daniel 4 on what happens when main character energy meets the Most High. Nebuchadnezzar's testimony shows the devastating work of pride: the king looks at his kingdom and says, "Look at what I have built," only to be brought low until he learns that God rules the kingdoms of men. Mark calls the church to recognize God's disruptive grace when he disturbs our comfort as a warning, God's severe grace when pride must be dealt with as a severe problem, and God's pure grace when he enables us to look up, confess his dominion, our smallness, and his freedom, and worship. The sermon ends by pointing beyond Nebuchadnezzar to Christ: Nebuchadnezzar tried to raise himself and was forced down, but Christ chose to lower himself to raise us up. 00:00 Scripture Reading - Daniel 4 04:39 Opening Prayer 05:13 Welcome and Church Family Updates 09:25 Stand Low: Main Character Energy Meets the Most High 10:42 Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream 14:06 Daniel 4 Begins with the End 15:29 The Dream, Warning, and Humbling 19:14 Nebuchadnezzar Restored to Worship 20:07 The Devastating Work of Pride 21:15 How Does God Work Humility Into Us? 21:48 God Gives Disruptive Grace as a Warning 24:35 Disruptive Grace Calls Us to Repent 29:55 How Daniel Warned the King 33:36 God's Patience and Nebuchadnezzar's Delay 39:00 Disruption Turns Into Interruption 39:47 Pride Produces Functional Atheism 41:54 Pride Tries to Be Superhuman but Becomes Subhuman 43:29 God Gives Severe Grace for a Severe Problem 45:50 God Touches What Pride Rests On 49:08 God Gives Pure Grace to Look Up 52:59 Humility Begins with Pure Grace 54:09 Pure Grace Leads to Confession and Worship 55:18 Christ Lowered Himself to Raise Us Up 56:11 What Grace Is Working Humility in You? 57:11 Closing Prayer

Pastor Mark preaches from Daniel 3 on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, showing that this familiar fiery furnace account is not a children's story but a confrontation between the kingdom of God and every empire that demands worship. Nebuchadnezzar's golden image exposes the lie of human power trying to outlast God's word, while the command to "bow or burn" reveals the pressure every age puts on God's people to compromise, stay safe, and fit in. Mark calls the church to stand on God's word, recognize false gospels wherever they are preached, and remain faithful even when obedience means being outed or facing loss. In the fire, the fourth man points to Christ, who is with his people in the place of suffering and death; being with Christ in the fire is safer than being without him in the crowd. The sermon ends by urging believers to value faithful witness above safety, because standing instead of bowing reveals the glory of God in a way comfort never can. 00:00 Scripture Reading - Daniel 3 04:51 Opening Prayer 06:10 Introduction to Daniel 3 07:58 Daniel in the Place God Has Him 11:43 Bow or Burn 12:28 No Kid Story 14:21 Every Empire Falls 16:13 Nebuchadnezzar Builds an Image of Gold 20:34 The Empire's Demands Are a Lie 24:52 Stand in the Fear of Bow or Burn 26:09 Globalized Idolatry and Its Preachers 29:47 Worship Cannot Be Forced 33:54 The Everyday Pressure to Bow 36:27 Stand When You Are Outed 38:23 Invisible Battle, Visible Stakes 40:06 Nebuchadnezzar Challenges God's Authority 42:02 God Is Able, But If Not 47:38 Stand Where Christ Is 49:17 The Fourth Man in the Fire 51:40 Not Even the Smell of Smoke 52:32 Your Witness Matters More Than Your Safety 53:31 You Cannot Decree Worship 55:07 The Furnace Produces a Witness 56:48 Closing Prayer