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Pressure exposes how quickly our own strength runs out. We try to stay in control, keep quiet about Jesus, or carry the pain alone. Acts 4 shows a different way: a church that prays for courage, speaks about Jesus, and shares what it has so no one is left alone in need. This sermon points to the strength Jesus gives under pressure: God’s great grace resting on his people and helping them stand together through real pain. Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Parable of the People Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 1. First person, v. 18 Understand means to set or join together in the mind. • Romans 8:7 Two things... 1) have a belief about the Word • 2 Peter 1:19 2) stand under the Word 2. Second person, v. 20 “Falls away” is the Greek word ‘skandalizo’ which means “to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to be offended in one, to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority.” How do I go deeper... a)suffer well b)solitude c)silence 3. Third person, v. 22 This person lacks priorities because of two things: a) cares of this world Five things people worry about the most... 1)money and financial stability 2)health and well being 3)macroeconomics and global instability 4)relationships and social judgment- what others think 5)failure and the future b) deceitfulness of riches “I think everybody should get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that that’s not the answer.” -Jim Carrey Diagnostic questions to help us think clearly about money... • Do you think more money would make you happy? • Do you use money to control people so you can get your way? • Do I see money as the means by which I get what I really need? • Do I believe I am more deserving than those who have less or more? • Am I stingy or have I grown in the joy of generosity? • Does being generous still humble you? • Am I content to be anonymous in my giving or do I like people knowing? • Do I manage well what I have been given and can I enjoy it guilt-free? • Who’s reputation grows as my money grows? • Can I meaningfully experience all that I possess? • In my hands, is money a weapon or a tool? 4. Fourth person, v. 23 Mental worship... 1. What do you most often stand under and how has that affected your understanding? 2. Do you change in the context of suffering? If so, how? 3. Does money ever deceive you? 4. How are your priorities affected by your anxiety? 5. How does the Gospel speak to what you care too much about? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Centrality of God’s Will Matthew 12:46-50 1. Jesus is not disowning His family, v. 46-48 2. Obedience is evidence of conversion, v. 49-50 Five areas we need to apply the will of God... a) our mind • Romans 12:2 Practical ways to renew your mind... a)read b)think c)dialogue b) our body • I Thessalonians 4:1-8 c) our gratitude I Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Can you thank Me for trusting you with this experience even if I never tell you why?” - Helen Rosevere, Missionary to The Congo d) our eternal security • Matthew 7:21-23 e) authority I Peter 2:13-16 Mental worship... 1. How often do you ask, “What is God’s will in this situation?” 2. In what ways does your body display your sanctification? 3. What is the last hard thing you thanked God for? 4. What helps you find your, “Nevertheless...” 5. Is doing good reflex for you or labor? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Un-ness of Jesus Matthew 12:38-45 1. An unwilling generation, v. 38-39a “How can you speak good when you are evil?” Questions God asks people... Where are you? What is this you have done? Where is your brother? What is that in your hand? Where have you come from and where are you going? What is your name? What are you doing here? Whom shall I send and who will go for us? Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Do you have a right to be so angry? Can these bones live?Who do you say that I am? Do you want to get well? Why do you doubt? 2. An undeniable sign, v. 39b-40 • Romans 1:1-4 “I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning. For myself, as, no doubt, for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaningless was essentially an instrument of liberation from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality of Christianity because it interfered with our sexual freedom. There was one admirably simple method of justifying ourselves: agnosticism.” - Aldous Huxley 3. An uncomparable God, v. 41-42 • Isaiah 40:25-31 4. An unforgettable reminder, v. 43-45 Five Steps To A Happier Life 1. Manage your mindset 2. Build better habits 3. Strengthen your relationships 4. Find your purpose 5. Live with less stress “Merely influenced by Jesus but, with rare exceptions, not really gathered by him or gathering for him; tidied up but not taken in by him, this Christian world will be virgin territory for an invasion of spirits.” -Frederick Bruner Mental worship... 1. How has your faith affected your unwillingness? 2. What God question is God asking you these days? 3. Who or what convinced you that God is real, Christianity is true and the Bible is right? 4. What preferences have informed your conclusions? 5. Do you want God to be more like people or people to be more like God? 6. What are the indicators of God’s presence in your life? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Blake Hardcastle, Equipping Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church How Jesus Speaks to His Enemies Matthew 12:22-37 1. Jesus refutes lies with logic. v.25-29 • Matthew 7:22-23 2. There Is No Room for Neutrality 30-32 3. The Heart is Revealed Through Its Words 33-35 4. Your Words Reveal Your Future 36-37 Mental worship 1. What is the last thing you remember saying that you wish you didn’t? Do you know why you said it? 2. Who do you listen to as a source of truth? How do you determine they can be trusted? 3. What have you done, or what are you doing, to have a biblical worldview? 4. What is the last thing you repented of saying? 5. Where is Jesus asking you to take a stand for him rather than remaining on the sidelines? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Centrality of Jesus Matthew 12:1-21 1. In Jesus we find what we never find in rules, v. 1-8 Things to explain... a)“and at the bread of the Presence”- b)“the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath...” c) “Something greater than the temple is here...” d) “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” 2. Jesus put people over policy, v. 9-14 “Hesed is what happens when the person from whom I have the right to expect nothing gives me everything." - Michael Card • Hosea 3:1-3 3. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan, v. 15-21 a)Jesus is the servant of God b)God approves of and is pleased with Jesus c)Jesus comes with an anointing on Him- the Spirit d)Jesus came to declare justice to the nations e)He is comfortable with people not knowing f) Jesus is gracious to people who are struggling g)He establishes God's way on earth through merciful persistence h)Jesus becomes the hope of the nations Mental worship... 1. Is there anything that God created that you are misusing? 2. What relationship in your life reminds you of God’s hesed love? 3. What could be healed in you if you started obeying Jesus? 4. In what ways are you most like Jesus and least like him? 5. Do you currently feel hopeful? If not hopeful, what word best describes your most consistent feeling? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Weightless Ease of Real Christianity Matthew 11:25-30 1. Salvation is for the childlike, v. 25-26 • Romans 1:21-23 “Witnessing the pure, uncomplicated faith and joy with which she sang the words made him realize that his own intellectual pride and hyper-rationalism were keeping him from a profound truth. He realized he wanted the same genuine relationship with God that his daughter possessed, which led him to finally put his faith in Christ.” 2. Salvation requires revelation, v. 27 Two words I want to define here: 1) Salvation refers to God’s act of delivering people from sin and its consequences through faith in Jesus Christ. • Ephesians 2:8-9 Four things about salvation... a)salvation requires faith in God b)there is nothing we can do to cause our salvation c)it is a gift not the result of our works d)I have nothing to boast about 2) Revelation means an unveiling or an opening of a curtain. Two things God reveals that lead to salvation: a)Himself b)our true self 3. All are invited into a relationship with Jesus, v. 28 Learn to look for, listen for and ask two questions: a)What are you laboring for? b)What is weighing you down? Rest is the experience of sitting down on the inside and living in a state of calm and patient expectation. 4. This relationship shows itself in discipleship, v. 28-30 “The “easy yoke” of Jesus is an invitation to learn an entire lifestyle of living and working in God’s unforced rhythms of grace, bringing the Kingdom to bear on all areas of your life and the people you encounter rather than straining under heavy religious burdens.” -Dallas Willard • Matthew 23:1-4 Mental worship... 1. Do you think it is unfair for God to hide revelation from some people? If so, on what basis did they deserve it to begin with? 2. Who do you need to see more clearly: God or yourself? 3. What are you working for and what is weighing you down these days? 4. Where do you find rest for your soul? 5. What two words would you use to describe what its like to be in a relationship with Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Ovidiu Petric Grand Parkway Baptist Church Biblical Solutions For A Healthy Church Matthew 16:13-24 1. Magnificent savior 2. Militant saints 3. Mortified self Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Forgotten Word of Christianity Matthew 11:20-24 1. Repentance is the first word of the Gospel • Repentance is an inward conviction, produced by the Holy Spirit, that demonstrates itself in outward action. • Matthew 4:17 Why is repentance so important... a) the Gospel requires it • Acts 2:37-38 b) it is necessary for forgiveness • Luke 24:45-47 c) it is evidence of true conversion • Matthew 3:1, 7-8 d) It involves turning from and turning to • Acts 26:19-20 2. Revelation makes repentance necessary, v. 20-21 • Romans 1:19-20 3. Repentance gets you ready for judgement, v. 24 • Acts 17:30-31 • 2 Corinthians 5:21 Mental worship... 1. Why do you think Jesus, John the Baptist and the Gospel make such a big deal out of repentance? 2. Is there anything you keep apologizing for that you actually need to repent of and from? 3. Do you see your sin more as an expression of your badness or an offense to God’s goodness? 4. Do you think more about your sin or the fact that you are righteous? 5. Did you hear anything today that angered you, convicted you, made you curious or affirmed Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church Understanding Jesus Matthew 11:1-19 1. Doubt is part of an authentic faith journey, v.1-6 • Jude 1:22 How to have mercy on those who are doubting... a)Realize that doubt is part of deepened faith b)Don’t manufacture answers c)Focus on essentials not non-essentials d)Don’t throw out everything over one thing e)Don’t hurry people up f) Clarify the role sin plays in this process 2. Truth tellers stand out in a culture of liars, v. 7-11 Things that require explanation... 1) “A reed shaken by the wind?” 2) “A man dressed in soft clothing?” 3) “Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater then he.” • Matthew 13:16-17 3. The Kingdom is indestructibly present, v. 12-15 • Malachi 4:5 • Luke 1:16-17 4. Jesus came to fulfill prophecy not preferences, v. 16-19 • Ephesians 5:15-21 Seven characteristics of wisdom... 1)time management 2)experiences the will of God 3)controls appetites 4)experiences fullness 5)worships 6)practices gratitude 7)submission Mental worship... 1. Do you have questions about Christianity that are still unanswered? 2. When is the last time you saw the Gospel? 3. Was there a time in your life where you were more honest than you are now? 4. Do you ever find it hard to speak up for the truth? Is that more about not knowing what to say or not wanting to say it? 5. Of the characteristics of wisdom, which most needs your Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church Why Jesus Is Not Safe For the Entire Family Matthew 10:34-42 1. Jesus came to bring heaven to bear on earth, v. 34 “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth.” 2. Jesus insists on being the affection priority, v. 35-37 “Jesus talks in this radical, shocking, one-sided way often. He expects us to be startled, awakened, made serious. And then he expects us to put the proper boundaries around what he’s saying by remembering what he said elsewhere.” ~ John Piper • “See what kind of love the Father has given to us...” • Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” • You shall have no other gods before me. • You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven or earth, or bow down to serve them. sus came to ensure everybody gets a cross, v. 38-39 “The most obscene symbol in human history is the Cross; yet in its ugliness it remains the most eloquent testimony to human dignity.” ~ R. C. Sproul • I John 3:14 • I Timothy 6:17-19 "This is not a fulfilling life. It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart. There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life and then you get there and all of a sudden, you get to number one in the world, and then they are like, what’s the point? I really do believe that because what is the point? ~ Scottie Scheffler Mental worship... 1. What has changed in how you think about Jesus since you came to faith? What needs to change now in how you think about Jesus? 2. Have you ever been seized by the power of a greater affection? If so, how do you describe it to people? 3. Are your priorities and affections in the right order? 4. Is there anything in you that you need to put to death? 5. What do you think about when you look upon the Cross? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church How To Maximize The Moment Matthew 10:16-33 1. There is a purpose for the sending, v. 16 Here Jesus says three things... a)be wise- intelligent, wise b)be innocent- to be unmixed c)beware- to turn your mind or attention to, focus on 2. There is a reason for the experience, v. 18 Two things we have to understand in this verse... a)“for my sake” b)“to bear witness" 3. Practice received speech, v. 19-20 4. Hardship reveals the quality of all relationships, v. 21-22 5. To be Christlike is to suffer, v. 24-25 • Hebrews 5:7-10 Three things about suffering... a)Suffering is a reflection of our identity- “although he was a son...” b)Suffering is painful learning- "he learned obedience" c)Suffering accomplishes things in us that nothing else can- “And being made perfect...” 6. Don’t waste your fear, v. 26-33 Mental worship... 1. Would you consider yourself “unmixed” in relation to evil? 2. What have you learned from your suffering? 3. When is the last time you experienced “received speech?” 4. How has hardship affected the quality of your relationships? 5. What has to happen in your life for you to acknowledge Jesus in any and all circumstances before anybody? 6. Do you waste your fear? If so, on what? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The Provision of Proclamation Matthew 10:1-15 1. The power, v. 1-4 • Authority is the ability or strength one is given, which they either possess or exercise; the power of authoritative influence which derives from birth. • 2 Corinthians 4:7 2. The people, v. 5-6 Four things to helps us think rightly about these people... a)It’s not about “saved” versus “unsaved Israelites b)Refers to people who’ve gone through some stuff c)They needed something but thought it was too late to get it d)Their leadership had failed them 3. The proclamation, v. 7 • Matthew 4:17 • Matthew 4:23 • Matthew 5:3 • Matthew 6:10 • Matthew 6:33 • Matthew 7:21 • Matthew 9:35 • Matthew 24:14 Reducing the gospel strictly to a transactional arrangement for forgiveness removes the natural mandate for discipleship, leaving Christians with a mechanism for getting into heaven without any actual transformation of character.” ~ Dallas Willard 4. The provision, v. 8-15 Mental worship... 1. Do you see things more as an opportunity or an indication? 2. Could you explain Christianity to someone without mentioning the Cross, Jesus dying for people and forgiveness? 3. What could you do this week that would demonstrate the joyful reality of the Kingdom? 4. What does your actual lived out life proclaim? 5. If you could only pray one prayer as a result of what you heard today, what would that prayer be? Would you pray it right now? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Blake Hardcastle, Equipping Pastor Grand Parkway Baptist Church The One Thing That Is Really Important In Life Philippians 3:12-21 1. Everyone is in assembly v12-13 2. Put on the Press v.13-14 A. Forget past failures. B. Forget your past achievements: C. Strain forward v.13 D. Remember your “why?”v.12 3. Follow Worthy Examples v. 15-19 A. Get an example to follow v.17 B. Be an example to follow v.17 Proverbs 13:20 C. Grieve unworthy examples: v.18-19 • Their end is destruction • Their god is their belly • Their glory is their shame • Their minds set on earthly things 4. Remember the Promise v.20-21 A. Remember how long eternity is. B. Remember what will happen. Mental worship 1. Who do you need to have new hope for because they are still in assembly? 2. What can you address (press on) that will dramatically affect the quality of your life? 3. Who do you grieve because they are wasting their life on the wrong goal? 4. If you were going to follow someone, who would you ask? 5. Where do you turn when you are bored? Be sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube

Overwhelmed by stress? Discover how humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand and casting your anxieties on Him brings lasting restoration and strength. In this sermon, Pastor James Perryman walks through 1 Peter 5:6–11, breaking down the spiritual rhythms of grounding behaviors and formative experiences. Learn how to navigate suffering, watch out for spiritual battles, and allow God to gently restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you in times of brokenness. In this episode, we cover: Being Made Low to Be Lifted Up: Why true humility requires placing yourself under God's authority—and receiving His value for you.How to Saddle God with Your Anxiety: Practical steps to stop carrying heavy burdens and experience God's active care.Enduring Suffering & Jungle Warfare: Understanding spiritual opposition and building faith muscles through trials.God’s Gentle Restoration: How the Master Craftsman applies "necessary pressure" to heal and rebuild you.Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & The Anxiety Epidemic01:28 – Welcome & Scripture Reading (1 Peter 5:6–11)05:10 – Point 1: Being Made Low & Lifted Up10:45 – Point 2: Casting Anxieties & Experiencing Care15:30 – Point 3: Watching Out for the Opponent19:15 – Point 4: Enduring Sufferings & Faith Strength21:40 – Point 5: Experience Healing & God's Workbench29:10 – Point 6: Releasing Control & Closing PrayerBe sure to follow us: Instagram Facebook Youtube