Messages

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” The world’s biggest sandcastle stands more than 69 feet tall! The creation features over 5,000 tons of sand. It’s an amazing achievement. But there’s one problem. It’s made of SAND! So much work went into something that won’t last. From Ecclesiastes 2:12-26, the Teacher will tell us that our work under the sun is vaporous—it has no lasting value. He gets pretty depressed over this fact, but that’s because he’s trying to find meaning apart from God. But when we make Jesus the foundation of our lives, no storm can sweep us away. Even death has no power over us. Join us as we once again learn priceless lessons from Solomon.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” Last Sunday, we started a new sermon series on the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. It was written by a man who undertook an exhaustive search for the secret of life. Having unlimited resources, he tested and tried every pleasure, possession, and experience life offered. And what did he find? “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” [1:2] By “meaningless,” he meant “vaporous.” When he thought he had found true purpose in life, it eluded him like a puff of smoke. It was then that he discovered there really is a secret of life under the sun. Join us as we continue to learn from the message of Ecclesiastes.

A sermon from the series “Ecclesiastes: The Secret of Life.” Today we start a new sermon series on one of the most puzzling books of the Bible. Ecclesiastes was written by a man searching for the secret of life. Hoping to find the answer, he experimented with everything life has to offer. He threw amazing parties, built breathtaking buildings, amassed incredible wealth—and that’s just for starters. He denied himself nothing his eyes desired and refused his heart no pleasure. And what did he discover? Listen to find out!

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” Easter Sunday is the Sunday of all Sundays, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we gather to encounter the risen Christ, we’ll worship through song, testimony, and baptism. You will hear stories of transformed lives that will encourage you and give cause for celebration and rejoicing. In addition, we’ll hear a powerful Easter message called, The God You’ve Been Searching For. All of us are searching! We search for meaning, purpose, fulfillment, happiness. So often, the things we put our hope in promise much, but don’t deliver. This Easter, we’ll be reminded that Jesus is the only one who can meet our deepest needs and will never disappoint! Maybe you need this message. Maybe you have a friend who needs this message. Come, bring your friend, and join us for Resurrection Sunday!

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds sang praises to Him as the Prince of Peace. A few days later, that same crowd screamed for Him to be crucified. Although 2,000 years have passed, many in our world still don’t know what to do with Jesus. Some worship Him, while others trample upon His teachings.

We’ll begin unpacking our third church-wide priority for 2023: Engaging our culture with truth and love. From 1 Peter 3:8-22, we’ll learn how to pursue peace in a society steeped in the belief that truth is relative and serving oneself is the highest goal in life.

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the world’s greatest works of art. For more than 400 years, Michelangelo’s masterpiece was only visible via sunlight and candlelight. Sadly, soot from the burning candles eventually obscured the brilliance of the priceless painting. It eventually took a team of artists 13 years to restore the ceiling to its original glory.

Before restoration, some in the art community criticized Michelangelo’s work as too dark, monochromatic, and bland. And yet, when the frescoes were returned to their original state, everyone saw them for what they truly were—breathtakingly beautiful and vibrant.

Similarly, for us, the years of soot, grime, and dust of daily life can cloud our vision of God’s glory and majesty. And how is our view of God restored? Through worship. Join us as Psalm 96 brings us back to the splendor of God’s holiness.

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” How would you define worship? Is worship the weekly gathering of God’s people? Is it letting loose in the car while blasting Christian tunes on the radio, or praising God when you see a beautiful sunset? Is it defined by the quiet moments we share with God? While it may involve each of these things, biblical worship includes much more. Join us as we look at our second church priority, “Glorifying God in our Worship.” The prophet Isaiah will teach us about the true meaning of worship and how it in turn shapes the whole of our life.

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” Have you ever seen a sinkhole? Cars can be parked on a street day after day, and everything appears normal; then, one day, the asphalt caves in, and cars disappear into a gigantic hole. Everybody says, “That hole came out of nowhere!” But they’re wrong. The hole appeared suddenly, but the process that led to it continued for many years. The underground erosion was invisible, but it was there all along.

The same kind of thing can happen to our love for Jesus. The passion we once had for Jesus can erode over time without us realizing it. Yes, we keep serving, giving, and following Jesus—but we do these things more out of a sense of duty than a declaration of our love for Him. Jesus will call us back to Him, our First Love.

A sermon from the series “Missions Sunday 2023.” One of our three priorities for this year is a missional pursuit to engage our culture with truth and grace. Missions isn’t just for those sent to minister overseas. God has called all of us to share the gospel everywhere we go. Join us for an exciting day as we focus on what God is doing abroad and right here in our communities.

A sermon from the series “PURSUIT.” Last Sunday, Dan and Marc presented FCCO’s top three priorities for 2023. The first is giving Jesus our first love. However, before we can love Jesus with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we must first understand God the Father’s love for us. Tomorrow, we’ll look at an amazing passage of Scripture in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. Among other things, it tells us that God takes great delight in us. And God sings over us! Are you surprised? So many of us struggle to think of God the Father in such affectionate terms. Instead of seeing and feeling His love, we can assume He’s angry or disappointed in us. But nothing could be further from the truth! Join us as we learn the truth of God’s great love for us!