Growing Faith Church Sermons

Mistaken Identity, Frustrated Purpose, Amazing Grace: Gen. 3

Series: Made for More: Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
October 5, 2025
1. Sin Results from a Misplaced Identity (vv. 1-6)
2. Sin Destroys Community with God and Others (vv. 7-13)
3. Sin Frustrates Our God-given Purpose (vv. 14-17)
4. Sin Can Only Be Overcome by Amazing Grace (vv. 18-24)
Genesis 3 reveals how sin entered the world when Adam and Eve were tempted to question God which caused them to misplace their identity and try to become their own gods. This pivotal moment broke humanity's perfect communion with God and each other, introducing shame, blame, and fear into relationships. Sin also frustrated God's purposes for humanity, making work difficult and bringing death into the world. Yet even in this tragedy, God's grace shines through—He came to find Adam and Eve, promised a Savior, and provided covering for their shame. Through Jesus Christ, we can find restoration to our true identity and purpose as God's beloved children.

God's Original Design: Gen. 2:4-25

Series: Made for More: Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
September 28, 2025
1. God Provides Life (vv. 4-7)
2. God Provides Abundantly for Us (vv. 8-14)
3. God Provides Meaningful Work (v. 15)
4. God Provides Community (vv. 18-25)
5. God Provides a Choice (vv. 16-17)
God's original design for humanity in Genesis 2 reveals four essential provisions: life, abundance, purpose, and community. God personally formed humans and breathed life into them, demonstrating His desire for intimate relationship. He placed them in a paradise of abundance with everything they needed and more. He gave them meaningful work to cultivate creation, fulfilling their need for purpose. Finally, He provided community, recognizing that isolation is not good for humans. Throughout this design, God gave humanity the freedom to choose whether to trust His goodness or reject it—a choice we still face today.

Sabbath Grace: Gen. 2:1-3

Series: Made for More: Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
September 21, 2025
1. The Sabbath is a Blessing (v. 3)
2. The Sabbath is Set Apart as Holy (v. 3)
3. The Sabbath is a Picture of Grace (vv. 1-3)
4. The Eternal Sabbath Comes Through Faith
The Sabbath is not merely a list of restrictions but a divine blessing established at creation when God rested and made the seventh day holy. It serves as a reminder of both God's creative work and His redemptive acts. Our struggle to rest often reveals our reluctance to trust God's sovereignty. Jesus challenged legalistic Sabbath interpretations, declaring Himself 'Lord of the Sabbath.' Ultimately, the Sabbath points to the gospel—just as God rested when His work was complete, we rest in the finished work of Christ, entering God's true rest through faith rather than works.

Can These Bones Live? Ezekiel 37:1-14

Preached for Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
in a joint service with Macedonia Baptist Church, Liberty, NC
September 14, 2025
1. God is There When it Looks Like the End (vv. 1-3)
2. God's Word Builds Up the Broken (vv. 4-8)
3. God's Spirit Brings Life from Death (vv. 9-10)
4. God Will Always Keep His Promises (vv. 11-14)
Pastor Brian reflects on the union of a young church and a historic congregation, using Ezekiel 37’s vision of dry bones to explore how God brings life to what seems dead. Whether it's personal loss, seasons of change, or churches facing transition, we’re reminded that God doesn’t do endings—He creates new beginnings. Through the power of God’s Word and His Spirit, lifeless situations can be revived, and His promises always come to pass.
This message challenges us to surrender to the Spirit, trust in God’s faithfulness, and see our role not as preserving the past but advancing His eternal Kingdom. No matter how dry or scattered the bones, God asks: Can these bones live? And through Him, the answer is always yes.

The Image of Our Identity: Gen. 2:26-28

Series: Made for More: Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
September 7, 2025
1. The Image of God Transcends All Other Identities
2. The Image of God Grants Unconditional Value and Dignity
3. The Image of God Provides Our Ultimate Purpose
4. The Image of God Displays the Gospel
In a world facing an identity crisis, Genesis 1 reveals our true identity as beings created in God's image. This fundamental truth means we are like God and represent Him, transcending all other identities such as physical characteristics, cultural background, or achievements. Being made in God's image grants every human unconditional value and dignity, provides our ultimate purpose as God's representatives on earth, and helps us understand the gospel. Though sin has distorted God's image in us, Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of God, offers restoration through His death and resurrection, gradually transforming believers back into God's image.

Lessons of Creation: Gen. 1:3-2:3

Series: "Made for More: Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning"
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC 
August 31, 2025
 
Introduction: "How Do We Approach Genesis 1?"
1. God's Word is Powerful
2. God Acts with a Plan and a Purpose
3. Everything God Does is Good
4. God's Ultimate Creation is Mankind
 
Genesis 1 reveals profound truths about God's nature and purpose in creation. Rather than focusing on scientific questions, the text shows God's power as He speaks creation into existence, His intentional plan in forming and filling the universe, and the inherent goodness of all He made. Most significantly, humans stand as the pinnacle of creation, uniquely made in God's image and given special purpose. Understanding these truths helps us recognize God's authority, trust His plan, enjoy His good creation appropriately, and embrace our true identity as image-bearers with divine purpose—countering cultural narratives that diminish our significance.

Maker of Heaven and Earth: Gen. 1:1-2

Series: Made for More - Identity, Purpose, and Grace in the Beginning
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, N.C.
August 24, 2025
1. God is Eternal and Ultimate (v. 1a)
2. God Has No Rivals (v. 1b)
3. God Fills the Empty (v. 2a)
4. God Is Our Only Source of Hope (v. 2b)
Genesis 1:1-2 reveals four essential truths about God that shape our understanding of life and purpose. God is eternal and ultimate, existing before time and being the central character of all Scripture. He has no rivals, creating everything through His Word alone. God fills emptiness and brings order to chaos, designing us with a need only He can satisfy. Finally, God's Spirit hovers over the waters of chaos, offering hope and new creation even in our darkest moments. These truths challenge us to make God our ultimate reference point, remove competing idols, allow Him to fill our emptiness, and trust Him as our source of hope.

The Ingredients of Evangelism: Acts 8:26-40

Series: Operation Liberty: Gospel Mission
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
August 17, 2025
1. Ingredient #1: An Obedient Servant (vv. 26-27a)
2. Ingredient #2: A Lost Soul (vv. 27b-28)
3. Ingredient #3: The Power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 29-34)
4. Ingredient #4: A Prepared Witness (vv. 30, 35)
Evangelism is a partnership with God where we join His work in the world. The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch reveals four key ingredients for effective evangelism: an obedient servant willing to follow God's direction, a lost soul seeking truth, the power of the Holy Spirit orchestrating divine encounters, and a prepared witness ready to share the gospel. When these elements come together, the Kingdom of God multiplies and lives are transformed. Evangelism isn't about creating opportunities but recognizing and stepping into situations where God is already working.
 

The Heart of a Neighbor: Luke 10:25-37

Series: Operation Liberty: Gospel Mission
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
August 10, 2025
1. There are Only Two Requirements for Heaven (vv. 25-28)
2. Stop Thinking Like a Lawyer (vv. 29-32)
We Feel the Need to Justify Ourselves (v. 29)
We Try to Change the Grading Standard (v. 29)
Logical Calculations Result in Cold Obedience and Self-Righteousness (v. 30-32)
3. The Beauty of a Gospel Life (vv. 33-37)
The Gospel Life is Driven by the Heart (vv. 33-34)
The Gospel Life is Others-Focused (vv. 34-35)
The Gospel Life Loves Unselfishly (v. 36-37)
Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan reveals the stark contrast between heart-driven faith and head-driven religion. When asked about eternal life, Jesus points to loving God and loving neighbors as the requirements—standards impossible to fulfill perfectly. The religious leaders in the story made cold calculations about helping the injured man, while the Samaritan acted from genuine compassion. This parable challenges us to stop trying to justify ourselves through minimum requirements and instead embrace radical, costly compassion for others. True gospel-driven living flows from hearts transformed by Christ's sacrifice, leading to unselfish love that doesn't calculate convenience or cost.

Why We Don't Evangelize: Acts 1:6-11

Series: Operation Liberty: Gospel Mission
Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC
August 3, 2025
1. We Focus on the Problem Instead of Our Part (vv. 6-8)
2. We Forget to Charge Up (v. 8)
3. We Would Rather Stare at Jesus (vv. 9-11)
4. We Don't Feel the Urgency (v. 11)
Jesus gave His followers one clear mission: to be His witnesses throughout the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Many Christians avoid this responsibility for several reasons: focusing on global problems rather than starting where they are, forgetting to rely on the Holy Spirit's power, treating Christianity as therapeutic rather than missional, and lacking urgency about Jesus' return. Effective witnessing involves sharing your personal testimony in three parts: life before Christ, how you met Christ, and how He transformed your life. The mission begins in our immediate circles—with family, neighbors, and coworkers—before expanding outward.