Sermons from Matthew

The High Cost of Cheap Treasure

Date: January 11, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Imagine a grown man on a beach bragging about his towering sandcastle, only to watch the rising tide wash it all away. We’d call that foolish, yet we often live the same way—investing ourselves into accumulating earthly treasures as if they’re permanent. Jesus warns us about the danger of placing high value on things that will not last. More importantly, He reveals the truth that whatever we treasure most will capture our hearts and direct our lives. It’s fine to have possessions, but ask yourself: are you building sandcastles, or investing in the kingdom that will never end?

Children of Light: Peace vs. Trouble

Date: January 4, 2026 | Speaker: David Cannon

From the very beginning of creation, God desired to bring forth life out of darkness, so He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. This separation is representative of two opposing kingdoms; one to which His children belong, and one to which His enemies belong. Scripture tells us that God is light, and there is no darkness in Him, and those who belong to Him are children of light. Join us as we look at some of the attributes of each kingdom, and the separating choices each person will face as a reflection of the kingdom to which they choose to belong.

The Prayer That Reshapes Your Heart

Date: December 14, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

You’ve probably said the Lord’s Prayer countless times, but have you considered that it’s more of a guide for living than a script to recite? First, our heavenly Father invites us to prioritize His holiness, His kingdom, and His will above all else. This puts every worry and desire in their rightful place. Then we’re called to walk in total dependence upon Him for everything from our daily needs to protection from evil. This prayer isn’t about religious formality; it’s about putting Him first. Doing so strips away our illusions of control and draws us into intimate, moment-by-moment reliance on Him.

How to Meet God’s Impossible Standard

Date: December 7, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

It’s tempting to measure our spiritual life by external standards like church attendance, Bible reading, avoiding major sins, and then feel good about the comparison. But Jesus dismantles this scorecard approach by revealing that the true gauge lies much deeper. He points out that we’re guilty of murder if we harbor anger towards someone, and that lust is equivalent to adultery. This means no one can achieve the perfection God requires, but the good news is that Christ has already fulfilled every requirement and offers to credit His flawless record to us! Stop trying to improve your religious resume and simply receive the righteousness that only He can provide.

Salt & Light: Your Identity in a Decaying World

Date: November 30, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

You carry within you something the world desperately needs. Like salt preventing decay, your commitment to God’s truth holds back the spread of moral rot in a culture drifting toward collapse. And like light piercing the night, a life lived openly for Christ provides direction for those stumbling in confusion and deception. As a follower of Christ, your very presence makes a difference in this world. Will you stand where God placed you, trusting that your faithfulness might be the lifeline that preserves others and guides them to salvation?

Redefining the Good Life

Date: November 16, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Every day we are offered endless definitions of happiness, each promising fulfillment if we would only chase harder, possess more, and climb higher. But Jesus invites us into His radical kingdom where true happiness emerges in the most unexpected ways. He turns the world’s ideas on their head, revealing that blessing belongs to those who pursue mercy and peace, devote their hearts to God, and endure persecution. These are the family traits of those who have been transformed by God’s grace, who have chosen to live in His upside-down kingdom. Which kingdom are you living in?

Coming to the End of Yourself

Date: November 9, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

You’ve worked tirelessly to control life, earn approval, and construct your own version of happiness, but now you find yourself surrounded by all your exhausted attempts, realizing that you’ve come to the end of yourself. Congratulations! This is the moment that real change can happen. The kingdom of God isn’t for the proud or self-reliant, but for those willing to admit their own spiritual bankruptcy. True blessing, it turns out, is found when you’re empty of yourself and finally have room for Him.

Children of Light: Good vs. Evil

Date: November 2, 2025 | Speaker: David Cannon

Follow Me: The Call That Changes Everything

Date: September 28, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

When you open your heart and really listen to the words “Follow Me,” you realize Jesus isn’t merely asking you to add more religious activities to your existing priorities and plans. He’s calling you to reorganize your entire existence around His lordship and His purposes so that He becomes your focus. Yes, surrender has a cost — old ways abandoned, priorities redefined, identities reshaped. But in exchange, you’ll discover purpose and joy that no other path can give, and you’ll be transformed by His grace into something you could never become on your own! So, are you simply wearing the “Christian” label, or are you an actual follower of Christ?

Staying True When it Costs Everything

Date: June 15, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

We all face times of testing when doing what’s right costs more than we imagined, and compromising the truth looks like the easy way out. But these aren’t accidents; they’re proving grounds. When Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil, He didn’t waver or despair. He stood His ground, anchored in the solid truth of God’s Word. You, too, will be led into the wilderness. And there, stripped of comfort and clarity, what you truly believe will surface. The question isn’t if you’ll be tempted, but whether you’ll hold fast to the Word when it matters most. Because in the wilderness, your identity isn’t proven by performance, but by trusting who God is.

Jesus’ Baptism: Anointed by the Spirit

Date: June 8, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Though sinless and in no need of repentance, Jesus insisted on being baptized to identify with us, the broken and guilty. He waded into our mess, not to excuse our sin, but loving us enough to meet us in it. The Holy Spirit descended, anointing Him with divine power for the mission ahead. If the perfect, holy, Son of God refused to function without the Spirit, do we actually think we can? So, the real question is, are you relying on your own strength, or desperately depending on the Holy Spirit? You weren’t made to muscle your way through this life. You were made to walk as Jesus walked: surrendered, empowered, and led by the Spirit.

Jesus’ Baptism: Affirmed by the Father

Date: June 1, 2025 | Speaker: Phil Pike

Why was Jesus baptized, even though He had no sin to repent of? First, it marked the beginning of His public ministry and vividly foreshadowed how it would end—with His death, burial, and resurrection. Second, it was God’s public affirmation that Jesus is “the Son of God,” a title reserved for the promised Messiah. This was no ordinary baptism. It was a line drawn in the sand for every watching eye, every questioning heart, and every doubting demon that the Messiah now stood in their midst. Some fell down in worship. Others clenched their fists in rage. Jesus’ baptism was both a declaration and a commitment, setting Him on an unshakable path to the cross, where the symbolic He enacted would become the brutal and beautiful reality that sets every captive free!