Deer Run Sermons

Deer Run Church

Sermon from Deer Run Church

  1. FEB 1

    The Parable of the Net

    The Parable of the Dragnet confronts us with one of Scripture's most challenging truths: there will be a final separation between the righteous and the wicked. Drawing from Matthew 13:47-52, this message unpacks Jesus's teaching about the kingdom of heaven through the lens of first-century fishing practices. The dragnet, which could stretch up to a thousand feet long, caught everything in its path—good fish and bad fish alike. This massive net serves as a powerful metaphor for the gospel's reach into the world, gathering all kinds of people. Yet the sobering reality remains: when the net is pulled to shore, a separation occurs. The good fish are kept, and the bad are thrown away. We're invited to wrestle with difficult questions about judgment, hell, and God's justice. But here's the transformative insight: God doesn't send people to hell against their will. Rather, judgment confirms the choice people have already made to live apart from Him or for Him. Love must be a choice, or it isn't love at all. The message challenges us to move beyond merely understanding this truth to living it out. We're called to be both scribes and disciples—learning God's word while actively sharing it. If we truly understand the reality of separation and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to cast the net wide, reaching the 30 people in our circles who each know 30 more people. Our mission isn't to judge or save anyone ourselves, but simply to point others to the One who saved us.

    31 min
  2. JAN 25

    Priceless

    What if the most valuable treasure in existence has been right in front of us all along, yet we've been too distracted to recognize it? This exploration of Matthew 13:44-46 invites us into a profound meditation on the kingdom of heaven through two simple but powerful parables: a hidden treasure in a field and a pearl of great price. Both stories reveal an essential truth about spiritual awakening—when we truly recognize the incomparable value of God's kingdom, our response isn't reluctant obligation but overwhelming joy. The message challenges us to examine what we're actually treasuring in our lives. Are we like the family who unknowingly hung a $39 million Renaissance masterpiece above their kitchen stove, failing to recognize its worth? The parables teach us that the kingdom isn't just a future destination but a present reality that transforms everything when we surrender to it. What makes this message particularly compelling is its honest acknowledgment of why people fail to see this treasure: wounds from other Christians, false versions of Christianity focused on moralism or politics rather than transformation, pride, unhealed pain, or simply loving our sin too much. Yet the hope remains radiant—no one is too far gone. The story of Nicky Cruz, a violent gang leader transformed by encountering Christ's love, demonstrates that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. When we truly grasp that we possess a treasure no political policy, cultural movement, or circumstance can steal from us, we discover a foundation of joy that transcends our temporary situations and anchors us in eternal purpose.

    31 min
  3. JAN 4

    The Soil

    What if the Kingdom of Heaven isn't just a distant future promise, but a present reality we can experience right now? This message challenges us to reconsider our understanding of God's reign by exploring the most prominent topic Jesus addressed in the New Testament. Through the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, we're invited to shift our focus from the seed itself to something far more personal: the condition of our hearts. The parable reveals four types of soil representing four heart conditions, each responding differently to God's Word. Some hearts are hardened like a path where truth never takes root. Others are shallow like rocky ground, receiving the message with initial joy but lacking depth to withstand persecution. Still others are choked by thorns, the worries and distractions of this world that suffocate spiritual growth. But there's also good soil, hearts that hear, understand, and bear abundant fruit. The penetrating question we must ask ourselves is this: Which soil describes my heart today? This isn't about behavior modification but heart transformation. We're challenged to move beyond surface-level spiritual inventory and honestly examine what conditions in our hearts allow sin to take root. The Kingdom of Heaven, defined as the imminent uncertainty of God's rule, cannot merely be taught, it must be experienced. As we begin this new year, we're called to allow God's reign to penetrate every area of our lives, transforming us from the inside out.

    34 min

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Sermon from Deer Run Church