Deer Run Sermons

Deer Run Church

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Sermon from Deer Run Church

FEB 15

Self-Deception

This powerful exploration of Samson's story from Judges 16 reveals a profound truth that resonates deeply with our modern lives: our greatest strengths can become our most dangerous weaknesses when we lose sight of their true source. The message walks us through the sobering reality of self-deception, showing how it begins with self-betrayal—those moments when we know what we should do but choose otherwise. From there, we move to self-justification, creating elaborate excuses for our choices, until finally we arrive at full self-deception where we can no longer see the truth about ourselves. Samson's tragic relationship with Delilah serves as a mirror for our own lives, asking us to examine where we might be playing games with our commitments, inching closer to the edge while convincing ourselves that we're still in control. The most heartbreaking moment comes when Samson falls asleep on Delilah's lap—literally resting in the arms of his deceiver—a vivid picture of how comfortable we can become within our own deception. The call here is urgent and clear: we must identify where we're living in self-deception, stop justifying our failures, and return to complete dependence on God, recognizing that He alone is the source of our strength, not our abilities, talents, or gifts.

35 min
FEB 8

Strength Becomes A Weakness

This powerful exploration of Samson's life from Judges 13-15 confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: our greatest strengths can become our most devastating weaknesses. We journey through the story of a man chosen by God, set apart as a Nazirite from birth, yet someone who repeatedly violated his sacred vows and used his God-given power for personal vendettas rather than divine purposes. The sermon challenges us to examine our own lives through a critical lens—what gifts, abilities, or strengths has God given us? More importantly, how do we view them? Do we see them as gifts given TO us, making them ours to use as we please, or gifts given FOR us to steward according to God's purposes? Samson's tragic trajectory shows us what happens when we become so dependent on our own abilities that we stop depending on God. We never see him pray for wisdom, seek God's will, or show genuine repentance—only impulsive reactions driven by lust, pride, and revenge. The most sobering part? Israel had become so comfortable with compromise that God had to orchestrate conflict just to create tension with their enemies. This calls us to examine whether we've become too cozy with the world around us, whether we've stopped calling on God's name in our daily lives, and whether our gifts are being used for His glory or our own gain.

37 min
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
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
JAN 18

Changes Everything

This exploration of Matthew 13's parables of the mustard seed and yeast invites us into a profound truth about spiritual transformation: the kingdom of heaven often begins small and hidden, yet possesses extraordinary power. We discover that God's work in our lives doesn't always announce itself with dramatic fanfare. Sometimes the most powerful movements of His kingdom happen in the mundane moments, in the quiet seasons when we feel nothing is changing. The mustard seed—tiny and seemingly insignificant—becomes a mighty tree. The yeast, invisible once mixed into dough, transforms the entire batch. These images challenge our tendency to measure God's activity only by visible results. We learn that patience isn't passive waiting but active trust in what God is doing beneath the surface. The parables remind us that spiritual growth cannot be time-lapsed or hurried. When we invite God into the deepest parts of our hearts—not just the outward behaviors—transformation becomes inevitable. For those feeling discouraged or overlooked, these parables offer hope: the kingdom of heaven is always at work, always growing, never diminishing. Our call is to remain faithful, to surrender the hidden places of our lives to God's transforming touch, and to trust that what begins as small as a seed will one day display His magnificent power.

27 min
JAN 11

Among the Weeds

The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds from Matthew 13 confronts us with one of the most perplexing questions of faith: why does evil persist in a world where God reigns? This teaching doesn't offer easy answers, but instead invites us into a deeper understanding of the kingdom of heaven as both present reality and future promise. We discover that the wheat and weeds grow intertwined, their roots so entangled beneath the surface that attempting to remove one would damage the other. This imagery speaks powerfully to our experience as believers living in a broken world. The parable challenges our instinct to take matters into our own hands, to become warriors against evil through our own strength. Instead, we're called to patience and trust, recognizing that God has not forgotten or overlooked the darkness we see around us. The beautiful promise emerges: a day is coming when everything that causes sin will be removed, when weeping and struggle will end, and when we who are children of the kingdom will shine like the sun. Until then, our calling is not to exhaust ourselves uprooting evil, but to grow deeply in our relationship with Jesus, to pray fervently, and to share His love with everyone we encounter. This parable reminds us that faithfulness matters more than frantic activity, and that the final judgment belongs to God alone.

33 min
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
12/28/2025

Chill Sunday 2025

Deer Run Sermons

50 min

Sermon from Deer Run Church

Creator

Deer Run Church
Years Active

2018 - 2026
Episodes

208
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Deer Run Church
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Deer Run Sermons