Grace Chapel Wilsonville

Grace Chapel

Welcome to the weekly message from Grace Chapel in Wilsonville Oregon. Our Concern: What bothers and drives us? We believe that humanity is broken and fragmented. Our Cause: How do we address this concern? To experience and express the essence of Jesus Christ. For more information visit www.gracechapelonline.org

  1. Compelling Faith - The Choice of Allegiance

    1D AGO

    Compelling Faith - The Choice of Allegiance

    This sermon explores the true meaning of Jesus's command to "be perfect" in Matthew 5:48, revealing that the Greek word "teleos" means to be whole, complete, and mature rather than flawlessly perfect. The message challenges both the rebellious spirit that seeks freedom without boundaries and the religious spirit that focuses on external rule-following without heart transformation. Using the Sermon on the Mount as a foundation, this message emphasizes that God desires deep heart transformation that leads to flourishing life, not mere behavioral compliance. Josh illustrates how both the sexual revolution's pursuit of freedom and the purity culture's restrictive rules failed because they missed God's compelling design for human flourishing. True Christian maturity means becoming the kind of person who doesn't just avoid sin but no longer desires it, moving from blurry understanding to clear vision of what sin truly costs us. Read Genesis 3:1-7 & James 1:13-15 The serpent's lie in the Garden was that God was holding out on humanity, that His boundaries were restrictive rather than protective. This rebellious spirit still whispers today, masquerading as freedom while leading to bondage. Sin promises fulfillment but delivers brokenness. As we mature in Christ, we begin to see temptation for what it truly is—not just a momentary pleasure, but a path that leads away from the flourishing life God designed. In heaven, we will see sin with perfect clarity and have no desire for it. Until then, we grow through God's Word, authentic community, and the Holy Spirit's work in us. What temptation do you need to see more clearly today? Ask God to reveal the true cost of sin and the beauty of His ways. Discussion Questions: -What does it mean to you that Jesus calls us to be 'teleos' (whole, complete, mature) rather than simply 'perfect' in the sense of flawless rule-following? -The sermon suggests that in heaven we will be able to see sin clearly for what it truly is and the destruction it causes. How might cultivating that kind of clarity through God's Word and discipleship change the way you respond to temptation today? -How have you experienced the tension between the rebellious spirit (seeking freedom without boundaries) and the religious spirit (following rules without heart transformation) in your own spiritual journey? -What would it look like for you to move from simply attending or participating in church to truly investing yourself as an owner in your local church community?

    53 min
  2. Stepping

    MAR 29

    Stepping

    This Palm Sunday sermon concludes the "House of Discipleship" series by exploring the final rhythm of Jesus - stepping into the misery and margins. Mike emphasizes that being a disciple means living in rhythm with Jesus' life, which involved continually descending from heaven to earth, from earth to the margins, and ultimately to the cross. The sermon features powerful testimonies from church members who have served both globally (Nepal, Rwanda, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico) and locally (Portland's homeless ministry, Heart of the City, McLaren Correctional Facility). These testimonies illustrate that following Jesus requires stepping out of comfort zones and into broken places where harvest opportunities exist. The message challenges the congregation to move beyond curiosity or conflict about faith into becoming contagious and courageous disciples who multiply Christ's life in others through sacrificial service. Discussion Questions: -Doug shared that God told him to stop asking and just be present. How often do we miss what God is doing because we're too focused on our own agenda or questions? -What does it mean to live a scandalized life rather than a sanitized life, and how might this change the way we engage with people who are different from us? -Jesus looked at the crowds and saw a harvest ready to be gathered, but most people miss it because they won't step in. What harvest opportunities might you be missing in your own neighborhood, workplace, or community?

    1h 3m
  3. Worshipping

    MAR 22

    Worshipping

    This sermon redefines worship as far more than singing songs to God—it is a complete surrender of our lives to Him. Using the story of Abraham and Isaac as the foundation, Mike challenges the congregation to understand that true worship involves trusting God fully with everything we value most: our time, talents, treasures, relationships, and even our pain. The message emphasizes that worship moves us from comfort to cost, from distraction to devotion, and from resenting to rejoicing. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, and just as Jesus surrendered everything on the cross, believers are called to offer their entire lives as living sacrifices. The sermon concludes with the powerful reminder that our greatest freedom comes when we release our grip on what we're holding onto and surrender it all to God in worship. Discussion Questions: -Job worshiped God in his deepest grief and loss without pretending or faking his emotions. How can you practice authentic worship that includes lament and tears rather than performance? -If your whole week could be a worship service through how you live rather than just what you sing, what would need to change in your daily rhythms and choices? -The Great Commission was given in the context of worship and surrender. How does this connection between worship and mission challenge or reshape your understanding of what it means to make disciples? -How might viewing your trials and suffering as opportunities for worship transform the way you respond to difficult seasons in your life?

    57 min
  4. Multiplying

    MAR 15

    Multiplying

    This sermon introduces the 11th rhythm of discipleship at Grace Chapel - the rhythm of multiplying. Mike emphasizes that Jesus' mission wasn't simply to gather comfortable Christians, but to create a movement of disciples who reproduce themselves. Using the metaphor of dominoes, the message illustrates how one small, surrendered life can start a ripple effect that changes the world. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond addition (inviting people to church) to multiplication (intentionally discipling others who will disciple others). Jesus' strategy was simple: invite, invest, and inspire. Mike emphasizes that disciples are called to be, sent to go, and made to multiply - and that there is a unique, top-shelf joy reserved for those who engage in the messy, sacrificial work of pouring into others. Discussion Questions: -Jesus chose ordinary, unqualified people like fishermen and tax collectors as His disciples. How does this challenge our modern tendency to believe we need credentials or perfection before we can serve God? -The domino illustration shows how one small surrendered life can create exponential kingdom impact. What fears or excuses prevent you from seeing yourself as that first domino? -The sermon contrasts addition (inviting people to church) with multiplication (discipling people who disciple others). Why do you think the church has focused more on addition, and what would need to change to shift toward multiplication? -If you examined your bank statements, calendar, and relationships as indicators of your true mission, what would they reveal about what you actually value versus what you say you value?

    1h 2m
4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Welcome to the weekly message from Grace Chapel in Wilsonville Oregon. Our Concern: What bothers and drives us? We believe that humanity is broken and fragmented. Our Cause: How do we address this concern? To experience and express the essence of Jesus Christ. For more information visit www.gracechapelonline.org

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