Grace Archives - River City Church

(2025) Our Identity As Disciples

Family/Parenting

September 21, 2025

Men, especially —the greatest calling on our lives is to love Jesus with our whole heart, and daily show the people under our care how beautiful and helpful and patient God’s authority is. Our calling as parents is to help our children believe that God’s authority is where life and safety and freedom and joy are found. This is gospel work! That is kingdom work. That is being an ambassador for the King of kings. That is carrying this incredible treasure in fragile clay jars that often break and crack and need repair. This is being a temple of the Holy Spirit, and making our homes a place where the Spirit lives, and moves, and is known.

(2025) Our Identity As Disciples

Temple of the Living God

August 24, 2025

Paul's next figure of speech he gives us is that we are the temple of the living God, and when he chose that title, he really meant it. It wasn't a figure of speech only. It wasn't just an illustration. It was the whole point of Jesus coming to earth in the first place – God with us. In us. It's the only way we can be what God has designed us to be.

(2025) Our Identity As Disciples

Ambassadors

July 27, 2025

Here in 2 Corinthians 5, Paul outlines the gospel in about as clear and concise a manner as possible. As a result, we are ambassadors for Christ – his representatives, his spokespeople. But even more than that, he is with us. In us. And for us.

(2025) Our Identity As Disciples

Fragrance

June 15, 2025

Paul uses the analogy of familiar scene called a Roman Triumph, which includes a very familiar fragrance, and says that’s what disciples of Jesus are like – we are like a fragrance that to some people means life, and to others means death.

Standalone, Testimony Sunday

Testimony Sunday (May 2025)

May 27, 2025

We hear a story of disappointment, frustration, and not knowing where God is, and we also hear from a young couple and how the gospel has stirred their hearts to move overseas and work with college students.

(2025) Acts

Later. Maybe.

March 9, 2025

Paul stands trial before Felix the Governor, and gives his defense. Felix began to be very interested in what Paul was saying, and even brought his wife in to potentially fact check Paul’s argument. But all of a sudden, when Paul’s defense turned into sharing the gospel to Felix, the conviction was too much. Felix bailed, said, "I’ll be in touch later, maybe," and two years later, he is out the door leaving Paul in prison for the next Governor to deal with, never having professed faith in Christ.

(2025) Acts

Jesus Stood By Me

February 16, 2025

Paul is now moved away from the mob, and into a formal trial in front of the Sanhedrin. It doesn't last long. Paul's speech is two sentences, he gets slapped in the face, and then spots an opportunity to get the attention off of himself. But that night in the jail cell, he gets a special visit from the Lord himself, encouraging him to stay the course.

(2025) Acts

Do Not Be Afraid

November 17, 2024

As Paul rolls into Corinth, we get a bit of a window into him being a little more human than we may have thought about him. He admits in 1 Corinthians that he came into town with weakness, fear, and much trembling. Yet, God meets him in that fear and offers him incredible comfort.

(2024) Psalms

Psalm 8

June 9, 2024

“When I observe your heavens, the work of your finger, the moon and the stars you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him?” David asks a great question here, but even David doesn’t know where history is headed. God himself doesn’t just remember humans – he becomes one.

Standalone

Clinging To Jesus

March 31, 2024

Resurrection Sunday 2024 – In Philippians 3, the apostle Paul is unsatisfied with knowing ABOUT Jesus – he wants to press on, reach out, and pursue KNOWING Jesus, which includes, knowing the power of his resurrection.

Topic: Grace