Sermons Elmira Christian Center

In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us of the simple gospel truth that God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the pioneer of our salvation, the leader who has made the way for faithless and fearful sinners like us to be raised to walk in newness of life and fight the good fight of faith as we follow him.

Our passage today marks the beginning of the end of the first king of Israel. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows us that a fearful people need a faithful king whose kingdom endures forever. What we need is a king who will pass the test of obedience which Adam failed on behalf of ruined sinners, a leader to bring us back under the blessing of God, a savior to deliver us from our fears and from ourselves.

At the end of chapter 11, Samuel summoned Israel to Gilgal to “renew the kingdom” (v. 14). Here, at the transition from the last of Israel’s judges to the first of their kings, Samuel will call them all to a renewed allegiance to Israel’s true and everlasting King. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows us that the God of glorious grace is a great God worth serving. For despite all our sin and the many ways we reject the one true King, it remains his intention to make his glory known through the redemption of a people who find life in his name.

After Saul is anointed and proclaimed as king, we have a story of God working salvation for Israel through him. When Jabesh-Gilead was surrounded by their enemy, the Ammonites, God grants them salvation through Saul. In this sermon, pastor Keith shows us that the LORD works salvation for His people. First, we see the enemy’s […]

In this sermon, Pastor Keith Ryoo covers the coronation of an apparent hesitant King Saul, Israel's first monarch, and Israel's complete and total rejection of God as their sole ruler. God permits Israel to have a king, despite the dire warnings of the obvious pitfalls of such a governmental system. What we see is that, despite the people's rejection, and their king's reluctance, God still rules.

In this sermon, pastor Mitch reminds us that, despite his people’s rebellion and rejection of him, the Lord ordains and ensures the deliverance of his people through his chosen ruler. This story reminds us that God is always at work, even in the ordinary events of life, to bring about his purposes of blessing his people.

In this sermon, pastor Matt explains that the king we need the most is not like one the nations have. We need a king to do for us what only God can do: We need a faithful king who is both willing and able to save us from the power of sin, to put the whole world to rights, and to reign forever and ever

In this sermon, pastor Matt shows us that those who repent of their sin and rely on God will receive his merciful help. As we turn away from our idols and put our trust in the Lord, we will come to experience the blessing of his salvation and become the covenant people we are meant to be.

In this sermon, pastor Matt again shows how those who fail to give God the glory due his name will fall before him. The good news is that the God of Israel will triumph over his enemies, and we can share in his victory, but his hand is stretched out against all those who refuse to submit to him.

In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that those who fail to give God the glory due his name will fall before him. But the good news is that despite judgment, loss, and apparent defeat, the God of Israel is at work to save his people from the power of their enemies.

In this sermon, pastor Keith shows us from 1 Samuel 3 that God is always at work to fulfill his purposes through the ministry of His word. From God's word being rare and Eli's eyes growing dim to all Israel knowing that a prophet is risen in Shiloh, God provided His word and a minister of His word to begin a new thing in Israel. In these last days, God has provided Christ, the faithful prophet we need, who did not let any of God's word fall to the ground.

In this sermon, pastor Matt shows us that, despite corruption in his house, God is always at work to fulfill his purposes. He will provide for the needs of his people both in purging judgment and in preserving mercy

In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that, like Hannah, we can rejoice in the God who is at work to turn the world right-side up. Because of who God is and what he is doing to restore all things through his Christ, we should be a people always abounding in joyful praise.

In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that *God is always at work to fulfill his purpose especially in hopeless circumstances. He intends to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found. And so we can trust that he will hear the prayers of his people, remember us, and act for our good and his glory.

In this sermon, pastor Mitch shows us that radical generosity in all of life is a hallmark of a Christian. As we consider Paul's instructions on giving to the Corinthians we not only learn principles of giving, but we discover the reasons why we ought to be excited about generosity.

In this sermon, pastor Matt looks at one of the few passages in the Law that deals with the concept of tithing. In Deuteronomy 14, we learn what Israel was supposed to do with the tithe, who it was for, and why this act of generosity was crucial for their life and witness as a nation. What we will see is that, while our situation today under the New Covenant has changed, there is an abiding principle of giving we must learn: We honor the Lord with our wealth as we joyfully share his blessings with others. This principle addresses the alignment of our hearts, and whether or not we will live for God according to his word

With Isaiah behind us, and before we start preaching through another book of the Bible, we will be taking the next four weeks to focus on the topic of giving. The purpose of this series is to explain from Scripture why we believe that radical generosity in all of life, as well as faithful giving to a local church, is a mark of a disciple of Jesus. In the first sermon of our series, pastor Keith considers Abraham being blessed by Melchizedek and reminds us that out of a grateful heart comes giving glory to God.

In our last sermon for our series through Isaiah, pastor Matt reminds us that God will make his glory known to all nations in salvation and judgment. Through the gospel, the Holy One of Israel is gathering a worldwide people to worship him forever, but those who persist in rebellion against him and his Christ will not escape the fire of his wrath.

Just as we find ourselves at the end of another year, we’ve also come to the end of the book of Isaiah. Yet what’s remarkable about this final chapter is that the book of Isaiah ends just like it began. After all Isaiah has said about the nations of the world, the exile of Israel, […]