Mark 10:35-45 · John 17
Leadership
Leadership That Imitates Jesus
Jesus rejects the disciples' desire for power and prestige, teaching instead that kingdom leadership means serving others, losing oneself, and being last rather than first.
John 8:1-11
Facets of Forgiveness
Facets of Forgiveness - A Difficult Choice
Forgiveness is a difficult choice that demands we release others from the penalty of their sin, just as Jesus did. Only by remembering our own weakness and sin can we find the humility to forgive.
Luke 17:1-10
Luke
A Servant's Work Is Never Done
This sermon outlines four essential character traits of disciples: avoiding being a stumbling block to others' faith, practicing quick forgiveness when repentance is offered, maintaining faith focused on Jesus rather than seeking great faith, and embracing humble servanthood with nothing to boast about.
Philippians 2:5-11
Vision
Being Like Jesus
This sermon explores how believers can develop the mind of Christ by emptying themselves in service to others, following Jesus's example of sacrificial humility to deepen relationships and fulfill God's will.
James 2:1-13
James
Discrimination
This sermon examines how followers of Jesus must treat all people impartially, rejecting negative discrimination based on economics or status, and instead seeing people as God sees them—by their character and heart.
Mark 10:32-45
Dying to Serve
Jesus teaches that greatness in God's kingdom comes through humble service, not power or position. The disciples—and modern believers—are called to adopt Jesus' servant heart, demonstrated supremely in his sacrificial death.
Philippians 2:5-11 · Genesis 1:28
Vision
Emptying Self and Finances
This sermon examines how Jesus' self-limiting example reveals that Christians should view finances as stewardship rather than ownership, limiting their own power and possessions to increase relationship with others.
2 Corinthians 8:8-9 · Philippians 2
Vision
Emptying Self and the Poor
This sermon challenges believers to follow Jesus' example of self-emptying by living simpler lives and redirecting resources to serve the poor, recognizing their disproportionate wealth and responsibility to identify with those in need.
Ephesians 4:1-6
Ephesians
Essentials of Unity
This sermon examines how God has provided unity in the church through the Spirit and calls believers to maintain it through humility, gentleness, patience, and loving endurance rather than consumer preferences.
2 Corinthians 4:1-15
Everybody Loves a Parade
We are earthen vessels carrying the treasure of God's gospel. Rather than drawing attention to ourselves, Christians should point others to Jesus through humble acknowledgment of their weakness and God's power within them.
2 Kings 20:1-21
God Intervenes
Hezekiah's extended life and recovery demonstrate God's responsiveness to prayer, but his subsequent pride in displaying wealth to Babylonian visitors reveals that trusting God means refusing to take credit for His blessings.
Luke 2:1-20
God's Entry Into This World
This devotional examines the birth of Jesus amid indifference and material distraction, arguing that God's entrance into the world through a humble stable demands reverent recognition rather than casual acknowledgment.
1 Peter 3:1-7
Peter epistles
Harmony in the Home
This sermon examines how submission and respect in the home—rooted in Christ's example—quiet unbelievers and strengthen believers' relationships with God, emphasizing inner beauty over outward appearance.
Mark 2:13-17
Mark
Healing the Sick
Jesus calls Levi the tax collector to follow him and dines with sinners, demonstrating that believers must bring Jesus to sinners rather than waiting for sinners to become worthy first. The challenge is to identify with Jesus's radical inclusion and befriend those others reject.
Luke 18:9-14
Parables
Humility
This sermon examines Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and tax collector to show that God honors humility and confession of sin over self-righteousness. Listeners are challenged to confess their specific sins and seek God's mercy rather than comparing themselves to others.
Matthew 20:20-28
Goodman Oaks Retreat
Learning to Serve
This sermon examines Jesus's teaching on true greatness through the story of Mrs. Zebedee's request, arguing that Christian greatness comes through humble service to others, not through seeking position or prestige.
1 Peter 5:1-11 · Psalm 19:14
Peter epistles
Lifted Up
Peter calls believers to humble themselves and cast their anxieties on God, who cares deeply for them. Through meditation on God's truth, prayer, and submission to one another, Christians can experience God's lifting and strength.
1 Corinthians 12:14-20 · Ephesians 3
I Shouldn't Have to Change
This sermon exposes the lie that we don't need to change and that others are the problem, calling believers to celebrate differences as God-ordained strengths that build unity in marriage and the church.
Proverbs 16:18-20 · Luke 14
I'm Right
This sermon examines the lie 'I'm right' and how pride damages relationships and spiritual growth. True freedom comes through humility, admitting our sinfulness, and following Jesus's example of confident yet humble engagement with others.
Mark 9:30-37
Be a Servant
Jesus calls his followers to reject the world's value of independence and power, instead embracing servanthood like a child—powerless and obedient to God's will—which paradoxically grants true freedom from sin, guilt, and shame.
Mark 14:1-11
Mark
Do What You Can
This sermon examines the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus at Bethany, arguing that faithful service requires not grand gestures but simply doing what one can within one's sphere of influence, allowing our behaviors to speak louder than our words.
Mark 10:32-45 · 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Mark
Dying to Serve
True greatness in God's kingdom comes through serving others, not seeking power or position. Jesus exemplifies this through his sacrificial death, which ransoms us from sin and calls us to live as his own.
Acts 26:1-20
Acts
Admission
Paul's admission of sin before King Agrippa demonstrates that spiritual transformation begins with confession. The sermon calls listeners to overcome pride and admit their wrongdoing to experience God's forgiveness and power.
Ephesians 4:1-16 · John 17
Ephesians
How to Keep Unity
While the Spirit establishes unity in the church, believers must actively maintain it through humility, gentleness, patience, and love—recognizing that all members are equally valued and saved by Christ's blood.
1 Peter 5:1-5
1 Peter
Elders
Elders shepherd God's flock through example and submission, modeling Christ-centered faithfulness amid persecution. All believers, young and old, must submit to one another as they await Christ's return.
Ephesians 3:14-21 · Ephesians 1:1
Serving
Filled with Christ to Serve
Paul's prayer invites believers to know Christ's boundless love and be filled with God's power, enabling them to serve others with humility and reveal God's glory through unity and praise.
John 13:1-38
John
Love's Full Demonstration
Jesus demonstrates authentic love through humble service and commands his followers to love one another with the same sacrificial, selfless love he showed them—a love that reveals Christ's reality to the world.
Mark 10:28-45 · John 17:24
Leadership
Biblical Leadership
Real leadership, contrary to worldly expectations, is found in serving others without seeking personal reward or recognition. Jesus models true greatness through sacrificial service rather than the pursuit of power.
John 13:1-38
John
Love's Full Demonstration
Jesus commands his disciples to love one another as he has loved them—authentically, sacrificially, and with humble service. When we recognize that life is about God's glory rather than our own, we become channels of Christ's transformative love to a divided world.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 · 1 Corinthians 10:12
1 Corinthians
Attitude Matters
The Lord's Supper calls believers to recognize their equality at the cross and to extend Christ's sacrificial love through shared community, rejecting attitudes of superiority and division.
Philippians 2:5-11
Philippians
Emptying Self
This sermon examines how Jesus emptied himself to become a servant, challenging believers to adopt the same selfless mindset by prioritizing God's will and others' needs over personal preferences and recognition.
1 Corinthians 4:1-21
1 Corinthians
Faithfulness
This sermon examines how self-perception and judgment of others affect spiritual maturity. Paul calls believers to faithfulness in following Jesus regardless of others' opinions, and to seek accountability from fellow believers.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
1 Corinthians
God's Foolish Plan
God's wisdom—revealed through the cross—stands opposed to worldly measures of success based on status, power, and competition. Believers must reject comparisons with one another and boast only in Jesus, who provides righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
2 Kings 5:1-14 · Isaiah 55
Kings
2 Kings 5:1-14
Pride blinds us to God's ways and prevents us from listening to His instruction. Only through humility can we receive His blessings and allow Him to receive the glory.
2 Kings 20:1-21
Kings
God Intervenes
God extends Hezekiah's life in response to prayer and offers reassurance through signs, but Hezekiah's subsequent pride in his wealth and alliances brings consequences for future generations. The sermon calls believers to trust God's larger purposes rather than taking credit for their blessings.
Ephesians 4:7-16
Ephesians
Maturity
Paul teaches that spiritual maturity means prioritizing Christ over self and maintaining unity through the gifts God has distributed to every believer. The mature person discerns truth, resists selfish impulses, and works cooperatively as Christ's body.
Mark 9:33-50
Mark
Greatness
True greatness in God's kingdom means humility and service to others, rooted in a heart set on exalting Jesus rather than self. Followers of Christ sacrifice their own recognition so that Christ alone receives credit.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 · 1 Corinthians 3:1-4
God's Increase
True service results in God's praise, not human praise. As Park Avenue Church transitions leadership, believers must remember that all ministers are servants and God alone gives the increase.
Luke 6:17-26
Allegiance
This sermon examines Jesus's teaching on blessings and woes, revealing that true identification with Christ requires an attitude of spiritual need, willingness to accept rejection, and joyful surrender rather than self-sufficiency.
Luke 18:18-30
Impossible
True entry into God's kingdom requires humble dependence on God rather than self-reliance. The rich ruler's pride in his accomplishments prevented him from receiving eternal life, illustrating that salvation is impossible for us but possible for God.
John 13:1-17
Serving
Confident to Serve
This sermon examines Jesus washing his disciples' feet as the ultimate model of humble service. True confidence to serve flows from knowing our secure identity and relationship with God.
Philippians 2
Gentle Strength
How quiet perseverance steadies communities—and the kind of strength that does not need to announce itself.
1 Samuel 15:10-23
When Leadership Fails
True leadership serves God's mission with humility and obedience rather than pursuing personal power and recognition. When leaders lose sight of this, they forfeit their calling.
Hebrews 13:7 · Hebrews 13:17
Hebrews
Our Response to Leaders
Leaders persuade through the quality of their lives and words, not through coercive authority. Followers yield willingly to leaders who demonstrate Jesus through their conduct, while leaders bear accountability for their stewardship.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 · Acts 16
1 Thessalonians
Motives
Paul defends his ministry motives in Thessalonica, demonstrating through his sacrificial labor and character that he served the gospel and people, not personal gain—a model for believers to follow Jesus with pure hearts centered on God's kingdom.
Philippians 2:1-5
Philippians
Moving From "Me" to "We"
This sermon examines how Christian community requires thinking in terms of the group rather than individual preferences. Through humility, like-mindedness, concern for others, and Jesus's example, believers learn to prioritize corporate unity over personal interests.
2 Kings 5:1-14 · Matthew 5:3
Naaman
Pride prevents us from receiving God's blessings, but when we humble ourselves and desire God's will above our own expectations, we find true healing and eternal life.
2 Samuel 24 · 1 Chronicles 21
Numbers Aren't Important
This sermon examines David's sin of numbering Israel and God's merciful response, demonstrating that pride precedes judgment but God's grace restores those with pliable hearts willing to repent and sacrifice for fellowship with Him.
Obadiah 1:1-21
Obadiah: Prophet of God's Triumph
This sermon examines how God views jealous pride and unrighteous gloating over others' suffering, using Edom's exploitation of Israel as a cautionary tale. Believers must reject pride in self-sufficiency and replace it with faith in God's sovereignty.
1 Thessalonians 5:12
Ordination of Deacons and Elder
This sermon ordains deacons and an elder, charging them to serve with humility rather than seek rank, to prioritize others' interests, and to grow spiritually while shepherding the congregation toward Christ.
Amos 3:1-15
Privileges and Responsibility
God's election of Israel brought privilege and responsibility to reveal Him to others. Believers today, similarly chosen through Jesus, must live as servants rather than presuming on God's favor through complacency.
Luke 7:1-10 · Luke 4:18-19
Real Faith
A centurion's humble recognition of Jesus' authority across spiritual realms astonishes Christ and exemplifies the real faith believers need—trust that transcends physical presence and earthly limitations.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 · Matthew 15
1 Samuel
Seeing As God Sees
While humans judge by external appearance, God evaluates the heart. This sermon challenges listeners to prioritize character over charisma and seek leaders with a shepherd's heart rather than merely impressive credentials.
2 Chronicles 1:7-12
Chronicles
Seeking a Better Heart
When Solomon asks God for wisdom to lead well rather than wealth or honor, God grants his request and adds blessings besides. This sermon examines how seeking internal transformation—humility, godly character, spiritual alignment—should precede concern for external circumstances.
Ephesians 5:21-33
Ephesians
Serving in Marriage
This sermon examines mutual submission and service in marriage as rooted in Christ's example, arguing that changing selfish attitudes—not seeking escape routes—enables spouses to serve and submit to each other for God's glory.
James 3:13-18
James
Signs of Wisdom
James contrasts earthly wisdom—selfish and divisive—with heavenly wisdom, which is humble, peace-loving, and other-centered. Believers demonstrate godly wisdom through peaceable, considerate, submissive, merciful, and impartial living.
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
Sufficient Grace
Paul boasts in his weakness rather than strength to reveal God's sufficiency. God's grace is perfected in weakness, and believers should delight in their limitations as occasions to display Christ.
Genesis 11:1-9
Taking God's Place
This sermon examines the Tower of Babel as a cautionary tale about human pride and the attempt to usurp God's authority, calling listeners to find balance between ambition and faithful submission to God.
Genesis 3:1-7 · Matthew 16:24-25
The God of Choice
This sermon contrasts the culture's emphasis on personal choice and autonomy with Scripture's call to deny self and center life on Christ. Christian ethics must prioritize God's will over personal satisfaction.
Ezekiel 28:2-19
Ezekiel
The God of Success
This sermon examines how wealth and success can tempt us to pride and self-sufficiency, forgetting that all our gifts come from God. Disciples of Jesus work to honor God and serve others, not to exalt themselves.
Matthew 5:1-6
Sermon on the Mount
The King's Children Are Blessed
This sermon introduces the Sermon on the Mount by establishing Jesus as the perfect King and believers as his children called to reflect his character. The first three Beatitudes—blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and the meek—reveal that God's favor rests on those who recognize their spiritual need, grieve over sin, and embody humble strength.
Matthew 7:1-6
Sermon on the Mount
The King's Children Are Humble
Jesus calls his followers to humble self-examination before judging others, recognizing that spiritual superiority blinds us to our own flaws and prevents us from reflecting God's character of mercy and grace.
Matthew 6:1-18 · Matthew 5:20
Sermon on the Mount
The King's Children Motives
Jesus calls his followers to perform good deeds with the right motive—so that God receives glory, not ourselves. True righteousness flows from a heart seeking to reveal God's character rather than win human approval.
2 Kings 5:1-14 · Isaiah 55
The Power of Humility
Pride and preconceived expectations prevent us from listening to God and receiving His blessings. True healing comes through humble submission, allowing God alone to receive the glory.
1 Chronicles 17
Chronicles
There Is None Like You
God gives David undeserved blessings and promises an everlasting kingdom through his descendant. Our response to God's greatest gift—Jesus—should be humility and commitment.
John 13:1-17
Time for a Bath
Jesus washes his disciples' feet to demonstrate humble service and spiritual cleansing. This sermon challenges believers to serve one another humbly and to receive the spiritual cleansing only Jesus can provide.
2 Chronicles 14:1-16:12
Trusting God
This sermon examines how Asa's shift from trusting God to trusting his own strength and human kingdoms cost him God's favor. Believers must recognize that ease and comfort come from God and intentionally depend on him rather than the visible world around them.
Luke 22:24-38 · John 13
Luke
Upside Down Thinking
In his final meal with the disciples, Jesus teaches that kingdom leadership means serving others, warns of Satan's attacks, assures them of his intercessory prayer, and calls them to prepare for persecution—lessons still vital for today's believers.
James 4:13-17
James
What Is Your Life?
This sermon challenges believers to stop living with arrogance and self-centered plans, recognizing that life is brief and unpredictable. We are called to submit our plans to God's will and live each day as a gift from him.
2 Kings 5:15-27
What Time Is It?
This sermon contrasts Elisha's God-centered motives with Gehazi's self-seeking greed, calling believers to examine whether they point others to God or seek personal gain.
John 13:1-5 · John 1:1
Who Am I?
This sermon explores how understanding our identity in God's eyes—not through worldly measures or others' judgments—enables us to fulfill our spiritual mission with clarity and purpose, just as Jesus' secure identity allowed him to serve humbly.
Zechariah 4:1-14
Zechariah: Prophet of God's Future
God accomplishes His plans through faithful people empowered by His Spirit. Rather than seeking greatness, believers are called to faithfulness in their work, trusting in God's presence and power.
Mark 10:13-16
Simple Faith
Childlike faith is humble trust in God without needing all the answers. Jesus calls believers to embrace simple, dependent trust like children rather than demanding intellectual certainty.
Mark 9:42-50 · Mark 8:34
What's Better Than Life?
Jesus uses hyperbolic warnings about hell to challenge disciples to abandon whatever prevents wholehearted following. The sermon calls believers to recognize their true purpose—revealing Jesus—and willingly exchange comfort, pride, and ease for the costly path of taking up the cross daily.
1 Peter 3:1-7 · 1 Peter 2:17
1 Peter
The New Hope in Marriage
Peter calls believers to mutual submission and respect in marriage—wives and husbands alike—as a counterculture witness to unbelieving spouses and a reflection of Christ's humble sacrifice.
John 1:19-34 · Malachi 4:0-0
John
The Chosen One
John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. His humble witness, grounded in eyewitness experience and God's sign, challenges listeners to surrender their lives to Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
1 Corinthians
No Comparisons
God assigns each member of the body of Christ unique gifts and roles. Comparing ourselves to others or viewing ourselves as superior dishonors God's wisdom; instead, we must value all members equally and share in one another's suffering and joy.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
1 Corinthians
Spiritual Thinking
Mature followers reject the world's competitive, status-driven thinking and instead embrace Christ's selfless mind, recognizing that God's wisdom is revealed through the Spirit to those who seek spiritual discernment.
Hosea 2:2-13 · Genesis 2:25
Hosea
The Tough Love of God
God demonstrates tough love by allowing Israel to experience the consequences of their spiritual adultery and pursuit of false gods. Believers must choose between arrogance and repentance, recognizing their dependence on God.
Ephesians 4:1-6 · Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians
Unity
This sermon examines how believers maintain the unity God has already established through humility, gentleness, patience, and loving endurance, focusing on what draws the church together rather than what divides it.
2 Kings 5:15-27
Kings
What Time Is It?
This sermon contrasts Elisha's selfless service with Gehazi's self-serving greed, showing that followers of God must prioritize God's glory over personal gain and maintain pure motives in ministry.
Luke 6:37-42
Judging
Jesus calls his followers to extend mercy and forgiveness to others, recognizing that people can change; believers must examine their own lives before judging others and should draw close to Jesus as their teacher to develop hearts of acceptance.
Luke 14:15-24 · Isaiah 25:1-8
The Banquet
Jesus's parable of the banquet shows that God's generous invitation to his feast is repeatedly rejected by those with excuses, yet God continues inviting the poor, the outcast, and the humble to his table.
Luke 7:1-10 · Mark 6:6
The Day Jesus Was Amazed
This sermon examines the centurion's faith that amazed Jesus—a bold, humble trust in Christ's authority despite being an outsider to Jewish tradition. It contrasts his faith with the disbelief of those with every advantage to believe.
Luke 15:11-32 · Deuteronomy 21:18-21
The Father
This sermon examines Jesus's parable of the forgiving father, focusing on God's relentless love and desire to celebrate the return of sinners, and his plea for the self-righteous to join the celebration rather than demand justice.
Luke 22:31-46
The Garden
This sermon contrasts Jesus's humble, prayerful preparation for the cross with the disciples' arrogant confidence, showing that true readiness depends on dependence on God's strength, not our own.
Luke 2:1-20 · Micah 5:2
In a Manger
God works through political events and natural circumstances to fulfill his purposes, entering the world in humility while the powerful remain spiritually blind to his sovereignty.
Matthew 20:20-28 · Matthew 19:28
Serving
Less of Me
Those who belong to Jesus are called to be servants, not seekers of power and position. True greatness comes through serving others and decreasing so that God can increase.
Ephesians 3:14-21 · Ephesians 1:1-14
Serving
Power & Glory
Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 calls believers to know Christ's love deeply and allow the Spirit's power to strengthen Christ's place in their hearts, resulting in humble service and lives that glorify God.
Matthew 18:1-6 · Galatians 5:20
Serving
Wanting to Be Great
This sermon examines how humility—voluntarily choosing to be less so others may be more—is the true foundation of greatness in God's kingdom, requiring us to act without seeking recognition and to embrace continuous spiritual change.