Sunday, March 23, 2025 – Covenant Community Church

Scripture Text: Luke 4:1-4 (NRSV)

In this world, we face temptation all the time. Whether you are a Christian listening this morning or not you know that temptation is real. You can think of times or circumstances in your life where you have been tempted to do the wrong thing, and you have either done it or resisted it. In today’s message, we will learn how Jesus came out of the wilderness victorious and how we can live a victorious life. Jesus’ temptations and struggles in the wilderness were about clarifying and deepening His life. Lent is intended to be a time for self-reflection and examination; looking at who we are becoming, how we are living, where our life is headed. In other words, it is the struggle to clarify who you are, and the values that orient and drive your life. We may find ourselves in the wilderness. But even in the wilderness, we are not alone! And in the temptation, too, we have what we need. God has equipped us to fight off our sinful desires with His Word. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us ta www.indycovenant.org. Amen

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Sunday, March 19, 2025 – Covenant Community Church

Scripture Text: Mark 12:1-11 (NRSV)

Many of us grew up hearing the overly used adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones,” but words will never hurt me.” But the truth is: words do hurt. Words can break hearts, ruin relationships, deflate confidence and self-esteem, and crush hopes and dreams. In today’s message we find examples and lessons learned from this experience from our text as Pastor Wallace continues our sermon series: “Journey of Stones.” In this passage we find two things: 1). Jesus confronted the accusers (8:1-9) and 2). Jesus confronted the accused (8:10-11). When you come to Jesus “caught in the act,” you expect the full weight of the law to crush into you. It’s what you deserve. But thanks be to God, with Jesus, you get what you don’t deserve – God’s amazing grace! If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org. Amen.

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Scripture Text: Mark 12: 1-11 (NRSV)

As we start our Lenten Sermon Series: The Journey of Stones, this morning we will focus on “The Rejected Stones.” Drawing on the rich imagery of rocks and stones in Scripture, these messages center around the compelling metaphor of stones as representative of our sins. In today’s text Jesus offers a parable that speaks both of the past and of the future. The parable recounts the history of the nation of Israel and then prophesies of the judgment that is coming against them. While the main point of this parable is to announce judgment and foretell the work of Christ, it’s also a great reminder of the character of God. As Jesus recounts the ways God has dealt with Israel in the past and the way He will act in the future we get a clear view of God’s goodness, patience, love, and grace. Pastor Wallace tells us when you feel rejected, remember the Stone, and remember the Vineyard. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org. Amen.

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Scripture Text: Nehemiah 8:9-10 (NRSV)

Black History month is a time for us to reclaim the joy and strength of African American people’s identity. It celebrates overcoming grief, tragedy and triumphs through the power of God. One of the greatest intellectuals for the Christian Church in the 20th century aptly noted “if it had not been for the been for the black church, there would probably be no church in this country.” In today’s message Pastor Wallace shares insights from Nehemiah 8:9-10 to better understand the meaning of history as related to God in our Black History. The essence of our collective faith in these difficult times is grounded in the words of Ezra to the people for us not to “grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your (our) strength.” The Lord centers joy and strength in us from day to day. That’s why we must celebrate! Amen

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Scripture Text: Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV)

Today’s message brings us to the end of our sermon series: Making Your Life Count: “Live Life as a Sacrifice of Praise.” Our Christian aspiration, individually and collectively, is to live life as a sacrifice of praise to God. That’s what our sermon text (Hebrews 13:15-16) today is all about. It’s exhorting us to live life as a sacrifice of praise to God and that ought to be an aspiration for us. It ought to be something that we want to do, that we long to do, that we desire to do! That is, because of what Jesus has done for us. Now what does that mean and how do we do that? Pastor Wallace teaches us what that means and we are enabled to do that as we see the five parts of this one exhortation. We live life as a sacrifice of praise: 1) Through Him; 2) Continually, 3) With Thanks; 4) Doing Good; and 5) Sharing Generously. In other words, the author of Hebrews is saying God does not leave you in suspense wondering what a life that pleases Him look like. May your life reflect His wishes. Amen. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please share it with others and seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org by giving.

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Scripture Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NRSV

In today’s message we draw upon insights from the apostle Paul’s writings about prayer. If you are willing, you, too can walk in the world-changing power of God’s presence as Paul did and make your life count for now and eternity. Paul’s prayers reveal the spiritual strengths and assets you need to act out divine love in all situations. His prayers empower us to fulfill “man’s chief end to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Pastor Wallace shares with us the five things Paul teaches us about prayer, namely: 1) be “instant in prayer”; 2) a new connection between prayer and peace; 3) the Holy Spirit and prayer; 4) the order of prayer; and 5) prayer and thanksgiving. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please share it with others and seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org by giving today!

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Scripture Text: Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB

We serve an awesome God – in the truest and most literal sense of that word. But we still aren’t to the limit. After that the Apostle Paul reminds us that all that God does in and through us is “according to the power that works within us.” Amazing things are possible not through our power or our abilities but rather through the power of our Almighty God. The main idea of Pastor Wallace’s message today is that the greatest ambition we as a church could ever have is to bring glory to God with our individual and corporate lives. That’s the very core of our 2025 Vision for Covenant and for you. If you are blessed after hearing this message, please seed into our ministry by visiting us at www.indycovenant.org. Amen

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Scripture Text: Psalm 5:1-3 NRSV

Today we come to our third sermon in our message about Making Your Life Count: Approaching God in Prayer.” Everyone prays sometimes; but not everyone prays the same. How can you make prayer an important part of your life that indeed changes your life and the lives of those around you? Pastor Wallace suggests to us that how we approach God matters to Him. He begins with considering two of the assumptions King David used to approach God in his prayer life: 1). God is great enough to answer our prayers and, 2). Prayer should be a priority in our lives. With these assumptions, you can appropriately approach God in prayer by first a sense of urgency, secondly, going to God in the early morning, and third, with a sense of expectancy. Professor Peter Gomes reminds us that “the Christian does not live by experience alone but by experience tempered by great expectation.” Do you pray with a sense of expectation, or do you live like the blind man at the pool of Bethesda? Amen

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