City on a Hill ABQ

Thou Shalt Worship No Idols

This sermon on Exodus 20:4–6 explores the Second Commandment and argues that idolatry is ultimately about attempting to control God rather than worshiping Him as He truly is. Using the illustration of a buffet versus a vending machine, the message contrasts the God of the Bible—who cannot be manipulated—with the false gods of human invention. The sermon teaches that idols are foolish because they require human maintenance and promise security, comfort, and identity that they can never truly provide. Instead, believers are called to trust God alone as their ultimate source of safety, peace, and purpose. The message culminates in Jesus Christ, the visible image of the invisible God, who frees His people from idolatry and invites them to feast on the abundance of His grace rather than settling for lesser substitutes. The central challenge is to abandon attempts to control God and instead delight in a deeper relationship with Christ, because Jesus alone fully satisfies and is infinitely better than any idol.

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods

This sermon on Exodus 20:1–3 explores the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” emphasizing that obedience to God is not a means of earning salvation but a grateful response to the salvation He has already provided. Drawing from Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, the message explains that God’s commands are given for humanity’s flourishing and reflect His good design for life. The sermon highlights three reasons believers should worship God alone: because He is supreme over all false gods and modern idols such as status, money, and security; because He is good, as revealed through His faithful character and ultimately demonstrated in the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ; and because He is faithful, remaining a refuge and hope for His people even in suffering and failure. The message concludes by calling listeners to examine whether Christ alone is their God and source of hope, affirming that all other gods ultimately fail, while Jesus alone is worthy of complete trust and devotion.

The Coming of The Holy Spirit

This sermon on Pentecost explores Acts 2:1–41 and emphasizes the coming of the Holy Spirit as the “fuel” that empowered the disciples to fulfill Christ’s mission. Using the illustration of a car stranded without gas, the message explains how the disciples were ready for ministry but needed the Spirit’s power to bring them fully to life. The sermon highlights three major themes: the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Good News, empowering believers to proclaim the gospel and leading thousands to repentance; the Spirit of the Church, forming believers into the body of Christ rather than a consumer-driven organization; and the Spirit of Adventure, launching God’s people into the ongoing mission of spreading the gospel throughout the world. Drawing from biblical teaching, church history, and even Arthurian imagery, the sermon ultimately calls Christians to gratitude, faithful participation in the church, and boldness in joining God’s redemptive work through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness, Peace, and Joy

This sermon on Romans 14:13–18 centers on the tension between Christian freedom and love for one another within the body of Christ. Paul teaches that the Kingdom of God is not ultimately about external matters such as eating and drinking, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The sermon explores how words like love, righteousness, peace, and joy become distorted when they are separated from Christ as their foundation, and how believers often elevate personal preferences and cultural convictions to the level of spiritual law. Through Paul’s warning against placing stumbling blocks in the path of others, the message calls Christians to examine how they use their freedoms and convictions within the church community. The sermon culminates in a call to build one’s life on Christ as the true foundation, recognizing that Christian freedom is not merely a personal right, but a privilege meant to be exercised in love for the people Christ died to save.

Differing Convictions

Pastor Ryan Williams addresses the challenge of maintaining unity in the local church amid differing personal convictions, noting that many people leave churches over unmet preferences rather than theological disagreements or missional moves. Drawing from the Roman church's mix of Jewish and Gentile believers—where some still observed Old Testament dietary laws while others embraced the freedom of the New Covenant—Paul instructs stronger believers not to despise the "weak" who abstain from certain foods, and the weak not to judge those who partake, since God has welcomed both. Williams emphasizes that the church must be a judgment-free place where weaker brothers and sisters in faith are welcomed and allowed to grow without quarreling over opinions on non-essential matters of conscience (distinct from clear sin or orthodoxy). Ultimately, unity is possible because the church is built not on preferences or personal convictions but on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ, who sustains and upholds every believer equally at the foot of the cross, calling us to treat others as God treats us rather than passing judgment on fellow servants of the Lord.