Blessed Are the Persecuted: Faithful When It Costs You | The Happy Life Series

Breaking Down the Dam of Unbelief | Grow Series | Pastor Chris Richards

What's actually holding you back from a real, powerful connection with God? In this opening message of the Grow series, Pastor Chris Richards digs into Matthew 13:53–58 — the moment Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and is met not with wonder, but with rejection. And the result? He did few miracles there because of their unbelief. The greatest obstacle to enjoying connection with God is not God's absence. It's our unbelief. But unbelief rarely looks like outright atheism. It hides behind three very familiar walls: 🔹 Cynicism — asking questions not to understand, but to avoid surrendering 🔹 Familiarity — knowing so much about God that we stop being moved by Him 🔹 Pride — taking offense at Jesus rather than submitting to Him Using Rembrandt's famous 1633 painting Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, this message asks the most honest question a Christian can face: Which disciple in that boat are you? Unbelief is a dam. But it doesn't have to stay up. 📖 Scriptures: Matthew 13:53–58 | John 3:16 | Philippians 4:19 | Ephesians 3:20 | James 5:16

Blessed Are the Persecuted: Faithful When It Costs You | The Happy Life Series

Nobody puts "be persecuted" on their vision board. But Jesus ends the Beatitudes with exactly that promise — and calls it the blessed life.In this message from Matthew 5:10–12, Pastor Chris Richards brings the Happy Life Series to a close with a question every follower of Jesus eventually has to answer: Will you choose the Kingdom even if it costs you the approval of the world?Using the opening scene from Cool Runnings as a launching pad, this message confronts the reality that following Jesus is not the wide road of cultural acceptance — it's a narrow road that will eventually put you in direct tension with the world around you.We'll work through what persecution actually is, why it comes, and where it shows up in the most ordinary areas of daily life:🔹 Your time and how you spend it🔹 Your money and how you give it🔹 Your parenting and what you're raising your kids toward🔹 Your sexuality and what you believe about it🔹 Your politics and who actually has your ultimate allegianceAnd we'll look at why the way Christians handle opposition is itself one of the most powerful witnesses the gospel has ever produced.The goal of the Christian life is not cultural acceptance. It's total faithfulness. You are never promised the applause of this world. You are promised a Kingdom.📖 Scriptures: Matthew 5:10–12 | 2 Corinthians 4 | Hebrews 11

The Happy Life | The Peacemakers | Matthew 5:9 & Jeremiah 29:1-7. May 31, 2026

What if peace is more than the absence of conflict?In a world filled with division, outrage, fractured relationships, and constant tension, Jesus makes a surprising declaration:“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)In this message from The Happy Life series, we discover that biblical peacemaking is far more than keeping the peace or avoiding difficult conversations. Jesus invites His followers to become active participants in God’s work of restoring what sin has broken and reweaving His shalom into the world around us.Through Matthew 5:9 and Jeremiah 29:1-7, we explore God’s vision for His people living faithfully in a broken world. Rather than withdrawing, attacking, or simply surviving, followers of Jesus are called to seek the flourishing of their cities, neighborhoods, workplaces, churches, and homes.In this message you’ll discover:• The difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking• The rich biblical meaning of shalom• Why peacemaking is central to the mission of Jesus• What Jeremiah’s message to exiles teaches us today• How to seek the peace and flourishing of your city• Practical ways to become a peacemaker in your home, church, and community• Why God’s people are called to restore what brokenness has torn apartJesus, the Prince of Peace, didn’t simply come to give us peace with God—He invites us into the ongoing work of bringing His peace to a hurting world.The question isn’t whether you’ll solve global conflict. The question is: Will you become a peacemaker right where God has planted you?Will you forgive?Will you apologize first?Will you open your table?Will you pray for your city?Will you help others flourish?One day Jesus will fully restore all things. Until then, we build, plant, serve, disciple, and seek peace wherever He has placed us.Scripture References:📖 Matthew 5:9📖 Jeremiah 29:1-7📖 Genesis 1📖 Isaiah 9:6-7

Stop Working for Rest | Zakk Roberts | Matthew 11:28–30 | May 24

Are you exhausted, burnt out, and running on empty — but can't seem to stop?In this standalone message from Matthew 11:28–30, Zakk Roberts unpacks one of the most radical invitations Jesus ever made: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."But what does Jesus actually mean by rest? It's not a vacation. It's not a nap. It's something far deeper.Zakk walks us through three essential questions:🔹 Who is this invitation for?🔹 What kind of rest is Jesus actually offering?🔹 How do we learn to live and work from that rest?Drawing from the historical context of first-century Judaism, the original Greek language of the text, and the everyday grind of modern life — this message will challenge you to stop working for rest and start working from it.If you've ever felt spiritually numb, trapped in legalism, crushed by productivity pressure, or stuck in the comparison trap — this message is for you.📖 Scripture: Matthew 11:28–30 | Psalm 23

Pure in Heart: How to Truly See God | May 17 | The Happy Life Series

Are you fully devoted to God — or is your heart divided?In this message from Matthew 5:8, Pastor Chris explores the sixth beatitude: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Using the vivid imagery of water filtration, we unpack what it truly means to have a pure heart — not a perfect heart, but an undivided one.Drawing from Isaiah 52–53, we discover four movements toward purity:🔹 Wake Up — stop normalizing the things that numb your soul🔹 Look Up — purity changes how you see God moving in your life🔹 Speak Up — a purified heart naturally becomes a messenger🔹 Open Up — only Jesus can truly cleanse and transform the heartThe cross is where impurity goes to die. You don't clean yourself up before coming to Jesus — you come to Jesus so He can cleanse you.If you've been spiritually numb, exhausted from pretending, or trapped in a divided heart — this message is for you.📖 Scriptures: Matthew 5:8 | Isaiah 52–53 | Psalm 139:23–24 | Hebrews 12:14