Can a Christian truly rejoice while grieving?

In this exegetical sermon from 1 Peter 1:6–9, we explore the tension every believer feels but rarely knows how to explain—joy and sorrow existing at the same time. Peter writes to suffering saints and reminds them that present trials do not cancel salvation; they confirm it.

Building on the future hope of 1 Peter 1:3–5, this passage turns our attention to present-day adversity: grief that is real, trials that are necessary, and a faith that is being tested like gold in a refining fire. These trials are not random, nor cruel—they are purposeful, measured, and governed by a Refiner who knows exactly when to pull the silver from the flame.

This message walks verse by verse through how:

• Christians can rejoice and grieve without contradiction

• Trials test faith, not to destroy it, but to prove it genuine

• Faith is more precious than gold, because everything else perishes

• Trusting God in suffering brings Him pleasure and leads to future glory

• Believing without seeing produces an abiding, inexpressible joy

• Salvation is not only future—it is being received even now

From the forge of suffering to the revelation of Jesus Christ, this sermon reminds weary believers that their trials are temporary, their salvation is secure, and their joy—though sometimes tear-stained—is filled with glory.

If you are walking through hardship and wondering what God is doing, this message invites you to see your suffering through the lens of a living hope, a refining faith, and a salvation already at work.

What if wisdom isn’t a religious add-on—but the way life actually works?

In this exegetical sermon from Proverbs 3:13–35, we confront the defining question of the chapter—and of life itself: Who are the wise, and who are the foolish? The answer, Scripture says, determines how you truly fare in the world.

This passage reveals wisdom as the open secret of the universe—available to every human being by God’s common grace—yet only grasped by those willing to seek, find, and hold fast. From creation itself to everyday decisions, wisdom is shown not as money, power, or pleasure, but as the skill of living life well. Money may buy things, but wisdom creates peace, rest, security, and joy.

The sermon unfolds in two movements:

• Proverbs 3:13–26 shows wisdom as God’s tool in creation and His gift for personal protection, confidence, and rest.

• Proverbs 3:27–35 calls God’s people to live wisely in a culture of death—through generosity, trust, humility, and love of neighbor.

Along the way, we trace wisdom from the Tree of Life in Genesis to the tree of the cross, where Christ secures what wisdom promises but sin forfeited. The final verses press the unavoidable question home: What kind of life are you building—and what will it reveal about your wisdom?

This message is a roadmap for those longing to enter God’s “promised land” way of living—where sinners are saved, communities are shaped by wisdom, and lives are formed by the fear of the Lord.

Podcast Description – Mason Tucker | Ephesians 2 | RiverSide Church

In this powerful, verse-by-verse message from Ephesians 2, Mason Tucker walks us through one of the clearest pictures in all of Scripture of what it means to be saved by grace and built on a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. Preached at RiverSide Church, this sermon reminds us that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, following the course of this world—but God, being rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ.

You’ll be encouraged as we see that salvation is by grace alone, through faith, not by works, so that no one may boast. We are reminded that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand. The message also unpacks how Christ has broken down the wall of hostility, making Jew and Gentile one new people, and how believers are now members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.

This is a rich, gospel-centered teaching that calls the listener to rest in Christ’s finished work and to stand firm on the only sure foundation—Jesus Christ alone. Perfect for anyone seeking to grow deeper in their understanding of grace, salvation, unity in Christ, and the unshakable foundation of the gospel.