This sermon explores 1 Corinthians 15, emphasizing that the gospel is both a message we receive and a reality in which we stand. Pastor Luke teaches that while spiritual gifts are important, the resurrection of Christ is of "first importance." The message confronts the tendency to blame the devil for our choices, calling believers to humble confession of their past while embracing their future in Christ. The sermon emphasizes that God's primary characteristic is redemption rather than prevention, and that Christ's resurrection guarantees our own future resurrection. The pastor challenges listeners to move from merely avoiding hell to embracing abundant life in Christ, culminating in an invitation to baptism as a public declaration of faith.

Key Points:

-The gospel (euangelion) means "news of victory" - we stand in the position of Christ's victory over sin and death

-Of first importance: Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to many witnesses

-Humility acknowledges we have a past; faith acknowledges we have a future

-We must stop blaming the devil for choices we made - confession requires taking personal responsibility

-Shame says "I am bad because I did something bad," but the gospel says we are new creations in Christ

-Satan sinned against humanity first before humanity sinned against God - we were sinned against before we chose to sin

-God's primary characteristic is redemption, not prevention - He doesn't violate human agency but redeems and restores

-Love must be voluntary, which is why God doesn't remove the temptation to sin

-In Adam we all die, but in Christ we all live - death is without choice, but life is within choice

-The resurrection of Christ guarantees our own resurrection with glorified bodies like His

Scripture Reference:

1 Corinthians 15:1-22 (primary focus)

1 Corinthians 12-14 (context for spiritual gifts)

Genesis 3 (the Fall and mechanics of sin)

John 3:16 (God's love for the world)

Romans 5:8 (God's love while we were still sinners)

This sermon provides an in-depth exploration of 1 Corinthians 14, focusing on the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophecy within the context of corporate worship. The pastor emphasizes that biblical prophecy—a now word from the Holy Spirit given to build up the body—is more valuable than tongues in corporate settings because it edifies the entire church rather than just the individual. The message challenges believers to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy, while maintaining both good conduct and biblical content. The core teaching revolves around two essential values for church gatherings: edification (building up believers) and order (maintaining peace and clarity). The sermon demystifies prophecy, showing it as accessible to all believers who know Christ's voice, and calls the congregation to step out in faith to speak words of encouragement, consolation, and upbuilding to one another.

Key Points:

1. We fail to witness all of the power of God when we fail to preach all of the Word of God

2. Biblical prophecy is a word from the Holy Spirit through a member of the body to build up, encourage, and console another member

3. True prophecy will never contradict Scripture and requires both good conduct and good content

4. Biblical prophecy is localized and requires accountability within the local church body

5. Prophecy is more valuable than tongues in corporate worship because it edifies the entire body

6. All believers can prophesy because Jesus said His sheep hear His voice

7. Prophecy must build up, stir up faith, and cheer up the recipient

8. Speaking in tongues edifies the individual but requires interpretation when done publicly

9. Prophecy leads unbelievers to conviction and worship when they witness God speaking through His people

10. Church gatherings should prioritize edification and order above personal expression

11. The tongue has the power of life and death, making our words critically important

12. Faith is spelled R-I-S-K and requires stepping out when the Holy Spirit prompts

Scripture Reference:

1 Corinthians 14:1-40 (primary focus)

1 Corinthians 12 (spiritual gifts context)

1 Corinthians 13 (love chapter context)

Ezekiel 13:1-9 (false prophets)

Joel 2:28 (prophecy about Pentecost)

Acts 2 (fulfillment of Joel's prophecy)

John 10:27 (sheep hearing Jesus' voice)

Revelation 19:10 (testimony of Jesus is spirit of prophecy)

Isaiah 28:11 (reference to tongues as judgment)

1 Corinthians 11 (women praying and prophesying)

This sermon explores 1 Corinthians 13, emphasizing that spiritual power without love is spiritually bankrupt. Paul teaches that operating in spiritual gifts—tongues, prophecy, healing, knowledge—without the motivating force of God's love renders these gifts ineffective and annoying. The sermon challenges believers to examine their motives, recognizing that God fully knows them even when they only know Him dimly. True spiritual maturity requires surrendering completely to God's love, which is the only thing that will transition from this age to the eternal age when Christ returns. The message calls Christians to shift from self-preservation to concern for others, modeling Christ's sacrificial love while ministering in His power.

Key Points:

Without love, spiritual gifts become noisy, ineffective, and vexing to others

Operating in God's power without God's love is like having energy without strength—it collapses under its own weight

Extra spiritual power cannot compensate for a lack of love

Love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not arrogant, not rude, and does not insist on its own way

Spiritual gifts (prophecy, tongues, knowledge) will pass away when Christ returns, but love endures forever

The word "perfect" in verse 10 refers to Christ's second coming, not the completion of Scripture

God fully knows us even though we only know Him dimly, like looking in a blemished mirror

Christians must shift from self-preservation to outward concern for others

Faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest is love because it alone passes into eternity

Holding back parts of ourselves from an all-knowing God is futile

Scripture Reference:

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (primary focus)

Psalm 139 (search me, O God, and know my heart)

1 John 4 (God is love; anyone who does not love does not know God)

This sermon from 1 Corinthians 12 addresses the importance of both water baptism and Spirit baptism as acts of obedience and empowerment for Christian life. Pastor Luke emphasizes that while water baptism is not required for salvation, it is essential for obedience to God's Word and identification with Christ's death and resurrection. The sermon explores the distinction between being baptized in water and being baptized in the Holy Spirit, explaining that in Spirit Baptism, Jesus is the baptizer who immerses believers in the Spirit for power and ministry. The second major theme focuses on the body of Christ as one unified body with many distinct members, each possessing unique spiritual gifts that contribute to the health and function of the whole. The pastor challenges believers to discover and actively use their spiritual gifts, emphasizing that faith grows through application. He addresses the Western church's tendency to limit God's manifestation by reducing His presence to personal comfort levels, calling instead for desperate hunger for God's presence regardless of how it challenges our preferences.

Key Points:

Water baptism is not required for salvation but is essential for obedience to God's Word.

Jesus Himself was baptized, setting an example for all believers to follow.

There are two distinct baptisms: water baptism (identifying with Christ's death and resurrection) and Spirit baptism (empowerment for ministry)

In Spirit baptism, Jesus is the baptizer; the Holy Spirit is the substance we are baptized into.

The degree of our surrender to God determines the degree we are filled by Him.

The church is the body of Christ with many members, each having irreplaceable value.

Hidden or seemingly insignificant roles in the church are equally valuable to God.

Spiritual gifts include 'helps' and 'administration' in addition to the nine gifts listed earlier in 1 Corinthians 12.

Faith grows as we actively use our spiritual gifts.

The Western church often limits God's manifestation by reducing His presence to comfort levels.

Being part of a local church body is essential; detachment from the body hinders understanding of our place in God's kingdom.

Scripture Reference:

1 Corinthians 12 (primary focus, verses 12-27)

Mark 1:8 (baptism with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 1:5 (promise of Spirit baptism)

Acts 2:38 (repentance and baptism)

Matthew 3:16-17 (Jesus' baptism and the Spirit descending)

Sermon Summary: This sermon addresses the critical need for the modern church to understand and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit (pneumatikos). Pastor Luke challenges the common Western church paradigm that emphasizes the Father, Son, and Holy Bible while neglecting the active ministry of the Holy Spirit. He argues that without the Spirit's empowerment and gifts, the church becomes weak and incapable of facing contemporary challenges or fulfilling the Great Commission. The message calls believers to move beyond theological knowledge alone and step into supernatural power through being filled with the Holy Spirit. The sermon emphasizes that every Christian receives spiritual gifts not for personal benefit but for the common good of the church, and that these gifts are essential tools for building a church that can withstand evil and advance God's kingdom until Christ's return.

This sermon from 1 Corinthians 11 addresses the importance of worshiping God freely while maintaining order and respect in corporate worship. Pastor Luke emphasizes that Paul's corrective epistle to the Corinthian church calls believers to imitate Christ-followers rather than worldly standards. The message explores the cultural context of head coverings and worship practices, explaining how Paul sought to remove distractions that hindered genuine worship. The sermon stresses that true worship requires both theological truth and Spirit-led expression, warning against both dead orthodoxy and unbiblical practices. It concludes with a call to participate in authentic Christian community through small groups while remaining firmly grounded in Scripture, distinguishing between orthodox teaching (within Scripture's boundaries) and apostate teaching (outside Scripture's boundaries).

This inaugural sermon at Salt and Light's new facility focuses on the spiritual disciplines of giving, praying, and fasting as means of emptying ourselves to be filled with God's Spirit. Drawing from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the pastor emphasizes that God is doing a new thing through His church, but this requires believers to develop a secret faith—one that isn't performed for public recognition but practiced in private devotion. The core message challenges the Western church's tendency toward mental assent and public displays of faith while neglecting the secret, intimate relationship with God that produces pure motives and powerful spiritual fruit. Jesus assumes His followers will give, pray, and fast—not for recognition, but in secret where the Father sees and rewards. The sermon calls the congregation to pursue clean hands, pure hearts, and single-mindedness throughout 2026.

Pastor Luke addresses the church's struggle with duplicity—living divided lives between devotion to God and attachment to worldly idols. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 10:14-30, he challenges believers to flee from idolatry and live consecrated lives of singularity rather than duplicity. The sermon emphasizes that God is a jealous God who demands complete devotion and will not share His people with other pursuits. Paul's correction to the Corinthian church mirrors the contemporary Western church's need to resist cultural pressures and live fully surrendered to Christ. The message stresses that God's power flows through purity, humility, and consecration—not talent or accomplishment. True worship requires both Spirit and Truth, and believers must posture themselves with serving hands rather than seeking the upper hand. The call is to empty ourselves before God so He can fill us, recognizing that spiritual warfare often indicates we're moving in the right direction for God's kingdom.