If you ask a pastor or theologian to tell you about the God of the Bible, they will probably rattle off a string of big words like omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Those words are fine; they tell us true things about God. But they’re as dull as dishwater.

If you ask an ancient Hebrew prophet the same thing, you will receive a much different answer. The Old Testament prophets would say God is a roaring lion, a blazing fire, and a mighty warrior. He’s a shepherd who binds up his flock’s wounds and a nursing mother who soothes her child. The prophet Zephaniah would tell you that God is a lover — he so loves and delights in his people that he serenades them with love songs. That’s the picture Zephaniah paints. He tells of a future time when God comes to dwell among his people again, and when he comes, he will sing over his beloved ones.

Listen as Ryan preaches an Advent message from Zephaniah 3:14—20.

This sermon was preached on December 15, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

The whole of the Christian is a season of waiting. We’re waiting for Jesus Christ — our Savior and King — to come again and set everything right.

Waiting is difficult. It can eat away at your hope and faith. The Church has been waiting for nearly 2,000 years for Jesus to return, and the longer we wait, the greater the temptation to let go of hope.

How can we keep hope alive while we wait? Listen as Ryan preaches an Advent sermon from Malachi 2:17–3:5.

This sermon was preached on December 8, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido.

We’re hard-wired for justice. The God who created us in his image is a God of justice. He loves justice. He practices justice. But the same God who hard-wired us for justice also says personal vengeance is not the way to get it. Revenge is not justice; getting even is not justice.

Revenge is off-limits for a Christ-follower because it’s not the way of Jesus. But the desire to get even is so powerful. How do you resist it?

Listen as Ryan preaches from 1 Samuel 24 where David resists the temptation to take revenge on Saul.

This sermon was preached on November 10, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

David learned important lessons about the life of faith while on the run from Saul. We need to learn those lessons too.

Listen as Ryan preaches on 1 Samuel 21:1–22:5.

This sermon was preached on October 20, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

Last year, the Surgeon General released a report about a major public health crisis. He said the most prevalent health issue in the country isn’t cancer, it isn’t heart disease, and it isn’t obesity. It’s loneliness. Studies are showing that loneliness can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Even before the pandemic, loneliness was a problem, and it’s only worsened since then. We don’t connect with others like we used to. We work from home. We shop online instead of in person. Our homes don’t have front porches. Instead, we hide in the backyard. We follow strangers online, but we have few genuine friendships. Friendship has fallen on hard times. And that should concern us because the Bible says a lot about friendship, especially about how important it is. According to the Bible, friendship is essential to living a meaningful, flourishing life.

1 Samuel 20 is about friendship. It focuses on the friendship between Jonathan and David. Their friendship is the paradigm for friendship in the Bible.

Listen as Ryan walks through the chapter and talks about (1) the importance of friendship and (2) the power for friendship.

This sermon was preached on October 13, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

The gospel doesn’t offer us an escape from pain — that’s not what God promises us. What the gospel does provide is help and hope in the midst of trials.

Listen as Ryan walks through 1 Samuel 19, showing how it ultimately points to the hope and help the gospel of Jesus Christ provides.

This sermon was preached on October 6, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

Envy is an ugly, destructive vice. It destroys your ability to enjoy God’s gifts, poisons your relationships, and can erode your faith if left unchecked. But the grace of God in Jesus Christ has the power to free you from envy’s grip.

Listen as Ryan examines Saul’s envy of David in 1 Samuel 19.

This sermon was preached on September 29, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.

We’ve been making our way through the Book of 1 Samuel, and today we come to the story of David and Goliath. Without a doubt, this is the most famous story about David’s life, maybe even the most famous story in the Bible.

If you grew up going to Sunday School, you’ve heard this story more times than you can count. Even people who aren’t church-goers have heard about David and Goliath. It’s a well-known story. But often we miss the point of it.

Listen as Ryan shows how David’s victory over Goliath points to our true champion, Jesus Christ, who defeated sin, death, and Satan through his life, death, and resurrection.

This sermon was preached on September 15, 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.