Because Jesus only called 12 disciples to be His closest followers, the identities of these men become especially important for our study. Did Jesus only call me who would be good witnesses as hardworking men of integrity? Far from it! Today, join us in the book of Luke as we discover perhaps the most unusual calls to ministry that Jesus delivers in the Bible.
For the first time in Jesus' earthly ministry, He is not only going to heal someone from a physical illness, but He is going to announce His divine power to forgive sins--a power only reserved for God Himself. As Jesus displays his spiritual healing through an example of spiritual healing, we will see that while healing for our bodies is a blessing, healing for our souls will last throughout eternity.
Jesus knew all about leprosy. He knew that this incurable disease caused unfathomable suffering, as it ate away at the body of the diseased. But more importantly, He knew the way the religious leaders taught the people about leprosy--that only God Himself could heal a leper. And so when a leper boldly approaches Jesus, asking for help, join Stephen Davey in exploring another way Jesus declared Himself to be God, this time through His healing power.
When Jesus began to call his disciples, He first tested them, and challenged them, to step out in faith. As we take a look at the first recorded moments between Jesus and Simon Peter, we will explore the mindset of Peter as he is challenged by God, tested by God, and ultimately, takes a leap of faith. At the end of this journey, Stephen Davey will show us that our calling is higher than anything we can understand, and He wants to use us in ways that we cannot imagine.
Jesus did not just come to earth to say good words, perform some miracles and gain a following. He came to fulfill a prophecy thousands of years earlier when God promised Adam and Eve that one of their descendants would crush the head of the serpent Satan. Join Stephen today and discover the scene when Jesus first came face-to-face with one of Satan's demonic followers.
As Jesus prepares to give His first sermon in His hometown, He was likely excited to reveal himself to his family, friends, and hometown. But the reaction to Jesus' sermon might surprise you! Join Stephen today as he explores the lessons we can learn from rejection.
Do you ever think that it must have been easy for Jesus to live a perfect life? After all, he was fully God the whole time! But here in Luke 4, we get a glimpse of the struggle and difficulty Jesus endured at the hand of Satan, who constantly tempted Him. Through this passage, we find an understanding of our own temptations, and are given a blueprint on how to resist the devil at every turn.
In this message, Stephen takes us to a future and final payday where God will render to every man according to his works. It will be a day of rejoicing for some . . . and a day of mourning for others.
Freedom. What does that word mean to you? For some it means the ability to work where you want to work and marry whom you want to marry and vote for whomever you want to vote. For others it means not having to answer to anyone. But while freedom means different things to different people, there's one thing it can never mean: the absence of authority. In this message Stephen reveals to us that we all serve some master. The question is . . . whose slave are you?
As you reflect on the complex relationship between holiness and Christian liberty — between biblical guidelines and man-made rules — are you making room in your reasoning for grace? In this message, Stephen challenges us to put grace in the driver’s seat and leave everything else on the road.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how Katharina Luther’s courageous escape from a convent and marriage to Martin Luther helped reshape the church’s view of marriage during the Reformation. Transformed by the truth of justification by faith alone in Romans 1:17, she entered a union that modeled commitment over compatibility, humility over self-interest, and ministry partnership over isolation. Despite public slander, hardship, and relentless labor, Katharina managed their home, finances, hospitality, and farm, enabling Luther’s preaching and teaching ministry to flourish. Their marriage demonstrated that the home could serve as a living testimony of the gospel and an extension of ministry. Davey concludes that Katharina’s quiet perseverance and sacrificial faithfulness became a revolutionary legacy of light for generations to follow.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey recounts how God sustained William Cowper through lifelong battles with severe depression and despair while using him to leave a lasting legacy of gospel truth. Though Cowper repeatedly wrestled with feelings of abandonment and even attempted suicide, God anchored his soul in the doctrine of Christ’s propitiation, especially through Romans 3:24–25. Davey explains that Cowper’s suffering did not signal God’s rejection but became the soil from which some of the church’s richest hymns of grace were written. Through faithful friends, Scripture, service, and God’s providence, Cowper continued to testify of salvation by grace alone. Davey concludes that powerful faith does not eliminate suffering, but it carries believers safely through it, proving that God’s mercy shines brightest in the darkest valleys.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Hudson Taylor’s deep trust in the finished work of Christ to shape a life of radical faith, humility, and endurance. Converted as a teenager through meditating on Jesus’ words “It is finished,” Taylor learned early to rely on God alone for provision, direction, and strength. Davey highlights Taylor’s willingness to suffer loss, poverty, misunderstanding, and criticism in order to reach China’s interior with the gospel. By identifying with Chinese culture and trusting God through relentless trials, Taylor helped establish hundreds of mission stations and the China Inland Mission, which transformed an entire nation for Christ. Davey concludes that Taylor’s enduring legacy was not strategy or success, but childlike faith in an illustrious Master who accomplishes His work through willing, surrendered servants.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Amy Carmichael’s strong will, suffering, and obedience to build a lasting legacy of eternal impact. From childhood determination to missionary service in India, Amy chose costly sacrifice over comfort, guided by her life verse about building with gold, silver, and precious stones. God redirected her ministry to rescue children trapped in temple prostitution, leading her to found the Dohnavur Fellowship, where hundreds of children found physical safety and spiritual life. Though misunderstood, criticized, and bedridden for her final twenty years, Amy continued to serve through writing and prayer. Davey concludes that God values the quality of faithful obedience over public success, and a life surrendered to Christ will shine long after it ends.
In this sermon, Stephen Davey traces how God used Oswald Chambers’ surrendered life to leave a lasting spiritual legacy far beyond his brief lifetime. Converted as a teenager, Chambers pursued ministry marked by humility, doctrinal depth, joyful faith, and an unwavering dependence on the Holy Spirit rather than methods or popularity. Serving as a YMCA chaplain during World War I, his Bible teaching and prayer ministry brought revival among soldiers facing death and despair. Though Chambers died at just forty-three, God multiplied his influence through the faithful work of his wife, Biddy, whose preservation of his sermons led to writings that continue to shape millions of believers worldwide. Davey concludes that a life fully surrendered to God may appear obscure for a time, but faithfulness empowered by the Spirit produces eternal fruit beyond imagination.
