Have you ever wondered how a religion so opposed to Christianity can have so much in common with it? Why do Muslims call Abraham their father even when they don't believe in the God of Abraham? In the message Stephen unveils the cunning and deceptive secrets which undergird the fastest growing religion in the world.
Abraham was the father of many nations. He inherited the promise of God that through his seed all nations would be blessed. He was chosen directly by God to father a holy priesthood of people. But Abraham was also a hopeless case. He was old, and his wife was long past child-bearing years. There was no way, humanly speaking, he could father a son. But amidst the seemingly impossible situation, he never took his mind off the fact that when God makes a promise . . . He keeps it.
Why is Abraham called the Father of many nations? Who was Abraham anyway? What did God find so special about him? In this message, Stephen reminds why Abraham's story -- like your story -- is a story of grace.
Have you ever walked up to a stranger and asked, "If you were to die tonight, would God let you into Heaven?" If so, I bet that person responded with something like, "Well I'm a good person; I've never murdered anyone or committed adultery or robbed a bank." Many people today believe the misconception that being "good enough" will get them into heaven. But in Romans 4:13-16, Paul silences that misconception in an emphatic way. As he points to his religious Jewish audience, full of people who believed that the Law of Moses would grant them entrance into Heaven, he reminds them (and us) that the standard for eternal life is not moral goodness . . . it's perfection.
What was the point of circumcision in the Old Testament? Many Jews believed it was a sign of salvation and that without it you couldn't have a relationship with God. Were they right? Stephen answers that question and many more in this message.
Have you considered recently the amazing truth that even though God knows everything about you, He still loves you? No matter how many times you fail Him, He never fails you. No matter how many times you prove that you deserve hell, He offers you Heaven. These are just a few of the profound truths that Paul reveals to us in Romans chapter 4.
Churches all across America have problems--that's obvious. Some fail to reach out to their community; some are more committed to constructing buildings than building disciples; some have little passion in worship. But these are only symptoms of a greater problem: Christians are not only ignorant of what the Bible says, they are indifferent to what it means. In this message Stephen reminds us why a proper understanding of God's Word is not a trivial matter . . . it is sometimes a matter of life and death.
What's the big deal about Abraham? Why do Christians and Jews and Muslims alike fight to call him their "father"? What is his theological and historical importance? Paul gives us the answer in Romans 4.
What makes a person a saint? What earns someone such a significant title? Contrary to popular opinion, sainthood is not an award for the elite and pious; it is a gift to every child of God.
How is it possible that only one small church in Philippi supplied all of Paul's needs? Where were the thousands of other Christians who had been impacted by Paul's letters and visits? Sadly, the ministry of financial support has always been a minority operation.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 3 (Philippians 4:6–7), Stephen Davey teaches believers how to conquer anxiety through prayer and trust in God. He compares worry to a deadly anaconda that strangles faith, urging Christians to “be anxious for nothing.” Instead of allowing fear to consume them, they are to replace worry with prayer—bringing every concern to God with gratitude. Davey explains that worry pulls believers apart, while thankful prayer realigns their hearts toward God’s power and presence. The result is a supernatural peace that “guards hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” a peace flowing directly from God’s own character. This peace doesn’t come from understanding circumstances but from trusting the God who controls them all. Through continual, thankful prayer, believers display the extravagant grace of God by living free from fear and full of peace.
In Extravagant Grace, Part 2 (Philippians 4:4–5), Stephen Davey teaches that believers are called to display grace in a disappointed and self-centered world through two qualities—a resolution to be joyful and a reputation for gentleness. Joy, he explains, is not dependent on circumstances but flows from the Holy Spirit, the gospel, and trust in God’s sovereignty—even in suffering. Gentleness, often misunderstood as weakness, is strength under control—a willingness to yield, be courteous, and respond to hostility with grace. Using vivid examples from history, culture, and personal experience, Davey challenges believers to demonstrate joy and gentleness as living testimonies of Christ’s presence. Because “the Lord is near,” Christians can embody supernatural calm and kindness, showing a frustrated world the reality of God’s transforming grace.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 12:1–8, Stephen Davey explains Solomon’s urgent call to “remember your Creator” while young, because ignoring God early in life leads to confusion in youth, misery in old age, and regret at death. Solomon describes aging with vivid imagery—failing eyesight, shaking hands, trembling legs, sleepless nights, fading voices, and diminishing desire—reminding listeners that physical strength inevitably declines. Davey emphasizes that these poetic pictures are not meant to discourage but to motivate believers to build a foundation of trust and obedience long before the hardships of aging arrive. Solomon then depicts death as sudden and certain, when the body returns to dust and the spirit returns to God for judgment. Davey concludes that life is fleeting, but remembering your Creator—walking with Him now—prepares you for every season of life and for the final awakening after death.
In his sermon on Ecclesiastes 7:1–14, Stephen Davey explains how Solomon shifts from raising life’s troubling questions to offering God-given wisdom for living well. Davey highlights four truths Solomon teaches: contemplate your mortality, because facing death cultivates serious thinking and a life of purpose rather than pretense; choose wise companions, since the rebuke of the godly is far more valuable than the shallow laughter of fools; cultivate godly character, resisting the pull of anger, corruption, impatience, and nostalgic fantasies about “the good old days”; and consider your Creator with humility, recognizing that God ordains both prosperity and adversity, the straight paths and the crooked ones, to deepen trust in Him. Davey concludes that Solomon’s inspired counsel urges believers to live with sober perspective, intentional relationships, steadfast integrity, and humble dependence on the God who shapes every season of life.
Stephen Davey’s sermon “Reconcilable Differences” (Philippians 4:2–3) explains that real church and family life are messy, which is exactly where extravagant grace must be practiced. Using humorous and honest stories, he shows that grace is more than a doctrine we receive from God—it’s a costly, deliberate way of stooping low in attitude and action toward difficult people. Paul’s appeal to Euodia and Syntyche models gracious confrontation: he names them, refuses to take sides, reminds them of their shared labor in the gospel, and urges them to “live in harmony in the Lord,” enlisting a trusted “true companion” to help them reconcile. Stephen Davey draws out principles that disagreements are inevitable, even mature believers don’t always disagree agreeably, and small conflicts—if unchecked—can damage an entire church. Instead of taking sides, spiritually mature believers should step in to untangle issues and protect the unity of the body, remembering that everyone’s name is written in the book of life. He concludes with the example of a Christian bus driver whose daily, practical kindness creates a community of grace, urging believers to let that same grace characterize their relationships in the church.
