In typical fashion, Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans by greeting and thanking diverse individuals who are worthy of affirmation. But before they get too big-headed, Paul reminds them that God is the One who really deserves the credit. The gallery of our faith is just a hall in the greater gallery of God's grace.
At one point in John Bunyan's famous work, "A Pilgrim's Progress," Pilgrim and his friend travel through a town called "Vanity Fair." The town is a lot like yours and mine: materialistic, self-absorbed, pleasure-seeking, and God-rejecting. Temptation was lurking around every corner. In this message Stephen asks us to consider how well we are surviving the onslaught of temptation that surrounds us every day in our own Vanity Fair. In Bunyan's allegory, Pilgrim's friend didn't make it out alive. Will you?
In Romans 16:17-18, the Apostle Paul interrupts his letter of commendation to warn the Church about false teachers. It's a warning as relevant to us today as it was to those Christians in Rome. So let's join Stephen in this message as he gives us the marks of a false teacher.
There's a hall of fame for just about everything nowadays. There's a basketball hall of fame, a bicycling hall of fame, a nurses hall of fame, an aviation hall of fame, a quilters hall of fame; and the list goes on and on! In Romans chapter 16, however, we discover that God has a hall of fame as well. But unlike our worldly displays, the heroes in God's hall are not praised for great feats of strength, brilliance, or artistry. They are honored for their service and humility. So let's join Stephen now as he shows us a few of the people on display.
Have you ever heard the saying, "No man is an island?" Well the Apostle Paul, spiritual and energetic as he was, would have said the same thing. In Romans 16:3-5, he introduces us to a Godly couple who poured into him as much as he poured into others. Were it not for their persistent ministry, Paul would not have been the Apostle he was.
God knows Your name and He knows everything about you. You might walk down the street or walk down the aisle of your Church and feel like just a face in the crowd. But there is coming a day when God will call you by name. He will embrace you as His child . . . and He will reward you for all the things you did for his glory that no one else saw. What a day that will be!
There is no doubt that the "homegoing" of a young life, especially one whose life promised so much for the gospel of Jesus Christ, is often confusing and, in our perspective, tragic. One author referred to the death of a committed Christian at the early stages of great potential as, "The sun going down at noon." But what we learn from these men and women is that the best time to walk with God is always today. We never know what will happen tomorrow.ÂÂ
Prior to the reign of young King Josiah, the scriptures had been misplaced. They were lost. Can you imagine what that would be like today? What if all the Bibles in the world suddenly disapeared? The truth is, while we have billions of copies of Scripture in different languages and translations, the Gospel is becoming as lost now as it was then. How do we rediscover God's Word in the 21st Century? The answer is found in 2 Kings chapter 22.
Have you ever had a 16 year-old for a child? They're tough to manage aren't they?! You don't want them wrecking the house but you also don't want them wrecking your car! It's a hard life. In 2 Chronicles 34 we come to an incredible story that is really very hard fo us to believe -- especially those of us with teenagers. A 16 year-old boy is on the throne in Jerusalem, and He is proving to be one of the godliest leaders Israel has ever seen. Let's join Stephen as he introduces us to this boy-wonder.
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 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 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 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.
