John Swadley | Luke 1:5-20

This powerful message takes us into the story of Zechariah from Luke chapter 1, a priest who struggled with doubt despite his faithful service to God. We encounter a man who was blameless before God yet experienced the deep pain of unanswered prayers—he and his wife Elizabeth desperately wanted children but remained childless into old age. When an angel appears to announce that Elizabeth will bear a son, Zechariah's response is telling: 'How can I be sure?' This question becomes the skeptic's motto, and it's a question many of us have asked in our own spiritual journeys. The beauty of this narrative is that God doesn't reject Zechariah for his doubts—instead, God blesses him anyway. We learn that God doesn't love doubt, but He deeply loves doubters. This message reminds us that faith isn't the absence of doubt; it's obeying God in spite of our doubts. Whether our skepticism comes from our upbringing, our personality, or painful life experiences, we can still nurture our relationship with God, look for His activity around us, and give Him a chance to surprise us. The story challenges us to jump into the arms of God, trusting that He's never dropped anyone who's taken that leap of faith.

John Swadley | 1 Peter 5:1-7

This message from 1 Peter 5 challenges us to examine what makes a church truly healthy by looking at both leadership and followership through God's eyes. We're reminded that the church doesn't belong to any human leader—it belongs to God. The passage calls spiritual leaders to shepherd willingly, not for personal gain or power, but as humble examples who serve rather than dominate. What's striking is how Peter, himself an apostle, identifies as a 'fellow elder,' showing us that great leadership begins with humility. For those of us in the congregation, we're called to clothe ourselves with humility too, supporting our leaders while keeping our ultimate trust in God. The most powerful truth here is verse 7: 'casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.' Whether we're worried about our personal lives or concerned about our church, we're invited to cast those cares on God and leave them there—not to keep reeling them back in like a fishing line. This isn't about blind submission to flawed humans; it's about recognizing that God is big enough to handle whatever challenges we face. When both leaders and followers humble themselves before God, the church becomes a place where His glory shines through imperfect people.

John Swadley | Colossians 2:13-14

This message takes us deep into the heart of the gospel through Colossians 2:13-14, using powerful imagery that resonates with our human experience of guilt and the desperate need for cleansing. The sermon opens with a vivid childhood memory of falling into a cesspool—a visceral metaphor for how sin makes us feel dirty on the inside, desperate to be washed clean. We're invited to confront our own guilt honestly, not to wallow in condemnation, but to experience the liberating truth that Jesus paid it all on the cross. The message unpacks three transformative realities: Jesus made us spiritually alive through the new birth, He forgave all our sins completely, and He canceled the debt we could never pay. The Ten Commandments are presented not as a way to earn salvation, but as a mirror showing us our need for a Savior. Like the Irish custom of nailing debts to a public board, our sins were nailed to the cross with Christ, and His blood wrote 'paid in full' across every transgression. This isn't about religion or trying harder—it's about receiving the gift of forgiveness that transforms dead spirits into living ones, adopted into God's family forever.