Stonebridge Bible Church Sermons

What does it mean to truly live as a child of God?

In Romans 8:14–17, Paul points us to the work of the Holy Spirit, who assures believers that they have been adopted into the family of God. Those who belong to Christ are no longer slaves living in fear, but sons and daughters who can confidently cry out, “Abba! Father!” We have been given a new relationship with God, a new identity, and the promise of an inheritance that is secure in Christ.

The Spirit’s work in our lives gives us assurance of our adoption as He leads us to put sin to death, frees us from the fear of condemnation, draws us into intimate fellowship with our Father, and gives us confidence in the glory that is still to come. Our hope is not wishful thinking, but a settled certainty rooted in the promises and character of God.

In this sermon, we’ll see how the Holy Spirit leads the children of God:
1. Into Holiness — the Character of Sonship
2. Into Freedom — the Confidence of Sonship
3. Into Intimacy — the Communion of Sonship
4. Into Hope — the Certainty of Sonship

Because of Christ, believers can know that they are loved, accepted, and secure in the family of God. We are His children, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, looking forward with certainty to the day when we will be glorified with Him.

In John 18:12–27, two scenes unfold side by side. While Jesus stands firm before His accusers, Peter—the disciple who boldly claimed he would never deny Him—stands nearby and denies three times that he even knows Him. The contrast is striking: Jesus remains faithful in the face of suffering while Peter crumbles under pressure.

Peter’s failure reminds us how quickly spiritual confidence, self-reliance, prayerlessness, and comfort can leave us vulnerable to temptation. If Peter could fall, so can we. But his story does not end with his denial. In the middle of Peter’s greatest failure, Jesus looks at him with mercy, goes to the cross to bear the punishment for his sin, and ultimately restores him to a life of purpose.

Peter’s story is a reminder that Jesus does not save and use people because they never fail. He saves sinners who desperately need His grace. Our weakness and failure do not place us beyond the mercy of Christ. The same Savior who forgives also restores, and He can use broken people for His glory and His purposes.

In John 18, the quiet of the garden is interrupted as Judas arrives with soldiers to arrest Jesus. But what unfolds is not the story of a helpless man overtaken by circumstances. Jesus knows exactly what is coming, steps forward willingly, and demonstrates that He remains completely in control. He is not coerced toward the cross—He willingly moves toward the very purpose for which He came.

Even in the moments leading to His arrest, we see the character of Christ on display. He protects His disciples, shows mercy to His enemies, and willingly accepts the cup the Father has given Him. Jesus stands in the place of sinners, bearing the wrath they deserve so that those who believe in Him can receive grace, life, and joy.

Key Points:
1. Judas' Betrayal
2. Jesus' Power
3. Jesus' Protection
4. Jesus' Mercy
5. Jesus' Mission

As Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane, John brings us to the climax of his Gospel. Jesus is not caught off guard or reluctantly swept toward the cross. Knowing exactly what awaits Him, He deliberately moves toward His betrayal, arrest, and death—the true Passover Lamb willingly giving Himself for sinners.

But the setting of a garden points us back to another garden. In Eden, sin brought death, separation, and exile from the presence of God. Now, in Gethsemane, Jesus comes as the second Adam to undo what the first Adam brought into the world. He moves toward the curse, abandonment, and judgment that sinners deserve so that our guilt can be removed, our sins forgiven, and what was lost in Eden can ultimately be restored.

In this sermon, we see the deliberate love of Christ as He moves toward the cross and begins to reverse the curse of the fall.

Key Points:
1. God's Initiative
2. God's Location

How do good people end up making choices they never thought they would make? Proverbs 7 gives us a sobering picture of the path to moral compromise and shows that failure rarely happens all at once. It begins when we become weak in the Word, fail to learn from life, leave our convictions unsettled, flirt with temptation, and underestimate the power and appeal of sin.

In this sermon, we look at the warning signs that lead toward compromise and the practical steps we can take to guard our lives. Proverbs 7 challenges us to treasure the truth, cultivate non-negotiable convictions, pursue accountability, practice walking away from temptation, and seriously consider the consequences of our choices.

The question isn’t simply how someone else could fall—it’s whether we are building the kind of convictions today that will keep us from walking down the same path tomorrow.