Peninsula Baptist Church

This is the second Sunday of Advent. Pastor Chris Garrison teaches from John 1: 14, 16-17. Religion is about being right; grace is about being right with God and others. This Christmas make room to receive more of God's grace, and be willing to extend it to others.

Pastor Chris Garrison begins the Advent season with the first sermon in his series, The Gifts of Christmas. This  first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of HOPE. In Luke 2:8-16 we find the shepherds engaged in a "treasure hunt," leading them to the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Their terror of the dark night soon turned to expectancy, and their hope ignited their search for Jesus, the perfect gift of light. You, too can have hope of finding Jesus, even if you have been lost in darkness.

You were made to revere something. What amazes you? What astounds you? What puts you in a state of awe? Pastor Chris Garrison is preaching from Nehemiah 5:14-19 where Nehemiah shares what became the heart of his reverence as he sought after his desires as a leader. He shows us that the heart of all reverence is to make God your reference.

In this sermon from Nehemiah 5:6-13, Pastor Chris Garrison continues teaching lessons from Nehemiah. The Jews have used all of their livelihood as collateral to rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and are deep in debt. In order to continue to have money to live on, they are selling their sons and daughters into slavery. The mission was to rebuild the wall to protect them form the bondage they have escaped, yet they were selling themselves back into slavery. Nehemiah rebukes this practice and demands that the rulers repay the Jews. Today our "business practices" as Christians don't always follow the patter of God's redemption. We have experienced the radical grace and forgiveness from Christ. How should we show forgive for those debts --grudges, bitterness, etc --- in our lives?

Pastor Chris Garrison continues the series on Nehemiah with Nehemiah 4:14-20. Nehemiah has started to rebuild the wall at Jerusalem even though the governor told him not to. The Jews were facing opposition physically and emotional. This portion of Nehemiah shows us that life involves spiritual battles. We are at war whether we like it or not. Know God's plan and the reasons to stand firm. When we face external and internal opposition remember that together we are stronger!

Pastor Chris Garrison preaches from Nehemiah 2:11-20, the third sermon in the Nehemiah series. In this passage of scripture Nehemiah shows us that God's power is at work! God wants His perspective to shape our lives: the pace of our life, the way we approach problems, the way we share the truth of Jesus with others, and how we deal with opposition.

Pastor Chris Garrison preaches this second sermon in the series on Nehemiah. In Nehemiah 2:1-9 we learn that as a cup-bearer Nehemiah was always in the presence of his earthly king. But he learned that he was also in the presence of the King, our Heavenly Father. This passage of scripture shows that God has planned good works for those willing, and prayer can enable us to be ready when God moves. He wants us to serve in and have an impact for His kingdom. When we learn a life a prayerful dependence, we can know God's awesome opportunities to build His kingdom. Nehemiah learned that all he had to do ask. Are you willing to ask?

Today Pastor Chris begins a new series from the Book of Nehemiah. In our world today, where trauma often defines who we are, we are missing out on the blessings that God has in store for us. In Nehemiah 1:1-11 we are introduced to a man who was not defined by life's problems, but by God's great promises. Through prayer, we can make room for God to show us opportunities to transcend our brokenness.

Joshua VanVleck, a chaplain with the Army National Guard, preaches from Isaiah 6:1-8. In this passage, Isaiah is getting a glimpse of God in all His majesty. We should not take our sin, or our God, casually. Only once we are exposed to God's glory, see our sin, confess our sin and receive God's cleansing can we be willing to be wholly available to God's mission.

Pastor Chris Garrison finishes this series on Sabbath by preaching from Psalm 96:11-12. We often miss the point of Sabbath. God gave us a Sabbath because we need renewal. Based on God's glory, Sabbath connects us with enjoying God's creation. We are encouraged to joyfully and playfully set aside the toils of life and take up rest in Christ.