The Covenant Sign | Genesis 17:1-14 & Colossians 2:11-12 | Marked by Grace
In this fifth message of our Everlasting Covenant series, Pastor Mark Groen preaches from Genesis 17:1–14 and Colossians 2:11–12, exploring how God marked His people under the old covenant and how that sign is fulfilled in Christ.
God commanded Abraham to circumcise his household as a visible sign that they belonged to Him. This sign pointed forward to the greater reality of salvation in Jesus Christ, who cuts away the sin of His people through His life, death, and resurrection.
The Covenant Community | Deuteronomy 7:6-9 & Hebrews 8:6-13 | United in Christ, Secured by Promise
When we think of memberships today, we often think of cards in our wallet or apps on our phone—things that can expire if we miss a payment or fail to keep up. But God’s covenant community is entirely different. Belonging to Him isn’t a subscription we manage or a benefit program we maintain. It is His gracious claim on us through Christ, an eternal promise written on our hearts.
The Covenant Confirmed | Exodus 24:3-8 & Hebrews 9:11-22 | The Sure Hope of Salvation in Christ's Blood
When Israel stood at Sinai, they didn’t just hear God’s covenant—they embraced it, and it was sealed with blood. In this message, Pastor Mark shows how that moment points us to something greater: the covenant fulfilled through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Just as Moses confirmed the covenant with sacrifice, Christ has confirmed and completed the covenant with His own precious blood. In Him, our salvation is sure and secure.
The Covenant Maker | Genesis 15:1-20 | Grace Secured By His Word
Covenant is more than an old-fashioned word—it’s the backbone of God’s plan of redemption. In Genesis 15, God initiates, guarantees, and seals his promise to Abraham in a dramatic covenant ritual. This passage points us beyond Abraham’s story to the gospel of Jesus Christ, who bore the covenant curse and secured salvation for his people. In this sermon, Pastor Mark reminds us that our reward is God himself and that his promises are sure, even when our faith wavers.
Kept in God’s Love | Jude 17-25 | Strength to Contend and Confidence to Endure
In the closing verses of Jude (17–25), believers are called to take the warnings of the apostles seriously, to remain steadfast in the love of God, and to rely on His power to keep us from stumbling. In this sermon, Kept in God’s Love, Pastor Mark reminds us that the Christian life is not lived by grand gestures but in daily faithfulness—holding fast to God’s Word, building ourselves up in prayer, showing mercy to others, and trusting that the God who has saved us will also keep us to the very end.
Contend for the Faith | Jude 1-16 | Holding Fast to the Faith That Saves
The little letter of Jude begins with warmth but quickly takes a serious turn. False teaching had crept into the church, and Jude calls believers to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. In this sermon on Jude 1–16, we see why the gospel must be guarded, how error slips in unnoticed, and how the church must treasure and pass on the faith as its greatest legacy.
Grace for the Battle | 1 Peter 5:1-14 | Standing Firm in the Living Hope of Christ
The final chapter of 1 Peter is both realistic and hope-filled. In Grace for the Battle, we hear Peter’s final exhortations: shepherd God’s people with care, walk in humility, resist the enemy, and rest in God’s grace. He reminds us that after we have suffered a little while, the God of all grace will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. This is the Living Hope we’ve explored all summer—a hope that cannot be drowned by storms, devoured by the enemy, or destroyed by death.
Faith in the Fire | 1 Peter 4:12–19 | Finding Joy When Faith Is Tested
When trials come, we often look for an escape. But in this passage, Peter calls us to something far greater—to rejoice in suffering because it unites us with Christ and strengthens our witness to a watching world. In this message, we see how believers can endure hardship with hope, entrust their lives to a faithful Creator, and live boldly for the glory of God.
Living On Purpose | 1 Peter 4:1-11 | Living with Eternity in View
In 1 Peter 4:1–11, Peter calls believers to live with purpose, rejecting the ways of the world and embracing a gospel-shaped life. In this sermon, Pastor Mark encourages us to live intentionally—keeping eternity in view and glorifying God through love, service, and holiness.
Reflect more deeply with our companion devotional series: https://edgertonfrc.org/blog/living-on-purpose-devotions
Ready to Give a Reason | 1 Peter 3:8-22 | Enduring Trials, Proclaiming Christ
In this week's message, Pastor Mark preaches from 1 Peter 3:8–22, calling us to live faithfully under pressure, show grace when wronged, and be ready to share the hope we have in Christ. The gospel isn't just something we believe — it's something we display. When we endure trials and hold fast to Jesus, our lives proclaim the truth of who He is.
To All Generations | Psalm 146 | 2025 Dutch Festival Community Worship
In a world obsessed with the temporary, Scripture calls us to think generationally. Psalm 146 reminds us that true legacy isn’t found in wealth, politics, or human power—it’s found in the unshakable reign of the Lord, who is faithful to all generations. This sermon explores the contrast between earthly rulers who perish and the eternal God who feeds the hungry, lifts the lowly, and reigns forever. Our hope, and the legacy we pass on, is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Heirs Together | 1 Peter 3:1-7 | Living Out the Gospel in Marriage and Family
What does faithful witness look like behind closed doors?
In 1 Peter 3:1–7, Peter turns our attention to the home—not the public square or the church gathering, but the everyday relationships that often test our patience, love, and endurance the most. In a world that celebrates instant results and self-promotion, God calls His people to a different kind of witness: one shaped by quiet strength, gentle respect, sacrificial love, and long-term faithfulness.
For the Lord’s Sake | 1 Peter 2:13-25 | Strength to Endure in a Watching World
In this week’s sermon from Living Hope, Pastor Mark explores 1 Peter 2:13–25 and what it means to live as gospel-shaped people in relationship to authority, injustice, and suffering. Peter calls Christians to honor those in authority—not because they are perfect, but because God is sovereign. Even more, he calls us to endure unjust treatment by looking to Jesus, who suffered for us and left us an example. This message challenges us to respond to hardship not with complaint, but with grace, and to trust in the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
Living Stones, Lasting Glory | 1 Peter 2:1-12 | Together Proclaiming His Marvelous Light
In this sermon from 1 Peter 2:1–12, Pastor Mark Groen walks through the powerful imagery of living stones, a spiritual house, and a chosen people. We see how the gospel not only brings us out of darkness but also builds us together on Christ, the cornerstone, for a life of worship and witness. This message calls us to grow in holiness, embrace our identity in Christ, and live visibly faithful lives in a watching world.
Set Apart | 1 Peter 1:13-25 | Called to Be Holy, United in Love
In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:13–25, Pastor Mark continues the Living Hope series by showing how the gospel shapes our identity, our conduct, and our relationships. Peter calls believers to live holy lives, walk in reverent fear, and love one another earnestly—all grounded in the imperishable Word of God. This message invites us to remember who we belong to, and what story truly defines our lives.
Born Into Hope | 1 Peter 1:1-12 | Confidence for Exiles
In the opening verses of 1 Peter, the apostle writes to believers who feel the tension of not belonging. He calls them “elect exiles”—chosen by God but scattered in a world that often opposes their faith. In this sermon, Born Into Hope, Pastor Mark Groen explores what it means to live with gospel confidence in a world that feels like exile.
Last Days & Living Hope | Acts 2:1–21 | The Fire That Launched the Church
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out just as Jesus had promised. The wind blew, the fire fell, and the church was launched—not with confusion, but with conviction. In this sermon, Pastor Mark Groen preaches from Acts 2:1–21 to show how the Spirit’s coming brought boldness, clarity, and mission to the early church—and how that fire still burns today.
This message challenges modern assumptions about Pentecost and calls believers to remember that the same Spirit who empowered Peter now empowers us to proclaim Christ in a world that desperately needs to hear.
Lifted to Reign | Psalm 110 & Acts 1 | The Mission of the Risen King
Too often, we treat the Ascension of Jesus as a quiet conclusion to His earthly ministry. But Scripture paints a different picture. In this message, Pastor Mark walks through Acts 1:1–11 and Psalm 110 to show that the Ascension is the launch pad of Christ’s reign and the beginning of the church’s Spirit-empowered mission. The risen Christ is not distant—He is reigning now, calling us to worship, witness, and work until He returns.
From Ruins to Rejoicing | Revelation 19:1–10 | The Wedding Feast and the Worthy Lamb
In Revelation 19:1–10, we encounter not sorrow, but celebration. Pastor Mark Groen explores the heavenly rejoicing that follows the judgment of Jerusalem and the arrival of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Far from a funeral, this vision is filled with joy and anticipation. The church, the faithful bride, is clothed in righteousness—not her own, but granted by the Lamb. This message is a powerful reminder that we are not merely observers of prophecy—we are the redeemed. We've been invited, clothed, and called to worship. Join us as we move from ruins to rejoicing.
From Prosperity to Ashes | Revelation 18 | Why Only Christ Can Hold
Jerusalem looked secure—rich with history, spiritual legacy, and splendor. But in Revelation 18, we hear the crash of false security giving way to divine judgment. Like a millstone sinking to the depths, the city’s fall is final. This sermon invites us to examine where we’ve placed our hope, to come out from what cannot save, and to cling to the only one who can hold: Jesus Christ.