Desert Springs Bible Church Sermons

Latest Episodes:

Where is God? May 03, 2026

Show notes

In this message from the Grappling with God series, we take up one of the most enduring human questions: Where is God? Drawing from the deep witness of Scripture—especially the cries of the Psalms and the stories of God’s self-revelation—the sermon reframes this question through two theological lenses: God’s transcendence and God’s immanence. God is not small or contained; He is the Creator who stands beyond the cosmos (Job 38, Isaiah 6). Yet the tension we feel is not usually about whether God is big—but whether God is near, present, and knowable in our lived experience.

The surprising claim of the Christian story is that the transcendent God draws near. From the tabernacle in Exodus to the still, small voice in 1 Kings 19, and most fully in Jesus Christ (John 1, John 15), God makes Himself known in ways we can encounter. Jesus embodies the nearness of God and invites us to “abide” in Him—to rest, to lean our weight into His presence. Even now, God’s immanence is experienced through the Spirit and through the community of believers, the “body of Christ,” as we become tangible expressions of His presence to one another.

Grappling with God Q&A #1 Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

In this Grappling with God Q&A sermon, the message is shaped directly by questions submitted from the community—questions like: How do we know Christianity is true? Why is there so much violence, genocide and other horrible stuff in the Bible? If God is good, why is there so much evil and suffering? Rather than sidestepping these tensions, the sermon leans into them, modeling a posture of honest wrestling. Scripture itself gives permission for this kind of engagement, showing that faith is often formed not through certainty, but through persistent, relational struggle.

Is Christianity Healing Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Centered on the question “Is Christianity healing?”, this sermon explores the tension between the promise of healing and the lived reality of pain, confusion, and slow transformation. Drawing from passages like Psalm 13 and the story of Job, it highlights that Scripture makes space for honest lament and unresolved struggle, showing that healing is often not immediate or obvious. Instead of offering quick fixes, the way of Jesus invites people to bring their wounds fully into relationship with God—staying engaged even when answers don’t come. True healing, the sermon argues, is not always the removal of pain but the gradual restoration of trust, hope, and wholeness through sustained connection with God, ultimately revealed in Jesus.

Is Christianity Good? Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

In this message from the Grappling with God series, the question “Is Christianity good?” is taken seriously by examining both the beauty of the faith and the harm done in its name. Drawing on passages like Matthew 24, Acts 8, and 2 Timothy 3, the sermon highlights how Scripture itself anticipates the misuse of God’s name—warning about false messiahs, manipulative leaders, and those who maintain a form of godliness while denying its power. Rather than dismissing these distortions, the message names them directly, acknowledging that much of the pain associated with Christianity comes not from Jesus, but from those who have co-opted his name for power, control, or personal gain.

The sermon then reframes the question by returning to Jesus himself as the truest expression of Christianity’s goodness. By contrasting the way of Jesus—marked by humility, sacrifice, truth, and love—with counterfeit versions of faith, listeners are invited to discern the difference between authentic discipleship and its distortions. Ultimately, the message calls the church to embody a form of Christianity that reflects the character of Christ, while creating space for skeptics, wounded people, and seekers to wrestle honestly with their questions. In doing so, it suggests that Christianity is good not when it is culturally dominant or politically powerful, but when it is faithful to Jesus.

Living the good story Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

This Easter message centers on a simple but searching question: What story am I living? Every person lives within a narrative that answers core questions—identity, purpose, what’s wrong with the world, and how to fix it. Many of these stories are incomplete, distorted, or even harmful, shaped by fear, manipulation, or cultural pressure. Against these competing narratives, Easter announces a different kind of story: the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, revealing a new kind of King and a new kind of kingdom. The declaration “He is risen indeed” is not symbolic or sentimental—it is a claim about reality that reshapes everything.

This true story does not lead to despair, control, or abandonment, but to life—life abundant (John 10:10). As we rehearse the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we are not merely remembering history; we are reorienting our lives around the reality of the risen Christ. To live in this story is to be transformed—to find identity, hope, and purpose rooted not in false narratives but in the victory of Jesus over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, 20–22). Easter, then, is an invitation: to leave behind lesser stories and step fully into the story that leads to life.

The Lord's Supper Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

In this message, centered on Matthew 26:26–30, the Lord’s Supper is reframed not as a peaceful religious ritual, but as a meal shared in the shadow of betrayal, political threat, and impending death. The sermon highlights how Jesus chooses to feast in the midst of fear and brokenness, inviting his disciples—and us—into a table shaped by grace even when everything feels like it’s falling apart. This meal, rooted in the Passover story of Exodus, is reinterpreted by Jesus as he identifies himself as the true Passover Lamb, whose body and blood bring deliverance from sin and death.

The message also emphasizes that this is not the “last” supper, but a preview of a coming feast in God’s kingdom. Through communion, believers live between two feasts—remembering Christ’s sacrifice while anticipating the future table where all are invited. In the meantime, the church is called to embody Jesus’ hospitality, extending that invitation outward. Even the simple act of singing together becomes part of this formation, reminding one another of God’s presence and faithfulness as we wait, worship, and invite others to the table.

The Future Feast Mar 22, 2026

Show notes

In this sermon, the biblical theme of feasting is traced from Genesis to Revelation, reframing common misconceptions about heaven. Rather than an unfamiliar, disembodied existence, Scripture presents the future hope as a rich, relational, and embodied reality—a feast. Drawing on passages like Isaiah 25:6–9 and Revelation 19:6–9, the message highlights how God’s ultimate plan is not escape from creation but its renewal, culminating in the marriage supper of the Lamb. Heaven is not less human, but more—filled with joy, presence, and celebration in the restored kingdom of God.

This vision invites us to rethink both eternity and discipleship in the present. The table becomes a central metaphor for God’s work—where strangers become family, where provision replaces scarcity, and where Jesus himself is host. The practices of feasting, hospitality, and shared meals are not peripheral but formative, shaping a people who anticipate the coming kingdom. As we gather at tables now, we participate in a foretaste of what is to come—a community marked by joy, belonging, and the presence of God.

Look who is coming for dinner Mar 15, 2026

Show notes

Pastor Dawn guides us through a teaching on the cost and calling of peacemaking in deeply divided societies. The message invites the church to consider how the way of Jesus forms a different kind of people—those who refuse retaliation, pursue reconciliation, and embody the peace of Christ even when it is costly.

The sermon emphasizes that peacemaking is not abstract or sentimental but grounded in discipleship. The church is called to be a visible community shaped by the cross, where enemies are reconciled and divisions are healed. Rather than mirroring the polarization of the surrounding culture, followers of Jesus are invited into practices of humility, listening, forgiveness, and courageous love. In a cultural moment marked by conflict, the church’s witness is found not in winning arguments, but in becoming a people who live out the reconciling work of Christ.

The bread of remembering Mar 01, 2026

Show notes

In Exodus 16:1–18, Israel enters the wilderness, runs out of control, and starts grumbling—not long after the Red Sea deliverance. Their fear re-writes the past (“pots of meat in Egypt”) and turns the present into accusation: “God brought us here to die.” Yet the Lord responds with provision: quail at twilight and bread from heaven in the morning, given in a way that requires daily dependence (not stockpiling). God’s provision is both generous and instructional—enough for each day, enough for each household, and a new way of living that re-forms a people shaped by trust rather than panic.

The conversation presses the spiritual logic of manna: when anxiety takes over, we misremember yesterday and try to control tomorrow. That’s why the command is so countercultural—don’t hoard; gather what you need; trust God again tomorrow. The sermon also connects manna to Jesus’ invitation to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), and to the practice of communion as a recurring act of remembrance: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The closing pastoral move is simple and strong: good memory generates hope—so we practice remembering how God provided before, so we can trust him in the wilderness we’re in now.

The Covenant Meal Feb 22, 2026

Show notes

In this Meal Series message, Linda Morris opens Exodus 24 and invites the church to imagine “the one meal you can never forget”—a covenant meal where God gathers leaders, elders, and multiple generations in His presence. She highlights how the scene is intentionally representative: Moses, Aaron, Aaron’s sons, and the elders—“everybody had a representation at the table.” The covenant is made visible and weighty: the Word is read, the people respond with commitment, and the meal becomes a lived reminder that God’s relationship with His people is not vague sentiment, but covenant faithfulness—shared, witnessed, and sealed.

Linda then connects that covenant meal to communion through Luke 22:14–20, where Jesus “eagerly” desires to eat with His disciples and identifies the bread and cup as the sign of the new covenant. Communion is not presented as a mere ritual or spiritual add-on, but as a moment of alignment: receiving Christ’s grace and remembering our call to obedience—our “part of the agreement”—formed by the Spirit who writes God’s Word on our hearts. In the end, the table becomes both comfort and commission: to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40), to keep Jesus’ commands (John 14:15), and to walk as people shaped by mercy, inclusion, and faithful presence.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Desert Springs Bible Church Sermons

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected