Grace Church Elk Grove

The church exists for the nations to see, as through a window, the compelling community of Christ’s kingdom. But there are so many other priorities that compete with this one in our lives. In the words of Celebrate Recovery, ‘So often our hurts, hang-ups, and habits get in the way’. Therefore, the only way that we can fulfill this purpose as a church is by letting God and His Word determine the terms of our relationship with each o...

Easter Service:

The good news is that all who trust in Him NOW share in HIS resurrection life, TODAY. 

I emphasize NOW, TODAY because most of us, even Christians, have gotten our understanding of the resurrection, as someone else has said, from Far Side cartoons. We think that resurrection life means living under the soft tyranny of HR hags and nags until we die and meet that great bureaucrat of the sky St. Peter at the pearly gate...

On this Palm Sunday, we look at Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem as the people put down palm branches and welcome with shouts of Hosanna. First, we’ll look at why they welcomed Him so readily. Then we’ll consider three different aspects of his triumphal entry that are crucially important for us today living as we do in a time when inmates run the asylum. Listen to this episode from Pastor Jed’s sermon on March 24th...

Jesus gave up His rights and surrendered Himself in faith. Faith that on the other side of giving Himself over there would be joy. For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. The joy of seeing the Father glorified, the joy of resurrection life, and the joy of you and I sharing with Him in that resurrection life. This is how we are to live too—surrendering our lives for the glory of the Father and for others to share in thi...

Because God indwells His people, we are to remain wherever we are. The question we look at this week is how do we remain? When you are united with Christ, you literally bring God with you wherever you go. Wherever you are, whatever your occupation, genre, marital status, personality ... God put you there, to were you as His mask to push His grace into the world there—for His glory. Listen to this episode from Pastor Jed’s sermon o...

In God we are find the blessing that we are prone to search for everywhere else. We are told by the world and our own brain that to surrender is death. To surrender our bodies to God is to die. To surrender or sexual identities to God is to give up all that we are. When in fact, on the other side of that is blessing. Beyond measure. Listen to this episode from Pastor Jed’s sermon on February 11th, 2024 to learn more about the role ...

There are lots of times in our lives where Jesus calls us to do the hard thing. As we live between the cross and the empty tomb and the day of Christ’s return—as we live in faith in that day and hope in this day—it gives us grace to live today according to the commands of Christ. Our future is that we will judge the angels. The church now is a training ground and a test site for the life that we will lead then. We learn to and we d...

The Word, fellowship, and prayer are the core of Christianity throughout the ages everywhere for all times. To be devoted to something means to energetically give yourself over to or to persist over time in that thing. The early church devoted themselves to the prayers. They were devoted to them—dependent upon God in it—undivided as prayed, and all the while they were directed in their praying by God. Listen to this episode from Pa...

There are 5 ways to battle divisiveness. First, look for evidences of God’s grace in others—not its absences. Second, keep on hand at all times on Jesus Christ—and Him crucified. Third, remember this way of salvation is foolish according to man’s wisdom, and that is by God’s design. Fourth, remember that we all occupy a humble position in relation to God. And fifth, return to your fathers, from whom you have received all, and imita...