Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 5/4/2026
Sermon Prep
This was an insanely busy summer for our church given roughly 12 people were leaving for our Taiwan mission trip in July and that meant a lot was riding on those who stayed behind which included me. This time in particular was mostly leaders or faithful laity which left me with a couple core leaders to steer the ship for a few weeks. To take the pressure off of everyone, I volunteered to teach 3 weeks in a row and that was rough since work wasn’t slowing down either. In fact, it was my best month to date in the new role but the workload was a lot.
But before those 3 weeks in a row started, I began mapping out how to approach these sermons at the beginning of the month. I treated it as a trilogy since there seemed to be a through-line in the messages I was covering that spanned the spiritual journey. This one focused on sanctification, the next one justification, and then lastly glorification. That birds eye view helped me approach each message and tackle them one-by-one. We were also doing the sermon series through the Simple Grace book by Shawn Reinsel again so that familiarity was super useful too.
In hindsight, I don’t think my teaching thrives when I go back-to-back weeks, unless the series or section of scripture demands more attention. In this case the through-line made sense, but it revealed to me that I do my best preaching as a complimentary and occasional voice in our church. Not as someone who leads our church in God’s word and teaches on a weekly basis like most pastors do at most churches. I think I’m more in-line with a guest teacher or a leading a catechism/Sunday School. Anyways, here’s the YouTube recording and the notes for this message:
Sermon Notes
Opening Prayer
- Father God, lead us this morning as we search the scriptures. Thank you for your Son whose sacrifice is our salvation. Would you speak through me, in spite of me, and beyond me. May you, Holy Spirit, dwell within us as you teach us today. Amen.
Intro
- Story of defeating the Blazing Inferno Spider Mech in MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf.
“Grace is the free, unearned and undeserved favor of God given through Jesus Christ that pardons sin, empowers righteousness, restores relationships, and transforms the entire person. A divine gift and an active presence that renews the soul.” – Andrew Morrison, Reunion Church
Main Point
- Sanctification is the ongoing process of the Holy Spirit shaping the soul to be like Christ.
- The Spirit empowers spiritual growth by his grace alone through faith and good works.
Grace and Sanctification | Galatians 3:1-5 + Galatians 5:7-8, 16-25 (NRSVue)
“[1] You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! [2] The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? [3] Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? [4] Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. [5] Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by you doing the works of the law or by you believing what you heard?”
- Paul was correcting the churches of Galatia who fell into legalistic works without faith.
- Judaizers in Galatia taught that Christian growth required the Mosaic law.
- Paul said “if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” – Galatians 2:21b (NRSVue)
- See Romans 8:1-4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 for more.
“[7] You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? [8] Such persuasion does not come from the one who calls you… [16] Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. [17] For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. [19] Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, [21] envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. [24] And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”
- The Galatians began to receive God’s grace through faith which inspired good works.
- Over time, they fell into the lie that it was their good works that saved them.
- Putting the cart before the horse thinking what enslaves them saves.
- The Mosaic law doesn’t deliver us from sin, but damns us.
- Putting the cart before the horse thinking what enslaves them saves.
- The law pressures us to perform, while grace produces good works organically.
- Over time, they fell into the lie that it was their good works that saved them.
“[14] What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? [15] If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food [16] and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?… [26] For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” – James 2:14-16, 26 (NRSVue)
- Our good works are a natural result of our cooperation with God’s grace as we trust him.
Why It Matters
- Sanctification isn’t powered by our efforts, but by the Spirit who empowers our growth.
- God’s grace doesn’t just save us from sin, but molds us to be more like him.
“[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’” – Matthew 7:21-23 (NRSVue)
- We’re children of God (justification), but overtime we become more godly (sanctification). Just as we go from infants to adults, sanctification operates the same.
Power Text
“[11] For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, [12] training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, [13] while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. [14] He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.” – Titus 2:11-14 (NRSVue)
- Christianity is relational, not ritualistic. There’s no formula. We just humbly trust God.
- St Anthony the Great puts it best: “The truly intelligent man pursues one sole objective: to obey and to conform to the God of all… For knowledge of God and faith in Him is the salvation and perfection of the soul.” – “On the Character of Men and on the Virtuous Life,” in The Philokalia: The Complete Text, vol. 1, trans. G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, and Kallistos Ware (London: Faber and Faber, 1979), 329.
Outro
- Sanctification is the spiritual journey where we learn to not achieve, but abide in Jesus.
- Justification is the beginning, glorification is the end, and sanctification is the path to get from one point to the other. The dotted line between A and B.
- Like the Galatians, we get distracted and forget that grace got us here in the first place.
Your Sanctification Story
| Who was I in 2017? | Who am I in 2025? | Who will I be in 2032? |
| 20yrs old Sin: alcohol, porn PMCC, then LifeGate Volunteer Single, nokids Anabaptist Deconstructing faith Content creator Learned apologetics Aurora, Colorado | 28yrs old Sin: anger, lying Reunion Church Pastor Married, 1yr old baby Protestant??? Reconstructing faith SaaS sales Learning history Reunion, Colorado | 36yrs old Sin: pride, workaholic New Church or RC??? Pastor??? Married, 1-4 kids New convention??? Deconstructing faith PT writer; SaaS sales? Learn Greek/Hebrew New place or state??? |
- What’s your sanctification story? Where has God’s grace guided you?
Final Thoughts
After my first of three messages, the reception was surprisingly excellent and some people were saying it was my best message yet which is always encouraging. In my opinion, we also had some of the best Table Talks in our church’s history. What especially stood out was the sanctification story activity with a lot of people saying they loved it.
Great response overall. Even with what felt like half of the church was on the Taiwan trip, those who remained had a great Sunday service. Of the three messages in this trilogy, this was by far and away the best from my perspective and the congregation’s perspective. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.
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