Netherwood Park Church of Christ Sermons
Season 26
Created For
Bystander Faith
The Hospital of Christ
Free Membership
Members Wanted
I Will Praise Him
A Fighting Chance
I Will ____the Church
I Love The Church
GSP
1 of 16
by Netherwood Park Church of Christ
Episode 26-34 Created For SERIES Go DATE August 23, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Ephesians 2:1-7 SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Ephesians 2:8-10, 2 Peter 3:9 SUMMARY God created us for a purpose, not by coincidence. Our purpose comes from us being remade, being saved, and then doing the good works He planned in advance for us. We must discern between passion and purpose. Our passions are not God's purpose for our lives but our We can use our passions to live out God's purpose. KEY POINTS • We are God's workmanship • Passion versus purpose • Created for good works Walk in your good works QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. How can I use my passion to fulfill God's purpose?
Episode 26-33 Bystander Faith SERIES Go, I will _____ the Church DATE August 16, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING 1 Peter 4:13-14 (Reading prior to sermon) SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Genesis 37:17-28 SUMMARY Joseph was attacked by his brothers and sold into slavery. Only two brothers spoke up, only one in Joseph's defense. The others brothers remain silent. If we are not careful we can be like the brothers and be bystanders. Instead of standing by when others get hurt we should speak up and be an upstander. KEY POINTS Bystanders fall into the background Offended, offenders, bystanders, and upstanders Offenders must be stopped Reuben speaks up Be an upstander QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I a bystander or upstander in my faith?
Episode 26-32 The Hospital of Christ SERIES Go, I will _____ the Church DATE August 9, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 9:2–8 (Reading prior to sermon) SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Matthew 9:2–13; Matthew 9:12–13; Matthew 14 SUMMARY The church must function as a spiritual hospital that actively welcomes the broken, rather than an insular country club focused solely on member comfort. Grounded in the mission that believers should share the gospel so all can know Jesus, the church is called to reach out to sinners with healing and grace. True transformation occurs when individuals leave their past behind in baptism and allow Jesus to make them whole. KEY POINTS • Mission Determines Identity: When a church separates its identity from its core mission—sharing the gospel so everyone can know Jesus and have eternal life—it loses its way. • Hospital vs. Country Club: Instead of operating like a country club that prioritizes comfort and inreach for those who already fit in, the church must act as a hospital where messy, broken people can find a Savior. • Only Jesus Can Heal: Sin leads to spiritual death, but Jesus looks at sinners for who they can become and offers radical, life-transforming healing through His grace and baptism. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I treating the church more like an exclusive country club for my own comfort, or like a welcoming hospital for the broken? 2. Who is one person in my community who needs to be introduced to the Great Physician?
Episode 26-31 Free Membership SERIES Go, I will _____ the Church DATE August 2, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Romans 15:1–4 SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Romans 15:1–4; First Corinthians 12:24–27; Romans 12:1–2 SUMMARY Being a member of a church is completely free, but there is a profound difference between a passive subscription and an active, involved commitment. Grounded in the C.O.C. framework (Commitment, Offering, and Compassion), believers are called to actively engage in the body of Christ, sacrifice their time and talents, and extend deep grace when friction occurs. KEY POINTS • Commitment to the Body: Church membership requires more than just showing up; it means tying oneself to a local church family, holding one another accountable, and refusing to view membership as a one-way street. • Offering Your Life: Following the call of Romans 12, believers are invited to offer their time, resources, and unique abilities back to God to build up His kingdom, such as getting involved through upcoming opportunities like the Ministry Fair. • Compassion Through Conflict: Because the church is made up of flawed humans, hurt will happen; rather than walking away in silence, members are called to handle conflict and pain with active compassion and communication. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I treating my church membership like an unused gym subscription, or am I actively invested in commitment, offering, and compassion? 2. How do I respond when someone in the church hurts me—do I pull away, or do I approach them with the grace and compassion Christ modeled?
Episode 26-30 Members Wanted SERIES Go, I Will _____the Church DATE July 26, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Romans 12:3–5 SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Romans 12:1–5; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 2:10 SUMMARY Every believer has a unique place and purpose within the body of Christ, much like every individual contributor at NASA working to put a man on the moon. True church membership goes beyond passive attendance; it requires active participation, ownership, and sacrifice. Grounded in the acronym C.O.C. (Commitment, Offering, and Compassion), members are called to build up the local church family together. KEY POINTS • The Church is Unified: Through Christ and baptism, believers form a diverse yet single body where every part—especially the seemingly weaker ones—is indispensable. • Finding Purpose: Just as a person finds home when they discover their purpose, individuals find their calling by serving within the church family. • The C.O.C. Framework: Being an active church member means demonstrating Commitment to the body, making personal Offerings of time and talents, and extending deep Compassion when conflicts arise. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I actively using my unique talents to serve the body, or am I treating church membership like an unused gym subscription? 2. How well do I practice compassion and forgiveness when friction or hurt happens within the church family?
Episode 26-29 I Will Praise Him SERIES Go, I Will _____the Church DATE July 19, 2026 SCRIPTURE READING Exodus 14:1–4 SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Exodus 14:1-4; Exodus 15:1–3; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:1–2 SUMMARY Worship serves as a vital refuge and a collective response to God's saving power, even in the middle of our personal struggles and past baggage. Drawing parallels from the Israelites singing after crossing the Red Sea, the sermon emphasizes that believers must actively praise God together. True worship provides spiritual oxygen—much like fishermen cutting ice for whales—allowing believers to face life's chaos with divine hope. KEY POINTS • Leave the Past Behind: Just as the Israelites left behind the hopelessness of slavery in Egypt, believers must release their past baggage rather than carrying it into worship. • Worship in the Storm: True worship is not reserved for easy times; we are called to praise God in the middle of our problems and find refuge in His faithfulness. • Global Community: Christians worldwide unite through praise and communion, finding a shared sanctuary from the brokenness of the world. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I walking into worship burdened by baggage, or am I truly engaging in praise for what God has done? 2. Is my corporate worship serving as a spiritual refuge during the storms of my life?
Episode 26-28 A Fighting Chance SERIES Go, I Will _____the Church DATE July 12, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Proverbs 25:6–10 SUMMARY Addressing the inevitable reality of conflict and hurt within a church family, this sermon contrasts unhealthy coping mechanisms—stewing in silent resentment or spewing volatile anger—with Jesus's prescription for resolution. Believers are instructed to pursue direct, private confrontation aimed at restoration and reconciliation. When handled God's way, conflict resolution protects the unity and health of the church. KEY POINTS • "Stewing" buries hurt and breeds toxic resentment, while "spewing" lashes out recklessly; both are destructive ways to handle interpersonal conflict. • When sinned against by a fellow believer, the proper biblical response is to go to them directly and privately in a spirit of love to seek resolution. • If a private conversation fails, the process scales up—involving trusted witnesses and eventually church leadership—with the ultimate goal of spiritual restoration. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I currently holding onto any unresolved hurt or bitterness that I need to address biblically? 2. Do I tend to stew or spew when offended, and how can I practice speaking up in a healthy, Christ-like manner?
Episode 26-27 A Will _______The Church SERIES Go, I Will _____the Church DATE July 5, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Revelation 19:7–9 SUMMARY This message examines who holds ultimate authority in the church, emphasizing that Christ—not human leaders, staff, or members—must occupy the head position. Through the concept of reconciliation, believers are brought out of opposition to God and placed on His team. When Jesus is correctly positioned as the head, human division gives way to unity and true spiritual growth. KEY POINTS • Through Christ's death and resurrection, believers are reconciled, turning former enemies of God into His teammates. • Just as every team needs a captain, the church requires a proper head; any attempt by humans to usurp Christ's authority leads to dysfunction. • Jesus holds supreme power, identity, and preeminence over all creation, making Him the absolute head of the body. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I trying to run things based on my own desires, or have I truly made Christ the head of my life and service? 2. How can I better foster unity rather than division within the church body?
Episode 26-26 I Love the Church SERIES Go, I will _____the Church DATE June 28, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 16:13–18 SUMMARY Launching a new series on caring for the church ahead of its 75th anniversary, this sermon uses the marital relationship described in Ephesians 5 as a framework for understanding how believers should interact with the church. It addresses the mutual roles of submission and self-sacrificial love. Ultimately, the message challenges listeners to evaluate their level of care and active commitment to God's body of believers. KEY POINTS • The church is not a physical building, but the collective body of people redeemed by God who are steeped in His mission. • Scriptural submission means offering high-level respect and cooperation, placing women and men on an equal, valuable footing in Christ's kingdom. • Husbands are called to love their wives with agape—a self-sacrificial love mirroring Christ's love for the church—rather than just surface-level appreciation. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Do I truly care about the health, growth, and future of God's church? 2. Am I loving and submitting to the church in the self-sacrificial way Christ modeled?
Episode 26-24 GSP SERIES Go, Let's Go To Santa Fe DATE June 14, 2026 SPEAKER Trevor Richt, Preaching Minister SCRIPTURE READING Joshua 8:30-33 (Reading prior to sermon) SERMON SCRIPTURES CITED Joshua 9:3-15; Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Job 33:14 SUMMARY Examining the Israelites' failure to consult God before making a treaty with the deceptive Gibeonites in Joshua 9, Trevor Richt warns against relying solely on human sight instead of God's guidance. He encourages believers to tune into their "GSP" (Godly Sense of Perception) by listening closely to God's voice rather than following their own independent plans. KEY POINTS • When we rely only on what our eyes see and fail to consult God in prayer, we leave ourselves vulnerable to deception and spiritual missteps. • God is constantly speaking to us through His word, gentle nudges, and the Holy Spirit, but the challenge is often an ear issue of human reluctance to listen. • Ignoring God's warnings and pushing ahead with our own agendas ultimately leads to spiritual downfall, whereas tuning into divine guidance protects us. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Are there areas in my life right now where I am pushing ahead with my own plans instead of pausing to seek God's counsel? 2. How can I better quiet the noise of the world to listen to God's leading in my daily decisions?