Our Sermons

MANAGING A MASTER Money is a useful tool, but Jesus warns that it can become a rival master. In this message, we look at Luke 16 and the choice between serving God and being ruled by wealth. Through the stories of the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus, we see two different responses to Jesus. We also explore what it means to recognise God as the owner of everything and ourselves as stewards of what He has entrusted to us. Generosity is not a way to earn God’s blessing. It is a response to His grace and a practical expression of trust. Financial hardship alone does not mean that money has become your master. Key takeaways Money is a tool, but our relationship with it has spiritual consequences. Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money (Luke 16:13). The rich young ruler left sad, while Zacchaeus responded to Jesus with generosity. We are stewards of what belongs to God, called to be faithful with what He entrusts to us (Luke 16:10–12; 1 Chronicles 29:14). Generosity expresses trust in God; it does not purchase His favour. Jesus’ grace frees us from finding our security and identity in wealth (2 Corinthians 8:9). Scriptures: Luke 16:10–13; Colossians 3:5; Matthew 19:16–30; Luke 19:1–10; 1 Chronicles 29:14; 2 Corinthians 8:9 #ManagingAMaster #MoneyAndFaith #ChristianStewardship #generosity Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

CALLING What has God called you to do with the life He has given you? In this message, Calling, we explore how God calls every believer to know Jesus and become more like Him, and how He forms us before sending us to serve and bear fruit. Through the story of Moses, we’re reminded that our calling depends on the One who calls us—not on how qualified we feel. Your calling may begin as a burden, a gift, an opportunity, or a need you can’t ignore. As you seek God through prayer, Scripture, wise counsel, and faithful obedience, He shapes your character and leads you into the next step. Key takeaways: • Every believer is called first to Jesus—to grow in Christlikeness, holiness, love, service, and unity. • God often places the seed of a specific calling in our hearts through a burden, gift, or opportunity. • We are formed through surrender, obedience, and seasons of growth, including the ones that feel hidden. • Our confidence comes from God’s presence, not from feeling perfectly prepared. • Calling becomes fruitful when we serve others and help them grow too. • Be faithful with the responsibilities God has already placed in your hands. Reflect: What seed has God placed in your heart? What is He forming in you? Who is being strengthened by the fruit of your life? 📖 Scripture: Ephesians 4:1 Exodus 3 James 1:3–4 1 Corinthians 3:6 Join us at InCourage Church, Sundays at 09:00 at Golden Grove Primary School, Rondebosch, Cape Town. Everyone is welcome. Subscribe for more messages and share this with someone who is seeking direction for their next step. #Calling #ChristianFaith #Purpose #InCourageChurch #moses Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

GOD SPEAKS TO EVERY BELIEVER God speaks to every believer—and learning to recognise His voice is part of growing in relationship with Him. In this message, we look at how God spoke to Samuel and how He can speak in different ways today. We explore what can make it harder to hear Him, including fear, unforgiveness, busyness and striving, and how time with God, worship, Scripture and a renewed mind help us listen. Hearing God is not about following a formula or trying to earn His attention. It begins with relationship: making space to listen, being honest with Him, testing what we sense against His truth, and responding when He speaks. Key takeaways: - Believe that God wants to speak to you. - God may speak in different ways; learn to recognise His voice. - Make regular space for God and quiet the distractions around you. - Read Scripture with the Holy Spirit, and let God’s Word shape your thinking. - Write down what you sense God is saying, test it against Scripture, and obey His Word. Scriptures: 1 Samuel 3; Romans 12:1–2; 1 Corinthians 2:12–14; Hebrews 5:14; James 1:22. May this message encourage you to draw near to God, listen for His voice and put His Word into practice. Subscribe for more messages from InCourage Church. Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [01:02] - God Wants to Speak [02:40] - Faith Helps Believers Hear [03:30] - Samuel Learns God’s Voice [06:43] - The Still Small Voice [09:03] - God Speaks to True Identity [10:18] - Be Real With the Lord [11:44] - Renewing the Mind Through Faith [14:24] - Stop Striving and Receive Grace [18:08] - Carve Out Time With God [22:29] - Tuning Into God’s Wavelength [25:30] - Clearing Fear and Unforgiveness [27:07] - Scripture, Worship, and Tongues [29:35] - Be Doers, Not Hearers Only Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

FOLLOWING JESUS - OR SHOPPING FOR HIM After Jesus fed the crowd, many came looking for Him because they wanted more bread. Jesus challenged them to look beyond what He could provide and discover who He is. It’s easy to want the benefits of following Jesus while resisting His direction when it becomes uncomfortable. But Jesus invites us into something deeper than a convenient, conditional faith: a relationship with Him that changes how we live. In this message, we look at three ways to move beyond consumer Christianity: 1. Seek His presence, not just His provision. Bring your needs to Jesus, but let His blessings draw you into a deeper relationship with Him. 2. Submit to His Word, even when it challenges you. Don’t stop at enjoying a message—ask what needs to change because you heard it. 3. Stay committed when following Jesus costs you. Like Peter, we can say, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” Scriptures: * John 6:22–34 * John 6:60–69 * 1 Corinthians 3:1–3 Where have you made your relationship with Jesus conditional? What is one step of obedience you can take this week? If this message speaks to you, like, share, and subscribe for more from InCourage Church. #FollowingJesus #ChristianFaith #Discipleship #InCourageChurch Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD God is the friendliest person in the universe, and Scripture holds out friendship with God as the greatest privilege imaginable. Abraham’s name carries this weight across the Bible: God calls him “my friend,” Jehoshaphat appeals to “Abraham, your friend,” and James says he was called God’s friend. John 15 brings that invitation right to Christ’s people. Jesus does not merely allow friendship with him. He chooses, calls, reveals himself, and says, “I have called you friends.” Jesus places this friendship inside the bigger story of the vine and the servant. Israel was God’s vine, cared for and nourished, yet the fruit kept coming out sour. Israel was God’s servant, given clear instructions, yet the servant repeatedly went off course. That pattern is not merely an Old Testament problem. Human lives can begin with real sincerity, then somehow end up producing fruit that does not look like Christ. Jesus enters that failure saying, “I am the true vine.” Christ is the fruitful vine Israel could not be and the servant who joyfully obeys every word of the Father. His invitation away from a servant mentality is not an invitation away from obedience. Jesus contrasts obedience that tries to earn closeness with obedience that comes from closeness. Friendship does not become the reward for doing what Christ commands. Friendship with Christ produces the joyful obedience he commands. Jesus makes clear that gifts, revelation, and religious information are not the same as knowing God. Moses spoke with God face to face as a man speaks with his friend because he saw what God was really like. Christ calls his friends to that kind of personal communion, where God reveals God. Scripture can become a tool for finding things to do, yet Christ calls his people to come through Scripture to him, to hear him, trust him, and be changed. Friendship with God is not rocket science, but it requires making room for God because he is valued. The rocking chair becomes a picture of simple, repeated meetings with God that slowly reshape a whole life. Fruitfulness does not come from straining like an apple tree trying to produce apples. Fruit flows from abiding friendship with Jesus. Christ calls his church to stop hiding sour fruit, stop trusting technique, and come close enough to hear him say, “Come.” Key Takeaways 1. God initiates friendship with his people [04:38] 2. Friendship produces joyful obedience [28:47] 3. Gifts do not equal intimacy with God [19:37] 4. Make room to meet with God [40:39] 5. Lasting fruit flows from abiding in Christ [43:57] Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:27] - Friendship with God [02:29] - Abraham, God’s Friend [05:43] - Jesus Calls His Disciples Friends [07:27] - A Divine Gift Rooted in Grace [10:39] - Israel the Vine and Servant [14:09] - Jesus the True Vine [16:30] - Obedience From Friendship [19:13] - Knowing Christ Beyond Spiritual Gifts [25:10] - Friendship Is Not Earned [30:40] - Fruit That Lasts [33:54] - The Story of the Chair [40:39] - Where Is Your Chair? [42:09] - Seeing God, Trusting God, Bearing Fruit [45:21] - A Prayer for Fruitful Intimacy

AUTHORITY AND THE CULTURE OF HONOUR What does it mean to carry authority and still honour others? In Authority and the Culture of Honour, Dewald Du Plessis looks at Jesus washing feet, David’s response to Saul, and the way we treat people when we disagree with them. Christ gives us authority, but He also shows us how to use it. Key takeaways: • Honour recognises every person’s God-given worth, regardless of their title or position. • Honour becomes visible in how we speak, listen, serve and disagree. • David honoured Saul without excusing Saul’s behaviour. We can speak truth without seeking revenge. • Leaders must follow Jesus’ example: authority is a responsibility to serve, never a licence to control. • Honour does not mean blind obedience. We must obey God above human authority. A question for this week: Who have you treated lightly, and what one action would show them honour? Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:17; Romans 12:10; Matthew 10:40–42; 1 Samuel 24; Mark 10:42–45; Acts 5:29. Subscribe for more teaching from InCourage Church. #AuthorityInChrist #CultureOfHonour #christianleadership Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

AUTHORITY: What does it mean to live as a royal priesthood and walk in the spiritual authority Jesus has given every believer? In this message, **Authority of the Royal Priesthood**, we explore the difference between authority and power, why delegated authority must be exercised, and how submission to God positions us to resist the enemy. Jesus has already won the decisive victory through His death, resurrection and exaltation. The question is whether we will believe it, stand in it and live from it. Discover how believers can: • Understand their identity and inheritance in Christ • Exercise authority in the name of Jesus • Stand firm in spiritual warfare • Overcome fear, intimidation and a poverty mindset • Use the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus and the Word of God • Win souls, make disciples and advance God’s Kingdom • Bring freedom, blessing and transformation to others The early Church did not have a greater Jesus—they had a revelation of Jesus that transformed how they lived. You are not called to live like a defeated slave. In Christ, you have been chosen as part of a royal priesthood and commissioned to represent the King. **Key Scriptures:** 1 Peter 2:9 | Luke 10:19 | Romans 5:17 | James 4:7 | Matthew 8:5–10 | Colossians 2:14–15 | Ephesians 1:19–20 | Revelation 1:18 | Matthew 28:18–19 What area of your life are you still allowing the enemy to occupy when Jesus has already given you authority to stand? Know who you are in Christ. Stand your ground. Exercise your authority. Advance His Kingdom. Join us at **InCourage Church** Sundays at 09:00 Golden Grove Primary School, Rondebosch, Cape Town [www.incouragechurch.com](http://www.incouragechurch.com) #RoyalPriesthood #SpiritualAuthority #IdentityInChrist #VictoryInJesus #KingdomAuthority #SpiritualWarfare #AuthorityOfTheBeliever #InCourageChurch Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

FILLED TO THE FULL MEASURE OF GOD What does it mean to be filled to the full measure of God? In this challenging message, we explore the four basic human needs that help us grow into maturity: **belonging, purpose, contribution and growth**. God never intended Christians to remain spectators or consumers. Every believer has been called, gifted and equipped to serve others and participate in advancing the Gospel. Drawing from Ephesians 4 and Acts 2, this message explains how church leaders are called to equip God’s people for ministry—and how the Church grows stronger when every person discovers and uses their God-given gifts. You will discover: • Why belonging without contribution leaves us feeling useless • Why contribution without belonging leads to loneliness and burnout • How purpose gives direction and growth creates momentum • Why Christian maturity requires responsibility • How your gifts and contribution strengthen the whole Church • Why the Gospel must not end with you You were not created merely to exist, survive or attend church. You were created to grow, contribute, make disciples and become everything God has called you to be. **Don’t let the Gospel die with you. Use what God has placed in your hands.** 📖 Key Scriptures: Ephesians 1:22–23, Ephesians 4:11–13, 2 Timothy 2:2, Acts 2:40–47 and John 1:12. If this message encouraged or challenged you, please **like, share and subscribe** for more biblical teaching from InCourage Church. 📍 Sundays at 09:00 Golden Grove Primary School, Rondebosch, Cape Town 🌐 https://www.incouragechurch.com **InCourage Church** Find purpose. Build faith. Belong. #ChristianMaturity #PurposeAndCalling #InCourageChurch Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL

SENT TO STRENGTHEN Acts 14 gives the picture of apostolic building: Paul and Barnabas do not simply arrive, preach, and move on. Paul goes back to Lystra, even after being stoned and left for dead there, because churches need strengthening, encouragement, equipping, and real discipleship. That is the difference between blessing and building. Blessing can be a once-off moment, but building stays involved when things get hard. The apostolic call carries the purpose of the One who sends. The church’s time in Colombia was not about importing a Western church culture, but about strengthening what God is already doing in that nation. God met faithful obedience through churches like Jesus Esperanza de Vida, where Christian and Jury stepped out in faith, planted, and saw God provide from their very first service. Their story shows that when God calls and people obey, provision is not a theory. The kingdom is an advance, not an enclosure. Jesus teaches His people to pray, “May your kingdom come,” and Acts 1 says the Holy Spirit gives power so believers will be Christ’s witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Religion becomes a closed fortress, full of activity, rules, and tick-box exercises. The kingdom opens the gates and sends people beyond the walls. Deep hunger can exist alongside religious activity without discipleship, and that danger is not limited to Colombia. Ephesians 4 places apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in the church as Christ’s gifts for equipping the saints. The fivefold ministry is not there so leaders can do everything while everybody else watches. The body remains undeveloped when pastors preach, pray, worship, lead, and carry every burden alone. Healthy leadership needs healthy teams, and healthy churches release the gifts already sitting in the room. The prophetic voice brings real-time alignment with God’s voice, while the apostolic gift brings structure for fulfilling that direction. Evangelistic churches can gather people quickly, yet they need discipleship tools to help people mature and remain. Matthew 28 calls the church not merely to gather crowds, but to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. Paul’s words in Romans 1 show that mission is mutual encouragement. Churches receive strengthening, materials, structure, and care, while those who go return with faith stirred by what God is doing. The call to the nations does not excuse anyone from local obedience, because Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth all belong to the same sending heart of God. God sends believers into workplaces, communities, cities, and nations, and He gives strategy, provision, and grace when they say yes. Key Takeaways 1. The kingdom advances beyond church walls. 2. Building churches requires returning and strengthening. 3. Fivefold gifts equip the whole body. 4. Discipleship must accompany evangelistic growth. 5. God provides for obedient sending Ways to Support the Ministry: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/3YAE79M9G28HL Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [10:59] - Prayer for the Word and Nations [13:13] - Building Rather Than Just Blessing [14:25] - Paul and Barnabas Return to Strengthen [16:28] - Sent to Strengthen [18:14] - The Kingdom Is an Advance [20:11] - Empowered to Witness Everywhere [22:42] - Faith and Church Planting in Colombia [27:35] - The Fivefold Equipping Engine [32:41] - Releasing the Body Beyond Passive Church [37:53] - Mutual Encouragement in Mission [40:32] - Elders, Deacons, and Healthy Structure [42:43] - Sent Locally, Nationally, and Globally [44:20] - Returning to Colombia and Bogota [47:10] - Prayer for Awakened Giftings