Weekly Messages from Two Cities Church in Winston Salem NC. Hear from Pastor Kyle Mercer and others as they walk through books of the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse. You can find out all about Two Cities Church at TwoCitiesChurch.net
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Some sins are easy to recognize. Self-righteousness usually isn't. Romans 9 shows how people who were passionately pursuing righteousness actually missed it because they were relying on what they could do rather than what God had done for them. Pastor Kyle explains how self-righteousness shows up inside and outside the church, why it leads us to comparison instead of worship, and why the gospel calls us to stop defending our goodness and depend completely on Christ.
Does God choose who is saved? Is that fair? And if God is sovereign over salvation, are people still responsible for how they respond to Him? In Romans 9:14-24, Pastor Kyle walks through one of the most debated passages in the Bible, exploring election, God’s justice, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, and the mystery of God’s sovereignty. At the center of the passage is a truth that changes the way we think about salvation: "no one is owed God’s mercy." If God gave us only what we deserved, none of us would be saved. The surprising thing is not that God doesn’t show mercy to everyone, but that
We cannot just have the Paul’s theology, we need to have his tears and his burden for the lost. In Romans 9, unbelief isn't approached as a theological problem to solve. Rather, Paul is heartbroken over people he loves who are far from Christ. But their unbelief also raises some difficult questions. Israel had every spiritual advantage, yet many still rejected Jesus. Had God’s promises failed? And what does that reveal about how salvation actually works? In Romans 9:1-13, Pastor Kyle explores God’s faithfulness, human unbelief, and the sovereignty of God in salvation. In this message, you’ll d
Every relationship you've ever had has had conditions. People leave. Friendships end. Marriages fail. Families disappoint. We learn from experience that love always has a limit. So, what about God's love? In this message, Pastor Kyle walks through the five questions the Apostle Paul asks in Romans 8:31-39 to show why followers of Jesus can have unshakable confidence in God's love. This message answers these questions: - If God is for us, who can really be against us? - Will God really give us everything we need? - Who can accuse those God has justified? - Who can condemn those Christ has saved
Can you really trust that God is working all things together for your good? Romans 8:28 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, but it's also one of the most misunderstood. In Romans 8:26-30, the Apostle Paul reminds us that God's promise isn't that everything that happens to us is good. It's that God is actively working through every joy, every disappointment, every unanswered prayer, and every season of suffering to accomplish our ultimate good: making us more like Christ. Even when you don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit is praying for you. Even when you can't see what God is do
Every one of us knows things aren't the way they're supposed to be. We see it in a broken world, broken relationships, broken bodies, and the unanswered questions that come when suffering enters our lives. In Romans 8:18-25, the Apostle Paul reminds us that our pain isn't meaningless. Creation is groaning. We are groaning. But our suffering is more like labor pains than a funeral. It's painful, but it's leading somewhere. As followers of Jesus, we don't ignore suffering or pretend it's easy. We endure it with hope, knowing that the glory God has promised far outweighs the pain we're experienci
Many people believe God forgives them, yet they still live as though they need to earn his approval. They obey out of fear instead of love and wonder if they'll ever measure up. In Romans 8:12-17, we're reminded that God didn't simply forgive our sins, but he adopted us into his family. When the Holy Spirit changes your identity, everything else begins to change. You can fight sin from a place of security instead of shame, follow God as a beloved child instead of a fearful servant, and face suffering with the confidence that your Father is with you. In this message, you'll discover: - What it
No one sets out to waste their life. But over time, it's easy to drift or settle for less than what God has called us to. In Joshua 14, Caleb gives us a picture of what it looks like to stay faithful to God for a lifetime. In this message, Zach Meyer explores four characteristics of enduring faith that will help you follow Jesus with integrity, wholehearted devotion, trust, and zeal through every season of life. In this message, you'll learn: - How to stay faithful to God for a lifetime - Why integrity matters more than talent or potential - How to trust God through seasons of waiting and wild
Every parent is shaping their child's heart. The question is: what are you shaping it toward? In Deuteronomy 6, God gives parents a vision that's far bigger than simply raising well-behaved kids. He's calling us to raise disciples who know and love Him. In this message, Pastor Spencer Martin shares practical wisdom for Christian parents on raising children in the Lord. Discover how your own walk with Jesus shapes your parenting, why everyday family rhythms matter, and how to build a Christ-centered home. In this message, you'll learn: - Why parenting starts with leading yourself spiritually -
What do you do when God's plan doesn't match your plan? Most of us are willing to follow God until His way conflicts with what we want. That's exactly where Jonah found himself. In Jonah 4, we discover that Jonah's biggest problem wasn't the storm, the fish, or even Nineveh. It was a heart that still struggled to say "yes" to God. In this message, Pastor Spence Shelton unpacks why we resist God's will and how His mercy can transform our hearts. You'll discover: • Why we often believe our way is better than God's • How forgetting God's mercy makes obedience harder • Why knowing facts about God
Who are you worried about? Most of us carry burdens for people we love, but what are we supposed to do with that worry? In Genesis 18:22-33, Abraham is deeply concerned about his nephew Lot. Instead of being consumed by anxiety, he brings his burden to God through intercessory prayer. In this message, Pastor Josh Miller shows us how to turn worry into prayer and why God is still looking for people who will stand in the gap for others. You'll discover: • Why intercession begins with intimacy with God • Why God is looking for intercessors • What it means to contend in prayer • How to pray with g
Why does work feel so heavy? Whether it's your career, your family, school, parenting, caregiving, ministry, or simply the responsibilities of everyday life, many of us are carrying burdens that leave us exhausted. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gives one of His most famous invitations: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." But what if Jesus isn't inviting us to escape our work? What if He's inviting us to learn a new way to carry it? In this message, we explore four keys to turning heavy work into "light work": • Pull with a partner • Leave the lying voices •
What do you do when you've prayed for something impossible... and God said no? In Matthew 21, Jesus makes a shocking promise: faith can move mountains. But what does that actually mean? And what happens when the mountain doesn't move? In this message, Pastor Carlos Lollett unpacks Jesus' teaching on mountain-moving faith and shows why faith isn't about positive thinking, manifesting, or trying harder. Real faith isn't confidence in yourself. It's wholehearted trust in God. You'll discover: - Why pretend Christianity can never produce real faith - The difference between faith in "faith" and fai
In Gethsemane, Jesus falls to the ground in anguish and prays, “Take this cup from me.” Why? What was Jesus seeing in that moment? Why was the Son of God overwhelmed with sorrow “to the point of death”? And what does His suffering reveal about the cross? In this message, Pastor Andy Davis explores one of the most sacred and mysterious moments in the Bible — the night Jesus chose the cross. This message covers: - Why Gethsemane is holy ground - The crushing weight Jesus faced before the cross - What it means that Jesus willingly submitted to the Father - How Jesus succeeded where Adam failed -
Do you ever wonder if there is more to reality than what you can see and touch? In this message, former atheist and bestselling author Lee Strobel explores compelling evidence for the supernatural and answers one of life’s biggest questions: Is there a reality beyond the physical world? Drawing from documented miracles, near-death experiences, angelic encounters, and stories from around the world, Lee shows how the unseen realm points to the truth of Christianity and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. In this message, Lee explores: - Evidence for documented miracles - What near-dea
You may feel weak, stuck, or ashamed. But if you are in Christ, your standing before God is settled forever. There is now no condemnation. In Romans 8:1–11, Paul takes us to one of the most hope-filled chapters in the Bible and shows us what God has done for us through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus was condemned in your place so that you could be fully accepted. And the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you. This message is about more than forgiveness. It is about freedom, transformation, and the assurance that God is at work in you right now. In this message, P
You don’t understand yourself. You don’t obey yourself. You can’t change yourself. And deep down… you know it. There’s a war within. In Romans 7:14-25, Paul gives one of the most honest descriptions of the human experience. He says, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” There’s a gap between who you are and who you want to be. A gap between your desire and your ability. This message isn’t about pretending that struggle doesn’t exist. It’s about understanding it and knowing where real hope is found. In this message, Pastor Kyle explores: - Why you don’t understand your own
The problem isn’t that we don’t know what to do; it’s that we don’t have the power to do it. In Romans 7:1-13, we see that God’s law is good. It reveals what’s wrong in us, names our sin, and exposes how deep it really goes. But it was never meant to fix us. In this message, we explore: - Why self-improvement always falls short - How sin twists even good things, like God’s law, into something that traps us - And why real change doesn’t come from trying harder, but from being united to Jesus The law can diagnose, but only the gospel can heal.
Sin doesn’t just influence your life. It tries to rule it. It promises freedom, but it actually takes control, using you and leading you somewhere you never meant to go. That’s why you can’t just “will” your way out of it. The truth is: you’re not as free as you think. We're all serving something. In this message, Pastor Kyle walks through Romans 6:14-23 and unpacks a life-changing statement: In Christ, you are not under law, but under grace. And that changes everything. The grace of Jesus can break sin’s rule, remove your shame, and give you a new way to live. In this message, we explore: - H
Sin isn’t just something you do. It’s a power that tries to rule you. In fact, it’s not just something you do. It’s trying to do something to you. That’s why real change feels so hard. In this message, Pastor Kyle Mercer walks through Romans 6:1-14 and shows that Jesus didn’t just come to forgive your sin. He came to break its power. If you’re in Christ, you are no longer under the reign of sin. Your old self wasn’t improved. It was crucified. The old you didn’t get better. It got buried. And now, through union with Christ, His story becomes your story. This isn’t behavior management. This is
What team are you really on? You didn’t choose it—but you’re already on one. The Bible says there are two “teams” that every person belongs to: one in Adam that leads to sin and death, and one in Jesus that leads to grace and life. There’s no middle ground. No neutrality. Whether you realize it or not, you’re already on a side. This Easter message from Romans 5 shows how one man’s decision brought sin and death into the world—and how another man, Jesus, dismantled death's reign through His death and resurrection. What Adam broke, Jesus restored. But this isn’t just theology—it’s personal. You
What do you do when suffering catches you off guard? We all want peace, stability, and comfort. But eventually, hardship comes, disappointment, loss, unanswered prayers, seasons that stretch longer than we expected. And when it does, we can be left wondering: Is this pointless? Is God distant? Is any of this doing something? But what if your suffering is actually shaping you? In Romans 5:1-11, Paul shifts from explaining salvation to celebrating its benefits. He tells us that because we have been justified by faith, we now have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Not a fragile feeling, but a
What do you do when life feels stuck? We all go through seasons of waiting—waiting for clarity, healing, a breakthrough, or an answered prayer. And in a world built on instant results, waiting can feel frustrating, confusing, and even hopeless. But what if waiting is actually where faith grows? In Romans 4:13-25, the Apostle Paul points to Abraham as an example of what real faith looks like—not just in receiving God’s promises, but in enduring while those promises seem delayed. God’s promises aren’t based on our performance, but on His grace. Even when circumstances looked impossible, Abraham
Many of us live with a quiet pressure to prove ourselves. Whether through success, reputation, or even spiritual discipline, it’s easy to believe our acceptance comes from how well we perform. But what if that entire way of thinking is a trap? In Romans 4:1-12, the Apostle Paul shows that even Abraham—the great example of faith—was not made right with God by his works. Instead, Abraham was counted righteous because he believed God. Paul also points to David, a man who experienced deep failure yet discovered the reality of God’s forgiveness and grace. Together they reveal a powerful truth: we c
We all tend to measure ourselves by what we have, who we belong to, or what we accomplish. From humble brags to competing for recognition, our hearts constantly look for reasons to boast. But in Romans 3:27-31, the Apostle Paul dismantles every reason for pride by reminding us that salvation is not earned, but received. Because we are justified by faith apart from works, there is no room for pride. The gospel humbles us, levels us, and redirects our boasting away from ourselves and toward Jesus. In this passage, Paul shows that saving faith is also changing faith. The same grace that saves our
