Trinity Church of Portland - Sermons

In this sermon from John 17:1–5, Paul Hoffman invites us into the climactic moment of Jesus’ farewell discourse—the prayer that stands on the edge of the cross.Drawing on J.R.R. Tolkien’s idea of eucatastrophe—the sudden, joyful turn in a story—Paul shows how what appears to be tragedy in the eyes of the disciples is, in fact, the triumph of God’s redemptive plan. As Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven and prays for glory, we see that the cross is not a defeat but a victory, not chaos but sovereign purpose.This passage points us backward to the incarnation and forward to the resurrection, revealing the shared glory of the Father and the Son, the supreme authority of Christ over all flesh, and the gift of eternal life found in knowing the one true God through Jesus Christ. Paul unpacks how the work Jesus accomplished becomes the foundation for the church’s mission today—carried forward not in our own strength, but through the power Christ shares with His people by the Spirit.Ultimately, this sermon calls us to see Jesus as the true King, the perfect revelation of God, and the model for what it means to be fully human. In a world longing for transcendence, meaning, and hope, the gospel stands as the true story—one that begins and ends in joy.

What do you stand on when clarity doesn’t calm your fear, and life begins to unravel?In this message from John 16:25–33, Jesus speaks to His disciples on the eve of the cross—not with sentimental comfort or vague optimism, but with unshakable certainty. As He prepares them for betrayal, suffering, and scattering, Jesus anchors their hearts in three enduring realities: they are loved by the Father, held by the Son, and safe in the end.This sermon explores how Jesus moves His disciples from confusion to confidence, not by minimizing the hardship ahead, but by revealing the finished work, sovereign authority, and eternal security found in Him. We consider what it means to “take heart” in a world marked by tribulation, and why Christian peace is not rooted in circumstances, strength, or clarity—but in the victorious Christ who has overcome the world.Whether you’re walking through fear, loss, uncertainty, or simply wondering where real peace can be found, this message calls us to rest not in ourselves, but in the One who came from the Father, entered our broken world, went to the cross on purpose, and now reigns in power.When things fall apart, the gospel reminds us: you are not.

Dear Church Family,Your generosity this past year has not only been remarkable, but a clear marker of genuine faith. It has been steady, joyful, generous, and deeply faithful. More than numbers on a page, your giving reflects something far more important. It reflects a heart that understands money as a gift from God, entrusted to us for the sake of His gospel.When Scripture says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” it is clear where your treasure lies. Again and again, you have shown that the treasure of your heart is Christ and His kingdom. To give freely and sacrificially is no small thing. It speaks to a people who are being set free from the enslavement of money and who trust the Lord with one of the most vulnerable areas of our lives, our provision.Through your radical generosity, you have demonstrated that Jesus is kind and that He is sufficient. Not merely in words, but in action. Not reluctantly, but gladly. What a testimony this is, both to one another and to the watching world.I am deeply grateful to serve a church that values the people of God and the coming kingdom more than comfort or possessions. That kind of faith is rare, and it is a gift of God’s grace.May the Spirit of God continue to shape us into a people who are sacrificially generous, for the good of His Church and for the glory of His great name.With deepest humility and gratitude,Thomas, on behalf of the Pastors of Trinity Church

In this message from John 16:5–15, Jesus speaks tenderly to sorrow-filled disciples on the eve of His departure—and offers them an unexpected gift. Though His going feels like loss, Jesus insists it is to their advantage, because the Helper is coming. In this sermon, we explore why the coming of the Holy Spirit is not a downgrade from Jesus’ physical presence, but the gracious completion of God’s redemptive plan.Together, we consider the Spirit’s work in convicting the world, comforting the repentant, revealing the truth, and glorifying Christ. Set within Jesus’ final hours before the cross, this message invites us to marvel at the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and to rejoice in the miracle of God dwelling with, and within, His people.

What does real spiritual fruit actually come from?In John 15:1–17, Jesus reminds weary disciples, and weary believers, that lasting fruit, deep joy, and genuine love do not come from striving harder, but from remaining connected to Him, the true Vine. In this sermon, we explore how life flows from union with Christ, how obedience is meant to protect joy rather than diminish it, and how love for one another becomes the visible fruit of a life rooted in grace.This message is an invitation to stop performing, stop hustling for spiritual results, and return to the only place where life and fruit truly grow—abiding in Christ.

In this Advent message, Pastor Andrey Gorban invites us to look again at the arrival of our King and to see not just thatHe came, but how He came.Drawing from Zechariah 9:9, this sermon contrasts the kings the world expects with the King God promised. While earthly rulers arrive with power, spectacle, and conquest, God’s King comes righteous and bringing salvation—humble, gentle, and riding on a donkey. This is a King who does not intimidate or dominate, but who gives Himself for His people.From the quiet fulfillment of God’s long-standing promises to Jesus’ triumphal entry and march toward the cross, this message calls us to behold the beauty of God’s plan done God’s way. If your faith feels stale, your joy muted, or the Christmas season has become routine, this sermon invites you to fix your eyes once more on Jesus—the humble and lowly King, our Savior, and our Emmanuel, God with us.

In this Advent message, Pastor Thomas opens the season by taking us back to God’s covenant with David—one of the most significant promises in the entire storyline of Scripture. In a world exhausted by failed leaders, political polarization, and deep cultural cynicism, this passage meets us with a different kind of hope: the promise of a perfect, eternal King.Tracing the biblical story from Genesis to Revelation, Thomas shows how every earthly king—from Saul to Solomon to David himself—proves unable to carry the weight of our longing. But in 2 Samuel 7, God announces a King who will—a Son He will raise up, a house He will build, and a throne He will establish forever. That promise echoes through the prophets, breaks into history at Bethlehem, and rises in full splendor in the book of Revelation, where the Son of David is revealed as the Lion, the Lamb, and the King of kings.This sermon explores four scenes in the Davidic Covenant:The King God establishes, the House God builds, the Son God gives, and the Kingdom God secures forever. And it brings this ancient promise down into the realities of everyday life—our fear, our longing for stability, our loss of control, and our need for hope that won’t collapse under pressure.Advent reminds us that the King we need is the King God gives. He comes in humility, reigns in righteousness, and returns in glory. His throne isn’t up for grabs. His reign can’t be overturned. And His kingdom—begun in Bethlehem and consummated in Revelation—is the unshakeable hope believers stand on today.If you’re longing for stability in an unstable world, this message will lift your eyes to the only King who cannot fail—and who invites you into His kingdom by grace.

This exploration of John 14:15-31 confronts us with a challenging truth: love isn't proven by our words or feelings, but by our actions. When Jesus says 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments,' He's not placing an impossible burden on our shoulders—He's defining love the way God defines it. The beauty of this passage is that Jesus never commands without providing what He commands. We can't obey alone, and we were never meant to. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, comes alongside us as the Spirit of Truth, dwelling within us forever, empowering the very obedience Jesus calls us to. This isn't about white-knuckling our way through the Christian life or collapsing under guilt. It's about understanding that obedience flows from union with Christ. We're not orphans left to figure things out on our own. Christ lives in us, the Father makes His home with us, and the Spirit illuminates Scripture and brings Jesus' words to remembrance exactly when we need them most. The peace Jesus offers isn't the world's temporary distraction from fear—it's His own peace, the peace that carried Him to the cross. When we face anxiety, guilt, or overwhelming circumstances, the Spirit whispers back the very promises we thought we'd forgotten. This is why we saturate ourselves in Scripture: so the Spirit has material to work with when storms come. We obey because He obeyed. We love because He loved. And we stand because He stood in our place.

In the midst of confusion, betrayal, and impending loss, Jesus speaks words that seem almost impossible: 'Let not your hearts be troubled.' This exploration of John 14:1-14 takes us into the upper room where Jesus comforts His disciples with the most profound promise imaginable—Himself. Rather than offering elaborate explanations or detailed roadmaps, Jesus repeatedly redirects our focus from places to His person, from destinations to relationship. When Philip asks to see the Father, when Thomas questions the way, Jesus consistently answers: 'Believe in me.' This isn't arrogance; it's the ultimate comfort. We discover that heaven isn't primarily about a place but about being with Jesus. The way to God isn't a set of principles but a living person. Our hope isn't vague wishful thinking but solid certainty grounded in who Jesus is. What makes this message so powerful is its relevance to our real suffering. When our hearts are truly breaking—whether from loss, confusion, fear, or grief—nothing less than the real Jesus will ever be enough. Not religious platitudes, not spiritual techniques, not even promises about heaven divorced from the person of Christ. We need Jesus Himself, and the stunning truth is that He is enough. He is the way, the truth, and the life—not just concepts to understand but realities to experience in our darkest moments.

In the shadow of betrayal, we discover the most profound display of love the world has ever known. This exploration of John 13:31-35 takes us into the upper room where Jesus, fully aware that Judas has just left to betray him and that Peter will soon deny him, speaks not of bitterness or self-protection, but of glory and love. What makes this moment so extraordinary is the timing—Jesus declares his glorification not after the resurrection, but in the very moment betrayal is set in motion. This challenges everything we think we know about glory, revealing that in God's kingdom, glory doesn't come after pain is avoided, but when pain is embraced through obedience. The message confronts us with a penetrating question: where have our loves become misaligned? Every betrayal, whether we've experienced it or committed it, flows from loving something or someone more than Christ. Yet here's the beauty—Jesus was betrayed for betrayers like us. His love absorbs our failures, the cross cancels our debt, and his blood makes room at the table for those who walked away. This isn't just ancient history; it's an invitation to examine our own hearts and to let the love we've received reshape how we love one another, making our communities a compelling witness to a watching world.