Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Lord, Save Me!
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Release Date: 02/17/2025
The People of God in the Age of Empire – Practices of Resistance
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Practices of Resistance (Colossians 3:1–17) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this third installment of the Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire series, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores Paul’s invitation to live a resurrection-shaped life as resistance to the demands and distortions of empire. After deconstructing the false promises of empire—security, glory, and salvation—Paul turns toward reconstruction, calling the Colossians to embody new life...
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – Naming the Empire (Colossians 2:6-15) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful and provocative sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche continues the Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire series by exploring Colossians 2:6–15 and what it means to be faithful to Christ in a world shaped by empire. Drawing from Paul’s letter to a fledgling church in Colossae, Donnell frames the passage as a deeply subversive text—one that directly confronts the...
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Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – The Unco-opted Christ
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Colossians: The People of God in the Age of Empire – The Unco-opted Christ (Colossians 1:15-20) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this opening message of our new series on Colossians, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites us into a powerful re-centering of our lives around the crucified Christ. Preaching from Colossians 1:15–20, he reminds us that in the midst of empire, cultural pressures, and leadership failures, Paul does not begin with fear or anxiety but with a bold proclamation: Christ is the image of the invisible God,...
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All Things New: An Invitation to Hope, Restoration, and Life
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
All Things New: An Invitation to Hope, Restoration, and Life (John 20) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this Easter Sunday sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites the congregation into the heart of the resurrection story—not just as a historical event, but as an unfolding promise. Drawing from John 20, he weaves together the emotional power of personal remembrance, the cosmic implications of Jesus’ resurrection, and the deep yearning we each carry for renewal. The story of Mary at the tomb becomes a powerful symbol of...
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Palm Sunday: The Subversive King
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Palm Sunday: The Subversive King – (Mark 11; Matthew 16, 26; Zechariah 9:9) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Donnell explores the tension between divine hope and human expectation. He contrasts Jesus’ humble entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey with the imperial procession of Pontius Pilate entering from the other side of the city. Drawing from Zechariah 9:9, Donnell invites us to notice how Jesus subverts conventional power—not through violence or domination but through vulnerability and...
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Unfinished: Learning Who Jesus Is—and Isn’t
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Learning Who Jesus Is-and Isn't - Dan Lewan - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this powerful and deeply personal sermon, Dan Lewan opens up about a fifteen-year journey exploring the life of Peter, a disciple whose failures, impulsiveness, and transformation make him a compelling leader in the early church. What began as a college observation—that Peter was often wrong—grew into a lifelong fascination with how Jesus patiently shaped Peter through moments of correction and grace. Dan introduces the...
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples: When Faith Gets Interrupted
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Unfinished: When Faith Gets Interrupted – Acts 10 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this week’s message, Pastor Donnell continues the Unfinished series by exploring Acts 10 and the story of Peter and Cornelius. Framing the journey of discipleship as one that continues to unfold, Pastor Donnell reminds us that even Peter, a foundational leader of the church, still had much to learn. The sermon highlights how God disrupted Peter’s expectations through a vision that challenged his deeply held religious assumptions, ultimately...
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Fear to Faith
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Fear to Faith – Acts 3 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this week’s message, Pastor Donnell Wyche continued our Unfinished sermon series by exploring Peter’s journey from fear to faith through the story in Acts 3. Picking up from last week’s reflection on Peter’s restoration by Jesus, Pastor Donnell highlighted how Peter’s transformation continues as he and John move from hiding to boldly participating in the unfolding kingdom of God. As they head to the temple...
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – John 21 - Martha Balmer - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Martha Balmer explores the transformation of the apostle Peter in John 21, highlighting how discipleship is a journey of becoming. After Peter’s painful denial of Jesus, he fades into the background, wrestling with disillusionment and shame. But in the final chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus reappears to him—not to rebuke or dismiss, but to restore. Through the familiar scene of a miraculous catch of fish and a simple meal by...
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Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Matthew 26
Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor Sermon Podcast
Unfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples – Matthew 26 - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - . Like us on or watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - Summary: In this sermon, Pastor Donnell Wyche explores Peter’s bold declarations of loyalty to Jesus in Matthew 26, contrasted with his eventual denial. Peter, full of confidence, insists that even if everyone else falls away, he never will. Yet, when faced with fear and self-preservation, he denies Jesus three times. This moment reveals not just Peter’s weakness, but the human tendency to overestimate our strength. Jesus, knowing...
info_outlineUnfinished: Encountering Jesus, Becoming Disciples - Lord, Save Me! (Matthew 14:25-30) - Rev. Donnell T. Wyche - a2vc.org. Like us on fb.com/vineyardannarboror watch our livestream Sundays @ 10:45am - vimeo.com/annarborvineyard
This week, Pastor Donnell continues the Unfinished series, exploring the life of Peter as a model of discipleship in progress. Peter’s journey is one of ups and downs, moments of bold faith followed by fear and doubt. In Matthew 14:25-30, we find Peter stepping out of the boat, walking toward Jesus on the water—only to begin sinking when he notices the storm around him. In this moment of crisis, Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus immediately reaches out to catch him. This passage invites us to reflect on how our fears hold us back, how we navigate uncertainty, and whether we trust in God’s faithfulness even when the waves threaten to overwhelm us.
Pastor Donnell challenges us to consider where we place our confidence—do we rely on our own ability to stay afloat, or do we trust in God’s presence and provision? Like Peter, we often step out in faith but waver when circumstances feel out of our control. Jesus’ response to Peter reminds us that he does not condemn us for our doubts but meets us with compassion and strength. Even in moments when our faith feels small, God remains faithful. Discipleship, then, is not about achieving perfect faith but learning to trust Jesus more deeply, even in the midst of life’s storms.
As the sermon closes, we are invited to examine our own posture—are we living with open hands, ready to receive and give in trust? Or are we clinging to control, fear, and self-reliance? The call to discipleship is an invitation to step beyond the boat’s security, to let go of our false sense of control, and to follow Jesus into the unknown, knowing that he will always reach out and catch us when we call.