Welcome back to Red Letters! In today’s message, “The Christian Distinctive,” Pastor Kelly Kinder dives into Matthew 5:13-16 and reminds us that Jesus doesn’t ask us to become salt and light—He boldly states we already are. That single truth reframes every conversation about identity, influence, and purpose.

Salt mattered in ancient kitchens because it preserved meat from rot and drew out rich flavors. Kelly shows how believers carry the same function in society: slowing moral decay and making truth compelling. But Jesus adds a caution: salt can lose its bite. When we compromise conviction to fit in, our presence no longer preserves anything, and culture shrugs us off. Kelly explores practical ways to stay “salty,” from guarding personal holiness to speaking hard truths in love.

The metaphor of light lifts the conversation higher. One lamp can change a room; one city on a hill guides travelers for miles. Light’s power is in visibility, not volume. Jesus invites us to place our everyday lives on a stand where neighbors, coworkers, and classmates can see good works that reflect God’s heart. Kelly illustrates this with stories of ordinary disciples: a mechanic who refuses dishonest upsells, a teen who befriends the outsider, a mom who hosts weekly dinners for single parents. Their influence isn’t flashy, but it directs attention to the Father.

Three questions drive the message: Where are you positioned to shine? How can your conduct make the gospel attractive? Why do you do it— for personal acclaim or for God’s glory? Ephesians 5:8 and Proverbs 4:18 remind us that light grows brighter when we walk in step with the Spirit, hinting that our best impact may still be ahead.

If you’re weary of identity labels tied to titles, successes, or social media metrics, this conversation will breathe fresh freedom. Kelly’s honest anecdotes and Scripture-rich teaching equip you to step into your God-given role with courage and joy.

👉 Hit play and let the Word recalibrate your view of who you are and why you matter. Then share the message so others can taste the salt and see the light of Christ in action.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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The transformative power of Jesus’s ministry in Galilee reveals the heart of God’s redemptive plan. This session begins with a moving story of a young girl named Emma who was rescued from neglect through adoption, drawing profound parallels to our spiritual condition before Christ. Just as Emma was unresponsive and developmentally behind but flourished under loving care, we too were once spiritually dormant until God’s love awakened us.

Our study of Matthew 4:23-25 takes us through Jesus’s extensive travels across Galilee—an area comparable to modern-day Knoxville with roughly 300,000 inhabitants—where he taught in synagogues, proclaimed the good news, and performed miraculous healings. His ministry drew massive crowds from Syria, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan as news spread of his compassionate power to heal every disease and affliction.

Looking deeper, we explore God’s unwavering commitment to humanity through a series of expanding covenants—from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—each preparing the way for the ultimate New Covenant established through Jesus. Unlike previous agreements that were limited in scope, this final covenant is rooted in love, sealed by Jesus’s sacrificial death, and offers complete restoration of relationship with God.

The miracles Jesus performed weren’t merely displays of power but tangible expressions of divine love. When he healed the sick or freed those oppressed by demons, Jesus was revealing God’s desire for wholeness in every life. Consider the woman who touched his garment after years of suffering—one of the rare moments in Scripture where Jesus “stopped,” sensing healing power flow from him to someone in desperate need.

Whether you’re exploring faith for the first time or seeking to deepen your spiritual understanding, this session offers a compelling reminder: at the heart of Christianity lies not rules or religion, but a relationship built on the transformative, adopting love of God.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more!
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What if everything you thought you knew about happiness and blessing was backward? In this sermon, Pastor Tyler Lynde kicks off our new series, “Red Letters,” with a deep dive into the Beatitudes from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. These words, spoken to a people desperate for hope after 400 years of divine silence, completely flip our modern understanding of what leads to a truly blessed life.

Jesus’s sermon wasn’t just a collection of nice sayings; it was a declaration of war against the world's value system. Where our culture says "blessed are the self-sufficient," Jesus says "blessed are the poor in spirit." While society often rewards the ruthless, Jesus promises blessing to the merciful and the meek. In this message, Tyler Lynde unpacks each of these radical statements, contrasting the fleeting mantras of our world with the eternal truth of God's Kingdom.

Discover why the Beatitudes are not a checklist of behaviors to earn God's favor, but a beautiful portrait of a heart transformed by the Holy Spirit. This is the core of the New Covenant—not relying on our own strength to follow external rules, but receiving a new heart and being empowered by God’s Spirit living within us. Tyler doesn't shy away from the hard truth that this path leads to a collision with the world, but he also reveals the magnificent promises attached to it: comfort, mercy, satisfaction, and being called a child of God.

Most importantly, see how Jesus himself is the perfect embodiment of every beatitude. He is both our example to follow and the enabler who makes it possible. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus secured every blessing He describes. Whether you're just exploring faith or have followed Jesus for decades, these ancient words carry fresh power to transform your perspective on what it truly means to live a blessed life.

We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more!
Find us on Facebook & Instagram