Whether you call them homilies, sermons, or talks, there’s a lot you can learn from the spiritual leaders in our community. While in a perfect world, you’d have time to listen to everyone, that simply isn’t possible for most with limited time to spare. To help, we’ve surfaced and summarized the teachings from the audio sermons of some of the most influential priests and pastors from around town and in the Christian sphere.

You can skip to a specific section by clicking the links below.

Jump to:

• Fr. Mike Schmitz
• Buckhead Church
• Cathedral of Christ the King
• Passion City Church
• Trinity Anglican Church
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Fr. Mike Schmitz

In his homily Autobiography: Epilogue, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the concept of the bonus chapter in our lives—the period of time that follows a major rescue or moment of grace. Using the reality TV show Bar Rescue as a lighthearted opening analogy, he notes that while the expert rescuer provides free renovations and training, the true test of the rescue’s success is revealed in the where are they now segment a year later. Fr. Mike transitions this to the spiritual life, asking what our lives look like after we have been rescued by God’s grace through Lent or the Sacrament of Confession.

Drawing on the Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus and the parable of the Prodigal Son, Fr. Mike highlights that grace is always a free, unearned gift that restores what was once dead or lost. He emphasizes that when the father welcomes the Prodigal Son, he provides a fine robe (honor), a ring (authority), and sandals (sonship), signifying a full restoration of the son’s identity. However, he points out that the epilogue of the story isn’t about the son returning to a life of indulgence as a pampered guest or living in fear as a hired servant. Instead, the restoration is meant to lead to a life of belonging within the family house.

The core message of the homily is that life after is life with. Fr. Mike argues that grace does not remove responsibility; rather, it restores it. A real relationship with God involves both real rights (the dignity of being a child of God) and real responsibilities (the duty to live out that purpose). He illustrates this with a personal story about receiving grace from a state trooper in the form of a warning instead of a speeding ticket, noting how difficult it was to actually drive like someone who had received grace. He challenges the listeners to consider if they are willing to live in the bonus chapter by staying close to the Father even when they are no longer in a state of desperation.

Finally, Fr. Mike invites everyone to start their day this week by waking up restored. He suggests that the first act of the day should be turning one’s heart to God and asking, Okay, Dad, what are we doing today? By viewing each day as an epilogue written by God’s grace, we shift from living as servants or guests to living as true children. The goal of the spiritual journey is not just to be rescued from death, like Lazarus, but to walk forward in a continuous, daily partnership with the Father.

Listen to the full version here.

Buckhead Church

In his sermon, Andy Stanley explores the fundamental question of what it means to follow Jesus in the context of modern relationships and personal integrity. He emphasizes that the Christian life is not merely about adhering to a set of rules or religious rituals, but about a transformative relationship that changes how we interact with those around us. By looking at the life of Jesus, Stanley argues that the primary command is to love others as He loved us, which serves as a practical and challenging filter for every decision we make in our daily lives.

Stanley addresses the common tension between “being right” and “being in a relationship,” noting that many people prioritize their personal convictions over the people those convictions affect. He suggests that a “follow-weary” faith often results from trying to manage a complicated list of do’s and don’ts rather than focusing on the simplicity of the Great Commandment. The sermon encourages listeners to ask themselves what love requires of them in any given situation, shifting the focus from self-preservation to self-sacrifice.

The sermon also touches on the importance of transparency and humility within the community of believers. Stanley points out that everyone is prone to making mistakes, but the hallmark of a true follower of Jesus is the willingness to own those mistakes and seek reconciliation. He warns against the dangers of hypocrisy and the “curtain” people often pull over their private lives, advocating instead for an authentic faith that is consistent both in public and behind closed doors.

In the final part of his message, Stanley offers a vision of a church that is defined by its compassion and its commitment to the well-being of its community. He posits that when followers of Jesus truly embrace the command to love, they become a compelling force for good that is difficult to ignore. The sermon concludes with a call to action, inviting the audience to step away from a religion of complexity and back into the simplicity of following Jesus by letting love be the ultimate guide for their lives.

Listen to the full version here.

Cathedral of Christ The King

In his homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer of Atlanta reflects on the raising of Lazarus, focusing on the profound humanity and divinity of Jesus. He highlights the “shortest verse in the Bible”—Jesus wept—to illustrate that our Lord is not distant from our suffering. By showing Jesus’ emotional response to the death of his friend, the Archbishop emphasizes that God enters into our grief, offering a presence that is both deeply personal and cosmically powerful.

The Archbishop explores the role of the community in this miracle, specifically Jesus’ command to “untie him and let him go.” He suggests that while Jesus provides the life-giving grace, it is often the role of the faithful community to help unbind those who are trapped by the “burial cloths” of sin, addiction, or despair. This transition from death to life is not meant to be a solitary experience; rather, it requires the support of others to move the heavy stones that block our path and to help us walk in newfound freedom.

A major theme of the homily is the call to “roll away the stone” in our own lives as we approach Holy Week. Archbishop Hartmayer invites the congregation to identify the areas of their hearts that feel “stinking” or stagnant, much like the four-day-old tomb of Lazarus. He encourages the faithful to bring these hidden shames and long-standing burdens to the Lord in the coming weeks, trusting that Christ’s power to make all things new is not just a historical event, but a present reality for every believer.

Finally, the Archbishop points toward the upcoming Easter celebration as a reminder that death does not have the final word. He notes that although Lazarus eventually had to face physical death a second time, his temporary return to life serves as a definitive sign that Jesus has power over death itself. By placing our trust in the “Resurrection and the Life,” we are called to live without fear, knowing that the grace of baptism has already begun the process of our own resurrection and eternal life with God.

Listen to the full version here.

Passion City Church

In his sermon “Sun Stand Still,” Louie Giglio explores the power of bold, faith-filled prayer through the biblical story of Joshua. He recounts how Joshua, facing five kings of the Amorites, prayed for the sun to stand still over Gibeon to allow Israel more time to complete the victory God had promised. Giglio highlights that this prayer was not about personal ego or showing off, but was a simple, 13-word appeal aimed at aligning with God’s glory and finishing His work. He encourages the audience that God is not impressed by flowery language or long prayers, but by the confidence we place in Him during our battles.

Giglio emphasizes that a “warrior spirit” is not about being aggressive or loud in the world, but about having a quiet nature with a “furnace of faith” inside. He describes this as moving through life with gentleness and humility while simultaneously “knocking down the door of heaven” with prayers of faith. Using the example of Joshua, he notes that before the battle even began, God had already given Joshua a word: “Do not be afraid.” Giglio explains that God’s promises don’t guarantee a pain-free life, but they provide the foundation needed to step into difficult circumstances with confidence.

Drawing a parallel to the New Testament, Giglio discusses the story of Peter’s miraculous escape from prison in Acts 12. While King Herod held Peter in chains, the church was “earnestly praying,” leading to an angel intervening to break the chains and open the gates. Giglio points out the irony that when Peter actually showed up at the door, the praying believers were astonished and almost didn’t believe it. He uses this to remind the congregation that heaven moves when people pray, and that God is often working in thousands of ways we cannot yet see.

Ultimately, the sermon is a call to persistence for those waiting on their own miracles—whether it’s a relationship being restored, an addiction being broken, or a loved one coming home. Giglio urges listeners not to give up on the God who can pause the sun, reminding them that God invites us to be part of His kingdom’s work through prayer so that we have a story to tell of His overcoming power. He concludes by challenging the audience to keep believing that if they are praying according to God’s will, the “knock on the door” of their answered prayer is coming.

Listen to the full version here.

Trinity Anglican Church

Kris McDaniel explores the profound themes of grief, hope, and divine timing through the story of the raising of Lazarus. He begins by acknowledging the tension inherent in the text: the delay of Jesus. McDaniel reflects on how Mary and Martha’s initial disappointment—”Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died”—mirrors our own struggles when God seems silent or slow to act in the face of our suffering. He suggests that these moments of waiting are not absences of God’s love, but invitations to a deeper trust in His ultimate purposes.

A significant portion of the sermon focuses on the humanity of Jesus, particularly the verse “Jesus wept.” McDaniel emphasizes that Jesus’ tears were not just for the loss of a friend, but a visceral response to the brokenness of the world and the pain felt by those He loved. This displays a God who is not stoic or detached, but one who enters fully into our sorrow. By standing at the tomb and weeping, Jesus validates our own grief, showing that faith does not require the suppression of our emotions, but rather bringing them into the presence of the One who can transform them.

McDaniel also highlights the communal aspect of the miracle, specifically Jesus’ command to “roll away the stone” and later to “untie him and let him go.” He notes that while only Jesus has the power to bring life out of death, He invites the community to participate in the process of liberation. This serves as a metaphor for the church’s mission: to help remove the barriers that keep others entombed in despair and to support one another in shedding the “burial cloths” of past shames, habits, and hurts that hinder a full life in Christ.

The sermon concludes with a powerful reminder that the raising of Lazarus points toward the greater reality of the Resurrection. McDaniel posits that this miracle was a sign intended to lead the witnesses—and us—to believe that Jesus is indeed the Resurrection and the Life. He encourages the congregation to look for the “Lazarus moments” in their own lives—those areas where hope seemed lost but where God is speaking life. By trusting in Christ’s voice, we are called to step out of our own “tombs” and live with the expectant hope that death is never the final word in God’s story.

Listen to the full version here.

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