From Eden to the Kingdom: Recent Episodes
Nathan Skipper
From Psalm 19, we see that the God's glory is known in the perfection of the good, the beautiful, and the true.
In this sermon, we begin a new series on "The Love of the Triune God", and we work through Psalm 136 to see the Complete, Creative, Common, and Covenantal Love of God.
From Matt. 28:19-20 and Matt. 5:13-16, we see the institutional and individual calls to evangelize.
From 1 Cor. 6, Phil. 2, and John 15, we see that sanctification is granted by God, gained through effort, and grows with maturity in Christ.
From Matt. 16, Eph. 4, and Heb. 10 we see that the church is essential, equipping, and edifying.
From 2 Cor. 7:8-11, we see that repentance is caused by God, continual, and challenging.
From John 20:31 we see that God must reveal himself to us, and we should believe in what he reveals.
From John 14:6, we see that Jesus is the only way, truth, and life through whom we gain access to the Father.
In John 11:25-26 we see that the resurrection is not just an event out in the future, but the resurrection is a person.
From John 3:16-19, we see the next step in sharing the gospel, focusing on the keywords loved, believe, perish, gave, condemn, and darkness.
In this sermon, we begin a new series on how to share the Gospel using the Gospel of John. We focus on John 1:1-5 and the four keywords: Word, Made, Life, and Light.
From Mark 15:16-41 we see the curse of the king, the crucifixion of the king, and the cry of the king.
From Mark 14:66-72, see the ignorant denial, the insistent denial, and the irreverent denial.
From Mark 14:43-52, see that the King Reveals the Unrighteousness of the World, and the King Redeems the Unworthy.
From Mark 14:26-31, we see the certainty of persecution and the challenges in responding to persecution.
What is the millennium? A literal 1000 year reign of Christ from his throne in Jerusalem, or a symbolic number representing a long period of kingdom expansion and eventual dominance?
From Mark 14:1-9, we see the Despising Leaders, the Deceitful Disciple, and the Devoted Woman.
From Matt. 2:1-12 see the king's witness to the pagans, the king's worried enemies, and the king worshipped by the nations.
From Luke 2:1-20 we see the king who was born against earthly authority and among the humble.
From Isaiah 9:1-7 we see the Darkness of the Nations, the Divine King, and the Dominion of the Kingdom.
From Mark 13:28-37 we see the Teaching of the Fig Tree, the Terminal Generation, and the Timing of God.
From Mark 13:24-27 we see the collapse of civilization, the coming of the Son of Man, and the call of the elect.
In this sermon, we consider the three interpretive approaches to the Book of Revelation.
In this sermon, we dive deep into Eschatology by looking at the three approaches to interpreting Biblical prophecy.
From Romans 9-11 we see the Remnant of Grace, the Righteousness of Faith, and the Root of Blessing
This sermon serves as an introduction to the views on eschatology, with a look at Daniel 2:31-45 and the kingship of Christ.
From Mark 12:38-40, we see the appearance of the charlatan and the abuse of the charlatan.
From Mark 12:35-37 we see the infinite nature of the Son of God and the incarnation of Jesus.
From Mark 12:13-17, we see the hypocritical trap and the higher calling of the Christian.
In Heb. 10:19-25 we find three reasons for the importance of church membership and attendance.
From Mark 11:12-26, we see the Symbolic Tree, the Sacrilegious Temple, and the Sure Prayer.
From Mark 11:1-11 we see the Procession of the King, the Proclamation of the King, and the Pronouncement of the King.
From Mark 10:17-31, we see the inheritance of the kingdom and the impossible salvation.
From Mark 10:1-12 we see the Accommodation of the Law, the Authentic Meaning of Marriage, and the Adultery of Divorce.
From Mark 9:38-50 we see that citizenship in the kingdom is for the dedicated, and not for the deceptive or the disobedient.
From Mark 8:34-38 we see the cost of discipleship in its priority, pattern, paradox, and profession.
From Mark 8:31-33 we see the direction of the true Messiah and the deception of false beliefs.
From Matt. 8:22-26 we see the malady of spiritual blindness and the miracle of spiritual sight.
From Mark 8:14-21 we see the leaven of the pharisees and the low view of the disciples.
From Mark 8:11-13 we see the symptoms of a hard heart and the sovereign judgment of God.
From Mark 7:14-23 we see that sin does not begin with a substance; sin begins with the soul.
From Mark 6:30-44 we find common grace for the skeptic and comforting grace for the weary.
From Mark 6:7-13 we see the charge for the church and the condemnation of the hardhearted.
From Mark 6:1-6 we find that saving faith in Jesus Christ is not basic knowledge, a nostalgic affinity, or commitment to tradition, but a life-changing belief in his power and authority to save.
From Mark 5:21-43 we see that Jesus redeems us from our corruption and restores us to life.
From Mark 4:21-34 we see that the Gospel should never be hidden, that it will do a complete work, and that it will provide unexpected results.
From Mark 3:31-35 we see that the kingdom of God is not defined by your heritage, but by your heart.
From Mark 3:7-21 we see the frantic crowd, the fearful demons, the faithless family, and the favored disciples.
From Mark 2:18-22, we find that the kingdom of God is not known by its form, but by its Spirit.
From Mark 2:13-17, we find the calling to sinners and the conflict of the self-righteous.
From Mark 2:1-12, we see that Jesus faced conflict over his healing but proved himself to be the true Son of God by forgiving sins and bringing healing.
From Mark 1:16-20 we see the call of the disciple, the change in the disciple, and the completeness of the change.
From Mark 1:12-13 we see that Jesus, as the Messiah, faced the temptations of expulsion, enticement, and endangerment.
From Mark 1:1 we see the radical claim of the good news about the divine king of the universe.
From Heb. 11:30-31 we see that through faith, God secures the impossible victory and saves the impossible sinner.
From Heb. 11:27-29 we find that through faith, grace gives confidence, covers, and conquers.
From Heb. 11:17-19 we see that true faith sacrifices with gladness and true faith trusts in God's goodness.
From Hebrews 11:7 and Genesis 6 we see the foundation of reverence and the proper fear of God.
From Heb. 11:5-6 and Genesis 4:17-5:24, we see the contrast of the man of fury and the man of faith.
From 1 Pet. 1:3-9 we see three blessings of the resurrection of Jesus Christ: hope, heritage, and happiness.
From 1 Cor. 15:35-49 we see false beliefs about the resurrection and the final state of man.
From Rom. 8:31-39 we see that through the power of God's Spirit, we have redeeming forgiveness, relational forgiveness, and reconciling forgiveness.
From 1 Cor. 15:20-28 we see the present reign, future return, and final recompense of Jesus Christ.
From 1 Cor. 15:1-28 we see that the resurrection is paramount, it is proof, and it is a promise.
Jesus faced the spiritual separation and torment of the judgment of God so that we might be forgiven.
The cross of Christ is evidence of the truthfulness of the Gospel and essential to our salvation.
The virgin birth is an essential doctrine because it begins a new creation and preserves the divinity and humanity of Christ.
From Phil. 2:5-11 we see that Jesus is Lord in supremacy, in the subjection of all things, and in the submission of all people.
From Isaiah 7:1-14 and Col. 1:15-20 we see that Jesus is the only begotten, eternally existent image of God who is preeminent over all things.
From Isaiah 9:6-7 we see that Jesus is the Messiah who is the royal son that meets the royal standards.
God is sovereign over all that he has created, exercising both the authority and power to rule.
We profess that the God of the universe is a personal, spiritual being who acts in love, grace, and discipline towards his creation.
What beliefs distinguish Christians from other religions? What must a Christian profess to be saved? In this sermon, we begin to consider the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, using the Apostle's Creed as our guide.
From Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43 we see the extent of the kingdom and the extermination of the weeds.
From Matt. 13:1-23 we see the boundaries of the kingdom and the blessed of the kingdom.
From Matt. 5:8 we answer the questions of what it means to have a pure heart and what it means to see God.
In this lecture, given to pastors of the Pine Barren Association, I explain the motivations and core points of my book, Worship of the Triune God.
From Matt. 5:6 we see the deficiency in righteousness, the definition of righteousness, and the delight of righteousness.
From Matt. 5:4 we see the calamity for which the people of God mourn, and the comfort of the kingdom.
From 2 Tim. 4:1-5 we find that the way of life is the way of faithful ministry with a charge to the minister and a challenge to the listener.
From 2 John 1:4-11 we see that the way of life is a way of walking and watching in truth.
From Titus 2 we see that the way of life is calls for obedience that is sound and self-controlled.
From 1 Tim. 4:11-16 we see that a disciple follows the pattern of faithful leaders in their character and commitment.
From 1 Thes. 1:2-10 we find that a disciple follows the pattern of the saints in their evidence and effect.
From Phil. 3:17-21 we see that a disciple follows the pattern of the apostles in their walk and their waiting.
From 1 Cor. 10:1-11 we see that Old Testament Israel establishes the patterns of witness and warning for the disciples of Christ.
From Matt. 28:16-21 we see that a disciple makes other disciples by pointing them to Jesus.
From Matt. 10:40-42 we find that a disciple serves others so that he might honor Christ.
From Matt. 26:36-46 we find that a disciple is vigilant by waiting on the return of Christ and watching for the attacks of Satan.
From John 21:1-19 we find that a disciple receives fellowship and forgiveness through communion with Christ.
From John 15:1-17 we see that a disciple abides in Christ, from whom he receives the motivation and power to obey Christ's commands.
From John 13:31-35 we see that a disciple of Jesus Christ is loved by God, and as a result, he loves others.
From John 6:52-71 we see that the call to discipleship is open, offensive, and ordained.
From 1 Cor. 12:12-20 we find the qualifications and responsibilities of church members.
From 1 Pet. 5:1-5 and 1 Tim. 3:1-7 we find that pastors are responsible for discipline, devotion, and doctrine.
From Genesis 30:1-24 we see that when Rachel had exhausted all possibilities, God delivered her by giving her a son. In a similar way, God has delivered us when we were scorned because of our sin.
From Genesis 18:1-15 we see that the birth of Jesus brings joy and laughter in the place of barrenness and death.
From John 1:1-18 we find that Jesus Christ is the light of the world that brings wisdom and truth to a world that is covered in darkness.
From John 1:1-18 we find that Jesus lived as the true human who reveals life as God intended.
From Rom. 16:17-20 we find the sins of deceivers, the signs of deceivers, and the simple rules of faithfulness.
From Rom. 15:8-13 we find that Jesus became a servant for the sake of truth, mercy, and hope.
From Rom. 15:1-7 we find examples of sacrificial love and the goals of sacrificial love.
From Rom. 14:13-23 we see that the mature in faith are to live by the law of love, and love forbids hindrances.
From Rom. 14:1-12 we find that the Christian should love his neighbor by sacrificing judgments of purity and practices.
From Rom. 14:1-12 we find that the Christian should love his neighbor by sacrificing judgments of purity and practices.
From Rom. 13:1-7 we answer the following: from where does government get its authority? What authority does it have? What duties do Christians owe their government?
From Rom. 13:1-7 we answer the following: from where does government get its authority? What authority does it have? What duties do Christians owe their government?
From Rom. 12:3-8 we find one way that we can live as sacrifices by considering the good of others and using our gifts of grace.
From Rom. 12:1-2 we find two principles for living by faith: the sacrifice of the body and the saturation of the mind.
From Romans 11 we find the graceful remnant, the grafted nations, and the greatness of the plan of God.
From Rom. 9 we find the problem with the promise, the purpose of God in election, and the analogy of the potter and the clay.
From Rom. 8:31-39 we find that we can hope in suffering because we do not fear judgment and because the faithful love of God.
From Rom. 8:26-30 we find that we can suffer with hope because we know that God has secured our salvation in the past, present, and future.
From Rom. 8:18-25 we find that suffering with Christ involves an honest understanding of the world and hopeful grief.
From Rom. 8:1-17 we find the differences in the flesh and the spirit and the devotion of the spirit.
From Rom. 7:7-25 we find the commandment and sin, the conundrum of the flesh, and the clarity of the Spirit.
How do we reconcile the Bible and evolution? Where did the different races come from? If God despises lukewarm believers, does that mean we can lose our salvation? What does it mean that idle speech will be judged? How should the Christian view cremation?
From Rom. 6:1-14 we find that in Christ, we have a change of identity, a change of nature, and a change of will.
From Rom. 5:12-21 we see a display of kingship and the differences in a trespass and a gift.
From John 20:19-24 we find that, while we may try to find life through wisdom, wealth, and power, Jesus is the only true source of eternal life.
From 1 Sam. 16 we find God's purpose and priorities in giving us the king that we need.
From Rom. 3:21-31 we find another way of righteousness to which the Law and the Prophets testified.
From Rom. 2:12-29 we find a contrast between hearers and doers, the dishonor of law-keeping, and the distinction of true faith.
From Rom. 2:1-11, we find that the self-righteous have a wrong view of wrath and a wrong view of works.
From Rom. 1:24-32, we find that by exchanging the truth of God for a lie, humanity is given over to the self-imprisonment of their praise, passions, and patterns.
From Rom. 1:18-23 we find that, while humanity may view themselves as the heroes of the story, in reality, God is passionately vengeful against their false worship and foolishness.
From Romans 1:1-17 we find that the Gospel is God's work of setting the world right through his Son, Jesus Christ.
From Rev. 7:9-12 we find that missions ends with the reconciliation of the world and the rejoicing of God's people.
From Acts 1:6-11 we see the pattern that God has established for reaching our city, country, and world.
From Rom. 5:12-21 we see our condemnation in Adam, the contrast of life and death, and our confidence in Jesus Christ.
From Rom. 5:1-11, we find that faith alone brings redemption, rejoicing, and reconciliation.
From Matt. 25:31-46 we find that the final reward of the righteous is the delight of living face-to-face with our Lord.
From Matt. 25:31-46, Christ will one day come to judge the world in righteousness, and those who have found their delight in their own ways will be eternally judged.
From Eph. 6:10-20, God has given us armor that has been empowered by him and worn by Christ, that we might stand firm in spiritual warfare.
From Ephesians 6:10-12 we see that the Christian is called to resist the attacks of Satan by being strong, standing, and wrestling.
From Ephesians 6:10-12 we find that the Christian is part of a spiritual war that rages for the glory of God.
From 2 Tim. 3:14-17 we find that the Word of God is complete, clarifying, and converting.
From 2 Cor. 9:6-15, giving is an act of worship that confesses our dependence on God and blesses the world.
From Psalm 11, the skeptic may doubt because of the success of the wicked, but the righteous take refuge in the Lord.
From Eph. 5:15-21, we see that singing reflects the delight of our hearts, which should be set on God because of his goodness and grace.
From Psalm 67, 1 John 1, and Rom. 10, we see that confession is adoration of God's glory, admission of our sins, and acknowledgement of our faith in Christ.
From Col. 2 and 1 Pet 3 we find that baptism represents a shift in covenant relationship, a sign of the new covenant, and symbolizes our salvation.
From Eph. 4:1-16, God calls us to meet together so that we might find covenant unity, communion, and clarity.
From Deut. 6:4-15; 5:12-15, we find that God calls us to order our lives around the weekly worship of him so that we might find rest for our souls.
From Eph. 6:1-4 we find that the relationship between parents and children glorifies God through obedience, mutual respect, and formation in the Wisdom of God.
From Eph. 5:22-33, Godly, Christian marriage brings glory to God as it honors the relationship of Christ and the Church.
From Deut. 6, God's purpose for the family is the expansion of his glory through a world that worships him.
From Deut. 6:4-15 and Ephesians 4:17-32, we find that personal worship is the heartfelt, daily obedience to Our Lord's commands.
From Genesis 24, worship is the act of ascribing to God the glory due his name through our words and deeds.
From Genesis 22, we find that worship is the act of giving the whole of our lives to God as an offering of praise.
from Genesis 18:1-15 we find that the covenant of God results in the presence of God, right worship reverences the presence of God, and the presence of God reveals the promises of God.
From Genesis 2:5-17 we find that worship is the act of bringing the whole of our lives under the rule of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
From Psalm 16 and Ecclesiastes 1 & 2, we find that man's hope of escaping death through wisdom, pleasure, or work is ultimately useless. The only hope we have in escaping death is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the life that he gives.
From Psalm 22, we find that the Lord rescues the oppressed, and the oppressed rejoice in the God of Salvation.
From Psalm 139 we find that God's control over all things means that he is all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful. This means that God is sovereign over his whole creation.
From Psalm 148 we find that the creation demands the worship of God, and God has designed creation for worship.
From Ephesians 3:14-21, John 16:1-15, and Acts 1:8, we find that the Holy Spirit is the personal, powerful presence of God with his creation.
From Ephesians 3:14-21, John 1:1-14, Col. 1:15-20, and Matt. 16:16, we find that Jesus Christ is the Messiah who is Prophet, Priest, and King. He is fully revealed as the second person of the Trinity who is the Word, Image, and Son of God.
From Ephesians 3:14-21, we find the God who is three in person and one in being. We also find God the Father, who is the Creator and loving Father of the world.
From Joshua 24:1-15, we find the corrupt worship of false gods and the covenant worship of the true God.
From Ephesians 1:3-14 - Because a true church is a body of baptized believers who delight in the triune God by discipling each other and devoting themselves to his commands, we are going to spend seven months looking at the who, what, when, where, how and why of worship. We start by considering that the very reason for which God created us and the reason for which he saves us is so that we might find our delight in him.
The stories of Jacob and Esau, Leah and Rachel, and the children of Jacob require us to take a look at the 10th commandment against coveting.
From Genesis 32, we find that Jacob is motivated by fear, but God is motivated by grace.
From Genesis 29, we find that the Lord sees the affliction of Leah. In a similar way, he has seen the affliction of our sin and redeemed us, and as a result he calls us to show mercy to others.
From John 1:1-18, Jesus is the definition of all things and the dwelling presence of God.
From Genesis 28:10-22, while humans try to shape this fallen world into our own heaven, God has removed the veil separating heaven and earth through the true temple of God, Jesus Christ.
A sermon on Genesis 23, where we find that man longs for permanence, and Abraham was faithful to wait on the promise of land. This promise is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who will usher in the new heavens and earth.
From Genesis 22:1-18, The Faith of Abraham, the Obedience of Isaac, and the Faithfulness of God.
From Genesis 27, we find that human effort to gain the blessing of God can only lead to sin and division. Yet, even in our selfishness and sinfulness, God is still working his purposes to bring about the salvation of the world.
From Genesis 26:1-22 we find that Isaac serves as both a good and bad example of how to wait for the promise to be fulfilled.
Genesis 25:19-34, While man thinks that acceptance before God is based on merit and position, God's purpose of grace is to use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
From Genesis 24, we find an example of Biblical Marriage, which is built around the promise of God, exhibits an attitude of service, and is a metaphor for Christ and his church.
From Genesis 21, we find that man often judges God based on our own behavior, and we are horrible at keeping promises. Yet, God is faithful to do what we cannot, especially when we are at our wits end.
From Genesis 20, we, like Abraham, often live by sight and seek earthly security while giving up the promise of God. But, Jesus lived for the promise of God and through his obedience has provided a security that this world cannot take away.
From Genesis 19, we find that the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is the prototype for ultimate judgment to come, and Abraham is the prototype for Jesus the Mediator who was to come.
From Acts 17:22-31, the sermon of Paul to the Athenians reveals three blind spots that many have about the meaning of life.
From Genesis 18:1-15, though the world continues in conflict, sin, and death, yet we know from the story of Abraham that nothing is impossible with God. Because of this, our salvation and resurrection is sure.
From 1 Samuel 16:1-13, we find that Jesus is a better David because he has a better heart and is a better heir.
From Genesis 1:26-31 and Romans 5:12-19, as we consider the Christmas story, we find that Jesus is a better Adam because he was a greater ruler and a greater righteous one.
From Genesis 16, Abram and Sarai gave into the pressures of the world and ungodly counsel, while Hagar ran from everyone, including God. But, the Lord is the God who sees, and he graciously saved Hagar, even as she ran.
From Genesis 15: we humans love promises but are horrible at keeping them. Yet, we find in scripture that God keeps his promises, even when people fail miserably.
From Genesis 14:17-24, we have to ask whether we are seeking the approval of man or the approval of God?
From Luke 15:11-31: The Pharisees believed that they were slaves who could earn acceptance into God's family, but Jesus explains through the parable of the prodigal son that our acceptance is based on his grace to us as his children, not our outward obedience.
From Genesis 13:1-18, Lot exemplifies the unbeliever who chases after the immediate, while Abram exemplifies the faithful believer who waits on the promises of God.
From Luke 15:8-10: We measure our own value based on our comparison to other people or our acceptable moral behavior before God, but God gives us value by his grace, in making us in his image and redeeming us through Christ.
From Genesis 12:1-3: Fallen men and women seek physical blessings through some form of perfection, but such perfection can never be obtained. In this passage, the story of humanity shifts for the better, not because of some great hero, but because of the gracious covenant of God.
From Genesis 11:1-9, Fallen humanity seeks to make idols of themselves and disobey even the most basic commands of God, but Jesus makes a name for himself through suffering and obeys every last command of his Father.
From Genesis 9:1-17. In American culture, we have learned to detach religion and God from reality. God is helpful for our mental wellbeing, but he has no bearing on our daily lives. But, the story of the Bible reveals a different God: one who enables life through his blessing.
From Genesis 8:13-22. Mankind is fickle and unpredictable, but God is longsuffering and gracious, even in his judgment. Through a sacrifice given by a righteous man, Noah, mankind rested from God's wrath. So too, through the sacrifice of one righteous man, Jesus Christ, mankind enters eternal rest in the presence of God.
From Genesis 7:1-10, In our time, we define righteousness as being true to oneself, but in Scripture, we find that the way that seems right to a man leads to destruction. True righteousness is found walking after God, and it is because of the righteousness of Christ that we are ultimately able to pass through the judgment of God.
From 1 Cor. 15:12-26 - We seek permanence in a world that is always changing. Jesus has come to bring resurrection and life, giving us an eternal kingdom which will never end.
Genesis 6:1-8: Men and fallen angels may sow disorder and violence that God judges, but Christ has come to bring order and life through his life, death, and resurrection.
From Genesis 5, Human freedom is lauded as the greatest good (even the greatest gift of God) in our day, but the example of Lamech shows the true curse that freedom is. Enoch, on the other hand, is given as the example of a life that is dependent on God, and one that is delivered from the judgment of God.
From Genesis 3:1-24. Seeking wisdom apart from God leads to guilt and shame. Though we try to cover our guilt and shame, we cannot escape it. Even in the midst of God's judgment on Adam's sin, he still provides grace through the promise of a seed of the woman. That Seed was Jesus Christ, who bore our guilt and shame on the cross. Because we have been forgiven and restored, we can now work to forgive and reconcile others.
From Genesis 2:18-25, we see relationship as God intended it to be. The pagans of the time believed that men and women were created for conflict and today's society believes that we cannot escape our instincts, but God created man and woman as a picture of himself. God is relational and covenantal, and we can see this in his relationship to Israel. We see it fully in Jesus Christ, who died to sanctify his people, the Church.
From Genesis 1:26-31. We, like the ancient pagans, find satisfying purpose in this life, even though we believe that we can define life by our own terms. God has created us in his image, and yet we don't exemplify that image in the world. Jesus has come to rightly bear the image of God, and in so doing he has restored the image of God in us. We respond by bringing all things within our rule under the authority of God's Word.
During a trip to India, I had the opportunity to preach at a local seminary. The sermon is from John 4:1-26, on the Woman and the Well.