Faith Presbyterian Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Rev. Kelly Dotson
Sunday Morning Worship at Faith Presbyterian Church in Clinton, Louisiana. Join us at 11:00 for Worship!
Hard words from Jesus about where our hearts lie as he confronts us with two treasures, two visions, and two masters. While we may think we can follow Jesus part time, he bids us choose—and reveals to us the slavery inherent in pursuing earthly wealth. Join us as we weigh his words and their challenge, and join us next week as Jesus goes on to address the anxiety that his commands may produce in us.
How does one pray? In the midst of a passage on hypocrisy Jesus provides us instruction on prayer. First he tells us how (not) to pray, then he provides us a prayer that we may both pray ourselves and use as a model. Join us as we consider the six petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, of how to pray for God’s glory and our good, together with some further reflection on growing in prayer.
Join us as we consider both our ultimate problem and the ultimate solution, found in Christ. The end of Genesis 3 and the beginning of Revelation 22 help frame our discussion as we continue in the Larger Catechism, wrapping up the outline of our sin and mercy and beginning to consider the covenant of grace.
As Jesus begins the next section of the Sermon on the Mount we meet instructions that appear to stand in tension with something he said earlier. Are our good works supposed to be observed by others, or not? As we work through Jesus’ words we see him answering three “how” questions: how do we resolve apparent contradictions, how do we understand hypocrisy, and how do we walk in obedience? Join us as we make this first pass through Matthew 6!
Paul’s description of Adam’s sin and Christ’s obedience helped frame our discussion of WLC 22–27 this morning as we dove into the bad news of Adam’s sin and its devastating effects, trying to bear in mind as we did so how the one man’s obedience is not like the trespass, for Christ’s obedience is able to undue all the damage Adam’s sin has wrought. Along the way we considered how sin touches every aspect of what it means to be human, how this helps us make sense of the world as we experience it, and how this relates to the importance of affirming the full and complete humanity of Christ, bearing in mind Gregory of Nazianzus’s phrase, “That which is not taken up is not healed.”
Today we look at David's handling of the consequences of Saul's sin. There is much to discuss and learn in this chapter.
What does Christian love look like? What makes it unique? In this challenging paragraph we consider the object of the love the Lord requires, its nature, and its motivation. We also look at the practical help offered, as well as the examples of Jesus and Stephen.
Today we focused on Psalm 121, and Westminster Catechism 18–21, 30. Join us as we consider the Lord's good providence in all things.
A return to Jerusalem; a new coup; a powerful general; a wise woman; a list of officials. What do we make of a chapter including such diverse materials? How does it bring David’s story to a conclusion of sorts, and how do we assess the ending? How does it link both backwards and forwards? Join us as we consider 2 Samuel 20.
How would Jesus transform our response to adversity? Where can we find the strength to show the meekness he calls blessed? Join us as Jesus confronts our confusion of justice and revenge, as we explore the meekness he requires, and as we look to him as our example and so much more.
Absalom’s coup has failed and David’s son is dead, but David continues to be caught between his role as father and his role as king. How can he and the people move forward? Will he resume his reign over the nation, or will it continue to fracture and rebel? And where is God in this picture? Join us as we continue in 2 Samuel!
Join us as we look at Psalm 19 and begin our adventure through the Westminster Learger Catechism.
What would it look like if we consistently loved the truth in thought, word, and deed? In this passage Jesus puts his finger on the problem of broken word and broken oaths, lays bare the aggravation of mincing words and finding loopholes, and calls upon us to love the truth in thought, word, and deed, even as he who is the way, the truth, and the life helps us by his Spirit.
Will the kingdom of heaven be inhabited by pirates, with eye patches and hooks for hands? Jesus has strong words for us on adultery, lust, the fight against sin, and divorce. Join us as we consider the seriousness of sinful desires, our duty to fight sin, and the role of God’s mercy.
2 Samuel 18. Forces of father and son meet on the battlefield. Yet the father stays behind in ways that recall earlier scenes. Does this bode well or bode ill? A devouring forest, a sacred? terebinth, a son of David suspended between heaven and earth, a pierced side, a cursed burial. So many echoes of a different son of David, yet sideways, upside down, or twisted. What do we make of a man torn between his duty of office and his fatherly love, of a sonless usurper hung on a tree, of a violent yet loyal general with a keen sense of Realpolitik? Can we find our way through the text and see Jesus in this passage?
What hope does Jesus offer angry people? And what hope do we have when the problem is in our hearts? Join us as Jesus demolishes our self-righteousness, reveals the depth of the law’s requirement and the extent of our sin, shows the urgency that anger presents, and then in himself satisfies God’s wrath against our sin.
Absalom’s coup continues. David makes his way to the Jordan following encounters with two people connected to Saul’s house. Once he arrives, our attention moves back to Absalom as he enters Jerusalem. Counselors come into play as Absalom takes Hushai into his service and seeks advice from Ahithophel. What will become of the insurrection? How will David’s preparations serve him? Does the punishment predicted in chapter 12 erase the promise granted in chapter 7? Join us as we consider 2 Samuel 16 and 17!
As Jesus turns to the body of the Sermon on the Mount he heads off objections to his teaching and says something that leaves disciples in shock to this day: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. What are we to make of this difficult saying and the paragraph that accompanies it? How does Jesus’ teaching relate to the Old Testament? How does the gospel relate to obedience? How do we follow Christ? Join us as we ponder these challenging words.
Join us as we continue in 2 Samuel 15, where betrayal, power struggles, and the pursuit of a kingdom collide in a dramatic tale of loyalty and deceit. As David flees a fortress city become a trap, a series of encounters reorients his heart and mine, and the quick-thinking, God-reliant David resurfaces (though yet with faults). What will become of God’s king and God’s people?
Jesus calls his disciples the salt of the earth and the light of the world, but what do these images mean for us, and how do we make sense of the enigmatic warnings that come with them? This morning we examined the usefulness of disciples, the temptation of persecution, and the outcome of our discipleship. Join us as we continue to make our way through the Sermon on the Mount!
The fallout of David’s non-reconciliation begins as Absalom massages the people’s egos and steals their hearts. His conspiracy is broad and deep, and David must respond swiftly for his own safety and that of his followers. In the midst of so much human action, the most unlikely interaction—with a Philistine mercenary!—will reawaken David’s faith and put the Lord’s actions back in the forefront of the narrative. Nevertheless in this section David continues to point us to Jesus primarily by way of contrast. Join us as we begin to consider Absalom’s coup and David’s flight! To be continued…
As Jesus begins the most famous sermon ever preached he begins by meeting objections his teaching will raise, asserting blessing for his disciples, and offering us three windows: into the character of his disciples, into the content of the kingdom, and into the persecution of believers. Join us as we consider these Beatitudes and the comfort that precedes command.
A nation rocked, a family torn asunder, a father and son estranged, a royal heir in exile. Thus 2 Samuel 14 begins. And though David’s heart inclines toward his son, his actions do not. Will the machinations of David’s court bring about reconciliation? Or will we see the parable of the Prodigal Son by way of contrast? Join us as we are frustrated by the events of this chapter and reflect on how it drives us to a different son of David.
As Matthew turns to the first major block of Jesus’ teaching we encounter a two-verse preface. Easy to overlook, this preface nevertheless orients us to what follows with important reminders and observations. As we consider it this morning we are reminded that Jesus teaches for the world, Jesus teaches his disciples, and Jesus teaches with authority. Join us as we consider both the encouragement and the challenge that these observations bring!
The last chapter of Genesis draws us to a close of sorts, and yet contains a to-be-continued feel. God’s faithfulness to bring Abraham’s family to this moment points to future faithfulness yet to come, though some elements of the promise are not yet fulfilled. Join us as we reflect on the book and discuss the reflex of faith that causes both Jacob and Joseph to desire a burial in the promised land, even as their descendants remain in Egypt for the time being.
The rape of Tamar and the murder of Ammon. A dark tale, a difficult text, an intense look at the depth and extent of human depravity as the consequences of David’s sin begin to work themselves out in his household. How does a text like this work in tandem with Romans 8 and Psalm 23 to reveal to us the beauty of God’s sovereignty? How does the blackness of sin highlight the brilliance of mercy? Join us as we read and discuss the next chapter of 2 Samuel and yearn together for the return of Christ.
How does the beginning of Jesus’ ministry provide us with a foretaste of the new creation? Join us as we see Jesus call his first disciples, preach and teach, and heal every disease and affliction among the people in Galilee and reflect on what it means for us in the midst of our suffering as we anticipate the new heavens and the new earth.
As we approach the end of Genesis, with the death of Jacob looming, we encounter two scenes of blessing in chapters 48 and 49. In a careful narration we are reminded of scenes before, and while the deception is removed, surprises remain. Grandsons are placed among sons in inheritance; blessing and prophecy join hands; the promise to Abraham carries forward—but to an entire generation rather than a single son. And leadership is given to…Judah? Join us as we reflect on two chapters near the end of Genesis and on Jacob’s desire to be buried by his sons in the Promised Land, though their sojourn in Egypt will continue.
What David did displeased the LORD. But the next chapter begins with grace, as the LORD takes initiative and sends Nathan the prophet to David. How does a consideration of God’s ways with David help us to frame our own reflections on sin, its consequences, and our response to conviction? Join us as we consider 2 Samuel 12!
After three and a half chapters of preparation Matthew brings us to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, only for us to find Jesus withdrawing back into Galilee. Yet this move is in fulfillment of prophecy, and shines the light of the gospel into a dark and forgotten corner of the world. As Jesus the king begins to preach, the first word of the gospel is “Repent!” And yet this announcement is gracious. Join us as we consider the beginning of Jesus’ preaching.
Today we were blessed to hear from Stuart Mills and his family concerning their workin Peru and the new chapter the Lord is opening up for them moving forward.
David the consummate diplomat, leader, and general: loyal to allies, sensitive to his men, alert to the enemy, successful in war. David the consummate politician: suspicious of loyal servants, corrupt in his dealings, unbridled in his passions. David at his best, David at his worst. What will become of God’s king, and of his people? Join us for 2 Samuel 10–11, and an ominous “to be continued…”
The voice from heaven at Jesus’s baptism joined together the David Messiah and the Suffering Servant. Now as the Spirit leads Jesus out into the wilderness to be tested the Devil sees it as an opportunity to tempt the Son of God. But more is at stake than a model for us! As Jesus succeeds where Israel failed we begin to see the depth of the stakes: will the Son of God turn aside from the Father’s plan?
How will Israel be provided for in the midst of a famine affecting the whole world? What transpires in Egypt more broadly? And how does this all connect to promises already given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Join us as we begin to wrap up Genesis, looking at how Joseph feeds the family and their flocks, and as Jacob looks back to the land of Canaan and makes his son swear to lay him to rest in the family tomb.
David, a ruler out of Judah, provides security and reigns justly over a united kingdom, subduing Israel’s enemies on every side. Though some of his actions rightly give us pause, the clear message is that David, flaws and all, is a king after God’s own heart, who shepherds his people and gives him the glory. More than this, it is through David here that we see the Lord bringing his land promises to Abraham to fulfillment, tying together two covenants. How then will David’s faithfulness to a covenant with Jonathan compare with the Lord’s faithfulness to his people? Join us as we consider these next two chapters of 2 Samuel.
Who is this Jesus who appears and wants to be baptized by John? Why would he want such a thing? And what does Matthew tell us about his identity? Join us as we consider Jesus as the one who follows John, as King and Christ, and as God himself.
Genesis 46: The Fulfillment of Promises.
Witness the culmination of the Lord's unwavering promises as Jacob is guided to safety in Egypt, reunited with his beloved son, and assured of a future where his legacy and his bones will return tp the land of Canaan. Jacob's journey echoes with the resounding certainty that God's word never falters.
Join us in a riveting discussion as we explore the Bible's most fascinating turn of phrase in 2 Samuel 7. What begins as a noble desire to build a house for the Lord takes an unexpected turn as God flips the script, promising an everlasting dynasty for David. Consider with us the profound significance of this covenant, the anticipation of an eternal reign, and the profound implications for New Testament history. Don't miss this deep dive into 2 Samuel 7, where earthly aspirations meet divine promises, shaping the very fabric of God's redemptive plan.
John the Baptist prepares the way by preaching repentance, proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is near, and facing off with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Anticipation builds: if this is Elijah, who is to follow? Join us as we consider John’s challenge and its connections to Jesus’ later preaching.
Joseph sets a test for his brothers; have they changed, or are they the same men he knew at 17 years old? An awkward chapter break notwithstanding, we finally come to the climax of the Joseph story as he reveals himself to his brothers. Dismay, terror, joy, weeping—all the feels, as they say! And yet he is able to comfort his brothers with the knowledge that what God has used for good what they had intended for evil. How do we explain the depth of Joseph’s faith, or the character transformation in Judah as he offers himself in Benjamin’s place?
In a dramatic twist, Joseph encounters his estranged brothers in Genesis 42–43. As the brothers bow before him, the tables turn, and a profound test of character unfolds. Joseph, now in a position of authority, navigates the line between testing their characters and exacting revenge.
Who is Herod, really, and what is at stake in his struggle to put the Christ child to death? And how do we make sense of Matthew’s use of the Old Testament to explain who Jesus is? Join us as we unmask Herod and peer over Matthew’s shoulder into the depths of salvation history.
As David continues to consolidate his new reign, he attempts to move the ark to his new capitol. But an aborted first attempt that reminds left and right of the Philistines ends in disaster! How will the new king respond to God’s wrath? Does he repent and walk in new obedience, or do we have Saul 2.0?
Led by a star, Gentile sages arrive in Jerusalem seeking a newborn king of the Jews. In a chapter filled with wonder and consternation in which prophecies of the Messiah come to pass, Matthew focuses our attention on responses to Jesus. What will we do with the news of his arrival? Will his birth elicit anxiety, hostility, apathy, or joyful submission?
In Genesis 41, we witness an astonishing turn of events as Joseph is catapulted from the literal pit of prison to a position of immense power and influence. In God’s providence Joseph will play a crucial role in the destiny of Egypt and the well-bering of the world. Join us as we discuss this exciting chapter!
In 2 Samuel 5 David is finally recognized as king by the northern tribes. Though deep divisions remain and shadows of future sin fall across the page, the dominant note is a recognition of God’s faithful presence with David and with the nation as the Lord blesses David for his people’s good. A new capital is established and the Philistines are finally defeated by a king of Israel—not once, but twice—as David contrasts with Saul in his reliance on the Lord. As David continues to establish his reign what will become of his kingdom? Will he rule as the Lord directs, or will he become a run-of-the-mill Ancient Near Eastern monarch?
Join us as we delve into the captivating chapters of Genesis 39–40, exploring another low point in Joseph's journey from the pit to an eventual position of great power. Despite the false allegation that led him to imprisonment, Joseph's story reminds us that we cannot extrapolate one’s faithfulness to the Lord from their circumstances. Even in the dungeons, the Lord is with us, orchestrating a divine plan that transcends our understanding. Joseph, though confined, became an instrument of blessings to those around him, illustrating that God's purpose unfolds even in dark places.
Having brought of his treasure something old, Matthew now draws out something new as he presents to us the unexpected manner of the Messiah’s birth, shrouded in scandal and mystery, rooted in promise, bringing salvation, and for as much as for the people of Judah. How will we respond to the news that Matthew brings?
This morning we unveiled the uncomfortable as we discussed Judah and his interactions with Tamar in Genesis 38. This often-overlooked chapter may not make it into children's Bibles, but it's a crucial part of God's inspired word. Join us as we delve into the complexities, discomfort, and divine sovereignty embedded in this narrative. What truths does God have for us in this seemingly uncomfortable aside? How is it both profitable and worthwhile for our understanding of God's plan?
Each gospel begins in a unique way; Matthew begins with a genealogy demonstrating that Jesus is the Christ, the son of David, the son and of Abraham. But what is the significance of this ancestral line, and how does it connect Jesus to the Old Testament? Join us as we follow Matthew’s explanation to answer the question: what child is this?
Tonight we close a chapter on David’s long rise as the last of his rivals for the throne of Israel are removed. In the thick of schemes and statecraft, polygamy and politics, conspiracy and murder, the grand sweep reveals God’s careful and decisive providence in moments when his absence seems most keenly felt. But cracks in the new administration and its policy begin to show even as David’s grip on the nation consolidates. As we look forward to David’s accession in the chapters to follow, we cannot help but ask: will he prove a better king than Saul? God help us!
This morning as we enter into December we reflect on Genesis 3, the entrance of sin into the world, and the announcement of the gospel that accompanied God’s coming in judgement. Lord, come quickly!
Julian Zugg from MINTS shared an exciting update on how the Lord is using MINTS to equip and train ministers around the world.
Saul has died, but David’s path to the throne is far from clear. How will David navigate the delicate politics and what will guide his decisions? How will Abner, commander of Saul’s army, respond? How will the Lord orchestrate the protection of his people and the fulfillment of his promises to David in the midst of it all? Join us for 2 Samuel 2!
The world around us is broken in ways we deeply feel, and so we long for things to be made right. And yet we often set our longing on things that fall short of what we and the world need. Join us as we see how Isaiah confronts our need and our short-sighted hope with God’s provision in Jesus Christ.
The generational sin of favoritism bears its wicked fruit as Joseph is betrayed, nearly murdered and then sold by his brothers. Jacob has lost a son. Reuben is distraught...but not over his guilt. Judah, the distant forefather of Christ, is boldly complicit in the affair. In the midst of all this wickedness, is there any hope for the chosen line of Abraham? Is the Lord absent?
In our Sunday School session today, we delved into Genesis 36 and 37. The scripture unfolds the lineage of Esau (otherwise known as Edom). He and his descendants dwell over and against their brothers, never to return to the promised land or to the Lord. Transitioning from this narrative, our focus shifted to Joseph—a bratty young man with dreams of grandeur.
One reason we need the church is to take joy in the ways God delivers his people, because thanksgiving is a public matter. The Lord saves all kinds of people in all manner of ways, and he likewise commands us to consider the steadfast love he shows to others.
Rhonda Craig from Joni & Friends visited us this morning to update us on the ministry of Joni & Friends. We invite you to listen in, learn about the ministry, and hear Joni's personal connection to the ministry in her own words.
David and his men have retrieved their wives and children back from Amalekite bandits when yet another Amalekite stumbles into their camp. He brings along surprising news, betting everything that what he has to say will please Israel’s next king. It’s a deadly wager that costs him his life and displays for all to see that David’s respect for Saul’s position as the Lord’s anointed was real and that his affection for Jonathan ran deep.
Nehemiah seems to end on a downer as we see once more the rebuilding community failing to keep themselves unstained from the world. In a chapter prefaced by the subtle seduction of the world and placing on full display the fundamental reality of compromise, do we yet find a word of hope? Are we able with Nehemiah to look beyond the sin and disappointment of the present to final victory and blessed reward? Join us as we wrap up Nehemiah pondering both failures and a future.
Jacob, now back in the land with his family, is called by God to move to Bethel. But where did the idols come from, and why are people and places renamed for a second time? As we seek to answer these questions we see the promise to Abraham clearly restated in all of its elements to his grandson. Are we closer to seeing the promises fulfilled? And what do the stories of God’s continued faithfulness to Abraham’s children have to say to Israelites on their way out of Egypt, or to us?
Driven by fear, Saul dies in as ignoble a fashion as he often reigned. And, in the aftermath of Saul's tragic demise, the kingdom of Israel is left at a low point mirroring the turbulent times of the judges.
As we move forward in our study, we must ask:
How will David, the anointed one, respond to the news?
How will the tribe of Judah react to the changing political landscape and David's claim to the throne?
And, perhaps most crucially, how will the rest of Israel respond to David and Judah?
The fates of the nation and the monarchy hang in the balance as power shifts, alliances form, and a new era of leadership is about to unfold.
This morning Pete and Ruth Mitchell, MTW missionaries to France, visited us during Sunday School. The session began with a brief French culture and spirituality quiz and continued with discussion of their time there ministering to a unique people, rich in history and tradition.
As we approach the end of Ezra-Nehemiah yet another list of names heads a chapter filled with rejoicing. How might we foster the kind of joy in God’s faithfulness this chapter displays? Join us as we consider their joy in a record of God’s faithfulness, joy in a celebration of God’s faithfulness, and joy in preparation for God’s continued and future faithfulness!
As we approach the end of 1 Samuel the cliffhangers mount, and each resolution leads to new questions. Leaving Saul in the dark we turn to 1 Samuel 29 and consider David’s predicament, in the pay of a Philistine commander as their armies muster to attack Israel. Will he end up on the wrong side of the battlefield? And if so, what will he do when the arrows begin to fly?God intervenes to settle David’s difficulty, only for him to stumble into a whole new set of challenges in chapter 30. But through a maze of layered contrasts David is shown to be the king Israel needs, though not the one who rules them right now.Meanwhile, back in the north, what will become of Saul and the armies of Israel? Stay tuned!
What do we gain from another long list of difficult names? How does it answer the problems faced by the community of returned exiles trying to rebuild under Ezra and Nehemiah? Join us as we see the way the promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1–9) shapes this record of names and places, pointing to both the past and the future to remind them of God’s faithful keeping of his promises. And consider how we do the same week by week in the Apostles’ Creed!
Today we consider Genesis 33–34. In the first chapter we witness an emotional reunion marked by tension, reconciliation, and power plays. Jacob's actions make it clear that he has no intention of living his life alongside Esau, and the undercurrent of mistrust may be mutual. Moving forward, the next chapter focuses on the defilement of Jacob's daughter. So much sin and so little reconciliation! Passive Jacob has passed on his knack for deceit and yet even the narrator agrees that action must be taken!
In 1 Samuel 27–28, we witness the complex interplay of perceived loyalty, desperation, and the supernatural as David finds refuge among the Philistines and King Saul seeks guidance from a forbidden quarter. He consults a medium and promises the one thing he cannot guarantee: that the God who won’t listen to him won’t punish her! In this chapter, the fate of two central figures in Israel's history takes a surprising turn as circumstances seem to be propelling them to a point where one must finally take the other’s life.
What does repentance look like in the life of a community? What will happen among the returned exiles after they have heard and understood God’s word (ch. 8) and prayed a penitential prayer (ch. 9)? Here in chapter 10 the community gathers once more to renew their covenant commitment. We see in the chapter that 1) a renewed community is the aggregate of individuals waking in repentance; 2) true repentance manifests in a sincere resolve to new obedience; and 3) new obedience, as a fruit of repentance, targets specific areas of struggle.
In 1 Samuel 26, the passage tells the story of how David chose to spare rather than spear King Saul. In a critical moment, David refrains from harming his enemy, demonstrating his unwavering loyalty not to Saul but to the Lord who anointed them both. This passage underscores David’s reliance on God, and the heartache he faces at the prospect of leaving the Lord’s presence because there is clearly no safe place for him within Israel’s’ boundaries.
How does the history of God’s mercy free us to confess our sin and give us hope for the future? Join us as we walk through the next chapter of Nehemiah and see a people poised to hear God’s word, worship for a wondrous creator and redeemer, sweeping cycles of sin and salvation, and a penitential prayer that is finally resolved in salvation in Christ.
Join in as we discuss Genesis 32, where we find Jacob at a crossroads. He is returning to Canaan after twenty years away, but he knows that his brother Esau is still angry with him for stealing their father's blessing. Jacob is afraid but not paralyzed; prayerful and yet proactive!
It is also a story about Jacob's wrestling match with God. In the end, Jacob is given a new name, Israel, meaning "he who struggles with God." He and we are powerfully reminded that God is always with us, even in the midst of the struggle.
Join us in exploring 1 Samuel 25, where David encounters Abigail, likened to a Proverbs 31 woman, and her husband Nabal, a fool.
Abigail, described as beautiful and discerning, demonstrates wisdom by preventing David from taking matters into his own hands.
In contrast, Nabal embodies the fool, marked by his harsh, rude, and selfish behavior. Despite David's protection of Nabal's flocks, Nabal refuses assistance, provoking David's initial intent for revenge.
Abigail's intervention, providing food and asking David to remember her when Nabal faces his rightful end, can certainly be seen as the Lord's intervention through her.
What might our community look like if we have ourselves over to reading God’s word? In Nehemiah 8 we see a community do just this. The Lord’s people eagerly pursue his word. The Lord’s people take comfort in his word. The Lord’s people seek to obey his word. And the Lord’s people rejoice in his word. May these things be true of us!
As we delve into Genesis 31, we are prompted to reflect on Genesis 12 and the elements of the covenant the Lord made with Abraham, which encompassed people, place, and divine presence. We ponder the importance of the fresh covenant forming between Jacob and Laban, harkening back the events of Genesis 15. We question the irony of Laban's attempt to rescue his household gods, exposing their helplessness to even manifest themselves in the process of his search.
In 1 Samuel 24, we encounter a unique situation where there are two anointed figures, David and Saul, face off once again. David, is confronted with a moral dilemma and the angst of his men when he finds Saul vulnerable in a cave but chooses not to harm him. Instead, he cuts off the corner of Saul's robe, bringing to mind the words of Samuel in 1 Sam 15:27–28. Truly the kingdom is being ripped away from Saul but David does not chose to play the hand that brings it down. Instead, David relies on God's providence, spares Saul's life, and leaves the outcome in God's hands. David exemplifies his faith in divine justice and the belief that God will ultimately establish His chosen ruler.
The wall is built, the doors are set, the surrounding peoples have fallen in their own esteem as they detect the Lord’s hand at work. And yet danger remains. Join us as we consider the next chapter and see the necessity of guarding the church, of building up the church, and of leaning on the Lord as he manifests this protection and growth in his church across generations.
Today we focus on the culmination of Jacob's time with his uncle Laban, as seen in Genesis 30. The text highlights God's protection and provision for Jacob, even in the face of Laban's deceitful actions.
Jacob, who initially came to Laban's household as a single man seeking refuge from his brother Esau, has grown into a sizable household of his own. His wives, Leah and Rachel, continue to bear him children, and their maidservants also give birth to children on their behalf. Laban, however, manipulates Jacob's wages, changing them multiple times. Despite Laban's attempts to deceive and exploit him, God preserves Jacob's well-being and prosperity. Through the Lord's blessing, Jacob's flocks and resources increase, underscoring the theme of God's faithfulness to His chosen people and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.
David's flight persists as he returns to his home territory, Judah, where he should expect to find safety. However, upon his arrival, he is immediately confronted with news of a Philistine assault on the town of Keilah. Now, he faces crucial decisions. Should he intervene and rescue the town? Or should he leave the matter for Saul to handle? And, perhaps more importantly, will his men join him in this perilous venture? How will the town will respond when Saul comes looking?
As the chapter unfolds, it leads us to another town, a second pursuit, and an unexpected encounter with the Philistines—this time in David's favor. Amidst these challenges, Saul relies solely on human intelligence, while David relies on the watchful protection of the LORD.
What does it look like to take up the whole armor of God in the face of determined opposition? This morning we consider (1) the death throes of a defeated enemy, (2) the strategies of a prepared warrior, and (3) wearing the armor of God today.
This morning we continue in the patriarchal narratives and move into Genesis 29, asking what will become of the promises to Abraham as Jacob departs from the promised land in search of a wife. What is the nature of his interaction with the shepherds? How is Rachel portrayed? Why does Laban trick Jacob into marrying Leah first, and how on earth did he not know? How do we see God at work despite and even by means of so many competing human schemes? And we didn’t even get around to talking about meeting an eligible young maiden at a well…
David is on the lam, and Israel continues to suffer under Saul’s reign as he comes to pieces and drags the nation down with him. Join us as we work through three short episodes that set up a longer narrative concerning the priesthood. As David’s self-preservation brings the curse on Eli’s household to fruition, what will become of God’s people caught in the middle? And how will the Lord use this season to mold
David into the king Israel needs instead of the ruler they deserve?
We’ve heard much of external threats to the community in Ezra-Nehemiah, but here Nehemiah turns to confront internal struggles, as brothers and sisters suffer oppression—even from oppressors in their community! Yet see how, through Nehemiah, the Lord meets the needs of those who need provision and of those who need forgiveness and accountability. And let us see how Nehemiah points us to Jesus, who meets our deepest needs.
In Genesis 28, Jacob is sent away and while on his journey, he dreams of a ladder connecting Earth and Heaven, with angels ascending and descending, and God affirms His covenant with him. Jacob awakens in awe, realizing God's presence in that place, and names it Bethel, the "house of God." He makes a vow to serve God and tithe, demonstrating his deep faith in the Lord. This chapter marks a pivotal moment when Jacob's faith is solidified, setting the stage for his role as a patriarch of Israel.
Once again Saul plots against David, but this time leaving Jonathan in the dark. As David brings it to light, Jonathan must now choose between honoring his father and obeying the Lord, and David must find a way of escape. What will become of them? Of Saul? Of Israel? Yet God is faithful, even when his king is not, and his people tremble.
How are prudence and preparation reflexes of faith? Consider with us how Nehemiah 4 demonstrates that the enemies of God’s people do not rest, that Christ equips his people to engage the enemy, and that God shows his strength in our weakness.
God’s election of Jacob over Esau works itself out as parental preference rots the relationship between siblings and each parent schemes to steal away the blessing on behalf of their favorite son. Join us as we continue in the patriarchal narratives and consider how the ugly side of the family of faith speaks a word of grace into our own lives.
Three more times Saul seeks to get rid of David; a third time, David evades his spear. Three posses can’t round him up but prophesy, instead—as does Saul, naked and shamed, divested of his robes of office by his own hand under the influence of God’s spirit. What will become of Saul’s reign as his own family publicly sides not only with David but against their father? What will become of David as he flees under cover of darkness? And what is up with the household idol, and what kind of field was he hiding in, anyway?
What have we to learn from a long list of building assignments and participants? See how, with the background of devastation and opposition, the wall-building in this chapter bears witness to the unity of God’s diverse people, and the variety of their giftings at work. See, too, how the work on the wall exposes two kinds of leaders. And pray for the Lord to make us faithful in his work and to raise up leaders for his people!
Today we considered the office of elder, both its qualifications and duties, as outlined by our Book of Church Order and in light of the descriptions and charges given by Paul and Peter (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5). We ask you to join us in prayer as we consider whom to nominate to this office at Faith PCA, and as those nominated enter into a season of training and examination for office.
God has delivered Israel from Goliath and the Philistines by the hand of David—but it begins to dawn on Saul what that may mean. As all Israel and his own household fall in love with his new general, Saul fights against the Lord’s favor with secret plots. What will become of this jealous leader? How does God protect his people in the face of those who view gifted colleagues as a threat? Lord deliver us from this body of death!
What kind of opposition do Nehemiah and the people of God face as they rebuild? What is its ultimate character and source? They counter it with determination, but what is their determination grounded in? In what or whom do they trust? Join us as we consider what challenge this passage presents to us.
In the next chapter of Genesis we find Isaac following his father’s footsteps, in both faith and failings. In the midst of the ups and downs, the schemings and scathings, we are yet reminded of the ordinary and often invisible workings of God’s ever-present care for his people. What will become of this son of the promise and the sons his wife has brought into the world?
What do sea monsters have to do with facing our giants, and what does a little brother have to do with either? Why do we tell stories out of order, and why should we pay attention to armor? Is Jesus to be found in a corner of the Old Testament so far removed from Matthew, or even Isaiah? Join us as we finally get into our discussion of 1 Samuel 17!
How are we to respond in the face of discouraging news concerning Christ’s church? Join us as we meet Nehemiah and consider his response of prayer joined with action, trusting in the God of the covenant to honor his word and show favor to his people, noting that underneath it all is confidence in God’s character as a covenant-keeping God.
Today we embarked on the next section of Genesis, the "generations of Isaac." So little ink is devoted to this patriarch and yet there is much to be gleaned from this chapter. Abraham's life ends and the promise continues.
A king with a tormenting spirit, a court scrambling for an answer, a warrior who happens to be a smash lyre player, and a second introduction to Saul’s replacement. Join us as we consider the second half of 1 Samuel 16, along with some review and a consideration of the question: “Is the Lord opposed to monarchy?” Will we ever make it to David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17? To be continued…
A grievous and extensive sin comes to light among God’s people gathered in a fragile community with a precarious existence. Will God in his wrath finally snuff them out? How do we consider their sin in light of our own setting in redemptive history? What can we learn from them of the nature of true repentance?
The Lord has assured Abraham that “through Isaac shall your offspring be named,” yet Isaac is pushing forty and still a bachelor. What of the great nation to come? What of people like the sand of the shores and the stars of the heavens? In Genesis 24 Abraham sends his servant to secure a wife for Isaac. Will God prosper his endeavor? Will she be willing to come? What will happen to the promise? Thanks be to God, who assuages our own doubts and fears by showing us his consistent faithfulness to our fathers and mothers in the faith.
Tonight our focus shifts momentarily from the rejected king to the selection of his replacement.
Why is it that we are often only struck by spectacular instances of God's care? Join us as we consider Ezra 8 and the ways it directs us to consider God's watchful care over his people and over our own lives, in both spectacular and mundane ways. And let us give thanks to God!
Today we backtracked a bit and considered the themes of People, Place, Presence and Program in the life of Abraham, the lives of his descendants, and throughout scripture as a whole.
How does God address the needs of his people as they await the consummation? Join us as we pause to consider the depth of discouragement faced by the community returned from exile, and the Lord’s abundant provision to bring his word to his people through the preparation of God’s ministers, the operations of God’s providence, and the teaching of God’s word.
Abraham loses Sarah and yet gains a burial plot in the promised land.Join us as we consider what “one of the least interesting corners of scripture” has to teach us about resurrection hope.
Saul's dynasty has been rejected, yet he continues as king. What will be the character of his remaining reign? Join us as we follow him on a special commission to execute God's judgment against the Amalekites. Will he be faithful to God's instructions, or does he once again go his own way? When confronted, will he model repentance, or throw the people under the bus? Who will deliver us from this body of death?!
The Lord sends prophets to stir up the temple rebuilding, but news of the project comes to the attention of Persian officials. Yet the eye of their God is upon them! Join us as we consider this next stage in the history of the returned community and the way God’s watchful care leads them through potential opposition to a joyous rededication and the culmination of a new exodus complete with the Passover!
Here we confront head on one of the most difficult passages in scripture. How do reconcile a loving God with one that required the sacrifice of Isaac?
What do we need to know about those who oppose the people and kingdom of God? Join us as we consider the reality, identity, tactics, and effects of the opposition to God’s kingdom from Ezra 4.
We continue our journey through Genesis, examining the consequences of Abraham's failures and the consistency of God's faithfulness even in regards to Ishmael.
We continue to consider Saul as Isreal's first king and the dynasty that could have been continued in his son, Jonathan. In this chapter, we see a weak leader contrasted with a man of action. We see a rejected king leading a people actively preserved by the hand of their gracious Lord.
What does a psalm of Zion have to say to the church? Join us as we consider the text and see that the Lord has founded Zion, he delights in his people, he makes Gentiles to be citizens, and communicates grace to us through Christ’s church.
In Genesis 20 Abraham moves into Gerar and, fearing for his own safety, presents Sarah as his sister—again! Is it a repeat of the same story? Was there a writer’s strike in Old Testament times? Or do we see in Abraham an all-too-familiar picture of habitual sin and faltering faith that plagues God’s people even now? Join us as walk through the text and consider God’s faithfulness to our sinful father in the faith.
What are the priorities of the community returned from exile, and what do they have to teach us about how to weather various trials?
There is so much to say about this chapter in 1 Samuel! Saul's dynasty is rejected and that's a big blow not just to him personally but to the people who demanded a king in the first place. Why does it happen? What happens next?
What does a list of unfamiliar names in the midst of an unfamiliar book have to teach us about God’s faithfulness? In Ezra 2 we consider how these names testify to the way God works through families, the way God cares and provided for a whole community, and how God works with or without a king.
Continuing last week’s discussion we dive into Genesis 19, the story of Lot’s deliverance from God’s righteous judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. What led Lot to this point, and what does that spell for the future? Do he and his descendants finally escape judgment, or succumb to a similar fate?
Tonight we discussed 1 Samuel 11 and began discussing chapter 12. Is Saul finally the king the people desire? Or the king they deserve? He's certainly, as Samuel reminds them, the one they asked for!
As we finish the first chapter of Ezra we consider what the return from exile teaches about God’s pattern for redeeming his people.
The Lord visits Abraham and Sarah is told she will have a son in about a year's time. Meanwhile, Lot's city is under judgement and Abraham intercedes on its behalf. For the sake of a mere 10 righteous, the Lord will spare the city. And yet, ten cannot be found! Listen in as we begin to discuss what happens and why.
Today we dealt with ambiguity in the text, considered the character of Saul, and dialogued concerning the geography associated with Samuel's instructions. There are so many red flags to consider as we examine Israel's first king!
Join us as we begin a journey through the book of Ezra-Nehemiah by reflecting on how God keeps his word and orchestrates world history for his glory and for the good of his people.
This morning Pastor Tony led us through Genesis 17. There is so much to consider in terms of Covenant signs, administration, fulfillment, etc.
Continuing our study in 1 Samuel, we reviewed chapters 8 and 9 before pausing to consider the pressing issue of textual variants. Sometimes our Bible translations don’t phrase things the same way. How do we approach these differences? After the lengthy explanation offered here, the bottom line is that scripture is reliable and to be trusted. Instead of discouraging us, differences should prompt us all the more to approach scripture with deep and genuine study.
Sometimes the Bible surprises us by holding up a mirror and showing us ourselves. This morning we considered the next chapter in Abram’s struggle of faith and dove deep into parenting, doubts, and our attempts to “help God’s plans along.”
The sons of Korah show us what it is like to live a life shaped by a longing for God’s house and a desire for his presence.
Israel rejects the leadership of Samuel and the reign of the LORD and demands a king. So what do they get? A promising young man of Benjamin whose name sounds like "You asked for it!" Red flags are popping up like crawdad towers on a rainy afternoon, but how will it turn out?
We continued on in Genesis this morning, considering what it meant for the Lord to enact a covenant with Abram and then walk through the pieces Himself. What does this mean? Why should this remarkable event bring the cross to mind?
We also drifted far afield of Genesis, with Tony answering audience questions regarding Judas, the meaning of repentance, and America's position before a Holy and Just God! Sometimes discussion takes unlikely turns!
A close consideration of Psalm 8 leads us to reflect on the wonder of creation, the wonder of humanity, and the wonder of Christ.
After some remarks on helpful resources and a bit of review (including corrections!) we dive into chapter 7. After 20 years idolatry has taken root and Israel needs…a king? Not yet! First Samuel serves as judge, in a manner reminiscent of Moses. As the people confess and repent, recommitting themselves to the Lord, he works a great deliverance from the Philistines. But where will Israel go from here? And where is the king that Hannah's prayer led us to expect?
After a brief recap of Genesis 13 we work through the war of four kings against five, asking why Moses' audience would care about wider ANE politics. After discussing Lot's rescue and asking what's up with Melchizedek we take an initial foray into Genesis 15, looking at the sign of the stars and the sign of the covenant.
The stage has been set and we are in search of a prophet, of a priest and of a king. What will this week bring as the Ark of the Covenant wages its own war against the Philistines?
Philippians 4:10–20
Paul knew how to be content while in need and while experiencing abundance. These are not the words of a self-sufficient self-made man. How do they apply to his original audience? How do they apply to our self-sufficient mindset today?.
Pastor Tony led us through these exciting chapters of Genesis. The episode of Abram's journey into Egypt gave us plenty to contemplate and sets the stage for us to consider other passages of scripture.
Pastor Tony led us through the end of chapter 2 through the end of chapter 4. He pointed out puns, commented on covenants, and led us to look deeper! We ended on a sad note as the Glory of the Lord departs from Israel. What's more, the Israelites are clearly defeated. But have the Philistines actually won? Pastor Tony left us to consider this question. In the meantime,...Sunday is coming!
A man in prison, awaiting a possible sentence of death, writes to a people facing persecution from outside and tension from within. In the face of all of these circumstances Paul instructs the Philippians to rejoice always? Why? How can this be? What does this sort of life look like?
Our Sunday School Series continues in Genesis. Mankind has gathered together to build a tower. Surely it is magnificent and grand and yet the Lord "comes down" to view the pinnacle of human success!
The story zooms out, considering several families and then zooming in again on the family of Abraham. Listen in as we discuss what the Lord has in mind for this particular family.
Please note, a minute or two was lost early on in the discussion. Sorry about that.
Continuing our study of 1 Samuel, Pastor Tony encourages us to ask the questions begged by the text. Where is the faithful prophet? Where is the faithful priest? Where is the faithful king? Ultimately, 1 Samuel points us to Christ!
Once again Paul urges the Philippians to imitate his example, warning them of the danger posed by enemies of the cross. But we are heavenly citizens, and look forward to a resurrection like Christ's. It is this resurrection hope that enables us to stand firm.
The Flood hasn't fixed humanity's problem. It has served to proclaim God's judgement on sin but it doesn't remove or resolve the problem. What's next? Single combat?
In this week's study Pastor Tony describes his operating assumptions as he reads and interprets the Bible, introduces the book of Samuel, and then gets into 1 Samuel 1–2. And what a great discussion we had! Join us next week as we pick back up with Hannah's prayer and continue.
Why does Paul urgently want us to know that we have not yet "arrived"? What is it that he has not yet obtained, and how is that a comfort?
Join us as we continue studying in Genesis. Today we looked at the flood, the Lord's judgement and the rainbow.
Tony mentioned this quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in his book, The Gulag Archipelago.
"If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
Pastor Tony continues his debut series over Philippians with this sermon titled, "Trash and Treasure."
Join us as Pastor Tony continues his debut Philippians series. May we shine as lights pointing to Christ in the midst a dark world.
Pastor Tony continues his sermon series in Philippians, encouraging us in our pursuit of Christ.
Pastor Tony continues his series. We missed a week or two in between due to recording issues.
Paul calls us to imitate him as he imitates Christ who did all things for the glory of God.
The Corinthians think they have a problem with eating meat sacrificed to idols. But their problem is much deeper. It springs from an arrogant and prideful heart.
Paul addresses various problems related to marriage and divorce in the church at Corinth.
Paul tell the church at Corinth to flee sexual immorality because of their relationship to the Trinity.
Would you rather be defrauded by fellow Christian’s or bring them to civil courts to get justice? That is the question that Paul poses—and if you truly understand who you are in Christ then you would easily know the answer to that question.
Sin not dealt with in the church grows until it affects everyone in the church. We aren’t concerned with judging those outside of the church.
Paul tells us how we should regard his ministry, gospel ministers and by extension—our own lives. We are challenged to live in light of how Jesus Regards us.
Matthew Declares Jesus to be the Promised Messiah, The Christ. He is the Summer Sun that we need.
We live in a winter of discontentedness. Judges 13 is a prime example of life under the reign of sin. But God breaks in.
Christmas does not begin with a baby in the manger or the announcement of the angels. Christmas begins in Genesis.
Paul tell the Corinthians that they are God’s Field: the place of growth. We should expect growth in the Church, but growth will only come if its connected to the source of growth.
Paul teaches us that the things of God are only for the Mature. And the Mature person is only made mature by the Spirit of God who gives the mind of Christ. And the Good news is that he has given all his people the mind of Christ.
God has a normal mode of operation in the world. But his way of working is anything but normal.
Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians by bringing them back to the root of their hope and identity.
Paul addresses the greatest threat to the church at Corinth: Divisions among the people.
The Seventh Sign Continued: Martha confronts and demands of Jesus. Jesus corrects her posture and her faulty theology.
Isaiah is concluding his great work by pointing God’s people to God’s plan for God’s provision through the Church.
Isaiah begin to conclude his book by reminding us about True Worship and false worship and the one whom we worship.
God reveals himself to be gracious. But there are two types of Grace. Which kind are you under?
Isaiah looks forward to the Messiah’s day of vengeance before he looks back to God’s Grace for his people.
Because of the messiah proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor God’s people rejoice, and the Lord rejoiced in his people.
Before God sends his people to school he wants them to remember who they are, who He is and His work for them.
Isaiah calls us to witness the trial where Yahweh prosecuted the case against the nations.
Isaiah concludes this fourth cycle with an as good as it gets earthly king. If he is as good as it gets then we are in trouble.
The Rabshekah of the King of Assyria reveals the enemy’s ploy to destroy God’s plan and people. Yahweh tells us his plan to overcome the enemy’s ploy.
Isaiah gives God’s people a terrible picture of eternal judgment and a beautiful picture of eternal delight.
God diagnoses and performs invasive surgery in order to cure our deep spiritual disease.
Isaiah says that human pride tries to control God and bend Him to our will. Man made religion is man’s attempt to tame God. But God will not be tamed...so is there any hope for man?
Isaiah presents two ways to live: the way of pride and the way of humility. Only one way leads to rest and security.
Jesus performs his first sign in an unexpected place. In doing so he encourages faith in his discipled.
Isaiah 27:1-13; humans long for home. Isaiah gives us a picture of the final home God prepares for us.
Isaiah 24:1-23; what would it be like to see the world as it really is? Isaiah invites us to do that very thing in these chapters.
Isaiah 21:1–23:18; Isaiah takes a deep look at the destruction of 5 cities and show the ultimate end of the City of Man.
Isaiah 13:1-20:6--Isaiah unfolds for us the events of human history in his own day from God's perspective so that we can understand what God is doing and why.
Isaiah 12:1-6; How do we respond to Immanuel's Salvation? Isaiah tells us in this chapter.
Isaiah 10:20-11:16; Psalm 2 helps us understand what is happening in Isaiah's day and what is happening in our day. Why do the Nations Rage and what does Yahweh think about them?
Isaiah 8:1-9:7; Judah will experience the flood of the Assyrians because they refuse the gentle waters of Yahweh. but we learn that Faith saves an unexpected people from an unexpected location by an unexpected person.
Isaiah 7:1-25; Isaiah is sent to Ahaz to encourage him in the midsts of a crisis. But Ahaz responds to the Lord with a shocking rejection. This passage helps us better understand the why faith matters.
Isaiah 6:8-13; Isaiah is commissioned to take a challenging message to a hard hearted people. But he ends on a note of confidence that should give us hope.
Isaiah 5:1-30; Yahweh compares Israel to a Vineyard, but its not lovely. What went wrong?
Isaiah 1:2-4:6; Isaiah serves Judah with the notice of Yahweh's covenant charges against them. We see the Charges Proclaimed, The Chastisement Pledged and the Covenant Protection Promised.
Isaiah 1:1--This morning we begin a new series on the book of Isaiah and in this one verse we learn quite a bit about Isaiah and his message.
2 Samuel 16:1-4 & 19:24-30; Continuing our study of Mephibosheth today we see that he is once again at odds with the king. How will he respond and how should we respond to the King?
Luke 24:31-49; Jesus proves his bodily resurrection to the disciples and declares the God's peace over them. He reassures them with his presence and the promise of the Father.
Luke 19:41-44; Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the Messiah. But instead of joining in the celebration he weeps over the spiritual condition of the city.
2 Samuel 9:1-13; What is going to happen to poor, disabled Mephibosheth? Will he be remembered or forgotten?
2 Samuel 24:1-25; During this strange time its good to look to the unchanging Word of God for Comfort, Conviction and a reminder about his great love for us.
2 Samuel 4:1-12; Mephibosheth is not one of the famous heroes of the Bible. But he stands out in the midsts of Israel's History as man of tragedy and redemption. His presence in the story of King David helps us better grasp the kindness of Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:1-15; The apostle Paul lays out how discipleship should take place in the church. And, it's pretty simple, really.
2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Learning how to suffer for the sake of Christ is the essence of being a disciple of Christ. It's hard, but necessary.
2 Corinthians 8:1-15; 9:6-15; Disciples of Christ are commanded to give. but our hearts take money and cling to it. So in the scriptures we are taught how to give as disciples of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16; telling people about Jesus is more than making a good sales pitch or garnishing your speech with Jesus. No, its telling people about the Simplicity of the Son, The Mystery of the Father with the help of the Searching Spirit.
Romans 12:1-8; After 11 chapters of "indicatives" the Apostle Paul begins to give commands. the Imperatives follow the indicatives and in the grammatical order we find out how to grow in Jesus.
Luke 9:21-27; 43-45; 57-62 Christian Disciples are called to suffer in the same way that Christ suffered. By picking up our cross and denying what we want.
Mark 9:14-29; Faith is not something that we can create in ourselves. No, faith in Jesus can only come from the gift of God. But disciples of Jesus are commanded to more and more put their faith in Jesus. In this sermon we learn some practical ways to do that.
Acts 4:32-5:11; the early church model's for us how we should be giving. They gave because of the grace of God, for the glory of God according to the character of God.
Luke 10:1-20; Jesus sends out disciples to witness about the Kingdom of God. He warns of the danger, gives instructions and encourages them in their success.
Revelation 12:1-17; In Revelation God gives a glimpse of the true violence involved in Christmas. Jesus was born under the threat of death...the dragon wants to steal and kill and destroy. In order for us to better see the joy of Christmas we must first come to grips with the agony of sin in the life.
Genesis 1-50; the Nativity of Jesus didn't start the story of Christmas. That story began thousands of years earlier at the beginning of all things.
John 3:22-36; John the Baptist's disciples are worried-Jesus is growing in popularity and, therefore, John's ministry is shrinking. John responds to his disciples by reminding them of some deeply important truths. In doing so he he teaches us about the heart of Christian discipleship.
Luke 19:1-10; Jesus calls all kinds of people to be his disciples. Even wicked, short men, despised by the world. He wants people like that as his disciples.
John 4:1-42; Jesus goes to the wrong place at the wrong time to the wrong person and makes a disciple.
John 1:35-51; Jesus calls normal guys and gives them a better life. But its better in surprising and unexpected ways.
Matthew 28:16-20; Jesus gives simple instructions to the disciples. But in order to carry out those instructions they need something greater than a simple command. So Jesus gives them what they need to do what they are commanded to do.
Ephesians 1:3-14; why are you a Christian? Because you are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to believe in Jesus as the Holy Spirit Enables you to believe.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-14; Solomon comes to his conclusion--there are two things that we must do in order to have joy in this life. the world is attempting to buy a stairway to heaven, but our Stairway came down to us.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10; What do you do in the face of the shifting ground of life? When all is crumbling, what does God want you to do? Solomon gives biblical wisdom to those questions today.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20; Wisdom springs from a heart that is wise. Wise Words, Wise Deeds and Wise Thoughts flow from a Wise heart. Do you have a wise heart?
Ecclesiastes 9:1-17; Living wisely under the sun means having the right perspective on your circumstances and enjoying the time you have been given.
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17; Well you say you want a Revolution? Maybe what we really need is to submit to Authority?
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 ; where are you looking for love? what are you asking to give you life meaning and purpose? Sometimes wisdom literature tells us how we should live our lives, and sometimes, like this passage wisdom tells us what not to do.
Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:13; Solomon teaches us about what is Good, Better and Best in life. And in doing so he reminds us that as God's children we are not simply stuck in the absurdity of life.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:9; Solomon turns his attention to the man (or woman) that seeks to find his satisfaction in false worship, wealth worship or appetite worship.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-16; What do we make of a passage of the Bible like this one? A text full of depressing themes and worst/best case scenarios. In this passage Solomon wants us to look deeply into the abyss of life "under the sun". We would rather not look, but we need too in order to understand how we can escape this heart of darkness.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22; Solomon moves to contemplate the problem of time. We are all subject to it and live under its oppressive rule...but we don't have too. He gives us the way out from under time's steady march and how to enjoy the time that we have.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-26; King Solomon sets out to find satisfaction in the things the world has to offer. What does he find? Nothing in this world can satisfy.
Ecclesiastes 1:1-18; The big questions of life have been asked by many philosophers over the years. The smartest among us have searched for the meaning of life with paltry results. But nearly 3,000 years ago King Solomon asked the same questions and gave us the correct answers to these questions. He invites us to learn from his God given wisdom.
Galatians 6:11-18; Paul concludes his defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ by telling us the only thing that really matters.
Galatians 6:1-5; Its hard to receive help. But Christians should be the first to receive the discipline and support from others and to test our own work.
Galatians 6:6-10; There is a particular danger for Christians to be Self-Deceived. We can use Paul's commands in this passage as a test for our own hearts. Do we love generosity with our pastor's and fellow man? Or are we cold and stingy? What our hearts are like tells us where we stand with God.
Luke 1:5-25; 66-80; The backdrop of the Gospel is the Darkness of the world of sin and death, the mundane life of everyday activities and the wilderness of life in a spiritual desert. But it's into that world of darkness, mundanity and wilderness that God intervenes and works salvation for his people to bring about Joy and Gladness.
Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:1-10--How can you know God loves you? The Apostle Paul gives us the PROOF in these passages. The evidence is found in God's great grace toward sinners.
Galatians 5:16-26; The Apostle Paul teaches us about the Christians Complication, then he gives a helpful Clarification and ends by reminding us of our Ultimate Confidence.
Galatians 5:2-15; Paul is wrapping up his defense of the Gospel by reiterating the most important thing. Jesus + Law = nothing. Paul uses graphic language to make his passionate point. We need to listen to his message.
Galatians 4:21-5:1; the Judaizers made a big deal of Abraham. But Paul combats their false teaching by pointing out that its not Abraham as father that is the most important, but Sarah, as mother, that really matters. Who is your momma? How you answer that question is the difference between slavery and freedom.
Galatians 4:8-20; if you are believing the true gospel then you can expect good byproducts: freedom, happiness and holiness. If you are practicing legalism you can expect bitter byproducts: slavery, selfishness and a lack of holiness. What does your life display?
John 21:15-25; How does Jesus treat his failed disciples? He reclaims, renews and redirects them for his work and his purpose.
John 21:1-14; On this Lord's Day morning we see how Jesus reveals himself to his disciples after his resurrection on a fishing trip. Here we see again the mighty power of Jesus, the gracious provision of Jesus and, the wonderful presence of Jesus.
John 17:1-26; Just hours before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ prays to his Father. In this prayer we see exactly what Jesus wants for his disciples (and for us who now believe). His prayer is an invitation into fellowship with the Father and the Son and each other.
Galatians 4:1-6; Paul continues his thoughts about us being heirs according to the Promise of Abraham by describing what our life was like under the law and the amazing transformation that Christ has accomplished by his work. We have gone from slaves to sons in this impossible work.
Galatians 3:15-29; the Law, when used the way God intended, is good. But when used to gain entrance to heaven and favor with God, the Law is a junk yard dog let off its leash.
Galatians 3:1-14; There are two ways to get to Heaven. The common path is the way of the law. The uncommon path, and the only path that will get you to where you want to go is the way of Faith. Paul lays out these two ways in this passage and urges the Galatians to not leave the path of faith for the path of the law.
Galatians 2:11-21; In one of the most embarrassing episodes for the early church Peter denies the gospel by his actions and Paul publicly confronts him. Paul teaches us that even by our actions we can deny the truth of the gospel-that justification in by Faith alone in Christ alone.
Galatians 1:11-2:10; Paul begins his defense of his Apostolic authority and the purity of his message in the passage. He does so by reminding the Galatian churches that his message is God's not mans, giving personal proof of Jesus' call on his life and pointing to apostolic approval of the message of God's grace in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:6-10; Paul musters up some godly sarcasm and hyperbolic language to express his shock that the churches of Galatia are leaving Jesus. He teaches that anything less than the Amazing Grace of God is no gospel at all.
Galatians 1:1-5; What is worth getting angry about? Paul shows his anger in his letter to the Galatians...they had attacked something that he loved. Even in his greeting he comes out swinging because the authority of God, the grace of God and the glory of God are at stake.
1 Thessalonians 5:25-28; Paul concludes this letter with a request, a command, an oath and reminder.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Paul's prononces an Apostolic Blessing over these young Christians expressing God's highest goal for them--their sanctification.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22; The Apostle Paul calls christians to live exceedingly superlative live full of prayer, the Spirit and beauty because of the wonderful grace of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:14-15; In a world that is in constant strife how should Christian's react? What should we do with problems that arise IN the church and evil that attacks the church from the world? Paul gives us answers to both the problems in the church and the problems from outside of the church.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; the New Testament writers were very concerned about how the elders (leaders) of Christ's church should be treated. Paul wants to make sure that the young Christians of the Church of Thessalonica are recognizing and revering their Elders. But before he does that he subtly lays out the duties of a good Elder.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Having answered the question of what the second coming of Christ would be like, Paul now sets out to answer the question "when will Christ return?" and "how can we be ready for it?"
Matthew 2:1-18; the birth of Jesus caused all sorts of trouble for all kinds of people. He was a threat to Herod and the people of Jerusalem, but he was a gift to the Magi.
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12; Paul continues to instruct the young Christians in Thessolanica concerning God's will for their lives. He says that God wants them to grow in brotherly love and then goes on to teach them how they are to grow in brotherly love.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Have you ever wondered what God's will for your life is? Sure you have. And in this passage Paul tells us God's will--it is to be holy and sanctified. Today we see God's will as it relates to our Sexual Purity and how we can use our bodies to glorify God as Christians.
1 Thessalonians 3:6-13: Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians expresses Joy in Thanksgiving for the Faith and Love of these young Christians. His prayer helps us see what we have in Christ, what we still lack and need and what we will need in the future.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5; The Apostle Paul wants these new christians to be established in the faith of Jesus Christ. In this passage he gives four reasons why they should be firmly rooted in Jesus. The application of this passage is the same for all christians in every age.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-16; Paul discusses the manner of ministry--he was a Gospel Parent to the believers at Thessalonica. And he commends the child like reception of the Gospel of the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Paul is delightfully encouraged that the Thessalonians are thriving as young Christians-they are expressing faith, love and hope-even under persecution. The Apostle gives us an encouraging look at what it means to be a Christian
1 Samuel 31:1-13; in the final chapter of 1 Samuel King Saul dies with all of his sons. Yahweh had seemingly forgotten about his promise to Israel. But even in the midst of turmoil we get glimpses of Yahweh's mercy and continual care for his people.
1 Samuel 29:1-30:31; Kings are not suppose to be rejected, they are not suppose to be depressed and oppressed. But that is the story of Anointed King David. He is rejected by the world and his own people. He is Dejected because of his failures and circumstances. But the final word on David is not the bad times, but the good. And even better he points us to the greater King: King Jesus.
1 Samuel 28:3-25; Saul is desperate for a word from God, but all of his pleas have been met with silence. He thinks that he is the unwitting victim but is reminded in Supernatural ways that he is the culprit. And the really scary thing about this passage isn't the witch or the ghost, but the God who judges.
1 Samuel 26:1-25; David has learned so much in just two chapters. He's learned even more to wait on the LORD and be patient with his deliverance. He's just the kind of King we need, not the one we deserve.
1 Samuel 25:2-44; David meets Nabal and Abigail. Nabal acts foolishly, Abigail acts wisely. But the only actions that ultimately matter are Yahweh's.
1 Samuel 25:1-Samuel's death was most untimely for Israel, except when viewed from Yahweh's perspective. There is no such thing as an untimely anything in God's plan.
1 Samuel 24:1-22; Saul is handed to David on a silver platter--but David refuses the easy way, choosing instead to suffer for the Glory that is to come. He is the true King who shows us the better way of the better King, King Jesus.
1 Samuel 23:1-19; Yahweh has a typical M.O.-a normal mode of operations that goes against the normal, human way of doing things. He chooses an unqualified king to lead his people, he uses enemies to accomplish his goals, he brings life from death.
1 Samuel 22:6-23; Sometimes God's people are oppressed and even killed. How do you make sense of it? David teaches us to look to the better Savior.
1 Samuel 21:1-22:5; David is fleeing for his life and he is doing some really foolish things. He's desperate and in trouble. Miraculously he escapes with his life and makes provisions for others who are desperate as well. We see that Yahweh takes care of his chosen ones.
Romans 5:12-21; The gospel message is essentially four basic steps. In this passage we see each of these steps and how God has redeemed a people for himself through the finished work of Jesus.
1 Samuel 19:1-24; Where is God when bad things happen? What part does God play in our hardship? We get the answer to these questions in this passage as King David has to run for his life from Saul.
1 Samuel 18:1-30; The true King has been made known and there are some decisions that need to be made. How will Saul and his family respond to this news? In this passage we see three responses from two individuals and are able to see how we should respond to our great King, Jesus.
1 Samuel 17:1-58; The classic underdog story is not about us but about our great Champion and King. Will we follow him or will we trust in ourself?
1 Samuel 16:1-23; Yahweh looks defeated. King Saul has been rejected and Israel is still following him. But its all part of the plan to bless Israel with the king they don't deserve but the one they need. And he is short.
Luke 10:25-37; Lawyers are always looking for loopholes, aren't they? All of us are moral lawyers looking for the loophole in God's law in order to justify ourselves...just like the lawyer in this passage. Our hope, however, is not found in being good, but in the one who is good for us.
2 Peter 1:3-11; The last fruit of the Spirit Paul lists in Galatians 5 is "self control". No one wants to have to practice self control, but even the world will tell you that the one who has self control is a good person. But, for christians self control isn't so much denying self but clinging tightly to christ.
1 Timothy 6:11-16; Paul commands Timothy to "pursue...Gentleness." Gentleness is hard for sinful humans because our natural inclination is to fight and scratch and claw for our will. But Christians are to fight for God's will and God's will is accomplished through the Fruit of Gentleness.
1 Timothy 1:12-17; What is faithfulness? It isn't being good enough to please God. But it is receiving, remember and resting in Christ.
Matthew 12:33-37; Christians are to have the fruit of the Spirit "Goodness" flowing from them. But how can a bad tree make good fruit? Jesus deals with men who thought that they were good but only produced bad fruit. Jesus' diagnosis then was that they were not good, but evil. What are you?
2 Samuel 9:1-13; David wants to show kindness. Kindness has many imitators, but true kindness flows from a heart that has been shown kindness. David had that kind of heart. Do you?
James 5:7-11; Waiting is the hardest part. If it was easy James wouldn't have to command it. But he does. Christians are to be patient because they know the Lord.
Ephesians 2:11-22; Everyone talks about peace and wants peace, but we don't typically think through how it is a peace is accomplished. The world offers a false and temporary peace, but Jesus offers us eternal peace beginning when we know him.
1 Peter 1:3-9; Joy is the second fruit of the spirit. We can know that we are Christians if we have the presence of Joy in our lives. But, are we joyful? We have to know what it is, how we can get it, and how we can express it.
1 John 3:11-24; What is Love? John tells us that Love is the natural outworking of the work of the Spirit. If one doesn't love, then the Spirit doesn't abide in him.
Galatians 5:16-26; the introduction to a new series called "the Fruitful Christian". We can know that the Spirit is at work inside of us if we bear fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. There is no such thing as a non-fruitful Christian.
Mark 16:1-8; Jesus' resurrection is the final proof that Mark gives that Jesus is the Son of God. But his resurrection wasn't met with joy at first, but fear. And today Mark instructs us that that is the appropriate response to King Jesus
Mark 15:42-47; The Death and Burial of the messiah are not just afterthoughts or part of the side show to get to the important stuff of Christianity. They are the important stuff of Christianity. The truthfulness of Christianity and our salvation hinges upon the death and burial of Jesus.
Mark 15:33-41; Jesus died, not in strength and dignity, but in weakness and agony. He was separated from his father, the curtain was torn, the centurion confessed that Jesus is the Son of God.
Mark 15:21-32; Jesus is crucified as a helpless and defeated man, and yet...various ones who see him crucified are transformed by his suffering. In order to know why Jesus came and why he went to the cross one must come to grips with the terrible reality of his sin.
Mark 15:15-20; Jesus was mocked and degraded through inhumane means only reserved for the worse of the worse criminals. But he wasn't a criminal and, indeed, deserved praise instead of insult. It is by his stripes that we are healed.
Mark 15:1-15; Jesus is surrounded by bad men. There are only ever bad men around Jesus.
Mark 14:66-72; Shame is a symptom of a much deeper problem. Our sin has left us exposed before the holy and righteous Judge of the the world. In this passage Peter is exposed and experience shame by his denial of Jesus. Is there a way out of shame for Peter and for us?
Mark 14:53-65; What happens when Jesus is put on Trial? A kangaroo court refuses to hear who he is and condemns him. But there is more to the story than an accident of History. This has been the plan all along.
Mark 14:43-52; There are three types of people running from Jesus. In this passage we see all three.
Mark 14:26-42; Jesus, second person of the trinity. Fully God and Fully Man. Beloved of his father. But was he heard when he prayed?
Mark 14:12-26; Jesus prepares the Passover meal to eat with his disciples but the celebration turns to sadness when Jesus tells them that one of the 12 will betray him. We are reminded in this passage the ones that are invited to eat with Jesus and be his friends are not the righteous.
Mark 14:1-11; We are going to worship something. In first century Jerusalem the religious leaders worshiped power, Judas worshiped wealth and a woman worshiped Jesus. Jesus is the only object of worship that is worth our worship.
Ruth 4:18-22; What can a list of name tell us about Jesus? A lot, actually. We see that God uses an ordinary family, full of sinful and broken people to redeem and restore the world.
Ruth 4:13-17; we come to the end of story for Ruth and Naomi and we discover that God has made them full. God always gives a happy ending to those on whom his favor rests...even if it doesn't seem like God loves you when time are difficult. Most importantly his great love is displayed in not just making us temporally happy, but eternally secure in Jesus.
Ruth 4:1-12; In this passage we see that God saves people in extraordinarily ordinary ways. Through a business transaction we hear of Yahweh's covenantal faithfulness to his people and his delight in using unexpected people and situation to fulfill his promises.
Ruth 3:1-18; This chapter is full of Suspense. Ruth and Naomi are left in suspense regarding Boaz. Boaz is left in suspense regarding the closer redeemer. Ruth volunteers to go into a dangerous situation, make herself vulnerable and exposes her great need. How will all of it turn out? The main thing we learn from this strange text is that we must trust that God will take care of us and wait for him to act.
Ruth 2:1-23; Hope is vital for our physical survival, but more importantly to survive and thrive Spiritually. And God gives his people that hope in ordinary and common ways.
Ruth 1:6-22; In the times of incredible pain and loss what we truly believe is revealed and tested. Naomi truly stands on the faithfulness of God, even when it seems he is against her and because of her good theology Ruth wants some of what she has.
Ruth 1:1-5; the short book of Ruth is a wonderful love story. Its also a book of wisdom teaching about how we should live while we wait for the King. But more than those things it is the ordinary story of God's extraordinary way of saving his people.
Romans 11:33-36; The Bible is all about the glory of God. The Reformers constantly talked about God's Glory. What's so great about God's glory any way? Rev. Hunter Brewer reminds us why we as a church are so focused on God's glory.
Romans 3:23-26; the Apostle Paul uses three unusual words to explain the work of Christ for the Christian. In Jesus we are Justified, he is our propitiation, and we have redemption from Jesus. These three words help us better understand what the reformers meant when they promoted "Christ Alone".
Ephesians 2:1-10; God's Grace is so great that we are terrified of the implications of it. We were dead, but now, in Christ we have been made a live and now are in heaven with Christ. How do you earn this great grace? You can't!!!
Romans 3:21-26; How can a person be made right with God? The bible tells us that because of our drastic condition we need to receive something from outside of us. That thing outside of us is the Righteousness of Christ that can only be received through faith in Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3:14-17; Looking at the 5 "solas" of the Reformation we begin with Sola Scriptura. God's word is our Authority, it is immensely useful, and absolutely necessary.
Mark 13:32-37; No one on earth knows when the Son will return. Not even the Son of God. But we are wrapped up in knowing that time to the detriment of our souls. We need to learn to stay awake so we don't miss it!
Mark 13:24-27; Jesus once again uses a Fig Tree as an illustration. This time he says that the same way we understand that summer is coming, when we see the signs of the time we should know that he is coming. Mostly we learn from this passage that Jesus is near to his people and he comforts us with his glorious presence and his glorious kingdom.
Mark 13:24-27; How should we understand the last days? Jesus want for us to be prepared but to also know that he cares for his own. We receive a wonderful encouragement from his today.
Mark 13:14-23; How should we interpret and understand this section of scripture? Today we will explore some tools of interpretation and apply those tools to the text of Scripture. Ultimately we will see the way that God's people can be encouraged by Jesus' teaching on time of Tribulation.
Mark 13:3-13; The Disciples are worried and want to know when the temple will be destroyed. Jesus tells them all the things that will happen before the destruction and cautions them against be led astray. Even though the temple was destroyed long ago the warnings are for us 2000 years later as well.
Mark 13:1-2; Jesus' disciples are distracted by human beauty and achievement and Jesus tells them that all of it will be destroyed. We are too easily enamoured with God's creation and miss the glory of the creator.
Mark 12:35-44; Jesus' detractors are no longer asking questions and so Jesus goes on offense, now asking them a question. He asks a question with an obvious answer that the scribes were refusing to acknowledge. To acknowledge the truth the scribes would have to become like the poor widow.
Mark 12:28-34; Close only counts in Horseshoes and Hand grenades. So many people are close to the Kingdom of God but are not IN the kingdom. In this passage Jesus speaks to one such individual. He begs the question, "are you in the kingdom?"
Mark 12:13-27; Jesus is confronted and questioned by another group this morning that wants to disprove his claim as the Messiah and mock his belief in the Resurrection. Jesus shames the wisdom of the world and shows the incompetence of unbelief even as he comforts us with the hope of the Resurrection and eternal life.
Mark 12:13-17; Jesus is asked a political question in order to trick him. Jesus answers the political question by confronting the spiritual hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Herodians. Jesus teaches that we live under at least two spheres of influence: the civil government and the kingdom of God.
Mark 11:27-12:12; God's Word teaches us that our fears are connected to what has authority over us. Jesus is confronted by the Religious Leaders of Jerusalem and they attempt to trick him by offending the Roman rulers. Jesus turns the question back on them, tells a Parable that points out their murderous hearts and reminds us that our only hope is himself.
Mark 11:1-11; Mark tells us about Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Instead of entering as the the conquering King he enters as the conquered King. In his humility we hear and see the good news for sinners.
Mark 10:46-52; In this passage we meet a blind beggar who really sees Jesus and believes in him. We learn about how much God loves us in his beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
Psalm 24:1-10; How can anyone get to God? That is the most important question that can be asked. It is THE eternal question. King David, thousands of years ago, penned this psalm to answer that question. David shows us God's Character, God's Calling, God's Cleansing, and God's Comfort.
Mark 10:17-31; What is that ONE THING that you think you need to complete your life? In today's passage this young man (the Rich Young Ruler) thinks he has it all and yet he leaves Jesus sad because he lacks the only thing he really needs. The disciples are shocked by Jesus' terribly hard words. We need to pay attention.
Mark 10:1-12; Jesus is making his steady march to Jerusalem and his eventual betrayal, arrest, crucifixion and resurrection. Increasingly the religious leaders of the day will challenge Jesus' authority and attempt to get him in trouble with the Roman authorities. Today the issue is marriage and divorce. Jesus takes us back to God's original intention for marriage.
Mark 10:13-16; In this passage we see parents making sure that their children get to Jesus. We see Jesus teach that the kingdom belongs to those LIKE the children and to these children. We also see Jesus' great affection for the children.
Mark 9:38-50; What is a disciple of Christ? Church attendance? Being a "good" person? Having some theological sophistication? No, none of those things mean you are a disciple of Christ. In this sermon we learn about three test that Jesus gives us to see if we truly are his disciple.
Mark 9:30-37; Do you want to be great? Of course you do, everyone does. But what is true greatness? Jesus tells us in this passage of scripture the principle of kingdom greatness. He also gives us a beautiful picture of what it means to be great and then gives us the power to do the impossible.
Mark 9:14-29; If you had the means to leave it all behind...the messiness of life and the brokenness of the world...would you go back? In Mark 9 we see Jesus leaving the glory of the mountain for the sin wracked world. Why would he do that? He does it for our good and his glory.
Mark 15:42-16:8; Jesus died in history; he rose in history; and he lives to command us to go and tell the world about it.
Mark 11:11-25; On the first day of the week, what the Christian church traditionally celebrate as Palm Sunday, Jesus inspects the temple in Jerusalem. The next the day Jesus does two weird things: he curses a fig tree and "cleanses" the temple. In this passage we learn about some things that Jesus hates and that make him angry.
Nehemiah 13:4-31; The Old Testament Church, once anchored, is not adrift again. Its leader are man-fearing and self-serving. Its people have once again become slaves to their idolatry. And, its families are being ruined by marriage to unbelievers. There is a natural bent in the church away from the LORD and to the world. Is there any hope for the church in the end? Yes, but it isn't in our leaders, our wealth or our families.
Nehemiah 11:1-13:3; Names, names, and more names. Every time we turn the page in Nehemiah we are given a long list of names. Why are these names so important? They are given for the sake of remembering God's overwhelming faithfulness in spite of Israel's underwhelming unfaithfulness.
Nehemiah 10:1-39; The Church finishes their worship of God by recommitting themselves to his worship. God calls people to himself and saves them by his grace so that they would be holy and blameless before him.
Nehemiah 9:1-37; Coming off the week of celebration of God's grace the people of God gather to confess their sin. They are willing now to confession and repent of their sin because God's grace has convicted them of their sin. We too will only be convicted when we see God's grace.
Nehemiah 8:1-19; What is the vision of the Church? It is to worship God by making use of the means of Grace that he has given us. All of the work in Ezra and Nehemiah's day was for the sake of gathering the Old Testament Church for worship. And we see the church under the Word of God, being convicted by the Word of God and celebrating because of the Word of God.
Nehemiah 5:1-19; What should the church do when the church is oppressing its own members? In Nehemiah 5 we see Nehemiah's response to the hypocritical actions of its nobles. He calls them out on their sin and shows them the better way and leads by example. In this passage the leaders of Christ's church are reminded that we are called to serve the people, not master them.
Nehemiah 4:1-23; 6:1-7:4- The Church of Jesus Christ has always been in danger of attack from enemies of God. The reason is that the Kingdom of Darkness hates the Kingdom of God; they can not coexist. But the bigger threat to the church comes from the inside. Going along to get along; selfish clergy and lay leaders and grumbling members all threaten the church and expose her to danger. But the Lord loves her church and overcomes the danger by fighting for her.
Jeremiah 31:31-34; We believe that God has chosen to save a people for himself through the covenant. In this sermon we explore some of what it means to hold to Covenant Theology. Ultimately it means that God makes a relationship with us through the shedding of his own blood.
Nehemiah 3:1-32; how should we think about a chapter like Nehemiah 3? It is full of hard to pronounce names and unfamiliar places. Does it have any relevance for us living in the 21st century? Yes it does because it is God's word to his people about Jesus Christ. We see the wonderful legacy of building in God's kingdom.
Nehemiah 2:1-20; Nehemiah trusts God and proves that trust by doing the most important thing: he prays. Nehemiah prays first because he understand that his success will only come if God grants it to him. But, Nehemiah doesn't only pray, he also plans. Three points: Confidence in God Providence, Confrontation of God's Enemies and Craftiness of God's Servant.
Nehemiah 1:1-11; How healthy is the church and if it is healthy how long will it be healthy? Nehemiah helps us as a faithful church gauge the effectiveness of our work for the sake of Christ's Kingdom and allows us an opportunity to individually reflect on how we fit into what God is doing. Today in Nehemiah 1 we are given a Honest Assessment of the Church; a honest appeal for the church; and a honest audacity from the church.
Mark 9:1-13; Jesus Reveals the Glory of God because he is God. We see his glory shine through his humanity and the glory cloud of the Lord envelops the disciples. The question is how can the glory of God dwell with men? That is the problem of the Old Testament. We get the answer in the person and work of Jesus
Mark 8:22-26; Mark's account of Jesus culminated in Peter's confession that Jesus is in fact the Christ. It took the disciples a long time to come to that conclusion and we are told in Matthew that they didn't arrive at that conclusion on their own. The only way that we know that Jesus is the Christ is because the Father reveals it to us. What does confessing Jesus as the Christ really matter? It should make all the difference in the world.
Mark 8:22-26; We are almost to the climax of Mark's Gospel account, but before we get there we are shown once again that Jesus has power over the effects of sin in the world. Jesus heals a blind man in a most unusual way. He spits in his eyes and seems to fail at healing him the first time. Jesus doesn't fail, he is walking this man through the process of salvation. And in this man we see ourselves, our great need and our great savior.
Romans 6:1-14; Our names have meaning because it is in our name that we find our identity. The Apostle Paul grounds our identity as Christians in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is who we are if we are in union with Christ through faith in his finished work. If we are in union with Christ then we have received a new name. What is your name?
Mark 8:1-21; Mark has kept one question before of his audience over these past 8 chapters, " Who is Jesus?" Today Mark once again answers that question by showing Jesus' compassion for those "outside", the Gentiles. He feeds out of his abundance. He satisfies out of his goodness. And yet, the Pharisees refuse to believe and the Disciples continue in their confusion. The question has been asked and answered. Jesus is the King. Do you believe it?
Hebrews 10:19-39; Can you have assurance of Salvation? Can you know here, today that you are saved? This is one of the results of the reformers challenge to the dominate theology of their day. Scriptures teach that we can know, without any doubt, that we truly possess Christ. And yet there are warnings attached to that assurance. We need to judge whether or not we truly believe in Jesus or if we merely profess Jesus without true belief.
Mark 7:31-37; Isaiah taught the Israelites that the Messiah would cause the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to leap and the mute to praise. 700 or so years later Jesus begins his ministry and does all the things that the Messiah was suppose to do. But he does more than heal, he sympathizes with our condition. He feels our pain and he loves us enough to remove our shame but taking on himself.
Mark 7:24-30; Do you have what it takes? Well do you? In this passage a woman with all the wrong stuff approaches Jesus out of her great need. She is a Woman (second class citizen), she is a Gentile (Syrophonecian- considered separated from God because of her race), and she is ceremonially unclean because of her daughter's demon possession. How can she have access to God with all these strikes against her? Jesus shows her the good news even as he exposes her heart.
Mark 7:14-23; What is wrong with the world? Where does evil come from? How is a person made right with God? These are the major questions that Jesus deals with in this passage of scripture from the gospel of Mark. His answers are just as offensive today as they were shocking nearly 2000 years ago. Jesus overturns all of the ordinary thoughts about religion and worship and forces us to wrestle with our deep soul sickness.
Mark 7:1-13; After leaving the rejection of Jesus in Chapter 6, Mark now turns his attention to Jesus in conflict. This conflict will ultimately lead to his crucifixion. Knowing this Jesus doesn't back down from the challenge and calls out the Pharisees for their Bad Religion. As well intended as the Pharisees were they perverted true religion by their actions.
Mark 6:45-52; On the heals of Jesus feeding the 5000 (plus) with almost nothing Jesus send the disciples and the crowds away. The problem is that Jesus send the disciples right into a nasty headwind and they struggle all night and make almost no progress. They would have been asking themselves, "does Jesus care?" And Jesus answers that question in an astounding way. He doesn't take the storm away, but instead we goes to them in the midst of the storm. This is the way that Jesus operates and he does it for the good of his disciples.
Mark 6:30-44; We always want more. Its never enough. Nothing ever satisfies. Our hearts are broken. Jesus came to satisfy our hearts with himself. We were made by him to have our hearts full of him.
Mark 6:14-29; In the midst of the spiritual awakening surrounding the ministry of the disciples Herod Antipas hears about Jesus and has an unusual response. His heart is hardened against belief in Jesus because of his own heart commitments. We have heart commitments as well. We always act according to what we love. The question is, what do we love?
Mark 6:7-13; Jesus in authority calls, sends out, delegates authority and charges his 12 closest disciples. The Disciples in obedience to Jesus went out, proclaimed the message of repentance, cast out demons and anointed many. Their mission is our mission. And by God' grace we get to see the fruit of obedience to Christ.
Mark 6:1-6; Jesus goes home, goes to the synagogue, faithfully teaches and is promptly rejected by his own people. They stumble over Jesus and rightly so because his message is offensive.
Mark 5:21-43; Everything happens in the Lord's Time. Even the terrible and horrible things. And because He controls it he uses it for his glory and to give us the gift of faith. In today's passage Jesus meets a wealthy man in desperate need and a poor woman with a long term illness. To both he gives the greatest need, Faith in himself.
Mark 5:1-20; Many people reject Christianity because it is strange and unnatural. It just doesn't make sense in the way that the world counts sense. The story of the demonic and the Pigs is just such a story. Here we see Jesus going to an unlikely location, to an unlikely man, with an unlikely victory that leads to unlikely results. Perhaps its the strangeness of Christianity that lends it credibility. No one would make this up.
Mark 4:25-31; What are you afraid of? What keeps you up at night? What chills you to the bone? Fear is a wonderful diagnostic tool that the Lord uses to reveal our hearts. The Disciples' hearts were revealed on a stormy sea in a tiny, sinking boat. They were in dread until the realized just who Jesus is...then the real fear started.
Mark 4:21-33; Jesus teaches about his kingdom in Parables. His kingdom is revealed through the message that he preaches. Jesus teaches that his kingdom grows even when we least expect it. Finally he teaches us that his kingdom multiplies so that it is the largest of all kingdoms in the earth. In all of these there is a call to believe in the message that we have heard and to respond in faith to Christ.
Mark 3:22-20; What is the unpardonable sin? In context Jesus' confusing words make sense. The Jewish leaders make an accusation, Jesus responds with a logical confrontation. Jesus then offers a gracious exoneration and concludes with the only disqualification.
Joshua 1:1-9; Be Strong? How can I be strong when i am so weak and pathetic? How can I keep a command when I am not empowered to do what is commanded? The good news is that God gives us the gospel to empower and strengthen his people.
Mark 3:7-19 The Religious Leaders want to destroy Jesus. The Crowds want to crush Jesus. The demons want to distract us from Jesus. But Jesus goes up on a mountain and calls those he desires to himself. The Church is Christ's New Community and the only qualification for entry is his choosing, not our ability. Great news for sinners and loser like us.
Mark 2:18-3:6; Jesus did not come to make Old Religion better or to fix what was broken in the old system. He came to bring a completely new system. The hard part about Jesus' message is that he didn't come to validate the hard work, goodness, and self-righteousness of nice people. He came to show that we can never go to God in our work or goodness, but need him to come to us and save us.
Mark 2:13-17; Only the sick need a doctor. Sin is the worst of all sicknesses because it disguises itself as health. Jesus came to call sinners to himself and save them from their sins. In this passage Jesus teaches us why he came, who he heals and how heals.
Mark 2:1-12; Why is there suffering in the world? The problem of pain is one of the hardest challenges to Christianity. And yet the authors of the bible address this problem over and over. The question is whether or not we will listen to the answer. Jesus doesn't merely heal our infirmities, but he heals our souls and makes us right with God.
Mark 1:40-45; We like to keep our world antiseptic. We wash our hands regularly AND use hand sanitizer. We use deodant and perfume to make sure we smell good. But all of those things can't touch our spiritual uncleanliness before God. We are spiritual lepers and we live in our own leper colonies. We need a complete healing and that can only come from the touch of Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:21-39; Many people "respect" or "like" Jesus because he was a great man, an example to follow or a great teacher. But the gospel writer Mark wants to convince us that our small view of Jesus is not enough. Mark wants for us to be absolutely convinced that Jesus is "YOUR" Lord and "YOUR" king. As Mark begins to convince us of Jesus' Authority he show us his Ordinary Practice, his Extraordinary Power and his Driving Purpose.
Mark 1:14-20; Jesus begins his violent invasion by doing two very unlikely things. First, he preaches the good news of God's Kingdom. He commands us to repent and believe the gospel. And next he goes and calls some regular guys to be citizens of his kingdom. We are called to leave behind our vocations, our families and our little kingdoms for his vocation, his family and his kingdom.
Mark 3:20-21; 31-35 Jesus' Mother and Family decide that they are going to stop Jesus from endangering himself. He's gotten too busy and too dangerous for his own good. Now, if they are successful that would mean that the plan of God would not be carried out and there would be no salvation for anyone, even Jesus' own mother. We fail all the time, but God's grace for his people is enough to cover over their sins and welcome them into his family.
Mark 1:9-13: Jesus is called "the beloved Son" by the Father. The Holy Spirit rushes on him in violence. We would expect for Jesus to be ushered in to his glorious kingdom...but he's not. He is exiled. Sent far away from the land of the living where he is tormented and tempted for 40 days. We learn something about the pattern of Christ's ministry, that is is one of substituionary suffering. He is cast off so we can be accepted.
Mark 1:1-8; Where do you run for hope when suffering comes? In the first century A.D. Mark wrote his gospel account to encourage Christians in Rome who were being martyred daily for faith in Jesus Christ. They would ask, "Is it worth it? Is Jesus worth dying for?" Marks answer is "Yes! Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God is worth it!"
1 Samuel 15:24-35; Saul has been found out and exposed. He offers a fake repentance, but God knows. God knows the heart, the impossible requirement and the great need.
1 Samuel 15:10-23; 29: Can an omniscient God have regret? Yahweh does and did when he made Saul king over Israel. That doesn't mean that God is out of control or doesn't know what he is doing, but it does show that he is emotionally invested in the lives and well being of his people. In this passage we see God's Disposition, God's Desire and God's Decision.
1 Samuel 15:1-9; God commands Saul and Israel to completely wipe out the Amalekites. Men, Women, Children and livestock. How we treat this passage because of what it teaches us about God actually reveals our hearts. Will we trust God when its hard? Or simply when its easy and convenient for us?
Luke 24:1-12; Christ's Resurrection is presented to us by Doctor Luke as THE historical fact upon which all of Christianity hangs. In this passage some women who first ADMIRE Jesus, are EXASPERATED to find the tomb empty, are transformed by the ANNOUNCEMENT of Christ's resurrection from the dead and finally ADORE their risen Savior. What about you? Do you merely Admire Jesus or do you ADORE Jesus?
Luke 20:1-19; Jesus rides into Jerusalem hailed as the Messiah, Savior of Israel, and the Almighty King. And what does the great King do? He preaches and teaches the gospel, the good news which offends the religious leaders and the people of who recently crowned him. Jesus calls himself the cornerstone, the rock that breaks and crushes. We are called to fall on Christ and be broken by him.
1 Samuel 14:47-52; In the middle of Saul's reign we are given his eulogy and surprisingly, its positive. We are told about Saul's Success, Saul's Family and Saul's Legacy. Saul's Eulogy allows us to reflect on what will be said about us when someone gives our eulogy. Will they say good things about us or will they say the most important thing?
1 Samuel 13:16-14:23; Israel is once again on the precipice of disaster. They are hard pressed and Saul is both incompetent and unable to save Israel. And in steps a man of Faith, Jonathan. But we are not to look at Jonathan's work, but his faith in the LORD to save. We see Faith's Soil, Faith's Security and Faith's Savior.
1 Samuel 13:1-15; Saul's Son wins a great battle with the Philistines. But now they are coming against Saul and the Israelites and the people are fleeing from Saul. Saul then takes matters into his own hands and offers an impatient sacrifice, an improper sacrifice and then he lies about it to Saul and God. Yahweh responds to Saul's failure by promising a better king, one that he chooses. Our hope is in the great King, Jesus.
1 Samuel 12:19-25; Israel has sinned by worshiping other gods and now asking for a king instead of Yahweh. They sin wildly and recklessly. How is Yahweh going to respond to them? He overcomes their wild hearts with even greater wild grace.
1 Samuel 11:1-15; Nahash and the Ammonites are pressing in on Yahweh's People. Jabesh-Gilead is as good as dead. Where is Saul? Where is their King? How will Salvation come to Israel? Today we meet Israel's Adversary, the King's Action and the the King's Acceptance.
Genesis 17:1-14; 22-27--Why do we baptize Infants? It has everything to do with God's Covenant with Abraham. Covenants are signs and seals of the promises of God and he command Abraham to give this sign to himself and his children after him. Water Baptism has replaced circumcision as the New Testament sign of the New Covenant.
1 Samuel 10:17-27; Saul is about to be publicly recognized as the first (human) king of Israel. This should be a time for celebration and joy, but for the people of God its anything but a celebration. Three sour notes are played to match the dissonance of the people's hearts. We see the LORD's Rebuke, the LORD's Choice and even better, the LORD's Provision.
1 Samuel 9:3-10:17; How do we understand all of the ordinary, mundane and seemingly fruitless things of this life? Saul's father's donkey's have gotten out and he Saul is sent to find them. Through a series of coincidences Saul ends up anointed as the King over Israel and the savior of God's people. Yahweh works most often in the ordinary, the mundane and secret things for our good and his Glory.
1 Samuel 9:1-2; How should God treat us? What do we really deserve? i Samuel is the story of Human Dysfunction in our families, our religious worship and in our civil lives. God's response to our human dysfunction and sin is Divine Grace and faithfulness.
Matthew 13:53-58; After Jesus tells his Kingdom Parables he goes home. There instead of a warm welcome the people of Jesus' hometown Matthew reports that the people are astonished by Jesus, they question his message and are offended by him. Jesus' message is astonishing, stands up to interrogation and is deeply offensive because we are sinners.
Matthew 13:47-52; In these final two Kingdom Parables Jesus reveals a Heavenly Judgment and an Earthly Calling. He compares his Kingdom to a large dragnet that is being cast into the sea. In the end the Righteous will be separated from the evil. God's people are then called understand the kingdom and tell others about it.
Matthew 13:44-46; In this passage Jesus uses two similar stories to teach about the Value of his Kingdom. We learn the important spiritual principle: we are all searching for a treasure. The question for us is which treasure are we giving ourselves too? The only real and lasting treasure is the Christ and his Kingdom. The Good News is that Christ gave up his treasure so that we could have the only treasure that matter.
Matthew 13:31-33; What is Christ's Kingdom like? Its small, insignificant and nothing much to look at. And that is just the way that Jesus wants it. Today we see that Christ's Kingdom is Paradoxically Small, Paradoxically Ordinary and Paradoxically Open. The good news is that we sinners fit right in to Christ's Paradoxical Kingdom.
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43- Jesus plants good seed in kingdom. But the evil one come and plants counterfeit seed in his Kingdom. Jesus says that until the very end the Children of God and the children of satan will coexist. Christians then are called to be discerning, but loving. Careful, but sacrificial. Jesus showed us that he is patient in his judgment, but judgment will come. Finally we are called to truly hear the gospel and believe upon Jesus.
Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23: Too often the familiar becomes impotent. That is the danger for us when we hear passages and stories like this one. We think we understand it so we toss the message aside to move on to something bigger and better. But Jesus' message is for us, who know this most famous parable the best. And indeed, we are treading in dangerous waters when we toss it aside. Jesus teaches us about the Farmer of the Kingdom, the Field of the Kingdom and the Fruit of the Kingdom.
Matthew 13:1-3; 10-17; 34-35-Glory: we all want it, but most of the time we accept imitation glory. Jesus wants us to know real glory and so he tells us about his Kingdom. But he does so in Parables. In this sermon we learn three things: 1) What are Parables? 2) Why did Jesus Speak in Parable? 3) How should we understand the Parables?
1 Corinthians 15:50-58; In this, the Final Installment on the Creeds of the Church, we look at the importance of believing in our bodily resurrection and our eternal life. Paul concludes his argument by reminding us that Christians have Spiritual Compensation, a Definite Transformation, a Hopeful Realization, and Present Regulations.
Titus 3:3-7; What do we mean when we confess that we believe in "one Baptism for the Remission of Sins" from the Nicene Creed? We want to avoid two ditches: 1) that Baptism Saves and 2) that Baptism merely symbolized. We confess that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit once and for all washes us from our sins and makes us right with God. Today Paul teaches us about the Blemish of Sin, the Bath of Justification and the Benefit of Spiritual Washing.
Matthew 16:13-19; We believe in the Holy catholic Church. In this passage of Scripture Jesus teaches us that the Church is not an optional part of the Christian life and as the Westminster Confession of Faith teaches outside of the church there is no ordinary way to be saved. We have the church's Constitution in Peter's Confession; we hear about the church's contractor; and we receive the church's commission from Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-17; Christians confess that the Bible is the Word of God. The Apostle Paul command's Timothy to continue in the holy Scriptures because the Bible is God breathed and profitable and is his desired means to make us men and women of God. Furthermore, God has not given power to any other thing in the world to do this.
John 14:15-26; Jesus teaches us in this passage that the Holy Spirit is God. Christians believe in the the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and our teacher. He reminds us that we are forgiven and illuminates the scriptures. He works to glorify the Father and the Son.
Acts 1:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28; The Creeds teach us that after Jesus finished his work of redemption and was Resurrected from the dead that God the Father lifted him to his throne. After that he sat down at the right hand of the father to rule and reign over his kingdom. Finally we learn that Jesus will come again to judge all people. How will we be approved in the final judgment? Only through the finished work of Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:12-23; Christians believe in Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead. The apostle Paul said that everything about Christianity is wrapped up in the FACT that Christ rose. It is not a secondary doctrine but vital to who we are as Christians.
Isaiah 52:13-53:13; The message of Christianity is simple: Christ suffered for his people. Christians confess that Christ's suffering was ESSENTIAL to our salvation. Jesus suffered rejection, beatings, the painful and terrible torture of the cross but, most importantly, he took the stroke of justice our sins deserved.
Luke 1:26-38; The Creeds of the church confess the virgin birth of Christ and the Incarnation of God. Why is this doctrine necessary for modern Christians? Haven't we moved passed the need for miracles like the virgin birth? The ancient church understood that if we do away with the Virgin birth we do away with the good news of Jesus Christ.
John 1:14-18; 3:16-18 Who we say Christ is is who we are. The Creeds correct our erroneous views about Jesus by teaching us first that Jesus is the begotten of the Father (not created, like us). That he is LORD (Yahweh himself). And, finally, that he is the Christ (Messiah). All of this reminds us that we need a savior, not just an example.
Acts 17:22-31; Everyone believes in something and most everyone believes in "God". But what do we mean when we say, "God"? The creeds of the church begin by pointing us to God the Almighty, God the Creator and God the Father. The Apostle Paul introduces the men of Athens to the God of the Bible in Acts 17.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11; What makes a Christian? Going to Church? Doing good things? No, what makes a Christian is what we believe in. This is our first sermon in a series titled, "Our Common Creed" looking at the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds. Christians are people who 1) believe, 2) believe IN CHRIST, and 3) Continue to believe.
Colossians 4:7-18; The Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Colossians by listing ten friends and fellow servants of Christ. We have a tendency to get lost in the names and miss what the LORD would have us learn from these names. The gospel of Jesus Christ goes forth through faithful minister, fellow servants and firm friends.
Colossians 4:2-6; Paul gets the the end and climax of his instruction to the Colossians. Today we see that Paul commands us to Pray continually. Secondly we are to live wisely in the world, speaking to those outside of the church graciously. Too often Christians are short on Prayer and wisdom.
Exodus 17:1-7; the Book of Exodus is a profound book which teaches us about Yahweh's Faithfulness to increasingly unfaithful Israel. He saved from slavery and just a few chapters later the people bring a Covenant Lawsuit against Moses and Yahweh, charging them with treason. If the people are justified in their charge then Yahweh should die, if they are not then they take the penalty for their unjust charge. How will Yahweh maintain his Holiness and his Mercy? Who is going to die?
Colossians 3:18-4:1; the Apostle Paul has been laying out the appropriate response to the Excellency and the Sufficiency of Jesus Christ for the Colossians. Today we hear about the Christian home. How should husbands and wives, parents and children, and employers and employees (Masters and Slaves) interact with one another? The key is to understand who Christ is and who we are in Christ.
Colossians 3:12-17; The Apostle Paul, having done away with the inappropriate clothing, not fitting for a christian, now focuses his attention on the appropriate Christian dress. Even here Paul begins our Internal Foundation, then moves to the External Accessories and finally, our Essential Disposition.
Colossians 3:5-11; Our hearts are desperately wicked. So much so that we misdiagnose our real problem by simply addressing the symptoms that manifest themselves in our lives. In this passage the Apostle Paul commands Christians to kill remaining sin in a most shocking way. We don't rise up and kill, we rise up and THINK! Think about Jesus Christ, his person and work and what he did to make you his.
Colossians 3:1-4; Paul's desire is for the Colossians believers to be mature in Christ. How are they to grow? Paul begins by telling them to THINK. Obedience to Christ is a matter of our thinking first and foremost. Here we see WHO WE ARE in Christ; WHAT WE SHOULD DO because we are in Christ; and WHY WE SHOULD BE OBEDIENT to Christ.
Colossians 2:20-23; We are not Christians because of what we do, but what and in whom we believe. We are Christians because we have heard and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because we are Christians we respond in faith to Christ in obedience. In this passage Paul warns the believers in Colossae to avoid human regulations because they actually INCREASE fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 2:16-19; Christians are those that are captive to Christ and free to the world. We are free from the worldly restriction of diet and days and rules and regulations. False teachers will restrict their by requiring law keeping for the sake of salvation. The result is arrogant thinking, puffed up living and malformed growth. In Christ, however, we should expect Christ focused thinking, humble living and natural and healthy growth.
Colossians 2:6-15; Now that Paul has taught the indicatives (who the Colossians ARE in Christ) he moves on to give the imperatives (what they should not be doing). In these verses he gives two commands: first, walk in him and second, don't be taken captive by the empty philosophies of the world. Even in the commands we see that Paul is focused on Christ and indeed, the only way to DO anything as a Christian is to be IN Christ.
Colossians 1:24-2:5; the Apostle Paul is filled with joy inspite of his suffering for the gospel, his stewardship of the gospel and his struggle to proclaim the gospel. Paul wants the Colossians to have Christ and nothing else!
Colossians 1:15-23; Paul argues that Jesus is the Excellent one because he is the Head of Creation, the Head of the Church and the Head of Salvation. Why go anywhere else?
Colossians 1:9-14; The Apostle Paul shares what he prays for on behalf of the Colossians. Paul prays that the Colossians would be filled with two things: All knowledge and all power. Paul combats the false teachers by praying that God would give them his knowledge and his power.
Colossians 1:3-8; Paul begins the body of his letter to the Colossian believers with a word of thanks. Even here Paul make the point to remind them and us of the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul shows us Gospel Thanksgiving, Gospel Results and Gospel Witness.
Colossians 1:1-2; Paul greets the believers at Colossae with a typical greeting found in letters of his day. But this is no ordinary greeting. Paul begins to confront false teaching and false teachers that had begin to entice the faithful believers away from Christ. In this greeting we see Paul's Authority, Paul's Audience and Paul's Announcement.
John 20:19-31; Jesus Christ's bodily Resurrection is John final sign that Jesus is God in human flesh come into the world to save all who believe in from the judgment that is to come. In this passage John give Resurrection Proof, Resurrection Pardon and Resurrection Peace.
Mark 10:46-52; Jesus uses physical blindness to point out the much more deadly sickness of spiritual blindness. In this passage the blind man could see Jesus but all the seeing people were blind to Jesus. Can you see?
John 1:14-18; John is building an argument about who Jesus is. Today we see that Jesus ins't merely the Pre-existing Word that stands aloof from his creation, but that he actually takes on flesh and dwells with us. We talk about what some of those things mean for our understanding of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
John 1:6-13; Today we see the Witness to the Word; the Arrival of the Word; The Rejection of the Word; and The Mission of the Word.
John 1:1-5; Who is Jesus? A Teacher? A Philosopher? A Social Reformer? The Bible tells us that Jesus is God. Specifically John tells us that Jesus is the Pre-Existent Word; the Almighty Creator; and the Life and Light of Men. Since Jesus is God this world his his, we are his creation and we must bow to him.
1 Samuel 8:10-22; The people of Israel want a king. And Yahweh is going to give them what they want, but not before He warns them. In this passage we see The LORD's Warning; The People's Refusal; and The LORD's Judgment. Ultimately we see that God's people need a better mediator.
1 Samuel 7:15-8:9; In spite of Samuel's faithful ministry to Israel in his old age God's people decide that they want a king. God exposes his people's hearts; that we do not want Yahweh as our king but desire instead to be ruled by earthly kings. In this sad chapter of Israel's history we still hear the call to put our faith in Jesus Christ, our great king!
1 Samuel 7:2-14; The people are returning to the LORD. But it sure does take a long time! 20 whole years. And Samuel still has to tell God's people to "put away their idols". In this passage we see the Prayer of Repentance; the Lamb of Salvation; and the Stone of Remembrance.
1 Samuel 6:1-7:2; In this passage we see how various people deal with their greatest problem: their guilt before Yahweh. We see the Holiness of God, the Wrath of God and the Grace of God.
1 Samuel 5:1-12; On the heels of defeat the Philistines sought to mock Yahweh and Israel by placing the Ark of the Covenant in Dagon's temple. Dagon swoons over Yahweh. The Philistines soon realize that Yahweh can not be controlled or simply put away.
1 Samuel 4:12-22; Eli and Phinehas' wife receive the bad news that the Ark of God has been captured leading to an unfortunate and tragic series of events. What is the worse news that we can hear? Is there any hope for sinners? Yes, only in Jesus Christ can we have hope!
1 Samuel 4:1-11; The Lord works in mysterious ways. In this passage we see that God's people act foolishly and superstitiously by bringing the Ark of the Covenant into battle. The Ark is taken, 34,000 men die and Yahweh looks defeated, but hints of his complete victory over sin and death is foreshadowed.
Luke 1:26-38; Here in the birth announcement of Jesus Christ to Mary we see both the extraordinary and ordinary. We see the LORD's Provision, the LORD's Promotion and the LORD's Persistence.
Judges 13:1-25; The Birth of Samson points us to the LORD's salvation of his people. In this passage we learn about the LORD's Grace; the LORD's Revelation; and the LORD's Provision. This miraculous episode points us to the greater redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Genesis 21:1-7; Isaac's miraculous birth is but a shadow of the greater birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In this passage we see the LORD's care; the LORD's Miracle; and the LORD's Joy. Salvation is all of grace often IN SPITE of his people's disobedience and faithlessness.
1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a; Today we see the LORD's call to Samuel. In this passage we see the LORD's Gracious Call; the LORD's Harsh Word; and finally we see the LORD's Kind Provision to his Church.
1 Samuel 2:27-36; How can we be Thankful to God in the midst of Judgment? In this text we hear about Yahweh's coming Judgment upon Eli's house for his sins. We see a Reminder of God's Grace, the Reality of Eli's sin and the Revelation of God's Plan.
1 Samuel 2:12-26; Where is God when worthless men are in charge? In this passage we see Eli's Worthless Son's; Eil's Pointless Rebuke; Israel's True Hope.
1 Samuel 2:1-11; Hannah sings a song of praise to the LORD. She sings about what he LORD has done, what the LORD normally does and what the LORD will do. She teaches us the gospel of Jesus Christ in the shadows and causes us to reflect on our prayer life.
1 Samuel 1:20-28; The LORD gives Samuel to Hannah. Hannah responds by giving a name and herself to Samuel.; and giving Samuel back to the LORD. Samuel responds by giving worship to the LORD. Our heart's true love is revealed in the midst of the good circumstances of life.
1 Samuel 7:2-17; Sermon preached at the 88th meeting of the Southern Louisiana Presbytery. What are leaders of Christ's Church meant to me doing? Samuel shows us five things that all church leaders should be doing.
1 Samuel 1:1-19; Here at the beginning of Samuel we see that God's people desperately need a king. In the midst of difficult circumstances Yahweh, the LORD of Hosts, shows himself to care for insignificant people like us, in our distress and is working out his purposes for his glory and our good.
Matthew 7:28-29; We conclude our study of the Sermon on the Mount by looking at Christ's authority. The crowds heard Jesus' teaching and were "astonished" because his teaching is DIFFERENT, PRACTICAL and DEMANDING. What is our response to Christ's teaching?
Matthew 7:27-32; Jesus Christ concludes his "sermon on the mount" by showing us a two builders; two homes and two foundations. He shows us the wise man builds his home upon THE Rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The foolish man builds upon the shifting sand of his own "good" works.
Matthew 7:21-23; Jesus warns his disciples to not place their trust in good theology or good works alone for entry into his kingdom. Only "doing" the will of the Father opens the gates to the Kingdom of heaven. In the end all people are to "Am I known by Jesus?"
Matthew 7:15-20; The Lord Jesus Christ gives instruction to his disciples to be on guards against false teachers. In this sermon we hear Christ's instruction to be on guard against false teacher, how to recognize them and the warning against following them.
Matthew 7:13-14; Jesus commands his disciples to enter by the "narrow gate, but avoid the wide gate." Christ's command goes against the grain of the world which says "live to die". Jesus says "die to live."
Matthew 7:12; The Golden Rule is not unique to Christianity. In all other religions, however, it is the way of salvation. Only in Christianity is the Golden Rule the RESPONSE to Christ's work of Salvation.
Matthew 7:7-11; How should we approach God the Father in Prayer. Jesus, the Father's beloved son, tells his disciples to go to the Father as a GOOD father, because he delights to give HIMSELF to his children.