Sermon: It’s Time (Pt 2)

It’s Time (Part 2) Romans 13:11-14 April 25, 2021 In 1940, Japan formed an alliance with Axis powers Germany and Italy, to the dismay of Isoroku Yamamoto, the commander-in-chief of Japan’s Combined Fleet. He protested the alliance without success and then set about the task of preparing for what he perceived as an inevitable war […]

Sermon: It’s Time (Pt 1)

It’s Time (Part 1) Romans 13:11-14 April 11, 2021 Larry Walters had always dreamed of flying, but because of poor eyesight was unable to get into the US Air Force. So he made his living with another kind of transportation service — driving a truck. But he would still frequently think about flying. At some […]

Service and Suffering

We all know the priority of service. But how is it possible to serve when you are suffering? That is is an important question because all of us suffer hardship. Christ Himself acknowledged that fact — “In the world you have tribulation…” (John 16:33). And this has been our very own experience. We have various […]

Sermon: The Resurrected and Revealed Savior

The Resurrected and Revealed Savior John 21:1-14 April 4, 2021, Resurrection Day What is your source of discouragement today? What is keeping you awake and night and occupying your thoughts when you have quiet moments during the day, or even when you are in conversation with friends? What is enticing you to not just buy […]

A Good Friday Message

The Triumphant Submission of Christ Mark 14:35-36 April 2, 2021 Of all the things that we don’t like to do and all the things we don’t like to think about, the thing most people most recoil from is death. When I had been a pastor just a few months, Martin’s Funeral Home called me and […]

Sermon: An Acceptable Debt

An Acceptable DebtRomans 13:8-10March 28, 2021 What makes a church a church? Biblical preaching and teaching. Corporate worship (including baptism and communion). Purity of the gospel. Evangelistic proclamation. Generous fellowship. Sacrificial service. Church membership and church discipline. What makes Grace Bible Church Grace Bible Church? What sets us apart and makes us unique? What identifies […]

Five reasons to submit to government

Submission isn’t easy. It isn’t easy for children to submit to parents. Or students to teachers. Or slaves to masters (or employees to employers). Or wives to husbands. Or church members to elders. And it’s not easy for citizens to submit to governing authorities. In 2021, it seems especially true that it is hard for […]

Sermon: You and the Government, Pt. 3

You and the Government, Pt. 3 Romans 13:1-7 March 21, 2021 While there are probably as many different political opinions in this room as there are people, we can all agree that we live in complex and difficult days politically and socially. While there have always been debated issues on the political and social spectrum, […]

Sermon: You and the Government, Pt. 2

You and the Government, Pt. 2 Romans 13:1-7 March 14, 2021 Romans 13-2 Pt 2 ser Someone told me this week (and I have forgotten the details) that the first word spoken by their grandchild (I think that’s who it was) was — “thank you.” That’s not the expected answer. Commonly, the first word of […]

Sermon: You and the Government

You and the Government, Pt. 1 Romans 13:1-7 March 7, 2021 If you are a baseball fan, you know this face — one of the most successful managers in baseball history. If you are not a baseball fan, you might still recognize his name: Casey Stengel. Casey had an ability to say the right thing […]

The Government and You — Some Resources

As I have been preparing for preaching on Romans 13 and the role of government, I have read a number of books, articles, and pamphlets that have helped me think through how to faithfully interpret and apply that passage — and to be aware of how other passages on the topic of government complete our […]

Sermon: The Government and You, Pt 2

The Government and You, Pt. 2 Romans 13:1-7 February 28, 2021 For those of you who have been to my office, you might have noticed a bank of file cabinets outside my office. Those are my resource files — Bible books and topics. And I also have a large digital file on my computer. One […]

Do you remember?

Recently I heard a song that took me back to my childhood and beyond — the Statler Brother’s, “Do You Remember These?” Maybe you remember the song, or some of the allusions in the song — Saturday morning serials Chapters one through fifteen Fly paper, penny loafers, and lucky strike green Flat tops, sock hops, […]

When we sin in terrible ways

I did not know Ravi Zacharias. I certainly knew of him and I have a couple of his books on apologetics, though I never read them. I never attended a conference where he spoke, though I have had conversations with several people who were helped by his ministry of speaking and writing. I heard of […]

I’m thankful today

I’m thankful today. The weather is crazy. I’ve lost track of how many days it’s been since it’s been above freezing. In Texas. I was born in Winnipeg, MB (that’s Canada, for the unaware). The last year I lived there (1973-74), the first snowfall was the last week in October and the last snowfall was […]