Sermon: Pray for One Another

“Pray for One Another” Ephesians 3:14-21 January 3, 2016 In my freshman year in college, I began to grow significantly in my spiritual life. One part of that growth was that I began attending a Wednesday evening Bible study — and part of that study was a prayer time with other men in the church […]

Sermon: The Comforting Word

“The Comforting Word” Psalm 119:49-56 December 27, 2015 I’m not sure who did the research, but someone came up with a list of “America’s Top 99 Problems.” A few samplings from the list (in increasing order of importance): Terrorism Peeling paint Snakebites Ugly clothes Nothing good to watch on TV Light pollution Airline delays Orbiting […]

He came with peace

The following is a manuscript of the Christmas Eve message I gave tonight. You may also download a PDF, video, or audio of the message. Perhaps you heard about the massive headline on the front page of the New York Daily News the day after the shootings in San Bernardino, CA. A page-long headline surrounded […]

Sermon: Christmas Dreams

“Christmas Dreams” Matthew 1:18-25 December 20, 2015 Christmas captivates us like no other holiday on our calendar. When we are young, birthdays are anticipated and exciting, but the older we become birthdays are associated with less anticipation and with more dread. We like July 4 and Thanksgiving in America, but those days pass quickly and […]

Learning to obey the command to rejoice

Paul’s command to “rejoice always” in Philippians 4:4 seems a little unreasonable. We naturally think that joy is something that happens to us, not something that we control. And even if we acknowledge that rejoicing is something that we can do and a command that we can obey, we naturally assume that certain circumstances are […]

Sermon: Rejoice Always

“Rejoice Always” Philippians 4:4-7 November 29, 2015 Tuesday afternoon I went to get a haircut. And while I was in the chair, the discussion inevitably turned to Thanksgiving and the meal ahead. “What kind of trimmings are you having with your turkey?” I asked. “Mom asked if I wanted pecan or chocolate pie…I told her, […]

Sermon: One Grateful Man

“One Grateful Man” Luke 17:11-19 November 22, 2015 It’s one of my (several) favorite Peanuts cartoons: Linus is shown sitting at a table, pencil in hand. In the second panel the paper he was writing on is crumpled with his expected exclamation, “Rats!” In the third panel we see a trash can surrounded by numerous […]

Sermon: God’s Revelation, Man’s Rejection, Part 6

“God’s Revelation; Man’s Rejection” Part 6 Romans 1:28-32 November 15, 2015 How many times in the past few months have you observed something culturally and asked a question something like, “How can that possibly be…what are they/is he thinking?…” I said that when I read some of the opinions that were espoused by our Supreme […]

The church and homosexuality

When I began preaching the book of Romans several months ago, I knew that soon I would have to think through and preach on Romans 1:24-27, the most significant passage in Scripture about homosexuality and God’s judgment. As I always do, I wanted to “get it right” — that is, I wanted to be sure […]

Sermon: God’s Revelation, Man’s Rejection, Part 5

“God’s Revelation; Man’s Rejection” Part 5 Romans 1:26-27 November 1, 2015 For many years I have been maintaining a filing system with articles and information on hundreds of different topics (it currently fills 27 file drawers in my office and a substantial portion of my hard drive on my computer). In one of those drawers […]

We need the Bible. Today. Everyday.

“You can never have a Christian mind without reading the Scriptures regularly because you cannot be profoundly influenced by that which you do not know. If you are filled with God’s Word, your life can then be informed and directed by God — your domestic relationships, your child-rearing, your career, your ethical decisions, your interior […]

Reformation from the inside out

On this date, 498 years ago, a little-known monk in Wittenberg, Germany started a “little” controversy. He posted 95 declarations of debate on the door of the church in that town, intending to start a discussion with the Roman Catholic Church to transform her. Instead, he started the Protestant Reformation. Some of the theses he […]

Sermon: Redemption

“The Message of the Cross: Redemption” Ephesians 1:7-8 October 25, 2015 Sometimes communion feels like an afterthought to a worship service: “it’s our monthly duty and we just squeeze it into an already full morning of worship.” But because the work of Christ is central to our salvation, communion should never feel like an after […]

Sermon: The Bible and Homosexuality

“The Bible and Homosexuality” Selected Scriptures October 18, 2015 Twenty-five years ago, my best friend from high school wrote me a letter. Finally on the bottom of page three, he finally said what I’m sure was the reason behind his writing. Let me read it to you: “I’m gay, Terry. I’ve been so my whole […]

The efficacy of God’s Word

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity. [Meditate on the] mighty power and efficacy that the Word has had upon the souls and consciences of men. It has changed their hearts. Some by reading Scripture have been […]