“The Greatness of the Gospel” (Part 2) Romans 1:16-17 August 16, 2015 A few years ago an investment company produced a commercial advocating using their services to accumulate enough wealth for retirement — the commercial showed a couple sitting on a couch being bounced up and down from behind by their hosts in an attempt […]
Read More Sermon: The Greatness of the Gospel (Pt. 2)The gospel is powerful to save. Both the Old and New Testaments provide ample illustrations of the saving power of God. While the Old Testament often stresses the temporal salvation of God’s people (e.g., Ex. 14:13; 15:2), there are other demonstrations also of God’s power to spiritually save sinners (e.g., Ps. 77:14-15; Is. 12:2; 52:7, […]
Read More The saving gospel“The Greatness of the Gospel” (Part 1) Romans 1:16-17 August 9, 2015 I have in my closet some important letters — Raye Jeanne wrote them to me when we were dating and not yet married. Over the 13 months that we dated before marriage I suppose I have 100 or more letters (hard copies — […]
Read More Sermon: The Greatness of the Gospel (Pt. 1)This is a repost of a blog from last year; since our Bible book of the month is Habakkuk, I thought it would be helpful to post this again. One of the most repeated sentences by young children is, “it’s not fair…” As in, It’s not fair that my brother can stay up later than […]
Read More Reading Habakkuk (redux)“Caring for One Another: A Life of Service” (Part 2) Romans 1:11-15 August 2, 2015 A number of years ago, London resident Simon Thompson was trying to push his stalled BMW off a road in a London suburb when another driver called out, “Do you want a hand?” And then the car’s back doors flew […]
Read More Sermon: A Life of Service (Pt. 2)“Caring for One Another: A Life of Service” (Part 1) Romans 1:11-15 July 19, 2015 It’s hard to be a servant. To serve others is to do something that is contrary to our natural inclinations and to fight against the flesh. That’s why we just read the story of Epaphroditus. We don’t know much about […]
Read More Sermon: A Life of ServiceIn one of the shortest verses of the Bible, believers are instructed to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). The believer is not only to pray regularly and habitually, but prayer is to constantly be at the forefront of his mind. He is to be always ready for communication with His Lord and Master. And […]
Read More What to pray for one another“Caring for One Another: A Life of Prayer” (Pt. 2) Romans 1:8-10 June 28, 2015 Loneliness is an age-old problem, and in Japan one restaurant has come up with a novel solution. The owners of Tokyo’s Moomin House Café observed many customers who came alone and sat alone. So they set about to cultivate a […]
Read More Sermon: A Life of Prayer, Pt. 2“Caring for One Another: A Life of Prayer” Romans 1:8-10 June 21, 2015 Speaker Robert Henry went to a large discount department store a number of years ago in search of a pair of binoculars. Charles Swindoll tells the story: As he walked up to the appropriate counter he noticed that he was the only […]
Read More Sermon: A Life of PrayerGrace and peace. Two nouns, both very common. They are common in the culture of the world and they are even more common in biblical and church culture. They are one-syllable words with relatively simple and concise meanings. Grace is undeserved favor and peace is the absence of conflict and the presence of blessing. And […]
Read More Grace and peace“Paul, God, and the Gospel” Pt. 4 Romans 1:1-7 June 14, 2015 A couple of years ago, Business Insider reported the following story: In 1962, a man named George Walton wanted to find out what his 1913 Liberty Head nickel coin was worth. But on his way to the coin show, his car crashed and […]
Read More Sermon: Paul, God, and the Gospel (Pt. 4)“Paul, God, and the Gospel” Pt. 3 Romans 1:1-7 June 7, 2015 You don’t need me to tell you this, but our world is changing. Rapidly. This week I read a sobering article entitled, “Stage Two Exile: Are You Ready for It?” The author’s premise was that over the past thirty years or so the […]
Read More Sermon: Paul, God, and the Gospel (Pt. 3)“It’s About People: the Priority of Relationships” Selected Scriptures May 31, 2015 Someone called this maze of relationships, “the theory of relativity:” …consider the marriage mayhem created when 76-year-old Bill Baker of London recently wed Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter’s husband’s mother. That’s where the confusion began, according to Baker’s granddaughter, Lynn. […]
Read More Sermon: It’s About PeopleFollowing Sunday morning’s sermon, I had the following email interchange to clarify one point from the message on Romans 1:4. The essence of the question is, “just what does it mean that Christ was “declared [a better translation is “appointed”] the Son of God with power?” Q: I wanted to ask you for a bit […]
Read More Q & A: Christ’s heavenly throne“Paul, God, and the Gospel” Pt. 2 Romans 1:1-7 May 24, 2015 A few years ago I saw a book in the bookstore and was curious about the title and book, Jesus, Life Coach, so I looked it up online and found this description from the editors: There was a time when only athletes had […]
Read More Sermon: Paul, God, and the Gospel (Pt. 2)
Words of Grace 