The Friend of Sinners

“The Friend of Sinners”Luke 7:36-50September 21, 2025 The Bible is filled with deeply profound statements — life-changing statements. You know many of them and have been guided and helped by them. It is a temptation for us to say, “this is the most important statement in the Bible” or “this is the most important statement […]

The Son of Man’s Authority to Seek Sinners

The Son of Man’s Authority to Seek SinnersLuke 5:27-39March 23, 2025 One of my favorite declarations of authority was given by poet Judith Viorst, writing in the voice of an elementary-aged boy named Alexander: “If I were in charge of the world…” If I were in charge of the worldI’d cancel oatmeal,Monday mornings,Allergy shots, and […]

“Your sins are forgiven you”

It was a simple statement by Jesus. It was just six words. They may not be the most significant or powerful words ever spoken by Jesus, but they undoubtedly they were the most significant and powerful words ever spoken to the man who heard them: “Friend, your sins are forgiven you” (Lk. 5:20). He was […]

The Forgiving Authority of the Son of Man

The Forgiving Authority of the Son of ManLuke 5:17-26March 16, 2025 Into every life a little rain must fall. Death and taxes are a certainty for every person. Trouble is all around us. And everyone has trouble, trials, problems, and difficulties. Even in a land of prosperity. Of course some of them are unique […]

The Cleansing Power of the Son of Man

The Cleansing Power of the Son of ManLuke 5:12-16March 9, 2025 Finish this statement for me: “Cleanliness is next to __________ .” So I’m not sure what to do with Dave Whitlock. Dave is a grad of MIT, a chemical engineer, and the founder of AOBiome which markets bacterial products that are supposed to […]

The God Who Forgives

From virtually the first page (Genesis 3) until the last page, the Bible acknowledges, confronts, and exposes the sinfulness of mankind. The reality of sin in its heinousness is not hidden (e.g., the sin of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19). The vast amount of sin in every individual is recognized (see Jesus’ parable […]

I am Christ’s

As followers of Christ, we do not always reckon well the provision of Christ for us. In this brief meditation, Philip Dodderidge helps us consciously meditate on our position in Christ and some of the infinite blessings that flow from the cross: I am yours!Your mercy is mine to pardon me.Your blood is mine to […]

Q&A: Forgiveness

Q: What does it mean when you say, “We forgive from the heart when confession is not made (Mark 11:25).” This seems to run counter to statements about transacted forgiveness when someone asks for forgiveness by acknowledging sin and one grants forgiveness based on that request. Could you please clarify this as I am a […]

God’s merciful use of sin

You are aware of the saying, “You can be anything you want to be; you can do anything you want to do, if you just try hard enough.” I am intentionally working to burst bubbles and change thinking when I say, “Bologna.” That saying is just wrong. Completely wrong. And foolish. And deceiving. And hopeless […]

Sermon: The Sinning Believer and His Sin

“The Sinning Believer and His Sin” Psalm 130 April 12, 2015 Arthur Lampitt was driving his tan Ford Thunderbird to work one July morning in 1963 when he was involved in a car accident so bad that he was reported as dead on the local radio station. It had been raining and his car tires […]

Good Friday — “Father, forgive them”

It is hard to forgive; it is harder to forgive one who intentionally sins against you. I know of no story that better illustrates that statement than the account of Kevin Tunell. On New Year’s Day, 1982, 18-year-old Susan Herzog was killed in a car accident when her car was struck by one driven by […]

The blessedness of forgiveness

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Godly Man’s Picture. “For this cause shall everyone who is godly pray unto you.” (Psalm 32:6) Holy David at the beginning of this psalm, shows us wherein true happiness consists; not in beauty, […]

I confess

I confess I find confession hard. Don’t we all? There is nothing easy about admitting one is wrong. And compounding the difficulty of confession is the further requirement to ask for forgiveness from the one to whom we are confessing. And when we confess to the Lord, it additionally requires a desire to change — […]

Sermon: I Will Confess

I Will Confess Psalm 32 February 22, 2015 At least according to some researchers, a famous line from the 1970 film, “Love Story” really is true. In the movie, the character played by Ali MacGraw tells the character played by Ryan O’Neal, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” As a side note, it […]

Expunged

Dear Ann Landers: A few years ago, I committed a crime (a misdemeanor). I was arrested and charged. Since I had never been in trouble before, my lawyer had my record expunged. Will this show up on a police background check? I’m looking for a job and want to be sure my prospective employers won’t […]