Sermon: Failure and Faithfulness

Failure and Faithfulness Romans 11:11-16 June 28, 2020 The past four months of COVID-19 and unrighteous killings and riots have led to many questions, and few answers. Many questions have not just been asked about our political leaders, but also about God. All the questions about God might be summarized by three questions asked by […]

Sermon: A Servant of Scripture

A Servant of Scripture Psalm 119:121-128 June 21, 2020 Private Harry Cole was a private in the British Army that was retreating to Dunkirk in 1940. He penned a letter to his mother and family during the retreat, but his regiment was overrun by the Germans and he never made it to Dunkirk and did […]

Sermon: Thanking God for the Past…

Thanking God for the Past; Trusting God for the Future Philippians 1:3-11 June 14, 2020 Sometimes it is hard to give thanks for the circumstances and people of our past. That’s not just true in the past three months, but it’s also true of life in general — illness, unexpected deaths, financial hardship (poverty), broken […]

Sermon: What the World Needs Now

What the World Needs Now Selected Scriptures June 7, 2020 Thursday morning I went for a run as I normally do on that day. I woke up particularly early, so I grabbed my headlamp to guide my way. It was somewhat warm and humid so I was a little tired on the run. A little […]

Sermon: Walking Worthy by Preserving Unity

Walking Worthy by Preserving Unity Ephesians 4:1-3 May 31, 2020 I have always loved, and often used, the saying, “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as quickly as I could.” Similarly, I wasn’t born in the church, but I got here as quickly as I could. Since childhood, I have always attended […]

Sermon: When Your Soul is Tempted to be Despondent, Pt. 2

When Your Soul is Tempted to be Despondent, Part 2 Psalm 103:6-22 May 17, 2020 Over the past couple of months I’ve thought several times of a popular and catchy, but ridiculous song from the late 1980s: In every life we have some trouble But when you worry you make it double Don’t worry, be […]

Sermon: When Your Soul is Tempted to be Despondent

When Your Soul is Tempted to be Despondent Psalm 103:1-5 May 10, 2020 Several months ago, while reading my Bible, I was struck by the beauty of a particular psalm and though I didn’t have time to study it in detail that day, I knew I didn’t want to forget to study that psalm, so […]

Sermon: God Unchanging

God Unchanging Psalm 102:23-28 May 3, 2020 There are some constants in life — the proverbial death and taxes among them. Another constant is change. We can be certain that very few things in life are static; most things change. Among the changes in life are cultural norms. Consider the story of one John Fisher […]

Sermon: What Are You Thinking?

What Are You Thinking? Colossians 3:1-4 April 26, 2020 What we think is important. I don’t mean that our opinions about various topics are important — they may or may not be important — but that what we are thinking about in any given moment is important. The millions of thoughts that travel around our […]

Sermon: Be Afraid – to the Glory of God

Be Afraid — to the Glory of God Proverbs 1:7 April 19, 2020 When we are afraid, we are tempted to do things we would otherwise consider irrational. Consider these three folks who have a fear of bugs and spiders: A man was filling up his car at a gas station when he noticed a […]

Sermon: Our Risen, Returning Savior

Our Risen, Returning Savior John 14:1-3 April 12, 2020 What do you offer a man who is discouraged and hopeless? What do you offer someone whose world is shattered? What do you offer someone who has captured a glimpse into the future, and the fear of it is not startling, but terrifying in its deadliness? […]

Sermon: The Compassionate, Competent Savior

The Compassionate, Competent Savior John 11:17-44 April 5, 2020 Who will care for you when you are suffering? Who will care for you if everyone is suffering? Who will care for you when care and connection and human touch are being restricted by governmental controls? We are not the first people to ask that question. […]

Sermon: Our Infinite, Intimate God

Our Infinite, Intimate God Psalm 139 March 29, 2020 Loneliness is a common affliction. While living in an increasingly connected world, many feel increasingly disconnected relationally. As one secular writer noted a few years ago, “…if you’re an average American, you’re not nearly as connected to the people around you as your parents or grandparents […]

Sermon: Peace and Courage in a Troubled World

Peace and Courage in a Troubled World John 16:32-33 March 22, 2020 This is an odd morning. I have preached to this church body almost 1400 times, by my count. I have never preached with music recorded by our musicians ahead of time, and I have never preached to an empty auditorium. There have been […]

Sermon: Food, Shelter, Pandemics, and Fear

Food, Shelter, Pandemics, and Fear Matthew 6:25-34 March 15, 2020 We know that as believers we should not be afraid. But when the World Health Organization classifies the Coronavirus as a pandemic and virtually every major sports league suspends its games, including championship series, universities move to online only classes, school districts extend spring breaks, […]