Sermon: Gospel Longings

Gospel Longings Romans 9:1-5 May 26, 2019 What makes you sad? What makes your heart ache? What are your greatest sorrows? We likely have similar kinds of lists of sad things: Illness of a loved family member Cancer and terminal diseases in children (I was often profoundly sad walking halls of Cooks Hosp) Broken and […]

Sermon: God’s Great Gospel

God’s Great Gospel Romans 1-8 May 19, 2019 Today we close the book on Romans 8. That means we are halfway through this great letter. It means that we are transitioning to the fourth major section in the book — the sovereignty of God (chs. 9-11). It means that we are leaving one of the […]

Sermon: The Character of Love

The Character of Love 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 May 12, 2019 What is love?… One cartoon explained it this way: “Love is what one feels when one meets a person who has a very profound impact upon one, and meets all of one’s psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.…It’s either that, or, when one’s heart goes pitter-patter.” […]

Sermon: The Spirit, Sanctification, and Security

The Spirit, Sanctification, and Security Romans 8 May 5, 2019 When I go to the mountains, the last morning I am there I invariably go outside for one last round of pictures of those majestic hills. Then, as we leave the area — when my car is about to take me out of view of […]

Sermon: Suffering and the love of Christ

Suffering and the Love of Christ Romans 8:35-39 April 28, 2019 We have questions about love. We want to know what love will do. When we are in love (or think we are in love), we will ask questions like: Will the person I love return that love to me? Will the person I love […]

Sermon: Since Christ is Resurrected…

Since Christ is Resurrected… Romans 8:33-34 April 21, 2019 Sometimes, when you are given a good gift, you don’t realize just how good that gift is: The first time someone gave us fresh eggs, I thought, “that’s nice…I like eggs…” And then I tasted them. Wow…the difference was remarkable! When I transferred seminaries in […]

Sermon: Sing the Song of Security

Sing the Song of Security Romans 8:31-33 March 24, 2019 Most of us probably don’t feel as secure as we did a few years (or decades) ago. When I was 8-years-old my family lived just north of downtown Dallas (not a good neighborhood now, or then), and on a Saturday morning, I would tell my […]

Sermon: God’s Golden Chain of Salvation

God’s Golden Chain of Salvation Romans 8:29-30 March 17, 2019 D.A. Carson [The God Who is There] has noted that all men need salvation: We need to be reconciled to God We need to be morally transformed or we will continue to rebel against God again and again We need the effect of sin to […]

Sermon: All Things for Good

All Things for Good: Trusting God and Sanctification Romans 8:28-29 March 10, 2019 In his book Rise and Shine, Chuck Swindoll recounts a significant event from the past century: When the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations was opened by Queen Victoria in 1851, people flocked to Hyde Park to behold […]

Sermon: Hope in God

Hope in God Psalm 42 March 3, 2019 John Bunyan is one of the most well-known believers in Christ. He wrote numerous books, including the still-in-print, Pilgrim’s Progress. A bold pastor in a difficult time in the church, he was imprisoned for 12 years for preaching the gospel, yet he did not always exude confidence […]

Sermon: The Inspired, Sufficient Word

The Inspired, Sufficient Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17 February 17, 2019 I am surrounded by Bibles. One day in my office several years ago I counted 22 Bibles on my shelves and desk. I don’t have as many at home, but another dozen or so is likely (I haven’t counted them). I have 20 English translations […]

Sermon: The delight of God’s Word

The Delight of God’s Word Psalm 119:97-104 January 6, 2019 Several years ago, after reading through Psalm 119, I was fascinated by all the different ways that the psalmist said he responded to the Word of God. So I re-read through the psalm and made a chart of as many different responses as I could […]

Sermon: The “Foolish” Gospel

The “Foolish” Gospel 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 December 30, 2018 Tuesday is New Year’s Day. So perhaps you, like many of us, will spend some time in the next couple of days doing some self-evaluation — where have you done well physically, financially, relationally, and spiritually this year? Where have you not done so well? And […]

Sermon: Christmas Sorrows

Christmas Sorrows Matthew 2:13-23 December 23, 2018 What is your dream of the perfect Christmas? Paint the picture in your mind: who are the people who are around you? Where are you celebrating? What are you eating? What gifts are you giving and receiving? What will make the perfect Christmas day? On the first Christmas […]

Sermon: He Prays for You

He Prays for You Romans 8:26-27 December 16, 2018 I saw another article on the topic this week. We are lonely. The Wall Street Journal article even called baby boomers, “The Loneliest Generation,” saying, Baby boomers are aging alone more than any generation in U.S. history, and the resulting loneliness is a looming public health […]