Sermon: The Final Words of Jesus

“The Final Words of Jesus” Selected Scriptures April 5, 2015 (Easter Sunday) They are some of the dying words of famous and infamous men: Napoleon Bonaparte, the French general and emperor, said, “I die before my time, and my body will be given back to the earth. Such is the fate of him who has […]

Sermon: For This Purpose I Have Come to This Hour

“For This Purpose I Have Come to This Hour” John 12:27-36 March 29, 2015 (Palm Sunday) Today is Palm Sunday. It’s a day to remember that everybody loves Jesus. Everybody loved Jesus on the day He entered Jerusalem riding on the donkey, making His claim to be Messiah. And everybody loves Jesus today. Except that’s […]

Sermon: Fearing God – A Life of Blessing

Fearing God — A Life of Blessing Psalm 112 March 22, 2015 When I read Scripture, not only am I instructed by the words I read, but I often also have emotional responses to those words: Some words make me feel comforted and encouraged and hopeful and happy — like being wrapped up in a […]

Sermon: When the Well Runs Dry

When the Well Runs Dry Psalm 63 March 15, 2015 Many years ago — in what was probably one of the last great adventures my brother and I had before I got married — we went on a day hike in the Cleveland National Forest in CA. We didn’t make plans that were too extensive; […]

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 […]

Sermon: Joy Comes in the Morning

Joy Comes in the Morning: Giving Thanks After Discipline Psalm 30 February 15, 2015 Hebrews 12 contains the most well-known passage related to God’s spiritual discipline of His children (vv. 5-11). Did you notice all the things that the writer of Hebrews says about God and discipline in that passage? God will reprove His people […]

Sermon: One Thing to Ask God

One Thing to Ask God Psalm 27 February 8, 2015 In A View from the Zoo, Gary Richmond describes the birth of a giraffe: The first thing to emerge are the baby giraffe’s front hooves and head. A few minutes later the plucky newborn calf is hurled forth, falls ten feet, and lands on its […]

Sermon: Life with God

Life with God Psalm 15 February 1, 2015 History remembers Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan as a dashing Irishman who tickled America’s funny bone in the late 1930s, during the dark days of the Depression. He became a national folk hero, creating a household phrase still bestowed on those who do things the “wrong way.” Corrigan […]

Sermon: The Message of the Cross – Grace

The Message of the Cross: Grace John 1:14-17 January 25, 2015 The story (I assume it’s apocryphal, but who knows…) is told about a woman who went to a photographer to get a portrait done. She was anticipating the day when he would call her back to see the result of his work on her […]

Sermon: Pray in this way

Pray in This Way Matthew 6:9-15 January 18, 2015 At the beginning of a new year, we often engage in self-evaluation — Perhaps you have an annual physical like I did this week. You may evaluate the state of your marriage and home — “how are the children or grandchildren doing and how effective are […]

Sermon: What Will You Do with God’s Word?

What Will You Do with God’s Word? Psalm 119:41-48 January 11, 2015 In one of our early years of marriage, Raye Jeanne was trying to be creative with her cooking and trying to come up with some healthier options that tasted similar to some of our favorite meals. And so one night she put a […]

Sermon: The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown

The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: A Short History of Jesus 1 Timothy 1:15-17 December 14, 2014 If you didn’t know better, it would be pretty easy to be confused about what Christmas is about. When you listen to Christmas music you might think that the heroes of Christmas are: Frosty the snowman Rudolph […]

Sermon: What Believers Do When Suffering

What Believers Do When Suffering 1 Peter 4:12-19 December 7, 2014 Over the past couple of months Keith and I have been preaching about some basics of church ministry — church membership, corrective discipleship (church discipline), the roles of elders, deacons, and members, and then last Sunday the nature of marriage and gender. There are […]

Sermon: What Members Do

What Members Do 1 Peter 4:7-11 November 23, 2014 One hundred and two years ago, the Titanic sank quickly and unexpectedly in the Atlantic Ocean. But it took about nine decades to determine the reason why the Titanic sank: Recent in-depth research into the sinking of the Titanic has discovered that faulty rivets may have […]

Sermon: A Biblical Perspective on Church Membership

A Biblical Perspective on Church Membership Selected Scriptures October 19, 2014 A few days ago, I went though a file in one of my cabinets and I found an old copy of the “Grace Bible Church Membership Qualification Examination.” As I read it, I thought, “maybe this is why some people have delayed joining GBC…” […]