Sermon: Sin and Death…and Grace

Sin and Death…and Grace 1 John 5:16-17 August 17, 2014 I was listening to a couple of interviews of some pastors and counselors recently and the interviewer asked two different panels a question that I have asked others a great many times: “what do you think is the greatest need or problem in the church […]

Sermon: Pray with Confidence

Pray with Confidence 1 John 5:14-15 August 10, 2014 When a new college graduate takes his first job, one of his concerns will be, “what kind of benefit package do you have?” He wants to know what added privileges there are for working in this job — is there health care and a retirement package […]

Sermon: That You May Know Assurance

That You May Know Assurance 1 John 5:13 July 27, 2014 Everyone wants a sure thing. Bettors at a horse track are (vainly) searching for certainty. Couples standing at the altar of marriage would like a guarantee of a successful union. Parents would like a guarantee that the training they are giving their children will […]

Sermon: Christ on Trial

Christ on Trial 1 John 5:6-12 July 6, 2014 The darkest night of the disciples’ lives was the night of Jesus betrayal, arrest, and trial. They knew that Jesus was hated by many — the Pharisees and Sadducees rejected Him, Nazareth rejected Him, even His own siblings rejected Him. But to see Christ on trial […]

Sermon: New Life in Christ: Victory

New Life in Christ: Victory 1 John 5:4-5 June 29, 2014 I went to my first Texas Ranger game sometime in the summer of 1972. As far as baseball goes, they were not very good that year, but they were my team and I loved to watch them. Even now, when I read their names […]

Sermon: New Life in Christ: Faith, Love, and Obedience

New Life in Christ: Faith, Love, and Obedience 1 John 5:1-3 June 22, 2014 In late April/early May, 1989 I remember very distinctly walking out of a seminary classroom building, crossing the street that separated the campus from our apartment building and thinking, “I’ve taken my last exam; I’ve been taking tests in school for […]

Sermon: Love One Another, Part 3

Love One Another, Pt. 3 1 John 4:15-21 June 15, 2014 Some things that should be self-evident aren’t as obvious as we might suppose. When he was a football coach, Buddy Ryan was known as being a no-nonsense, tough-nosed coach. He learned well from his father, as an article from 1994 recounts: Leaving Korea as […]

Sermon: Love One Another, Part 2

Love One Another, Pt. 2 1 John 4:11-14 June 8, 2014 It is perhaps the worst case of amnesia in the world. Deborah Wearing tells the story of her husband, Clive: Clive had no idea that Tuesday, March 26, 1985 would be his last day of conscious thought. We weren’t ready. Did he feel his […]

Sermon: Love One Another, Part 1

Love One Another, Pt. 1 1 John 4:7-10 June 1, 2014 While it is true that you never stop being a parent, there are definitely particular transitions in the process of parenting, and this weekend Raye Jeanne and I are crossing one of the big transitions: for the first time, neither of our girls will […]

Sermon: Discerning the Spirits, Part 2

Discerning the Spirits, Pt. 2 1 John 4:1-6 May 18, 2014 I’ve always been pretty curious, and I like to collect questions and somewhere I picked up these: What color is a chameleon on a mirror? Where does weight go when you lose it? Why are Chinese fortune cookies written in English? Why is abbreviated […]

Sermon: Discerning the Spirits

Discerning the Spirits 1 John 4:1-6 May 11, 2014 On this day that we recognize our mothers — and the mothers of our children — we recognize the uniqueness of a mother’s role. And as you have reflected on the way your mother has influenced you, perhaps you’re asking the question today, “what makes my […]

Sermon: What in the world is the Spirit doing today?

What in the World is the Spirit Doing Today? John 16:5-11 May 4, 2014 We live in a crazy world. I know it’s always been that way. But it certainly seems to be getting worse, doesn’t it? It is easy to look at the world and shake one’s head in disbelief at what is happening. […]

Sermon: The Gifts of the Spirit (tongues)

The Gifts of the Spirit, Pt. 3 1 Corinthians 14:1-28 April 27, 2014 Over the past two months, we’ve taken a brief excursus from our study of 1 John to study the work of the Holy Spirit. We did this because in 3:24 it says, “We know by this that He abides in us, by […]

Sermon: He is Risen

He is Risen Mark 16:1-8 April 20, 2014 Some words are life-changing words. After they are uttered, the direction and course of one’s life is irrevocably changed. Words like the ones I said to Raye Jeanne a few months after we first met — “I love you.” Everything about our relationship changed after that. Words […]

Good Friday: “Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

“Why Have You Forsaken Me?” Mark 15:33-34 April 18, 2014 (Good Friday Communion Service) How do you estimate something’s value? If you own a home, you can have a property evaluator or insurance adjuster come to your home and give you and estimate of your property’s value. If you own a car, you can take […]