Can we talk too much about justification?

For several weeks we have considered the passage in Romans that one writer has called “the most important paragraph ever written.” It is Romans 3:21-26 and it is perhaps the most concise explanation of the doctrine of justification — how unrighteous men are declared to be righteous before God. Taking four weeks to look at […]

Sermon: God’s Righteousness Revealed (Pt. 3)

“God’s Righteousness Revealed” (Pt. 3) Romans 3:24-25 February 5, 2017 This is the third week that we’ve looked at this passage that one commentator said “is possibly the most important single paragraph ever written.” [Morris, 173.] Why are we taking so much time and going so slowly through this passage? Because this may be the […]

Salvation and Sola Fide

In his great text on the doctrine of justification, Paul notes that it is acquired only by faith — “the righteousness of God [is] through faith in Jesus Christ.” He will reiterate the necessity of faith several times in this passage: God displayed Jesus Christ “publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith” (v. […]

Sermon: God’s Righteousness Revealed (Pt. 2)

“God’s Righteousness Revealed” (Pt. 2) Romans 3:21-23 January 29, 2017 Sometimes things are just not as they seem. Three years ago a 100-year-old woman only known by her first name, Eisha, died in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia, leaving behind an estate worth approximately $800,000. Her wealth included gold coins, jewels, and a real estate portfolio that […]

Sermon: God’s Righteousness Revealed (Pt. 1)

“God’s Righteousness Revealed” (Pt. 1) Romans 3:21-22 January 22, 2017 Martin Luther had a problem. Listen to his words: “I greatly longed to understand Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in my way but that one expression, ‘the justice (righteousness) of God,’ because I took it to mean that justice whereby God is […]

How do the Scriptures have divine authority?

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity. How does it appear that the Scriptures have a Jus Divinum, a divine authority stamped upon them? Because the Old and New Testament are the foundation of all religion. If their […]

God is always good

Not everything that we know is true feels like it is true. We know that there is always hope for someone’s salvation (Heb. 3:12-13), but when that person has rejected Christ repeatedly and vehemently, we might not feel hopeful. We understand the power of Christ to reconcile believers to one another (Eph. 2:13-18), but when […]

Sermon: God’s Good Word in the School of Affliction

“God’s Good Word in the School of Affliction” Psalm 119:65-72 January 1, 2017 Every year for the past five or six years, on the first Sunday of January I have preached a sermon from Psalm 119 to encourage us to read and meditate on and memorize Scripture in the coming year. And I had planned […]

Why was Jesus Christ made flesh? Part 2

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity [continued from last week]. Use one: Of instruction. See here, as in a glass, the infinite love of God the Father; that when we had lost ourselves by sin, God, in […]

What Christ gained through His incarnation

What follows is a manuscript of my message at this morning’s Christmas worship service. What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received? When I was a child, it was a table game called, “Pro Draft.” It was a 1974 game that simulated being a general manager of a pro football team and it came with […]

What Christ gave up in His incarnation

What follows is a manuscript of my message at tonight’s Christmas Eve service. Christmas always comes with such anticipation. For children it’s about presents and a holiday from school and special events. For adults it’s about time with friends and family, and perhaps a few vacation days and a slower pace of life, and maybe […]

Why was Jesus Christ made flesh?

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from A Body of Divinity. Why was Jesus Christ made flesh? (1) The causa prima, and impulsive cause, was free grace. It was love in God the Father to send Christ, and love in Christ […]

How Christ resisted temptation

The New Testament is clear that our Savior did not sin (cf. Mt. 5:17-18; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 2 Cor. 5:21). However, the question is how did He not sin? Did He rely on His deity and use His divine power to keep from sinning? If so, it is hard to conceive that such obedience can […]

Read your Bible in 2017

A new year will be upon us in two short weeks. And you may already be thinking about how you want to increase your Bible intake — reading, study, and memorization — in the new year. As we do every year, we are publishing several Bible reading plans for 2017. Our church will be following […]

Sermon: The Son of God Has Come

“The Son of God Has Come” Selected Scriptures from 1 John December 18, 2016 What gift are you going to give to that special person in your life? Five years ago Alan McCutchen ended his relationship with his girlfriend, Mary Jo Smith, and he thought the relationship was completely over. Not quite. Two weeks ago […]