Sermon: Accused and Condemned

“Accused and Condemned” Romans 3:19-20 August 28, 2016 A number of years ago singer Billy Joel talked about his spiritual life: “I wasn’t raised Catholic, but I used to go to Mass with my friends and I viewed the whole business as a lot of very enthralling hocus-pocus. There’s a guy…nailed to a cross and […]

The Scriptures: A 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 divine authority stamped upon them? Because the Old and New Testament are the foundation of all religion. If their divinity cannot be […]

Sermon: The Weightiness of Sin, Pt. 5

“The Weightiness of Sin” Pt. 5 Romans 3:18 August 21, 2016 Unless you are a fan of rock climbing, you likely don’t know the name of Alex Honnold. But among a particular group of climbers — solo climbers — those who climb without a rope or any protective equipment of any kind, and often even […]

Sermon: The Weightiness of Sin, Pt. 4

“The Weightiness of Sin” Pt. 4 Romans 3:15-17 August 14, 2016 Like many of you, I get news updates on my phone; several times a day I’ll get a notification on my home screen about some breaking news event: it’s hot in Texas; it’s raining everywhere but in Texas; someone won a gold medal at […]

Meditate upon the excellency of grace

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is from The Christian on the Mount. Grace is precious in itself; 2 Peter 1:1 speaks of precious faith. Grace is precious in its origin; it comes from above (James 3:17). Grace is precious in its nature; […]

Sermon: The Weightiness of Sin, Pt. 3

“The Weightiness of Sin” Pt. 3 Romans 3:13-14 August 7, 2016 A blog that I occasionally read recently published, “50+ Old Fashioned Insults We Should Bring Back.” In the author’s estimation, we have lost the ability to insult others in “clever, nuanced, descriptive, and… amusing” ways. So he made an appeal to reincorporate some older […]

Meditate upon the vanity of the creature

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Christian on the Mount. When you have sifted out the finest flour that the creature can give, you will find something either to dissatisfy or nauseate. The best wine has its froth, the […]

Sermon: “You Must Be Born Again”

“You Must Be Born Again” John 3:1-8 July 31, 2016 (Communion Sunday) The book of John is all about belief and faith — John uses the verb “believe” 98x in his gospel. He asks questions like, “how does one come to believe in Christ?” And, “how does a believer in Christ live and act?” The […]

Sermon: The Weightiness of Sin, Pt. 2

“The Weightiness of Sin,” Pt. 2 Romans 3:10-12 July 24, 2016 In 1990, our country was embroiled in a nationwide debate over a decision that had been made in Washington D.C. President George (H. W.) Bush made a decision that not everyone appreciated, but it was one that he had been contemplating for many years. […]

Sermon: The Weightiness of Sin

“The Weightiness of Sin” Romans 3:9 July 17, 2016 Every year for the past four years, Zimbabwe has hosted a most unusual pageant. You know there are beauty pageants for women and there are a few for men, but this one in Zimbabwe is quite different. It has been held now for four consecutive years; […]

I am contented

A traveler was making his way down a little-used back road in Oregon when his need for gasoline drew him to a run-down service station. The owner sat outside, absorbed in the view of the wilderness that lay before him. After filling the tank, making a couple of half-interested swipes at the dirty windshield, and […]

The justice of God

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. All God’s attributes are in unity, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us—yet he has but one essence. […]

Sermon: God’s Judgments and God’s Faithfulness, Pt. 2

“God’s Judgments and God’s Faithfulness” Pt. 2 Romans 3:1-8 July 10, 2016 A few weeks ago, a woman took the book Myths and Legends of Maoriland back to her Auckland, New Zealand library. It was a little late and she was concerned about the potential fine. Actually, it was checked out in 1948, making it […]

The sense of sin works for good in the godly

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from All Things for Good. [The] sense of sin works for good, as it is an occasion of putting the soul upon six especial duties: (1) It puts the soul upon self-searching. A child of […]

Sermon: God’s Judgments and God’s Faithfulness, Pt. 1

“God’s Judgments and God’s Faithfulness” Pt. 1 Romans 3:1-8 July 3, 2016 Life is filled with perplexing questions — 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 such a long word? Is there another word for […]