Sunday Leftovers: Make sure no one deceives you

I led a pretty sheltered life growing up. I grew up in a home that loved and honored Christ and the Word of God. No matter where we lived participation in a local church was assumed and I was raised in several outstanding churches. I attended a Christian school in my elementary years. The dominant […]

Sermon: Sin, Righteousness, and the Believer, Pt 1

Sin, Righteousness, and the Believer, Pt. 1 1 John 3:4-10 November 17, 2013 I was in college the first time I remember reading 1 John seriously. I’m sure I read the book before my college years; but it was in my freshman year that I really began to grow in Christ in a significant way. […]

What is sin?

What is sin? Sin is acting without believing God (Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6) Sin is not doing what is the right thing to do — acts of omission (James 4:17) Sin is acting rebelliously against God’s Law (1 John 3:4) Sin is doing anything unrighteous — acts of comission (1 John 5:17) Sin is wicked. […]

Christ and your sin

John Owen, Communion with the Triune God: Sin being removed, and righteousness bestowed, we have peace with God—are continually accepted before him. There is not any thing to charge us with: that which was, is taken out of the way by Christ, and nailed to his cross—made fast there; yea, publicly and legally cancelled, that […]

Let us examine our ways

You may not know the name Wilhelm Roentgen, but his discovery has undoubtedly impacted you. It was in November of 1895 while the German physicist was replicating a common electrical experiment that he noticed an oddity. A little curiosity combined with further testing, and Roentgen was able to conclude that not only are there light […]

Biblical counseling conference

This weekend we are hosting the final weekend of our Biblical Counseling and Discipleship Conference. We are delighted to have as a guest speaker, Heath Lambert, the executive director of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC, formerly known as NANC). He will be speaking at the conference on both Friday and Saturday and then […]

The mortified man

Christopher Love, The Mortified Christian: A truly mortified man is like a warrior: he will either kill or be killed. He will kill his sins or else his sins will kill him. Now examine yourselves in this: are you only fencers, to sport and play with your lusts, or are you warriors who fight with […]

Sunday Leftovers: the believer with Christ

The New Testament speaks in many ways about our identification with Christ — our unity with Him. Considering only the words “with Christ” and “with Him,” Constantine Campbell notes the many ways the Epistles way we are unified with Christ (other words used are ones like, “in Christ,” “in Him,” “placed into Christ,” “abide in […]

Sermon: Christ in Us

The Message of the Cross: Christ in Us Galatians 2:20-21 October 27, 2013 (Communion Sunday) There are many ways to talk about the cross of Christ. Over the years I’ve not only preached the crucifixion passages, but I’ve also preached many other sermons relating to the effects and accomplishments of the cross. We’ve seen how […]

Preparing for communion

This Sunday morning we will practice the ordinance of communion. The apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers to examine themselves prior to taking the elements of the Lord’s Supper so that they might not take them in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-32). This is a principle that applies to every believer — thorough self-examination […]

Building idols

In a remarkable — almost comical — passage, Jeremiah exposes the folly of ungodly worship: “They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because […]

Free audio biography of Jonathan Edwards

In recent years there has been a resurgence in appreciation for Puritan and Reformed writers. Among American writers who stand in that tradition, Jonathan Edwards is likely the greatest. He has been called the greatest or most influential American theologian. It’s hard to disagree with that assertion. And now, for only a few more days, […]

Addicted to electronic technology?

A week ago at our Biblical Counseling and Discipleship Conference, I gave a presentation on technology addiction. I gave a brief overview the influence of technology (which is far more than the internet, iPhones, and Facebook), and then demonstrated the relationship between technology and sin: technology is not inherently sinful, but technology is created with […]

Sunday Leftovers: How great is God’s love?

How great is God’s love to make you His child? God has told us that we are to look for, examine, contemplate, and be overwhelmed by the richness of God’s love for us (“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us…” 1 Jn. 3:1). So here are some ways in which we […]

Sermon: Children of God

Children of God 1 John 3:1-3 October 20, 2013 Say the words “family” or “father,” and not everyone has a positive response. A few examples: Former NFL coach Buddy Ryan was known for his intensity and explosive temper. He learned well from his father. Leaving Korea as a master sergeant and coming home, “he saw […]