October 10, 2010: The Unexpected Abundant Life

Text: John 9:39-10:18

Last week we began to look at how we are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus in response to all He has accomplished through His death and resurrection - declaring us holy before God, coheirs with Christ, new creations, and conforming us to the image of Jesus. This is true for every generation of believers until the end of time! So, if this is who we are, how then shall we live? Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly, but how we define abundant life in our culture is very different than the life we see in Scripture. He gives abundant life but it might not be what we were expecting or maybe even wanting.

October 3, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 10

Text: I Corinthians 2:2

The cross is the most stupendous display of love, justice, mercy, grace, and wisdom. The cruel Roman instrument is the long anticipated vehicle of redemption and reconciliation. A crossless Christianity is no Christianity at all; the cross at the center of biblical truth arrays the full splendor of the gospel. “for I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Our series conclusion will point us to our personal mandate of discipleship in Matthew 16:24. We'll observe Communion at the close of the sermon.

September 26, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 9

Text: Romans 6:1-14

We've talked a lot about how the death of Christ saves us from the penalty of sin - we're forgiven (justified). Calvary not only saves us from the wrath to come, it saves us from the raging seas of temptation and sin (sanctification). We're saved from the power of sin, today. "Sin shall not have dominion over you." That, too, is the hope of the gospel and power of the blood!

September 19, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 8

Text: Hebrews 2:10-18

"The death of death in the death of Christ," as Owen put it. Destroy and deliver - two more key theology terms that breathe life and confidence into the life of the believer. At Calvary, Jesus not only destroyed death but also the one who held the power of death. He delivered us from the slavery of the fear of death into the glorious expectation of the sons of God, who now live in the weight of glory and the eternal perspective. Jesus' death saves from and to.

September 12, 202: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 7

Text: Misc.

The blood-stained pages of the Hebrew Scriptures point to Messiah dying a dramatic and agonizing death, laying down His life for sinners. As we continue our consideration of the death of Christ, we'll look at its effect and benefits for us: what we are saved from and what we are saved to. It is in Jesus' death that we see the breathtaking scope of our redemption as Jesus is set forth as a propitiation for our sins.

August 29, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 5

My pastor always referred to the Bible as God's unfolding drama of redemption. Like every good story the Bible involves character, plot, setting and theme development as well as gripping conflict resolution. As we cross over into the New Testament on Sunday, we'll step into the most profound and powerful story of love and redemption the world has ever known. As we more fully enter into the narrative of the death of Christ, we begin to see why He died in the first place by connecting passages from the Old & New Testaments, as well as from the Gospel accounts and New Testament epistles. From Genesis to Revelation, God's Word is saturated with references to Calvary.

August 22, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 4

Last week we looked at the significance of Ark of the Covenant, often housed in the Holy of Holies. Our launch point this Sunday will be the rich term propitiatory, which is intrinsically tied to the Ark of the Covenant and Jesus' death. We'll explore the meaning, significance and prevalence of sacrifices in the OT leading up to Jesus' ministry. It all points to Christ, to God's holiness, and His unfolding drama of redemption in Scripture. We are putting in the effort to answer the crucial question, "Why did Jesus die?"

August 15, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die? Pt. 3

Why did Jesus die? As we continue addressing this question, we will demonstrate how predominantly blood and sacrifices play in the Hebrew Scriptures. Indeed, they are woven right into the biblical narrative from Adam to Malachi. It is insufficient to merely state that the death of Jesus is no surprise; He truly was the fulfillment of what the Old Testament pointed to, because there simply was “no other way.”

August 1, 2021: Why Did Jesus Die?

Text: various

We'll take a few weeks to answer the question, why did Jesus die? Most could give a basic answer but many would miss, or downplay, its value and significance. We'll take a few weeks to develop and showcase the silver-lining running from Genesis to Revelation: Christ Jesus died for sinners. In this message, we'll set the stage in the Pentateuch and begin laying down tracks in the NT. My design is to safeguard young minds from "progressivism" and my prayer is that our minds are edified as we take a deeper look at God's unfolding drama of redemption.

July 25, 2021: What's Holding You Back?

Text: Mark 1:14-20

In this message, we look at how a growing understanding of the gospel, the royal announcement of the kingdom of God, is just what we need to respond to the obstacles standing in the way of us becoming disciples on mission to make disciples.

July 11, 2021: An Overview

Sermon on the mount series message 28

Text: Matthew 5-7

In this message we'll review key elements of the Sermon on the Mount. It's good to unpack each thought in the sermon, but we don't want to miss the forest for the trees. Jesus speaks to matters of the heart as He describes the nature of conversion, life in the God's Kingdom, the purpose of His ministry, and the reality of final judgement.



July 4, 2021: The Authoritative Jesus

Sermon on the mount series message 27

Text: Matthew 7:28-29

Matthew's commentary, after Jesus finishes speaking, is as important as the words themselves. The reaction of the crowd is vital to help us appreciate the weight of what was said. Jesus did not speak as their religious leaders did, He did so with authority! This was none other than the Son of God coming to destroy the works of the devil and expose the religion of externalities and carnal pride! We do well to listen to all of what Jesus taught, certainly not just the parts we like or the words that are popular today.

June 27, 2021: Build from the Ground Up

Sermon on the mount series message 26

Text: Matthew 7:24-27

Our passage begins with the word, “therefore…” Jesus is not only reaching back to what he just said, but also to his entire sermon. His teachings are not just to be admired, they are to be obeyed and implemented. The one who takes heed and builds his life accordingly, does so with the blessings of God both now and in eternity. The one who ignores Jesus’ teaching does so at his own peril.

June 20, 2021: I Never Knew You!

Sermon on the mount series message 25

Text: Matthew 7:21-23

Our text is one of the most arresting passages in all of Scripture. Many who presume membership in the Kingdom will be denied entrance. Lord, Lord is a term of familiarity - it will be a complete shock! The broad road that leads to destruction will include many possessing a false assurance of a good standing with God. While Jesus has spoken to false prophets, His words here have a broader application than that group of people.

June 6, 2021: The Narrow Gate!

Sermon on the mount series message 23

Text: Matthew 7:13-14

We now enter sacred ground, which has profound implications. Entirely contrary to the underpinnings of the spirit of the age in its various manifestations, Jesus asserts the path that leads to life is narrow, not wide. We'll go beyond the typical proof texting and see why - from the Sermon on the Mount - the exclusivity of the gospel is not only reasonable but entirely expected (and should be heeded).