Wake Up and Get Dressed!

Tomorrow morning we will continue our exposition of Romans 12-14 as we complete chapter 13.
In this week’s text Paul seeks to motivate us to be alert in our pursuit of holiness in light of the nearness of the return of Christ.
I am always delighted to be reminded of the practical use of eschatology (biblical prophecy).
We are of the day of the age to come, not of the night of this fading worldly age; therefore we should live in light of who we are.

This passage also contains a beautiful balance between God’s law (‘don’t be drunk and sexually immoral’) and the gospel (‘Instead, put on Christ!”).

Triumphant Dependence

Do you ever feel like as much as you learn, you just can’t get it when it comes your Christian life? Do you ever find yourself struggling to believe what you know is true? Are you ever discouraged because you feel like you are really falling short of what God expects you to do as a Christian? Throughout the course of Jesus’ life, the disciples encountered similar situations. In Mark 9:14-29, Jesus shows them that kingdom life is dependent upon him from beginning to end. Just as the disciples had wrong expectations of what it meant to be part of the kingdom and to carry on Jesus’ mission while he was gone, so also we need to be reminded of our constant dependence upon God for every part of our Christian life.

The Debt of Love

Some of you have asked when we will return to 2 Samuel. The answer is that I hope to do so in August, but for now we will continue in Romans 13 (we have been going consecutively through Romans 12-13 over the past few months) where Paul tells us to owe nothing to anyone except to love one another because he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

What is the relationship between law and love? Are they opposed to each other? Or do they complement each other.

Paul quotes from the ten commandments. Does that mean that all of the ten commandments apply under the New Covenant?

Dual Citizenship: What We Owe to Caesar and to God

Because the 4th of July falls on a Sunday I have decided to preach about what the Scriptures say concerning the role of human government.
We will consider the duty of government to God and its citizens, our duty as Christians to our government, and our duty to God.

God Speaks Through Creation

I plan to preach from Psalm 19 over the next two Sundays. C.S. Lewis called this the greatest Psalm in the Psalter.
Psalm 19 praises God for the two ways in which He reveals Himself. He speaks through general revelation in the creation (which we will cover this week) in verses 1-6.
He also speaks gloriously through His Word (which we will cover next week in verses 7-10). Finally, we are called to respond to the Lord’s revelation of Himself (verses 11-14).

The Victory of God’s Anointed King

I will be preaching from Psalm 2, which declares the victory of God’s anointed King over those who rebel against Him.
Though the world is in turmoil because of its rebellion against God, He Who sits in heaven is not disturbed. He has established His Anointed One to rule over the earth.
Those who rebel will be crushed which is why all people should submit to God’s Anointed Son while there is time.

As you read the Psalm think of how it speaks of David, how it speaks of Jesus, and how it speaks of our situation.