The puritan preacher, John Flavel, once remarked: “Every man loves the mercies of God, but a saint loves the God of mercies.” In times of trial, suffering, and need, anyone will gladly receive blessings from God; it doesn’t take the new birth to appreciate his mercies. In fact, anyone can perform religious duties and portray […]
As Christians, we often (and rightly so) focus our attention on the cross of Christ and his atoning death on our behalf. In fact, the cross has even become a symbol for Christianity worldwide. But the gospel is not simply that Jesus died for our sins and was buried, but also “that he was raised […]
The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is one of contrasts. It is the story of the King who came as a lowly servant, on a donkey rather than a prancing steed, not to conquer nations by force but to conquer hearts by love. Yet this is also a tragic story: though his very […]
In Luke 16, Jesus addresses material wealth and kingdom priorities, subtly illustrating for us the true heart condition of the unrepentant. After telling the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees—”who were lovers of money” (Luke 16:14)—in order to tell them another parable. While this story, the parable of the rich man […]
One of the major themes of Jesus’ teaching, as well as the rest of Scripture, is the sharp distinction between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. You either belong to the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. Your values are informed either by the world or by the truths of […]
At the end of chapter 14, Luke records Jesus proclaiming: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:35). Then, as chapter 15 begins, we read that “tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him,” but “the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled” (Luke 15:1-2). This is the context for the […]
What does it look like to truly love the Master and to be among those “who will eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15)? Jesus’ parable in this passage shows us that those who were first invited made pathetic excuses and ultimately missed out—which is precisely what the elite of Israel who rejected […]
The self-righteous and hypocritical Pharisees were repeatedly plotting against Jesus and seeking to discredit him throughout his earthly ministry. When presented with mighty displays of his divine power over sickness, they still refused to listen to and believe in him. On one such occasion, Jesus used the opportunity to teach his fellow dinner guests about […]
This is the first sermon in a three-week series on the mission of ECC. Disciples of Jesus are made when the members of the church, the body of Christ, experience life centered on God’s Word together. In Acts, we see the early church experiencing life together as “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and […]
