In this world, we are constantly encouraged to pursue our own happiness, to discover what the good life is for us. Yet there is a kind of life that leads to death, and a kind of death that leads to life. In this sermon, pastor Matt teaches that God’s Spirit compels us to live in […]
Christ not only died and rose again to redeem us from the curse of the law. He did so (v. 4): “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” This is the focus of the next part […]
In Romans 8 Paul presents arguably the most wonderful description of the believer’s assurance in all Scripture. This assurance is possible all because of what God has done through the redeeming work of his Son and through the sanctifying ministry of his Spirit. In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that God gave us his […]
Having seen Paul’s defense of God’s grace in chapter six, we now see Paul defense of the law in chapter 7. He shows us that it is not the law but our sinful flesh that is to blame for our evil desires and death. In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that what the law […]
In Romans 7, Paul will further clarify the nature of the law, God’s purpose in giving it, and how it relates to those who are now in Christ by grace through faith. And in this sermon, pastor Matt helps us see that grace releases us from the law that we might belong to and live […]
In the final verses of Romans 6 the apostle Paul focuses on the outcomes living as slaves of sin and slaves of God in order to encourage the church, contrasting sin’s wages of death with God’s free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows us that only those […]
In the first half of Romans 6 we saw that grace unites us with Christ so that the believer is dead to sin and alive to God to walk in newness of life. By baptism into Christ, we are no longer under law but grace (v. 14). In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that […]
Sin would have us as its slaves once again. Our flesh would have us satisfy its every desire. The ruler of this world would have us believe that God’s will stands in the way of our joy. So, what are we to do about this? Better yet, what does grace have to say about this? […]
Romans 6:1-5 gave us an introduction to the believer’s union with Christ in his death and his life. Now, in verses 6-11, pastor Matt looks at the apostle Paul’s explanation of this reality in order to convince us beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can be dead to sin and alive to God […]
What does God’s grace have to say about life between our justification and our glorification? Yes, we have a new identity and a future certainty. But does grace have anything to say about our day-to-day reality? In this sermon, pastor Matt helps us see that grace has abounded in Christ that we might die to […]
As we come to the resolution of the book of Ruth we discover that this has not been just a story of God’s loving kindness in providing for Naomi and Ruth. More importantly, it’s a story of God’s loving kindness towards his people, how he is bringing history to its happy ending. This story is […]
When it comes to our deepest desires for rest and well-being in life, there are many risks we are willing to take. This search for rest, in spite of the risks, plays a major part in the story of loving kindness that we know as the book of Ruth. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows […]
Romans 4 has been about the necessity and priority of Abraham’s faith. As Paul concludes his argument in this chapter, he shows the rationality, or reasonableness, of his faith. In this sermon, pastor Matt once again shows us how the promised blessing of belonging to the family of God is received by faith alone. Yet […]
When “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:3), he had responded to God’s word of promise with faith. But what this promise exactly? It wasn’t just to receive the land of Canaan but ultimately the entire world as his inheritance! In this sermon, pastor Matt once again teaches that […]
Having explained that a person is made right with God by faith in Christ alone, justified apart from works of the law (Rom. 3:21-30), Paul turns our attention to Abraham to support his gospel. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows that the promised blessing of belonging to the family of God is received by faith […]
