In Isaiah 42, we’ve heard how the servant of the Lord would bring justice and light to the nations so that God’s praise might fill the earth. But this wasn’t currently happening. And not only were all nations not singing praise to God, even his people Israel had failed to do this. So now, Isaiah […]
Isaiah 40 brings us good news of God’s comfort by showing us a stunning vision of God’s glory. And Isaiah concludes by bringing these truths to bear on God’s forgetful and doubtful people in order to give us hope. In this sermon, pastor Matt explains that the God of all comfort and unrivaled glory is […]
In Isaiah 40 the prophet has been speaking of God’s promised comfort in vv. 1-11. God was not done with his people and he would not leave them in exile. He would forgive them, restore them, and even commission them to proclaim his good news of salvation! And to assure us of his power to […]
So far, in Isaiah 40, we’ve been hearing the word of comfort God speaks to his defeated, faithless, and soon-to-be exiled people. In vv. 1-2, we found that God’s comfort was promised. In vv. 3-5, we learned that his comfort was coming, and in vv. 6-8 that it was guaranteed. Now, in vv. 9-11, we’ll […]
Though God’s people had failed to keep the covenant and would one day find themselves living as exiles in Babylon, God had not forgotten his promises. He remained faithful to the covenant, and in his wrath remembered mercy. Isaiah 40 is the word of comfort that God speaks to his defeated, and faithless people. And […]
In this sermon, as we begin the second half of Isaiah (chs. 40-66), pastor Matt shows us that the comfort from God that we need is found under the saving rule of Christ. For only King Jesus has entered into the despair of our world, dealt with the problem of our sin, and made possible […]
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible links together the joy of experiencing salvation with the response of singing songs of praise. And Psalm 98—famously known as the inspiration for the Christmas hymn, “Joy to the World”—illustrates this beautifully. Here we find a song of joy and victory for all of God’s people and even all […]
As Zechariah’s Benedictus begins, he blesses God for who he is and what he has done. Instead of focusing on the miraculous birth of his own son, which pointed to the Messiah’s advent, he rejoices instead that the Lord has visited and redeemed his people. Now, in the second half of this song, Zechariah mentions […]
While Mary sang her “Magnificat,” Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, sings his “Benedictus.” The birth of John causes Zechariah to bless God for the birth of Jesus. Why? Because John’s birth was a sign of the Messiah’s advent. In other words, even in his birth, John was pointing to the Lamb of God. […]
To conclude our sermon series, Pastor Matt recites the Paul’s letter to the Romans in its entirety. There are several reasons why we concluded our series this way: This enables our congregation to hear Paul’s whole argument in one sitting just like his original audience did in Rome almost 2000 years ago. While it’s true […]
After all Paul has said to the saints in Rome about the good news of God’s Son he can’t help but erupt once more in joyful praise to God. He concludes with a doxology, ascribing to the Lord the glory that is due his name, reminding the Roman church once more to behold their God. […]
Having explained his reasons for gospel ministry and laid out his plans for future travel, Paul now sends his greetings to the chuch as he prepares to visit them and work with them to take the gospel to Spain. But this long list of greetings doesn’t make for the most exciting reading, and can make […]
While Paul’s travel plans might be easy to understand on the surface, there’s much we can learn about his love for the church. His travel plans reveal what Paul desired to see in the churches: the blessing of refreshment, fellowship, and prayer. In this passage, pastor Matt explains that the church is where the blessing […]
Paul beings the conclusion to his letter to the Romans much like he began, providing the church with further details about himself and his calling, his ministry and his plans for future mission, as well as his needs and many personal greetings. We learn why Paul preached Christ (his authority); how Paul preached Christ (his […]
When it comes to those matters on which believers can legitimately disagree, Romans 14 reminds us that true Christian liberty means the freedom to lay our freedoms aside in loving service to our Lord and his church. In this sermon, pastor Matt continues to teach how Christians are to enjoy their gospel freedoms in a […]
