In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Matt reminds us, from Romans 5:1-5, why exactly Jesus was entering Jerusalem, what he came to do, what he accomplished, and the hope we currently enjoy because of his death and resurrection. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our Lord’s Day worship services were streamed […]
The story of Peter and Cornelius takes up a considerable amount of space in Luke’s narrative because it was a defining moment in redemptive history. God had promised Abraham that not only would he and his offspring be blessed, but that in him, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). The […]
While the prophets are often characterized by their messages of judgment and woe, there are few places in Scripture where the light of salvation and hope shines so brightly. When the world speaks of ‘hope,’ it usually means nothing more than wishful thinking. But for the believer, our hope is a confident expectation in the […]
The parable of the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha are related in a couple of significant ways. First, here we find both the command to show mercy to our neighbors and do good works (Luke 10:37), but also the preliminary and gracious invitation to find rest in the […]
Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, summarizes the gospel of our salvation: Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, he was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Though the spotless Lamb of God was slain to take away the sins of the world, three […]
Psalm 15 begins with one of the most pertinent yet weighty questions humanity could ever ask: “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” (Ps 15:1). This question suggests that there are requirements to be met before anyone is able to stand before God, to enter his presence, to enjoy fellowship with […]
Paul’s conclusion to his epistle to the Galatians is a beautiful summary of its contents. As we come to the end of this letter, we must remember to whom it was addressed, its purpose and major themes, as well its message to the Church throughout the ages. The issue of submitting our own righteousness to God is a […]
In Paul’s final warning to the Galatians, he reminds them again of the law-relying Judaizers – those who were clinging to a works-based righteousness in order to gain favor before God. Though they were rigorous and zealous law keepers, Paul points out that in reality they were seeking to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ, looking for more […]
Far from being an issue only faced by the Galatian church, the tendency to slip back into justification by works is a present reality in the church even today. The difference between gospel-centered law-obedience is far too easily replaced by a works-driven law-reliance. However, the solution for the true believer is that we must always remember […]
