The Sanctified Body (Colossians 2:6-3:17)

In this sermon from Colossians, pastor Joel turs helps us answer the question, “How shall we then live?”, as those who have called on the name of the Lord in baptism. What we will see is that, being rooted in Christ, renewed in mind, and remade in heart, we embody thankfulness through His Spirit. And […]

Continue reading

A Death that Leads to Life (Romans 8:12-13)

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 […]

Continue reading

The Life-Giving Spirit of God (Romans 8:5-11)

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 […]

Continue reading

A City Impacted by the Gospel (Acts 19:21-41)

In America today, the temptation is to think that if we can just get the right candidate elected, the right justices appointed, and prayer back in school, then we would be “one nation under God.” But how is the church to make a difference in the world for God’s glory? What do we find in […]

Continue reading

Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Acts 18:18-28)

Throughout the book of Acts, we see followers of Jesus both going and staying for the sake of the gospel. Some travel thousands of miles to preach Christ and establish churches; they go to give. Others remain in a local community of faith in order to encourage and equip the saints; they stay to strengthen. […]

Continue reading

A Samaritan Sorcerer and His Faith (Acts 8:9-25)

The persecuted church in Jerusalem had been scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, preaching the Word as they went. Philip the evangelist had gone to Samaria, where the city received the gospel with joy. But Luke also includes a specific incident involving a Samaritan sorcerer name Simon. This story serves to illustrate a profound truth related […]

Continue reading

In the midst of a life-threatening situation, David is calling upon the name of the Lord for grace. However, while it’s true that David’s need compelled him to pray (Ps. 86:1), he can only stay focused on his present circumstances for so long. As he seeks deliverance from the Lord, he begins to consider the […]

Continue reading

Grace Has Appeared (Titus 2:11-15)

One of the main themes of Titus is that sound doctrine leads to wholehearted devotion. The false teachers on Crete were trying to produce godliness through their doctrine—by conformity to a set of rules and external regulations. However, their legalism only resulted in detestable, disobedient sinners with defiled hearts, “unfit for any good work” (Titus […]

Continue reading

The Lord is Our Keeper (Ps. 121)

“Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4). Traditionally sung by pilgrims traveling up to the temple in Jerusalem, this Song of Ascent declares the faithful, vigilant, keeping power of God over his chosen people. But can we Gentiles sing and apply this Psalm today? If we aren’t making pilgrimages to Jerusalem, celebrating Jewish feasts, or even […]

Continue reading

Walking in the Light (Eph. 5:6-14)

Having urged us to walk worthy of our calling, to put off the old man and put on the new, Paul now commands us to walk as children of light. For those who were once darkness but were now light and partakers of all the promises of Christ through the gospel, what fellowship can light have darkness? But not only has the […]

Continue reading

Give Grace and Forgive (Eph. 4:29-32)

In continuing his exhortation to the Ephesians to put off the old self and instead put on the new, the Apostle Paul addresses two issues that have the potential to destroy the bond of peace within the body of Christ if not completely put away from us: corrupting speech and unforgiveness. By allowing literally “rotten” talk to come […]

Continue reading

The old self, that Paul is encouraging the church to put off and be replaced by the new man, was one completely defined and corrupted by deceitful desires (Eph. 4:22). Having been deceived by Satan to chase after the lusts of the flesh, the pleasures of this world, and the pride of life, we chose to find our […]

Continue reading

Walk in Newness of Life (Eph. 4:17-24)

The people of God, reconciled to him through the death of his Son, to whom we are united by faith, are to live in a manner fitting of God’s workmanship. In view of God’s mercy, having been called out from the world to belong instead to the family and kingdom of God, we are to no longer […]

Continue reading