Our text from Zechariah on the fourth Sunday of Advent builds on the picture of restoration and hope we saw in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Amos. Like all the prophets before him, Zechariah saw a day that was coming when God would return to Jerusalem, rebuild David’s house, restore his people, and deal with their sin. […]
Since we started the final section of Isaiah (56-66) we have seen Israel’s failure and inability to produce the righteousness which God requires. After highlighting Israel’s irresponsible and corrupt leaders; their idolatry, and their hypocrisy. we now have a summary of Israel’s sinful condition seen in their social injustice. The fact that God confronts Israel […]
In this sermon, pastor Joel examines the conflict that results because of the sinful flesh and the deliverance made possible through God in Christ.
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 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 […]
Many say that Romans 5:12-14 is one of the most controversial texts in the Bible. This is because there are many theological concepts and questions here that can be difficult to swallow—like the doctrine of original sin and the principle of representation. But the most important question raised by this text is rather simple and […]
In Romans 3:9-20, Paul brings his argument to a powerful conclusion to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no one righteous, charging humanity with being helplessly captive under sin, radically corrupted by sin, and therefore justly condemned. In this sermon, pastor Matt shows that the power of sin demands a redemption […]
In this sermon, pastor Matt looks at the third section of Paul’s indictment against sinful humanity in chapter 1 and shows how our rejection of the truth about God is the most fundamental sin that leads not only to all other sins but especially to his judgment. What we ultimately see, however, is that the […]
In Romans 1:18-23, we saw why God’s righteous wrath is revealed against our unrighteous world. Instead of responding to the knowledge we all have of God by worshiping him as God, being who God created us to be, we have suppressed his truth and substituted his glory. Now, in vv. 24-32 we will see how God’s […]
Before explaining how the gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe, Paul shows why need the gospel by exposing the true condition of humanity: our false worship, our moral bankruptcy, our utter depravity, and our inexcusable guilt before God (Rom. 1:18-3:20). In this sermon, pastor Matt reminds us that God’s […]
Luke concludes the book of Acts with Paul a prisoner in Rome, yet still “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). Though he was held captive by Rome, and many of his hearers were held captive by unbelief, he knew that God’s […]
Good Friday isn’t good because it shows us how good we are or how valuable we are to God; Good Friday is good because it shows us the riches of God’s glorious grace and steadfast love toward unworthy and rebellious sinners. In this brief message, pastor Matt reminds us that the love of God in […]
As history has shown, there is nothing mankind can do to bring about world peace. Why? Because this world is full of proud and selfish people with sinful hearts! As the Apostle Paul writes: “In their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of […]
Immediately after the joy-filled promise of the Shining Son given in Isaiah 9:1-7, the prophet again turns to a message of judgment. He rehearses the many sins of which Israel was guilty in four stanzas, each concluding with the same refrain: “For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched […]
Isaiah begins chapter 5 singing a love song for his Beloved concerning his vineyard. Isaiah’s Beloved is the Lord his God; the vineyard is Israel (Isa. 5:7). But despite God’s loving care and faithful protection, his vineyard did not produce good fruit. Instead, they produced bitter grapes due to the corruption of their sinful hearts. […]
