Paul’s letter to Philemon deals with the theme of reconciliation and depicts God’s people in Christ as a family that can receive and restore even a runaway slave and a thief. We will see how Paul appeals to Philemon to demonstrate the power of the gospel by welcoming Onesimus back, no longer as a slave, […]
The Lord had declared a message of comfort for his faithless servant, Israel: He would end their exile and bring them home. But Israel would need a greater liberation than this. For God’s glory to fill the earth through the genuine worship and faithful witness of his people, they would need not just a fresh […]
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 […]
As he concludes his exhortations to the strong and weak Christians in the church at Rome, Paul turns our attention once again to Jesus Christ, giving the church a final and conclusive plea: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). While at first glance this may […]
As we began to look at Romans 14 we saw that there were certain opinions dividing the church at Rome along ethnic lines. Both Jewish and Gentile believers were quarrelling over disputable matters, such as food and observing special days. The strong-in-faith were tempted to look down on the weak for their apparent “legalism;” and […]
In Romans 14-15, Paul addresses the non-essential issues that were causing strife in the church at Rome. And the principles laid out here continue to teach us how to handle matters of conscience while preserving gospel fellowship. In this sermon, pastor Matt begins to show us that Christians are to love and accept all those […]
Having just taught that Christians are members of Christ’s body, and encouraging the church to use their grace-gifts in humble service, Paul shows them “a still more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). In this sermon, Pastor Matt shows how love is the indispensable mark of the new humanity created in Christ Jesus. For the love […]
A renewed mind keeps God’s mercies central and takes delights in God’s will. But it not only makes true worship possible when it comes to our relationship to God, but it also makes humble service possible when it comes to our relationship to the church. In this sermon, pastor Matt teaches that a mind renewed […]
