In this Resurrection Sunday message, Pastor Matt shows that for the one who trusts in Jesus, hope is not wishful thinking; it is confident expectation. And what is our hope? It is that that one day, what God did for Jesus on Easter morning, he will do for those united to Christ by faith and […]
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 […]
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been preaching through chapters 13-20 from the book of Isaiah. In this message, Pastor Matt reviews the oracles to the nations that we’ve seen so far and encourages us to trust in and fear the Lord. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our Lord’s Day […]
God’s people were constantly tempted to either fear the surrounding nations, or to trust them for security and prosperity. Ultimately, they were tempted to forget the Lord. For this reason, God gave messages through his prophets to reveal the judgment in store for these godless nations. In this section of Isaiah (chaps. 13-27), he takes […]
Having received a vision from God in which all food was declared “clean,” Peter’s eyes were opened to see the ever-expanding redemption story of God’s love for a people from every nation. Just like all food was pronounced by Christ to be clean for eating, so Peter is to no longer refuse to be among […]
Many Christians and churches today seem only to care about bigger numbers, emotional experiences, and especially “signs and wonders.” We think we need these things to convince the world that the gospel is true, that Jesus is alive, and that our church is successful. Yet while our God continues to be a miracle-working God to […]
Throughout the book of Acts, Luke includes several accounts of sinners being converted to the risen Lord Jesus. Conversion is what happens when God, by his Spirit, awakens those who are spiritually dead and enables them to repent of their sins and turn to Christ in faith. Each of these stories in Acts reminds us […]
The first part of the book of Acts ends with Stephen’s death and the persecution of the Jerusalem church. However, the attempts of Saul and the religious leaders to destroy the Christian church only served to bring about the fulfillment of the words of Jesus spoken in Acts 1:8, as believers were “scattered throughout the […]
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. […]
Having just mentioned the prayers, the signs of the apostles, and the church’s gatherings in the temple (Acts 2:42-47), Luke then focuses on a specific event concerning one sign, two apostles, a time of prayer at the temple, and a lame beggar. But why tell this story? First, this sets the stage for the next […]
One of the most fundamental truths of life is that no one escapes death. Scripture tells us that death came into the world because of sin, and death spread to all men because all have sinned (Rom. 5:12). But Jesus of Nazareth made an astounding claim: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes […]
What does the church need for effective witness in the world today? Do we need celebrity pastors to attract ‘seekers’ with inspiring messages? How about awesome worship ‘experiences’ that merely copy the world’s entertainment? Do we need a fresh demonstration of signs and wonders? Or should we keep quiet on the sound doctrine that the […]
Over the course of redemptive history, there have been several pivotal moments that revealed who our God is and what his saving purposes are for the world. For instance, the giving of the Law at Sinai, the building of the temple, and the ascension of the risen Lord Jesus. However, before the final moment in […]
Writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul makes a staggering declaration: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. . . . If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:17-19). The claims […]
The trial of the sinless Son of God reveals that all humanity is guilty. If we look closely and honestly, we will see our own face in the crowd that day, calling out for Jesus to be crucified and for Barabbas to be released. For whenever we reject Christ—living as though Jesus isn’t the King that […]
