Living as Children of Light

This semester in our seminary chapel times the faculty has been preaching through the book of Ephesians. This week I had the opportunity to share from Eph 5:1-21. In that text we found a strong exhortation from Paul to live out our new identity as children of light, especially in the area of sexual purity. If you'd like to listen along, you can download the message here.

Costly Discipleship

I've had a few opportunities to preach at my church lately. The first was the conclusion to our series on the Sermon on the Mount. From Matthew 7:24-27, we considered what it means to build your life on the firm foundation of obedience to Christ. You can check out that message here.

Then a few weeks later,  I continued in our series on The Cost of Discipleship. From a few passages in Luke's gospel, we considered what it actually costs us to follow Jesus, and whether or not it's actually worth it. You can check out that message here.

The True Kingdom Citizen

This semester at NETS we've been studying through the Sermon on the Mount in our Chapel times together. I got to conclude our series in our final Chapel preaching from Matthew 7:13-27 on the topic of being a true kingdom citizen. We’ve all known people who seem very spiritual on a Sunday morning, but live a completely different way during the rest of the week. So is a simple profession of faith, or saying a “sinner’s prayer” enough to be saved? You can download and listen to the message here. [Note: Our chapel service was held outdoors due to Covid so the wind and ambient noise affected the audio quality. Sorry.]

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

At church we are going through a series about spiritual warfare called "He Will Fight For You". I was tasked with preaching on one of the most familiar stories in the whole Bible, David and Goliath. But it is also one of the most misapplied to our lives today. Understanding David’s perspective on his battle with Goliath helps transform, not just how we view his story, but also how we view the battles in our own lives today. You can check it out here.

A Stingy Father-in-Law, a Loyal Prostitute, and the Gospel of Grace

This semester at NETS Chapel we are preaching through a series called "Stories Your Momma Never Told You". It will take us through a bunch of passages in the Old Testament that pastors rarely preach on. I kicked off the series preaching on the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38. At first read, it seems like an odd interruption in the ongoing story of Joseph. It also includes some strange cultural practices, and often leaves the reader wondering what is this even doing here?! But it actually fits perfectly well in the overall story of God fulfilling His promises, and teaches us a valuable lesson in the exceeding riches of God’s grace. Check out the message here.

Two Ways to Live

My church has been doing a sermon series through the book of James on some of the practicalities of being a Christians. I got to preach on the first section of chapter 4. There James is confronting his readers about how much they've been influenced by the thinking and the desires of the world around them. Unfortunately, that same indictment can be made of the church today. But friendship with the world makes us enemies of God. Fortunately, James gives us some practical tips to stop being influenced by the world and start being friends with God. You can listen to the message here if you like.

God, Our Healer

During February our church is having a month of prayer and fasting. To go along with that we've been preaching through a series on prayer. I was asked to preach on the topic of sickness and healing. Whether it’s ourselves or someone we know, one of the most common prayer requests is asking God to bring healing for someone. But does God still work healing miracles today? How should I pray for healing? Understanding how sickness and healing fits into God’s big story will not only help us to pray better, but will also help us to live our stories well. You can listen to the message here if you'd like.

Living in Exile

This semester in NETS Community Devotions we've been preaching through the book of Jeremiah. We've followed him through his call & commissioning, delivering harsh messages from God promising punishment for Judah's sin and idolatry, experiencing persecution for those messages, confronting false prophets, and more. This past week I preached on the beloved chapter 29, a letter from Jerusalem to the group already in exile in Babylon. In this letter, Jeremiah reminds them that God's plans for them look a bit different then their own plans for themselves, but He hasn't given up on them. Are we willing to have patience and trust in God's plans and God's timing, even when we don't like it? You can listen to the message here if you'd like.

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Religion often blinds us to our need for grace. Yet the very religious person and the vilest sinner have this in common…they are both desperately in need of God’s grace. The difference is only one of them realizes it. During our weekly chapel at NETS I preached from Luke 7:36-50 reminding us of our need for grace and the One who offers it freely. You can find the download link here if you'd like to hear it.

The Gospel According To David

Psalm 51 is one of the most famous and beloved chapters in the Bible, and for good reason! It allows us a glimpse behind the scenes of how the "man after God's own heart" responds to his sin. David is honest about his sin and pleads that God not treat his sins as they deserve. This past Sunday I preached on this text at my church hoping to stir us to a deeper love and appreciation for God's great grace and mercy through the gospel. You can find the download link here if you'd like to hear it.

The Holiness of God and the Sinfulness of Man

The story in 2 Samuel 6:1-11 of Uzzah being killed when he touched the Ark of the Covenant is one of the most confusing and misunderstood stories in the Old Testament. It seems to lend credence to the theory that God is just rash and impulsive. Yet when understood properly it gives us a rich appreciation for God's love. I had a chance to preach on this text at my church this past Sunday. You can find the download link here if you'd like to hear it.

Joy In Suffering

The Bible is overwhelmingly consistent in it's message that mature Christians respond to suffering with joy. But normally, suffering is what prevents us from having joy! So what is it that mature Christians understand that lead them to find joy in suffering? That's the question I addressed in this morning's sermon. You can download it here or listen below if you'd like.

Zeal for Spiritual Fidelity

Throughout the OT, the nation of Israel was challenged to stay faithful to the one true God while living amidst cultures that worshipped many false gods. Similarly, our culture today entices us toward spiritual adultery. In the face of these cultural influences, do you passionately pursue spiritual fidelity? This was the topic of my message from Joshua 22 at church today. You can download it here or listen below if you'd like (sorry for the slight audio issues).

Swimming Upstream

From whom are you learning how to live? From God and His Word or from culture? Culture inevitably influences us. And if we're not intentional about swimming against the cultural currents where culture goes against God, then we will just be swept away downstream becoming just like the sinful culture around us. This was the topic of my message on Judges 19 at church today. You can download it here or listen below if you'd like.

Lights in a Dark World

Our church has been doing a study through the book of Philippians. I was asked to preach the passage of Philippians 2:12-30, Paul's exhortation that the church at Philippi shine like lights in the world. You can download it here or listen below if you'd like. (Note: It cuts off a little at the beginning and the end, but most of it's here.)

Pressing On

This semester in NETS Community Devotions the lecturers preached through a series on the book of Revelation and are now finishing up the semester with a 3 week series on Haggai. This past Thursday I preached from Haggai 2:1-9, an encouragement for God's people to courageously continue God's work. You can download it here or listen below if you'd like.

Looking Ahead

I got to preach one last time at Christ's Church on Sunday. We looked at Christ's second coming and how our theology of the end times affects our lives today. You can listen to it below or click here to download an mp3. [Sorry for the poor sound quality until 9:22, but it does clear up after that.]

Neither Do I Condemn You

I was invited to preach at my home church again this past Sunday. I spoke on John 8:2-11, the story of the woman caught in adultery. This passage teaches us that even though you are far more sinful than you could ever imagine, you are far more loved than you could ever dream. You can listen through the player below, or click here to download an mp3 to listen to at home, in the car, or at your convenience.

Preaching at CCA

This past Sunday I was given the opportunity to preach at my home church, Christ's Church of Amherst. I spoke on the life of Joseph and how we can have confidence and comfort in times of uncertainty. Here's the podcast if you're interested in listening, or click here to download an mp3.