sermons | study
These are sermons preached during our Sunday worship services. (Recordings were not always successful, so there are gaps in the postings.)
Paul, usually thought of as a theologian par excellence, had a pastor's heart, and we see in his letters his concern for the Church, and specifically for the local churches to which he writes. That certainly applies to this heartfelt passage from Romans.
This recounting of greetings, typical of letters of Paul's day, is unique in revealing to us insights into the composition of the Church of that day and also insights into Paul's own heart. These in turn provide us today with teaching that helps us to think rightly about the Church.
Abel stepped in to give me one more Sunday out of the pulpit following my knee replacement surgery. Since this was a Communion Sunday, his message reminded us of the Passover background to the Lord's Supper, and how the gospel is presented to us in this Sacrament.
Paul has concluded his inspired exposition of the gospel and now ends his letter as he began it, with more personal concerns of the church in Rome and himself. From these closing passages of Romans, there are still valuable lessons for us to learn.
These verses conclude the body of Paul's letter to the Romans, and do so with a beautiful benediction. Paul's closing admonitions echo the theme of letter–the gospel of God, which is the power of God for salvation.
We continue a consideration of this important application of truth from Romans.
This text begins a new sub-section of the Letter to the Romans. Although it addresses specifically a situation within the Roman church, the topic has has clear application to churches in every place and every time.
In this text, we reach what may be rightly called the climactic scene of the narratives that open the Gospel of Luke. For the first time in the book, we hear Jesus speak, and his words are revealing of both his identity and purpose.
The fulfillment of God’s plan and the fulfillment of God’s Law form the outline of this narrative, with the central place being given to Simeon’s song of rejoicing in God’s salvation for all people, both Gentile and Jew.
This sermon on Ephesians follows the passage from which Abel preached on July 24. Building on what he has said, we hear Paul emphasizing the contrast between the two ways of living which people pursue in our day as in his.
The narratives of Gabriel’s appearances to Zechariah and Mary, and the account of John’s birth have set the stage for the important narrative of the birth of Jesus. Here, too, we encounter once again a song, this time not from a human character, but from a host of angels.
Although Zechariah's song has not typically received as much attention as that of Mary, it is theologically more developed. Both are equally inspired, so it is not a matter of one being "better" than the other. The simplicity and personal focus of Mary's psalm is part of its beauty and underscores the truths it proclaims. The breadth and depth of Zechariah's psalm enlarge our understanding of God's work of salvation, especially as it relates to us as his people.
This passage features the hymn known as "The Benedictus," the song of Zechariah at the naming of his son John. Although it is John's christening day, Zechariah's song is not about his son, but about the One whom he would herald, Jesus the Messiah.
One of the wonderful aspects of Scripture is that even when considering passages that are familiar to us, we can always discover much more to learn from them. I hope that this portion of Luke's Gospel speaks to your heart anew as it did mine.
Sometimes the passages of Scripture that touch us most deeply are those to which we return again and again. The narrative of Gabriel's message to Mary may have become quite familiar to us, but there is such a richness to God's Word that no matter how often we come to a passage, there is always a new message for us in it.
The historical narrative of God's message to Zechariah through Gabriel gives prominence to the nature and purpose of the calling of John, who will play such a pivotal role as the forerunner of the Messiah. What we learn of John's calling, in turn, reveals to us the heart of God's saving work in creating a people for himself, a work which he accomplishes through repentance and faith.
The beautiful narratives of Scripture communicate truth in a powerful way. These accounts draw us into the lives of people who deal with the same issues of life, and in God's dealings with them, we discover how he is working in our lives as well.
With a climactic clarion call, this section of Romans draws to a close. Paul's words echo down through the years to challenge us to a vision of life that transcends this temporary time by looking to eternal realities.
This is a beautifully stated presentation of a profound truth, and although I did not think that my exposition of it was what it should have been, I am confident that the Scripture is effective regardless of the ineffectiveness of the preacher.
This passage is one of the central texts in the Bible pertaining to civil government. Paul speaks to this topic here primarily from the viewpoint of individual believers living out their faith in daily life.
