September 27, 2015 | Matthew 5:4 - I'm So Joyful I Could Cry

Here is the sermon from Sunday morning taken from Matthew 5:4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Audio 
Notes 

 
For more:
September 20, 2015 | Matthew 5:1-3 - If Your Happy And You Know It Your Impoverished

Worship Minimoive: Beautiful Things

Here is the minimovie from Sunday morning:

The Gospel Is . . .: Sermon Series on Galatians

Recently we finished our (longer than expected) series on the book of Galatians. Below you will find every sermon and other links relevant to the series.

Sunday morning:

April 26, 2015 | Galatians 1:1-5: The Gospel is Freedom
May 3, 2015 | Galatians 1:6-10: The Gospel is Primary
May 17, 2015 | Galatians 1:11-24: The Gospel is Real
May 24, 2015 | Galatians 2:1-10: The Gospel is Apostolic PDF 
May 31, 2015 | Galatians 2:11-16: The Gospel is Alive
June 7, 2015 | Galatians 2:17-21: The Gospel is Authentic
June 14, 2015 | Galatians 3:1: The Gospel is Wise - Part 1
July 5, 2015 | Galatians 3:1-14: The Gospel is Wise - Part 2
July 12, 2015 | Galatians 3:15-29: The Gospel is Promise
July 19, 2015 | Galatians 4:1-11: The Gospel is Adoption
July 26, 2015 | Galatians 4:12-20 - The Gospel is Love 
August 2, 2015 | Galatians 4:21-51 - The Gospel is New Life
August 9, 2015 | Galatians 5:1-12 - The Gospel is Liberty
August 23, 2015 | Galatians 5:16-25 - The Gospel is New Life
August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration
September 6, 2015 | Galatians 6:6-10 - The Gospel is Good
September 13, 2015 | Galatians 6:11-18: The Gospel is Central


Sunday evening:


May 24, 2015 | Some Things Never Change: The Immutability of God & Why That Matters
July 26, 2015 | 1 Kings 19:1-18
August 2, 2015 | John 3:1-21
August 9, 2015 | Romans 12:1-2
September 6, 2015 | Matthew 13:1-23


Articles:

4 Reasons the Cross is Central to Christianity
Ours is a Day of Addiction: MacArthur on the Slavery of Moral Liberty
Where is this Liberty?: Martin Luther on Freedom in Christ
Two Terms that Constitute Christianity: Luther on Grace and Peace

September 20, 2015 | Matthew 5:1-3 - If Your Happy And You Know It Your Impoverished

Here is the sermon from Sunday morning which covers our first installment in our new series on joy from the Beatitudes.

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ² He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Audio 
Notes

Worship Minimovie: Every Knee

Here is the minimovie from Sunday evening:

Worship Minimovie - Blessed

Here is the minimovie from Sunday morning:

Worship Minimovie: True and Better

Here is the worship minimovie from Sunday morning.

September 13, 2015 | Galatians 6:11-18: The Gospel is Central

Here is the final sermon from our series on Galatians taken from Galatians 6:11-18.

¹¹ See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. ¹² Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. ¹⁶ And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

Audio
Notes


For more:
April 26, 2015 | Galatians 1:1-5: The Gospel is Freedom
May 3, 2015 | Galatians 1:6-10: The Gospel is Primary
May 17, 2015 | Galatians 1:11-24: The Gospel is Real
May 24, 2015 | Galatians 2:1-10: The Gospel is Apostolic PDF 
May 31, 2015 | Galatians 2:11-16: The Gospel is Alive
June 7, 2015 | Galatians 2:17-21: The Gospel is Authentic
June 14, 2015 | Galatians 3:1: The Gospel is Wise - Part 1
July 5, 2015 | Galatians 3:1-14: The Gospel is Wise - Part 2
July 12, 2015 | Galatians 3:15-29: The Gospel is Promise
July 19, 2015 | Galatians 4:1-11: The Gospel is Adoption
July 26, 2015 | Galatians 4:12-20 - The Gospel is Love 
August 2, 2015 | Galatians 4:21-51 - The Gospel is New Life
August 9, 2015 | Galatians 5:1-12 - The Gospel is Liberty
August 23, 2015 | Galatians 5:16-25 - The Gospel is New Life
August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration
September 6, 2015 | Galatians 6:6-10 - The Gospel is Good 
September 13, 2015 | Galatians 6:11-18: The Gospel is Central
May 24, 2015 | Some Things Never Change: The Immutability of God & Why That Matters
July 26, 2015 | 1 Kings 19:1-18
August 2, 2015 | John 3:1-21
August 9, 2015 | Romans 12:1-2 
September 6, 2015 | Matthew 13:1-23
4 Reasons the Cross is Central to Christianity

4 Reasons the Cross is Central to Christianity

At the core of Christianity stands the cross. To most that might sound too elementary but few Christians sitting in our pews have seriously given it much thought beyond Passion week festivities. No other symbol better represents what Christianity is than the cross. While preparing a recent sermon series on the atonement, I sat and wondered what the Bible has to say about the cross and precisely why it matters. Why, of all available options (from a fish to to shepherd's staff) did early Christianity choose the cross to represent them and us today? Is the cross a mere symbol for the Christian or the root of Christianity? Is it merely an event in human history or the crux of human history? If it is the latter, then why? Below, then, are four truths of the cross that show why the atonement is both central and necessary.


1. The Cross is God's Clearest Revelation of Himself

Often when reading Scripture, we approach it as a divine encyclopedia. If I want to know what the Bible says about pride, marriage, suffering, or election I simply open my Bible, highlight a number of verses and suddenly I know what the Bible says about a given subject.

This can be a dangerous and misguided approach to understanding Scripture. We rightly and justly believe that the Bible, all sixty-six books, is God's special revelation to man, however, the purpose and climax of Scripture is to how the Creator redeemed a fallen humanity and cursed cosmos. The Bible is not a collection of stories, it is a story. It is not about a series of characters, from Adam to John, but about its author.

Thus the cross stands as the central message of Scripture. The cross, then, is also a divine act of special revelation. We see God most clearly through the lens of the cross. At the cross we see God's sovereignty, providence, benevolence, justice, power, holiness, mercy, glory, transcendence, immanence, and victory. In short, any study of God - his essence, nature, attributes, etc. - would be incomplete without a study of the cross for at the cross God has made Himself known.

2. The Cross Personifies God's Love

Though highlighted in the first point, the subject of the cross and God's love deserves special attention. One should note that after the cross, God's love is repeatedly referred in the past tense or in direct reference to the cross. Consider the following few examples:

• John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...
• Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Romans 8:37 - But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
• Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 
• Ephesians 2:4-5 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
• Ephesians 5:2 - and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
• Titus 3:4-5 - But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared...
• 1 John 3:16 - We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us...
• 1 John 4:9-11 - By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
• 1 John 4:19 - We love, because He first loved us.

One other important text should be added here. In applying his doctrine to husbands, Paul tells men to love (present tense) their wives as Christ loved (past tense) the church (Ephesians 5:25). How did Christ loved the church? He died. Thus for Paul we could say that the only good husband is a dead one! Or better yet, a crucified one.

The point is to show how frequently the New Testament writers proclaim that God loved us (past tense) instead of loves us (present tense). The difference is important. By using the past tense, the apostles are not saying that God's love has ceased but instead reminding us that God's love is continually demonstrated by the cross. We need not doubt the depth of God's love when we approach the cross. God is love because God loved.

3. The Cross is the Means By Which God Saves Sinners

Clearly the cross is declared as the saving act of God toward sinners. Sinners are saved by Christ at the cross. To make this point, the New Testament authors utilize a number of motifs and images of salvation. Here are a few of those motif's and what redemptive doctrine is associated with it.

• The Court - God declares the guilty righteous (justification)
• The Shrine - the wrath of God is satisfied (propitiation) and the sinner is cleansed (expiation)
• The Home - God's sets us right with Him (reconciliation)
• The Orphanage - God adopts sinners as sons and daughters (adoption)
• The Battlefield - God defeats the enemy and peace is declared (Liberation)
• The Market - God sets the slaves free (redemption) and all our debts are paid in full (ransom)

The above are not theories of the atonement, but actual images frequently used throughout the New Testament authors and more could be added. At times, the apostles mix these motifs. For example, in Colossians 2:13-15 Paul intertwines both Redemption (Christ paying our debts) with Christus Victor as the means of forgiveness. 

All of these images point to the central theme of Scripture that God has come down to save sinners. He is the justifier of the guilty, the liberator of slaves, and the adopted Father of spiritual orphans. He pays our ransom, redeems us of our sins, and reconciles us to Himself. And it all happens at the cross. There is no salvation, therefore, outside of the cross.

4. The Cross is the Standard of What it Means to be a Christian

In Matthew 16:21-25 an important four letter word is used by Jesus twice to make two very profound points. First, Jesus says He must go to the cross thus establishing its necessity. He could do nothing else and was incarnated for nothing else. This is why in verses 22-23 Jesus rebukes His well-intentioned disciple, Peter, for suggesting that Jesus could build His Kingdom without the cross. Jesus equates Peter's desire with that of Satan Himself. Jesus must go to the cross and it is important for Peter, the disciples, and us to know, embrace, and celebrate that.

In verses 24 and 25 Jesus uses the word again. If Jesus must go to the cross, he adds, then anyone who wishes to follow Him must likewise pick up their cross and follow Him. To where? To Calvary for sure. Thus for Jesus and the New Testament, what it means to be a Christian is summarized in the cross. A Christian is a follower of Christ. A follower is one who has counted the cost and picked up their cross and died with their Savior. Christians are described as having crucified the flesh (Galatians 5:24), we have died to our sins (Romans 6:1ff; 1 Corinthians 15:31; 1 Peter 2:24), and are living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).

The only saving Christ is a dying one. The only living Christian is a dead one.

Conclusion

This is why the cross matters. Though more reasons could be given (for example, the relationship between a theology of the cross and a Christian theology of suffering), the above represents the core of Christianity. At the cross we see God. At the cross we see our true selves. At the cross we are regenerated. The cross matters and stands at the center of God's story of redemption and our story as the redeemed. Preachers must, therefore, preach the cross as their only strength. Sinners must embrace the cross as their only hope. And church members must pick up their cross as their only way to live.

Originally published August 6, 2013.

Worship Minimovie: The Kingdom of God

Here is the worship minimovie from Sunday evening.

Worship Minimovie: Running

Here is the minimovie from Sunday morning:

Matthew 13:1-23

Here is the sermon from Sunday evening taken from Matthew 13:1-23.

That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. ² And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.
 
³ And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴ and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵ Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. ⁶ But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸ And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears, let him hear.”

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
¹⁵ For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

¹⁸ “Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. ²⁰ The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. ²² And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Audio


For more:
April 26, 2015 | Galatians 1:1-5: The Gospel is Freedom
May 3, 2015 | Galatians 1:6-10: The Gospel is Primary
May 17, 2015 | Galatians 1:11-24: The Gospel is Real
May 24, 2015 | Galatians 2:1-10: The Gospel is Apostolic PDF 
May 31, 2015 | Galatians 2:11-16: The Gospel is Alive
June 7, 2015 | Galatians 2:17-21: The Gospel is Authentic
June 14, 2015 | Galatians 3:1: The Gospel is Wise - Part 1
July 5, 2015 | Galatians 3:1-14: The Gospel is Wise - Part 2
July 12, 2015 | Galatians 3:15-29: The Gospel is Promise
July 19, 2015 | Galatians 4:1-11: The Gospel is Adoption
July 26, 2015 | Galatians 4:12-20 - The Gospel is Love 
August 2, 2015 | Galatians 4:21-51 - The Gospel is New Life
August 9, 2015 | Galatians 5:1-12 - The Gospel is Liberty
August 23, 2015 | Galatians 5:16-25 - The Gospel is New Life
August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration
September 6, 2015 | Galatians 6:6-10 - The Gospel is Good 
May 24, 2015 | Some Things Never Change: The Immutability of God & Why That Matters
July 26, 2015 | 1 Kings 19:1-18
August 2, 2015 | John 3:1-21
August 9, 2015 | Romans 12:1-2  
September 6, 2015 | Matthew 13:1-23

September 6, 2015 | Galatians 6:6-10 - The Gospel is Good

Here is the sermon from Sunday morning from Galatians 6:6-10.

⁶ The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. ⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. ¹⁰ So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Audio 
Notes


For more:
April 26, 2015 | Galatians 1:1-5: The Gospel is Freedom
May 3, 2015 | Galatians 1:6-10: The Gospel is Primary
May 17, 2015 | Galatians 1:11-24: The Gospel is Real
May 24, 2015 | Galatians 2:1-10: The Gospel is Apostolic PDF 
May 31, 2015 | Galatians 2:11-16: The Gospel is Alive
June 7, 2015 | Galatians 2:17-21: The Gospel is Authentic
June 14, 2015 | Galatians 3:1: The Gospel is Wise - Part 1
July 5, 2015 | Galatians 3:1-14: The Gospel is Wise - Part 2
July 12, 2015 | Galatians 3:15-29: The Gospel is Promise
July 19, 2015 | Galatians 4:1-11: The Gospel is Adoption
July 26, 2015 | Galatians 4:12-20 - The Gospel is Love 
August 2, 2015 | Galatians 4:21-51 - The Gospel is New Life
August 9, 2015 | Galatians 5:1-12 - The Gospel is Liberty
August 23, 2015 | Galatians 5:16-25 - The Gospel is New Life
August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration
September 6, 2015 | Galatians 6:6-10 - The Gospel is Good 
May 24, 2015 | Some Things Never Change: The Immutability of God & Why That Matters
July 26, 2015 | 1 Kings 19:1-18
August 2, 2015 | John 3:1-21
August 9, 2015 | Romans 12:1-2 

Worship Minimovie: Confession

Here's the video we attempted to show Sunday.

August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration

Here is the sermon from Sunday morning taken from Galatians 5:26-6:5.

²⁶ Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. ⁵ For each one will bear his own load.

Audio
Notes


For more:
April 26, 2015 | Galatians 1:1-5: The Gospel is Freedom
May 3, 2015 | Galatians 1:6-10: The Gospel is Primary
May 17, 2015 | Galatians 1:11-24: The Gospel is Real
May 24, 2015 | Galatians 2:1-10: The Gospel is Apostolic PDF 
May 31, 2015 | Galatians 2:11-16: The Gospel is Alive
June 7, 2015 | Galatians 2:17-21: The Gospel is Authentic
June 14, 2015 | Galatians 3:1: The Gospel is Wise - Part 1
July 5, 2015 | Galatians 3:1-14: The Gospel is Wise - Part 2
July 12, 2015 | Galatians 3:15-29: The Gospel is Promise
July 19, 2015 | Galatians 4:1-11: The Gospel is Adoption
July 26, 2015 | Galatians 4:12-20 - The Gospel is Love 
August 2, 2015 | Galatians 4:21-51 - The Gospel is New Life
August 9, 2015 | Galatians 5:1-12 - The Gospel is Liberty
August 23, 2015 | Galatians 5:16-25 - The Gospel is New Life  
August 30, 2015 | Galatians 5:26-6:5 - The Gospel is Restoration
May 24, 2015 | Some Things Never Change: The Immutability of God & Why That Matters
July 26, 2015 | 1 Kings 19:1-18
August 2, 2015 | John 3:1-21
August 9, 2015 | Romans 12:1-2