Previous Sermon Series

Ephesians - Fall/Winter 2019/2020

Resurrection Hope - Spring 2020

The Church: Acts - 2021

Daniel - Spring 2022

 

AUGUST 28, 2022

For further evidence that the 10 Commandments have fallen out of favor with Americans, this Reuters article reports a survey in which more Americans can name the family members of the Bunch and the ingredients in a Big Mac, than can name the 10 Commandments.

I mentioned that at Pentecost, the law of God was written on the hearts of his people. This was how the NT writers understood the fulfillment at Pentecost of Jeremiah’s prophesy from Jeremiah 31: “31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” If you want to look more into this, I’d recommend a great little article by John Piper.

Since everyone is dying to know about show I’ve been watching, it’s Arsenal: All or Nothing on Amazon Prime. I’ve loved it, but the beware, the language is…colorful.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 - NO OTHER GODS

For my money, the best book helping you identify and defeat the idols in your own heart is Tim Keller’s, Counterfeit Gods. You may be able to find a copy on the booktable.

If you found the insights about God showing his supremacy over the gods of Egypt to be helpful, I’d recommend Jen Wilkin’s, Ten Words to Live By. It’s a great little book on the 10 Commandments.

HERE and HERE are the articles I referenced from Christianity Today about the rise of unchurched evangelicals in the Southern US.

Like I said…I didn’t like and wouldn’t recommend American Gods by Neil Gaimen. But if you want to read further about it, THIS article does a nice job.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2022 - IMAGES FORM US

The story we read in Exodus 32 is really interesting. It’s worth reading slowing and picking out the details.

The quotes about Mother Teresa came from this TIME Magazine article.

If you want to dig deeper into the ways that images are forming us, I can recommend no better book than Neil Postman’s classic, Amusing Ourselves to Death. It’s older but prophetic for our time.

The link to the Twitter thread of the story about the Queen and Alice the cleaning lady is HERE.

Finally, here’s a great version of Drew Holcomb’s Ring the Bells with Johnnyswim. Enjoy!

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 - GOD IS HOLY

If you haven’t watched The American President in a while, here’s a reminder of the film. But, let’s be honest…it was just a warm-up for the West Wing and the height of political television.

I again quoted from Jen Wilkin’s fabulous book, 10 Words to Live By. This particular quote comes form pages 53-54. If you enjoy her, you might like some of her podcast teaching about the book.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 - SABBATH REST

Juts in case you need a little pick me up this October 13…or any day. You can Treat Yo Self.

Here’s some great insights from The Bible Project on the Biblical theme of Sabbath.

And if you just need a pep for your step. Here’s Cain’s song, I’m So Blessed. Natalie thinks this is fabulous.

OCTOBER 2, 2022 - THE JUBILEE

Here’s a link to Robby Holt and Michael Rhodes fabulous book Practicing the Kings Economy.

I mentioned Marvin Olasky. If you want to read his personal conversion story, you can find that HERE. I’m sure he has written more in other places. Marvin recently left World Magazine, if you want to find out why, you can read his explanation HERE and HERE and HERE.

OCTOBER 9, 2022 - GIVING HONOR

If you struggle with the 5th commandment, Jen Wilkin’s articles, Showing Honor on Mother’s Day (Even When It’s Hard) and The Church is Not a Single Parent Family might be really helpful to you.

Here’s the full Capitol of the World story by Ernest Hemingway.

Hers’s the full Old Man and his Grandson story from the Brothers Grimm

OCTOBER 16, 2022 - PROTECTING LIFE

A few examples of the Bible’s concern with caring for the life of our neighbors can be found in Deuteronomy 22:8 and Exodus 21:28. It’s an important foundation for our requirements that people not act negligently.

The quote from Emperor Julian about the early Christian dedication to the poor in Rome can be found HERE.

The AND Campaign is one example of a Christian group engaging politics to promote pro-life issues but who don’t neatly fit into either major political platform. While you may not agree with their policies, you can appreciate their attempts to follow God in protecting all of life.

If you want more insight for the ethical questions this command raises, I’d recommend one from an old theologian Herman Bavinck and a recent work from John Jefferson Davis.

Again, Jen Wilkin highlights the contempt in language we have in our current culture. A good article examining this phenomenon is from Charles Duhigg in the Atlantic, The Roots of American Rage.

I love this quote from Peter Leithart, “[Jesus] doesn't assault God’s image, but he restores it. He doesn’t wound, but heals. He doesn’t take life, but gives it, abundantly. He doesn’t oppress, but liberates. His words, even his harshest ones, are words of life…Jesus has cause to defend himself and seek vengeance. He has legions of angels at his command. Instead, Jesus gives himself, suffers in silent patience, loves, and asks forgiveness for his executioners. He doesn’t kill but dies a victim or murder, and so he gives life.”

OCTOBER 23, 2022 - GUARDING SEX

You can find the audio to our Sunday School series on the sexuality HERE.

You can find the Carl Trueman article I referenced HERE.

There are references for both the Corrie Tin Boom and Chesterton quotes I read.

OCTOBER 30, 2022 - LIVING GENEROUSLY

If you want to read Thomas Watson’s work on the 10 Commandments, HERE it is. For a great introduction to reading the Puritans, I’d recommend THIS.

I referenced THIS study that discusses the rise in workplace theft in recent years. It lists the primary motivations for workplace theft is simply “that corporations don’t have feelings.” It doesn’t seem to be hurting anyone. Fascinating.

Here’s a longer quote from Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson’s The Paradox of Generosity, “Those who give, receive back in turn. By spending ourselves for others’ well-being, we enhance our own standing. In letting go of some of what we own, we better secure our own lives. By giving ourselves away, we ourselves move toward flourishing. This is not only a philosophical or religious teaching; it is a sociological fact. The generosity paradox can also be stated in the negative.

By grasping onto what we currently have, we lose out on better goods that we might have gained. In holding onto what we possess, we diminish its long-term value to us. By always protecting ourselves against future uncertainties and misfortunes, we are affected in ways that make us more anxious about uncertainties and vulnerable to future misfortunes. In short, by failing to care for others, we do not properly take care of ourselves. It is no coincidence that the word “miser” is etymologically related to the word “miserable.”

NOVEMBER 6, 2022 - TELLING THE TRUTH

If you’re into golf, you should definitely give Chasing Scratch a listen. It’s hilarious.

I mentioned Psychologist Jonathan Haidt. You can find our more about him HERE and in particular read his recent articles on the influence of Social Media on our public discourse. I particularly appreciated his article, Why the Last Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid.

For more on how powerful the influence of Social Media is, I cannot more highly recommend The Social Dilemma. You can find it on Netflix.

Here’s a link to the Westminster Larger Catechism if you want to dig in further to this wonderful confession of our common faith.

NOVEMBER 13, 2022 - CONTENTMENT

I referenced two works by English Puritans. If you are new to reading the Puritans, I’d recommend reading abridged versions or articles before diving in, they can be tough to read. But, there are wonderful!

  1. Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

  2. Thomas Chalmers, The Expulsive Power of a New Affection (Article)

Here is Jen Wilkin’s quote from her book, 10 Words to Live By (pg. 141) - “Desire is a living thing, conceived in the secret place and seeking to grow to maturity. Our words and actions are the birth cry of our mature desires. They are the belated announcement of what we have been thinking about for the past week, month, decade-an unholy and gruesome birth, gestated in our hearts, a confession of a crooked course we committed to some time ago…The heart is a place where sin germinates.”

NOVEMBER 20, 2022 - SLAVERY TO FREEDOM

I mentioned quite a few nuggets from article that I thiunk you might enjoy. As always, I refernce things that I may not full agree with, but think have some value for considering and interacting with. Always read critically!