Mark 10:45
Psalms
God is Satisfaction
Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice—his perfect, sinless life—so that we would be forgiven and restored in relationship with God. This sacred act calls us to align our hearts with his and give sacrificially in response.
John 14:1-2 · Genesis 2
Psalm
I Will Sing Your Praise
Jesus uses marriage language to promise his disciples that he is preparing rooms for them and will return to claim his bride, offering comfort and purpose amid life's chaos.
Luke 9:28-36 · Revelation 1:17
A Glimpse of Glory
The transfiguration reveals Jesus as God's chosen one to be heard and obeyed. Believers must ground faith in objective Scripture rather than emotional experiences alone.
Leviticus 1-7
Leviticus
Approaching God
This sermon examines the five Old Testament sacrifices as a pattern for approaching God: confession and forgiveness must precede praise and thanksgiving. All find their fulfillment in Christ's sacrifice, calling believers to daily dedication and assurance of peace with God.
Acts 2:41-48
Awe
The early church's devotion to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer flowed from a deep awe of God. This reverent fear—often missing today—is essential for genuine spiritual life and community.
Revelation 1:9-20
Revelation
Awestruck!
This sermon calls believers to be overwhelmed by the majesty of Jesus Christ, using John's vision on Patmos to challenge spiritual complacency and invite genuine worship and service.
Psalm 63
Better Than Life
This sermon examines Psalm 63's portrait of worship born from distress, showing how memories of God's faithfulness and the practice of singing praise sustain faith when pressure and sleeplessness come. God's love remains better than life itself.
1 Samuel 5:1-12 · 1 Peter 2:9-10
Broken Before the Lord
This sermon examines how God's strength surpasses all rivals, using the account of Dagon's collapse before the Ark of the Covenant to challenge believers to restore their perspective on God's power and worthiness of praise.
Luke 10:38-42
Choosing What Is Better
This sermon examines Luke's account of Martha and Mary to show that receiving Jesus means maintaining focus on him rather than becoming distracted by even necessary tasks. Believers must prioritize time with Jesus over the tyranny of urgent but less important demands.
Nehemiah 9:1-38 · Psalm 136:1-9
Nehemiah
Confession and Praise
This sermon leads believers through a service of praise and confession modeled on Nehemiah 9, where God's compassionate and forgiving nature is celebrated through alternating corporate praise and confession of sin.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 · 1 Corinthians 11:3
Creation and Head Coverings
This sermon examines Paul's correction of improper worship practices in Corinth by grounding his instruction in the creation order established by God. The application emphasizes honoring God through respecting the order He created and maintaining focus on Him rather than abusing Christian freedom.
Romans 1:18-25 · Romans 5:6-11
Emptying Self and Worship
Worship acknowledges three foundational truths: we are created by God and owe him honor; we are powerless to save ourselves; and God has acted through Christ's death and resurrection to reconcile and save us.
Mark 11:12-25 · Jeremiah 7:1-29
Faith and Prayer
Jesus pronounces judgment on the temple by cursing a fruitless fig tree and disrupting sacrificial practices, revealing that outward religious form without genuine devotion is spiritually empty. The remedy is authentic prayer—direct, personal connection with God rooted in faith, expectation, and a forgiving spirit.
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Generosity
Paul's final appeal for the Corinthians to complete their collection for Jerusalem emphasizes that God's generosity exceeds ours; believers cannot out-give God, who supplies all needs so they can share freely and bring Him praise.
Luke 2:1-20
God's Entry Into This World
This devotional examines the birth of Jesus amid indifference and material distraction, arguing that God's entrance into the world through a humble stable demands reverent recognition rather than casual acknowledgment.
Exodus 34:1-9
God's Reaction to Rebellion
God reveals his merciful and gracious nature to Israel after their rebellion, demonstrating that his desire is relationship and forgiveness rather than punishment. True worship responds to this revelation of God's character by focusing on his glory and allowing transformation.
1 Chronicles 13 · Exodus 25:10
Chronicles
Good Intentions
Familiarity with God must not breed contempt or presumption upon his holiness. David's good intention to bring the ark to Jerusalem demonstrates that honoring God requires following his explicit commands, not merely pursuing well-intentioned goals.
Psalm 23 · 2 Corinthians 12
Worship
Gratitude
This sermon calls the assembly to cultivate gratitude as a central attitude in worship, using Psalm 23 to demonstrate God's faithfulness and provision. The preacher challenges listeners to increase thankfulness through specific prayer, reduced complaining, and generous giving.
Exodus 32:11-14 · Exodus 33:18
His Name's Sake
God's identity and purpose are inseparable from his character—compassion, grace, and faithfulness. Believers find their identity as God's holy children and their purpose in revealing God's glory to a lost world, all for his name's sake.
Leviticus 23:1-25:55
Leviticus
Holy Festivals
God ordained festivals and sabbath years to help his people remember his mercy, provision, and care, and to recognize that all they had was a gift from God rather than earned through their own strength.
Luke 1:26-56 · Luke 1:3-4
Luke
I Am the Lord's Servant
This sermon introduces the Gospel of Luke and examines Mary's acceptance of God's call to bear Jesus, exploring how praise naturally flows from encountering God's activity in history and challenging believers to accept Jesus on his own terms regardless of personal cost.
1 Corinthians 14:13-25 · Isaiah 28
Is God Really Among You?
The assembly should manifest God's presence through intelligible, God-focused worship that encourages the body and convicts unbelievers of God's truth, requiring hearts prepared to worship rather than seek personal preference or emotional satisfaction.
Micah 6:6-8 · Genesis 4
It's About the Heart
Worship that honors God must flow from a genuine heart commitment, not merely external actions or personal preferences. Only through God's work in circumcising our hearts can we move beyond going through the motions to authentic devotion.
John 14:16 · John 14:26
Jesus' Teaching on the Spirit
Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit's primary work is to glorify Christ and bear witness to him through truth, not to draw attention to emotional experiences. Christians must center on Christ rather than on feelings as the measure of spiritual maturity.
1 Peter 1:17-21 · Matthew 10:30
Jesus, The Lamb of God
This sermon centers on Jesus as the Lamb of God, tracing God's redemptive plan from before creation through Christ's sacrifice, resurrection, and future return, calling believers to worship the Savior who takes away the sins of the world.
Colossians 1:15-23
Colossians
Jesus, There's Something About that Name
Paul establishes Jesus's supreme authority over all creation and spiritual forces, calling believers to recognize that Jesus alone is worthy of complete devotion and has accomplished all that is necessary for salvation and reconciliation with God.
2 Samuel 6
Let the Celebration Begin
This sermon examines how David's initial attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem reveals that honoring God requires both right motivation and obedient action—not one without the other.
Lord's Supper Devotional
This devotional challenges worshipers to recognize communion as a communal act, not merely individual reflection, and suggests practical ways to affirm community while honoring Jesus through shared worship.
Malachi 3:6-12
Malachi: Prophet of Gratitude
This sermon examines Malachi's call to passionate, heart-centered giving as a reflection of commitment to God's ways. The people's passionless approach to tithes revealed spiritual apathy; restoration requires prioritizing God's claims on our resources.
Judges 8:22-35
Judges
Misplaced Worship
This sermon examines how Gideon compromised God's revealed will by constructing an ephod and assuming the role of high priest, demonstrating that good motives cannot substitute for obedience to God's specific instructions.
Mark 7:1-8 · 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Our Sacred Traditions
This sermon examines the difference between God-ordained and human-made traditions, arguing that while traditions can pass on important truths, they must never take precedence over God's expressed will or diminish authentic faith and love.
2 Samuel 22:2-20 · 2 Samuel 22:21-31
Praise
This sermon uses David's song of praise in 2 Samuel 22 to explore God's attributes—security, light, strength, and hope—and calls the congregation to trust God through difficult circumstances.
Prayer for the New Year
This sermon reviews the congregation's 1997 activities and invites personal and collective reflection on goals for the coming year, emphasizing worship as a way of life and centering on Christ.
Malachi 1:6-14 · Isaiah 6
Malachi
Respect for God
This sermon challenges believers to approach God with genuine respect and honor rather than casual indifference, examining how the priests of Malachi's time treated their worship of God as routine and offering modern parallels for contemporary believers.
Psalm 139 · Deuteronomy 5:16
Song of God's Wisdom & Knowledge
This sermon examines Psalm 139 as a poetic celebration of God's omniscience, omnipresence, planning, and judgment. The psalmist expresses awe at God's intimate knowledge, constant presence, careful crafting of life, and righteous judgment, calling believers to loyalty and transformation.
Psalm 146
Song of Praise
This sermon examines why God alone is worthy of praise—as eternal creator, faithful keeper of promises, executor of justice, and everlasting king—and calls believers to speak the language of praise rather than complaint.
Psalm 19:1-4
Sunday Night Devo
The intricate design of the universe—from the sun's perfect distance to the precise atmospheric composition—declares God's glory and demands our wonder and praise.
Psalm 8 · Romans 1:20
The Beauty of Holiness
Looking at creation reveals God's eternal power and nature, calling us to worship the Creator rather than the created. This understanding gives us purpose and invites us to respond with childlike praise.
1 Kings 18:16-40
The Contest
This sermon examines the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, arguing that followers of God cannot remain neutral—they must decisively choose to follow the one true God or risk being captured by competing desires.
Amos 5:18-27 · 1 Corinthians 6
Amos
The Day of the Lord
This sermon examines how Israel mistakenly believed religious activity substituted for righteousness, warning that true worship must be inseparable from daily obedience and justice. Believers today face the same temptation to compartmentalize faith, forgetting that the Day of the Lord demands consistent faithfulness.
Matthew 23:23-24 · 2 Corinthians 8-9
The Heart of Giving
This sermon examines Jesus's teaching on giving, demonstrating that the motivation and condition of the heart matter more than the act of giving itself. True generosity flows from a cheerful heart set on honoring God and serving others, not from obligation or external pressure.
Matthew 6:1-18 · Matthew 5:20
Sermon on the Mount
The King's Children Motives
Jesus calls his followers to perform good deeds with the right motive—so that God receives glory, not ourselves. True righteousness flows from a heart seeking to reveal God's character rather than win human approval.
Isaiah 6:1-8
The Nature of God
God's holiness—his moral purity and complete otherness—is foundational to faith and should transform how believers live, calling them to pursue separation from worldly patterns and dedicate all relationships and possessions to him.
1 Peter 2:4-10 · Ephesians 6:5-8
The Sacred and the Secular
Everything matters to God. This sermon challenges the false division between sacred and secular activities, showing how daily work and ordinary life become spiritual when done with Christ at the center and for God's glory.
Psalm 8
The Song of Man
This sermon explores Psalm 8's declaration that despite humanity's smallness in an infinite universe, God has crowned humans with glory and given them dominion over creation as a blessing and responsibility.
Micah 6:1-8 · Deuteronomy 27:12-13
What Does God Require?
God calls his people to faithfulness through both worship and justice. True devotion to God must translate into ethical treatment of others, reflecting God's own character of mercy and loyalty.
Mark 6:1-13
Mark
Where Is the Awe?
Familiarity with Jesus breeds contempt and kills faith. When we lose our sense of awe before God's presence, we forfeit recognition of His power and the transformative word He offers.
Mark 12:29 · James 2:19
The Holy Spirit
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
This sermon introduces a series on the Holy Spirit by establishing that the Spirit is a distinct person within the Godhead, possessing personality and the ability to think, reason, and feel. Christians are called to have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, loving, obeying, and worshiping him.
Exodus 12:12-14 · Nehemiah 8:6-12
Worship and Celebration
Spiritual celebration flows from wonder at God's presence and actions. When believers recognize God's faithfulness and power in their lives, worship becomes a natural, joyful response rather than routine obligation.
Romans 12:1-2
Worship
Worship and Culture
This sermon examines how culture influences worship practices and calls believers to keep God central rather than allowing cultural trends or preferences to drive the assembly.
Hebrews 10:19-25 · Leviticus 3
Worship and Edification
Worship encompasses both vertical devotion to God and horizontal encouragement of one another. The assembly must intentionally foster mutual edification, not passive isolation.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 · Hebrews 10:24
Worship and the Lord's Supper
Worship requires both vertical communion with God and horizontal unity with believers, as demonstrated in the Lord's Supper. Paul addresses divisions at Corinth by calling the church to recognize Christ's sacrifice and celebrate their shared salvation together.
Revelation 4:1-5:14
Worthy
God and Jesus are worthy of all praise and remain in ultimate control despite the chaos and suffering that plague our world. The sermon invites believers to lift their eyes to see God's throne room and join the heavenly chorus in worship.
Romans 12:1-2
Family
We Are God's Children
This sermon examines how God's merciful gift of salvation calls for a rational response of complete dedication and worship. Changed minds—focused on God's mercy rather than worldly concerns—align us with God's will and enable us to live as his holy family.
Mark 12:35-44 · Mark 11:10
Mark
A Riddle
Jesus poses a riddle about the Messiah being both David's son and David's Lord, revealing his divine nature. True love for God requires awareness of who Jesus is, evidenced not through public displays of piety but through wholehearted commitment and sacrifice, like the widow who gave all she had.
Mark 14:1-11
Mark
Do What You Can
This sermon examines the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus at Bethany, arguing that faithful service requires not grand gestures but simply doing what one can within one's sphere of influence, allowing our behaviors to speak louder than our words.
Mark 12:13-17
Mark
What Belongs to God?
Jesus teaches that while we must fulfill our civic duties to earthly governments, our hearts and allegiance ultimately belong to God alone. The call is to give God what is rightfully his—ourselves.
Isaiah 29:13-21 · Isaiah 37:36
God Is Awesome
God cannot be hidden from and demands authentic worship rooted in awe of his holiness. Only the humble who see God's majesty through eyes of faith experience true joy and rejoicing.
Exodus 40:34-38 · Exodus 32
Exodus
God's Glory
God's glory—revealed in the tabernacle and ultimately in Jesus—calls his people to follow his direction and align their lives with his presence, not taking his grace for granted.
Exodus 23:10-19
Renewal
God established festivals and rest periods to renew His people and deepen their loyalty to Him. Worship must center on God's character and commands, not personal experience, and believers should mark their calendars with times to remember and celebrate God's work.
John 12:1-11
John
Priorities
This sermon examines how Mary's costly anointing of Jesus reveals right priorities. When hearts are set on honoring Jesus, choices flow from love rather than calculation.
Psalm 100 · Genesis 4
Basics
We Worship an Awesome God
Worship requires a prepared heart filled with wonder at God's grace, not merely external motions. True worship flows from recognizing God's forgiveness and allowing the Spirit to transform our hearts.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Basics
Why Do We Assemble Together?
Christian assembly serves both vertical worship of God and horizontal encouragement of one another. The Hebrew writer calls believers to intentional community that provokes mutual love and good deeds, especially in times of uncertainty.
John 2:1-11
A Sign at a Wedding
Jesus' transformation of water into wine at Cana demonstrates the inauguration of a new messianic age and points to his power to make all things new, calling believers to faith and devotion to his glory.
John 14:16 · John 14:26
Jesus' Teaching on the Spirit
This sermon examines Jesus' teaching on the Spirit's work through John 14–16, emphasizing that the Spirit's primary function is to glorify Christ and bear witness to truth, not to draw attention to emotional experiences or inner promptings.
Various Passages
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
This sermon examines the nature of the Holy Spirit as a distinct person within the Trinity, demonstrating that he is fully God, personal, and worthy of a direct relationship with believers.
Deuteronomy 5:1-11 · Numbers 21
Deuteronomy
First Things First
This sermon examines the first three commandments as God's call to exclusive faithfulness. God demands to be first in our hearts and practices, not merely as one priority among many.
1 Peter 1:17-21 · Matthew 10:30
Jesus, The Lamb of God
This sermon examines Jesus as the Lamb of God—God's plan from before creation to sacrifice his Son for humanity's sins through the cross, resurrection, and ultimate return. Believers are called to worship the Savior who knew each of us and gave himself as the final sacrifice for the world's sin.
1 Corinthians 14:26-40
1 Corinthians
Peace
Disruption in worship reflects a competitive spirit that contradicts God's character of peace and order. Paul's instructions restore harmony by calling believers to prioritize unity and the building up of the body over personal spiritual superiority.
Philippians 1:1-11
Philippians
To God's Glory
This sermon examines how believers find purpose by living so that God is glorified. Through love, wisdom, and a long-term perspective centered on Christ's return, Christians can maintain joy and reveal God's glory regardless of circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 10
Paul's closing words to the Thessalonian church call believers to express joy, maintain prayer, and give thanks—community practices that reflect a Christian mind rooted in God's presence and promises.
Habakkuk 3:1-19 · John 17
Habakkuk
Praise God Anyway
Though life brings suffering and injustice, God's faithfulness throughout history calls believers to trust and praise him anyway, discovering joy rooted not in circumstances but in God's power and glory.
Malachi 1:6-14
Malachi
Respect for God
This sermon challenges believers to approach worship with honor and reverence for God rather than casual indifference. The religious leaders of Malachi's time had lost respect for God's majesty, offering inferior sacrifices and treating worship as routine; modern believers must examine their hearts to ensure they haven't similarly become complacent about God's greatness.
Malachi 3:12-4:6 · Matthew 25
Malachi
What's Your Decision
Passion for God comes from honoring who he is, not from expecting him to obligate himself through our external actions. The heart matters more than mere religious form.
1 Kings 18:16-40
Kings
The Contest
This sermon examines the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, arguing that followers of God cannot straddle the fence—they must decisively choose to follow God alone, abandoning all competing idols and loyalties.
Mark 2:18-22
Mark
Celebration
Jesus' presence as the Bridegroom transforms life from mourning into celebration. His arrival ushers in a new era where joy and feasting replace the old patterns of fasting and grief.
Exodus 34:6-7 · Exodus 3:13-15
The Lord
This sermon explores God's name—Yahweh (I AM)—revealing that God exists as a living and eternal being whose character never changes. Our lives should reflect this transforming encounter with the Lord.
Luke 22:7-23 · Luke 9:31
Luke
Passover
Jesus transforms the Passover meal into a new covenant celebration, where the bread and wine symbolize his body and blood given for all people. Participants in this meal pledge their allegiance to Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Luke 20:20-26
To Tax or Not to Tax
Jesus distinguishes between what belongs to government and what belongs to God, calling believers to prioritize their loyalty to God above political concerns and earthly worries.
Romans 12:1-2
Romans
God's Desire for His Children
In light of God's merciful gifts through Christ, dedication to Him is the only rational response. Changed minds—fed by God's truth, focused on His mercy, and strengthened through community—enable believers to discover and live out God's will.
Luke 5:17-26 · Daniel 7:13-14
Luke
Healing
This sermon examines how Jesus demonstrates his divine authority to forgive sins through healing, calling believers to respond with praise for God's forgiveness and restoration.
1 Samuel 12:16-25
1 Samuel
Fear
Worldly fear robs us of worship and leads to selfish choices that dishonor God, while the fear of God—awe and wonder—produces faith, prayer, and surrender to his will.
2 Samuel 22:2-20 · 2 Samuel 22:21-31
Praise
This sermon uses David's song of praise in 2 Samuel 22 to explore how God provides security, light, strength, and hope. Listeners are invited to trust God with their uncertainties and difficulties, making David's faith their own.