Every year, Christmas tends to rush us by. With all the shopping and events and family commitments and the long lists of to-do list, the frantic pace often leaves us barely catching our breath. That’s why Advent is so good for our hearts. If you didn’t grow up celebrating Advent, it’s a time for … [Read More…] Great Expectations
In many ways, the Book of Philippians is kind of a thank you note from the Apostle Paul. Because of Paul’s financial hardships under house arrest in Rome, the Philippian believers pooled their resources and sent him a gift to sustain him. Epaphroditus was their courier entrusted with the gift. Now Epaphroditus is headed back … [Read More…] The Basics of Giving
In the fourth and final chapter of Philippians, we come to several well-known, popular “coffee cup” verses. The problem with “coffee cup” verses is that they are divorced from their context and setting. And this is often a recipe for misapplication. These verses from Philippians 4:1-9 might at first glance appear disconnected and disjointed, … [Read More…] The Basics of Peace
Who do you want to be when you grow up? It’s not just a question for children, it’s a question for all of us. Because, if God has given us new birth by grace through faith in Jesus’ life substituted for ours on the cross, and if God has then filled us with his Holy … [Read More…] The Basics of Maturity
On reformation Sunday, Pastor Lutzer returns to the pulpit for a special message from Romans 3. How can we be right with God? Our corruption before God is seen by what we seek (v. 11), what we say (v.13), where we go (v.15), and what we see (v.18). Only God can solve our dilemma: … [Read More…] God, the Cross, and You
One of the most important questions of life is: Who am I? We all wonder who we are at the core of our being. So much hinges on how we answer this questions: our sense of self, our identity, our being, all inform how we behave, which in turns forms who we are becoming. … [Read More…] The Basics of Identity
In this sermon we come to one of those sections of the Bible that we might be tempted to skip over. At the end of Chapter 2 in Philippians, Paul takes 12 verses to describe his travel plans along with the travel itineraries of two other individuals: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Why should we care? By … [Read More…] The Basics of Community
Who is the greatest person you’ve had the privilege of knowing? Not the most glamorous, but the greatest. You see, there’s a difference between glamor and greatness. Glamor impresses from a distance; greatness impacts up close. Glamor is on the outside; greatness is on the inside. Glamor draws attention to itself; greatness focuses attention on … [Read More…] The Basics of Service
Are we sure of God’s love for us? God wants us to be certain of His love for us. In this sermon, special guest Dr. Ray Ortlund, Jr., walks us through a life changing passage in Romans 8. Here, the apostle Paul asks four questions about the personal and powerful love of God for … [Read More…] Will God Ever Abandon Us?
Can you see the Apostle Paul in your minds’ eye? He’s under house arrest in Rome and manacled to an Imperial Guard. He’d appealed to Caesar, but now he’s wasting away, stuck in an endless line of bureaucratic delays. He has no idea how Caesar will rule on his case. He might be set free, … [Read More…] The Basics of Life
