The book of Psalms spans a thousand years of Israelite history, and is the greatest collection of songs and prayers to Yahweh ever assembled. How was this collection assembled, why was it structured the way it was, and how can we begin to use this incredible resource in our own lives?
(Preaching through the wisdom literature. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on April 6, 2025. You can find the chart mentioned below.)
After Saul’s rebellion and rejection, God told Samuel he would choose a new king after his own heart. What did God mean by this, what made David such a person, and how can we emulate the heart of David?
(Preaching on this history of early Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on April 6, 2025.)
The book of Psalms spans a thousand years of Israelite history, and is the greatest collection of songs and prayers to Yahweh ever assembled. As we begin weaving the Psalms into our reading of the Bible through the year, I hope this overview can help you make sense of the structure and themes of the book.
Israel’s first king arrived at the tail end of a sequence of bad leadership in Israel. But while things started out well for Saul, they quickly devolved into similar patterns of failed rule. What can we learn from the first king’s successes and failures, and how much should we relate to his struggles?
(Preaching through the story of early Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 30, 2025.)
In our read through the Bible, we have arrived in the books of Samuel. 1-2 Samuel covers the united kingdom from the end of the era of the judges to the tail end of David’s reign, and mostly focuses on the struggles for power between Saul and David, and David and Absalom. I hope this is helpful for your study!
The period of the judges lasted for more than three centuries between Joshua’s death and the anointing of Saul as the first king. During this time, the pattern of human rebellion and God’s redemption was solidified in Israel, and stands as an example to Christians today. What can we learn about the cycle of rebellion and redemption from this period of Israel’s history?
(Preaching through the story of early Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 23, 2025.)
There is a mysterious recurring figure in the Old Testament: “The Angel of Yahweh” appears at several critical points in the narrative to guide, support, and direct the people of Israel. What is so special about the angel, and what distinguishes him from other angels in the Bible?
(Preaching through the story of the Bible. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 16, 2025.)
The story of Joshua is full of war, conflict, and strife. As Israel was about to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land, Joshua was repeatedly told to “be strong and courageous.” What reasons did God give him to be so, and how does Joshua’s need for strength and courage mirror our own?
(Preaching through the story of early Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 16, 2025.)
As we transition out of our reading of the Pentateuch and into Joshua and Judges, I thought it would be helpful to put together a timeline of early Israel, from the Exodus to the beginning of the temple construction in 1 Kings 6:1. The two verses that form the backbone of this timeline are Judges 11:26 and 1 Kings 6:1, which impose pretty hard limits on the overall dates of the judges and kings. I hope this is helpful for you!
(Note: you can find links for the maps mentioned in this sermon below.) As we transition from the Pentateuch to the so-called books of history in the Old Testament, Israel is transitioning from their wilderness wanderings into the promised land. How did they enter, how did their early encounters with the inhabitants go, and how did such a weak and nomadic nation conquer all the land from the Jordan to the Mediterranean?
You can find the maps for this sermon here (Joshua 1-9), here (Joshua 10), here (Joshua 11), and here (land allotment).
(Preaching on early Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 9, 2025.)
Watts in the Word 
