What is self-control, and why does it matter? What makes self-control as a “fruit of the Spirit” different from the self-control of the non-Christian? How can I develop self-control?
(This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 9, 2016.)
What makes a true thing true? What are the qualities of truth? And what does our response to truth have to do with anything? As we consider a hard saying of Jesus in John 6, we must come to grips with the difficult sayings of scripture in general.
(Preaching through the Gospel of John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 2, 2016.)
Following the miracle of the feeding the five thousand in John 6, Jesus commands the crowd to seek “the food that endures.” Embedded in this teaching is a question: why do you follow Jesus? What is the “food that endures” and how is it different than the “food that perishes”?
(Preaching through the Gospel of John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on September 25, 2016.)
God demands action, but sometimes it can all seem so overwhelming. As we look at the story of feeding the 5,000 (really more like 10,000), we must answer this question: what does God actually expect of His children?
(Preaching through the Gospel of John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on September 18, 2016.)
That Jesus claimed to be God is pretty clear, but what exactly does that mean? This question has plagued Christians for millennia. In John 5, Jesus gives us a little bit of insight into this profound mystery.
(Preaching through the Gospel of John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on September 11, 2016.)
People have always tried to compromise with Jesus by either making him out to be less than he was, or by watering down his claims and teachings. The story of the healing by the pool of Bethesda silences many of these claims. Why is it so tempting to water down Jesus, and what can we do about it?
(Preaching through John’s gospel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on September 4, 2016.)
If anyone had cause to boast, it was John the Baptist, a person foretold in prophecy, born miraculously, and the baptizer of Jesus himself. Yet, it was he who uttered the phrase that should be adopted by every disciple: “He must increase, and I must decrease.” What does this phrase mean, and how can it become effective in our own lives?
(Preaching through the Gospel of John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 14, 2016.)
I imagine many (if not most) of us can quote John 3:16. But how about verses 15 or 17? What about John 3:18? John 3:16 is an iconic, powerful verse to be sure, but it is only in the context of John 3:1-21 that we see why God’s love is so amazing.
(Preaching through John’s Gospel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 7, 2016.)
Nicodemus is the perfect stand-in for the modern seeker. Coming to Jesus, recognizing his Divine power, what information does Nicodemus receive, and why does it matter today?
(Preaching through John. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on July 31, 2016.)
Watts in the Word 