After the “return” from exile, Israel began looking for a new king, the Messiah who would fulfill the promises of the prophets of old. Jesus was that king. But when he came, basically everything he said and did was the exact opposite of what Israel expected from their savior. What did Jesus teach about his kingdom, and what kind of king did he set himself up to be?
(Preaching on the church living in the world. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on February 1, 2026.)
In contrast to Matthew and John, Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus and his early life emphasizes Jesus’s humble origins and submissive attitude, from the circumstances of his birth, to his parents’ obedience to the Law of Moses, to his own submission to Mary and Joseph. What should we learn from this emphasis of Luke?
(Preaching through Luke. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on January 11, 2026.)
The Proverbs of Israel are wide-ranging in their subject matter, but there are several frequent themes. If we want to live purposeful, meaningful, righteous lives, what kind of rules might we glean from this ancient wisdom?
(Preaching through the wisdom literature of Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on May 18, 2025.)
Given Jesus’s awesome power and authority on display all throughout his ministry, in miracles and his teaching, it would be easy to come away with the wrong idea about his purpose on earth, as his disciples did. Why did Jesus claim to be a servant? What made him such a servant, despite his power and authority? And how can we follow in his example?
(Preaching on the work and identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 1, 2024.)
Many of the stories of Jesus in the gospels teach us just as much by the people responding to (and either rejecting or accepting) Jesus. Why did the healing of the blind man elicit such strong reactions, and what should we learn from them?
(Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 17, 2023.)
Paul was in a difficult situation while writing Philippians, and clearly worried that it would cause the church in Philippi to despair. What advice did he give them to persevere and overcome the forces arrayed against them?
(Preaching through Philippians. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 5, 2023.)
What is humility, and what sorts of attitudes feel like humility, but aren’t? How should humility be expressed in our lives?
(Preaching on Christian character. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 23, 2022.)
What does it mean to be a peacemaker? Who should strive to be one? What qualities does a peacemaker possess or cultivate? And, why will peacemakers be called “sons of God”?
(Preaching on good works. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November 7, 2021.)
Peter wraps up the practical instruction of his first letter by echoing the words of James. What advice did they give us to help us resist the Devil?
(Daily walk through 1 Peter. Recorded for the Dewey Church of Christ on April 28, 2020.)
There are a lot of things about Spiritual Warfare that are hard to accept, things that we may not understand entirely. How can we come to grips with the unknown, and humble accept the things we may not like?
(Preaching on Spiritual conflict. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 15, 2019.)
Watts in the Word 