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.)
The word “bridegroom” is only used to describe Jesus a couple times in the Gospels, but the analogy of marriage describing our relationship to God is used throughout the Bible. In what way is Jesus like a bridegroom, and what does this mean for us?
(Preaching on the work and identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November 24, 2024.)
Healing was by far the most common miraculous work of Jesus. Why did he heal, what did it mean to the people of his day, and what does his healing power mean for us?
(Preaching on the work and identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November 17, 2024.)
The word “teacher” had a special meaning in first-century Israel, beyond our normal everyday use of the word. It was the third most common title for Jesus in the gospels, indicating its significance to the people around him. In what way was Jesus “the Teacher” and why is it so important for us?
(Preaching on the work and identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November 3, 2024.)
John opens his gospel with a peculiar title for Jesus: “the Word.” John repeats this title toward the end of the New Testament, in Revelation. What does this title of Jesus mean, and how does it relate to his work and authority?
(Preaching on the work and identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 27, 2024.)
“The Son” is a complicated title of Jesus, a shortening of two separate titles, each of which is used in a variety of ways throughout the Bible. How does “Jesus the Son” apply to our own lives? What can we learn from this part of Jesus’s identity?
(Preaching on the identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 20, 2024.)
Having just finished a series on “Developing an Identity in Christ”, we transition to thinking about Christ – who was he? Who is he? Like anyone else, the identity of Jesus is composed of many different facets. We will begin with the most basic part of the identity of Jesus – his Jewishness.
(Preaching on the identity of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 13, 2024.)
In many ways humans are defined by their relationships to others. It can be easy to allow our individual identities to be subsumed by these connections. How does God expect our relationships to influence our identities, and how can we develop an identity in Christ while also righteously connecting with others?
(Preaching on developing an identity in Christ. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on September 8, 2024.)
What is the point of reading or studying the Bible at all? James uses a particularly striking analogy to both consider the importance of the question, and to answer it.
(This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on July 21, 2024.)
“Messiah” is an important title for Jesus, but why? Where did this word come from, and are we using it correctly today? I made this chart for an adult VBS class, and hope you also might find it useful. You can find the .pdf here.
Watts in the Word 