Israel’s return from exile was a long process of rebuilding and restoring what had been lost, starting with the temple in the book of Ezra. But beyond rebuilding the physical buildings and towns, Israel needed to restore their relationship and obedience to God, a task that Ezra was well suited for. What can we learn from the process of returning and rebuilding in Ezra?
(Preaching on the return. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 17, 2025.)
We have seen how Jesus promised to build his church, and how he used the apostles and prophets to do so. But what about once all the apostles had died? How did they expect future generations (including us!) to keep building Jesus’s church?
(Preaching on the Church that Jesus Built. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on May 28, 2023.)
We conclude our study of Hebrews 11, as the author does, with a rapid-fire list of people and events. What manifestations of faith do these stories have in common, and what should they mean for us?
(Preaching through Hebrews 11. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 12, 2021.)
We conclude our series on “Treasures in Heaven” by considering the value of discomfort, and how it helps us grow and improve.
(Preaching on personal values. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on June 27, 2021.)
Why was Jesus rejected so much? Why did he anticipate his apostles being similarly rejected? Should we expect the same, and if so, what should we do about it? (Bonus! A little discussion about Jesus as a child.)
(Preaching through Mark. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 1, 2020.)
Jesus was very clear with his disciples: the world will hate you. Not might, not may, but certainly will! Why was this the case, and should we expect the same today?
(Preaching through John’s Gospel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 7, 2018.)
It is easy to get discouraged about “the way the world is going”. Things like: how people perceive morality, truth, and politics, and how we talk about these things. However, the writers of the New Testament had a lot to say about what Christians should expect to face. We are surprised about things that shouldn’t really be that surprising, and our primary reaction shouldn’t be discouragement.
(Warning: this one is long. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on April 15, 2018.)
Jesus spends more words on the last Beatitude than any three of the others put together. Why and how is being persecuted such a cause for happiness?
(Preaching through the Beatitudes. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 12, 2017.)
Jesus has no condemnation for the church in Philadelphia, only praise. What was the church doing that Jesus loved so much? How can we emulate that congregation in the midst of a world that tries to drag us from Jesus?
(This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on January 24, 2016.)
Why would someone defy persecution and hold to Christ in the face of death, yet refuse to follow the teachings of Christ? This is just one aspect of an inconsistent faith that Christ addresses in his letters to the seven churches. In this letter, he tells the church in Pergamum exactly what he thinks of this inconsistency.
(This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 27, 2015.)
Watts in the Word 