Here’s a helpful quote from Calvin on humanity’s fallen state: “For all who are not utterly blind, perceive that no part of us is sound; that the mind is smitten with blindness, and infected with innumerable errors; that all the affections of the heart are full of stubbornness and wickedness; that vile lusts, or other […]
“Created for Relationship” Gen 2:4-25 (Preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship church on 9/14/25) Intro: The greatest possible earthly joy: to be known and loved and to know and love another. The greatest possible joy: to know God and experience His love in your heart. -When we are alone—without friends/family/community/separated from God—we wither -When […]
GENESIS 1:1-2:3 ‘Creation of the World’ (Preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville on 9/7/2025) Intro: Why is there a universe? What is the nature of this world? What is our place in it? -Conflicting Worldviews around us: Spiritualism; Atheism; Agnosticism -Original hearers of Genesis faced same challenge: World is result of cosmic battle; […]
(Preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship on 8.24.25) James 5:13-20 “Prayer and Care” Intro: At end of our series in James, it will take a lifetime to learn and put book of James into practice Theme of James: spiritual wholeness. This is what a mature Christian looks like and by God’s grace ought to do. […]
James 5:1-12 “Justice and Hope for the Future” Intro: Longings in every human heart: purpose, love, truth, friendship, significance, peace -Christian Claim: only the one true God—the God of Christianity—can ultimately satisfy these longings. -Today: Only the God of Christianity can satisfy our longing for justice and hope for a future. 1. Justice. 2. Hope […]
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Moo on “Meekness”
James 3:13 calls us those who are wise ‘by their good conduct to show their works in the meekness of wisdom.” This phrase is surprising at first, but I’ve appreciated Douglas Moo’s comments on the concept of “meekness” and wisdom from his commentary on James: “Humility, or “meekness” was not usually prized by the Greeks. […]
James 3:1-12 “The TONGUE” Intro: 16,000 Words; Insignificant/sig; Regret/glad; kind/harsh; patient/impatient; sad words/joyful words; clean/foul -Our words have great power—power to wound/heal and change people and situations for the better and worse -Something wrong in our talk: we don’t use our words that we ought to. -But, in the gospel, we can be made new […]
2 Passages to Help Guide Sunday Morning Pastoral Ministry Here are two passages from Corinthians to shape how we ought to think about Sunday morning ministry. These ministered to me this week and I want them to continue to shape how I think about Sunday mornings in the future. 1 BUILDING UP 1 Corinthians 14:3b […]
From Jeff Robinson’s book “Taming the Tongue,” here are 9 categories of sinful speech (pg 33-60) 1. Gossip and Slander. Gossip: Sharing something about someone that wouldn’t say in front of them; Slander: “open, intentional sharing of damaging information another person” 2. Critical Talk: ungodly criticism. 3. Sarcasm: Mockery and scorn of another (not to […]
James 2:14-26 “A Faith that Works” (Preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville on 7.13.25) Intro: “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe something” –Wrong: 1. CONTENT: Matters What you Believe In; 2. MANNER: Matters what your Belief is like (real or fake) -James shows us there is a kind […]
