Tom Schmidt's BlogI used the following sermon illustration recently, and think it was helpful (my first ever sports analogy used in a sermon!): Imagine the following: Two baseball teams agree to play a game together and are all set for the opening pitch. To the surprise and shock of everyone, the first batter strolls up to home […]
We’re a David and Not a Uriah (2 Sam 11) Those familiar with the Bible know well the account of David and Bathsheba. David, the great king of Israel, had it all: wives, power, fame, intimacy with God. Yet within David, like all us, arose a discontentment and a desire to have what was not […]
Sin Gives Birth to Sin A dog gives birth to puppies, and a cat gives birth to kittens, but our sin gives birth to more sins. Perhaps the clearest example of this is found in the account of David and Bathsheba’s adultery (2 Sam 11). Here’s how I understand it: David coveted a woman who […]
My friend Dan Tsouloufis recently wrote a short essay explaining the Reformed (Calvinistic) understanding of salvation and election. It’s really helpful, biblical, and balanced. Definitely worth the ten minutes or so it takes to read it: “I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the Reformed/Calvinist view of salvation, since in some circles it’s still […]
What my idle, indecisive heart needs to see: O Courageous Christ, By the power of the Spirit, You perfectly loved the Father. Never paralyzed with fear, Never frozen with indecision, Your trust never wavered. As the Lord of life, you showed us how to be strong; As the Author of life, you died for our […]
Oh Idle Indecision, You cover me like a blanket, Warming me with your whispers of security: ‘Give it some more time.’ ‘Better off really thinking if over.’ ‘No harm in waiting another day.’ The pages of my calendar revolve, But your claims are anchored deep. I think I am safe, But really I am deceived: […]
Please keep me in prayer, I’ll be guest preaching again this Sunday at church in Zion, IL: http://www.meadowridge.org/ Preaching on 2 Sam 11 (David and Bathseba). Pray that I am faithful in my exposition, that the gospel goes forward, and that God brings deeper repentance in my heart and the hearts of the hearers for […]
Andrew Wilson has some helpful words on the distinction between preaching and teaching: http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/whats_the_difference_between_preaching_and_teaching
This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach on Isaiah 59, and I used sentence diagramming to help me understand the text. Diagramming a passage is when you lay out the text in the form of a diagram, separating out clauses and modifiers, and adding notes about significant ideas and reoccurring motifs which you […]
23 Truths For The Redeemed In Christ To redeem a thing is to take something that is broken/corrupt/enslaved and to deliver it, making it complete/cleansed/liberated. The Bible teaches us that God Himself redeems a people to be His own possession, a people who are greatly in need of redemption: they are enslaved to sin; they […]