Sunday Sermons

Chapter 21 opens up with a well known story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the stir he causes within the temple grounds. These events may be familiar to many of us, but this story is filled with imagery and Old Testament references which paint a fuller picture of who Jesus is and what he came to do.

At the end of Matthew 20, we come across this short story of Jesus’ interaction with two blind men on the road toward Jerusalem. This interaction teaches something crucial about our Lord, as well as the type of people that will populate his kingdom.

In this week's passage, the disciples are reminded again of the Lord's upcoming suffering. This is followed up with a bold request that is made by the mother of James and John. Jesus takes this as an opportunity to teach his followers what life in the kingdom actually looks like and how different it is from what we see in the world.

After last week's interaction with the rich young man, Jesus gives a parable concerning reward in the kingdom. He presents a story that is meant to prompt a reaction as he speaks of a master that approaches work and reward in an unorthodox manner. What we are taught is that our Lord approaches things differently than we would and that the economy of the kingdom is not the same as that of the world...

In the latter half of Matthew 19, we come across the familiar story of the rich young man who asks Jesus what he needs to do to get eternal life. It's a unique interaction in the gospel because it's one of the few places where someone approaches Jesus in full sincerity and yet walks away in sorrow. This is a story that cuts right to the heart of what it really looks like to follow Christ and one t...

After a great summer studying the life of Jacob, we return to the Gospel of Matthew. In chapter 19, we see the Pharisees testing Jesus in regard to permitted divorce. Instead of taking the bait, Jesus uses it as an opportunity to talk about bigger issues of the heart.

Genesis 35 marks the end of the story of Jacob and brings our summer series to a close. In this last chapter Jacob moves further into the promised land with his family while experiencing some tragedy along the way. Though the saga of Jacob ends here, the story of the promise carries on well beyond him.

In chapter 34 of Genesis, we are presented with a story of a great injustice done to the family of God as they settle in the land. It is how they handle it that seems to make everything worse. While the outcome of this story is less than satisfying, it is a true reflection of the world in its fallen state.

Jacob has met God face-to-face, and he is now, in chapter 33, ready to meet his estranged brother. But things don't go as Jacob had thought they would. This week's text shows us a beautiful picture of God's reconciling work as well as his faithfulness to keep his promises to his people.

In chapter 32 of Genesis, we find Jacob back in the land of promise. Jacob isn’t quite settled because of one major, outstanding issue; he is going to have to face his brother whose birthright and blessing he stole. Though the fear that Jacob feels is crippling, it leads him to a unique encounter with God that defines him from that point forward.

After our short break with VBS week, we are back to the story of Jacob where we find him still working for his uncle Laban. It is now time for Jacob to go back to the promised land of his fathers. Although, it isn’t as easy as just picking up and leaving. This week’s text gives us a living example of how God is willing and able to get us out of the messes we create, and even the ones we don’t.

As we focus this week on a passage that has been an integral part of our VBS this year, we see one of the most familiar verses in the Bible. In spite of its familiarity, let’s look again at it together and see what the Holy Spirit may use regarding this “I Am” statement of Jesus to help us grow in our love and worship of him this week.

In this portion of Genesis, the focus is on Jacob’s two wives, Leah and Rachel. It is another story of questionable decisions on the part of God's people, and we get to view how God is working through them. This “baby boom” serves as another example of the Lord’s certainty to keep his promises through his providential work.

In this saga of Jacob’s life, we come to the moment where he arrives at his journey’s intended destination in the east. While it may seem that all is going as planned, Jacob is met with significant unintended troubles. Genesis 29 lays out for us events that are crucial in Jacob’s formation as a man of God going forward.

As we continue through the story of Jacob, we see him departing his home, both due to the conflict between himself and his brother, and also to find a wife from his family's relatives. As he travels, God reveals himself to Jacob in a dream and Jacob’s response is one of fear and awe.

Genesis 27 brings us a key story in the history of redemption with Jacob fooling his father to receive his blessing. It is a passage that presents sinful people acting sinfully within the sovereign plan of a gracious God. This story is a key moment that will frame up the events of Jacob’s life going forward as we see how he is transformed through his striving with God.

As we press on into this summer series in the life of Jacob, we run across this week’s passage covering some important events in the life of his father Isaac. As they are still wandering in the Promised Land, we get a look at God’s covenant family interacting with those who were currently residing there at the time. This gives us a glimpse of God’s sovereign grace to his people and what it means t...

As we begin studying the life of Jacob, we read about his birth and how he came to originally be granted the promised birthright of his father.

In the text for this week, Jesus responds to a question from Peter about forgiveness. But instead of giving only a quick response, the Lord shares a parable to highlight the place of forgiveness in the life of his people and the seriousness with which God takes it.

In this week’s passage, Jesus gives some very specific instructions about how to confront sin in a fellow believer. This ends up being part of a wider discussion of the function of the church in this world as an outpost of heaven. It is a call to the local church to understand the authority that it has been given and the responsibility that comes with it.

Chapter 18 of Matthew begins with the disciples' curiosity concerning who is the greatest in the kingdom. These fourteen verses give us a picture of what being a member of the kingdom looks like and how deeply God cares for his children.

This week’s text gives us a short but interesting story on Jesus being called to pay a tax. While the means by which he provides the payment for himself and Peter is unusual, the purpose of this story is to further bring to light who Jesus really is.

After the disciples come down from the Mount of Transfiguration, they are met with a father whose son is in desperate need of healing. They come to find out that they are unable to help the man, much to the dismay of Jesus. This opens up an opportunity for the Lord to teach them about the nature of faith and what it means to walk by it.

After last week’s text full of Christ’s revelation of who he is and what he came to do, we turn the page to the transfiguration of Jesus. This passage also presents the richness of revealing who Jesus is. It’s a passage full of Old Testament pictures that takes us (and the three disciples involved) to the next step of showing us Jesus’ true identity, as well as the significance of what he came to...

We have reached a crucial part of the Gospel of Matthew where Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, and the Lord is overjoyed with it. Jesus' identity is not only made plain, but we also gain a greater understanding of what life as his followers actually entails.