Pastor Matt's Podcasts

Before reading and studying through Exodus, it is important to get the proper perspective on the covenant. In this sermon, we look at the difference between Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. The way we read through scripture has consequences, we have had consequences of both.

In this introduction to the book of Exodus, we discuss how the gospel of the New Testament is reflected in the story of the Exodus. It is important to understand the Old Testament in terms of Jesus' revelation in the Old Testament. Here is the beginning of the story of our salvation....

At the end of the book of Genesis, we read that Jacob dies and his body is taken to the promised land in a grand procession. We also read that Joseph asked that his body be taken into the promised land as well. However, rather than being taken immediately after his death, Joseph asks that his body go into the promised land when the chilren of Israel go and occupy the land. In the death of the patr...

In ths sermon we study the remaining blessings on the sons of Jacob. These blessings are very different, according to their faithfulness and their character. In this we can see the blessings of the church today as well.

In this sermon, we study Jacob's blessings at the end of his life to Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. It is important to understand why the "blessings" to the first three didn't look like blessings. It is also imporant that we are able to identify with the fourth-born, Judah so that we too are part of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This is a very important message for today.

In Genesis 48 we study the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh as well as why Jacob switched the blessings, the first and second born. Many people feel unqualified to speak into their children and their grandchildren. Jacob's faith overcame all of his shortcomings, he boldy spoke to the generations, the church.

The Egyptians gave their money, their cattle, their land, and ultimatey their freedom for grain. As Christians we are strictly forbidden from doing such a thing.

Joseph formed a totalitarian economy in Egypt. Why did a godly man like Joseph do this? Public policy is a reflection of the morality of the people. A Pagan people who don't think generationally will ultimately end up with a messianic State.

Joseph told his brothers to bring Jacob the family and all their posessions down to Egypt in order to escape the famine. God told Jacob that he would be with him and that he would make him a great nation in Egypt. the reason for this was to increase and multiply under to protection of Egypt and without the influence of the Canaanite cultures in Canaan. God places His people in situations in order...

Joseph was chosen by God in order to save his family. In this sermon we discuss the two definitions of grace, unmerited favor and divine enablement. While modern Christians understand unmerited favor, we need truly need to emphasis the responsibility of salvation, that is, through divine enablement. Joseph really exemplified this.

When Joseph completed the pressure and the testing, it had its desired result. Judah, the spokesman for the family at last volunteered to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of his brothers, including the beloved brother Benjamin. The story of Joseph and his brothers is the story of salvation.

In this chapter, we study Joseph's continuining pressure and testing on his brothers. The purpose of this is always redemptive, it is to get them to repent and to make sure their repentance is genuine. This is the way the chosen family of God qualifies to carry on the covenant.

When Joseph's brothers came down to Egypt to buy grain during the famine, Joseph had a choice. Though they didn't recognize him, he did recognize them. He could have shown mercy to them and forgiven them. However, God dealt with Joseph for several years already, teaching him to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before God. He then began to place pressure on his brothers in order to push them t...

Joseph had all the qualifications of a true leader, he was humble enough to hear the word of the Lord and bold enough to speak it.

Joseph's lesson in prison was the lesson of humility. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, and thrown into prison. What is more, adding insult to injury, Joseph had to serve two of the kings servants who were in the prison with him. Though he was placed in charge of the prison itself, he had to learn the lesson of servant leadership. Again, all of this was...

The story of Joseph is very familiar to us all. However, when we study his life for application to the church and the members, it comes to new life. The first lesson, that of character, gives us a glimps into how the church is to respond to temptations.

Genesis 38 is a difficult Chapter to preach through. The story interupts the story of Joseph and picks up on the story of his brother Judah. As we study this section, it is important that we keep God's transcendent perspective in mind. God used Judah to keep the line of promise pure, though there are many mistakes made along the way. Nothing that has been done by you or your family that cannot be...

We can't understand the sufferings of life without a sovereign perspective. In this sermon we examine the betrayel of Joseph for God's purposes. The brothers did it to Joseph, the Hebrews did it to Jesus, we can expect the unfaithful in the church to do it to us. One thing is clear, we are to remain faithful, allow the work of the pain and suffering to do its work to grow and mature the church in...

As we begin studying the life of Joseph, we begin by introducing the purpose of Joseph's life. Israel and his sons were to carry on the promised seed, the seed of the New Testament church. The purpose of Joseph's life was to suffer at the hands of his brothers, yet it was to save those very same brethren that persecuted him. Joseph was faithful to his unfaithful brothers. We can learn a lot from t...

Jacob had problems his whole life. When he was called to go back to the promised land, we would think that all Jacob's problems would have been over and he could reap God's blessings. However, on the journey back, his beloved Rachel died, his oldest son Rueben had relations with Jacob's wife, and his father Isaac died shortly after Jacob finally got back to the promised land. Added to this was the...

In this fourth sermon on the current spirit of the age, we look at the woke, or the neopagan worldview compared to the Biblical worldview. Although we have engaged in this battle for years, this last three years has revealed that, by in large, the church has failed in her task of defending the faith. We are to be the salt and light to the world and that requires us to be faithful to the word of Go...

As we continue to examine the current spirit of the age, we examine Paul's warnings to the Colossians regarding empty philosophies. We are facing three philosophies combined to become neoPaganism. These philosophies are Marxism, Postmodernism, and Critical Theory, these three concepts combine to become what is called the religion of "woke".

In this second episode, dealing with the spirit of the age, we examine the starting point for analyzing the zeitgeist. It has to be from a standpoint of the word of God. Everything is answered by the Word. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were tempted by the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. The same holds true with the temptation of Jesus in the desert. These are the s...

In the next few episodes, we are going to examine the concept of the spirit of the age. Every age has a driving spirit behind it, thats soul purpose is to usurp the word of God. We are to put on the full armor of God, utilizing the word of God in order to bring every thought into captivity to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This podcast is an introduction into this concept.

When Jacob was fearful of being killed by the surrounding pagans, God visited him and told him to go back to Bethel. When the pagan culture looks to overwhelm the church, we too are go go back to the word of God, get refreshed and renewed. The first thing Jacob did was to repent, then got rid of all the pagan idols. This is a sign of true renewal/revival, the word of God will change the culture, t...