Pulpit & Podium

There are moments when faith is no longer theoretical—it becomes a decision. In Numbers 13–14, Israel stands on the edge of the promised land, holding in tension everything God has said and everything they can see. The land is good, just as God promised, but it is also filled with real opposition. Faced with that tension, the people choose fear over faith. What began as deliverance from Egypt now...

What’s with all the blood? It’s a question many of us feel when we come to Leviticus. The rituals seem foreign, the imagery unsettling, and the cost overwhelming. But beneath the strangeness is a single, urgent question: How can sinners live in the presence of a holy God? From Eden onward, humanity has been pushed out of God’s presence because of sin, yet God’s desire has always been to dwell with...

Life often feels like standing at the base of a mountain—uncertain, intimidating, and filled with unknowns. What compels us to move forward when the risks are real and the path is unclear? In the story of Joseph, we are given a decisive answer: not confidence in ourselves, but confidence in God. From betrayal to slavery, from false accusation to prison, Joseph’s life is marked by suffering that se...

What does it look like to follow God when the path is unclear, the promises feel distant, and the cost is real? In the story of Abraham, we see the beginning of God’s redemptive plan unfolding through one man called to leave everything familiar and trust in what God has said. This sermon traces Abraham’s journey—not as a story of perfect faith, but as a story of growing trust. Again and again, Abr...

We are drawn to stories where evil is finally judged—where justice comes at great cost and the world is set right. But when we encounter a story like the flood in Genesis 6–9, something shifts. Instead of relief, we hesitate. Instead of cheering, we question. This sermon wrestles with that tension by asking a deeper question: Is salvation through judgment actually good? The answer begins not with...

Why does the world feel so fractured—personally, locally, and globally? In this sermon, we turn to Genesis 3 to answer one of the most universal human questions: Why is the world not the way it ought to be? From New Year’s resolutions to global conflict, we all sense that something is off. This passage reveals that the problem is not merely external but deeply rooted in the human heart. Sin is not...

The story of the manger does not end in Bethlehem—it points forward to a future where God will dwell fully with his people. In Revelation 21–22, we are given a vision of the new heavens and new earth, where all things are made new. This sermon reframes our understanding of eternity, showing that our hope is not escape from the world, but the renewal of it. God’s presence will not be distant or par...

The manger is more than a symbol of humility—it is the declaration that God has drawn near. This sermon explores the profound reality of Emmanuel, God with us, and what it means for how we understand God’s presence. From the incarnation to our present experience, the manger reveals that God is not distant but deeply involved in our lives, meeting us in our weakness and drawing us into relationship...

In one of the most intimate moments in the Gospels, we see Jesus in prayer, wrestling with the weight of what is ahead. This sermon draws us into the tension of Gethsemane, where Jesus models perfect dependence on the Father in the face of suffering. Rather than avoiding the cross, he submits to it, showing us what true obedience looks like under pressure. I unpack: The humanity of Jesus in his st...

In this passage, Jesus engages in direct conflict with religious leaders, exposing the deeper issue beneath their questions—resistance to his authority. What appears to be theological debate is actually a struggle over control, identity, and submission. This sermon reveals how easily we can mask our own resistance with intellectual questions while avoiding the deeper call to trust and obey Jesus....

When Jesus arrives, he does not meet expectations—he disrupts them. This sermon explores the tension between the kind of Messiah people expected and the kind of King Jesus actually is. Rather than arriving with immediate power and conquest, Jesus comes in humility, setting the trajectory toward the cross before the crown. This message invites us to reconsider our assumptions about God’s work in th...

What would you give up for eternal life? In this sermon from Mark 10, we examine Jesus’ interaction with the rich young ruler and uncover a hard but hopeful truth: eternal life is not earned through moral effort but received through humble dependence on God. While the man approaches Jesus sincerely, he ultimately walks away because he cannot release what holds his heart—his wealth. This message re...

This sermon tackles the difficult and sensitive topic of divorce and remarriage as addressed by Jesus in Mark 10. The sermon highlights that Jesus's teaching is not a set of general rules but a lesson in discipleship, calling followers to pursue God's design for marriage. Jesus points back to the beginning of creation, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman,...

This lecture, from the "Belong" core class, traces the meaning of hope from Genesis to the modern day, explaining what it means for the church to embody hope and be the hope of the world. The lecture defines Christian hope as a confident expectation rooted in the faithfulness of God. It contrasts this with worldly expectations, which are often based on past experiences. The lecture demonstrates ho...

This episode introduces the "Belong" core class with a biblical theology of belonging rooted in the Trinity. The lecture explains that the church family is a community devoted to one another in love, meeting regularly to encourage unity, support, and good works. This devotion and love find their ultimate expression in the Trinity, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have existed in a triune fel...

This sermon, Case Law, preached on August 3, 2025 at Christ Community's Olathe Campus, examines Exodus 21-24 with a focus on 21:1-11. It's the tenth message in the "Exodus: Yahweh Rescues" series, addressing challenging laws for human flourishing in a broken world. I unpack: The difference between apodictic (absolute) and case laws (conditional), showing these as responses to poverty, not endorsem...

This sermon, Plagues and Confrontation, preached on June 22, 2025 at Christ Community's Shawnee Campus, delves into Exodus 4:27-10:29 with a focus on 6:1-11. It's the fourth message in the "Exodus: Yahweh Rescues" series, examining God's mighty acts against oppression. I unpack: How the plagues reveal Yahweh's personal, limitless power—unlike human or natural forces—to judge evil and redeem His pe...

This sermon, Becoming Together, preached on May 25, 2025, at Christ Community's Olathe Campus, explores 2 Peter 1:10-15. It's the fifth and final message in the "Becoming" series on virtue and spiritual formation, emphasizing how we grow in Christlike character. I unpack: Why pursuing virtue isn't a solo journey but requires community to confirm our calling and avoid stumbling. How Peter's reminde...

This sermon, The Way of Becoming , preached on May 11, 2025 at Christ Community's Shawnee Campus, dives deep into 2 Peter 1:5–9. It’s the third message in the five-part "Becoming" series, exploring the spiritual formation of Christlike character. I unpack: How the eight virtues listed by Peter are not a checklist, but a pathway of transformation. Why becoming like Jesus requires both effort and gr...

Preached on May 4, 2025 at Christ Community’s Shawnee Campus, this sermon explores the deep question at the heart of the Christian life: What does it mean to be a good person—and how do we actually become one? Drawing from 2 Peter 1:1–4 , I invite you to consider not only what virtue is, but how the beauty and power of Christ form us into good people. 📖 In this message, I unpack: Why modern defin...

This lecture, "An Eschatology of Hope, delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, reframes the study of the end times through the lens of hope. Rather than focusing narrowly on debates about hell or the timing of Christ’s return, this session presents a broad biblical vision of God’s unfolding plan from Genesis to Revelation. I unpack: What eschatology really...

This sermon, "Jesus Invites, preached on April 13, 2025, at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, marks the climax of the "Who Do You Say That I Am? series on the Gospel of Mark. Preaching from Mark 8:27–9:1, the message focuses on Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ and Jesus’ invitation to take up the cross, lose our lives for His sake, and find true life in Him. I unpack: The pivotal moment...

This lecture, "The Doctrine of the Church (God’s People), delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, explores the identity and mission of the church. Using a surprising illustration from the TV show House*, the session challenges cultural cynicism and calls believers to embrace their role as part of God’s redeemed and sent community. I unpack: What the Bible...

This sermon, "Jesus Provides, preached on March 23, 2025, at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, displays Jesus' compassion and miraculous provision. Preaching from Mark 6:31–52 as part of the "Who Do You Say That I Am? series, the message highlights how Jesus meets physical and spiritual needs and calls His followers to trust His sufficiency. I unpack: Jesus' compassion for the hungry and weary.  ...

This lecture, "The Doctrine of Christ’s Atonement and Our Response, delivered as part of the Believe Core Class at Christ Community’s Shawnee campus, unpacks the central Christian teaching of the cross. Focusing on how Christ’s atoning sacrifice brings unexpected victory, the message calls students not just to understand the cross intellectually but to respond to it with their lives. I unpack: Wha...