Watts in the Word

In a series on “encountering Jesus,” no encounter is so important as the cross, where Jesus is laid bare and his deepest values and priorities are exposed. What do we see in this tragic encounter? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ … Continue reading Encountering Jesus on the Cross

Jesus’s confrontation with Judas in the garden has some of the most variation between gospel accounts of any story in his life. Nonetheless, there is a common theme underwriting each story. What should we learn from this momentous betrayal? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the … Continue reading Encountering Jesus in the Garden, Pa...

In some ways, all of the promises of God rest on the promise of justice. What does it mean that God is just, and why does it matter so much in considering all the promises of God? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the promises of God. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church … Continue reading The Promise of Justice

In the garden we see Jesus at his most vulnerable and human. Why was he so troubled, what did he do about it, and what should we learn from this deeply emotional story? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on January … Continue reading Encountering Jesus in the Garden, Part 1

Jesus’s act of washing the disciples feet is a powerful example of service and love. What should we learn from this encounter with Jesus, and how should we put it into practice? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on January 14, … Continue reading Encountering Jesus With Dirty Feet

We begin a series on the promises of God by considering some top-level ideas. Why should we study God’s promises? What are some potential pitfalls and common misunderstandings about God’s promises? And, ultimately, what should we gain from such a study? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the the promises of God. This sermon was … Continue reading The Promises of God

The story of Zacchaeus is one of the more instantly recognizable stories in the Gospels. Why is that? What should we learn from Zacchaeus and Jesus in this story, and what about all the other people in the crowd? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with Zacchaeus

Jesus’s encounter with a rich young ruler can seem quite harsh, depending on the perspective of the reader. But the encounter should force the reader to reconsider their perspective: who exactly is Jesus talking about, and how does his teaching apply to each of us? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. … Continue reading Encountering Jesus With Wealth

The story of Jesus and Lazarus famously contains the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept. What do we learn about Jesus’s priorities, heart, and desires in this story, and what should we do about it? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with a Dead Man

The final two chapters of Esther (though one of them is very short) illuminate the entire purpose of the whole book: to tell the story of and establish the celebration of a holiday to be remembered throughout the generations. Why was this so important, and what should we learn from it? (Click Here to Listen.) … Continue reading The Importance of Remembering

Many of the stories of Jesus in the gospels teach us just as much by the people responding to (and either rejecting or accepting) Jesus. Why did the healing of the blind man elicit such strong reactions, and what should we learn from them? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with a Blind Man

After several delays, Esther finally confronts Haman on the night of her second feast. What contributes to the final showdown, how does it all play out, and what should we learn from this dramatic evening? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Esther. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 10, … Continue reading The Final Showdown

Jesus encountered many demons during his ministry, but what is often more interesting in these encounters is the people: how they react, what they say, and how Jesus responds to them. What can we learn from our encounter with Jesus and a demon in Mark 9? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with a Demon

As we build toward the crescendo in Esther, the narrative pauses to zoom in on Haman’s pride, obsession, and bitterness. What can we learn from Haman’s inevitable downfall? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on Esther. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December 3, 2023.)

Jesus encounter with the Canaanite woman is one of the most unusual in the gospels. Why did Jesus treat the woman the way he did, and what should we learn from his behavior? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on December … Continue reading Encountering Jesus as a Gentile

Jesus calming the storm is probably one of the most famous Gospel stories, perfectly demonstrating Jesus’s power and intent. But it is made more powerful in Matthew’s version by the contrast with what comes before. What should we learn from this story, and the story that precedes it? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the … Continue reading Encountering Jesus in a Storm

The story of Esther has three crescendos, the first of which is when Esther risks the wrath of the king. Why did Esther need to approach the king, and what in her life built up to this moment? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Esther. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ … Continue reading Esther’s Gamble

Jesus’s miracle by the pool in John 5 brings to mind an important question: why did Jesus heal who he did, and why not everyone? What should we learn from the healings of Jesus? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on individual encounters with Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on … Continue reading Encountering Jesus by a Pool

The casting of Pur before Haman in Esther chapter 3 is the even that is explicitly remembered by the Feast of Purim. What was Pur, why was it significant, and why does it matter for us? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Esther. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November … Continue reading Haman’s Gambit

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. What does Jesus show us in this story, and what can we learn about the kind of faith Jesus is looking for? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the life of Jesus. You can find the blended gospel account here. This sermon … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with a Paralytic

The second chapter of Esther finishes setting the stage for the story of Purim, establishing the rest of the main characters. What can we learn from the people at the forefront of this story? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Esther. You can find the timeline alluded to at the beginning here. This sermon was … Continue reading Archetypes in Esther

We encounter Jesus today at a very mundane place…a well. Who did Jesus meet, and what does his meeting tell us about Jesus and our connection to him? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on one-on-one encounters with Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on November 5, 2023.)

One of the first personal encounters with Jesus was a back-alley nighttime meeting with Nicodemus, a Pharisee. What can we learn about Jesus and his expectations for his followers from this encounter? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on personal encounters with Jesus. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on October 29, … Continue reading Encountering Jesus with Nicodemus

This week we are starting a new series looking at the life of Jesus through the lens of personal encounters; who was Jesus? What did he care about, how did he treat people? We begin by considering the bulk of Jesus’s life, unexplored in any detail in the gospel texts: who was Jesus before his ministry? Click … Continue reading Encountering Jesus

The first chapter of the book of Esther isn’t really about Esther at all, but rather sets the stage for a biting satire skewering the incompetence of those in power in Persia. What can we learn from the ineptitude of Ahasuerus? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Esther. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church … Continue reading How to Be a Terrible Leader