Watts in the Word

This is the first in a series on some of the names and titles of God (of which there are many), hopefully to bring us into a deeper appreciation of our Creator’s majesty and to help us consider how we might be represent him on earth. We begin with the most basic word: “God.” Click … Continue reading The Names of God

This is the first in a series on the basics of Christianity, using a combined list drawn from the “Seven Ones” in Ephesians 4 and the “elementary doctrine of Christ” in Hebrews 6. We begin this series with a consideration of “One God and Father” from Ephesians and “Faith Toward God” from Hebrews. Click Here … Continue reading Fundamentals of th...

Jesus uses two analogies in Matthew 5 to describe his followers and his expectations for them. What do these analogies have in common, and what kind of behaviors should they describe in the life of the modern Christian? Click Here to Listen. (This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on June 14, … Continue reading Salt and Light

In some ways God’s work to restore creation is at the heart of the whole Bible story from the opening chapters of Genesis to the closing of Revelation. The image of the church as a new creation in Christ is a vital part of the larger story of God’s renewing work. How do we fit … Continue reading A New Creation

When considering different images or analogies of the church, none is more common than that of a family. It is so common, in fact, that it may be inappropriate to think of it as an analogy at all; it seems to be simply the default way that the writers of the New Testament thought about … Continue reading The Family of God

The metaphor of spiritual warfare is at the heart of the Christian life and our struggle with sin, the Devil, and temptation. In what way is a Christian like a soldier, and what does the image of war and fighting mean for our daily walk with Jesus? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on images of … Continue reading The Lord’s Army

This sermon is a little different; 38 verses on suffering in the life of the Christian, strung together back to back. Tenses and pronouns have been modified to make the entire thing seem like a continuous letter from God to his church today. Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on suffering. This sermon was preached at … Continue reading Suffering With Christ

The image of the church as a bride has a lot of implications: for how we think about and conceptualize our relationship with Jesus, for how Jesus thinks and feels about us, and for how seriously we treat our sin. Why has God always used this analogy with his people, and what should it mean … Continue reading The Bride

After three chapters of angst and anguish, the fourth chapter of Ruth rushes to the conclusion of the story and the redemption of Naomi’s new, bitter reality. Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Ruth. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on May 10, 2026.)

1 Kings 3 contains a heart-wrenching story of loss and love centered around two mothers. Using this story as a launching point, what does a real mother look like in the Bible? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on mothers day. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on May 10, 2026.)

The third chapter of Ruth contains what is perhaps the most confusing scene in the whole story. Why does Naomi instruct Ruth to behave the way she does, and what can we learn from Ruth and Boaz’s actions in the story? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Ruth. This sermon was preached at the Dewey … Continue reading An Unusual Proposal

The image of the church as branches of a tree or a vine is one of the less common in Scripture, but it is instructive nonetheless. What does this analogy teach us about our relationship with Jesus and our job as his followers? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the church. This sermon was preached … Continue reading The Branches

The image of the church as a flock of sheep is perhaps the least flattering one in all of Scripture. This comparison goes back a long way, to God’s relationship with the Israelites and their leaders. What can we learn from Israel’s use of this analogy, Jesus’s adoption of it, and the early Church’s continuation … Continue reading The Flock

The second chapter of Ruth introduces a new pivotal character to the narrative; the wealthy and honorable Boaz, described in the ESV as “a worthy man.” What made Boaz so worthy, and what should we learn from his attitudes and behavior? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Ruth. This sermon was preached at the Dewey … Continue reading A Worthy Man

The image of the church as a “body” is one of the most common word-pictures in the New Testament. Why is it so prevalent, and what does it mean for how we think about and act in God’s kingdom? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the church. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church … Continue reading The Body of Christ

Ruth 1 is a devastating chapter, as the narrative jumps right into tragedy in Naomi’s life and her response to that tragedy. What do we learn about Naomi’s mental and spiritual state, and what can we take away from her conversations with her daughters-in-law? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Ruth. This sermon was preached … Continue reading Loss and Loyalty

We begin a series on “images of the church” in the New Testament, different word-pictures or analogies for God’s people, with temple language. What is significant about the word “temple,” and how does it apply to the church? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the church. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of … Continue reading The Temple of God

We begin our study of Ruth by considering the context in which the story takes place; the time of the judges. What were the important features of this period of Israelite history, how does the story of Ruth fit into it, and more broadly how does Ruth’s story fit into the larger context of God’s … Continue reading Justice and Redemption in Ruth

It is not an understatement to say that the resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in all of history. Based on Paul’s exposition of it in 1 Corinthians 15, why is it so important, and what should it mean to you and me? Click Here to Listen. (This sermon was preached at the … Continue reading The Importance of the Resurrection

If spiritual thinking begins with considering eternal concerns (judgment, the character of God, “spiritual” treasure), what does it look like in practical, everyday terms? How should spiritual thinking manifest in this present, temporal life? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Luke. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on March 29, 2026.)

Luke 12-13 form a cohesive unit of Jesus’s teaching on having a spiritual mindset. This week, we will consider the motivation and basis of spiritual thinking, and then next week look at what Jesus has to say about how such thinking manifests (or should manifest) in our worldview, emotions, and actions. Click Here to Listen. … Continue reading Thinking Spiritually, Part 1

We conclude our consideration of the the church’s interaction with a hostile world the way the Bible itself does: with a vision of Babylon’s fall. What does the Babylon of Revelation represent, and what should the modern Christian learn from these ancient visions? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching on the church in a hostile world. … Continue reading Babylon’s Fall

The middle section of Luke transitions away from being mostly stories of Jesus to being mostly the words and teaching of Jesus. In chapter 11, there is a sequence of Jesus’s teaching culminating in a condemnation of the Pharisees for having the wrong priorities in their righteousness. What can we learn from these words of … Continue reading Cleaning the Inside

There is a tension between the concepts of holiness (remaining separate and distinct from the world) and submission (living in peace and being subject to proper authority). How should the church navigate the tension? And why does so much of the New Testament seem to assume that Christians will definitely be persecuted in the world? … Continue reading Submission and Suffering

Twice in Luke 9-10 Jesus sends out his disciples on the so-called “limited commission” – a smaller version of what he would eventually command all Christians to do. What can we learn from these preparatory missions, and how do they foreshadow the mission of the church to come? Click Here to Listen. (Preaching through Luke. … Continue reading Foreshadowing the Mission