What is faith? What is its source? How does faith become yours? Do you create it within yourself, or does someone give it to you? How we answer changes the way we worship. Our understanding of faith affects the how we tell others of Jesus and shapes the way we live. Our understanding of faith […]
Romans: Lesson 7: God’s Righteousness for Us
October 2, 2016 by
In Romans 3:1, Paul started focusing on the Jewish Christians’ sin of insisting on circumcision when Christ fulfilled it on the cross, then instituting His baptism. The Jewish Christians’ insistence reveals that a works righteousness had taken hold of them. They saw circumcision as their work for God (viewed from an Old-Covenant template) instead of […]
John 3:5, 16: Donna Defferding’s Funeral Sermon
April 10, 2016 by
We face death as we face life—with our eyes fixed on Jesus. We cling to the promises of His Word, which, when facing death, seem even more incredible and powerful. We find one of our Lord’s most beautiful promises in John chapter 14: “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, […]
Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-6: Faith Receives What God Wants to Give
December 9, 2015 by
To plant a seed, you make a small hole in the ground, put the seed in it, and cover it with soil. But then you have to wait until the seed germinates, for until then, there’s nothing that you can see. And so a planted seed gives us a beautiful picture of faith. Waiting for […]
Matthew 9:18-26: Your faith has made you well
November 15, 2015 by
Look at what happens when Jesus speaks! Jesus spoke, and a sick woman then had the confidence to touch the hem of His garment. Jesus spoke, and a desperate father sought out Jesus and asked Him for the impossible. Jesus spoke, and a little girl was raised from the dead. The word of Jesus does […]
Matthew 15:21-28: Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table
March 8, 2015 by
Did you ever feel that God has ignored your prayers, not by answering “no,” but by taking no notice of them? If so, then today’s Gospel is for you. Have you ever felt that God has treated you in a cold or cruel way, allowing you to experience so much pain in this life? If […]
Thanksgiving Sermon: What Faith Is and What Faith Does
November 26, 2014 by
Our Old Testament reading had with these words: “Keep the commands of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and fearing Him.” So, how’s that going for you? How well are you keeping them, His Commandments, the Ten Words that God gave to Moses to give to the people of Israel? So let’s […]
The Difference Between Infant and Adult Faith
September 14, 2014 by
What is faith? It’s important to understand what faith is–and what faith isn’t. If we don’t know what faith is, then we can misunderstand who may or may not have it. Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Within this verse, what does it […]
Acts, Lesson 14: Paul’s First Missionary Journey, Pt. 1
September 10, 2014 by
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch after they had delivered aid for the mother Church at Jerusalem. At Antioch, we find out what the Lord has planned for Saul and Barnabas. The Church calls and commissions Saul and Barnabas to be missionaries There’s a lot going on in the first few verses of this […]
Philippians, Lesson 3: Jesus’ Humiliation and Exaltation
January 27, 2014 by
Paul and Timothy ended chapter 1 with words about, not only believing in Christ, but also suffering because of Him. That was what living as a citizen of the Gospel involved. For most people, a call to suffering is not encouraging. So, Paul moves on to speak of the encouragement we have in Christ. A […]
