This past Sunday I preached from Colossians 4:2-6 and unpacked these two simple points:
1) Evangelism is for Everyone
2) Evangelism Happens Every Day
You can listen to the message here. John Dickson’s book, Promoting the Gospel, was a valuable resource as I prepared for this message. I highly recommend it.
This Sunday, I invited my friend, Matt Perman, to speak to my church on how the gospel relates to the workplace from Colossians 3:22-25. You can listen to his message here.
I’m excited about Matt’s new book coming out in September called, What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Changes the Way You Get Things Done. I encourage you to check out his blog as well.
This past Sunday I preached from Colossians 3:18-21. In this passage, Paul gives us 4 Family Rules, but behind each of these rules is the One who has fulfilled every one of them. Jesus Christ came to do what we could not do. He came to undo what Adam and Eve had done in the fall. The fall affected everything, not just us as individuals but it affected all our relationships including marriage and family life. Jesus came to restore these broken relationships through his death on the cross. He came to make us new. Our old self is dead and gone and our new self is alive. And we bring this new self into our relationships, into our home life.
For those of you who are interested, you can now listen to my sermons on-line here.
Here’s a simple Sermon Prep Sheet I’ve created that might be helpful for some of you. It’s nothing new, but rather a collaboration of thoughts gathered from more experienced preachers and communicators than I over the years.
Yesterday I got to see Tullian Tchvidjian preach at Southern Seminary. I love his focus on the gospel of grace. Toward the end of his message he asked an interesting question: If Christ accepts me based on his righteousness and not mine, then what is my motivation to do good? In other words, if I have a great day, I’m accepted, if I have a bad day, I’m accepted. So why do good? He answered the question with a quote from Spurgeon:
When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.
In other words, the deeper I go into the gospel, the greater my motivation toward obedience. I encourage you to watch this message and be amazed again at God’s grace for desperate sinners like you and me.
Brian Croft with a great piece of advice for every pastor:
Pastors use a variety of tools to prepare their sermons. Commentaries, Greek/Hebrew texts, language lexicons, biblical theology books and other sermons on a passage all aid the preacher in his preparation for his weekly sermon. Here is a tool that will probably not be taught in a seminary class, but has been one of my most unexpected, yet helpful tools for my weekly sermon prep. Here it is:
“The insights of my children on the passage I am preaching as I read it with them throughout the week”
Eric Schumacher answers this very difficult question here. His summary:
The answer is: Yes.
Satan did tempt and incite Eve to eat the apple, who gave it to Adam who ate. Satan willed and carried out evil. He bears responsibility.
Adam and Eve acted wickedly, disobeying God’s clear instruction. They rebelled, and through Adam sin entered the world. He bears responsibility.
But, ultimately, we know that God is sovereign over all that comes to pass. He chose, before the foundations of the earth were laid, to redeem a people for his glory in Christ (Eph 1:4; Rev 13:8). This—including the fall and all its consequences—was his plan and his sovereign will. And yet, wonderfully and mysteriously, God can be charged with no evil, with no wrong-doing. He is the Sovereign Lord, who is righteous and just in all his ways.
Please check out Eric’s full treatment of this question. He gives a very biblical, pastoral and comprehensive answer.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this message from Darrin Patrick on contentment. It’s awakened some things in me and how I need to come to the end of my own strength and depend on Christ as my strength. For when He is my strength, I’m content, but when I am my strength, I’m prone to arrogance or despair. If you’re struggling with contentment, I strongly encourage you to watch this!
Dr. Tom Nettles, widely regarded as one of the foremost Baptist historians in America, recently gave two messages on the lives of William Carey and Adoniram Judson. Tom is a member of my church and one of the most humble servants you’ll ever meet. These “character sketches” will encourage you and inspire you.
Character Sketch: William Carey
Character Sketch: Adoniram Judson
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