Sanctification

In late February, we were in Macon, visiting Kate’s dad and grandmother. Macon is like other cities of its age and size: there is an old, grand, historical downtown caught perpetually between neglect and revitalization, then sprawling miles of cement and asphalt filled with Dollar Generals, gas stations, and metal-roofed Pentecostal churches. The house we stay in when we visit is in a neighborhood between these extremes: neither grand nor poor. 

In one way, though, it is historical, because at the bottom of the hill, about a hundred yards from the Ocmulgee River, there is a small park with a…

This Sunday we begin our series in Deuteronomy, the last book Moses wrote. In some ways it’s not really a book at all but a sermon—or a series of sermons by one of the Bible’s most significant figures. One author said in Deuteronomy Moses is best seen not as a lawgiver but as a pastor. Knowing that his death is imminent “Moses gathers his congregation and delivers his final homily, pleading with the Israelites to remain faithful to Yahweh" (Daniel Block, NIVAC).

This summer we have been thinking about Personal Reformation in our sermons. The first series was on change—How Can I Change? The second series, Scandalous Mercy, challenged us in many ways through the Minor Prophet Jonah. The third series of the summer, How Firm a Foundation, will focus on the Bible.

To think rightly and live rightly as Christians we have to think rightly about the Bible. If we get off here, we don't just get off a little bit. We create Grand Canyon-sized gaps in our thinking and living. Before long we will be…

Some of us grew up with Mr. Miyagi echoing in our minds, "Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off." Danny LaRusso eventually learned that this odd counsel had a lot more to it than he thought. 

God's counsel has a similar ring to it, but a vastly different impact: "Put off, put on. Put off, put on." These words come out of Ephesians 4:17-5:2, Sam's text from last Sunday when we finished out our series on on change. One of the key aspects of this passage is the series of "put offs" and "put ons" that we find…

Reformation. That's not a word we use often, but it has to do with re-forming something that already exists. Ideally, it is re-forming it in a better, more desirable manner. What we call the "Reformation" of the 16th century didn't create the church or the gospel or the Bible, but it significantly re-formed what many people thought about each of these.

This summer we're preaching a set of sermons that all fit together around this broad topic of Personal Reformation. These three mini-series' are brief and practical, and for each one we have selected a book to recommend if you…

Many passages of Scripture contain significant sub-plots to the stories we know well. Important truths to live by that are better mined in personal Bible study. This text contains a few important reminders about the nature of Christian discipleship.

We recently heard from David and Beth Curtis that Jackie, their oldest daughter, was healed of her chronic hearing loss. The weeks have gone on, but the miracle has remained. We asked her to write up her testimony so we could share it with you.

It seems that one of the cultural phenomenon of our day is the "selfie." In fact, it's amazing the internet doesn't simply collapse under the weight of billions of selfies added to it on a daily basis. But what about your "spiritual selfie"?

Recently both Daniel and John in their teachings have discussed John the Baptist and his response to the increasing popularity of Jesus away from his ministry. Daniel said that John the Baptist realized and admitted to the fact that he wasn’t “the big deal” (John 1:20). The big deal was Christ. John (McLeod) taught on the passage where one of John the Baptist’s disciples was lamenting that “all are going to him,” referring to the crowds flocking to see and hear Christ. In chapter 3:27-30 John responds to his disciple in a wonderful way ending with “he must increase I must decrease.”

Two Sundays ago Mike Noel preached on the consequences of the Fall from Genesis 3:8-24. He walked us through the guilt and shame and blame-shifting and...grace that the Fall brought. He mentioned that because of sin we can feel "adrift in a sea of shame and guilt." As he was wrapping up his sermon he trimmed off some of what he wanted to say. He mentioned that we'd put his notes into a blog for you. This is it. These are four ways we can respond to the reality of shame and guilt but the even greater reality of the forgiveness and shame-bearing of Jesus Christ.