Proclaiming Christ

Immediately after the death of Isaac in Genesis 35 we get a genealogy of Esau — an interruption, it seems, to the story of the patriarchs. Should you preach on […]

The great Reformer, Martin Luther, once said that prayer is the breath of the soul. Christians pray! We are a people called to live and to walk in close fellowship […]

The story of the healing of the paralytic is a picture of God’s work of redemption through Jesus Christ. We are healed—saved—not because we merit favor, but because of the […]

Sinners don’t deserve God’s kindness, but he raises those dead in sins and trespasses to life in Christ (Eph. 2). Hope rises from the dead in Naomi through Boaz’s kindness […]

Triple tragedies strike Jacob in chapter 35. The death of his beloved Rachel, his firstborn son’s violation reprehensible sin disqualifying him from leadership, and his father Esau’s death. Yet in […]

God begins to turn around Naomi’s life in Ruth 2:1-13, a picture of what he does for his church. Ruth ventures into the fields in faith and just “happens” to […]

What does ‘mystery’ have to do with Paul’s ministry? Does it mean that Paul’s ministry is somehow mysterious? Does it mean that Paul’s ministry is difficult to understand? Not at […]

In Ruth 1, God brings back a wandering sheep in Naomi, showing us his grace and power. But Naomi still thinks God has dealt bitterly with her and defines herself […]

If you lived in the ancient city of Ephesus, the most majestic structure that you would see on a daily basis would be the temple to the pagan goddess, Artemis. […]

In Genesis 35 we have the “and back again” portion of Jacob’s journey. He comes back to where he started. Jacob’s journey back to Bethel marks the end of a […]

What happens when you leave the people of God and venture to a far country? And when tragedy strikes there, is there any hope that God’s grace can restore what […]

There is a transition that occurs between the ministry of John the Baptist and the Ministry of Jesus. John begins to decrease, and Jesus begins to increase. The Lord Jesus […]

Something significant is missing in Genesis 34 as we read one of the most shocking stories of Scripture. How do you preach Christ in a text where a violent act is met with severe retribution? Are Jacob’s sons exercising just judgment or personal revenge? Does this episode parallel the later conquest of Canaan? We seek […]

Paul calls upon his readers to remember five realities of their former life: separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants, having no hope, and without God. But the glorious good news is “BUT NOW in Christ Jesus” those who were far off have been brought near. Jesus, through his […]

Although humanity is dead and lost in sin, with no way to merit favor with God, God is rich and mercy and loves his people with a great love. Those whom God loves are then saved only through the death, resurrection, ascension, and session of Jesus Christ. Believers then, through their union with Christ, are […]

In this episode, we introduce the Gospel of Mark. We also explore how Mark introduces us to the person of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Of special interest is the redemptive nature of the Gospel. This is shown by Mark’s high Christology (Jesus is God), John’s baptism, and Jesus’ successful resistance of Satan’s temptation.  Participants: […]

Moses brings us to the height of the conflict between Jacob and Esau. We look at the need to preserve the tension in the story while connecting it to the larger narrative. Here we learn how Jacob’s humility leads to a resolution of conflict. We see also the high point of the story — the […]

In this episode, we consider the reality that mankind, apart from God’s glorious grace, is completely and totally lost in sin. Before Paul moves to extol the riches of God’s grace in Eph 2:4–10, he first digs down deep to expose the reality of sinful man’s helpless estate. The more we understand the depth of […]

In this episode, we explain the meaning of David’s profession of righteousness. How can David speak about himself as being without guilt, relative to God’s law, when we know he was a sinner? If our salvation is by grace alone, then how can David say that God rewarded him for his righteousness by saving him […]

In part two of Paul’s Prayer we return to consider Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers. Yes, Paul’s burden is that the Ephesian believers would know the Lord. But what specifically does he pray for them? What specifically, in this passage, does he want them to know? Join us as we reflect on Paul’s — and […]