Archive for January, 2010


Jan 29

Sunday: Back to Luke

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Sermons,This Sunday

I’m excited to get back to our study of Luke’s gospel account this Sunday. Luke 16:1-15 will be our passage. Let me encourage you to take the time to read it and perhaps pray through it before Sunday AM.

I believe verses 1-9 contain one of the most complicated parables Jesus gave. To be honest, I’ve had some trepidation about preaching this passage for a while now. But there’s no avoiding it. Preaching through books of the Bible forces a preacher to deal with passages that he wouldn’t go out of his way to preach — either because they’re hard to understand, or hard to hear, or seem unspectacular, or redundant. I believe God has purposes for us this Sunday in this passage. He sends His Word out and it will accomplish exactly what He intends for it to accomplish (Isa. 55). So let’s assemble on Sunday with eagerness to wrestle with a tough parable and be changed by it.

Jan 23

Wrong Reasons to Love the Church

2010 | by Zach Nielsen | Category: Gospel,Meditation,Quote,The Church

Josh Harris:

Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus obtained the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it’s anything less than it won’t last.

  • Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.
  • Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
  • Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
  • Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.

(HT:  Pure Church)

Jan 20

Books on Suffering

2010 | by Parker Landis | Category: Books,Sermon Follow-Up

If you want to study more about suffering and how God’s good but mysterious purposes intertwine with it, here are four great books to check out.

• Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges

• If God is Good, by Randy Alcorn

• How Long, O Lord?, by D.A. Carson

• Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor.  You can also download it for free online.

Jan 20

Haiti Relief Options

2010 | by Parker Landis | Category: Sermon Follow-Up

On Sunday we gathered over $2,000 to assist with the relief operations in Haiti!  As we looked into different options for how to send this money to Haiti, the following organizations stood out:

1. Water Missions International

2. World Relief

These two organizations are already on the ground in Haiti distributing water and food.  Please pray that their efforts would glorify God and that many people would trust in Jesus Christ, who also suffered.

Jan 19

Piper on Earthquakes

2010 | by Parker Landis | Category: Miscellaneous,Quote,Sermon Follow-Up

Here is a great little article from John Piper explaining from the Bible what some of God’s purposes are in natural disasters.  Although the article was written in response to an earthquake back in 1999, God’s Word holds true now just as it did then.

“…when the earth shakes under your feet there is a dramatic sense that there is no place to flee. In most disasters the earth is the one thing that stands firm when wind and flood are raging. But where do you turn when the earth itself is unsafe? Answer: God.”

Read the rest.