Archive for the This Sunday Category


Feb 6

This Sunday: “On Fruit and Foundations”

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: Quote,This Sunday

This Sunday’s message will continue to examine Jesus’ sermon in Luke 6. We have seen Jesus teaching some hard sayings here, like “love your enemies” (vss 27-36) and “do not judge or you will be judged” (vss 37-42). This Sunday we will see Him explain the “root” from which this “fruit” flows and the “foundation” on which such radical love and mercy rest (vss 43-49).

Related, this quote from David Brainerd (1718-1747) highlights the danger of good works done for the wrong reasons:

When I had been fasting, praying, obeying, I thought I was aiming at the glory of God, but I was doing it all for my own glory–to feel I was worthy. As long as I was doing all this to earn my salvation, I was doing nothing for God, all for me! I realized that all my struggling to become worthy was an exercise in self-worship. I was actually trying to avoid God as saviour, and to be my own saviour. i.e. I was not worshipping him, but using him.

May God grant us discernment and grace to know well the difference between genuine fruit which flows from our connection to the tree (Christ) and that which is self-made “righteousness” done for our own glory — or, as Brainerd said, an exercise of self-worship.

Jan 30

This Sunday’s Message

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: This Sunday

This Sunday we’ll return to our study of the gospel of Luke. The message will focus on discerning right judgment from wrong judgment. If you get the chance, read the passage beforehand: Luke 6:36-45, especially vss. 41-42 where Jesus gives the parable of a man with a plank in his eye socket trying to “help” someone get a splinter out of their eye. What a humorous and yet sobering picture of hypocrisy. May God teach us well as we come together for corporate worship on the Lord’s Day. Come prayerfully and expectantly!

Jan 23

This Sunday

2009 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: This Sunday

This Sunday, Barry Lawrence will be back at DSC and ministering God’s Word to us. He’ll be preaching from Moses’ Psalm – Psalm 90. Take the time, before our Sunday worship, to read the passage and pray that God would by glorified to use it mightily.

For anyone who’s been at DSC for about a year or more, Barry needs no introduction. In case you’re fairly new, let me give a brief into: Barry is a long-time teaching pastor from Rochester, NY, who moved to Albuquerque a few years ago to work with Sixteen:Fifteen as a missions-coach to churches. He made DSC his church home and served as an elder for a couple of years before moving back to Rochester just a couple of months ago. He continues to work with Sixteen:Fifteen, focusing on coaching churches on the east side of the country. But since Sixteen:Fifteen’s headquarters are here in Albuquerque, Barry will be back in town from time to time.

In addition to the “staple” parts of our service (singing, prayer, Word), this Sunday we’ll also take the time to announce the appointment of a new deacon and two new elder candidates. I guess, in God’s providence it’s a week to give thanks for leaders, old and new. God is good to our church.