What is the Use of the Ten Commandments?
If you were to poll society regarding rules for life, you would get many different answers. Some of them might even contain a few examples from the Ten Commandments. But you would probably gather a large consensus around a few secular core doctrines. One popular sentiment would be that there is not one “right way” to live. Another might be that people should be allowed to do whatever makes them happy provided it does not harm someone else. Many would…
The Great Commission to Make Disciples
The mission of Grace Clovis states: “We exist to transform the people of Clovis by finding, equipping, and multiplying followers of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.” This mission really comes from a combination of the Great Commission to make disciples and Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 4: 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ… A lot of…
The Benefits of Christ’s Resurrection for Believers
Well, if you are anything like me, yesterday was difficult. We celebrated one of the strangest Easter Sundays of our lifetime. It was quite possibly the strangest Easter Sunday since that first Resurrection Sunday. Celebrating Easter from our homes was far from ideal, but it was nice to see everyone making the most of it. I want to encourage you to keep the benefits of Christ’s resurrection on your mind. I trust you were blessed by the many reminders you…
Worship Christ, the Risen King
The resurrection is crucial to Christianity. Calling people to embrace Jesus, the risen King is the central topic of Apostolic preaching and writing. Last week, Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey to shouts of “Hosanna!” He was treated like a king. But by Thursday night he was being arrested, mocked, and beaten. By Friday morning the Romans were scourging and crucifying him. Easter or Resurrection Sunday transitions from Christ’s humiliation to exaltation. No longer the crucified King,…
What Should We Think About COVID-19?
Typically we have reserved this feed for sermon and devotional audio, but I thought it would be helpful for us to think about COVID-19 today.
The Triumph of the Cross (Matthew 27:45-51)
Have you ever felt alone? I don’t mean socially distant. I mean isolated from everyone. Maybe that sounds like a good thing to some of you. Maybe you are the kind of person who enjoys going to movie theaters alone. I can understand the value of getting away from the noise of this world, but we really were not created for isolation.
How to Pray to God
I simply want to recommend four resources to help you to pray. One is essential, and the other three are very helpful.
1. The Word of God
2. Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney
3. A Way to Pray by Matthew Henry, O. Palmer Robertson
4. Echo Prayer App
The Shame of the Cross
The Shame of the Cross (Mt. 27:26-44) One of the most embarrassing moments of my childhood was when I went clothes shopping with my mom and older brother. I didn’t care much for shopping or picking out my own clothes. I pretty much was just there to try things on that my mom picked out for me. My brother, on the other hand, enjoyed taking his time. He wanted to look at every item in his size and try them…
Do Not Be Anxious! (but when you are…)
Who wants to hear someone telling them to “Calm down!” at a time like this? It sounds naive and trite. But, Paul wrote that from prison! He faced incredible challenges throughout his ministry. So we can assume that Paul was familiar with anxiety. He’s not rebuking people to “Chill out!” He’s calling upon everyone to join him in seeking peace from the only source of true and lasting peace. Phil. 4:4-5a, “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say,…
The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29)
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Part 3 Well, I’m about to preach God’s Word as I’ve never preached it before! Literally… Let’s just get over the fact that this is awkward. It feels very different speaking to you through a camera. I can’t see your faces when I say something confusing. On the plus side, I also can’t see you nodding off to sleep. This just feels awkward. And it should because Church is not supposed to be…