In week two of our series on the body, we’re zooming in on the issue of sex. In our passage, the Apostle Paul teaches the Corinthian church (and us) why sex is so significant for the Christian. Why should Christians flee sexual immorality? Why does sexual sin matter so much to God?
For the next two weeks, we're going to explore what God's word has to say about our bodies. This small passage from the book of 1 Corinthians has massive implications for our lives today. This week we'll see why our physical bodies matter to God and should matter to us.
The Bible is much more than just another religious book. It is an interpretation of all of history. This Sunday we conclude our sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew with an overview series on the whole book. We'll that Matthew is ultimately pointing to King Jesus as the focus and goal of all of history--that all of our individual stories are ultimately about him and for him.
After more than two years, we come to the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel. Jesus stands resurrected, victorious over sin and death. And yet, in some ways the kingdom work has only started. We'll see the church's marching orders from our King!
This Easter Sunday we consider the two diverging responses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Like with many public events and people, there are many perspectives about the significance of Christ's death. However, the only interpretation that matters is God's. In the events surrounding the the death of his Son, we'll see God's take on this event--what is really going on--through the cries and miracles and ministers surrounding this death like no other.
This Sunday we come to the climactic crowning of the Savior King. And yet Matthew's description of Jesus' crucifixion is surprising in many ways. Surrounded by mocking from Romans and Jews alike, we're reminded that the very thing they're mocking Jesus about is being truly fulfilled in their midst.
How do you cope with guilt? We all do the wrong thing sometimes. And when we do, we're very good at avoiding, minimizing, or trying to atone somehow to make the feeling go away. But how does God call us to deal with our guilt? In our passage this Sunday, we see a number of people trying to deal with the responsibility they have for Jesus' death. And yet in the midst of the guilty characters all around him, stands the innocent One who came to wash all our guilty stains away.
Jesus famously said that in this world believers will have trouble (John 16:33). We will all face pressure and even persecution because of our faith. The question is, in the face of opposition, will we shrink or stand? In our passage, Jesus is put on trial before the high priest. And yet there are really two trials going on. We'll see what we can learn from the strength of Jesus' faith in contrast with the weakness of Peter.
One pastor said that you’re either in a time of trouble now, you just got out of some trouble, or trouble is right around the corner. And if you haven’t had much trouble in your life yet, just keep on living. Indeed, sorrow is, or will be, a part of all of our lives. In our passage this Sunday, we'll learn how to remain faithful in times of trouble from the Lord Jesus, who endures great sorrow through his submission to the Father and ultimately secures our salvation.
We have the privilege to hear God's word from Pastor Matt Wigton, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Rockport, MA. Pastor Matt has served FBC Rockport for 13 years. He’s married to Megan and they have three children, Alistair, Ainsley and Addison, and a beagle named Maggie. He has a passion for church revitalization in New England. Pastor Matt will preach God's word to us from Psalm 42, a passage that has been a comfort to his own soul.
You might wonder why we celebrate the Lord's Supper each week. Indeed, it doesn't seem like much of a "supper" at all. What is the point of eating a miniature square of bread and drinking from a tiny cup anyway? We'll see in this Sunday's passage why, surrounded by betrayal and abandonment, this solemn celebration is essential to our faith.
This week we return to the Gospel of Matthew. We pick up Matthew's account at the conclusion. After an introduction and five alternating narrative and teaching sections, Jesus now readies to lay his life down the cross. And it's in this account that we meet two people whose actions represent a stark contrast of values. They each place a value on Jesus and raise the question for us: How do we value Jesus? And do our actions reflect his infinite worth?
Boston is a diverse city of nearly 700,000 people from various nations, backgrounds, and experiences. And yet at the core, all of us are searching for the same things for our lives: purpose, identity, happiness, and hope. As we conclude our sermon series on the doctrine of Scripture, we'll see that these deep desires we all have, we cannot ultimately discover by ourselves. They can only be found in God, who reveals himself to us in his Word.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
Who has the final word in your life? Whether we realize it or not, we all give someone or something the greatest authority—our parents, our culture, our community, our feelings, the government, peer-reviewed journals, opinion polls, impressions, or a holy book. As we continue in our sermon series on the doctrine of Scripture, we'll see why the final word in our lives should be, well, God's.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
"Well that's just your interpretation." Have you ever talked with someone about the Bible and heard that response? Or maybe you've said it yourself. This week we'll explore the historic Protestant Christian doctrine of the perspicuity (or clarity) of Scripture. We'll see why even regular people like us should be confident that we can understand God's word--and why this has massive implications for our relationship with the Lord.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
Have you ever heard God's voice? Have you ever asked God to speak to you? Have you ever sought or wished you had some unique experience with God to bring you comfort or clarity in times of trouble? As we continue our sermon series on the Doctrine of Scripture this week, we'll see why we don't need to turn anywhere but to God's word. His word is enough for our encouragement and growth and salvation.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
In our era of abundant--and often conflicting--information, is there any resource we can fully trust? This Sunday we're continuing our sermon series on the doctrine of Scripture, expounding on the historic Christian characteristics of God's word--that it is inerrant, sufficient, clear, final, and necessary. We'll see why it's crucial to believe God's word is without error.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
We begin a new sermon series on the doctrine of Scripture. This series will expound on the historic Christian characteristics of God's word--that it is inerrant, sufficient, clear, final, and necessary. Each of these are distinct, essential, and practical for us as we strive to be a people of the Word. But we'll begin first with the goal of this series: that you would love and devote yourself to God's word this year and for the remaining years of your life. And that so happens to be what the longest chapter in the Bible is all about.
*This sermon series is drawn from Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.
This Sunday we have the privilege to receive God's word from Pastor Ron Bouthillette. Pastor Ron served for many years as Lead Pastor of The Bridge Community Church in Milford, New Hampshire. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and former member of Ruggles from back in the 1970s!
