The audio (and video) from the Baptisms and Lord’s Supper at Crestview from yesterday are now online.  It was a big day for our family as 2 of our children were baptized.  I appreciated Caleb Gaeddert and Tom Dixon providing some framework for our practice of these two things.  Here are some pics of the day:

I hope you had an enjoyable Lord’s Day.  Access the audio and video of our Baptism/Lord’s Supper service if you’d like to see highlights from yesterday.

My 6/17/18AM sermon, Exilic Living from 1 Peter 2:11-12, is now online.  The sermon really got at what it means to live in this world.  And, for the believer, the call (in light of who we are in Christ) is to forsake sin, having a life characterized by honorable conduct, making a difference in this world.  Our lives should be compelling to the watching world around us.  Too often, they aren’t.  So, I’m hoping God uses this sermon to encourage others to really live.  (I also incorporated this quote from Shawshank Redemption at the beginning of my sermon)

My 6/10/18AM sermon, Spiritual House (1 Peter 2:4-10), is now online.  This passage dug down deep into our lives to expose an identity in Christ, which should change everything about how we live.  Specifically, this passage showed that we are a holy priesthood (vv. 4-5), unashamed, honorable believers (vv. 6-8), and God’s people (vv. 9-10).  I hope it encourages you.

My 6/3/18AM sermon, The Word Works Love out of 1 Peter 1:22-2:3, is now online.  This sermon got at one of the big problems in our world: how do we make people loving?  And, the simple answer is that we can’t.  However, God is up the challege of changing our desires and longings.  He has news that affects our lives, grows us, and the fruit of this is love.  I hope this sermon encourages you to grow in love.

My 5/20/18AM sermon, God’s Worth Provokes Action from 1 Peter 1:13-21, is now online.  This sermon flowed out of the beginning of 1 Peter, which showed all kinds of reasons God is worthy of praise.  On the heels of that, Peter calls us to actions that are appropriate for the future, present, and in light of the past.  I really do hope it’s helpful.  Here’s a quote from the sermon:

My good friend Luke has been at Crestview since last August.  He’s heading back to India soon.  Yesterday (Mother’s Day) he took some time to exhort, encourage, and challenge our church on what he’s observed over the past few months.  The sermon was called Charge to Love.  It was very encouraginmg and was a charge.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 5/6/18AM sermon, Gospel Privilege from 1 Peter 1:10-12, is now online.  If you have an understanding of the Gospel, then Peter is writing to encourage you.  You have understanding that evaded the prophets and something into which angels long to look.  The upshot is that no matter what you face, you can walk in hope in the message you rest in.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

I received a week off from preaching duties yesterday, 4/29/18, but was blessed to be able to hear Luke preach on 1 Peter 1:6-9.  His sermon, Joy In Trials, is online.  The quote above really got at the heart of this sermon.  In suffering, we try to soothe our souls with pithy cliches or by looking inward.  And, Peter’s point in these opening verses of 1 Peter is to look, by faith, to the value that Christ has and rest there.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 4/22/18AM sermon, Kept for a Hopeful Inheritance from 1 Peter 1:3-5 is now online.  This sermon continued our 1 Peter series, giving hope to exiles and outcasts, which is what Christians are in this world.  Peter, remarkably, didn’t begin this letter with a fixation on the world or even how believers should act towards the world (although that is certainly coming in the letter).  He begins by blessing God and rehearsing some reasons why God the Father is worthy of praise.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 4/15/18AM sermon, To Elect Exiles from 1 Peter 1:1-2; 5:12-14, is now online.  This sermon introduced everyone to the book of 1 Peter, which is the book we’ll be studying for a while.  It took those who are believers into tension between who we are in God and who we are related to the world.  Specfiically, Peter wrote to elect exiles, to give us hope from God.  I hope it encourages you.