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Weekend Recap – Christ’s Better Sacrifice

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Enjoyed another amazing Lord’s Day with the dear people at Crestview.  I’m so humbled to get to be their pastor.  My sermon, Christ’s Better Sacrifice, from Hebrews 9:23-28 is now online.  The thrust of the message was that Christ’s sacrifice purified better than the old way since it was in God’s presence once for all and anticipated His return.  It was really amazing truth to ground us both for today and our future.  We have amazing confidence in relating to God because of what Jesus has done and this changes everything.

In the evening, my small group continued studying Jerry Bridges Respectable Sins talking about selfishness and our lack of self control.  Again, great fellowship as our group was transparent with one another and really helped point each other to the Gospel.  What a full weekend, yet so full of grace.

Hope your Lord’s Day went well.

Weekend Recap – Haggler / Prayer

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We enjoyed an amazing Lord’s Day yesterday.  My sermon from Hebrews 9:15-22 entitled The Haggler (New Covenant Mediator) is online.  The sermon sought to show the amazing nature of Jesus’ help for those who stand to inherit promises under the new covenant and how this was only obtained through His spilling blood in death.  We also celebrated the Lord’s Supper in the AM.  What a rich time of fellowship.

In the evening, as it was a 5th Sunday, we gathered for corporate prayer.  We realize that nothing happens of eternal consequence without God moving.  We prayed for needs and upcoming events in our church’s life.  What a blessed Lord’s day.  I’m still full from it.

Weekend Recap – 10/23/11 with Dan Dumas

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We had a great weekend at Crestview with Dan Dumas visiting. I was really impacted by the book he co-wrote with Randy Stinson entitled Guide to Biblical Manhood. Having heard Dan unpack what the purpose of the book was a few times this weekend, I would say it is a tremendously helpful, practical book on fleshing out what manhood looks like according to the Bible. Upon reading that, I knew I needed to get Dan here around our men and yesterday was our day.

During the SS hour, Dan preached from James 1:19-25 a message entitled God’s Mudroom for Worship. God has given us His Word as basic functioning for life. Specifically, this passage calls us to hear and heed God’s Word by application.

In the AM Worship Service, Dan preached from Job 1 a message entitled Spiritual Ruggedness. This message really unpacked how Job could be a point where he worshipped after suffering hit and his anchor proved to be a Sovereign, Immovable God.

Finally, in the PM, Dan preached from 1 Kings 2:1-9 on the DNA of Biblical Manhood. Seizing upon David’s deathbed charge to Solomon, Dan gave rich application to the men to Fear God, Tremble His Word, Be Tough As Nails, Do Hard Things First, and simply Act Like Men.

All is all, my soul was very nourished and refreshed. Weaknesses were exposed in both my life and leadership. Many applications need to be pursued as a result of this weekend. I hope your Lord’s Day was profitable as well.

Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (2)

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My sermon from 10/16/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (2) from Hebrews 9:11-14 is now online.  We don’t like people claiming to be the best.  When it comes to Jesus, as C.S. Lewis famously said, “He’s either a liar (not the best acting as if He is), lunatic (acting like He’s out of His mind) or Lord (He is the best).”  The stakes could be any higher for the writer of Hebrews.  Jesus is the best.  He is the Lord.  And, He’s proven that His work is way better than Old Testament sacrifices and law keeping by giving His own blood to secure freedom from sin and a pure conscience. This sermon unpacks these types of truths.  Hope it’s a blessing to you.

Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (1)

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My sermon from 10/9/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (1) from Hebrews 9:1-10 is now online.  The sermon really unpacked the bad news on the limitations that were in place for the OT worshipper.  There wasn’t access to God, but barriers and even the priests work was continual and dealt with outward realities.  We need words like this occasionally to see the brightness of the Gospel.

I saw a good summary of my sermon on Google+ in a quote from John Bunyan:

“Run, John, run, the law commands but gives us neither feet nor hands;
Far better news the Gospel brings: it bids us fly and gives us wings.”

Hope you have a great week standing in awe of what God has provided for you to draw near to Himself through His Son.


Better Ministry – For Real!

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My sermon from 10/2/11AM is online.  The sermon was entitled Better Ministry and was out of Hebrews 8:6-13.  This section of Scripture, which included the longest quote of the OT in the NT, pointed us to the ways in which Jesus’ ministry was better than the old covenant way of relating to God, since it was built on relationship and offered forgiveness for sins.

I trust it will help you to rest in the final work of Jesus alone for your sanity, but deeper, for your relating to God.

Weekend Recap – Heaven Is For Real

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Yes, my sermon from 9/25/11AM entitled In Heaven from Hebrews 8:1-5 is now online and yes, it did talk about the reality of heaven.  It seems the writer of Hebrews is bent on encouraging our perseverance, so he urges us to consider our present in light of eternity, or, specifically, in light of the reality wherein Christ serves.  I hope the sermon was encouraging.

In the evening, my small group looked at the lack of gratitude we exhibit in the church and sought to fought that in the Gospel.  I need to update my Facebook status accordingly: “God, thank you for the gift of Facebook and how it allows me to stay in touch with so many friends.  Thank you also for the trials that come when they change things, knowing that you are working on my character through it.”  Something like this should be our heart in everything.

Weekend Recap – Better Priest

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Well, Sunday is complete and Monday Labor Day holiday has begun.  We had a great morning yesterday singing about Jesus’ finished work, fellowshipping together and looking at Hebrews 7:11-19 in a sermon entitled A Better Priest.  The sermon sought to show reasons why Jesus is a better high priest than the old order of Aaronic priests.  It was pretty compelling that because of the power of Jesus’ indestructible life and the better hope He gives in our drawing near to God that He is better hands down.

I hope your Lord’s day was rich and rewarding as you sought the Lord.  Blessings to you this week.

Weekend Recap – Pointer and Small Groups…

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Happy Monday everyone. Hope you all are doing well as we get off and running on another week. I thought we had a tremendous Lord’s Day yesterday. God was so gracious to move and act in many ways and I continue to stand in awe of what we are learning about Him (and Jesus) through the book of Hebrews. Yesterday’s sermon, Pointer, from Hebrews 7:1-10 tried to hop on a trajectory or course that pointed us to Jesus as the main theme of the Bible. As I mentioned in the introduction, I wanted to dazzle everyone with Jesus’ character and superiority. I hope you found yourself delighting in Him. In the evening, we had great time in small groups, continuing to work our way through Jerry Bridges book Respectable Sins. My group looked, specifically, at the chapter on Anxiety, Worry and Frustration, which proved to be very fruitful for good Gospel application. Hope you have a blessed week!

Weekend Recap – Hoping in Promises

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My sermon from 8/21/11 entitled Promise from Hebrews 6:13-20 is online.  It was a great morning for us to see the hope that is ours in Christ.  The picture of Christ being our anchor for today and having our security tied to His work for us in the holy place behind the veil was pretty stunning.  I hope the reality of this helps you live this week.

In the evening, we had an encouraging report from our Immanuel Mission Team (they traveled to Arizona from July 31-August 7.  Here’s the video from the Team:

All in all, we had a tremendous and amazing Lord’s Day and I hope you were blessed as well.