We gather here as a result of the gospel, and we gather as a means of proclaiming the gospel. The ordained evangelist proclaims the gospel to those outside, and the informal evangelist shares the faith with others as it comes up. But all of us together are evangelical Christians, and we are all to be …
The Critical Spirit
When we are critical of others, we are in it for one of two reasons. We are either critical because we are loving them, and are seeking their best interest, or we are critical because we are loving ourselves, and are seeking some way to compete effectively with them. This means that our criticism is …
Ask For It
The gospel is powerful, and the word of God runs free in the world. As a result, the world will be converted. The gospel will accomplish what God commands it to do, and it will do so when and how He declares it. But that refers to God’s decrees and His control over all history. …
Getting Your Eyes Off the Other Guy
When we are in the grip of the really dangerous sins, we think that the other person is the one with the problem. When you lie, or lust, or steal, these things are of course bad, but you usually know that they are. But when you are bitter, or envious, or competitive, or angry, or …
Understanding Gospel Logic
As we consider the meaning of the death of Jesus—intended by God as the death of all envy—and the power of His resurrection, intended as the basis for the proclamation of the gospel of life, what should we do? In the light of this, how should we live in community with one another? Here is …
The Kindergarten of This Particular School
The cross of Jesus Christ is the grace of God, extended to the world. When we are given the privilege of being joined to Christ in order to die in union with Him, and to be raised in union with Him, this too is grace. It is liberation from self-absorption. The cruciform life is therefore …
And There Slain
When envy has you by the throat, what can you do? It might appear to you in virulent forms, or it might seem almost invisible—camouflaged nicely to fit in with what you have come to call the principle of the thing. Envy is one of the hardest sins to admit, and it is one of …
He Has Done It Already
Everyone here wants things, and there is no problem with that. That is a design feature; it is how God made us. But there are frequently deep problems with how and why we want things. And the central problem is that we tend to want things that God gave to someone else, simply because that …
Something Has to Die
When we are not getting along with others, the pressing temptation is always to believe that you are just as you have always been, and that they have somehow changed. This is often not true at all, but even if it were true, that does not put you in the right. Perhaps they have changed …
No Leverage for Sin
In the message today, we will be considering ways to prepare yourselves spiritually for your Christmas celebrations. That message will be addressing those who earnestly want to be a blessing to others, and who are grieved when they stumble in various ways. So I thought that it would be good to address just a few …