Sermons That Exalt Christ
The preaching of God’s Word is central to the life of the church. Tom's pulpit ministry is dedicated to providing clear, biblical teaching to equip believers, strengthen faith, and exalt Christ.
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The preaching of God's Word is central to worship and of the utmost importance for the sanctification of every believer in Christ.
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An Eye for an Eye - Part 1
Tom Pennington's sermon "An Eye for an Eye (Part 1)" from Matthew 5:38-42 addresses the pervasive human tendency to harbor grudges and seek personal revenge. He asserts that Jesus's disciples, as citizens of His spiritual kingdom, must abandon all supposed rights to personal retaliation, as grudges and revenge have no place in God's kingdom. Pennington clarifies the Old Testament meaning of "an eye for an eye" (lex talionis). This principle, found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, was a foundational legal standard for Israel's civil courts. It ensured punishments fit crimes while *restraining* personal vengeance, often implying monetary compensation rather than literal physical injury. The scribes, however, distorted this judicial law, twisting it into a divine authorization for individuals to seek personal revenge, contrary to other Old Testament commands against vengeance. The sermon applies this understanding in three ways. First, Christians must advocate for legal systems where punishments justly fit the crime. Second, non-Christians should recognize that God's perfect justice means their eternal punishment will precisely fit their rebellion, urging them to seek refuge in Christ's grace.
Radical Truthfulness - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "Radical Truthfulness (Part 2)" from Matthew 5:33-37 addresses Jesus's call for absolute honesty, contrasting it with the prevalent lying in society. Pennington clarifies that Jesus is not forbidding all oaths, such as legal oaths, vows to God, or solemn affirmations, citing Old Testament practices, Jesus's own testimony under oath, and Paul's actions. Instead, Jesus corrects the scribes' flawed interpretation, which had trivialized oaths. Jesus's first command, "make no oath at all," teaches that all vows are solemn and made before God, regardless of what one swears by (heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or one's head). Therefore, oaths must not be made frivolously or frequently, as all are binding. The second command, "let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'," demands that disciples be so inherently truthful that their simple word is always sufficient, making oaths unnecessary. Jesus explains that anything beyond this radical truthfulness "is of evil," originating from Satan, the "father of lies." Achieving radical truthfulness requires ceasing to justify lies and confronting the underlying motives, such as self-protection, pride, or hiding guilt.
Gethsemane! - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "Gethsemane! (Part 2)" explores Jesus' teaching on confronting temptation, an unavoidable reality of life. Even in His deepest agony, Jesus instructed His disciples how to resist succumbing to sin, serving as a pattern for believers. The central command from Mark 14:38 is to "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation." This means enduring temptation without giving in, not its complete removal. "Keeping watching" requires spiritual alertness to danger. Believers must identify personal and common seasons of susceptibility�like unfulfilled expectations, downtime, or peer pressure�and anticipate when temptation is likely to strike. Jesus modeled this awareness Himself. "Keeping praying" means acknowledging complete dependence on God. Jesus' Gethsemane prayer provides the model: reaffirming trust in the Father's love ("Abba! Father!") and power ("All things are possible for You"), asking for intervention, yet submitting completely to God's will ("not what I will, but what You will"). Prayer's purpose is to align our will with His. These instructions are vital because "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Our redeemed spirit desires obedience, but our unredeemed flesh leans towards sin. Relying on self-strength inevitably leads to failure.
Radical Truthfulness - Part 1
The sermon "Radical Truthfulness" from Matthew 5:33-37 addresses the widespread issue of dishonesty, which the speaker describes as an epidemic permeating all aspects of society, from governments to personal interactions. From a biblical perspective, every word is either truth or a lie, originating with Satan and characteristic of fallen humanity. God profoundly hates lying, deeming it a damning sin that precludes entry into Heaven. Jesus calls His disciples to "radical truthfulness," contrasting it with the scribes' and Pharisees' flawed interpretations of Old Testament commands. They distorted the law by focusing primarily on avoiding perjury and fulfilling vows made explicitly to God, while creating elaborate distinctions for oaths (e.g., swearing by Heaven versus by God's name) to justify everyday untruthfulness. Jesus condemns these "equivocating schemes," demanding absolute honesty. The speaker identifies modern forms of untruthfulness: outright lying, slander, deception, cheating, false accusations, and even false profession of faith�claiming Christianity while living in unrepentant sin. This high standard of truthfulness exposes humanity's pervasive sinfulness, driving individuals to seek forgiveness solely through Jesus Christ. Christ, who never lied, suffered God's wrath for all sins, including every lie.
Gethsemane! - Part 1
In a sermon on Mark 14:32-42, Pastor Tom Pennington delves into Jesus's agonizing experience in Gethsemane, presenting it as a moment of profound struggle and revelation of His role as Savior. He contrasts Jesus's earlier serene prayers with the "heart-wrenching anguish" in the garden, where Jesus, as a fully human being, became "very distressed and troubled," His soul "grieved to the point of death." Jesus prayed fervently, with "loud crying and tears," even to the point of sweating blood, asking the Father to "remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." The "cup" symbolizes not just physical suffering or death, but the full, terrifying wrath of God against the sins of all humanity, which Jesus was about to bear�an experience of divine alienation and burden beyond human comprehension. Despite this immense struggle, Jesus's perfect obedience and voluntary suffering shine through. He never contemplated refusing God's will, instead embracing this ultimate temptation and sacrifice to initiate redemption. This willing submission, born of love and obedience, became the source of eternal salvation for all who believe.
What Jesus Really Said About Divorce - Part 3
This sermon, "What Jesus Really Said About Divorce (Part 3)," examines biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage based on Matthew 5:31-32. The speaker notes that most common reasons for divorce today are not biblically sufficient. Jesus teaches that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and God fundamentally opposes divorce. An unbiblical divorce, followed by remarriage, is considered the moral equivalent of adultery, making all parties involved guilty. However, Jesus provides two specific exceptions where divorce and subsequent remarriage are permissible. The first, found in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, is due to "unchastity" or "immorality" (Greek: *porneia*). This encompasses all forms of sexual sin with another entity forbidden by Scripture, such as adultery, homosexuality, and incest. While permitting divorce, it does not demand it, leaving room for reconciliation. The second exception, outlined in 1 Corinthians 7:12-15, addresses abandonment by an unbelieving spouse. If one spouse is a believer and the other an unbeliever (a term that includes those unrepentantly disciplined by the church), and the unbeliever clearly wishes to end the marriage, the believing spouse is "not under bondage" and is free to remarry. This provision aims for peace.
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