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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Betrayed!
Pastor Tom Pennington�s sermon on Mark 14:17-21 examines the tragic betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. While history remembers Brutus�s betrayal of Caesar, Judas�s treachery against the Son of God is infinitely worse. During the Last Supper, Jesus shocked His disciples by announcing that one of them would betray Him. As the disciples grieved and questioned their own loyalty, Jesus identified the traitor as one sharing His meal, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy while maintaining Judas�s personal accountability. Pennington highlights Jesus� profound grace during this moment; He washed Judas�s feet, seated him in a place of honor, and offered him a morsel as a gesture of friendship, providing a final opportunity for repentance. However, Judas rejected this kindness, leaving the upper room to finalize his plot. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus predicted this betrayal to vindicate God�s sovereignty and strengthen the disciples' faith. Ultimately, Judas serves as a sobering warning that one can be outwardly close to Christ and active in ministry while inwardly harboring a hardened, unbelieving heart that leads to destruction.
Dealing With Lust - Part 3
Tom Pennington's sermon "The Sermon on the Mount Dealing with Lust (Part 3)" delves into Matthew 5:27-30, asserting that true righteousness extends beyond external actions to the heart. Jesus' declaration that looking at a woman with lust constitutes adultery in the heart reveals the spiritual gravity of lust, rendering one deserving of God's wrath. The hyperbolic commands to "tear out your eye or cut off your hand" are not literal, as historical misinterpretations like Origen's demonstrate. Instead, they metaphorically call for radical, uncompromising action against anything, no matter how valuable, that causes one to stumble into lust. This involves decisively eliminating sources of temptation�such as media, environments, or even jobs�to protect the soul from the deadly consequences of tolerated, unrepented sin, which can lead to hell. This "mortification of sin" applies to all captivating sins and requires maximum personal effort, recognizing it as a lifelong battle aimed at cultivating Christ-likeness through universal obedience. Critically, this fight is not waged in one's own strength but through constant dependence on Christ and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, because apart from Him, believers can do nothing.
The Passover Plot
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon on Mark 14:10-16 reveals two "Passover Plots" at play during Jesus's final week, contrasting them with secular interpretations. The *human plot* involved Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus's disciples, conspiring with the chief priests. Motivated by greed, Judas agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, offering an "opportune time" to arrest Him discreetly, avoiding public unrest. The chief priests eagerly accepted, satisfied that even Jesus's followers were driven by avarice. Simultaneously, a *divine plot* unfolded, orchestrated by Jesus to fulfill prophecy and protect His disciples. Jesus meticulously arranged the Last Supper in secret, directing Peter and John to a pre-arranged upper room, deliberately concealing the location from Judas. This secrecy ensured Jesus had undisturbed time with His "family," equipping and preparing them for coming events, as seen in John 13-17. The sermon emphasizes that God's sovereign purpose always triumphs over human evil, with Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, dying precisely on Passover. This entire divine orchestration profoundly expressed Jesus's "uttermost" love for His followers.
Dealing With Lust - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "Dealing with Lust" from Matthew 5:27-30 emphasizes Jesus's radical teaching that God's righteousness demands purity of heart, not just outward conformity. He critiques how public opinion, rather than biblical truth, often shapes views on sexual ethics, referencing President Obama's shift on same-sex marriage, which Pennington argues ignores Jesus's affirmation of Old Testament sexual prohibitions. In a world rampant with sexual imagery, the sermon clarifies that lust isn't finding someone attractive or desiring intimacy within marriage. Instead, it is "looking at a person other than your spouse in order either to excite or to fulfill sexual desire," encompassing mental fantasies and actions that provoke lust in others (e.g., immodest dress, seductive language). Jesus's statement, "everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart," declares internal lust carries the same moral guilt as physical adultery, making one deserving of hell. This sin is branded as idolatry, prioritizing self-gratification over God. Recognizing universal guilt, the sermon highlights Jesus Christ and the gospel as the only hope for justification.
Our Global Mission
Pastor Tom Pennington, returning from a 2.5-week ministry trip to South Africa, shared a report and a challenge to his congregation regarding global missions, drawing biblical warrant from Acts 14. He described South Africa's complex spiritual landscape, noting pervasive animistic paganism, which includes ancestor worship and a destructive "limited good" worldview, making the gospel the only hope. He also observed varied forms of Christianity: a range within the Dutch Reformed faith, widespread Christian syncretism (explaining the prosperity gospel's success by blending with animism's magical spirit world), and a faithful, growing evangelical church. Pennington�s visit involved speaking at three Shepherds� Conferences for pastors and leaders, aiming to model expository preaching and encourage further training. He then challenged his church to emulate the Philippian church's "partnership in the gospel" (Philippians 1:7) in five ways. First, Christians must love, teach, and defend the truth of the gospel. Second, they need to live for the gospel in their own communities through transformed lives and vocal witness. Third, they must pray faithfully for the worldwide advance of the gospel, recognizing their prayers as a means God uses for His sovereign plan.
The Foundational Convictions of a Godly Woman
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "The Foundational Convictions of a Godly Woman" examines Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, revealing three core beliefs vital for spiritual stability. First, Hannah was convinced that God Himself is the source of all joy. Despite her initial barrenness and humiliation, her profound gratitude stemmed from God's character and salvation, not merely her changed circumstances or even her son, Samuel. She praised His incomparable holiness and confessed Him as the only true "rock" and foundation, urging all to humbly submit to the all-knowing God who weighs actions. Second, Hannah firmly believed God is sovereign over all things. She recognized God's unlimited capacity to change any circumstance, illustrating with examples of the weak defeating the mighty and the barren giving birth. Furthermore, she understood that God ultimately determines all outcomes�life and death, wealth and poverty, humbling and exalting�because He created and owns the entire world. Finally, Hannah was certain that God will accomplish all His ultimate ends. She foresaw God protecting His faithful while shattering those who contend with Him, affirming that human might cannot prevail. Her prayer anticipates God judging the earth and exalting "His king" and "His anointed one," a prophetic glimpse of the Messiah.
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