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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The Biblical Priority of Baptism
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "The Biblical Priority of Baptism," emphasizes its profound spiritual significance, paralleling it with water's essential nature and unique properties. He notes that contemporary Christians often misunderstand or undervalue baptism, despite Jesus' foundational command in the Great Commission (Matthew 28) to "make disciples, baptize them, and teach them." Pennington examines Peter's sermon in Acts 2:37-39, where the convicted crowd is told to "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." This highlights two crucial responses to the gospel: repentance and public confession. Repentance is described as a gift from God, involving an intellectual, emotional, and volitional turning from sin, inextricably linked with saving faith. Baptism, meaning "to dip or plunge," is presented not as a cause of salvation (refuting "baptismal regeneration"), but as a vital public confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Pennington argues that various New Testament passages and the broader context of Acts demonstrate that belief and receiving the Holy Spirit precede water baptism. Both Jesus and Paul underscore the necessity of publicly confessing Christ as Lord for genuine salvation, making baptism an imperative act of allegiance for all believers.
Lies Christians Believe (Part 7): Blind Faith (Part 2)
Pastor Tom Pennington concludes his "Lies Christians Believe" series, tackling the misconception that "Christianity is Blind Faith." He briefly notes other prevalent lies, such as "new is always progress," "man is basically good," and "live for today because death is the end," contrasting them with biblical truth. His central argument refutes the idea of Christianity as an irrational leap without evidence. Pennington posits three main points. First, the New Testament is a historically reliable record, evidenced by non-Christian sources confirming Jesus' existence and an unparalleled abundance of early manuscripts, far surpassing other ancient texts. Internally, the Gospels draw from eyewitness accounts or careful research, while Jesus pre-authenticated the apostles' writings, promising them supernatural recall and revelation. Second, God validated the Christian faith by providing "convincing proofs" to chosen witnesses, primarily the apostles, who saw the resurrected Christ and were commanded to testify. Third, the resurrection is the ultimate evidence for Christian truth. Jesus hinged His entire credibility on it; without the resurrection, faith is meaningless (1 Corinthians 15). Early creeds, like that in 1 Corinthians 15, detail Christ's death for sins, burial (implying an empty tomb), and numerous post-resurrection appearances to over 500 eyewitnesses, including skeptics like James and Paul.
Bible Study for Every Christian (Part 6): Evaluation and Application
This session, "Bible Study for Every Christian Part 6," concludes a series on inductive Bible study, focusing on evaluation and application. The speaker first reiterates interpretation principles: seeking authorial intent, letting Scripture interpret Scripture, and literal reading. Evaluation (Step 5) means comparing one's interpretation against others, crucial because novel, accurate interpretations are rare. This involves consulting good study Bibles (MacArthur, ESV, NIV) and conservative commentaries, chosen carefully. Warnings include not using resources in place of personal study, before personal study, or as the final authority, and avoiding mere devotional thoughts or unsupported guesses. Application (Step 6) is planning a response to the text, as God intends His Word to change lives (James 1:22). Drawing from 2 Timothy 3:16, application considers teaching, reproof, correction, and training. It must flow from the author's original intent, bridging the ancient text to modern life. Key principles include distinguishing universal commands from specific ones, what the Bible records from what it approves, and cultural from timeless commands. Practical application involves asking: What did the author intend for original readers? What am I supposed to do? Why? And how can I practically implement it?
Do You Have Eternal Life?
Tom Pennington's sermon on 1 John uses the analogy of spiritual "vital signs" to determine if one has eternal life, focusing on how individuals respond to sin. He asserts that God is pure light, and a genuine relationship with Him necessitates a changed life. Pennington outlines three false responses to sin from those who profess faith but lack true salvation: 1. Claiming fellowship with God while persistently "walking in darkness" (living a sinful lifestyle), which John calls a lie. 2. Denying an inherent sinful nature ("no sin"), believing oneself to be fundamentally good despite occasional "bad decisions," thus deceiving oneself. 3. Denying specific acts of sin ("not sinned"), effectively calling God a liar and rejecting the need for a Savior, often seen in outwardly moral but self-righteous individuals. In contrast, true believers demonstrate two responses to sin: 1. Their lives are marked by "walking in the Light," signifying a pattern of obedience and holiness, even if not perfect. Though they still sin, the "blood of Jesus His Son cleanses" them continually, sustaining their fellowship with God. 2. They engage in continual confession of sin.
Lies Christians Believe (Part 6): Blind Faith
In a sermon titled "'Blind Faith'," part of the "Lies Christians Believe" series, Pastor Tom Pennington warns against Christians unthinkingly adopting cultural narratives, comparing it to "drinking the Kool-Aid." The specific lie addressed is: "Science Is Fact, Christianity Is Blind Faith," urging believers to renew their minds with God's Word (Romans 12:1-2) rather than conforming to the age. Pennington outlines the lie's two assertions: that modern science offers empirically proven, universally accepted facts, while Christian faith is an irrational leap without evidence. He traces this mindset back to Enlightenment philosophies (rationalism, empiricism, Kant) and details its "lethal consequences" within the church. These include downplaying the mind in favor of emotions, systematically adopting scientific views over biblical ones (like rejecting six-day creation), causing youth to lose faith, and marginalizing Christianity to subjective personal values instead of objective, all-encompassing truth. Countering the "Science Is Fact" assertion, Pennington argues that all truth originates from God, and the unregenerate mind is inherently biased and irrational. He contends that human science, driven by fallen logic and biased senses, has a mixed track record, citing flaws in medical research and naturalism's presuppositions about eternal matter.
Bible Study for Every Christian (Part 5): Interpretation
This text argues for the Christian's privilege and responsibility for personal biblical interpretation, contrasting it with the Roman Catholic Church's 16th-century stance. While the Council of Trent decreed that only the Magisterium (Pope and bishops) could authentically interpret Scripture, the Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther, asserted the individual's conscience is captive to God's Word. The author contends that the Bible itself supports private interpretation, as obligations for faith and obedience are personal, Scripture is addressed to all believers, and individuals are praised for evaluating teachings against God's Word. Effective interpretation aims to discover the "one divinely intended meaning" of a passage, guided by three main principles. First, interpret based on **authorial intent**, discerning what the original writer aimed to communicate, rather than seeking personal coded messages or immediate application. Second, interpret **Scripture with Scripture** (analogy of faith), acknowledging the Bible's singular divine author and internal consistency, using clear passages to illuminate obscure ones. Third, interpret **literally**, applying normal literary rules to language, grammar, history, and genre, unless the context clearly indicates a figure of speech or allegory. Dangers to avoid include allegorizing, spiritualizing, proof-texting, treating narrative as normative, and cultural backloading.
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