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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God's Unlikely Plan For the Birth of His Son - Part 1
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "God�s Unlikely Plan For the Birth of His Son," seeks to reveal the true meaning of Christmas, moving beyond secular despair to God�s divine purpose. Focusing on Luke 1, he highlights the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary regarding Jesus' birth, contrasting it with the earlier announcement to Zacharias. The sermon emphasizes God's "unlikely choice" of Mary and Joseph as Jesus' human parents. Mary was a young, unknown virgin from the obscure village of Nazareth. Joseph, a humble carpenter also from Nazareth, was critically a descendant of King David, providing Jesus' legal right to the Davidic throne and fulfilling crucial Old Testament prophecy. The central takeaway is that God selected this ordinary couple not because of their inherent worth or greatness, but entirely by His "sovereign grace." Mary and Joseph are not the heroes of the Christmas story; rather, God's undeserved favor is the hero. This illustrates that God often chooses the humble and the weak so that He alone receives all the glory for salvation. Consequently, Christmas is profoundly a celebration of God's overflowing grace toward humanity, demonstrating His delight in doing good for those who deserve the opposite.
The Forgotten Miracle of Christmas!
The sermon highlights the "forgotten miracle" of Christmas: God's ingenious resolution of two seemingly irreconcilable prophecies through Jesus' virgin birth. God unconditionally promised David a perpetual kingly descendant through Solomon. However, God also cursed King Jeconiah, a Solomonic descendant, declaring none of his physical heirs would ever sit on David's throne due to his evil. For Jesus to be the promised Messiah, He needed both a legal claim to David's throne (via Solomon) and a physical lineage untainted by Jeconiah's curse. The solution is revealed in Jesus' genealogies. Matthew traces Joseph's legal line through Solomon and Jeconiah; since Jesus was not Joseph's biological son, He inherited the legal right without the curse. Luke traces Mary's physical line through David's other son, Nathan, bypassing Jeconiah entirely. This miracle demonstrates God's absolute faithfulness to *all* His words�both judgment and gracious promises�doing whatever it takes to fulfill them. Ultimately, it spotlights Jesus as the righteous, eternally reigning King, contrasting with fallible human rulers. The Christmas celebration underscores God's trustworthy word and Christ's rightful kingship.
The Helmet of Salvation
The "Helmet of Salvation" from Ephesians 6:17 represents a settled confidence in our spiritual rescue from God, protecting our minds from Satan's attacks. Pastor Tom Pennington explains this spiritual helmet, like a Roman soldier�s headgear, is a gracious gift that enables believers to fight without hesitation or fear. Salvation encompasses three tenses. Satan attempts to instill doubt regarding our *past* salvation, questioning our initial repentance or belief. We must counter this by clinging to God's promises of eternal security (John 6, 10). Next, Satan fosters discouragement about our *present* condition by highlighting persistent sin or trials. However, God is actively rescuing us from sin's power and using trials to conform us to Christ (Romans 7, 8). Lastly, Satan introduces doubt about our *future* salvation, our ultimate deliverance from sin's presence and God's wrath. We put on the helmet by affirming the certainty of future glorification, trusting God to complete the work He began (Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:8). To stand firm in spiritual battle, believers must consciously apply this comprehensive confidence in God's completed, ongoing, and promised work of salvation.
Jesus on Divorce - Part 1
The sermon "The Memoirs of Peter Jesus on Divorce (Part 1)" highlights divorce as a major problem in America, with rates around 35-45%, largely influenced by the 1970s introduction of "no-fault" divorce laws that created a "divorce industry." The pastor challenges the widely cited statistic that Christians divorce at the same rate as non-Christians. He critiques George Barna's broad definition of "born-again Christian," arguing it includes individuals holding unbiblical views, thus skewing the data. While acknowledging divorce remains a "scandal of the evangelical conscience," he suggests the true rate for genuine believers is likely lower. The text then introduces Jesus' teaching on divorce in Mark 10:1-12, asserting Jesus' "crystal clear" position: God hates divorce and permits it with only two (unspecified) exceptions. This teaching was delivered in a challenging historical and cultural context. Jesus was journeying towards His crucifixion, and Jewish leaders (Pharisees) tested Him on divorce in a region where John the Baptist had been executed for condemning Herod Antipas's unlawful marriage. The prevailing rabbinic culture allowed divorce for numerous trivial reasons, reflecting a "no-fault" attitude where marriage was a disposable contract.
The Shield of Faith
Tom Pennington's sermon on Ephesians 6:16, "The Shield of Faith," explains spiritual armor given by God to protect our minds from Satan's lies, as the spiritual battle is primarily one of ideas. This armor, which comes from Christ, is not literal but guards our thoughts from error. Following the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith is the fourth piece of armor, to be "taken up" when facing immediate spiritual threats. Pennington draws a metaphor from the Roman *scutum*, a large, door-shaped shield often soaked in water to extinguish flaming arrows�ancient battlefield "shock and awe." Spiritually, "faith" is our shield. Its power, however, doesn't reside in faith itself, but in its *object*: Jesus Christ for salvation, and God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and His Word for sanctification. The shield of faith is an unwavering trust in God and in His Word, which, when properly used, is 100% effective against *all* of Satan's "flaming arrows"�every temptation, doubt, despair, persecution, or false teaching. Sin, in this context, indicates a loss of trust in God's character or Word.
Q & A
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon on Ephesians 6:15, "The Right Shoes for Battle," focuses on the spiritual significance of the "shoes of the gospel of peace" as part of the full armor of God. He explains that deep expository preaching is necessary to unpack Paul's condensed teachings, which Ephesians summarizes. This armor is crucial for believers to stand firm against Satan's powerful schemes and supernatural forces, as the battle is waged in our minds. Pennington details the Roman soldier's "caligae" � cleated sandals designed for crucial stability in hand-to-hand combat, allowing them to maintain footing. Spiritually, these shoes represent "a growing confidence in the personal implications of the gospel of peace." Contrary to some interpretations, the "preparation of the gospel" here refers not to evangelism but to a firm foundation for standing strong against Satan's attacks. The core of the gospel, Pennington emphasizes, is not merely forgiveness but *reconciliation* with God. Through Christ's death, our enmity with God is transformed into peace, making us adopted children. This objective peace with God, secured by the gospel, provides spiritual stability.
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