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 Demonstration of the Spirit's Power
This sermon outlines Paul's philosophy of preaching in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, contrasting it with the Corinthian church's cultural preference for eloquent rhetoric, influenced by the Sophists. Paul arrived in Corinth not with "superiority of speech or wisdom" but determined to proclaim "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This meant centering all teaching on Christ and His atoning work, not merely a simple gospel message, nor tailoring it to cultural tastes. Paul preached in "weakness and in fear and in much trembling," highlighting his dependence on God's grace over personal ability. His message was a "demonstration of the Spirit and of power," indicating that true spiritual impact comes from the Spirit energizing God's Word, not from human methods or persuasive techniques. Paul's intentional approach was "so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God," ensuring God receives all glory and human pride is demolished. For teachers, this necessitates focusing on God's message, depending on His grace, and trusting the Spirit's power. For listeners, it's a call to desire God's Word, resisting cultural demands for entertainment or mere relevance, so that their faith genuinely rests on divine power.
Three Primary Effects of the Spirit's Influence - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "Three Primary Effects of the Spirit�s Influence, Part 2," examines Ephesians 5:19-21, emphasizing that being "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) results in a love for God-centered music, thankfulness, and submission. This message specifically focuses on the first effect: a deep love for God-centered music. Christian music serves both horizontal and vertical purposes. Horizontally, it�s for "speaking to one another"�teaching and admonishing with biblical truth, prioritizing communication and edification over mere entertainment. Vertically, it�s for "singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord"�expressing praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and petitions. The ultimate goal of all music is to glorify God. Paul identifies acceptable music as "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs," advocating for variety. Regardless of style, lyrics must be biblical, meaningful, and balanced, encompassing Old and New Testament themes, subjective and objective expressions, and a blend of old and new compositions. The sermon concludes with a "spiritual diagnostic," urging listeners to evaluate their musical preferences to ensure they reflect a Spirit-filled life, and offers practical steps like memorizing lyrics and actively engaging with God-centered music to cultivate this love.
Tradition! - Part 2
In "Tradition! (Part 2)," Pastor Tom Pennington uses Mark 7:1-13 to expose the destructive power of religious legalism, drawing parallels to modern Jewish life in Israel, where extensive traditions often overshadow biblical commands. Jesus confronted the Pharisees for criticizing His disciples' unwashed hands, a human tradition, not a divine law. Jesus declared them "hypocrites" whose external show of piety masked hearts far from God, making their worship worthless. He accused them of actively "setting aside" and "invalidating" God's commands for their man-made traditions. A key example was "Corban," a vow to dedicate property to God. This tradition allowed individuals to avoid financially supporting their needy parents, directly violating the Fifth Commandment to honor them. The religious leaders, motivated by greed for Temple funds, upheld this system, effectively annulling God's Word. Pennington asserts that first-century Judaism, by prioritizing human oral tradition (later the Talmud) over divine revelation (Torah), had become a false religion. He encourages believers to embrace "Sola Scriptura" � "not beyond what has been written" � relying solely on God's complete and sufficient Word, examining personal rules to ensure they don't undermine God's will, and cultivating authentic faith with hearts truly devoted to Him.
Tradition! - Part 1
Pastor Tom Pennington�s sermon, "Tradition! (Part 1)," examines Mark 7:1-13, illustrating the deep conflict between Jesus and first-century Jewish religious leaders concerning human tradition versus God's Word. Drawing an analogy to "Fiddler on the Roof," Pennington describes how tradition profoundly influenced Jewish life, resulting in an elaborate system of external rituals, such as ceremonial hand-washing, not prescribed in the Old Testament. These "traditions of the elders" were elevated above God's divine commandments. When the Pharisees accused Jesus' disciples of eating with "impure hands," neglecting these man-made rules, Jesus exposed their error as the spiritual bankruptcy of substituting human tradition for divine revelation. He asserted that the ultimate source of authority must be the "commandment of God" and the "Word of God" exclusively, not "precepts of men." First-century Judaism had become "worthless" by equating oral traditions, like the Mishnah, with the sacred written Torah. Pennington concludes with three vital implications for believers today: First, Scripture alone must be the sole source of authority ("Sola Scriptura"), rejecting any human additions or personal opinions. Second, it is crucial not to twist or distort the meaning of Scripture, but to interpret it accurately and humbly.
Three Primary Effects of the Spirit's Influence - Part 1
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "Three Primary Effects of the Spirit�s Influence, Part 1" from Ephesians 5:19-21, begins by drawing an analogy between being under the influence of alcohol and being "filled with the Spirit." He clarifies that "being filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) means allowing the Spirit to fill us with God's Word, an idea echoed in Colossians 3:16's call to let "the word of Christ dwell in you richly." This spiritual influence produces discernible effects in a believer's life. Pennington identifies three primary consequences from Ephesians 5:19-21: a love for God-centered music, a pattern of thankfulness, and a heart of submission. This sermon focuses on the first effect: a love for God-centered music. He posits that this love naturally flows from a heart filled by the Spirit and the Word, as Scripture repeatedly calls people to praise God in song. Music's profound biblical importance is demonstrated from angels singing at creation, its early appearance in human history, its prominence in the Psalms (with over a hundred commands to sing), its presence in Jesus's life, and its continuation into eternity, where Christ himself will lead His redeemed in praise (Hebrews 2:11-12).
Watch Where You Step! - Part 4
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon on Ephesians 5:15-18 emphasizes that believers must live under the Spirit's influence, not the flesh, to walk in biblical wisdom. He distinguishes two forms of spiritual "filling": "special empowering," a sovereign act by God for specific tasks (like speaking in tongues), and "normal filling," an ongoing state commanded for all Christians. Ephesians 5:18's command, "be filled with the Spirit," refers to this continuous state. Pennington illustrates this by contrasting it with drunkenness: just as alcohol influences a person, believers are to be under the Holy Spirit's influence, yielding self-control to Him. The Spirit is the agent who fills us, and our role is to "permit or allow yourselves to be filled." The content with which the Spirit fills us is revealed by Colossians 3:16, a parallel passage, which states, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you." Thus, being filled with the Spirit means being saturated and controlled by God's Word, as the Spirit always works in and through Scripture to illumine understanding and prompt obedience.
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