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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Walking In Our Father's Footsteps - Part 3
This sermon, "Walking in Our Father's Footsteps (Part 3)," begins by highlighting Americans' often-skewed perception of wealth compared to global poverty, setting the stage for a biblical perspective on possessions. Drawing from Ephesians 4:25 � 5:2, which urges believers to "walk in love" and imitate God, the pastor introduces a foundational philosophy of ownership and property, focusing on the command "Don't steal; instead, work hard and be generous." Six core principles are outlined: 1. **God owns everything** that exists (Psalm 24:1). 2. God **delegated authority** over His creation to mankind (Genesis 1:28). 3. God **established the principle of private ownership**, a concept affirmed throughout Scripture, notably by the commandment "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15). 4. We are **owners only in the sense of stewards** of what we possess, accountable to God for its use (1 Chronicles 29:14). 5. Due to the Fall, our **thinking and behavior concerning possessions are badly skewed**, manifesting in sins like hoarding, coveting, pride, and misplaced trust in riches. 6. We are commanded to **take diligent care of our own property and the property of others** (Proverbs 27:23, Deuteronomy 22:1).
The Parable of the Soils - Mark's Perspective - Part 3
This sermon, "The Parable of the Soils" from Mark 4:1-20, clarifies why individuals respond differently to the Gospel. Pastor Tom Pennington highlights the parable's essential role in understanding spiritual receptiveness, with the "Sower" representing anyone sharing the "Seed" (God's Word) and the "Soil" symbolizing four types of human hearts: 1. **Hard Heart**: Hears the Word but doesn't let it penetrate; Satan immediately snatches it, yielding no fruit. 2. **Superficial Heart**: Receives the Word joyfully but lacks deep roots, causing temporary faith to wither when affliction or persecution arises. 3. **Distracted Heart**: The Word begins to grow, yet "worries of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things" slowly choke it, resulting in unfruitfulness, even if faith is professed. 4. **Prepared Heart**: Hears, understands, accepts, and consistently bears fruit (Christian character and good works). Significantly, the sermon asserts that a heart becomes "good soil" only through God's gracious preparation, not its own merit. Enduring fruit is the definitive sign of true faith. The parable acts as a spiritual diagnostic, inviting listeners to examine their hearts and seek God's transformative grace.
Walking In Our Father's Footsteps - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "Walking in Our Father's Footsteps (Part 2)," from Ephesians 4:25-5:2, urges believers to "walk in love" by confronting sinful anger. He contrasts the world's view of anger as natural with the Bible's universal condemnation of it as destructive to relationships. Sinful anger often arises from a perceived violation of personal "rights," whether from inanimate objects, others' actions, confrontation of one's own sin, or God not fulfilling our desires. To prevent sinful anger, one must acknowledge the absence of inherent rights, trust God's sovereignty, and respond with gentleness. If anger does arise, Paul commands, "Do not let the sun go down on your anger," urging immediate resolution. Sinful expressions like yelling, clamming up, or seeking revenge give the devil an "opportunity" for destruction. Jesus equates unaddressed anger and verbal abuse with murder, highlighting its spiritual gravity. Ultimately, imitating God means not holding onto anger; just as God, despite His righteous anger against humanity's sin, initiated reconciliation through Christ, believers are called to pursue reconciliation, walking in love.
The Parable of the Soils - Mark's Perspective - Part 2
Tom Pennington's sermon on Mark 4:1-20, "The Parable of the Soils," examines Jesus' pivotal shift in teaching. While the Bible is generally perspicuous, parables are unique, intended both to reveal truth to His followers and, conversely, to conceal it from those who rejected Him. This change in methodology occurred two and a half years into Jesus' ministry, explaining why many didn't accept Him: their response reflected the condition of their hearts, not a deficiency in Christ. The parable illustrates four types of "soil" representing human hearts. Jesus granted His disciples the "mystery of the kingdom of God"�the understanding of His present, spiritual rule. To outsiders, however, parables served to obscure truth, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of judicial hardening. This was a consequence of their prior, willful rejection, not God instilling evil, but allowing their hardened hearts to run their course. Ultimately, while the immediate cause of "bad soil" is humanity's depraved heart, the "good soil" is solely due to God's sovereign grace preparing hearts to receive the truth. Unbelievers are still commanded to repent, bearing full responsibility if they harden their hearts.
Walking In Our Father's Footsteps - Part 1
This sermon, "Walking in Our Father's Footsteps," opens with an anecdote about people blindly imitating President Coolidge, highlighting that not all imitation is good. Pastor Tom Pennington explains that humans are inherently imitators, a natural learning mechanism. However, due to humanity's fallen nature, this propensity often leads us to imitate evil, embodying the character of "our father the devil," as Jesus describes in John 8. For believers, adopted by God, the call is to actively imitate their new Heavenly Father. The sermon ties into Ephesians 4-6, which outlines how Christians should "walk worthy" in unity, new life, love, light, and the Spirit. Focusing on "walking in love" (Ephesians 4:25-5:2), the first specific instruction is to "lay aside falsehood" and "speak truth each one of you with his neighbor." Lying is presented not as an end in itself, but a tool driven by sinful desires like fear, pride, financial gain, or hiding guilt. Believers must cultivate habitual truthfulness because, as "members of one another" in the body of Christ, deceit is illogical and harmful.
The Parable of the Soils - Mark's Perspective - Part 1
This sermon analyzes Mark's Gospel, noting its unique structure where half its chapters cover just one week and one day of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing the profound significance of passages like the Parable of the Soils in Mark 4. Taught by Jesus from a boat to a vast crowd, this parable serves as an "apologetic," explaining the varied responses to His ministry, from devoted followers to outright rejection. The different outcomes, the text argues, reflect the condition of the listener's heart, not the message or the messenger. The parable describes four types of soil where a sower casts seed: hard-packed paths (seed eaten by birds), rocky ground (seed sprouts but withers due to shallow roots), thorny soil (seed choked by competing weeds), and good soil (yielding abundant crops). The sower and the seed remain constant; only the soil varies, determining the yield. Jesus concludes with, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," emphasizing that true spiritual listening�deep contemplation and humble submission�is crucial. This call invites unbelievers to abandon rebellious hearts and challenges believers to study God's Word profoundly and apply its truth, resisting superficial engagement or rebellion against God's will.
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