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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2008-06-08

Our Union with Christ: Three Compelling Illustrations - Part 3

In his sermon on Ephesians 2, Pastor Tom Pennington illuminates the profound union believers share with Christ and each other, contrasting the church with Ephesus's ancient Temple of Artemis. He presents Paul's three compelling illustrations of this union. Firstly, Christians are "fellow citizens" of God's kingdom, acknowledging Him as their King. Secondly, they are "members of God's household," belonging to His family with God as their Father. The third and most developed image portrays believers as "living stones in God's temple." The "foundation" is the revelation of apostles and prophets, centered on Jesus. Christ Himself is the "cornerstone," the essential measure and core of all authentic church life and individual faith. Without Christ at its center, no organization is truly Christian. Individual believers, as "stones," are carefully "fitted together" by God, underscoring that the church is not narcissistic or consumeristic, but requires active participation from all members. This "growing" temple, an organism of intentional variety, is built by leaders who equip saints through God's Word and prayer. The church is God's "new Holy of Holies," the unique place where He manifests His presence on earth.

Tom Pennington
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Ephesians
2008
2008-06-01

Our Union with Christ: Three Compelling Illustrations - Part 2

In his sermon "Our Union with Christ: Three Compelling Illustrations (Part 2)," Tom Pennington explores Ephesians 2:19-22, emphasizing Christian unity in stark contrast to contemporary narcissism. He highlights a culture obsessed with self-love, contrasting it with the Christian calling to live for God and others. Paul illustrates this unity through three images: citizens of God's kingdom, members of God's family, and stones in God's temple. The temple metaphor signifies a profound, interdependent unity, where the removal of one "stone" risks the entire structure's collapse. Pennington focuses on the church's foundation: "the apostles and prophets." Apostles were Christ's hand-picked eyewitnesses, empowered to communicate His word, which ultimately formed the New Testament. Prophets in the early church delivered fresh revelation from God. Thus, the church's foundation is the completed New Testament revelation. He outlines four key ramifications: every authentic church must build upon this unchanging foundation, true unity among believers rests solely on New Testament doctrine, the foundation is complete with no further apostolic or prophetic revelation, and finally, every individual Christian life must also be solidly built upon this same, unchanging truth.

Tom Pennington
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Ephesians
2008
2008-06-01

The Memoirs of Peter: An Introduction to the Gospel of Mark

This text introduces the Gospel of Mark, emphasizing its unique perspective on Jesus Christ. Authored by John Mark, a close companion and "interpreter" of Peter, it's considered Peter's memoirs. Though not an eyewitness himself, Mark accurately recorded Peter's accounts, writing primarily for Roman Christians around the mid-50s to 60s AD. Evidence includes early church testimony, internal linguistic cues like Latinisms and Aramaic translations, and a vivid focus on Jesus as a man of action. Mark's central purpose is twofold: to reveal "Who is Christ?" and to teach "discipleship." He presents Jesus as the divine Messiah and Son of God, a claim supported by four key confessions: Mark's own (1:1), Jesus's use of "Son of Man" to claim divine authority, Peter's confession ("You are the Christ"), and the Roman centurion's declaration ("Truly this man was the Son of God!") at the cross. This highlights Jesus as the suffering Servant who achieves victory through sacrifice, as encapsulated in Mark 10:45, where Jesus gives his life as a ransom for many. The second theme calls disciples to radical self-denial, cross-bearing, and humble service, mirroring Christ's example. Ultimately, Mark's Gospel demands a profound and costly commitment to follow Jesus.

Tom Pennington
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Mark - The Memoirs of Peter
2008
2008-05-25

Our Union with Christ: Three Compelling Illustrations - Part 1

Pastor Tom Pennington addresses the common pragmatic mindset that undervalues doctrine in favor of immediate "how-to" advice. He explains that Scripture, particularly Paul's letter to the Ephesians, prioritizes foundational theological understanding before practical commands, with the first three chapters building this crucial knowledge. Focusing on Ephesians 2:19-22, Pennington explores two compelling illustrations of believers' union with Christ, established through His work on the cross. First, Christians are "fellow citizens with the saints," transitioning from spiritual "strangers and aliens" to enjoying full rights and belonging in God's heavenly kingdom. This citizenship is shared with all believers throughout history, granting us privileges far surpassing any earthly identity. Second, believers are "members of God�s household," intimately integrated into God's family through both spiritual birth and adoption. The church serves as the visible expression of this divine family on earth. These profound truths carry several applications: our citizenship is exclusively in heaven, rendering us "aliens" to this world; we are genuinely family to other believers and should treat each other with that love and respect; and God truly is our compassionate, caring, and loving Father, desiring us to relate to Him intimately.

Tom Pennington
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Ephesians
2008
2008-05-18

How Blessed is the Man!

This sermon on Psalm 1 explores the question of how to achieve an effective, successful spiritual life. It posits that Psalm 1 presents two fundamental paths: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. The righteous man, described as "blessed" (eshere), enjoys an objectively enviable state of well-being, characterized by spiritual vitality, divine care, fruitfulness, permanence, and soul prosperity, much like a tree firmly planted by water. Achieving this life requires two foundational commitments. First, one must abandon every human way. This means rejecting the counsel of the wicked (their thinking and philosophies), the path of sinners (their lifestyles and habits, even subtle ones), and the seat of scoffers (associating or belonging with those who ridicule God). Second, one must embrace only God's way, found in His "Torah" or Word. This involves actively delighting in the Bible�finding profound joy and pleasure in it�and meditating on it day and night. Meditation entails deeply reflecting on Scripture to understand its meaning and devising practical ways to apply it to one's life. While Christ alone perfectly embodies this Psalm, it calls every individual to choose God's path, living a life shaped by His Word, to experience true spiritual prosperity.

Psalms
1
Tom Pennington
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Psalms
2008
2008-05-04

In Search of the Biblical Jesus - Part 2

Tom Pennington's sermon, "Sermons In Search of the Biblical Jesus (Part 2)," underscores the foundational truth of Jesus Christ's dual nature: fully God and fully man. Pennington notes that Christ's identity is consistently attacked by cults and liberal theology, necessitating a clear, biblical understanding. After briefly reviewing Jesus' humanity�His human birth, development, sinless weaknesses, and voluntary restriction of divine attributes during the incarnation�the sermon focuses on the extensive biblical evidence for His deity. Jesus bears divine titles like "God" and "Son of God," and manifests attributes unique to God, including self-existence, eternality, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. He also exercised divine prerogatives such as forgiving sins, executing judgment, and accepting worship�actions reserved for God alone. Scripture further identifies Jesus as Old Testament Yahweh. Most profoundly, Jesus Himself made direct "I AM" claims, echoing Exodus 3:14, especially in John 8:58. His Jewish audience understood this as a claim to deity, leading them to attempt stoning Him for blasphemy. Pennington argues that if Jesus is not God, He is either a liar or a lunatic, not merely a "good man." The Council of Chalcedon's summary affirms Christ's two natures are united without confusion, change, division, or separation, making Him forever the God-man.

Tom Pennington
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2008

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