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 Heart of Worship - Part 1
Tom Pennington's sermon, "The Heart of Worship (Part 1)," argues that humans are inherently "hard-wired to worship," a universal phenomenon that, while observed by scientists, is biblically understood as a result of God's creation and self-revelation. Building on the principles that God's ultimate purpose is His own glory and man's chief end is to glorify Him through worship, Pennington introduces a crucial fourth principle: God alone possesses the right to prescribe how He is to be worshipped. This principle is supported by biblical accounts. God's rejection of Cain's offering in Genesis 4 and the strict prohibitions against idolatry and human-invented worship in Exodus 20 (including the golden calf incident) demonstrate His serious concern for the *method* of worship. Further examples like Nadab and Abihu, Saul, and the Pharisees reinforce that man-made worship is unacceptable. Pennington outlines practical implications: individuals must not redefine God to suit their preferences or use any images as channels for worship. Furthermore, the church's corporate gathering purpose must not be redefined, and only elements explicitly prescribed by Scripture should be included. This aligns with the "Regulative Principle," which asserts that only practices commanded or sanctioned by God's Word are permissible in worship.
In Light of the Cross
Pastor Tom Pennington, in "Galatians In Light of the Cross," argues that the cross of Jesus Christ must be the radical, central truth of a believer's entire life, not merely an initial step. He highlights that Paul�s boast in the cross (Galatians 6:14) was revolutionary in the first century, where crucifixion was a despised act, and directly countered Judaizers who diluted the Gospel with works. This "message of the cross" holds transformative power, leading to three radical life changes. Firstly, one must **trust in the work of Christ alone**. Unlike the self-reliant Judaizers, true believers renounce all personal merit, counting their achievements as "rubbish," and finding complete confidence solely in Christ�s finished work on the cross. Salvation, though free, demands this total self-renunciation. Secondly, one must **live for the kingdom of Christ alone**. The cross "crucifies the world" (its fallen values and desires) to the believer. We die to self-centered pursuits like money, status, and comfort, choosing instead to advance Christ�s kingdom, living for Him who died for us. Finally, one must **aim for the glory of Christ alone**. This means being "crucified to the world," willingly enduring contempt and losing worldly status, as Paul did.
Building an Appetite for God's Word
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "Building an Appetite for God's Word" (Psalm 119:1-8), stresses Scripture's vital role in a believer's growth, equating being "filled with the Spirit" to being "permeated by the Word of God." He introduces Psalm 119, noting its unique acrostic structure, various synonyms for Scripture (law, testimonies, precepts), and its central theme: the believer's pursuit of a life dominated by God's Word. Pennington outlines four steps from Psalm 119's first stanza to cultivate this hunger: 1. **Recognize its benefits:** Scripture fosters integrity, devotion to God, and obedience, leading to right relationships. 2. **Embrace God's authority:** Understand that God's commands are serious and require diligent obedience, not merely for personal gain, but because He demands it. 3. **Seek God's grace:** Acknowledge personal failure, cultivate a deep desire for holiness, and pray for God's enabling grace to understand and obey His Word. 4. **Anticipate God's response:** Expect positive results like a decreasing pattern of sin, a heart of worship, and an increasing spirit of dependence on God.
Tear Down Every Idol - Part 4
Pastor Tom Pennington defines idolatry not merely as worshipping physical objects, but as giving any human desire precedence over God's Word and will. He explains that the human heart is an "idol factory," capable of turning anything�from comfort and relationships to possessions and circumstances�into an idol. To identify personal idols, one must honestly assess what they are willing to sin to acquire, or what they sin over because they lack it. Pennington stresses the severe biblical warning that lives characterized by such idolatry will not inherit God's kingdom. He outlines five biblical responses to dismantle idols: First, **get rid of everything connected to your idolatry**, removing physical items or relationships that facilitate sin, even taking radical steps. Second, **avoid anything that draws you back** to idolatrous desires, actively fleeing people, places, or circumstances that encourage them. Third, **don't associate with those who prioritize other things before God**, guarding against influences that foster idolatry. Fourth, **pursue biblical sanctification** by actively putting off sinful tendencies, renewing your mind with God's Word, and embracing godly virtues.
What in the World Should the Church Be Doing? - Part 2
Tom Pennington's sermon, "What in the World Should the Church be Doing?", outlines the church's mission, emphasizing that all members share duties focused on serving. This follows a fourfold plan: Christ appoints leaders, who equip members, who then serve, leading to church growth. The church's mission unfolds in three critical directions: 1. **To God:** This involves worship through corporate activities like reading, praying, singing, and preaching the Bible, giving, and practicing ordinances like baptism and the Lord's Table. Additionally, the church serves as the "pillar and ground of the truth" by proclaiming, guarding, and passing on sound doctrine. 2. **To the Church Itself:** Internally, the church governs its affairs, equips saints for service, practices church discipline for restoration and purity, encourages mutual edification among members, and provides mutual care for the needy within its fellowship, including widows, orphans, the sick, strangers, prisoners, and the poor. 3. **To the World:** This external mission comprises evangelism�making disciples, being Christ's witnesses, and acting as ambassadors of reconciliation�and benevolence/mercy, showing compassion and practical care to all needy individuals, regardless of their faith, without diminishing the primary evangelistic call.
Tear Down Every Idol - Part 3
This sermon, "Worship: Tear Down Every Idol (Part 3)," defines biblical idolatry as anything that rivals allegiance to the one true God, as commanded in Exodus 20:3. The pastor critiques modern culture's narrow view of idolatry as only physical statues, asserting that it extends beyond explicit denials of God. Seven forms of idolatry are presented: 1. Worshiping nature or unexplained forces. 2. Worshiping false personal gods, whether or not localized in images (e.g., Baal, Allah, Mormonism). 3. Deifying abstract concepts or forces (e.g., Fortune, Destiny, Buddhism). 4. Improperly venerating something attached to true worship (e.g., Gideon's ephod, religious icons, saints, or Mary in Catholicism). 5. Refusing to recognize Jesus as Lord, which is fundamentally idolatrous as God and Christ are one. 6. Holding wrong or deficient views of the true God, conceiving Him as less than His revealed character, thereby creating an "idol in the mind." This is deemed a prevalent and serious form in modern evangelicalism. 7. Giving any human desire precedence over God's Word and will. This "idolatry of the heart" is identified as the most insidious for Christians. Covetousness, as Paul states in Colossians 3:5, is idolatry, encompassing any strong craving for something that displaces God.
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