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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Look in the Mirror! - Part 3
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "James: Look in the Mirror! (Part 3)" uses the ignored warnings before Hurricane Katrina as an analogy for how many professing Christians fail to act on God's Word. Preaching from James 1:19-27, he distinguishes between "hearers only" and "doers" of the Word. A "hearer only" is likened to someone who glances in a mirror, sees their reflection (including flaws), but immediately walks away and forgets what they saw, making no changes. This person "audits" the Word, listening without genuine commitment or responsibility, thus deluding themselves about their spiritual condition. In contrast, a "doer of the word" looks intently into the "perfect law, the law of liberty," and "abides" by it. This "abiding" is crucial and involves diligent study, thoughtful meditation (like a cow ruminating or tea steeping), and consistent application of scripture to one's life. This process of deeply internalizing the Word bridges the gap between merely knowing and actively obeying. Consistent obedience, rather than frantic activity, demonstrates genuine faith and leads to blessing, revealing true spiritual liberty found in loving adherence to God's commands.
Look in the Mirror! - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "Look in the Mirror! (Part 2)," from James 1:19-27, addresses common, flawed approaches to engaging with Scripture. He identifies five problematic views: the relativistic, which denies absolute moral truth and treats the Bible as subjective; the magical, expecting transformation from mere exposure without understanding or application; the mystical, seeking private, coded messages outside of context; the emotional, prioritizing feelings over cognitive comprehension; and the theoretical, focusing on academic curiosity or debate without practical godliness. Pennington asserts that Scripture is, in contrast, absolute, requires diligent study and action, conveys objective truth, primarily appeals to the mind, and offers practical guidance for life. He then introduces James 1:19-27 as a spiritual diagnostic for the reality and maturity of one's faith, highlighting two essential qualities: a teachable heart (quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, humbly receiving the Word) and consistent obedience. James explicitly warns against being "merely hearers" who "delude themselves," likening them to the foolish builder on sand. True saving faith, he emphasizes, is evidenced by actively living out God's commands.
Gale Warning: Dangerous Movements Threatening Today's Church
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon warns against dangerous movements threatening the contemporary church. Acknowledging risks like fostering pride, he upholds the biblical mandate to expose error, aiming to "inoculate" his congregation against these threats. He identifies key dangers: The "Emerging Church," led by Bryan McLaren, rejects absolute truth and propositional biblical authority, questioning core doctrines (like hell, penal substitution) and promoting broad ecumenism where evangelism is deemphasized (e.g., remaining Buddhist/Hindu while following Jesus). The "Seeker Sensitive Movement," exemplified by Rick Warren, misinterprets scripture (1 Corinthians 14) to design services primarily for unbelievers. Pennington critiques its confused ecclesiology, flawed theology of man (assuming human ability to respond), and unclear gospel presentation. Other concerns include "New Inclusivism," positing salvation without explicit knowledge of Christ (citing Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Tony Evans), and the academic "New Perspective on Paul," redefining justification as covenant membership rather than a legal declaration of righteousness by faith. Pennington concludes that Jesus will build His church, and his purpose is to equip believers to recognize and guard the "treasure of sound doctrine" in challenging times, encouraging personal holiness and corporate love.
Look in the Mirror! - Part 1
The sermon "Look in the Mirror!" begins by marveling at modern medical diagnostic tools like fMRI, which reveal hidden physical conditions with incredible precision. Pastor Tom Pennington then poses whether God provides a similar spiritual diagnostic, asserting that His Word, the Bible, serves as a perfect "mirror of our souls" to reflect our true spiritual state. Drawing from Psalm 1 and James 1:19-27, the message highlights that our response to Scripture is crucial for discerning the legitimacy and maturity of our faith. A teachable heart, a key mark of genuine belief, is characterized by three essential qualities: First, we must be "quick to hear" God's Word, eagerly listening and seeking to understand, not merely passively hearing. Second, we should be "slow to speak," meaning we should not argue with or contradict the Word, nor rush to teach others without deeply internalizing its truth ourselves. Third, we must be "slow to anger" when the Word challenges our cherished beliefs or confronts our sins, understanding that human anger doesn't align with God's righteousness.
Hook, Line & Sinker - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon on James 1:13-18 offers four Godly responses to temptation. First, **accept full responsibility**, recognizing that God neither tempts nor is tempted by evil; blame stems solely from our own sinful hearts. Second, **identify the true source** of temptation as "our own lusts" or internal cravings, not external circumstances. Third, **understand the process of temptation**, which unfolds in five stages: attraction (lust entices), decision (the will consents, and lust "conceives"), action (sin is "born"), disposition (repeated sin becomes character), and ultimately destruction (spiritual, physical, or eternal "death"). The ideal point to combat temptation is at the initial attraction stage before the will assents. Fourth, **unmask the deception** inherent in cravings, which aim to distort our view of God's character. This involves recognizing deceptions about God's goodness (He gives only perfect gifts), greatness (He provides ample power to overcome), immutability (He is unchanging and faithful), and His eternal plan to conform us to the image of Christ. By applying these biblical truths, believers can effectively deal with temptation.
Bad to the Bone: A Study of Human Depravity - Part 5
This sermon, "Bad to the Bone: A Study of Human Depravity (Part 5)," addresses the practical ramifications of human depravity and how believers should deal with it. Regarding **other believers**, understanding shared depravity means we must never tempt them, confront their sin through the outlined church discipline process in Matthew 18, and quickly forgive personal offenses, recognizing our own constant need for forgiveness. Concerning **unbelievers**, we must expect them to sin, as their nature is totally depraved (Titus 3:3), and thus avoid isolating ourselves; instead, we are called to reach out to them with love and the Gospel. For **ourselves**, our remaining depravity dictates that we cannot accurately assess our own motives or fully discover our sin, nor should we implicitly trust our hearts. We must exercise self-control, avoid catering to bodily appetites, refrain from pushing Christian liberty to its limits, and radically deal with our own sin, even taking extreme measures if necessary (Matthew 18:8-9). Finally, in our **relationship with God**, depravity demands that we avoid external worship without heart, constantly guard against doctrinal error, and cultivate profound spiritual humility, always acknowledging His perfect holiness and our utter reliance on His amazing grace.
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