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.
Engage with the most recent teaching from God’s Word.
The preaching of God's Word is central to worship and of the utmost importance for the sanctification of every believer in Christ.
Explore messages organized to help you grow in Christ.
Search and filter sermons for quick access.
This Is Love - Part 5
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "1 John This Is Love (Part 5)" clarifies the nature of a believer's love for God, distinguishing it from mere sentimentality, religious ritual, external conformity, intellectual knowledge, or simple obedience. Drawing from 1 John 4:7-21, he asserts that genuine love for God is a direct response to His prior, initiating love for us, enabled by the Holy Spirit. This authentic love manifests in several ways: exclusive allegiance, faithful obedience to His Word, genuine affection, and total devotion with one's entire being. It is also inherently linked to loving God's Son, delighting in Him, hating sin, and persevering through trials. Crucially, the sermon emphasizes that love for God is inseparable from love for fellow Christians; professing to love God while harboring hatred or a lack of love for a brother or sister is presented as a lie, as one cannot love the unseen God if they fail to love His visible image in others.
This Is Love - Part 4
In "1 John This Is Love (Part 4)," Pastor Tom Pennington highlights the Holy Spirit's role in cultivating a mature understanding of God's love for believers, which is vital for sanctification and confidence in the Day of Judgment. Referencing 1 John 4:7-21, he explains that God's nature is love, profoundly demonstrated by sending His Son as propitiation for sins and bestowing the Holy Spirit. While our love for God and others is a necessary response, the Spirit primarily works to deepen our comprehension of God's love *for us*. This mature understanding of God's love, continually rooted in the gospel through Scripture, is the strongest motivator for holiness and enables believers to overcome the fear of judgment. Our confidence doesn't stem from our imperfect love or deeds, but from our position in Christ, knowing "as He is, so also are we in this world" � loved and favored children of God. Perfect love, meaning a complete grasp of God's love for us, dispels the fear of punishment because, for believers, there is no condemnation. Conversely, persistent fear of judgment signifies an underdeveloped understanding of God's boundless affection.
This Is Love - Part 3
This sermon on 1 John 4:7-21, titled "1 John This Is Love (Part 3)," delves into God's attribute of love and the continuous command for believers to "love one another." This serves as the "Social Test of Eternal Life," complementing doctrinal and ethical tests. Pastor Pennington emphasizes three compelling reasons for this love. After reviewing God's unchanging nature of love and His unparalleled demonstration through Christ's incarnation and propitiation, the sermon focuses on the "unspeakable gift of love": the Holy Spirit. This gift, received at salvation, confirms believers' abiding relationship with God, a truth for all Christians, not an elite few. The Holy Spirit's saving work is threefold: He inspired the apostles to write the gospel, testifying that the Father sent the Son as the world's only Savior from spiritual death and God's wrath. The Spirit also grants believers faith in this gospel message, enabling them to truly confess Jesus as the Son of God. Finally, the Spirit personally convinces believers of God's profound and continuous love for them, both through objective revelation in the gospel and subjective, personal conviction.
This Is Love - Part 2
Revelation chapter 16 details God's final, severe judgments: the seven bowls of wrath, preparing for Christ's Second Coming. Following earlier plagues of sores, bloodied waters, scorching sun, and darkness, the text describes the sixth and seventh bowls. The sixth bowl dries the Euphrates River, enabling "kings from the east" to advance. Demonic spirits, from Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet, deceive global leaders, gathering them at Armageddon to fight God. Amidst this, Jesus blesses believers, urging them to remain alert, for He comes "like a thief." God orchestrates these evil acts for His righteous purposes without being tainted. The seventh bowl, poured upon the air, concludes God's wrath with a divine declaration: "It is done." This triggers history's greatest storm and an unprecedented worldwide earthquake, reconfiguring the planet. Jerusalem is split for renovation, while all other nations' cities, including Babylon, collapse. Islands vanish, mountains flatten, and massive 100-pound hailstones devastate the earth. Despite these catastrophic judgments, unrepentant humanity continues to blaspheme God. The text ends by emphasizing inevitable judgment for those without Christ, while believers are rescued from wrath through faith.
Seven Bowls of Wrath - Part 2
Revelation 16 describes God's final, severe judgments on a rebellious world, leading to Christ's Second Coming. The sixth bowl of wrath sees the Euphrates River supernaturally dried up, preparing the way for "kings from the east" to gather. Demonic spirits, resembling frogs and emanating from Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet, deceive global leaders with miraculous signs, compelling them to assemble at Har-Magedon (Armageddon) for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." Amidst this, Jesus interjects a gracious message for surviving believers: "Behold, I am coming like a thief," urging them to remain alert and faithful, as God sovereignly uses even evil acts for His ultimate purposes. The seventh bowl is poured upon the air, marked by God's declaration, "It is done," signifying the completion of His wrath. This unleashes history's greatest worldwide storm and earthquake, splitting Jerusalem, reducing all other cities to rubble, making islands disappear, and flattening mountains. One hundred-pound hailstones then rain down, inflicting immense destruction. Despite the unprecedented severity of these plagues, humanity continues to blaspheme God, demonstrating their persistent rebellion.
This Is Love - Part 1
Tom Pennington's sermon on 1 John 4:7-21, "This Is Love (Part 1)," emphasizes the importance of love as a "Test of Eternal Life," designed to assure true believers of their salvation. The book of 1 John repeatedly explores three tests: obedience, love, and faith, with this sermon focusing on the final cycle's examination of "Love for God and His People." John's central exhortation is "Beloved, let us love one another." This divine love, produced by the Holy Spirit, is sacrificial, practical, and relational, unlike natural human affection. This command is rooted in God's very nature: "love is from God" and "God is love" in His essence. This perfection is eternal, sovereign, infinite, and unselfish, manifested within the Trinity and toward humanity. Crucially, the presence of consistent, biblical love is a definitive sign that "everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." Conversely, "the one who does not love does not know God," revealing their profession of faith as false. The absence of such love indicates no new birth, regardless of theological knowledge or moral conduct.
No Results Found.
We couldn’t find anything matching your search.
Explore The Word Unleashed
Our ministry brings together expository preaching, theological precision, and practical application for the good of Christ's church and the daily living of Christ's people.
.webp)
Sermons
Listen to expository sermons that clearly teach God’s Word and guide you in daily living.
Radio
Tune in to gospel-centered programs that share biblical truth and strengthen your daily walk with Christ.
Training
Join courses and workshops designed to deepen your faith and equip you to serve others with biblical wisdom.
.webp)
From the Pastor's Desk
Read pastoral messages that encourage, instruct, and help you apply God’s Word to every part of your life.
.webp)
Hymns
Discover timeless hymns that lift your heart in worship and remind you of God’s abounding grace and faithfulness.
Podcasts
Stay rooted in Scripture through our podcast series.