Sermons That Exalt Christ

Love As a Sign of Life - Part 7

Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "1 John Love as a Sign of Life (Part 7)," contrasts seeking assurance of salvation with Abraham Lincoln finding comfort in old newspaper clippings. He emphasizes that true Christian assurance isn't based on past events alone, but on two primary biblical means: believing and resting in the gospel's promises, and examining the evidence of regeneration in one's life. This evidence is presented as three interconnected tests from 1 John 3:11-24: 1. **Belief in Jesus Christ and the biblical gospel**: This is the foundation, representing an initial and ongoing faith. 2. **Love for other Christians**: This must be a continuous, practical expression, demonstrating genuine love for God. 3. **Obedience to God's Word**: This reflects a consistent pattern and desire to follow Christ's commands, recognizing that loving God and others inherently fulfills His law. These tests are not for earning salvation but for confirming it. The Holy Spirit assures believers not through subjective feelings or mystical whispers, but objectively by enabling them to fulfill these tests and then using the Scripture to help them recognize these evidences within themselves.

Love as a Sign of Life - Part 6

Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "1 John Love as a Sign of Life (Part 6)," emphasizes the crucial importance of assurance of salvation. He outlines five presuppositions: one can mistakenly believe they are Christian, a true Christian can doubt, certainty is possible, God desires our assurance, and it must be found in Scripture. Pennington warns against seeking assurance through false means like a past profession of faith, a "sinner's prayer," emotional experiences, baptism, or self-confidence, as these lack biblical foundation. True assurance, vital for spiritual growth, ministry, and joy, comes from two primary biblical means: believing and resting in the gospel's promises, and examining one's life for evidence of regeneration. This sermon specifically delves into the first of John's three tests of eternal life from 1 John 3:23: "believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ." This belief entails accepting Jesus as fully God, fully man (without sin), the divine Messiah, and the exclusive Savior�requiring repentance from sin and a life-changing commitment to confess and obey Him as Lord. This genuine, transformative faith, combined with the other two tests (love for fellow believers and obedience to Christ), forms a "three-legged stool" that provides unwavering, biblical assurance of salvation.

A Preview of Jesus' Victory - Part 2

A Preview of Jesus' Victory - Part 1

This sermon, "A Preview of Jesus' Victory (Part 1)" from Revelation 14:1-20, introduces the chapter as a powerful "trailer" for Jesus' ultimate triumph, sharply contrasting with Chapter 13's focus on the Antichrist. The text outlines five dramatic scenes in Revelation 14, with this study concentrating on the first: Jesus' triumphant return and gathering with His 144,000 witnesses in Jerusalem. Verse 1 depicts Jesus, the Lamb and Lion King, standing victoriously on Mount Zion with 144,000 Jewish men, 12,000 from each tribe. These individuals were sealed by God for protection and ownership during the Tribulation, serving as faithful witnesses in a corrupt world. Their presence signifies Christ's glorious return and the fulfillment of prophecy. Verses 2-3 describe a magnificent heavenly choir, joined by the 144,000, singing a "new song" of redemption and praise to the Lamb. This unique song celebrates God's grace and redemptive work. Verses 4-5 highlight Jesus' profound praise for these witnesses' exemplary qualities: their sexual purity in a depraved age, unwavering loyal discipleship, chosen role as "first fruits" (set apart to God and possibly foreshadowing a larger Jewish salvation), faithful witness to truth, and spiritual integrity.

Love as a Sign of Life - Part 5

This sermon, based on 1 John 3:11-24, highlights that genuine love for fellow believers is a crucial test of eternal life and essential for a Christian's assurance. An opening anecdote about Queen Elizabeth illustrates how knowing someone's true identity affects interaction, transitioning to the spiritual truth that while we pray to the King of the universe, we can approach Him with confidence as His children. The text explains that loving others provides objective proof of salvation and a practical tool to assure a condemning heart. This assurance, stemming from applying the tests of 1 John (belief in Jesus, obedience, and love), then produces confidence in prayer, allowing believers to speak openly and intimately with God as their Father. God promises to answer these prayers, but with indispensable conditions. First, believers must consistently keep His commandments, proving their true sonship; God is not obligated to hear unbelievers' prayers. Second, their actions and prayers must be motivated by a desire to do what pleases Him, aligning their will with His. When these conditions of obedience and a God-pleasing heart are met, believers can have full confidence that God hears and answers their prayers according to His perfect will.

The False Prophet

Pastor Tom Pennington examines the False Prophet described in Revelation 13:11-18, presenting him as Antichrist's chief propagandist and the third figure in Satan's unholy trinity during the future seven-year tribulation. Appearing human and lamb-like, this "Beast from the earth" is Satanically empowered, speaking with the deceptive voice of a dragon. His primary mission is to persuade the entire world to worship the Antichrist, leveraging Antichrist's apparent resurrection as his main argument. The False Prophet will perform "great signs," including calling fire from heaven, to authenticate his claims and deceive humanity. He will compel people to erect a speaking image of Antichrist, demanding its worship under threat of execution. Furthermore, he institutes a universal financial system, requiring all individuals�regardless of status�to receive a mark (either Antichrist's name or its numerical value, 666) on their hand or forehead to engage in commerce. This widespread deception, fueled by Satan's blinding influence and human rebellion, ultimately serves as divine judgment.