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 Christian's DNA - Part 4
In his sermon on 1 John 2:28-3:3, Pastor Tom Pennington returns to John�s first letter, which explores "The Tests of Eternal Life." Using the recent British royal transition as an analogy, Pennington illustrates how believers, like Prince Charles, are "born to be" children of the King with a destiny that will one day be fully manifest. He explains that this passage, part of the letter's second cycle, examines how our relationship to sin and righteousness reveals our "Real Birth" (born of God), "Real Master," and "Real Father." Focusing on 1 John 2:29, "everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him," Pennington outlines four crucial insights into being "born of God." First, this new birth is **Certified at Jesus' Return** (2:28), when true believers will stand with confidence. Second, it is **Confirmed Now by our Actions** (2:29), as practicing righteousness becomes a pattern in a believer's life. Third, it is **Followed by our Adoption** (3:1) into God�s family, a result of His great love. A key outcome of this adoption is that "the world does not know us" (3:1), just as it didn't know Jesus, failing to grasp our relationships, truths, motivations, or true identity as God's children.
The Legacy of Biblical Elders
Tom Pennington's sermon highlights the Christian church's abandonment of the biblical legacy of plural eldership, a divinely ordained structure reflecting God's universal order. He asserts that Christ, as the head, instituted leadership, contrasting this with unscriptural models like congregational rule, dictatorship, or corporate boards, which have often caused spiritual "havoc." Pennington provides extensive evidence for a plurality of godly men leading every church, tracing the concept from Old Testament Jewish culture, where elders oversaw various societal units, to the consistent New Testament pattern seen in Jerusalem and Gentile churches alike. He refutes common arguments against plural eldership, clarifying that spiritual equality doesn't negate the need for appointed leadership. The benefits of this model include practical load-sharing, accountability to prevent corruption, and the collective wisdom vital for sound decision-making. He explains that "elder," "overseer," and "shepherd" are interchangeable terms for the same office, denoting character, function, and heart/teaching duties, respectively. Elders are charged with managing, teaching, and praying to equip the saints. This pattern is presented as a mandate for every church today, reinforced by the pastoral epistles and apostolic commands.
The Legacy of Absolute Truth
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "The Legacy of Absolute Truth," addresses the Christian church's modern departure from belief in objective truth. He identifies three primary attacks on Scripture: anti-supernaturalism, higher textual criticism, and especially postmodernism. Postmodernism, which emerged in the 1970s, asserts that no absolute truth exists, or if it does, it cannot be known, with meaning being subjective and community-dependent. This philosophy has infiltrated Christian theology, leading to relativistic views on sin and the fluidity of core doctrines. Pennington counters these ideas by presenting Jesus Christ's foundational affirmations about truth. Jesus taught that physical senses and logic are valid tools for acquiring knowledge, and that language effectively communicates truth from God to humanity. He affirmed that God revealed absolute truth through the Old Testament, His own teachings, and the apostles' writings, emphasizing that truth can be rationally comprehended, possesses a singular authorial meaning, and can be known with certainty, especially regarding essential doctrines. Postmodernism, Pennington argues, is contrary to Christ's teachings, inherently self-refuting, logically inconsistent, and impractical in the real world, making a clear choice for Christ's absolute truth vital for genuine faith.
The Legacy of Music in Worship - Part 3
Pastor Tom Pennington addresses the tragic loss of biblical understanding regarding music in worship over the past 150 years. He asserts that musical styles are matters of collective conscience for church elders, with no biblical prohibition against any instrument. Lyrics, however, must be biblically based and balanced. The Old Testament pattern for worship music, divinely commanded and not merely David's preference, included musical instruments (forming orchestras), large choirs (comprising men and women), dedicated music directors, and congregational singing. Musicians leading worship were required to be true believers, highly skilled through practice, and genuinely engaged in worship, not mere performance. Pennington refutes the idea that these Old Testament elements were ceremonial law abolished by Christ. He argues that the New Testament doesn't repeal these divine commands, nor does it explicitly link them to ceremonial law. Moreover, the New Testament command to sing "psalms" inherently implies instrumental accompaniment, as the Psalms themselves frequently call for instruments and the word "psalms" can denote string accompaniment. Heavenly worship, as depicted in Revelation, further affirms the use of instruments.
The Legacy of Music in Worship - Part 2
This sermon, "The Legacy of Music in Worship (Part 2)," explores the crucial role of music, a practice largely lost in today's church. Music, an art of sound, surrounds God eternally and is always a hallmark of spiritual revival following the recovery of God's Word. It's essential for both individual and corporate worship. The pastor outlines three biblical purposes for music in worship. First, **personally**, it helps believers remember and rehearse God's Word, embedding truth into their hearts, which motivates praise and obedience. Second, **horizontally**, music allows believers to "speak to one another" through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, teaching and admonishing. This emphasizes that worship music is communication for mutual edification, not entertainment, requiring biblically rich lyrics that prioritize others' spiritual growth over personal stylistic preferences. Third, **vertically**, music is directed "to the Lord," expressing hearts to God in praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and petition. Its ultimate purpose is to glorify God, being profoundly Christ-centered and cross-centered. While Scripture doesn't prescribe specific musical styles�leaving it to the collective conscience of elders�it emphasizes that lyrics must be biblically based and balanced, incorporating Old and New Testament truths, subjective and objective expressions, and both traditional and contemporary songs.
The Legacy of Music in Worship - Part 1
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "Recovering a Lost Legacy: The Legacy of Music in Worship (Part 1)," laments the contemporary Christian church's widespread loss of its biblical heritage regarding music. He critiques modern worship practices, identifying problems such as divisiveness, poor lyrical and musical quality, influence from theologically unsound movements, an overemphasis on emotion and performance, and a lack of congregational participation. Pennington grounds music's importance in its divine origin, noting its existence before creation, its rich history in human worship throughout the Old Testament and Jesus' life, and its future role in eternal worship (Revelation). He argues for music's biblical priority based on four points: God commands individual believers to sing (Psalms), a love for God-centered music is an inevitable fruit of being filled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:19), Christ commands corporate worship in music guided by the Regulative Principle, and profoundly, God Himself sings (Zephaniah 3:17) and Jesus leads in praise (Hebrews 2:12). Music thus serves as a crucial spiritual diagnostic, reflecting one's relationship with God and the Spirit's work.
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