Sermons That Exalt Christ

What Does it Mean to Follow Christ?

Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "What Does it Mean to Follow Christ," analyzes Mark 1:16-20, where Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John. He clarifies that "following Christ" is a dynamic concept, encompassing initial conversion (John 1), a specific call to service (Mark 1), full-time ministry (Luke 5), and ongoing faithfulness. In Mark 1, Jesus calls these fishermen, who were already acquainted with Him, to join Him on a "short-term mission trip" as "fishers of men," requiring them to leave their successful businesses temporarily. The sermon extracts several profound lessons about Christ: He delights in using ordinary people for extraordinary tasks, demands absolute submission to His will, equips His disciples for assigned tasks, requires a willingness to leave everything to follow Him, demands primary loyalty, and decides each follower's role. For believers, the text teaches that Jesus and His kingdom must be our highest priority, we must actively serve Him (even if not in full-time ministry), be characterized by obedience, and actively seek to bring others to Christ. Ultimately, Jesus' call to faith, repentance, and devoted discipleship is still extended to all today, urging listeners to surrender everything for the incomparable treasure of knowing Him.

The Debt of Love

The sermon on Romans 13:8-10, "The Debt of Love," highlights love as the unifying idea among the Bible's commands, within the broader theme of God redeeming a people for His glory. The passage emphasizes that believers owe nothing to anyone "except to love one another," presenting this as a continuous, never-ending obligation. This "agape" love�an unselfish, self-sacrificing desire to meet others' needs�is not self-generated but a fruit of the Holy Spirit for those saved by grace. Love is a comprehensive obligation. It fulfills God's moral law for individuals (as a pattern for sanctification, not a means to salvation) and summarizes all commands related to one's neighbor. Both Jesus and Paul teach that "love your neighbor as yourself" encapsulates our entire moral duty to others, doing no wrong and actively seeking their good. The sermon stresses that love is not a path to justification; even one failure shatters the law. Moreover, a consistent absence of love indicates spiritual death, while for believers, love is the primary virtue for sanctification. Love provides the overview of God's moral law, while specific commands teach Christians *how* to practically live out this love.

A Friend of Sinners - Part 2

Pastor Tom Pennington�s sermon on Mark 2:13-17, titled �A Friend of Sinners,� challenges common, flawed Christian approaches to unbelievers, such as complete separation or cultural assimilation. He emphasizes that Jesus did not treat sinners as enemies but as a mission field. The core of the message unpacks Jesus' interaction with Levi, a despised tax collector. Jesus calls Levi to follow Him, an act demonstrating His sovereign grace towards the undeserving. Subsequently, Levi hosts a large dinner, where many tax collectors and "sinners" dine with Jesus and His disciples. This gathering draws criticism from the scribes and Pharisees, who question Jesus' association with such "unclean" individuals, accusing Him of violating their religious rules and standards of righteousness. Jesus responds by stating, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." This powerful declaration reveals His mission: to seek, pursue, and save those who recognize their spiritual illness and need for repentance, not the self-righteous. Pennington concludes by urging believers to emulate Jesus� example.

A Gospel Response to Government - Part 7

The sermon "Romans A Gospel Response to Government" from Romans 13:1-7 outlines believers' biblical duties to governing authorities. Historically, the church often misunderstood this relationship, particularly after Constantine, leading to a flawed intertwining of church and state that persisted through the Reformation and Puritan eras. Roger Williams, however, recovered the New Testament concept of a balanced separation, emphasizing that church and state are distinct entities with different origins, realms, leaders, missions (the church's being gospel proclamation, not political lobbying), and futures. Romans 13 universally commands submission to government. This involves several duties: 1. **Paying taxes** honestly and with gratitude for public services. 2. **Obeying the law** (executive orders, laws, verdicts), fearing punishment for disobedience, unless it requires direct sin. 3. **Honoring officials** through respectful attitudes, words, and gestures, recognizing them as God's ministers. An additional duty, drawn from other Scriptures, is to **pray** for national leaders and the nation's welfare, seeking their salvation and societal tranquility. This obedient, respectful response is for the Lord's sake, demonstrating a winsome testimony that makes the gospel attractive.

A Friend of Sinners - Part 1

A Gospel Response to Government - Part 6

Pastor Tom Pennington�s sermon on Romans 13:1-7 concludes his examination of the Christian�s responsibility toward government. He presents three final biblical reasons for submission. First, resisting authority invites God�s wrath because the government acts as His "avenger" to punish evil. Pennington explains that the "sword" mentioned in verse 4 authorizes the state to use lethal force, thereby validating capital punishment and the concept of "just war." Consequently, he argues against Christian pacifism, asserting that believers can legitimately serve in military and police roles to uphold justice. Second, submission is required for the sake of conscience, acknowledging government�s role in God�s sovereign plan. Third, rulers are described as "ministers of God," justifying the payment of taxes to support their work. Pennington emphasizes that while governments are imperfect, they function to restrain evil and maintain order. He concludes by challenging Christians to reject cultural cynicism and renew their minds, aligning their political attitudes with Scripture�s command to respect and submit to God-ordained authorities.