Sermons That Exalt Christ

God's Sermon on His Name - Part 2

Countryside Bible Church's sermon application, "God�s Sermon on His Name," Pt.2, from Exodus 33-34, centers on how God's self-revelation in this passage corrects our "inadequate, idolatrous views" of Him. It aims to replace them with a profound glimpse into His true holiness, greatness, and goodness. As A.W. Tozer observed, our deep-seated conception of God profoundly shapes our very being. The sermon outlines God�s gracious revelation through His name, highlighting two primary attributes. First, God is holy; His character prevents Him from compromising His law for sinful humanity, thereby necessitating a mediator. Moses briefly filled this role, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate mediation. Second, God is great; He must condescend�or "descend"�to interact with man, demonstrating His "LORD"-ship (Yahweh), which signifies His self-existence, eternality, and immutability. The application encourages reflection on how our view of God practically influences our lives, the crucial need for a mediator due to sin's separation, and the significance of God's condescension. Understanding God's divine name (LORD/Yahweh) and its implications for His character should fundamentally deepen our worship and reverence for the true and living God.

Our Eternal Home is the New Earth - Part 1

In a sermon titled "Our Eternal Home is the New Earth (Part 1)," Pastor Tom Pennington challenges the common perception of heaven, asserting from scripture that believers' eternal home will be a new, physical earth, not an ethereal heaven. He explains that the current universe will undergo a complete destruction by fire, with the "first heaven and first earth" passing away, signifying their utter cessation, much like pain and death will cease to exist. Following this divine "uncreation," God will fulfill prophecies by creating new heavens and a new earth. This new world will be physical and material, similar to our present one but perfected, featuring cities like the New Jerusalem, mountains, nations, and more, though notably "no longer any sea" to symbolize the absence of unrest and sin. The greatest joy will be God's manifest presence among His people, who will experience no tears, death, mourning, crying, or pain, as all sorrow and sin will be gone. God, the Alpha and Omega, guarantees this future, offering entry without cost to those who believe and faithfully follow Christ.

God's Sermon on His Name - Part 1

Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, "God�s Sermon on His Name," explores Exodus 33-34, focusing on God's self-revelation in light of Israel's sin. The ominous backdrop details Israel's idolatry with the golden calf at Mount Sinai; despite recent commands, the restless people made an idol, leading to a drunken orgy. God's measured judgment killed 3,000, and His presence withdrew outside the camp, illustrating the separation sin causes. Moses then made three audacious requests. First, he interceded for God's personal presence to accompany Israel, not just an angel. God agreed, demonstrating the power of intercessory prayer through a divine mediator (the pre-incarnate Christ). Second, Moses asked to know God's "ways"�His predictable patterns of behavior. God promised to proclaim His name and explain His goodness. Third, Moses requested to see God's full glory. God responded that no one can see His face and live, but promised a partial, veiled glimpse, an "afterglow." Pennington concludes that through Jesus Christ, believers now experience these blessings more fully: God's abiding presence, a growing knowledge of His ways through His Word, and the ultimate privilege of seeing His glory. These incredible gifts are granted solely through God's sovereign grace and mercy, not human merit.

Jesus Is Coming Again - Part 2

Christ's Unchanging Cause

Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon, delivered amidst the upheaval of COVID-19, emphasizes that while much in the world changes, Christ's character and His central cause remain steadfast. His unchanging cause is the Church. Jesus came to Earth for the Church, promised to build it, placed it at the heart of the Great Commission, leads and cherishes it, died for it, purifies it, and will return for it. The term "church" (ekklesia) primarily refers to local assemblies of believers, not just the universal body or a building. Therefore, the local church should be central to every Christian's life. To adopt Christ's cause, believers must commit to four essential duties: 1. **Worship:** Faithfully gathering with God's people, even when circumstances are challenging, to engage in corporate worship. 2. **Fellowship:** Actively loving His people through shared life, mutual care, and edification, both side-by-side and face-to-face. 3. **Service:** Utilizing spiritual gifts to serve His people within the church, recognizing that serving them is serving Christ Himself. 4. **Evangelism:** Reaching His people with the gospel, understanding it as Christ's ongoing mission to save those given to Him by the Father.

Wake Up! - Part 2

In "Romans Wake Up! � Part 2," Tom Pennington highlights the dramatic conversion of St. Augustine, who, after a youth of paganism and promiscuity, found Christ through reading Romans 13:11-14, the sermon's foundational text. This passage urges believers to "wake up" from spiritual slumber and actively engage in warfare against their unredeemed "flesh." Pennington provides five practical instructions for this ongoing spiritual battle. First, Christians must "put off" the "deeds of darkness," actively shedding sinful behaviors like carousing, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, strife, and jealousy. Second, they must "put on the armor of light," replacing these sins with corresponding spiritual virtues. Third, the battle extends beyond mere behavior to fighting the underlying causes of sin, including sinful thinking, other facilitating sins, and deep-seated lusts or cravings. Fourth, believers are called to expend maximum effort in this fight, while simultaneously depending entirely on the Lord and His Spirit, working through His Word, for true change. Finally, Christians must "make no provision for the flesh," actively structuring their lives to remove opportunities and temptations for sin. This spiritual warfare is a lifelong commitment, requiring constant vigilance and unwavering reliance on Christ's power for victory.