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 Amazing Benefits of Justification - Part 1
The sermon, "The Amazing Benefits of Justification (Part 1)" from Romans 5:1-11, initiates a new section of Paul's letter, "The Gospel Experienced," focusing on the security and abundant blessings received through justification. Justification is defined as God's past, legal declaration that a believer is righteous, not by personal merit, but solely through Christ. This involves God crediting our sins to Christ, imputing Christ's righteousness to us, and forgiving our sins, culminating in adoption into God's family. Three immediate benefits for the justified are presented: 1. **Peace with God**: Justification ends the "war" between God and the sinner, establishing objective reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Previously, God was hostile due to sin, but now believers experience peace of mind and conscience, knowing their sins are fully dealt with. The speaker contrasts this with false peace, which is based on superficial belief or self-righteousness, not genuine commitment to Christ. 2. **Standing in God's Grace**: Through Christ, believers are introduced into an unshakeable position of grace. We are no longer under the law to earn favor but are securely fixed in God's undeserved kindness, regardless of daily performance, always treated with goodness we don't deserve. 3.
Just Like Abraham
Tom Pennington's sermon on Romans 4:23-25 argues that Paul's doctrine of justification by faith alone is the unchanging gospel, consistent with Old Testament teachings and Abraham's belief. He identifies three ways Satan attacks this truth: promoting works-based righteousness (seen in Roman Catholicism and cults), encouraging antinomianism (using grace to excuse sin), and redefining justification (as in the New Perspective on Paul). Jesus' parable of the humble tax collector, justified by God's propitiation, exemplifies true righteousness over the self-reliant Pharisee. Pennington asserts that Abraham's justification in Genesis 15:6 provides a universal model for believers. We are made right with God the same way (by justification through grace), through the same means (faith alone), by believing in the same God (Yahweh, who raises the dead), and through the same Redeemer (Jesus, the Messiah Abraham anticipated). Our justification is grounded in Christ's work: His death for our transgressions and His resurrection. The resurrection serves as proof of God's acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice and guarantees the ongoing application of His work to those who believe. This profound truth offers an invitation to abandon self-righteousness and trust in Christ, while also providing deep assurance for existing believers that God's way of salvation remains constant.
Are Your Ambitions Justified?
The sermon "Are Your Ambitions Justified?" emphasizes that while justification is God's legal declaration of righteousness through faith alone, true saving faith profoundly transforms a person's life and ambitions. Although justification is an external legal act, it is always accompanied by profound internal changes, occurring simultaneously with other salvific events like regeneration. Drawing from Philippians 3:10-11, Pastor Tom Pennington outlines three primary ambitions that characterize a genuinely justified individual, mirroring the Apostle Paul's desires: 1. **To Know Christ:** This involves seeking an intimate, personal, and relational understanding of Jesus, valuing Him above all else. A lack of this deep desire indicates an absence of true conversion. 2. **To Be Like Christ:** This entails a longing for moral transformation through the power of His resurrection, a willingness to share in His sufferings (persecution for His sake), and conformity to His death (self-denial and taking up one's cross). 3. **To Be With Christ:** This is a fervent desire for the resurrection and eternal communion, driven by the ultimate goal of perfect likeness to Jesus forever. Ultimately, an incorruptible love for Jesus Christ is the distinguishing mark of a truly justified person, differentiating believers from those who merely claim faith.
A Portrait of Faith - Part 4
This sermon, "A Portrait of Faith (Part 4)," based on Romans 4:17-22, explains and illustrates justifying faith through Abraham's example. Pastor Tom Pennington argues that Paul uses Abraham to demonstrate that salvation has always been by faith alone, not by works. The passage helps identify true saving faith and guides Christians in daily living by faith. Key qualities of saving faith are highlighted: it is biblical, rooted in God's trustworthy character, a certain hope, and often contrary to human expectations. It's a gift of God's grace, founded solely on His Word. Abraham believed God despite his and Sarah's advanced age and physical impossibilities, refusing to waver in unbelief, which the sermon defines as a sin. His faith grew strong by focusing on God's promises and power, giving God glory by acknowledging His truthfulness and ability to perform His Word. Ultimately, faith is the means by which a sinner receives justification�the crediting of Christ's righteousness. It's not faith itself that saves, but Christ saves through faith, acting as the instrument to receive God's gift. This results in being declared righteous and having peace with God, just as Abraham was.
Let Earth Receive Her King! - Part 2
Pastor Tom Pennington's message, "Let Earth Receive Her King!", explores Matthew 2:1-12, presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah and Earth's rightful king. The magi's journey serves as a mirror for humanity's responses to Christ. Four distinct responses emerge: 1. **Settled Indifference:** Most Jerusalem residents were uninterested in the magi's search, prioritizing daily life over spiritual truth. 2. **Religious Distraction:** Priests and scribes knew prophecies of the Messiah's Bethlehem birth but were too absorbed in religious routines to investigate. 3. **Selfish Defiance:** King Herod, paranoid, feigned worship, intending to kill the infant king to protect his own power. 4. **Wholehearted Devotion:** The pagan magi exemplified the correct response. They diligently sought Jesus, rejoiced, submitted by prostrating themselves, and worshipped with lavish, symbolic gifts: gold (kingship), frankincense (divinity), and myrrh (destined death). Pennington concludes this narrative showcases God's sovereign grace, testifies to the Messiah's arrival, and extends an invitation for all to acknowledge Jesus as their rightful king, deserving of complete devotion.
Let Earth Receive Her King! - Part 1
Pastor Tom Pennington's sermon "Let Earth Receive Her King! (Part 2)" unpacks Matthew 2:1-12, asserting Jesus as the promised Messiah and Earth's only rightful king. The narrative centers on the magi, Persian priest-scientists, who, informed by centuries of Jewish prophecy, traveled to Jerusalem seeking the newborn "King of the Jews." Pennington identifies three "typical sinful responses" to Jesus as king. First, the "settled indifference" of Jerusalem's populace, who ignored the magi's urgent inquiries. Second, the "religious distraction" of the chief priests and scribes, who knew the Messiah's birthplace from scripture but showed no devotion to investigate. Third, Herod's "selfish defiance," rooted in paranoia, led him to feign worship while secretly plotting the new king's death. Conversely, the magi embody the "only right response": "wholehearted devotion." Despite their pagan past, they traveled great distances, rejoiced profoundly upon finding Jesus, demonstrated submission by prostrating themselves, and worshipped Him with lavish gifts�gold (for a king), frankincense (for God), and myrrh (foreshadowing His death). The sermon concludes by explaining God's purposes for the magi's visit: their salvation (God sought them), a powerful testimony to the Messiah's arrival, and an invitation for everyone to believe the gospel.
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