Foundations III (Genesis 3:1-24)

In the third message of this series, we look at the “Fall”—the first human sin and its consequences for us all. An inversion of creation led to the perversion of creation. And that brought a perversion to relations between husbands and wives as well. But embedded in the ancient, sad story is true hope.

Foundations II (Genesis 2:4-25)

Continuing in the foundational part of this series, we see how God’s plan to bless the world is effected in the first Man by his creation, care, commission, command, and companionship. As we go, we’ll see how each of these elements speak to sex, gender, and the Gospel.

Foundations I (Genesis 1:26-31)

Understanding what the Bible and the Christian faith have to say about any topic requires looking at how the topic plays into the Bible’s storyline from Genesis to Revelation. So that’s how we begin this new series. In Genesis 1:26-31, we learn that God seeks to glorify himself throughout the cosmos through the blessing of his most important creation, human beings. This is evidenced in the form and the function of our creation.

A Great Gulf (Luke 16:19-31)

Jesus had a lot to say on one very hard topic, hell. In his parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus paints a shockingly vivid picture of hell’s hopelessness. Listen as elder Bryan Pummel explains.

He Will Hold Us Fast (Jude 24-25)

Jude concludes his letter with a beautiful doxology. And though it is there to heap praises on God, Jude also uses it to give his readers, facing a daunting task, this confidence: God will hold them fast.

Watchmen (Jude 22-23)

As Jude comes near the conclusion of his epistle, he rattles off three general commands that serve as a guide for how his hearers ought to deal with the false teaching in their midst. They are a helpful guide for us, too.

Keep Yourself in God's Love (Jude 20-21)

Admist the concern of a moral heresy threatening the congregation(s) he was writing to, Jude exhorts his readers to "keep yourselves in God's love." He urges three means of doing just that.

Scoffers (Jude 17-19)

When we hear "heretic," we often think of a person whose believes are incongruent with Christian teaching, with the Gospel. It's a heresy against orthodoxy (right confession). But there's another type, the moral heretic; it is a heresy against orthopraxy (right living). Jude warns us to beeware of those who consistently demonstrate a lifestyle at odds with the gospel.

Jesus or the Poor? (John 12:1-8)

A thankful woman spends an expensive bottle of perfume on her Savior; another disciple is incensed at the waste; and Jesus says, "For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me" (John 12:8, ESV). How should we take such strong words?

Nothing New (Jude 5-16)

In combating a moral heresy, Jude wrestles with persuading his readers that there really good be wolves in sheep's clothing among them. He does this by reminding them that it would be nothing new. In fact, there may be some in our ranks, he warns us, who are fit to be destroyed.