While this sermon doesn’t engage the question of political engagement squarely, it does establish the fact that Jesus’ rule, reign, and Kingship touches down to earth in the here and now, not just in the “there and later,” as is often assumed. The fact that Jesus’ Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God means that it is inescapably political, and Christians ought to stop hiding from that reality and pretending that apolitical, “just preach the Gospel and leave the politics to the pagans,” thinking is biblical or holy.

This sermon demonstrates the necessity of Old Testament background to New Testament understanding. Why does Jesus curse a fig tree? What does it mean that the Apostles’ faith can move a mountain into the sea? What is the vineyard in the parable that follows, and who are the tenants? The Old Testament gives us the answer.

Matthew 21:1-17 mixes seemingly contradictory Old Testament images. Images of peace and images of violence come together in this chapter in order to instruct us about how peace is achieved, and where threats to peace actually come from.

In Matthew 20:23, Jesus tells James and John that they will drink the cup that He is going to drink. But isn’t that the cup of God’s wrath for sin?! How could they possibly drink that cup? This messages seeks to answer the question raised by Matthew 20:23.

Themes from this include, works vs grace, Israel vs the Church, and our work vs Christ’s work.

This sermon on Jesus’ interaction with the “Rich Young Ruler” seeks to provide some historical context to help us understand the conundrum that Jesus’ command to sell off his goods presented. The message discusses wealth and he kingdom of Heaven.

This sermon explores Jesus’ seemingly strange and off topic discourse on eunuchs in Matthew chapter 19. What is a eunuch? What does the Bible say about them? How can you be one for the Kingdom of Heaven? What is the cultural significance of all of this for us?

This sermon explores the issue of divorce as it relates to the picture of God’s faithfulness that our marriages are intended to paint.

This sermon explains the significance of Jesus’ call to forgive 70 times 7 times and celebrates the inequality that exists between God’s justice and His mercy.

This sermon connects the dots between Jesus’ call to humility at the beginning of chapter 18 and His call to confrontation of sin further down. We have a tendency to think that confrontation is fueled by arrogance, but Jesus identifies it as a function of humility.