New Beginnings Church, Lynnwood

This sermon explores the certainty of death and the mystery of God's sovereign providence through a continuous exposition of Ecclesiastes 8:16 to 9:12. The preacher emphasizes that human knowledge is limited and that life outcomes are often unpredictable, yet God remains in complete control. Recognizing death as an inevitable consequence of sin, the text urges believers not to despair but to find joy in the good gifts God provides, such as food, work, and relationships. By anchoring hope in Christ's victory over death, Christians are called to live gratefully and faithfully, using their remaining time to glorify God and enjoy His blessings until they are called home.

This sermon explores the biblical mandate for Christians to submit to earthly authorities while maintaining a reverent fear of God. Drawing primarily from Ecclesiastes 8, the preacher argues that godly wisdom transforms believers' dispositions, enabling them to yield to civil and familial leadership without rebellion. The message emphasizes that all authority is ordained by God, who sovereignly controls the rise and fall of rulers, ensuring that justice will ultimately prevail. Believers are called to navigate a fallen world not through political activism or defiance, but through faithful obedience and joyful gratitude for God's daily gifts. The central theme is that true nonconformity is found in trusting God's providence and finding joy in Christ despite the injustices of the present age.

In a world that constantly encourages us to boast in ourselves—our accomplishments, our morality, our reputation, or our success—Paul says there is only one thing worth boasting in: "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." (Galatians 6:14). Why would anyone boast in a degrading and humiliating instrument of execution? Because the gospel of free justification through faith alone produces something the world cannot explain: a radical, self-denying life that finds its confidence, identity, and hope in Christ alone. If you've ever wondered what the cross has to do with your everyday life, or why the gospel is far more than simply the way we begin the Christian life, take a few moments to listen.

The sermon exhorts believers to embrace a long-term perspective in their Christian walk, countering the cultural obsession with instant gratification. Drawing from Galatians 6:9-10, it emphasizes that spiritual growth and sanctification are slow processes requiring diligence and patience, much like agriculture. The preacher warns against discouragement when immediate results are absent, reminding listeners that God alone controls the harvest of their faithful labor. By citing historical examples like Elijah and missionaries, the message encourages steadfastness in doing good to all people, especially within the church family. Ultimately, Christians are called to trust in God's sovereign timing and promise to reap eternal life if they do not grow weary in well-doing.

A lesson on the correlation between actions and consequences, sowing and harvesting, knowing that this is a principle that God built into the world to illustrate this spiritual truth.

This sermon examines Ecclesiastes 7 to reveal that the world's apparent injustices and paradoxes stem from human sin rather than divine failure. The preacher explains that both the righteous suffering and the wicked prospering demonstrate the limits of human wisdom and the danger of self-righteous legalism or lawlessness. By highlighting the universal corruption of the human heart, the text argues that no one can achieve true uprightness through their own efforts. True wisdom is found not in controlling outcomes but in fearing God and trusting His sovereign providence regardless of circumstances. Ultimately, the passage points to Jesus Christ as the only perfectly righteous man who provides salvation and hope for fallen humanity.

This sermon explores the biblical concept of spiritual rest found in Christ, contrasting it with the peril of unbelief illustrated by the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. Drawing primarily from Hebrews chapters 3 and 4, the message warns against hardening hearts through anxiety, self-reliance, and a works-based righteousness. It emphasizes that true faith is a persevering trust in Jesus alone, which grants believers present peace and eternal security. The preacher urges the congregation to examine their own hearts daily, encourage one another in love, and fix their hope solely on Christ's completed work rather than worldly pursuits or legalistic observance.

This sermon, drawn from Galatians 6:1–5, presents a gospel-centered vision of Christian community rooted in mutual accountability, humility, and love. It emphasizes that spiritual maturity flourishes not in isolation but within the local church, where believers restore one another gently when caught in sin, bear one another's burdens in love, and guard against pride through continual self-examination. The passage underscores that such practices are not moralistic works but the natural fruit of justification by faith, fulfilling the law of Christ through love. The preacher highlights the necessity of church membership and submission to elders, portraying the church as the body of Christ where each member, though flawed, is called to serve and be served, reflecting Christ's humility and sacrificial love. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to live in constant dependence on God's grace, examining themselves by His Word, and serving others not out of self-righteousness but out of gratitude for the cross, where Christ made Himself nothing to restore sinners and bear their heaviest burdens.

The sermon, drawn from Galatians 5:24–26, centers on the Christian's dual response to God's work in sanctification: mortification and vivification. It emphasizes that true spiritual growth arises not from human effort or legalistic rules, nor from reckless freedom, but from walking in step with the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to crucify the flesh—its passions and desires—while nurturing the new life in Christ. Rooted in the Reformed understanding of monergistic sanctification, the message affirms that God alone initiates, sustains, and completes sanctification, yet believers are called to actively cooperate by resisting sin and embracing the ordinary means of grace. The passage warns against both legalism and licentiousness, urging Christians to live in the freedom of Christ by aligning their lives with the Spirit's leading, which produces unity, humility, and fruitfulness in the church. Ultimately, the Christian life is defined by belonging to Christ, surrendering to His lordship, and pursuing holiness through dependence on the Spirit, not self-effort.

A lesson on submitting to the goodness and wisdom of God in both His "light and dark providences," realizing He ordained both for our good and His glory. This sermon, drawn from Ecclesiastes 6:10–7:14, confronts the human illusion of control by exposing the futility of seeking meaning in wealth, power, or predictability, affirming instead that true wisdom lies in recognizing God's sovereignty over all things. It emphasizes that humans, finite and fallen, cannot know what is ultimately good for them or what lies beyond their lives, making futile any attempt to manipulate circumstances or judge divine providence. Through a series of counterintuitive proverbs, the passage contrasts the fleeting comfort of folly with the enduring value of sorrow, mourning, and the rebuke of wisdom, illustrating how adversity and hardship—though painful—are divinely ordained for spiritual growth and deeper reliance on God. The sermon culminates in the call to submit to God's unchangeable will, trusting that both prosperity and adversity are part of His good design to prepare believers for eternal life, and that the only proper response is reverent trust, humility, and joyful submission to the Father who ordains all things for His glory.