New Geneva Theological Seminary

Is there really "a time for everything"? In Ecclesiastes 3, the Preacher reflects on the seasons of life — a time to be born and a time to die, a time for war and a time for peace. In this sermon, Dr. Toby Holt explores the rhythms of our existence and where lasting meaning is found. Questions this sermon answers: 1. Who wrote this passage, and why? Traditionally Solomon, reflecting on life's fleeting seasons and the search for meaning "under the sun." 2. Why does life seem futile "under the sun"? Because apart from God, everything passes and nothing satisfies — life feels like chasing the wind. 3. What changes "under heaven"? When God is at the center, the seasons gain purpose. He makes everything beautiful in its time and sets eternity in our hearts. "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." — Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:4-10, Gardner Fish preaches "Our Identity In Christ" with attention to the passage's setting, argument, and pastoral application. The transcript shows the message opening with this concern: As you turn there, I wonder if anyone here has had an identity crisis. The sermon then frames the listener's attention this way: In our passage this morning, Peter is speaking to Christians, a group of believers in Turkey, first-generation believers, who very much were going through a type of identity crisis. As the sermon develops, it presses the passage toward Christian faith and obedience: They'd been ostracized in many ways, even persecuted in coming to faith in Christ. Questions this sermon helps answer: 1. What does 1 Peter 2:4-10 teach about the central issue raised in "Our Identity In Christ"? 2. How does this passage expose human need and direct listeners toward the grace of God? 3. How should Christians respond in worship, repentance, faith, and everyday obedience? Speaker: Gardner Fish. Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-10. This sermon is part of New Geneva's Bible-teaching archive; find more teaching from Dr. Toby Holt and New Geneva at newgeneva.org.

What is the finish line of your life? Every choice we make moves us toward some destination. In Philippians 3, Paul presses on toward the goal of knowing Christ. In this sermon, Dr. Toby Holt asks where your life is heading, and how to run toward the right finish line. Questions this sermon answers: 1. What does our past have to do with our future? Paul refused to be defined by his past — neither his failures nor his achievements. He pressed forward toward Christ. 2. What was Paul's aim? To "press toward the goal for the prize" — to finish the race well, with Christ as his ultimate prize. 3. What does it mean to "press toward the prize"? To live with purpose and perseverance, running the Christian life as a race worth finishing. "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." — Philippians 3:14 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

Is it okay to ask God "why"? In this bonus study from Job 10, Dr. Toby Holt asks a question every hurting believer has felt: is it allowed to bring God our raw, grief-filled "why"? Job, the most righteous man on earth, tells God plainly that he loathes his life and wants to know why God is contending with him. God is big enough to receive our honest laments — asking "why" in our pain does not mean God loves us less. Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, David, and Paul all cried out the same way. Bringing our questions to God is an act of faith. Questions this study answers: 1. Is it wrong to ask God "why" when we suffer? No. Job, the most righteous man on earth, asked God why — and so did Moses, Elijah, and David. God welcomes our honest cries. 2. Does asking "why" mean our faith is weak? Not at all. Bringing our pain to God is itself an act of trust. It turns toward Him rather than away from Him. 3. Is God indifferent to our pain? No. God is not cold or distant. He receives the laments of His people and draws near to the brokenhearted. "I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; show me why You contend with me.'" — Job 10:2 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

In this sermon on Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 2, Gardner Fish preaches "The God Who Remembers" with attention to the passage's setting, argument, and pastoral application. The transcript shows the message opening with this concern: I had read the words, and I had went and I had seen them, but it didn't really make any difference in my life. The sermon then frames the listener's attention this way: That all changed my sophomore year of college, and at that point I had spent two years really wasting my life, where the Lord called me back to Himself and called me to ministry. As the sermon develops, it presses the passage toward Christian faith and obedience: Yeah, the Lord calling me to ministry a decade ago last month. Questions this sermon helps answer: 1. What does Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 2 teach about the central issue raised in "The God Who Remembers"? 2. How does this passage expose human need and direct listeners toward the grace of God? 3. How should Christians respond in worship, repentance, faith, and everyday obedience? Speaker: Gardner Fish. Scripture: Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 2. This sermon is part of New Geneva's Bible-teaching archive; find more teaching from Dr. Toby Holt and New Geneva at newgeneva.org.

Will you walk in the light or the darkness? In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul reminds believers that they are "sons of light" living in a dark world. In this sermon, Dr. Toby Holt calls Christians to live as agents of light amid the shadows of this age. Questions this sermon answers: 1. What were the Thessalonians anxious about? The future — especially the coming "day of the LORD" and the fate of those who had died. 2. How did Paul comfort them? By assuring them they belong to the light and the day, not to the darkness, and are destined for salvation through Christ. 3. How should this change how we live? We are to live awake and self-controlled, as people of the light, encouraging one another while we wait. "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness." — 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

In this sermon on Luke 5:33-39; Luke 5, Bryan Kelly preaches "The Joy Of Belonging To The Bridegroom" with attention to the passage's setting, argument, and pastoral application. The transcript shows the message opening with this concern: You know, weddings, ideally, are supposed to be one of the most joyful occasions life has to offer. The sermon then frames the listener's attention this way: Our sermon text this morning comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 5. As the sermon develops, it presses the passage toward Christian faith and obedience: After David commits adultery with Bathsheba, their child is sick and dying and David lays on the ground all night in the hopes that God would spare the child. Questions this sermon helps answer: 1. What does Luke 5:33-39; Luke 5 teach about the central issue raised in "The Joy Of Belonging To The Bridegroom"? 2. How does this passage expose human need and direct listeners toward the grace of God? 3. How should Christians respond in worship, repentance, faith, and everyday obedience? Speaker: Bryan Kelly. Scripture: Luke 5:33-39; Luke 5. This sermon is part of New Geneva's Bible-teaching archive; find more teaching from Dr. Toby Holt and New Geneva at newgeneva.org.

Would the apostle John never die? A rumor once spread that the apostle John would never die. In John 21:20-25, the very end of the Gospel, Dr. Toby Holt explains what Jesus actually said — and what He really meant. When Peter asked about John's future, Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." People took this to mean John would never die, but John corrects the rumor. Holt explains Jesus' words point to His coming in judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70, when the temple was destroyed — an event John lived to see. The Gospel closes with John's sign-off. Questions this study answers: 1. What did Jesus mean that John might "remain" until He came? Not that John would never die. He told Peter to stop comparing and simply follow Him; John later corrected the rumor. 2. What happened in A.D. 70, and how does it connect? Rome destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, exactly as Jesus warned. Holt links Jesus' words here to that coming in judgment. 3. How does John's Gospel end? John signs off as an eyewitness who insists his testimony is true, saying the world could not hold all the books that might be written about Jesus. "Jesus said to him, 'If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.'" — John 21:22 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

Can Jesus restore you after you fail Him? Yes. In John 21:15-19, the risen Jesus meets Peter — who had denied Him three times — and gently restores him. Dr. Toby Holt shows that failure is not the end for those Jesus loves. Over a breakfast on the shore, Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" — one for each denial. Each time Peter says yes, Jesus gives a charge: feed My lambs, tend My sheep, feed My sheep. Love shows itself in faithful service. Jesus then foretells Peter would one day die for Him, and closes: "Follow Me." Questions this study answers: 1. Why did Jesus ask Peter the same question three times? Peter had denied Jesus three times, so Jesus gave him three chances to affirm his love — a tender restoration, not an interrogation. 2. What did Jesus mean by "feed My sheep"? He was calling Peter to care for His people — to nourish and protect them. Real love for Jesus shows itself in serving others. 3. What does this say to us when we fail? Jesus restores those who fall and calls them back to service. The call is always the same: "Follow Me." "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?… Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed My sheep.'" — John 21:17 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.

Is it wrong to doubt? Not always — but doubt can blind us to plain evidence. In John 20:19-29, the risen Jesus meets the doubting disciple Thomas. Dr. Toby Holt looks at faith, evidence, and the scars of Christ. On the evening of the resurrection, Jesus appears in a locked room, shows His wounded hands and side, and gives peace. Thomas, absent, refuses to believe unless he can touch the wounds. A week later Jesus returns and offers exactly that. Thomas already had ample evidence — and face to face with the risen Christ, he gives the Bible's clearest confession: "My Lord and my God!" Questions this study answers: 1. What are the proofs of the resurrection? Jesus appeared bodily, showed His wounds, and was seen by many witnesses over many days. Even Thomas's about-face is part of that evidence. 2. Was Thomas only a doubter? No. Elsewhere he was brave and loyal. His doubt here stands out precisely because he had already seen and heard so much. 3. What does this teach about faith? Genuine faith rests on real evidence, not blind feeling. Jesus calls "blessed" those who believe the trustworthy testimony even without seeing. "And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'" — John 20:28 (NKJV) Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.