Pastor Matt's Podcasts

In this sermon, we study how Abraham's faith is the same faith that all bleleivers have.  It is the faith in practice that is essential.  To beleive, to have faith, is not something that is "out there" not to be realized, it is something that is tangible, to be apprehended, and to be applied.  Enjoy.

In this sermon, we study the expansion of the blessings of the covenant, from Abraham to his descendants to the spiritual children of Abraham, the church.  We also take a brief look at the world's attempts to keep the Christian in a place of guilt in order to manipulate them.  Enjoy!

Paul made it very clear in Romans that our justification is by faith alone.  However, James Chapter 2 says that it is not just about faith, it is also about works.  Which is it?  This sermon defines the bibilical meaning behind justification by faith followed by works.

Our understanding of salvation rarely goes beyond our teaching in Sunday School.  However, without a proper understanding of the gospel, we risk limiting our growth in the kingdom.  Enjoy.

Far too often the gospel is presented without the need for repentance.  Rather, the gospel is presented as accepting Jesus as something extra in a person's life.  The acceptance of Jesus is the acceptance of life itself.  Therefore, it is essential that the need for the gospel, the need for Jesus be presented.

Paul addressed the Jews in his epistle to the Romans.  He anticipated their objections to the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.  Therefore, he stated the objection and emphatically stated the response.  Though the unbeleiving Jew could not justify himself, just like the unbelieving church-goer, in the end he only condemns himself.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul addressed the sins of the Gentiles.  He then addressed the sins of the hypocrisy of the Jews.  Their confidence was in receiving the law, being part of the covenant, the chosen people of God.  However, Paul told them that without faithful adherence to the covenant, their blood and their circumcision didn't mean anything.  
The New Testament Christian has much the same issue today.  That is, he is confident in his salvation by grace and that he is no longer under the law.  However, without faithful obedience to the covenant, the Christians' confession, baptism, church attendance, et. al., mean nothing.

In this sermon, we examine the uncomfortable topic of the rewards in heaven and the wrath in hell.  Paul addressed the Jews, who thought their birthright in the Covenant secured for them a place in heaven; however, Paul blows this theory apart when we tells them in no uncertain terms that God is not partial.  Everyone will be judged by their deeds.

When God gives a people up, or gives a people over to themselves, He does this for redemptive purposes.  God allows the sinners that suppress the truth in unrighteousness to go further into their own sin.  He allows them to feel the consequences by giving them over to themselves, releasing them from His divine restraints.  
Paul lists many sins that are representative of all sins as the people, the culture, spiral downward into debauchery.  But all of this has redemptive purposes.

In this study we look at the parallel of what God reveals to man.  Last week we studied God revealing His righteousness to those who believed.  This week we study God revealing His wrath to those who supress the truth in unrighteousness.  God is a God of love, but He is also a God of wrath.