The Copper Crossroads

In Put Away Anger, this expositional message from Ephesians 4 examines how Christians should respond to anger while pursuing unity within the church.

The passage warns against bitterness, wrath, clamor, slander, and malice and calls believers instead to kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. Because God has forgiven us in Christ, Christians are called to deal with anger quickly and pursue relationships that reflect the character of Christ.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:26–32

In Spiritual Gifts – I Don’t Belong, Pastor Matt Martin continues through 1 Corinthians 12:12–20, where Paul uses the human body to explain the unity and diversity of the church. Every believer belongs to the Body of Christ, yet each member has been given a distinct place and purpose.

Preaching from 1 Corinthians 12:1–11, Pastor Matt examines eight foundational characteristics of biblical spiritual gifts. Genuine spiritual activity confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, reflects both diversity and unity, is empowered by God, and is given to every believer according to the sovereign will of the Holy Spirit. These gifts make the Spirit’s work visible and are given for the common good—to build up and serve others within the body of Christ.

Pastor Matt Martin returns to 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 to examine the meaning of the Lord’s Supper and why Communion is fundamentally centered on Jesus Christ and His saving work.

At the table, believers remember Christ giving Himself for us, give thanks for His sacrifice, and recognize the cup as the sign of the New Covenant established in His blood. Drawing from Jeremiah 31:31–34 and Hebrews 9:11–15, this sermon considers how the Lord’s Supper points to forgiveness, redemption, and the finished work of Christ.

Each time the church partakes of the bread and the cup, we look back to the cross and forward to Christ’s return, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Hebrews 9:11–15

What does baptism signify in the Christian life? Preaching from Matthew 3, Pastor Matt Martin examines the baptism of John, Christ’s promise to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, and the baptism of Jesus Himself.

Baptism is an ordinary act involving water, yet it carries extraordinary gospel meaning. John’s baptism called sinners to repentance and the fruit that accompanies genuine faith. Jesus points beyond John to the greater baptism of the Holy Spirit, while His own baptism identifies the sinless Son of God with those He came to save and anticipates His death, burial, and resurrection.

This passage helps us understand why Christians are baptized, what baptism declares about our union with Christ, and how this visible act of obedience points beyond itself to the saving work of Jesus Christ.

In Wait for One Another, Pastor Matt Martin preaches through 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 and Paul’s correction of the Corinthian church’s abuse of the Lord’s Supper. Their gatherings had become marked by division, selfishness, humiliation, and conduct inconsistent with the sacrifice of Christ.

This sermon examines the meaning of Communion through gratitude, self-sacrifice, remembrance, the new covenant, and the proclamation of Christ’s death. Paul’s instructions call believers to examine themselves, discern the body, judge themselves rightly, and consider one another when the church gathers.

The Lord’s Supper points the church back to the gospel and calls Christians to live together in a way that reflects the self-giving love of Jesus Christ.

In Head Coverings – Part 2, Pastor Matt Martin continues through 1 Corinthians 11:8–16, examining Paul’s teaching on head coverings, created order, authority, and the relationship between men and women in gathered worship.

This sermon considers how Genesis and the New Testament establish God’s design for biblical masculinity and femininity, while also addressing the difficult phrase “because of the angels,” the interdependence of men and women in the Lord, and Paul’s appeal to nature and propriety. The passage calls Christians to evaluate cultural assumptions and church practices by the unchanging authority of Scripture.

Pastor Matt also considers historical interpretations of head coverings and how believers should approach this passage faithfully without losing sight of its underlying theological principles of creation, headship, equality, and worship.

We continue our verse-by-verse expository study through 1 Corinthians. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, we examine Paul’s teaching on biblical headship, men and women in worship, gender distinctions, creation order, and head coverings in the church.

What did head coverings mean in Corinth, and does Paul’s instruction still apply to Christians today? This message considers the distinction between the cultural practice of head coverings and the enduring biblical principles behind it: honoring God’s created order, preserving the distinction between male and female, and understanding headship through the example of Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, biblical masculinity and femininity point beyond themselves to Christ. Husbands are called to reflect Christ’s sacrificial love and headship toward His church, while wives reflect the willing submission Christ demonstrated toward the Father.

In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1, we examine what it means to live all of life for the glory of God and the good of others.

Christian liberty is guided by more than what is lawful. Paul calls believers to consider what is helpful, what builds others up, what conscience permits, and what serves the spiritual good of our neighbor.

Through seven practical biblical principles, this passage gives Christians a framework for everyday decisions: pursue what edifies, respect conscience, give thanks, seek the salvation of others, imitate Christ, and above all, “do all to the glory of God.”

What does Paul mean when he says believers cannot partake of **“the table of the Lord” and “the table of demons”**?

In this expository sermon from **1 Corinthians 10:14–22**, we examine Paul’s urgent command to **“flee from idolatry”** and the spiritual reality behind worship, communion, sacrifice, and idolatrous practices.

Paul explains that the Lord’s Table is a true spiritual fellowship (*koinonia*) with Christ and with one another. He then points to Old Testament sacrifices, where those who ate of the sacrifices became participants with the altar. From there, Paul gives a serious warning: although idols themselves are nothing, pagan sacrifices are offered to demons and not to God.

The message is clear: **we cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. We cannot partake of the Lord’s Table and the table of demons.**

This sermon concludes with five practical applications for recognizing and fleeing modern forms of idolatry in our homes, our culture, and our hearts.