Truth For Life - Alistair Begg

October 31, 2022: The Gospel Is the Power of God

The Great Commandment — Part Two

What does it mean to love one's neighbor- Luke 10 records how Jesus answered this question with a story about a Samaritan who helped a robbed and injured man. Alistair Begg reminds us that while the unexpected and sacrificial actions...

The Great Commandment — Part One

When Jesus issued the Great Commandment-to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself-He wasn't reducing the Ten Commandments to two. Rather, He was teaching that all of God's law hangs...

September 26, 2022: The Great Commandment — Part Two

September 26, 2022: The Great Commandment — Part One

September 19, 2022: The Great Commission

The Great Commission

Before His ascension, Jesus established one of the church's main priorities, which is to share the Gospel so that people will be converted, be baptized, grow in faith, and tell others the good news of salvation. Unfortunately, some churches have...

Death of the King — Part Two

With the royal succession plan settled, the aged King David issued a commandment to his son Solomon, directing him to act on unfinished matters of the kingdom-with kindness for some and with justice for others. Was David's decree simply a...

Death of the King — Part One

God promised that a king from David's line would reign eternally- and so, facing imminent death, David established his son Solomon as his successor. Aware of his own failings but confident in the Lord's promises, David advised Solomon to walk...

September 12, 2022: Death of the King — Part Two

September 12, 2022: Death of the King — Part One

September 9, 2022: 'Seasons of Sorrow': A Conversation with Tim Challies, Alistair

The Main Things Are the Plain Things

King David called for a census that he imagined would bring pleasure, but instead, it brought pain and God's wrath. Seeking to intervene on behalf of his people, David built an altar, offered sacrifices, and asked that he alone would...

August 15, 2022: Paul's Last Words — Part Two

August 15, 2022: Paul's Last Words — Part One

Paul's Last Words

Every relationship has its last goodbye. In the closing verses of 2 Timothy, Paul sent his final greetings to several people who encouraged him during his ministry. Alistair Begg briefly examines Paul's words to Priscilla, Aquila, Onesiphorus, and a handful...

Paul's Last Words — Part One

With his final written words, the apostle Paul left both personal instructions for his prot-g-, Timothy, and greetings to his fellow believers. Alistair Begg considers these words, explaining how the mighty apostle was strengthened and encouraged by the individual giftings...

August 8, 2022: David's Last Words

David's last Words

Nearing the end of his life, King David wrote his final words as the -sweet psalmist of Israel.- Yet they were not a chronicle of personal achievements- rather, he prophesied concerning God's promise to one day send a King who...

Lessons from the List

As 2 Samuel comes to a close, David provides the reader with a list of his mighty men, whose deeds were recorded for all eternity in the preceding chapters. As Alistair Begg explains, this record now serves as a reminder...

"This God - His Way Is Perfect"

When King David reviewed his life, his focus was on the Lord as the source of his strength and victories. Alistair Begg points out that the same God who provided for David-the only true and living God-continues to provide for...

"Sojourners and Exiles"

Christians increasingly understand what it means to be sojourners and exiles in a Western world that, not long ago, commonly gave those with biblical convictions a seat at the table. Drawing from Peter's first letter to the early, scattered church,...

Refuge in Him

While David was called a man after God's own heart, he was neither a perfect man nor a perfect king. So how can we account for David rejoicing that he was righteous and clean before a holy God- Examining 2...

David's Song of Salvation

Our lives are not a series of haphazard events. Rather, God is sovereign over every detail. In 2 Samuel 22, we read King David's song of praise to God, which testifies to David's personal experience of God's intervention throughout his...

"There Was War Again"

God promised that through King David, He would save Israel from the Philistines. Second Samuel 21 recounts four incidents when an older, battle-weary David relied on his mighty warriors to strike down the Philistine giants. Alistair Begg compares and contrasts...

You May Not Want to Look!

Prompted by prolonged famine, King David sought the Lord for an explanation. Once he received it, though, he sought human counsel for the cure. The result was heartbreaking devastation, particularly for one family. Alistair Begg explains that while the world...

"Then They Were Glad"

In the days after Christ's crucifixion, His disciples hid behind locked doors, broken, confused, and convinced that Jesus' death was the end of the story. But the grave could not hold Him- Jesus appeared in His resurrected body, showing the...

How Deep the Father's Love

God the Father has unmeasured love for His people. The supreme manifestation of this love is displayed at the cross of Christ. In that provision, teaches Alistair Begg, the Father arranged for our atonement, and the Son willingly laid down...

"Who Is This?"

Who is Jesus- In this Palm Sunday sermon, Alistair Begg describes three pictures that show how Christ fulfilled prophecy and revealed important aspects of His identity. The illustrations depict Jesus as the humble messianic King entering Jerusalem on a donkey,...

Jesus—Always, Only

In the midst of chaos and confusion that just doesn't seem to end, how do we stay strong in the faith- The answer, teaches Alistair Begg, is to steadily focus on the one who is unchanging. According to Hebrews 13-8,...

"This Thing That Has Happened" — Part Three

Following Jewish custom, Mary and Joseph took the twelve-year-old Jesus to the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. When they started home, they assumed Jesus was with their relatives-but Jesus had actually stayed behind in His Father's house. As Alistair...

"He Shall Be Their Peace"

In the eighth century BC, as Israel faced oppression, humiliation, and apparent abandonment by God, the prophet Micah foretold the coming of one who would bring victory, security, and peace. Two thousand years after Christ's birth, our circumstances aren't much...

"This Thing That Has Happened" — Part Two

After a prolonged period of silence, God's word came to His people through a devout Jewish man named Simeon. In accordance with the law, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord. When Simeon...

"This Thing That Has Happened" — Part One

Jesus' birth is no myth- it's the wondrous, supernatural entry of the eternal God into a specific time and place in history. Examining Luke chapter 2, Alistair Begg notes that the angel's message to the shepherds was the very word...

"Your Kingdom Come" — Part Two

Sin always has consequences. Few people knew that better than David, whose once robust kingdom declined into a shadow of its former self, marked by instability and injustice. Focusing on the final verses of 2 Samuel 20, Alistair Begg draws...

"Your Kingdom Come" — Part One

Following Absalom's death, King David returned to Jerusalem-but his homecoming was not marked by joyous celebration. Instead, all the men of Israel withdrew their allegiance to David to follow Sheba the Benjaminite. As Alistair Begg explains, while David used his...

The Return of the King

As King David returned to his kingdom after Absalom's defeat, tragedy overshadowed triumph. His grief over the death of his enemy-son impacted those around him- foolish arguments erupted between the tribes of Judah and Israel, and lives changed as people...

A Grief Observed

King David's son Absalom was also his enemy. So should love have set aside justice- Should justice have prevailed at love's expense- David strategized to defeat his enemies while preserving his son's life-yet the message of victory was accompanied by...

Faith in Jesus

The Reformation marked a pivotal event in church history-namely, a return to the apostolic Gospel. In this Reformation Day message, Alistair Begg examines the good news of salvation as proclaimed in Romans 3- that a right standing with God is...

According to Plan

God's providence is often fulfilled in unexpected ways and with seemingly insignificant people. Looking to 2 Samuel 17, Alistair Begg explains how the actions of two spies and a quick-thinking woman at a well helped save David's kingdom. Strange as...

The Divine Fulcrum

After rebelling against his father, King David, Absalom sought counsel from David's former servant, Ahithophel. A traitor to the crown, Ahithophel entreated Absalom to grant him permission to kill David himself. But the Lord had ordained to defeat Ahithophel's counsel...

Living on a Prayer — Part Two

God uses all things for His glory-even as He used Absalom's insurrection against His anointed king, David. In this sermon from 2 Samuel 16, Alistair Begg explains how Hushai the Archite, David's loyal friend and spy, and Ahithophel, a traitor...

Living on a Prayer — Part One

Forsaken and opposed by those closest to him, including his traitorous son Absalom, King David sought refuge in the wilderness. But evil pursued him. David was deceived by a trusted servant and then cursed by Shimei, a relative of Saul....

Dark Days — Part One

After some measure of reconciliation with King David, Absalom began to build his public image. For four years he sowed a spirit of discontent among the Israelites and offered himself as their hope for resolution. Absalom's persona fed his political...

A Royal Shambles

Intervening on behalf of David's kingdom, Joab conspired with a wise woman to resolve the conflict between the king and his son Absalom. When David acquiesced, Absalom returned to Jerusalem unpunished, unforgiven, and unashamed-and the saga of alienation and disruption...

Amnon Is Dead and Absalom Fled

In the latter part of his reign, David became easily manipulated, and sin's corrosive effects continued to erode his kingdom. Two years after Amnon violated Tamar, her brother Absalom took matters into his own hands by vengefully killing him. Examining...

"What a Tangled Web"

Sin wreaks havoc in human lives. In 2 Samuel 13, we see the ripple effects of King David's sin extending to the next generation of his lineage. Consumed with lust, David's son Amnon schemed to have his way with Tamar,...

The Christian Family — Part Five

The Christian father has a special, God-given role within his family to lead his wife and children. This responsibility, explains Alistair Begg, involves not provoking one's children but instead reflecting the unmerited love and grace that our heavenly Father displays...

The Christian Family — Part Four

God created men and women to flourish within the family structure. As those who are in Christ, we are called to live in a way that is pleasing to Him-and part of God's design for family life, explains Alistair Begg,...

The Christian Family — Part Three

The lordship of Christ should be on display in a Christian marriage. But how can spouses live this out- Expounding on the husband's leadership role in a godly marriage, Alistair Begg explains how a bridegroom should love his bride sacrificially,...