Tenth Church Sermons

Craig Pagens speaks on Ephesians 2:15-22 in his sermon "What is the Church?"

Ephesians 6:10-14

Luke 1:26-38

Luke 4:16-30 To be hurt by someone within the church can be extremely difficult.  A fellow congregant, leader or pastor can say or do something that causes harm.  Should we be surprised this happens?  If it does, should we walk away from the church and faith or should we lean into the love of Jesus who provides truth and healing.

John 20:24-29 In some Christian circles asking questions and expressing doubts is not tolerated. But Jesus was merciful to doubters and we are invited to follow in His footsteps. The story of Thomas is instructive in how to approach our own faith doubts and those who doubt.

John 20:24-31 Jesus deals with many people who have doubts about who he is and what he has done, most notably his own disciple Thomas.  Yet throughout his ministry Jesus responds in a variety of ways in order to meet them in their needs.  As a church we are called to model this merciful approach to doubt as we build a genuine faith in what Jesus has done. 

John 20:24-31 In a church culture that often perceives expressions of doubt as a lack of faith (or even as troublemaking!) – which will surely lead to unbelief, it is refreshing to realize that Jesus was patient and loving toward those with genuine questions and doubts. Expressions such as “help my unbelief!” (Mark 9) and invitations to the “doubting Thomas” (John 20) welcome us to ask hard questions and honestly wrestle with serious doubts.

Philippians 4:11-13

Matthew 5:43-44 Deconstruction is a word that has been used a lot in recent years.  Yet the concept of understanding something better is hardly new.  Jesus deconstructs the religious tendencies of his time in order to draw people closer to God.  We are called to do the same as we come to understand the beauty of the faith. 

Matthew 5:43-44 People are leaving the church in droves. A significant reason for this is a deconstruction of faith that has not been reconstructed in a healthy, biblical way. This sermon series will present some tools for “good deconstruction,” recognizing it can be the road toward reconstructing a more mature, robust faith that grapples honestly with the deepest questions of life and, most of all, focuses on Jesus and constructing beautiful faith. We want to create space for evaluation, to ask hard questions, to acknowledge where we’ve “missed it” ... and to offer the real thing.

Matthew 5:43-44 Deconstruction might be a popular new term, but it’s a process that’s been happening for centuries. For some, deconstruction quickly devolves into destruction ending in deconversion. But Jesus modeled deconstruction that strips our faith of misapplications of God’s word and helps us build a more beautiful faith.

Matthew 5:43-44 Use of the word is a recent phenomenon but deconstruction is nothing new; and while to some deconstruction is synonymous with deconversion, for others it is a path that leads to the reconstruction of a more robust and vibrant faith. Jesus deconstructed the common misapplications of the faith in His day repeatedly saying, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…”. What was He doing? He was contrasting the vibrant, life-transforming Good News from cold dead religion; and faithfulness to Jesus means continuing to do the same. Join us in constructing beautiful faith.

Psalm 16:11

Jonah 1:1-17

Jonah 1:1-17 Through the reluctant, even rebellious, actions of Jonah we see the mercy of God on display. As the flawed prophet carries out God’s command he points the way to a more substantial, more meaningful, more glorious display of God’s mercy…Jesus Christ.

Jonah 1:1-17 Everybody knows Jonah for the fish. But Jonah’s story is more than that. It’s a mirror to our own failings, showing how we have all run from God. And yet Jonah is also a window into Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. All said, Jonah’s story is a rich tapestry depicting the unrelenting grace of God towards ruined sinners, a grace seen most clearly in the true and better Jonah, Jesus Christ.

Jonah 1:1-17 The story of Jonah and the Great fish is very popular yet often poorly understood. Even more rare is to know how his story fits into the larger story of Jesus and his redemption. This sermon is about the ways that we need a true and better Jonah.

Job 42:7-10 The story of Job is a story of suffering and trial that ultimately shows us a picture of Jesus in his suffering and his intercession on our behalf.  As Job and his friends see only part of the picture, the full clarity of God’s character is revealed to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Job 42:1-17 There are many lessons for us in the story of Job – lessons about suffering, integrity, friendship, forgiveness, and restoration. Job was an amazing man. Blameless and upright, he suffered greatly for no fault of his own – and was then unjustly blamed by his friends for it. But even more astounding was that Job averted God’s anger against those foolish friends by interceding on their behalf – after which God restored him to his former glory, resulting in the total restoration of his relationship with his family & friends. The story of Job is the story of the gospel.”

Job 42:7-10 In the book that bears his name, Job is described as being a blameless and upright man. When sovereign suffering befalls him though, he’s accused by his “friends” of committing great evil. Despite his friends' accusations, in a divinely appointed way, Job acts as a mediator between his friends and God and he prays for them. The Gospel reveals to us how we are those “friends” who stand under the wrath of God, but Jesus saves us as a better mediator than Job.

Job 42:1-10 The Book of Job is a story of gut wrenching suffering and loss for no apparent reason. Yet the pain paves the way for greater intimacy with God and effective intercession for his friends. Jesus is the true and better Job — the truly innocent sufferer — who then intercedes for and saves His foolish friends.

1 Samuel 17:41-54 Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory over all our enemies becomes our victory, though we never lifted a stone to accomplish it. In His strength and might we can now live victoriously when opposed by Satan, when tempted by sin, our flesh, and the world – and even when faced by death itself – knowing that He has already won these battles by triumphing over these enemies.

1 Samuel 17:41-51 David and Goliath, the great underdog story is often told to inspire us to become like David and face our giants. But what if we are missing the main point of this classic story by understanding it this way? What if facing our giants on our own makes us miss out on the good news?

1 Samuel 17:41-51 David's victory over Goliath points to Jesus, the true and better David, who doesn't just defeat a giant, but defeats the ultimate enemy which is sin and death. Just as David won the battle Israel could not, Jesus secured our eternal victory through His death and resurrection, offering us everlasting freedom.

1 Samuel 17:41-51 A popular way to read the famous David & Goliath story is to see ourselves as Davids who can conquer our giants. But the real point of the story is to show us that Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes His people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Esther 4: 12-17 Esther was uniquely positioned and gifted to save the Jewish nation.  But her impact could only go so far.  God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to save more than a nation; he came to save all of humanity. 

Esther 4:12-17 The story of Esther is a remarkable drama recounting a historical battle between good and evil, courage and hatred. Through it all, God’s sovereign plan unfolds as God uses Esther to save the Jewish people. But Esther’s story does not culminate in Esther, rather it points to the only one in whom we can find salvation today: our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Esther 4:12-17 God is not named a single time in the book of Esther. However, His fingerprints are all over this story of providence, obedience, and trust. Just because we don’t see Him, doesn’t mean that God isn’t actively at work orchestrating every fiber of the universe for His glory and the good of those who love Him. Through the faithfulness of Esther, God preserved His chosen people so that someone better could be born. His name is Jesus.

Psalm 50:6

Hebrews 3:1-6 Faithfulness in our relationship with God is a key idea of our passage this morning as we view the faithfulness of Moses and Jesus.  But what does "being faithful to God" really mean. and how can I live this out in my daily life?

Hebrews 3:1-6 Jesus is the true and better Moses. Moses was a faithful servant in God’s house; Jesus is a faithful son over God’s house – the church! He is our Rock, Redeemer, and Mediator of a New Covenant, saving us and giving us a righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith in Him.

Hebrews 3:1-6 Jesus is the true and better Moses, sent to deliver his people from sin as Moses delivered his people from Egypt, interceding for his people as their high priest just as Moses interceded for Israel, and building his church into a house that glorifies Him, just as Moses built the tabernacle and nation of Israel to glorify God.

Hebrews 3:1-6 Moses was the great hero and founder of the Jewish faith and he yet for all his greatness, Jesus is better still. Moses was sent out to rescue Israel and stand in the gap between them and God and yet Moses himself knew that the Messiah would come and improve on his work.

Genesis 50:15-21  God brought ultimate good out of the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers, enabling Joseph to forgive and speak kindly to his brothers. The supreme example of this is found in Jesus. God has brought about ultimate good from the evil actions done to Jesus at his crucifixion, enabling forgiveness and kindness to be extended to all mankind.

Genesis 50:15 - 21 We've probably all experienced it - getting "stabbed in the back" by someone we trusted and they betrayed us.  The pain is real, and can be lasting, unless we can forgive.  This week it's Joseph's experience with his brothers, and Jesus' experience on the cross, which give us hope that there can be healing after injustice!

Genesis 32:24-28 This morning we look at Genesis 32:24-28 and how Jacob’s wrestling with God actually points to Jesus and how he wrestled with sin on our behalf. Jesus secures eternal blessings for believers, and transforms our identities as new creations. This continues to show us that the bible is not about ‘us’, but rather it is about God’s ultimate redemptive work through Jesus.

Genesis 32:24-28 Jacob serves as the archetype of humanity. Scheming, grasping, manipulating, and lying form the building blocks and the way of life. Like Jacob, we need a radical encounter with God that results in receiving the blessing of eternal life and a new identity. Jesus provides opportunity to encounter God. Having paid the price of sin and conquering death, relationship with him provides the gifts of blessing and a new identity.

Genesis 32:22-32 In this passage we will see the efforts of man, the promises of God and the need for a Saviour.

Genesis 32:24-28 In Jacob, we can clearly see ourselves. We can identify with is struggle, his doubt, his fear, and his being alone. We can identify with the reality of wrestling with God and wondering if any of His promises will come to pass. Yet in Jacobs wrestle we get a glimpse of a God who is not simply forming a nation, or intervening sporadically but intentionally painting a picture of how he will gather the nations to himself.

Genesis 22:1-18 The story of Abraham and Isaac is often one of the most difficult stories for us to understand.  Yet in this story we see God’s plan of salvation unfolding as it leads us to see the sacrifice of Jesus.  We can trust the promises of God because of what Jesus has done. 

Genesis 22:1-19 So many of the stories and the narrative of the Old Testament informed the people of the day but also foreshadowed the hope to come. This account of Abraham being called to sacrifice his son, Isaac, is disturbing but also speaks clearly of the hope for a Messiah. Jesus Christ accomplished what no other sacrifice ever could.

Genesis 12:1-8 The promise God made to Abraham put into motion the events and generations that would change the universe forever. In which the faith of one man paved the way for the arrival Jesus: true and better Abraham.

Genesis 12:1-8 God’s promise to Abram to bless all the peoples of the earth seems like a far fetched proclamation, yet Abram responds in (mostly) obedient faith. However, this classic Bible story is incomplete without Christ, through whom the fulfillment of this promise is realized.

Genesis 12:1-8 This morning we look at how Jesus is the true and better Abraham. Abraham's call to leave the comfort of his home and trust in God's promises points directly to Jesus' ultimate obedience and sacrifice. God's promise to bless all nations through Abraham is fulfilled in Jesus, the true seed of Abraham. Jesus provides the ultimate assurance that not only Abraham, but also we, will have an eternal home. As we follow Jesus, we live by faith, trusting in God's fulfilled promises and looking forward to our eternal inheritance.

Romans 5:12-21 Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Romans 5:12-21 Adam’s original sin in the garden has graver, farther reaching consequences than we sometimes recognize. But Jesus’ obedience in the garden and on the cross has surpassingly wondrous benefits for those who repentantly receive God’s free gift of grace.

Romas 5:12-21 Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Romans 5:12-21 As we embark on our summer sermon series we see that the Bible isn’t really about the famous characters contained in it, and it’s not really about us; the Bible is about Jesus. In this first sermon we see how Jesus is the true and better Adam.

Matthew 25:31-45 Jesus teaches that when he returns as the rightful and reigning king people will be divided into two surprising categories: those who love their brother with simple and sacrificial acts of kindness, and those who do not. Often, we misunderstand this teaching to be about social justice and a disposition towards the poor and needy of the world (a noble and biblically endorsed reality), but Jesus’ teaching here is much narrower.

Matthew 25:31-46 Think about how many injustices you have seen throughout your life. The conversations you’ve had around the table about wickedness, hatred, real sweet people who suffer horrors, intelligent, brilliant people who could run the world but live in extreme poverty… just thinking of this could get us depressed! But even in our own life, we have come to the Lord in prayer multiple times asking for His intervention when things are happening in a way that we know is wrong and that we shouldn’t be experiencing. Well, I have great news for you! This morning our Lord Jesus will give us a great encouragement and, for those who are comfortable in their enmity with God, Jesus will give them an urgent appeal.