Sermon Notes A Daughter and a Woman Matthew 9:18-26 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’” This was Jesus’ response to the Bible scholars of his day, when he was interrupted over dinner. Go study. Go think. Go meditate on God’s mercy, because it’s not easily… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes Old Wineskins Matthew 9:14-17 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: The prophet Isaiah, when referring to the coming Messiah, likened him to a “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” But this same Savior could also be described as a “man of controversy, acquainted with harassment.” Over the span of just a few hours, three religious… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes The True Light of Christmas John 1:1-18 Pastor Brent Whitefield Introduction: The most consequential event in human history—God coming to mankind in the person of Jesus—is nowhere more beautifully and richly explained than in the prologue to John’s Gospel. We are reminded here of the only other moment of similar weight: The… Continue Reading
The Importance of Timing Galatians 4:1-7 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: Not a minute too soon. Or a second late. At the exact moment that God had planned all along, he sent his Son, born to a poor, peasant, teenage girl. As the Scriptures affirm and the creeds attest, the Very God of Very God, the… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes A Song for the Ages Isaiah 42:1-9 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: There is a certain way that soldiers engage in battle. Those who pursue victory over their foes attack with a loud cry, with a shout of arrival. But not so with the Servant of God. He enters quietly. He does not yell… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes A Greater Feat Matthew 9:1-8 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: Imagine how you’d feel if you went to the doctor’s office for a severely sprained ankle and he (or she) said to you, with no explanation, “I’m giving you some beta blockers to slow down your cardiac output and some anticoagulants to thin your… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes What Demons Fear Matthew 8:28-34 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: After sailing from the scenic coastline of Capernaum to the rough, craggy cliffs of the eastern shore, Jesus meets two men who are possessed by evil spirits. Oddly enough, as they tend to do throughout the Gospels, these demons approach Jesus, using the men… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes Powerful Connection Mark 9:14-29 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: From the moment we enter the world we are cajoled by caring parents and well-meaning teachers that there’s nothing we can’t do if we just try hard enough and never give up. It sounds good, and makes for great motivational books but, sadly, it’s not… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes Redemptive Community Hebrews 10:24-25 Pastor Scott Williams Introduction: We all know that as Christians, being part of a church is important, but does that mean an impeccable attendance record will lead us to truly experiencing the type of community that the Bible describes? What is the essence of biblical community? What is lost… Continue Reading
Sermon Notes A (More Than) Reasonable Response Romans 12:1-2 & 1 Corinthians 10:31 Pastor John Sloan Introduction: “The Bible tells the story of what God does to save His people, not only from their enemies, but from their sins” (Edmund Clowney). Thus, the primary focus of every biblical sermon should be on what God has… Continue Reading