The Ragtown Pulpit

The first church council begins.

By a close reading of the Scripture, great comfort may be enjoyed by the Lord's people, when the Enemy seeks to trouble them with doubts about the "unforgivable sin".

We compare the suffering of the apostles with Christ's instruction in Matthew 10, and, hopefully, get some guidance for ourselves, if the Lord should allow things to keep going the way the are.

The parallel (not competing or opposite) issues of God's sovereignty in the salvation of sinners, and the true moral agency of humanity.

Paul's message in Antioch reaches the stage of application/invitation and produces remarkable results.

Part 2 of Paul's sermon at Antioch.

Paul's sermon at Antioch begins with a joyful, gracious announcement of God's track-record of faithfulness. New Covenant believers should find their hearts "strangely warmed" by this retelling.

Very informal message due to the tiny, holiday crowd. At times more a discussion than a sermon. May it bless you.

In Psalm 2 we learn that God answered rebellious rulers by setting His king on His holy hill. We apply that truth to Herod's malicious malfeasance in Acts 12.

Genuine faith displayed in a familiar narrative

Part 2 of brother Train's excursion into 2 John!

Sink into the overwhelming richness of God's grace

John Train dives into the little (neglected?) book of 2 John for his first ever forray into the pulpit. We may be biased but we think his initial bit of preaching went really well. We are proud of his obvious desire to be a Man of the Book.

Peter's sermon to Cornelius's household spells the end of the old world: It cannot survive any longer in the face of the kingdom gospel

Peter's vision of food in a sheet and its place in redemptive history. The second half is an examination of the food laws of the Bible and an argument against requiring their observance in Christians.

When we see the Lord remembering people, this is referring back to his own previous promises. It is a literary cue that God is about to act for the salvation of his own.

Help against hopeless situations

It's so hard to trust someone who claims to have changed. What can be done?

Enmity with Christ healed by Christ himself. The living, breathing Man is the only remedy.

We keep a bunch of plates spinning in an effort to approach our text in its context. The gospel hits the Gentiles, starting right here.