The Ragtown Pulpit

David seeks vindication and proclaims his own integrity. And who is this band of bad guys he hates? Shouldn't he love er'body?

We receive the precious promise of Psalm 25:10, the Old Covenant version of Romans 8:28. Our congregation has taken some huge hits recently and this was a very needed reminder.

Joyful celebration of the victorious, sovereign King. We also take a look at a presuppositional case for private land ownership

Exploring the two metaphors of Shepherd and Householder.

David feels alone, in a generation focused on emptiness and trivialities. God promises deliverance in words that are perfect and eternal. Plus a discussion on the use of imprecatory prayer.

What's David tempted to flee from? What foundations are in danger? How does God "feel" about men devoted to violence? This message ends abruptly when we began a street level discussion about strategies and tactics in dealing with a government bent on violence.

What is man that You are mindful of him? Well, for starters, humanity is the race that's supposed to bear God's image in subduing the whole of creation; ruling over the work of His hands and exercising dominion. Just like our elder brother, the last Adam, founder of a new humanity.

Surrounded by enemies, David remembers past deliverance and prays with confidence for a salvation he knows he doesn't deserve. Strong consolation in times when evil presses in from all sides.

God's answer to rebellious kings, once He stops laughing, is the installation of Christ as King, along with great promises of that King's victory.

We are in a critical season, a dry season, a potentially deadly season. The command is not to survive, but to advance, take new ground, and bear new fruit.

From John 10 and Zechariah 11, on the roll of New Testament shepherds in light of the ministry of the one Good Shepherd, who is the Door of the sheep fold.

The Apostle ties everything together in a neat bow here, as we end the series with the last verses of chapter 6. A prominent ethical/judicial note is in the text that hasn't been explored before and has immediate relevance to our situation: That is, when people tell you who they are, it's not unloving to believe them.

What comfort can people draw from the law of sowing and reaping as they head into dark times, when negative sanctions are threatened?

Galatians 6:1-9 It may be a surprise to you if you haven't been listening long, but the New Testament never connects Elders with church discipline, and that is demonstrated again in this passage, as Paul urges that restoration from sin be handled by Spirit-filled individuals, not title-holders or men in offices.

Finishing up Galatians 5, we encounter the familiar, iconic Fruit of the Spirit, but our focus is returning this (maybe too familiar) passage to its original context, the flow of Paul's argument, and what has been an extended discussion commending life in the Spirit over the attempt to finish in the flesh.

Galatians 5:13-14, the importance of freedom, service, love of neighbor; and their relationship to the current pressure to love your neighbor by getting the shots.

We take Paul's amazing use of Isaiah 54:1 in Galatians 4, back to the source and see some of the amazing ramifications of understanding that older passage in light of the apostolic interpretation. This is a great, and under-appreciated, comfort to the people of Jesus.

First half of Galatians 4, exploring the metaphor of Slave Vs. Son.

Arguments 4-6 from Galatians 3 on why Christians should not seek to become more Jewish.

Arguments 1-3 from Galatians 3 for why Christians should not seek to become more Jewish.

2nd message in our Galatians series

Beginning a new series in Galatians

Back in Jude after a two week hiatus in Mexico, we discuss what is meant by the term, Power Religion, and how radical the message of Christ really is, in terms of turning the whole world upside down. We do this by focusing on the three iconic bad guys in Jude 11: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. They highlight three main roads to Power that have been prevalent in the world from the get-go, roads which need to be shut down and blocked by a new, Gospel way of thinking about authority.

This was a message given at our agape feast, so you'll hear a lot of voices from our church family in it. It's a baffling text, but we ended on a really encouraging note that was a lot of fun to preach. If you struggle with repeated failure to certain sins, this will bless you.