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NHCCFTL Sermons

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 10/23/2022. As we return to the Gospel of Luke, we pick up Jesus' teaching directly after the parable of the Sower and the soils.  Luke expertly weaves together three seemingly disconnected proverbs (of sorts) as an in-depth commentary on the parable and particularly on the growth of seeds that fall in the good soil.  Luke will mix metaphors, adding the idea of Light in a dark room to illustrate the spread of the Gospel in a dark world as well as the day of judgment when all will become clear.  We will grapple with the "upside-down" nature of the Kingdom of God, where spiritual gifts and blessings are taken away from those who will not use them and given to those who will.  Bringing all this together, we will add our own metaphor to the mix, using Ezekiel's magnificent prophecy of a river that flows from the Temple in Jerusalem, growing ever stronger until it brings life and healing to all that is in its path.  We will see this as an illustration of the way both disciples and churches should be growing ever deeper, stronger and more impactful to the dark world around us-- just like Ezekiel's river.

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 10/23/2022. As we return to the Gospel of Luke, we pick up Jesus' teaching directly after the parable of the Sower and the soils.  Luke expertly weaves together three seemingly disconnected proverbs (of sorts) as an in-depth commentary on the parable and particularly on the growth of seeds that fall in the good soil.  Luke will mix metaphors, adding the idea of Light in a dark room to illustrate the spread of the Gospel in a dark world as well as the day of judgment when all will become clear.  We will grapple with the "upside-down" nature of the Kingdom of God, where spiritual gifts and blessings are taken away from those who will not use them and given to those who will.  Bringing all this together, we will add our own metaphor to the mix, using Ezekiel's magnificent prophecy of a river that flows from the Temple in Jerusalem, growing ever stronger until it brings life and healing to all that is in its path.  We will see this as an

Like Ezekiel's River; Luke 8:16-18

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/28/2022. As Luke brings this epic story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears to a close, the focus turns once again to Jesus as Messiah.  When He tells this woman of ill-repute directly that her sins are forgiven, the table full of Pharisees reacts indignantly, questioning His authority to claim a power that is God's alone.  Then, in a masterful shift, Luke introduces for the first time in his Gospel the idea of saving faith, as Jesus tells the woman that her faith has saved her.  We will analyze Luke's discussion of faith to this point in his Gospel and try to understand what kind of faith the woman had and where it came from.  And finally, we will turn our attention to Jesus' glorious parting statement as He bids the woman to "go in peace".  After completing the exposition of the text we will incorporate Jesus' well-known teaching of the "narrow gate" to help illustrate the life change this woman faces, and the nature of the perfect peace that Jesus the Forgiver offers His forgiven.

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/28/2022. As Luke brings this epic story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears to a close, the focus turns once again to Jesus as Messiah.  When He tells this woman of ill-repute directly that her sins are forgiven, the table full of Pharisees reacts indignantly, questioning His authority to claim a power that is God's alone.  Then, in a masterful shift, Luke introduces for the first time in his Gospel the idea of saving faith, as Jesus tells the woman that her faith has saved her.  We will analyze Luke's discussion of faith to this point in his Gospel and try to understand what kind of faith the woman had and where it came from.  And finally, we will turn our attention to Jesus' glorious parting statement as He bids the woman to "go in peace".  After completing the exposition of the text we will incorporate Jesus' well-known teaching of the "narrow gate" to help illustrate the life change this woman faces, and the natu

The Peace of the Forgiver; Luke 7:48-50

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/21/2022. In this message we continue with the story of the woman of ill-repute and her heartfelt worship of Jesus at the house of Simon the Pharisee.  When the Pharisee's thoughts betray the shallowness of his heart, Jesus responds with a scathing commentary on the distinction between the two.  We will analyze this distinction and boil it down to the difference between self-righteous, autonomous, religiosity and true contrition and repentance.  In doing so, we will establish the importance of divine forgiveness for sins as the prerequisite to a radically changed heart capable of truly loving God.  The supreme importance of this will be emphasized by trying to look at ourselves and the world around us through God's eyes rather than our own-- at least to the degree that His "eyes" have been revealed to us in Scripture.  Ultimately we will realize how important God's sovereign plan of redemption is to Him; and that it would be equally important to us and indeed govern our existence-- if we only had God's eyes!

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 8/21/2022. In this message we continue with the story of the woman of ill-repute and her heartfelt worship of Jesus at the house of Simon the Pharisee.  When the Pharisee's thoughts betray the shallowness of his heart, Jesus responds with a scathing commentary on the distinction between the two.  We will analyze this distinction and boil it down to the difference between self-righteous, autonomous, religiosity and true contrition and repentance.  In doing so, we will establish the importance of divine forgiveness for sins as the prerequisite to a radically changed heart capable of truly loving God.  The supreme importance of this will be emphasized by trying to look at ourselves and the world around us through God's eyes rather than our own-- at least to the degree that His "eyes" have been revealed to us in Scripture.  Ultimately we will realize how important God's sovereign plan of redemption is to Him; and that it would be equally

If You Had God's Eyes...; Luke 7:39-47

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 06/19/2022. Jesus concludes His epic Sermon on the Mount with a familiar parable about two builders-- one wise and one foolish.  The wise builder digs deep to ground his house on solid rock while the foolish builder trusts the loose topsoil.  When a storm comes the house with no foundation is swept away and the other withstands the torrent. Jesus of course is using an analogy to teach how important it is for our Christian faith and the churches we attend to be firmly grounded and indeed built upon the Word of God. After analyzing the parable, we will dig deeper to determine what Jesus means by a "firm foundation" and the only place it can currently be found.  Ultimately we will speak of the process whereby grounded Christians begin to assimilate the rock-solid foundation of the Words of Christ, and little by little become "petrified" Christians!

Becoming Petrified Christians; Luke 6:47-49

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 04/03/2022. The sweetest words that any person can hear themselves say, when they truly come from the heart, are "Lord, I need you!".  It is the realization of how much we need Jesus as our Lord and Savior that drives us to the Cross.  In our text for this lesson, Jesus will continue to reveal the ethical standards of the Kingdom of God and how impossible they are to uphold on our own.  When Jesus sums up the Law and the Prophets in what has been called the Golden Rule, we will see that the rule itself is a dividing line that separates good and evil, right and wrong, saved and unsaved, and as a result-- heaven and hell.  Those honest with themselves will realize this is a rule that cannot possibly be kept by a fallen humanity, and therefore is universally condemning.  So ultimately, it is my prayer that all who hear this message will also hear themselves saying these words... "Lord, I need you!"

Lord, I Need You!; Luke 6:29-31

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 10/10/2021. One of the greatest events in the history and development of the church occurred on the day of Pentecost, just 10 days after the Ascension of Christ.  On that momentous day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the fledgling church with power and glory and 3,000 souls were saved.  The verses that follow in chapters 2-4 of Acts give us one of the few glimpses of the Apostolic church in its pristine state-- before external persecution and internal corruption set in.  In our text for this lesson, Dr. Luke describes four attributes of this body of believers, as they set about to worship Christ and advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  In this message we will concentrate on the third of these attributes-- "the breaking of bread". After determining what Luke means by the phrase, we will focus in on the true meaning of the Lord's Supper and culminate our study by observing the sacrament-- as we enjoy an object lesson of what it means to "be the Apostolic church".

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 10/10/2021. One of the greatest events in the history and development of the church occurred on the day of Pentecost, just 10 days after the Ascension of Christ.  On that momentous day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the fledgling church with power and glory and 3,000 souls were saved.  The verses that follow in chapters 2-4 of Acts give us one of the few glimpses of the Apostolic church in its pristine state-- before external persecution and internal corruption set in.  In our text for this lesson, Dr. Luke describes four attributes of this body of believers, as they set about to worship Christ and advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  In this message we will concentrate on the third of these attributes-- "the breaking of bread". After determining what Luke means by the phrase, we will focus in on the true meaning of the Lord's Supper and culminate our study by observing the sacrament-- as we enjoy an object lesson of what it mea

Being the Apostolic Church Part 3; Acts 2:41-42

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 09/12/2021. One of the greatest events in the history and development of the church occurred on the day of Pentecost, just 10 days after the Ascension of Christ.  On that momentous day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the fledgling church with power and glory and 3,000 souls were saved.  The verses that follow in chapters 2-4 of Acts give us one of the few glimpses of the Apostolic church in its pristine state-- before external persecution and internal corruption set in.  In our text for this lesson, Dr. Luke describes four attributes of this body of believers, as they set about to worship Christ and advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  In this message we will analyze the first of these attributes-- their devotion to the teaching of the Apostles.  After determining exactly what that teaching was, we will step back and consider how we measure up-- as individual Christians, as a particular church, and as the church at large.  Ultimately we will view this germinal church as a model to emulate-- as both individually and corporately we strive to "be the Apostolic church"

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 09/12/2021. One of the greatest events in the history and development of the church occurred on the day of Pentecost, just 10 days after the Ascension of Christ.  On that momentous day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the fledgling church with power and glory and 3,000 souls were saved.  The verses that follow in chapters 2-4 of Acts give us one of the few glimpses of the Apostolic church in its pristine state-- before external persecution and internal corruption set in.  In our text for this lesson, Dr. Luke describes four attributes of this body of believers, as they set about to worship Christ and advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  In this message we will analyze the first of these attributes-- their devotion to the teaching of the Apostles.  After determining exactly what that teaching was, we will step back and consider how we measure up-- as individual Christians, as a particular church, and as the church at large.  Ultima

Being the Apostolic Church  Part 1; Acts 2:41-42

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 4/11/2021. As Zechariah continues in his prophetic song of exaltation, his focus turns to God's covenantal faithfulness.  Starting with the covenant with David, he progresses to the covenant with Abraham and ends with the anticipation of the New Covenant with Christ.  We will harmonize his thoughts and perspective, which are decidedly Old Testament, with their New Testament realities.  But in the process, Zechariah answers two of the most relevant questions Christians have today:  "How can I be sure of my salvation?" and "How can a profane sinner like me live 'Coram Deo', in the presence of God?"  We will find the glorious answer to both of these burning issues when God swears an oath!

When God Swears an Oath; Luke 1:69-75

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, on Palm Sunday, 3/28/2021. After Zechariah's voice is restored, he immediately launches into a song of his own, praising God and "blessing" Him for His covenantal faithfulness.  In these opening verses he specifically praises God for His visitation, His redemption, and His mighty power to save His people.  We will analyze the profound significance of each one of these divine blessings.  But as the Lord would have it, this passage fell on Palm Sunday when we traditionally celebrate our Lord's "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem.  The imagery of Zechariah's song of prophecy and how it can be applied to the "Triumphal Entry" is simply stunning.  It presents all who read it with the poignant question:  "When the Lord visits you with His offer of redemption-- what will it be?  War or Peace?"

War Or Peace? Luke 1:67-69

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 3/14/2021. As we wrap up our study of Mary's "Magnificat", we will focus, as she does, on God's covenantal faithfulness.  After a short discussion of how God answers the anguished prayers of His people, we will introduce two final attributes of true worship:  it is both habitual and thankful.  Ultimately we will engage in a "living parable" of sorts, as we approach the Lord's Table and take Communion as a sign and seal of God's continued covenant with His elect through Christ.  In doing so, we will be putting the principles of worship we have learned from Mary's song into practice.  By reverently receiving the sacrament of Communion, we will magnify God from the depths of our souls, exalting Him as we humble ourselves, while pledging to habitually worship Him with gratitude and thanksgiving.  It is truly a fitting application for Mary's song of worship.

Mary's Song of Worship Part 4; Luke 1:54-55

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 3/7/2021. In Part 3 of our study of Mary's "Magnificat", we will turn our attention to the nature of the Kingdom that God is establishing on earth through the Advent and ministry of His Son.  After a short discussion of God's Providential care for His people, we will analyze Mary's understanding of the "upside-down" nature of this Kingdom, and the radical spiritual and social change that its establishment will bring.  For in this Heavenly Kingdom the humble are exalted and the arrogant are brought low; the poor are filled with good things and the rich are sent away empty. Ultimately we will continue to learn from Mary's song of worship that to praise, adore and exalt God with a humble and contrite soul are essential aspects of the heart of true Kingdom worship.

Mary's Song of Worship Part 3; Luke 1:51-53

Delivered during the Christmas Eve worship service, 12/24/2020.  When the Children of Israel found themselves trapped against the Red Sea by the forces of Pharaoh, they were in an impossible situation.  But that familiar story, although historical and certainly desperate, is an Old Testament shadow of the true hopelessness  we face as fallen sinners trapped by slavery to sin.  How is it possible that the profane will ever find peace and reconciliation with a transcendent and holy God?   But just as God sent Moses to be the deliverer of His people and then redeemed them by parting the waters of the Red Sea; our God has sent His Son Jesus to die on the Cross, to redeem us from the sin that holds us captive and condemns us.  In this Christmas Eve meditation, we will realize the absolute necessity of trusting Christ for salvation-- for only a Holy God can redeem the unholy to holiness.  This is the glorious truth of the only redemption that really matters-- the redemption of holiness.

The Redemption of Holiness; Exodus 3:7-8

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 12/13/2020.  As Moses approaches the end of his life, he prepares the Children of Israel for the conquest of the Promised Land with an extended sermon recorded in the book of Deuteronomy.  As part of this message he reveals the motive behind God's covenantal faithfulness to the descendents of Abraham (both biological and spiritual) as a consuming, divine love.  We will analyze this love as best we can as humans and find it is the love of absolute ownership and therefore infinitely zealous and jealous.  We will realize that God's love, like His grace, is defined by His transcendence and is one of the primary motivations behind His immanence.  In that sense, it is a love that "transcends transcendence"!  Ultimately we will turn to Jesus as the glorious manifestation of this love and the culmination of God's eternal intent to redeem His elect and shower them with the love of holiness.

The Love of Holiness; Deut. 7:6-10

Delivered during Sunday morning worship, July 26, 2020.  All four Gospels tell the story of Joseph of Arimathea and his royal treatment of Jesus' body after His Crucifixion. John alone tells us of Nicodemus' participation and the kingly nature of the burial the two men hastily arrange. We will discuss the reason for these details and what they tell us about the exaltation of Jesus after His death. But John particularly brings our attention to the fact that both men prior to this crisis were afraid to reveal their belief in Jesus. That will spark our discussion of disciples, both in John's day and in ours, who are gripped with the same fear. Ultimately we will recognize this as a serious problem within the church and discuss both the warnings and solutions for those who are living as "secret disciples".

The Secret Disciples; John 19:38-42

Delivered in a combined, stream-only service June 21, 2020.  As Jesus' Roman trial draws to a close, Pilate makes one last attempt to free Jesus by presenting Him to the Jews and declaring "Ecce Rex", or "Behold your King". Though Pilate probably means this sarcastically, he has no idea how profound His proclamation is. The place where this judgment is made and the sentence of death declared was called "Gabbatha". We will use this title to symbolically represent the powerful imagery created by John of Jesus-- bound, battered, bloody and bruised, yet presented as our Savior and King. We will not turn our eyes from this pitiful sight, but gaze fully on His pain, His scorn, His shame, and His sacrifice as we reach a crucial understanding of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Ultimately we will exalt Him, recognizing the glory in His humiliation, and give Him the love, adoration and thanksgiving due the King of Gabbatha!

The King of Gabbatha; John 19:12-16

Delivered in a combined, stream-only service June 14, 2020. As a continuation of our study of the injustice surrounding the trials of Jesus, we will return to the words He speaks during His two interviews with Pilate. For they hold deep significance and relevance for Christians today who wonder how the church should react when confronted with the abuse of power or injustice from authorities. We will turn not only to the words of Jesus, but the teaching of the New Testament Apostles as we plumb the Biblically-defined relationship between God-ordained authority, the nature of that authority, and the Kingdom of Heaven.

On Authority, Injustice, and the Kingdom; John 18:36-38;19:10-11

Delivered March 22, 2020 in a combined stream-only service du to COVID-19 virus.  As Jesus continues to pray for His disciples, He turns to the subject of their mission and purpose.  He has asked the Father to protect them from the evil one and the wickedness of the world into which He plans to send them.  He has also asked the Father to sanctify them in the truth and revealed where that truth can be found-- in the Word He has given them.  Soon it will be time to take that Word of the Gospel into a dying world and turn that world on its head!  After we look at the language of the text, we will talk of that Word and that mission.  We will find comfort in the positive words of the Gospel-- that Jesus came to save.  But we will also find profound relevance in the fullness of the Gospel-- what Jesus came to save us from!  When this message was delivered, it was streamed over the Internet because of a worldwide pandemic that restricted our ability to gather in worship.  So we will apply our findings to the current situation and realize that our only comfort and hope is in the same Word of Truth that Jesus is sending His Apostles out to share-- the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Delivered March 22, 2020 in a combined stream-only service du to COVID-19 virus.  As Jesus continues to pray for His disciples, He turns to the subject of their mission and purpose.  He has asked the Father to protect them from the evil one and the wickedness of the world into which He plans to send them.  He has also asked the Father to sanctify them in the truth and revealed where that truth can be found-- in the Word He has given them.  Soon it will be time to take that Word of the Gospel into a dying world and turn that world on its head!  After we look at the language of the text, we will talk of that Word and that mission.  We will find comfort in the positive words of the Gospel-- that Jesus came to save.  But we will also find profound relevance in the fullness of the Gospel-- what Jesus came to save us from!  When this message was delivered, it was streamed over the Internet because of a worldwide pandemic that restricted our ability to gather in worship.  So we will apply our

Sharing The Whole Word of Truth; John 17:18-19

Delivered 3/1/2020 in the Contemporary Service.  As Jesus continues to pray to His Father on behalf of His disciples, He prays specifically that they will be protected from the evil one during their sojourn in the darkness of the world. This brings fresh perspective to His "sojourn of glory" and His plans for the disciples after He leaves. Yes, He has taken them to be His symbolic bride (the church); and yes, through His Crosswork He has sanctified them to be presented to His Father. But rather than sweeping His Bride to heaven with Him when He leaves, He purposely leaves her behind in the putrid spiritual sewer of this world. In this message we will delve into the reason for this surprising plan and emphasize the importance of the weapon He has left them with-- the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God". For this Word will be vital if the disciples and all who follow them are to complete their essential task during their time as sojourners in the sewer!

Sojourners in the Sewer; John 17:14-16

Delivered 1/12/2020 in the Contemporary Service.  As Jesus commences His High Priestly prayer, He asks for His own glorification so that the Father likewise will be glorified by His work while on earth. In doing so, He maps out His entire sojourn on earth and the reason for that visit-- to find and fetch His Bride (the church) and purify her so that He can take her back to present her to His Father. As we analyze the words of His prayer, we will find them full of deep Theological principles, (like divine authority, saving knowledge, and eternal life). To help make this clear, we will illustrate the redemptive work of Christ with a fanciful (but biblically-based) story about a prince and his "less-than-worthy" choice of a bride and how that bride was made acceptable to the high standards of the prince's father (the king). Based on the stories of Rebekah and the "woman at the well", we will create a symbol out of Rebekah's veil representing the righteousness of Christ-- a righteousness that is absolutely necessary for sinners like us to be made acceptable to His Father. With this symbolism in mind we will realize the vital and eternal importance of standing before the judgment seat of God, wrapped in "Rebekah's veil".

Delivered 1/12/2020 in the Contemporary Service.  As Jesus commences His High Priestly prayer, He asks for His own glorification so that the Father likewise will be glorified by His work while on earth. In doing so, He maps out His entire sojourn on earth and the reason for that visit-- to find and fetch His Bride (the church) and purify her so that He can take her back to present her to His Father. As we analyze the words of His prayer, we will find them full of deep Theological principles, (like divine authority, saving knowledge, and eternal life). To help make this clear, we will illustrate the redemptive work of Christ with a fanciful (but biblically-based) story about a prince and his "less-than-worthy" choice of a bride and how that bride was made acceptable to the high standards of the prince's father (the king). Based on the stories of Rebekah and the "woman at the well", we will create a symbol out of Rebekah's veil representing the righteousness of Christ-- a righteousness t

Rebekah's Veil, John 17:2-5

Delivered 12/29/2019 in the Contemporary Service. As we continue to wrap up the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus describes to His disciples the difficult time that lies immediately ahead of them. A time when their hasty enthusiasm over their own understanding will be shattered as they scatter as soon as it is tested. But this "in-between" time is vital for their development, as Jesus strengthens them to be the Apostles upon whose shoulders He will build His church. This is particularly relevant to Christians because we are also in the time "in-between" our salvation and our entry into God's presence in heaven-- in-between spiritual ignorance and true understanding. We will find valuable lessons in both the shortcomings of the disciples and the loving patience of Christ as He "looks through" what they get wrong to develop what they get right. Ultimately we will re-enforce the recurring lesson that by keeping Jesus "ever before us", we will be encouraged and strengthened to accomplish all He has called us to do in our time "in-between" the Cross and Glory.

Delivered 12/29/2019 in the Contemporary Service. As we continue to wrap up the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus describes to His disciples the difficult time that lies immediately ahead of them. A time when their hasty enthusiasm over their own understanding will be shattered as they scatter as soon as it is tested. But this "in-between" time is vital for their development, as Jesus strengthens them to be the Apostles upon whose shoulders He will build His church. This is particularly relevant to Christians because we are also in the time "in-between" our salvation and our entry into God's presence in heaven-- in-between spiritual ignorance and true understanding. We will find valuable lessons in both the shortcomings of the disciples and the loving patience of Christ as He "looks through" what they get wrong to develop what they get right. Ultimately we will re-enforce the recurring lesson that by keeping Jesus "ever before us", we will be encouraged and strengthened to accomplish all He 

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