King David’s well-known Psalm 51 is a prayer of confession that came after some terrible, sinful actions on his part. This prayer stands as an example of the spiritual value of confession in our lives. Why do we confess sin? How do we go about it? Pastor David helps us think about these issues by preaching on this psalm:
Prayer Changes Us: Adoration
In this first of a series of four messages on the topic of prayer, Pastor David walks us through what Psalm 139 says about the nature of God. These attributes of God are praiseworthy and can transform how we go about praying. How should our prayer lives be oriented? Listen in to yesterday’s message by clicking this link. (Please note: Pastor David was fighting off a stomach bug during the service, so this message is shorter and “lower-key” compared to normal.)
A Life of Sacrifice
The book of Hebrews concludes with a series of exhortations, calling the church to conduct itself in specific ways. Each of these encourages believers to give up something else of value: a sacrifice in the truest sense of the term. How does Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 connect to our everyday lives – and to our memory of faithful Christians who have run the race before us? Listen to Pastor David’s message by clicking this link:
Approach With Caution
How should God’s covenant with us affect our worship of God? Hebrews 12:18-29 contrasts the covenant scene of the Ten Commandments with our current situation in Christ. In very dramatic language, scripture calls us to approach the Lord with caution, for “our God is a consuming fire.” Listen to Pastor David’s message on this passage, which prepared the Mt. Haley congregation for the Lord’s Supper:
All or Nothing
This Sunday was a special day: three of our young people were baptized during the morning service! In this sermon, which came immediately before the baptisms, Pastor David preached on Hebrews 11:29-12:3, a passage that encourages us to remember that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Listen in to this message on how God calls us to be faithful to him in all circumstances:
Looking Forward
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 describes the nature of faith and illustrates faith through the example of Abraham. God promised Abraham both land and descendants, but Abraham never saw the fulfillment of either of those promises. And yet he looked forward to a heavenly city built by God. What does this have to do with hope in today’s world? How should we view heaven – and how should we view earth? Click here for Pastor David’s message on this passage.
Christ is Our Life
Today, Pastor David preached from Colossians 3:1-11 – and from inside the baptistry in our sanctuary. How does baptism relate to the presupposition of this passage, namely, that we have been raised with Christ? And how does this passage answer the biggest questions we face: those of identity and meaning and purpose? Listen in to today’s sermon recording here.
When God Comes to Visit
Once upon a time, Abraham had a surprise guest at his tent: three visitors who, as Abraham soon discovered, represented God. We can learn much from Abraham’s extravagant hospitality toward his guests – and Abraham’s belief in the strange promise they made to him and his wife Sarah. Listen to Pastor David’s message on Genesis 18:1-10!
The Gutsy Samaritan
In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. What if we renamed that story to “The Gutsy Samaritan”? How does this story relate to the conversation about inheriting eternal life at the beginning of the passage? And what does this have to do with our lives today? Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on this famous parable.
Small But Mighty
The story of how God healed Naaman, the Aramean army commander, of his leprosy is found in 2 Kings 5:1-14. Tucked into this story are a handful of minor characters who play crucial roles in helping this miraculous cleansing take place. What does this story have to say to our situation today? Listen in as Pastor David preaches on this Old Testament passage.