Judges 5

Chapter five of Judges is a song in celebration of the victory recounted in chapter four. Such victory songs were common in the culture of the ancient world. An example from earlier in the Bible is Miriam's song of victory after God brought the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed the Egyptian army. Judges five is the song of Deborah rejoicing in the LORD's victory over his and his people's enemies; at the same time, the song includes both a challenge and a promise for us today.

Judges 4

This exciting passage is important to the development of the overall themes of the book of Judges, including the sovereignty of God, divine judgment of sin, salvation by grace, and the need for a redeemer that is ultimately fulfilled only in the Redeemer Christ. In a less obvious way, this narrative illustrates what it means for human beings to be male and female in the image of God. The strong female characters Deborah and Jael play central roles, not only in the narrative action, but also in the revealing of the nature of relationships between men and women as God created them to be. This sermon focuses primarily on this latter topic, and owes much to Sam Andreades' work in his thought provoking book enGendered.

Joshua 15

It has been an unexpected and remarkable blessing to enjoy during my ministry in Greenville an encouraging and strengthening relationship with a godly mentor, Dr. Arnold Olsen. He and his wife Ruth are wonderful exemplars of devoted love, and they came to mind as I studied the Bible’s account of Othniel and Achsah, which provides us with significant teaching in regards to a proper understanding of gender roles as God intends them to be.

Numbers 27 and 36

Sunday | August 16, 2015

Continuing this series on the Bible's teaching concerning relationships, this sermon gives attention to significance of the order of God's creation of the genders. Without compromising the doctrine of gender equality before God, the Scripture teaches that there are differences in the gender roles of men and women. What does it mean for God to first create the man, commission and command him, and have him begin his work, and then afterwards create the woman? What does this difference between equals tell us about gender roles today?

Ephesians 5:1-2

Sunday | August 2, 2015

This sermon series on relationships began on June 28th with a consideration of the Trinity, and we do well to keep returning to think about the character of God as we think about what should be the character of our relationships with others. First Corinthians exhorts us: Let all that you do be done in love. Were we to obey that command, would not our relationships give off a pleasing aroma to God, the scent of love?

Second Timothy 1:1-17

The importance of creeds as patterns of sound words and good deposits is evident in the emphasis that Paul gives to this theme in this letter written to Timothy, whom he mentored and with whom Paul developed one of his closest relationships.

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sunday | January 4, 2015

In this poignant opening to the last of Paul’s letters preserved in Scripture, he makes a passionate plea for following and guarding sound doctrine. As timely now as it was then, this passage is an encouragement and challenge to all who call themselves Christians.

Romans 10:5-13

Sunday | January 4, 2015

This passage will introduce a sermon series designed to cover the essential elements of Christian theology. Here Paul focuses our attention on the centrality of a heartfelt confession of faith to our relationship to Jesus Christ.

Matthew 2:16-23

Sunday | December 21, 2014

Matthew’s Gospel closes the infancy narratives with events interpreted in the light of the Hebrew Scriptures. Both the events and their interpretations foreshadow Jesus’ ministry and point to the realization of the good news that he has come to save his people.

Matthew 2:1-15

Sunday | December 14, 2014

Continuing this Advent series from Matthew, the drama heightens as strangers appear in Jerusalem seeking Jesus. The unexpected homage from unnamed Easterners brings riches, but also puts Jesus’ very life in danger from the despotic Herod. Already Jesus’ identity is provoking radically  differing responses from others, even as the gospel does today.

Matthew 1:18-25

Sunday | December 7, 2014

Joseph is rarely the focus of contemporary Christmas sermons or stories, but he is central to Matthew’s Gospel account of Jesus’ birth. He is a remarkable and godly man, and we can profit much from his example and his experience as recorded in Scripture.

Matthew 1:1-17

Sunday | November 30, 2014

Beginning an Advent series in Matthew, we find ourselves in a literary context not far from that of Genesis. Genealogies figure prominently in Genesis, and Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy, using significant terms and names from Genesis narratives. The covenant promises made by God to his people in Genesis (and developed in the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures) find their fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah.

Genesis 50:22-26

Sunday | November 16, 2014

Fittingly, Joseph has the last word in the book of Genesis, and though the Book of Beginnings ends with a coffin in Egypt, the word that Joseph leaves us with is one of faith, hope, and love. 

On a personal note, it is with some regret that I end this sermon series from Genesis. It began in September of 2010 and with several interruptions, has included 81 sermons, but there is so much that I have not dealt with in the book, that I wish that I could begin again! What a wonderful part of the Scriptures it is!

Joshua 24:1-28

The Lord's Day on which this sermon was preached included the observance of both of the sacraments of the Church, as Joshua and Alyssa Broughton brought their daughter Zoe for baptism and the congregation shared the Lord's Supper together. This passage from the book of Joshua was particularly relevant, therefore, because of its focus on covenant renewal.

Hebrews 11

God gave me grace to preach the sermon for the worship service that served as a memorial for my mother, Clema McConnell Broughton. The service was held at the chapel of the Baptist Village in Oklahoma City, where my mother lived the last years of her life. Knowing that my mother was listening to my sermons posted online was a wonderful encouragement to me, and I considered it a high honor to preach at this memorial service. This was, of course, a time of grief, but God was gracious to enable me to focus on the truth of God's Word that was so important to my mother, and that Word ministered to me even as I preached. To God alone be the glory!

[The thumbnail picture shows my mother learning to use the iPad her grandchildren helped buy her a few years before her death. She prayed for and corresponded with many missionaries for whom she prayed, and the iPad made this easier to do, given her severe arthritis, and she took to it quickly.]

Second John

The little letter of Second John serves as a wonderful text for our consideration in a Maundy Thursday service. (Maundy Thursday is named from the Latin mandatum, “commandment,”  as found in the words of Christ in the Latin translation of John 13.34: “Mandātum novum dō vōbīs,” in English “A new commandment give I to you.”)

Romans 1:16, part 3

The gospel is news that is good to us because it tells us that our stories are given meaning and beauty and joy because God has made them part of his story. We who found it impossible to write a coherent and satisfying story for our lives discovered ourselves to be a part of the story of God, with a beginning and end more beautiful and inspiring than we could have ever imagined.  

Romans 1:16, part 2

"The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up...When the gospel enters anyone’s life, it is as though the very fire of God had come upon him. There is warmth and light in his life.” - Leon Morris

First Timothy 1:1-17

This sermon is the last of a short series focusing on the Apostle Paul, designed to serve as an introduction to the book of Romans. In his letters to Timothy, his son in the faith, we see the heart of this remarkable servant of Christ and his Church.

Luke 1:24-45

Continuing this Advent series of Luke texts, this sermon focuses on what we can learn from the narrative of Elizabeth and Mary.