Tag: Sermon

John: God’s Work Revealed | 2-23-2025

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Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 4/18/2026

Sermon Prep

So this was a message I never planned on preaching at all and the only reason I did preach it was because there was a miscommunication of the sermon schedule we had internally among the teachers at Reunion Church. This sometimes happens where because the schedule is usually pretty fixed, we just assume week-to-week that everyone is going to do their part. But in this case I didn’t know that one of the teachers was going to be gone on vacation, so I had done zero prep for a topical teaching until Friday night after we spoke before their trip.

We were in the middle of our 1 Corinthians series, but sometimes to break up a series we will either have a guest teacher or a one-off topical teaching to help the congregation stick with a longer sermon series. In this case, Andrew assumed I knew I was teaching a topical yet we never talked until Friday afternoon so thank God we talked that day. If we didn’t, then we would’ve been in a really bad spot on Sunday if no one had prepared a message.

So when it came time to prep this sermon I only had Friday night and Saturday night to figure it out since I already had weekend commitments. That pressure and most importantly the Holy Spirit himself led me to eventually finding this topic to teach. I wasn’t planning on sharing this particular message, but it was fresh on my mind from a conversation I had with Josh about his son who has autism and how I had autism too. So I took an old blogpost on here called Alvin Plantinga + Autism plus some new material and created this message. Here’s the notes below and the YouTube video:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Story of autism diagnoses and losing the ability to speak at 4 years old for 10 months.

Intro

  • But not everyone with ailments, disorders, or physical pain is like me.
  • Most people are either born with or become physically disabled and stay that way.

Main Point

  • It’s one of life’s most frustrating mysteries as to why some suffer and others don’t.
  • With God, natural suffering and pain has a purpose. Without him, it means nothing.

God Be Glorified | John 9:1-7 (NRSVue)

“[1] As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [3] Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. [4] We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. [5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” [6] When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, [7] saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.”

  • Disciples asked a heady question, while Jesus cared for the suffering person (John 9:2).
  • He was born blind, so that Jesus would heal him and save his soul (John 9:3).
    • Alvin Plantinga argued that like the man born blind, we too have a sensus divinitatis (sense of God) that’s been damaged by sin and humanity’s fall from grace. In this way, everyone is disabled spiritually as we’re disconnected from God and struggle to see him. In desperate need of the Holy Spirit himself to dwell within us to restore that divine sense within our cognitive faculties.

Why It Matters

  • Read Psalms 139:13-16 aloud.

“[13] For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. [14]  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. [15] My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. [16] Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.”

  • There is intent behind how God chose to invent you. Not a mistake. You matter to God.
  • Read Exodus 4:10-12 aloud.

“[10] But Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” [11] Then the Lord said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? [12] Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.””

  • Instead of asking “Why me?” which is self-centered, we need to always ask “What now?” which is God-centered. Your ailment isn’t an attack, but rather a humility opportunity.

Power Text

  • Read Romans 9:19-21 aloud.

“[19] You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” [20] But who indeed are you, a human, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use?”

  • God does what he wants because he is king of all of creation (i.e. Psalm 115:3, 135:5-6).
  • We need to humbly submit to God’s way instead of our way, even when we disagree. 

Outro

  • Read 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 aloud.

“[6] But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, [7] even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. [8] Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, [9] but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”

  • Only by the Holy Spirit dwelling within you can you know why you suffer and its purpose.
  • Read Romans 8:9, 15-28 aloud.

“[9] But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him… [15] For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” [16] it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. [18] I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. [19] For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, [20] for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. [22] We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, [23] and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. [24] For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? [25] But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. [26] Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. [27] And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. [28] We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

  • Some suffer because of God’s grand plan, original sin, or even to learn to trust him.
    • Job never knew why he suffered, but Paul did so answers aren’t guaranteed.
  • In the end God knows best, therefore in our suffering we can trust and rest in him.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, this is one of my best sermons. It’s ironic because some of my best messages tend to be completely last-minute and not very well prepared for whatever the case may be that Sunday. The reception to the message was very positive during Table Talks afterwards and we had a great conversation which Jonathan led that day.

Honestly, the best part was the following Sunday one of our new worship leaders who I didn’t really know beforehand said this message was for her. Meaning that God orchestrated things so that I would preach a message that she needed to hear that Sunday. Now that just shows how awesome God is that he would use me to do his work in the life of someone else. One of the rare times where God’s work is revealed. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. https://philosophynews.com/interview-with-alvin-plantinga-on-where-the-conflict-really-lies/

1 Corinthians: God the Builder | 2-9-2025

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Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 4/16/2026

Sermon Prep

A few weeks had passed since my first sermon back from paternity leave and I was right back into the swing of things. Work was dragging and my drive to be the best was start to wane a bit given I desperately wanted to get out of sales. I actually ended my paternity leave early, so that I could apply for a role in the Customer Success team.

But I didn’t get the job, so I was frustrated by that fact too. What bothered me even more was that there were other people who got the promotion onto that team before me in my department and were either decent in their roles or flat out bottom tier sales reps. Since I made President’s Club and was the best person in the department, that did get under my skin because I just assumed they’d pick me.

Yet that’s just part of the corporate game. It’s not a meritocracy, it’s a networkocracy where instead of what you know it’s who you know that gets you ahead in life. Can’t hate the player, but you can hate the corporate game. In this season, I really hated the game. Anyways, here’s the notes from that sermon below.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Story of going to gym again post-paternity leave.

Intro

  • Building off of Andrew’s message, Paul is putting the Corinthians in their place.

Main Point

  • Paul’s reminding them that they’re not the big picture, but a part of the big picture.
  • By God’s grand design, the church is built different than the world.

Temple Talk | 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 (NRSVue)

“[16] Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. [18] Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” [20] and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” [21] So let no one boast about people. For all things are yours, [22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, [23] and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”

  • Verses 16 thru 17 is a plural you, but verses 18 thru 23 is singular.
  • The ANE had a different idea of idols than the Greeks/Romans (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
    • Read Genesis 2:7-8, 15 (NRSVue)
  • “[7] then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. [8] And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed… [15] The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”
    • Read Leviticus 26:11-12 (NRSVue)
      • “[11] I will place my dwelling in your midst, and I shall not abhor you. [12] I will be your God, and you shall be my people.”
    • “[It was] common in the world of Mesopotamia that when you created an idol you would have this opening of the mouth ceremony where the god would then infuse the idol with his spirit, so that the idol could function as a proper representation of the god… Not just a symbol. A living entity that represented the god that was in the idol… We are living, breathing representations of God… Humans were intended to carry his Spirit in everything that they do. To represent him faithfully as temples of his Spirit.” – Dr. Brittany Kim
    • Read Ephesians 2:19-22 (NRSVue)
      • “[19] So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, [20] built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; [21] in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, [22] in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”
    • This is Paul’s 4th analogy within the context of ch. 3 (milk, dirt; foundation).
      • “The Church is an organic whole… One who would break this unity would desecrate a sacred place.” – Orthodox Study Bible
    • Referring to Corinthians as a temple was also in response to the prominent temples of the city like the Temple cult of Aphrodite atop the Acrocorinth.
  • Verse 18 can be cross-referenced with 1 Corinthians 1:18 (1 Corinthians 3:18, 21).
    • Unclear who’s addressed here, but Paul is warning them to be responsible.
  • Paul is quoting Job 5:13 and Psalm 94:11 back-to-back (1 Corinthians 3:19-20)
  • What does “all things are yours” mean (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)?
    • “[Christians] are heirs of all things-heirs of the ministries of all those who faithfully promote the gospel, and also of everything over which God and Christ hold sovereign rule, namely, all those things that the philosophers of this world claim to have mastered by their wisdom.” –  NIV Study Bible
  • Apollos, Cephas, and Paul are co-workers working towards a common purpose as they collaborate with God (1 Corinthians 3:22).
    • Cephas is generally believed to be the Apostle Peter (1 Corinthians 3:22).

Why It Matters

  • The church is the sum of many opposing parts put together for the same purpose.
  • God is building his temple to dwell among us and we, God’s people, are that temple.

Power Text

  • Avoid conformity and division, so that above all you can build unity as fellow workers.
  • “God is building his temple through the people of God. He causes the growth, but the community of Jesus’ followers participates with God in that work.” – Andrew Morrison

Outro

  • Our aim is to co-labor with God in the earthly and remain with God in the eternal.
    • Mature Christians answer God’s call, humbly submit to his way, and exercise faith knowing that God will do what he said he would do.

Final Thoughts

I think this message was good and more teaching, than preaching. For me, I’ve always felt like a teacher more than a preacher and all of my messages I’ve done seem to reflect that. Leaning into the context and culture, more than the emotions and heart of a message.

What also is a thought that has burrowed in my mind lately is and probably began around the time I was on paternity leave was if I was actually a pastor. I’m not ordained, I just volunteered to help and teaching was one of the areas to help. This church I teach at is a non-denominational church, so it has more in common with corporate America than traditional liturgical Christianity.

That thought began to bother me in this season of reflection and continues to bother me today. Do I need someone to ordain me and say I’m a pastor? Do I just need to step up where there’s a need? To this day I still avoid the pastor title because I don’t really believe it myself. It’s sort of like calling yourself a professional athlete without being apart of a professional team and instead playing sports on the local level. Is that legit? I still don’t know. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opening_of_the_mouth_ceremony

1 Corinthians: Cross Wisdom | 1-19-2025

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Updated: 4/14/2026

Sermon Prep

This message holds a special spot in my heart simply because of the season of life I was in as a new Dad. I was fresh off of my paternity leave, which ended on January 5th and I returned to work the next day. The prep for this sermon also began on January 6th and I chipped away at it slowly for two weeks. If I remember right I was nervous coming back and spent extra time prepping this message. Not because I was nervous about the content like my last message on Bathsheba and Uriah, but I was nervous about being rusty preaching-wise.

Everything was flipped upside down in a good way with becoming a Dad, so it felt like the teaching muscles were tight from inactivity. Learning how to be a parent with my Glory those first few months up in the doorless loft of her parent’s house was a special time. We had our own little nook to figure out how to raise our little girl. As per usual, I put aside any spare time at work or at home to write this message.

At work, the excuse was my infamous office hour, which really meant that because I was the best person in the department I had the freedom to do what I wanted with that final hour of the day. It was a luxury that really only my peer Simon who sat next to me knew about, but a freedom I earned with a lot of hardwork and grit to be at the top of the department. With all that said, my sermon notes are below and the sermon on YouTube here.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Bo Eason former NFL QB and CA family celebrity connections sharing worldly wisdom.

Intro

  • Jumping off of Andrew’s message last week, we’re going to learn about what unites us.

Main Point

  • Now there’s worldly wisdom, but Christians are united by true wisdom.
  • The cross of Christ is true wisdom in a world filled with fools.

Fool’s Talk | 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (NRSVue)

“[18] For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” [20] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe. [22] For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, [23] but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, [24] but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. [26] Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, [29] so that no one might boast in the presence of God. [30] In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31] in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

  • Paul was in his ministry prime as this letter was 20 years after his conversion.
  • God is beyond time so we’re saved, being saved, and will be saved (1 Corinthians 1:18).
    • “It is a mark of them that perish not to recognize the things which lead to salvation.” – St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on First Corinthians
  • Paul paraphrases Isaiah 29:14 (1 Corinthians 1:19).
    • Corinth was known as a melting pot and often called a mother to many cultures.
    • Aelius Aristides once said that on every street in Corinth one met a so-called wise man, who had his own solution to humanity’s problems.
  • Scholar = expert in Mosaic law; debater of this age = Greek Sophists (1 Corinthians 1:20).
  • “To those that request a sign, the Church offers one: the Cross! The Cross is to be adored, for wherever the sign may be, there Jesus will be” (1 Corinthians 1:22).
  • “[Jews] expected a triumphant, political Messiah [;Greeks/Romans believed] “it was unthinkable that [a crucified] criminal could be the world’s Savior” (1 Corinthians 1:23).
  • Calling is used here as God the Spirit guiding us to trust him (1 Corinthians 1:24-26).
    • “εὐγενής (eugenēs) refers to… being born into nobility, wealth, or power with an emphasis on the privileges and benefits [of] that position” (1 Corinthians 1:26).
  • “Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom; do not let the mighty boast in their might; do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23b-24 NRSVue)
    • See 1 Samuel 2:1-10, and Luke 1:46-55. “Jeremiah calls upon the wise, the strong, and the wealthy not to trust in their resources but in their knowledge of the true God-and so to boast in the Lord. Paul addresses the same three areas of human pride.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
    • See 1 Corinthians 2:14-16. The Greek words psychikos (ψυχικὸς) and pneumatikos (πνευματικῶς) Paul uses to contrast the natural and the spiritual.
    • God the Spirit is often associated with power and wisdom. The Gospel can only be revealed by the Spirit himself.

Why It Matters

  • The word fool is mentioned 6 times; wise is mentioned 13 times (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).
  • As Os Guinness lays out in his book, Fool’s Talk, that there’s 3 types of fools in the world:
    • Fool King -> Jesus (Isaiah 53)
    • Fools for Christ -> The Foolish (1 Corinthians 4:10)
    • Fool of Proverbs -> The Wise (Psalm 14:1)
  • Corinth needed to hear that in complete humility, Christ was crucified and resurrected.
  • In a world full of wisdom, it’s us fools for Christ that know God’s free grace saves us from our sins.
  • By humility and faith we can accept this free grace.

Power Text

  • We need to trust in God’s resurrection power.
    • EX: family, marriage, politics; work.
  • Human wisdom isolates others, yet the wisdom of the cross unifies all people.
    • Death is the great equalizer, yet so too is the cross of Christ.
  • Unity brings belonging, yet division brings loneliness.
    • “I’ve discovered the more spiritual a person becomes, the less denominational that person becomes. The less divisive that person becomes.” – Skip Heitzig

Outro

  • Only God’s power can stop the woes of the world and bring us together.
    • “There is a loneliness that only God can fill… and the cross is the answer.” – Billy Graham, 1974
  • Just like it was 50 years ago, life is lonely without the living God.
    • EX: Julie loving Heidi.
  • You can either cling to Christ trusting him or tell him to piss off out of your own wisdom. Those are the choices.

Final Thoughts

This new year literally brought a new me and that bled into changing my sermon studying and sermon structure. First off, I utilized a lot of quotes from the NET Bible Full Notes Edition and the Orthodox Study Bible to round out this message. I would’ve used quotes from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, but someone stole it from my porch when it got delivered. I was pretty salty about that, but of all the things to steal I hope at least they read that Bible.

Too many quotes to be fair if I’m being objective about my sermon notes, but I think what I did quote was quality stuff. My coloring scheme I used here stuck with the rest of my sermons moving forward. I to this day still use blue for quotes outside of the Bible and green for quotes within the Bible. Anything from me isn’t highlighted.

Looking back at it over a year later with my 18 month-old sleeping upstairs as I write this blogpost, in my mind this message aged really well. I jotted down feedback as I like to after each message to improve my craft and this one was received strongly by Reunion Church. The ending given Heidi and Julie were having another medical episode at this time was quite emotional and as you can see above compared to my outline, I spoke from the heart.

For context, Julie’s daughter Heidi had been battling one thing after another due to complications from her cerebral palsy and that month was no different. I used Heidi and Julie as my Gospel analogy, which everyone at church really resonated with once we gathered for Table Talks. Heidi might be home now as she passed away later on in 2025, but here at Reunion Church she was apart of our home. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Ecclesiastes: A Wise Life | 9-11-2022

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Updated: 12/2/2024

Sermon Prep

This week while writing my long-gestating book during my paternity leave, I stumbled on an old sermon I shared to the kids ministry over 2 years ago. I have no idea why I wrote it down in my ideas journal for my book, but I discovered it again and figured I’d throw it on the blog. One day I’ll add all of my sermons from when I first started preaching, but that’s a project for another day.

Either way, occasionally when I teach and lead kids ministry at church I will write up a sermon for that Sunday. To be fair, it’s a lot less prep and research then I normally would do if any at all. I usually just take current themes in the main service and distill them into a mini message they can understand better.

Looking back, that must be what I did here during Reunion Church‘s Ecclesiastes series we did in 2022. I was just a month into marriage and there was a lot going on, so I must’ve done this prep in a hurry on short notice. Also, don’t have many photos from this era in life so I’m just going to use a picture from the honeymoon archives.

Either way, it’s a cool gem and honestly I think a lot of my sermons have been scribbled down in random places that I may never recover again. So for me, this was awesome to find today. Here’s the notes:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • What is a wise life?
  • Ecclesiastes overview.

Intro

  • Girls: Brother’s girlfriends.
  • Gold: Grandad’s wealth.
  • Glory: Mountains are more remembered.

Life is a temporary paradox.

  • Everything is hevel.
    • Hevel = smoke, vapor.
  • Life like smoke seems solid, but vanishes before you can get a good grasp on it.

Transition To Main Point

  • Read Ecclesiastes 1:5-11.
  • All of life is out of your control.

Main Point

  • Read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
  • A wise life is to fear and obey God.

Why It Matters

  • Read Ephesians 5:15-17.
  • Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
  • A wise life is made up of little moments.
    • Meaning is measured by these moments.

Transition Out

  • How is the meaning of your life measured?

Final Thoughts

I vaguely remember this message and that it kind of went over the kids heads. I tend to be incredibly interactive with my messages, especially with kids so my notes are all over the place here. I must have created this sermon within a short window because I couldn’t find any drafts outside of this one.

Looks like a one-and-done sermon outline I bet I made the day before church. Anyways, neat find as I continue to press on and Lord willing finish my book sometime in the new year. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: Bathsheba and Uriah | 10-13-2024

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Updated: 11/13/2024

Sermon Prep

I’ve never prepped for a sermon as much as I did for this latest message. Last one before taking a break and focusing on family bonding while on paternity leave. I really sunk my theological teeth into this final sermon of 2024. Not only did I prep over a month for this, but also studied so much that there were several key things left out. Here’s a few of the leftovers that didn’t make the cut, but not everything:

  • Could or did Bathsheba consent to sex?
    • Consent is a modern construct, so ANE people didn’t think that way.
    • What the king commanded was law (i.e. Nebuchadnezzar II in Daniel 1-4).
    • We need to be trauma-informed on tough topics for the needs of the neighborhood.
  • Does Uriah know that David slept with Bathsheba?
    • David’s guards who took Bathsheba could’ve known (2 Samuel 11:4, 9).
    • Uriah was by the gates where those very guards may have stood watch.
  • Is Uriah knowingly trying to shame David by not going home?
    • Uriah would’ve had to stone Bathsheba because of the Law.
    • Said no to king’s command and brings up sleeping with his wife, not David (2 Samuel 11:8-13).
  • After this worst episode, David named one of his sons in honor of Nathan (1 Chronicles 3:5).
    • This fact implies either friendship with or even respect for Nathan.

This was one of the few messages where I asked for a lot of feedback. A lot of deliberation on my part on what to include and what to shy away from. Given the sensitivity and the grey areas involved with this subject, we as a leadership team decided to just keep the main thing the main thing. David sinned and there’s a right way to repent.

Since we break off into small groups and sometimes with total strangers immediately after our messages, we’re very careful what we do teach about. Given that, it’d be unwise to let loose untrained leaders to guide groups focused on these sensitive subjects. There’s nothing worse then having someone unequipped address issues without the care and gentleness required to do so. Now here’s the notes I did use and the recorded message for this sermon.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Grew up watching whodunit detective dramas with my Mom (i.e Midsomer Murders).

Intro

  • Today we’re going to learn about a howcatchem → see crime, then solve the case.

Main Point

  • David’s worst episode is written as a minimal facts approach (i.e. the Corinthian Creed).
  • Sin has collateral consequences on others, but there’s a right way to correct the damage.

A King’s Crime

  • Read 2 Samuel 11:1-27a.
  • David should’ve been at war, but disobeyed and stayed home (2 Samuel 11:1, 12:26-32).
  • Bathsheba was either bathing at home or publicly at the Siloam Pool (2 Samuel 11:2).
    • Never told she’s naked or on the roof. Bathing at dusk/sunset was modest in ANE.
      • Too hot to bathe during the day; people walking by can’t see her.
  • Uriah was of the 30 mighty men and became an Israelite convert (2 Samuel 11:4, 23:39).
    • Eliam was also of the 30 mighty men; Uriah’s from Anatolia (Syria/Turkey).
  • He was loyal, so Uriah wouldn’t abandon Israel in their hour of need (2 Samuel 11:9-13).
    • Great display of covenant love for the king and the nation at large (2 Samuel 5:1).
  • Uriah unknowingly was the messenger of his own death sentence (2 Samuel 11:14-17).
    • He and a group of soldiers were unnecessarily slaughtered to cover up sin.

A King’s Correction

  • Read 2 Samuel 11:27b-12:23.
  • bat (בַּת) is daughter and also the beginning of Bathsheba’s name (2 Samuel 11:3, 12:3).
  • Nathan waited years for God’s timing before approaching David about his sin.
    • “Once we prayerfully determine the right thing to do, we must still contemplate the right way to do it (240).” – Zack Eswine, Sensing Jesus
    • Nathan’s story and Bathsheba’s lament shows she loved Uriah (2 Samuel 12:1-4).
  • Absalom’s coup in David’s latter reign is prophesied here (2 Samuel 12:10-12, 16:22).
  • David had true repentance as he pleaded for God’s grace (2 Samuel 12:16-18, Psalm 51).
    • Accepted God’s will, even when he didn’t get his way (2 Samuel 12:20-23).

Why It Matters

  • David’s sin had collateral consequences: a wife was taken, a husband murdered, soldiers slaughtered, and a newborn died. In all, God was dishonored by David’s disobedience.
  • “David was self-deceived. Your greatest flaws, the habits of the heart that are killing you the most by definition, are the ones you don’t see.” – Timothy Keller, The Sinner Sermon
  • When we don’t repent, we deceive ourselves into thinking everything is under control.

Power Text

  • Read Psalm 51:1-11, 16-17.
  • Repentance is the changing of your ways and your will (i.e. body + soul → Acts 26:20b).

Outro

  • Read 1 John 1:6-10.
  • It’s better to examine yourself and confess your sin, then to get caught and exposed.
  • Repentance is the first step to being redeemed, restored, and reunited to God.

Final Thoughts

This was not only one of my greatest messages, but also one of my more technical in the precision that I said things as well. For context, we know people who have similar things to David in our community and we also know people who’s stories are related to Bathsheba or Uriah’s situation too. It’s a brutal balancing act to acknowledge the depravity of sin and that there’s hope for those who repent.

There’s no easy way to do both simultaneously, especially to a large public audience. That’s where trusting the Holy Spirit to provide exactly what to say is so important. It’s his word and I’m just a vessel to communicate his message. In this case, I think the message was clear and resonated with our congregation. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: God Brings Victory | 9-15-2024

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Updated: 11/12/2024

Sermon Prep

We were 4 weeks out from the expected due date for our daughter Willow. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I had prepped these 3 sermons as an unofficial trilogy before I went out on paternity leave. Of the 3, this was the one where it was just a sermon.

I didn’t have any personal favoritism like with the story of Mephibosheth and didn’t have a heavy weight of responsibility on my shoulders like with the story of Bathsheba and Uriah. So if anything, the prep here was the easiest in that I relied a lot on the notes of our teaching pastor who always maps out the series we’re in at a high level and go from there. Speaking of notes, here’s those below and the recorded sermon as well.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Have you ever joined an organization only to now realize that you’re in deep conflict?

Intro

  • Explain dinosaurs in the Congo and work acquisition, along with church conflicts.

Main Point

  • You can trust in God’s guidance and strength in conflicting times.
  • Let’s see how David was at the center of a power vacuum and yet relied on God’s power.

A King’s Covenant

  • Read 2 Samuel 5 aloud.
  • David is crowned king over all of Israel, thus ending the civil war (2 Samuel 5:1-5).
    • Like the American Reconstruction era, it takes time to repair a divided nation.
  • “we are your bone and your flesh” alludes to Genesis 2:23 → Hosea 2:16 → Ephesians 5:28-32
    • Progressive revelation is the slow reveal of God’s plan as humans advance.
  • David is great because God is with him and David relies on God (2 Samuel 5:6-12, 8:15).
    • The Jebusites try to provoke David, so then David taunts back (2 Samuel 5:6-8).
  • For as great a leader he was, David shows his weakness with women (2 Samuel 5:13-16).
  • Trusting God and his guidance, David defeats the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25).

A King’s Victory

  • Read 2 Samuel 10 aloud.
  • Once again, David wants to show the lovingkindness of God (2 Samuel 10:1-2a).
    • Nahash (Serpent → Eden Test) was kind to David in the wilderness (1 Samuel 12).
  • Hanun is threatened by bad counsel and shames David’s servants (2 Samuel 10:2b-5).
  • The Ammonites lose this fight and Hadadezer’s men surrender (2 Samuel 10:6-19).

A King’s Pride

  • Read 2 Samuel 12:26-31 aloud.
  • Joab captures Rabbah, yet David isn’t at war because of his affair (2 Samuel 12:26-31).

Why This Matters

  • David relied on God’s power and guidance to deliver him through his battles.

Power Text

  • Read Psalm 144:1-2 aloud.
  • It’s God who resolves conflict and brings victory, not us and our own efforts. 

Outro

  • Trust in God’s power to overcome the battles and struggles that you face.

Final Thoughts

My wife Glory had her baby shower right after church, so my Mom and Sister were in town for that event. It was a special service since I got to preach and they got to be there for that as well. This was a fine message that got the job done. Nothing controversial or unique that made it stand out and that’s certainly okay sometimes.

What’s often the case is that most sermons are serviceable. They’re not all hall of fame messages, but rather simple and straightforward. In the day and age of outrage, simple sermons are a great antidote. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

2 Samuel: David and Mephibosheth | 9-8-2024

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Updated: 11/11/2024

Sermon Prep

September of 2024 was our last month as just spouses and not parents. It was a fun month where we got to see our friends, Taylor and Emma, get married and go to their wedding in the mountains. Starting the journey we started back a few years ago of falling in love. That’s actually where this great photo of us comes from when one of their photographers snapped a picture of us during the ceremony prayer.

Given my time at church in leadership and work was coming to a close before my paternity leave, I began prepping these messages way ahead of time. In fact, this message I started working on in early August of this year. For one, early onset “baby brain” was taking effect where I just had a harder time thinking and staying motivated. As we were approaching the 36 week point, the reality of our daughter being born was fast approaching too so in the event she was born early I was prepared sermon-wise.

Since there was a big gap between the last 3 messages of 2024 and my sermon in June on David and Goliath, I treated it as an unofficial trilogy covering the first years of King David’s reign. Of the 3, I had the most personal interest in this one because for me it’s David at his absolute best. His most messianic if you will of what a foreshadow of Jesus looks like in a kingly figure.

I think that unbridled enthusiasm just enhanced all the extensive prep I did here. I also began adjusting my sermon format by introducing highlights to certain parts of my sermon notes. Blue is for quotes of other people, green is for Scripture sections, red is for Scripture citations, and yellow is for recurring themes.

For the sake of blogpost space, I left out the Scripture sections but the citations of what was read are still here. I’ve only just started that again, but that’s where the color shows up here. Below are the notes for this message and linked here is the sermon too.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • We all know someone that brings nothing to the table, yet we invite them anyway.

Intro

  • Explain Silence (2016) and how Kichijiro represents our relationship to Jesus.

Main Point

  • Jesus is merciful and kind, therefore he invites you to dine and reign with him.
  • David also invited someone to the table, but first here’s the historical context.

Historical Context

  • During the civil war, King Eshbaal was Israel’s 2nd king reigning for 2 years, while King David was Judah’s 1st king reigning for 7.5 years (2 Samuel 2:8-11).
    • Eshbaal (Baal exists) → Ish-bosheth (man of shame) “is an intentional scribal alteration” as noted by John Bright (i.e. Hosea 2:16).
    • Merib-Baal (Baal is advocate) → Mephibosheth (he scatters shame).
  • Abner was King Saul’s cousin, Ish-bosheth’s uncle, and their army commander.
    • Abner was assassinated by Joab as revenge for Abner killing Joab’s brother, but David didn’t know this plan. Abner was with David (2 Samuel 2:12-32, 3:8, 26-30).

Mephibosheth’s Suffering

  • Read 2 Samuel 4 aloud.
  • Baanah and Rechab as Gibeonites saw a way to impress David (2 Samuel 4:1-3).
  • Mephibosheth was crippled because of moral suffering as his nurse was fleeing from the Philistines fearing they would kill him (1 Samuel 31:1-6, 2 Samuel 4:4).
    • Types of suffering:
      • Moral suffering is humans hurting humans.
      • Natural suffering is creation hurting humans.
      • Universal suffering is the death of the body and soul.
  • They were secret, selfish, and swift to sin (2 Samuel 4:6-8). We act that way too.
  • David’s furious that they would defy God’s covenant with Saul (2 Samuel 4:9-12).

David’s Kindness

  • Read 2 Samuel 9 aloud.
  • David became king over all of Israel when Ish-bosheth died (2 Samuel 5:1-5).
  • Lo-debar means no thing, so a town in the middle of nowhere (2 Samuel 9:4-5).
    • Mephibosheth was hiding from King David because it was common for a new ruler to clean house and kill all survivors of the previous monarchy.
  • In complete humility, Mephibosheth falls on his face like a dog might “lay down” and entrusts himself to the service of King David as a slave (2 Samuel 9:6-8).
    • Saul had a tenth of Israel’s assets, so David gave back to Mephibosheth and his family what they lost from Israel’s civil war (1 Samuel 8:10-18).
  • Honoring his covenant to Jonathan, David invites Mephibosheth to his table.
    • This incredible gesture was culturally taboo and was a sign to everyone that Mephibosheth was grafted in with David’s reign (2 Samuel 9:11b-13).
  • David continued to care for Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 16:1-4, 19:24-30, 21:1-9).

Why This Matters

  • Mephibosheth goes from hiding far away in the outskirts of nowhere to now being dignified and esteemed as a regular member seated at the King’s table.
    • “We might say we find David at his best… What’s being expressed here is the covenant love of God.” – Alistair Begg

Power Text

  • Read Revelation 3:20-21 aloud.
  • Because Jesus loves you, he wants you to dine and reign with him forever.
    • “The most important thing that happens between God and the human soul is to love and to be loved.” – Kallistos Katafygiotis, The Philokalia

Outro

  • Read Luke 22:26b-30 aloud.
  • Life is about proximity with Jesus, whether you’re close to him or far away on your own.
  • Jesus invites you to a kingdom life, even when you bring nothing to the table and don’t deserve it.
  • It’s your choice: live in the middle of nowhere or take a seat at the table.

Final Thoughts

This is one of my personal favorite sermons to teach. There’s just so much I love here that speaks volumes both to the people involved and thematically as it points to what the messiah will be like when he arrives. How can you not get excited about God’s grace and his lovingkindness towards us. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

1 Samuel: David and Goliath | 6-30-2024

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Updated: 11/10/2024

Sermon Prep

In mid-June, Reunion Church lost one of its absolute favorite members: Leon Sabatini Malloy. He truly was a one-of-a-kind guy and sadly passed away from natural causes on June 21, 2024. Leon’s loss shook our community because it felt so sudden.

From my experience, Leon was the nicest and kindest guy. He loved his job as a dog sitter and the dogs loved him back even more! Leon was known among his clientele for being a sort of “dog whisperer” because dogs just absolutely adored him.

His confidence in who he was in Christ and humility made the greatest impact on those that knew him. Leon was 45 and will be missed by all who loved him here on this side of eternity. It was actually our teaching pastor Andrew who made the connection of Leon being a lot like King David.

Overlooked and under-appreciated because he was different. Incredibly godly and just absolutely in love with Jesus. Plus he wrote his own poems like David too!

With that loss in my mind prepping this sermon, I sort of pictured Leon when doing the research for this message. That bold, optimistic bravery to face down anything in life knowing God was with him. I could go on about Leon, but here’s the notes on this sermon and the recording on YouTube:

Sermon Notes

Bottom Line

  • Overcome the Eden test through faith in God.

Opening Line

  • We all face tests of faith and things that strike us to the core.

Intro

  • Mine is flying on airplanes and I need every ounce of God’s grace to make a flight.

Main Point

  • Our sins can be conquered by trusting in God’s strength through Eden tests.
  • Define the Eden test.
    • Biblical authors often used language that matches other OT passages known as hyperlinks (i.e. meme) without actually referencing the book. This can look like similar words, phrases, or themes. This was a common practice especially in the OT that any Jewish reader would understand.
    • Genesis 3 hyperlinks (i.e. memes) often present the Eden test. Focused on the serpent or its language, the curse of the serpent, mankind’s testing, the curse of man, and/or the seed being tied to woman (or ignored/left blank, being tied to serpent).
  • 1 Samuel 17:1-16 | The Eden Test
    • Philistines invaded Judah in Elah Valley, then Israel showed up (17:1-3).
    • Read 1st Samuel 17:4-10 out loud.
      • Hyperlink: Goliath representing the serpent challenges Israel.
      • Goliath was 9 ft tall with bronze, scaly armor (Ezekiel 29:1-7).
    • Saul embraces cowardice; David’s brothers join frontlines (17:11-16).
  • 1 Samuel 17:17-40 | Challenge Accepted
    • David joins frontlines and hears about the Goliath challenge (17:17-27).
    • Eliab, David’s older brother, scolds David on false pretenses (17:28-30).
    • Read Psalm 23:4-5 out loud.
    • David accepts Goliath’s challenge by faith and prepares (17:31-40).
  • 1 Samuel 17: 41-58 | Fall Goliath, Fall
    • David was 16 yrs old and likely 5’10”, so he was a ginger short king.
    • Hyperlink: Goliath falling face down (i.e. serpent eating dust in Genesis 3:14).
      • David beheads Goliath (crushing the serpent head Genesis 3:15).
    • Philistines fled and died, but David delivered Goliath’s head (17:51-58).
    • Saul failed the Eden test, yet David passed as the newly anointed king.

Why This Matters

  • This is the reversal theme we see where God does the opposite of what is expected in these first-shall-be-last moments for the kingdom of God.
    • David the short, young, and inexperienced man stood up to the accuser.
    • Saul the tallest, most equipped, and experienced man was a coward.

Power Text

  • In God’s kingdom, it’s not about having the right ability but rather the right attitude.
  • Only by humbly trusting in God’s ability and strength can your sin be conquered. 

Moving To Application

  • Just like David had the right attitude and not the right ability, so too we need to change our attitude knowing that God will win the day for us.

Final Thoughts

Like Leon, David is quite literally a larger-than-life figure in history. The story of David and Goliath has also been told so many times that it felt redundant for me just to teach on it in general. I had a hard time cracking the code on what God was telling us in our modern day about this part of the Bible.

I think I did okay, but I just lacked enthusiasm given the incredible familiarity with David and Goliath. For me, David is much more interesting in his latter years as king then in the early days before he was on the throne. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Habakkuk: Choose Trust | 6-2-2024

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Updated: 11/8/2024

Sermon Prep

Life was so exciting in early June. My wife Glory was over 20 weeks pregnant with our daughter. I was flourishing at my new job I got back in December. Reunion Church was growing deeper roots via discipleship and fellowship with one another. It was a good time for us.

As one might expect when teaching through a book on wrestling and embracing lament, our congregation was ready to move onto our next series. It was going to be a character study on the life of King David, so pretty much everyone was excited about what was next. With that in mind, it was put on me to wrap up our series in Habakkuk so that we could move onto the new series.

But there was a lot of ground to cover and I wasn’t planning on combining what we at first planned to be 2 separate sermons in one. That being Habakkuk 2:2-20 and Habakkuk 3:1-19 respectively. Not the craziest amount of text to cover, but not the original plan during my prep either.

Then again, to teach requires one to be flexible like bamboo and not like glass. Most of the time, I’m as flexible as a pane of glass. Regardless, here’s the notes:

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Do you trust me? Well, I don’t trust you.
    • I trust you with most things, yet not everything.

Intro

  • Andrew’s marriage and parenting advice vs his driving and movie taste.

Transition To Main Point

  • Likewise, we choose when we trust God too.

Main Point

  • God loves this world more than you do and knows what’s best for you, so choose to trust him.
  • Habakkuk 2:2-20 | God’s Response
    • Distrust leads to disorder.
      • Read Romans 1:16-25.
    • “God uses evil people to judge evil people.” – Clay Jones
      • See Genesis 50:20.
    • Every nation tailer-makes a god for itself.
      • Read Jeremiah 10:8-10.
  • Habakkuk 3:1-19 | Habakkuk’s Psalm
    • Shigionoth = a highly emotional poetic form.
    • After choosing to trust God, he sings a vow of praise.
    • “Even though I don’t know where God is, God knows where I am.” – Timothy Keller

Why This Matters

  • A promise is the assurance that someone will do something or that something will happen.
  • God promises to bring justice, defeat sin, and rescue the oppressed.

Power Text

  • Some of you don’t believe what I just said.
    • Your lament isn’t there yet and that’s ok.
  • Remember, lament is a prayer of pain that leads to trust. A spiritual journey can’t be rushed.
  • Stages of Lament:
    • Turn to God.
    • Brings complaints.
    • Ask boldly.
    • Choose trust.
    • Vow of praise.
  • Lament is dangerous because it tests all things.
  • Then again, a life guided by grace isn’t safe.
  • As C. S. Lewis puts it, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the king.”

Final Thoughts

This was a solid message and a good end to this short series. Even though I’m not the teaching pastor, but an associate pastor I will occasionally for one reason or another teach the majority of a series. This was one of those cases along with our 2023 series through Luke.

Life just happens and the teaching schedule we have internally will reflect that too. Didn’t bother me though since I thought this one turned out quite well. Also, fun fact: this was my last hand-written sermon before moving to digital. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Habakkuk: Authentic Prayer | 5-12-2024

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Updated: 11/8/2024

Sermon Prep

I don’t know how it happens, but I have repeatedly taught sermons on Mother’s Day throughout the years and this was one of those times. It’s sort of an odd coincidence, but I think its God’s timing in that my messages on those days feel sharper and standout more than the others. To commemorate my wife Glory’s first Mother’s Day, the Friday before this sermon her and I went to the mountains to have a day in God’s creation.

Anyways, this was a powerful message to prep. In our church, multiple marriages were on the rocks and for a church of roughly 60 people that’s a lot to deal with as a community. Glory and i had our miscarriage scare. Around this time, a couple in our church lost both of their moms within the same week. It was a rocky road we walked together as a team.

In light of the sensitivity of the season, I prepped this message. Knowing some but not all of the struggles of the church. Balancing wisdom and wit to deliver a message faithful to God’s word about human heartbreak and heartache.

I think the Holy Spirit gently guided me as I wrote this sermon as I cried throughout most of the prep. It was a hard message to deliver given all of the somber circumstances. I could go on about the heaviness going on, but words wouldn’t be enough. Here’s the notes for this message and the recording too:

Sermon Notes

  • Opening Line
    • Have you ever been in an argument and said something you didn’t expect?
      • It’s surprising to blurt out how we truly feel and think about someone.

Intro

  • Have you ever heard someone pray something you didn’t expect to hear?
    • Mom’s friend lamenting stillborn children.

Transition To Main Point

  • As Andrew put it, “lament is a prayer of pain that leads to trust.”

Main Point

  • Maturity in our relationship with Jesus is defined by authentic prayer during tough times.
  • Habakkuk 1:1-4 | Habakkuk’s Complaint
    • Complaining to God about Judah the southern kingdom and its evils.
    • Questioning God’s character.
      • Is God good or loving?
      • Does God know better?
      • Is God strong enough?
      • Where is God?
    • Habakkuk feels forced to see grossly evil and immoral behavior.
    • The law is unable to act or move because justice is corrupt.
  • Authentic prayer is the act of openly sharing everything in our hearts with Jesus.
    • Trusting him with the highs and lows.

Why This Matters

  • We can’t let our pain define our perspective. That’s bitterness.
  • We also can’t hide from or suppress our pain. That’s blindness.

Power Text

  • Read 1 Peter 5:6-7 (Individual Lament).
    • Authentically pray knowing God cares for you.
  • Read Romans 12:15 (Collective Lament).
    • Obey God and share in the suffering of others.
  • Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 (Universal Lament).
    • In whatever season, have authentic prayer.

Final Thoughts

There’s 2 types of sermons: one that preaches and one that teaches. A message that preaches appeals to the heart and is passionate, while a message that teaches appeals to the mind and is profound. This is one of my greatest preaching messages. I couldn’t help but preach from the heart and the Holy Spirit empowered me on the day to do so.

In fact, this was one of my shortest messages as far as notes go. I truly didn’t write down all that much but the message was all the better for it. Less is more and that truth is quite evident with this sermon. Honored and proud to have had the opportunity to share this message. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.