Pastor at Dover Baptist Church in Goochland, VA.
Introduction In Luke 4, Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, not just as the carpenter’s son, but as the Spirit-filled messenger of God’s Kingdom. He stood in the synagogue where he had worshipped as a boy. He read from Isaiah 61. Then he said something surprising: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your... Continue Reading →
I. THE STRUCTURE: A THEOLOGICAL DIPTYCH John 2:14–22 presents two scenes that together unveil a deeper truth about Jesus’ identity and mission. In verses 14–17, Jesus storms the temple courts. He makes a whip, drives out livestock, scatters coins, and flips tables. “Take these things away,” He commands. “Do not make my Father’s house a... Continue Reading →
Welcome: Tonight, as we gather in the shadow of the cross, I want to invite you not to rush past it. There is a temptation to become so familiar with an image that it loses its power, but I want to invite you not to sanitize or sterilize the cross. As we hear the cross... Continue Reading →
I. Jesus’ Growth in Nazareth (Luke 2:39–40) There is a kind of mystery in the years that pass between Jesus' infancy and His public ministry. The Gospels give us snapshots of His birth, then again when He’s twelve, and then the curtain lifts in full in His thirties. We might be tempted to call those... Continue Reading →
The Arrival of the Magi and the Revelation of the True King (Matthew 2:1-12) This account begins “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king” (Matthew 2:1). As we saw two weeks ago when we examined the Christmas story, the Prophet Micah foretold that this is where Messiah... Continue Reading →
Two Genealogies It’s easy to gloss over the long genealogies in the Bible, thinking they are just lists of names. However, these passages have a deeper meaning. These names are a reminder that God’s plan for salvation was set in motion long before Christ’s arrival (Luke 24:44-46). When we read of figures like Abraham, Boaz,... Continue Reading →
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