A while back, my pastor Colin Smith of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, preached a sermon on Proverbs 4:23 (ESV): “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” I commend listening to the whole sermon (courtesy of Unlocking the Bible) and also commend reading a great sermon illustration he used […]
Sermon Illustration
Eaten by Cannibals—Used Mightily by God: The Story of Ludwig Nommensen
In the 1830s, two American Baptist missionaries set out to minister in a part of Indonesia known as Batak, on the island of Sumatra. The Batak people were known for being savage cannibals. The two American missionaries studied the people and language before beginning their preaching ministry to the Batak people. In 1834, shortly after sending […]
What does it mean that Faith is Counted as Righteousness (Romans 4:3)?
In Brothers, We are Not Professionals, John Piper shares a helpful chapter on the centrality of the doctrine of justification by faith. In that chapter, Piper clarifies what the words of Paul in Romans when he says that, “faith is counted as righteousness.” Here is the author’s summary of his argument: “When Paul says in […]
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Taking Off the Whole Armor of God
The Christian has put on the whole armor of God, he is filled with the strength and the power, and he has fought the battle in the evil day. Then having done all, he is tempted to take off his armor. “I have gained the victory,” he says, “all is well.” Then, taking off his […]
A Surprising Motivation to Practice the Spiritual Disciplines
Imagine six-year-old Kevin, whose parents have enrolled him in music lessons. After school every afternoon, he sits in the living room and reluctantly strums “Home on the Range” while watching his buddies play baseball in the park across the street. That’s discipline without direction. It’s drudgery. Now suppose Kevin is visited by an angel one […]