Sermon Overview:In Psalm 57, we see David still in his desolate and isolating situation. Though this is one of the darkest moments in David’s life, CJ showcases how David uses his best theology to find hope and joy in the midst of his trial. The psalm begins with David’s prayer for deliverance that is coupled with confidence that God will deliver him and fulfill his purposes for David’s life. The ...  Read More

“It sounds like the beating of David’s heart! Or maybe, in his imagination, the steadily approaching footsteps of his pursuers.” -Alec Motyer“It describes an enduring quality of God, his tenacious commitment to his people even in the face of their lack of commitment to him. The psalmist believes in a God who has reached out for him and will never let go. Therein lies his hope.” -Robert Davidson“Th...  Read More

“David’s pathway-and the privilege of possessing his autobiographical psalms-ought to alert us to the foundational truth that ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord’ (Isa. 55:8). How I wish that we might learn this lesson-for every unexpected, unwanted, even seemingly meaningless, hurtful and destructive experience that takes us by surprise come under ...  Read More

Sermon Overview:David faced one of his lowest times in Psalm 142. The psalm describes David’s plea, David’s plight, David’s portion, and David’s prospect. Despite adversaries and suffering, David knows that God cares for him. This gives him hope that he will never be truly alone. As part of the people of God, we too are never truly alone since we have both Christ’s church and Christ’s steadfast lo...  Read More

Sermon Overview:In this passage, Paul wants the church in Corinth to learn to love and be zealous for other churches. He desires churches to be united in gospel-partnership. Paul points to the example of the Macedonian church who gave with sacrificial joy and then Paul shows that Christ is sustaining motivation for partnership in advancing the gospel.Discussion Questions: 1. Jared pointed out that...  Read More

“Westerners (particularly North Americans) have a cultural bias toward promoting overindependency on the part of the churches they establish. Even when their churches actually belong to a larger fellowship of churches, the likelihood of those churches assuming an active role in the larger fellowship is not always great.” David Hesselgrave“Paul’s words stand as a rebuke to the Corinthians’ myopic i...  Read More