The process of justification

A sermon by Rod Benson Romans 5:12-21 As a small child, I read several kinds of books. There were picture books with very few words, like Beatrix Potterโ€™s Peter Rabbit. There were wordy books with few pictures, like A.A. Milneโ€™s When We were Very Young. There were story books with lots of words, but with …

The benefits of justification

Bartolomรฉ Esteban Murillo, "The Conversion of Saint Paul"ย oil on canvas, c.1675-1680. A sermon by Rod Benson Romans 5:1-11 God planned it. Abraham experienced it. David worshipped in the light of it. Jesus paid for it. The Holy Spirit applies it to us. And we enjoy its unique benefits. Iโ€™m talking about justification, the big word …

The richness of God’s grace

Augustus Toplady (1740-1778), author of the classic hymn, "Rock of Ages." A sermon by Rod Benson Five hundred years ago โ€“ 500 years last Tuesday, to be precise โ€“ the Protestant Reformation began, and the world was changed. Baptists rightly praise the great Reformers, such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli and others, for …

The wideness of God’s mercy

A sermon by Rod Benson Grace and mercy are well known characteristics of God. They are distinctive characteristics of the God who is revealed in the Bible, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is one of the ways in which God demonstrates his amazing love. When we talk about the grace …

The power of repentance

A sermon by Rod Benson Jonah 3:1-10 No sooner have Jonahโ€™s wrinkled, fishy hands gripped the coarse sand of a Jewish beach, than he hears the now familiar voice of God once more. It is the same message, the same words โ€“ a message previously disregarded, presenting a challenge previously disobeyed: โ€œGo to the great …