Audio: Discernment and the Church
December 5th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
"Torn Drawing," Leon Polk Smith, 1961, Museum of Modern Art
If we want to discern what to do about truth, we should take care not to rip ourselves away from other believers. In this sermon, we study Paul’s teaching (Colossians 3.1-17) about how we grow spiritually by putting on the healing virtues that unify the body of Christ.
Audio: Whether To Submit To a Teacher
November 24th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"The Student," Julius Bloch, 1942, Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of the most difficult decisions today is whether to trust a pastor or spiritual leader. This sermon studies how Paul described pastoral ministry in Colossians, draws out some marks of a godly pastor-elder, and gives a hard-hitting defense of pastoral authority against an ethos that has rejected it.
Audio: Deciding What To Do About Truth
November 24th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"Georgia O'Keefe--Hands," Alfred Stieglitz, 1919, Museum of Modern Art
Decisions of conscience can be a source of anxiety. So in the series Discernment: The Forgotten Art we now turn to the question of how to decide what to do about truth. As a way of framing this kind of decision, this sermon introduces ten categories of relationships described in the Bible. If we can understand how God has ordered our relationships, we can also decide what to do in matters of conscience.
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist–Grace
November 10th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"Untitled," Jackson Pollock, 1951, Museum of Modern Art
The contrast between God’s grace and his law is black and white. But that’s not to say it’s always simple. The last test in our discernment checklist is whether a teaching keeps the categories of law and grace straight.
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist– The Kingdom
November 3rd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"Bugle in C," Thomas Key, 1811, Metropolitan Museum
In this sermon we study the 5th of 6 tests for discerning truth and falsehood, the Kingdom of Christ. Does a teaching direct your loyalty to Christ’s kingdom, or to the world? What call of loyalty do you answer?
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist–Idols v. God
November 3rd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
In this sermon we study the 4th of 6 tests for discerning truth from falsehood. Does a teaching direct our service to the living God, or to idols? We look closely at Paul’s confrontation of idolatry in Colossians 2.
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist–The Future
October 20th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"Untitled," Lee Bontecou, 1961, Museum of Modern Art
The future often appears dark. In this sermon, we study the third test in the discernment checklist, our hope. We see how Paul makes hope a primary issue in his argument against gnostic heresy, and how both our sanctification and our decision-making must be grounded in “the hope laid up in heaven.”
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist–Christ
October 13th, 2010 § 2 Comments
by Matthew Raley
"Head III (Christ)," Christian Rohlfs, 1921, Museum of Modern Art
The next test that I use to discern truth from falsehood is Christ himself. A blurred or distorted picture of Christ will not help. We must use the sharp, clear picture of Christ in the Scriptures. In this sermon, we study Colossians 1.15-20 and examine how Paul applies that picture of Christ to believers.
Audio: The 6-Point Checklist–Scripture
October 12th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"In the Laboratory," Henry Alexander, 1885-87, Metropolitan Museum
To recover the art of discernment, we need a checklist of tests to use. I have six tests that help me distinguish between truth and falsehood, the first being Scripture. In this sermon we study how Paul directed Scripture to be used in Colossae.
Audio for “Discernment: The Forgotten Art”
September 30th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
by Matthew Raley
"Outerborough," Bill Morrison, 2005, Museum of Modern Art
Here are the mp3s for the first three sermons in my new series from Colossians, a study of how Paul taught believers to distinguish between truth and falsehood. I throw in a fourth mp3 on the Black Robe Regiment absolutely free!
