Sound Words » Podcasts

The Secret of the Unstoppable Kingdom

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:33:35 +0000

What is the secret to the success of God’s kingdom? You might think of miraculous events or heroic acts by talented individuals. In I Samuel 10, we find that God normally works through common, everyday events to accomplish his amazing purposes. Christians face the temptation of pitying themselves for the boring lives they lead, [...]

Barrack Obama is My Prayer Partner and Why He Should Be Yours Too

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:27:25 +0000

Do you find it difficult to pray for your president? Perhaps you feel that he opposes all the values you hold close. In I Timothy 2 we find that prayer is not just for the people we like. Paul tells Christians to pray for the Emperor of Rome, the same man who would take delight [...]

Barrack Obama is My Prayer Partner and Why He Should Be Yours Too

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:27:11 +0000

Do you find it difficult to pray for your president? Perhaps you feel that he opposes allthe values you hold close. In ITimothy 2 we find that prayer is not just for the people we like. Paul tells Christians to pray for theEmperor of Rome, the same man who would take delight in the execution [...]

Barrack Obama is My Prayer Partner and Why He Should Be Yours Too

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:27:03 +0000

Do you find it difficult to pray for your president? Perhaps you feel that he opposes allthe values you hold close. In ITimothy 2 we find that prayer is not just for the people we like. Paul tells Christians to pray for theEmperor of Rome, the same man who would take delight in the execution [...]

Be Careful with that Sword in the Voting Booth

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:56:21 +0000

Are you cynical of the government? Do you ever think that things would be better with no government at all? In Romans 13, the apostle Paul is writing to people who had more reasons than comfortable Americans to dislike the government. Yet Paul says something shocking. To refuse to submit to [...]

Our Macedonian Call? The Economy, Wall Street, Main Street, and The Kingdom of Christ

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:35:47 +0000

How will the current economic crisis in America affect your tithes and offerings? Will you give to world missions if you find yourself in extreme poverty? The ‘dirt poor’ Macedonians in 2 Corinthians 8 call us to give more in the face of a chaotic stock market and fear of what may happen to our [...]

When the Cows Come Marching In

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:01:53 +0000

Real power is unsettling. Seeing the sovereign authority of God should always produce godly fear. However, the Philistines failed to learn this lesson. After experiencing the judgment of God, instead of turning from their idolatry, they simply sent the ark of the covenant back to Israel and went back to worshiping a defeated Dagon. But [...]

Less Straw and the Promises of Christ

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:55:44 +0000

If you live long enough, you will know suffering. Sometimes men do evil things that wound us. Perhaps you know a friend who has been persecuted unjustly. How do you react to oppression in your life? The answer has everything to do with who you serve. The Bible tells the story of a God who [...]

Rope Burn: Suffering and The World Mission for those who Stay

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:29:37 +0000

Are the people who leave the comforts of home and family the only ones who suffer for the sake of The World Mission? What about those who stay? What about Andrew Fuller? A theologian who was willing to call men and women to repentance in a day when it was theologically uncouth. A pastor [...]

The Gospel According to the Philistines: Putting Humpty-Dumpty Back Together Again

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:42:55 +0000

Do you serve a Humpty-Dumpty divinity? The Scripture tells the story of the God who is sovereign over all things. He is not safe. He cannot be used like a magic charm or a cosmic atm. And men do nothing to add to his glory. In I Samuel 5, the Israelites and Philistines have been serving [...]

The Most Expensive Meal in the World

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:24:41 +0000

Would you give up your life for a meal? Have you found yourself in a situation where you want nothing more than to fulfill your sinful appetites? In Genesis 25, we find that God has an inheritance in store for his children. It outweighs any short term pleasure that we can get for ourselves. In [...]

Betrayal with Clean Feet: The Gospel in the Real World

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:18:45 +0000

Judas. This name provokes thoughts of betrayal, disgust, and despair. This man turned the savior of the world over to be killed. He appeared to be a faithful servant. Yet he abandoned the faith. Judas’ betrayal shocked all of the disciples. But it didn’t shock Jesus. Jesus serves Judas even when he knows that he [...]

Sovereign Service: Love to the Uttermost

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:01:24 +0000

What does humility before a Sovereign God look like? Perhaps we should work our hardest to serve him. After all, he deserves it. If God is so holy, and I am so sinful, then I had better get to work in order to please him. In John 13:1-11, we find that what we call humble service sometimes looks more [...]

The End Times at the Orphanage: Eternity, Tomorrow, and Adoption

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:54:56 +0000

What does it mean to be a child of God? It at least means that you will not face the wrath of God. But the gospel offers a much richer promise to those who believe on Christ. The Father of glory makes sinners part of his family through Christ. God makes spiritual orphans into true sons. God does not simply [...]

Sovereignly Planned Parenthood: Adoption and the Gospel

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:21:17 +0000

In Ephesians 1, Paul talks about the plan of a sovereign God to save sinners. And the most scandalizing thing about God’s plan might surprise you. Even though he did not have to save sinners, God adopted sinners into his family. And even though we might be from every kind of background, we may now call God [...]

The Unknown God Loves Me! This I Know for the World Tells Me So: Why God Does Not Come in Generic Acts 17:22-34

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:06:11 +0000

If you were given the task of convincing the intellectual elite of our society that Christianity contains the most compelling message in this world, what would you say? How would you prepare for that mission? You might read books on philosophy, familiarizing yourself with the arguments against God. You may work to construct your own argument, [...]

Who is the Real Father? Adoption and Sonship

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:47:23 +0000

Who is the real father? How much did they cost? Did you just go pick them out? Have you ever asked parents who have adopted any of these questions or at least thought about asking them? Why do we respond to adoption so awkwardly? Fumbling around not quite knowing what to say or to ask. Is it [...]

Motherhood and Children in the Land of Pharoah

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:44:02 +0000

We live in a generation of professing believers who have embraced a little Pharaoh Theology. God said “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28; 9:1) and “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward . . . Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Psalm 127:3, [...]

Magic 8-Ball Theology and a Boy Named Ichabod 1 Samuel 4

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:14:32 +0000

You’re in the supermarket and a little girl asks her mom for a sucker. “No.” The girl proceeds to entreat her mom with promises of obedience and arguments about the joy of candy. Finally, she wins the day with a pouty lip and a feeble “please.” We have no problem spotting manipulation when [...]

Vacation Bible School, The Love of God, Eternity, and You John 3:16-18

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:24:28 +0000

For God so loved the world… Does that statement make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck? Or do you associate John 3:16 with kindergarten Sunday School classes and signs at the Super Bowl? Often we think of this verse as a sentimentalized slogan for Christianity. In this sermon, Pastor David contends [...]

Why You May Already be Left Behind: Revolution and the Return of the King Mark 13:28-36

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:31:24 +0000

Is the end of the world near? Can you look at the newspaper headlines and discover when Jesus will return? In Mark 13:28-36, Jesus warns his disciples not to use wars and earthquakes as barometers for calculating the day of his coming. Christ tells us to view all upheaval in the world as a sign [...]

“This was the Lord’s doing?” Revolution by Death Mark 12:1-2

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:47:13 +0000

What drove men to crucify God’s own Son? What caused the anger, the resentment, and the plotting against God’s King? You must be thinking of some earth-shattering reason. No one scowled at Jesus on the cross and accused him of making them feel too comfortable. But don’t we make Jesus out to be a comfortable [...]

War in the Kingdom of Christ: What Every Revolutionary Must Fight Mark 9:43-50

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:28:49 +0000

Do you manage your sin well? Perhaps you envy what others have, but you keep those feelings out of plain sight. Maybe you struggle with lust, but you never tell crude jokes at work. In Mark 9:43-50, Jesus challenges us to view the fight against sin as a deadly battle, not a harmless flirtation. In [...]

The Silence of God and the Words of God 1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:01:30 +0000

What if no one ever spoke to you? How would that affect the relationships that you have? Would your marriage and friendships suffer? We need words to function in relationships. In this sermon, Pastor David encourages us that the sovereign God of the universe has not remained silent. In fact, even the judgment of God [...]

The Mystery and Magnitude of the Kingdom of Christ: What Every Revolutionary Must Know Mark 4:26-34

ryan@soundwordsministries.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:00:07 +0000

When you hear someone mention the Kingdom of God, you might think about something powerful, majestic and overwhelming. It must be something huge that arrests the attention of this world. Our first instinct is not to point to a farmer throwing some seed on the ground, going to bed, and getting up morning [...]