Dwell in the Word: Psalm 2
As we come to Psalm 2 today, it's important that we remember Psalm 1, this idea of the blessed one. We understood that the blessed one spoken of there is ultimately pointing us to Jesus, and he unlocks the Psalms for us. We can see that not only in Psalm one, we see that theme continuing here as we come to Psalm two. This Psalm starts out with a question, and it's a great question.
Why do the nation's rage in the people's plot in vain? In other words, why would the people set themselves up against God, against the blessed one, against the Messiah. Why would they go against Him? Why would people go up against God?
The Blessed Life Rooted in Christ | Psalm 1 | Dwell in the Word
We come to Psalm 1 today and begin our journey through the psalter, and we see this description of the blessed man, the one who walks not in the council of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners and doesn't sit in the seat of scoffers. As we look at this and if we stopped at that first verse, our idea here would be that this blessed man is blessed because of what he avoids. Yes, that is absolutely true. We want to avoid the wicked and sinners, and we want to make sure that we are not those who scoff. But at the same time, there is an active element to this. The one who is blessed delights in the law of the Lord.
Wonders & Signs | Acts 2:1–21 | The Spirit for All Nations
On Pentecost, the church was born—but not through chaos. Acts 2 records the rushing wind, the tongues of fire, and the miracle of languages, but the heart of the event is found in Peter's sermon: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
In this sermon, Pastor Mark Groen takes us through Acts 2:1–21, showing how Pentecost is the fulfillment of Old Testament promises, the reversal of Babel, and the launch of God’s global mission. The signs at Pentecost weren't meant to be repeated—they were meant to validate the gospel. The real wonder is the Spirit-empowered proclamation of salvation by grace, now made available to people of every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Triumph | Acts 1:1–11 | Christ Ascended and Reigning
It's good when we arrive at a destination, isn't it? It's good to finally get where we're going. We're glad that we end up safely where we intend to be. Now, we don't dwell on a safe arrival with every arrival that we do because it's not that often that we travel in significant ways. I don't rejoice every time I have a safe journey to the post office or the grocery store. I don't get out of the car and go, I'm safe. I don't call my mom and say, I made it. I don't do that when I walk the some 350 odd steps over here to work every day. It's not a big deal. But when it's a long journey, it's a different story. First, there is that sense that you are done with the trip. That's the part of the arrival that we perhaps like the most. No worrying about whether or not there's a stop to our spot to stop to get food or do other things that you have to do on a trip.
May 14 Sermon: When You Pray
We believe in the power of prayer, don't we? We know that God hears us when we pray. We acknowledge this great truth. We have a confidence that because of the work of Jesus on our behalf, we know that he is interceding for us right now at the Father's right-hand. We hear the words of Scripture and we are convicted that all this stuff about prayer is in fact true, such as the prayer of a righteous person has great power. We see this as we look at James 5 16. This is a great truth. We believe this to be true. We even understand that even when we don't have the words to say, we know the scriptural truth that the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. We see this truth about prayer in Scripture. We know this, we understand this, we have a conviction about this. And yet, I'm guessing that many of you are like me.
Held By God
A while back, I needed to make two visits in Sioux Falls. One visit was to someone in the hospital in the morning and another visit to pray with someone before surgery. There was about a three hour window of time that I needed to fill. I went to a coffee shop, got a little caffeine, and did a little work on my tablet. Before I went to do the afternoon visit I decided to go to the mall to see if I could find a good price on some clothes that I was in need of. I parked near the food court entrance and spent roughly 30 minutes looking for a dress clothes. On the way out I was observing how little activity there was at the mall compared to times past. The handful of cars in the parking lot reflected how few people were moving around the interior of the mall. The activity in the mall was nothing like I knew when I was younger, even on a slow day.
Our Living Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. - 1 Peter 1:3-5
What is Maundy Thursday?
Most of us have heard of Maundy Thursday. You likely know what it is, but I’m guessing that you have wondered what the word “Maundy” means.
God Has Spoken in His Son
Back in 2018 I decided that I was going to try a new approach to studying the Bible. I was going to pick a shorter book in the New Testament and read it every weekday from beginning to end. I would then read a chapter from a commentary that I have in my library. I have always enjoyed the book of Hebrews and it can be read in about 20 minutes and so, I decided that this would be a good book to start with.
Growing Spiritual Fruit
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10
Contentment | Exodus 20:17 | The Cure for a Restless Heart
In a world that constantly tells us we need more to be satisfied, God's Word calls us to something better: contentment. In this sermon on the Tenth Commandment, we explore the heart of coveting, the deep dissatisfaction that often takes root unnoticed, and the joy that comes from trusting in God's provision. Discover how contentment leads us to a life of holiness and reflects the heart of the God who satisfies every need.
Speaking the Truth | Exodus 20:16 Living as Reflections of God's Character
We live in a world where falsehood seems rampant and truth is often questioned. In this sermon on the Ninth Commandment from Exodus 20:16, Pastor Mark Groen explores how speaking the truth is deeply rooted in the very character of God. Discover why truth matters not just for personal integrity, but for glorifying God in a world of deception. Learn how living as people of truth reflects the nature of the One who saved us.
God Provides | Exodus 20:15 | Contentment That Frees the Heart
What does it truly mean to obey "You shall not steal"? In this sermon on Exodus 20:15, Pastor Mark Groen unpacks the Eighth Commandment, showing how theft is not only an outward action but a heart issue rooted in discontentment and distrust of God's provision. From obvious sins like robbery to subtle ones like manipulation and envy, we are challenged to pursue godliness with contentment and to live generous and honest lives that glorify Christ.
Join us in reflecting on how God's abundant provision in Christ calls us to trust, to be content, and to seek heavenly treasures above earthly possessions.
God is Pure: Exodus 20:14 | Guarding the Covenant of Marriage
This sermon on the Seventh Commandment challenges us to think beyond physical adultery and consider purity of heart. Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount confront us with the depth of our need for grace while calling us to glorify God with our bodies. Pastor Mark unpacks how lust is not just a private sin—it damages our relationship with God, others, and even our own sense of identity.
God is Life: Exodus 20:13 | Honoring Life in Heart and Action
In this message on Exodus 20:13, Pastor Mark reveals how the sixth commandment extends beyond physical acts to the hidden anger and resentment in our hearts. Grounded in Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, this sermon calls us to honor the image of God in others and to live lives marked by love, prayer, and gospel grace.
A Sacrificial Love
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. - Ephesians 5:25
The idea of love is always in front of us. Stop and think about how love is the primary theme in a lot of the content that we absorb in the popular culture. I am not aware of much popular music but I come across enough of it to know that the majority of songs talk about love. Most of the time television shows focus on some sort of romantic element. It is no wonder that Valentine's Day is such a big holiday. Romance is presented as the ideal and if you don't have this, well, then you better find it.
Honor: Exodus 20:1-12 | Authority, Obedience, and the Glory of God
We often think of the fifth commandment—“Honor your father and your mother”—as one meant for children. But in this sermon from Exodus 20:12, Pastor Mark shows us that this command reaches further and deeper than we may realize. It’s not just for kids, and it’s not just about our behavior—it’s about the posture of our hearts.
This commandment bridges our duty to God with our duty to others. In a culture that often disregards respect and elevates self over all, we are reminded that honoring authority—whether parents, elders, employers, or civic leaders—is a reflection of our submission to God’s ultimate authority. And as always, the law points us to our need for grace. Every one of us has failed to honor others perfectly, but Christ has perfectly obeyed and poured out mercy on those who trust in Him.
Dwell in the Word: Isaiah 46:1-13
Honestly, passages like this are some of my absolute favorite in all of scripture. I love it when God skewers idolatry. There's always a lot of fun language, isn't there? This imagery that here, your gods, the things that you are worshiping are traveling on beasts of burden. They are being carried. They're not sustaining anything. They haven't created anything. You created them. They can't even save the beasts of burden or the burden. In fact, if you were to go into captivity, if you were captured, they would go with you. And so what does God say? We see this here, as I've highlighted in verses three and four. Listen to me, O House of Jacob and all the remnants of the House of Israel who have been born by me from before your birth, carried from the womb. Even to your old age, I am he. And to gray hairs, I will carry you. I have made and I will bear. I will carry and I will save. Notice the difference here. The Gods are being carried by these beasts, by these beasts of burden, but instead God is carrying His people. And He goes all the way to the beginning.
Dwell in the Word: 45:14-25
Well, we see throughout the Book of Isaiah that it is that God has spoken to the people of Israel. God has revealed Himself to them, and He has caused them to hear. He is doing this, and so they know who He is. Later on, down in this passage, after this acknowledgment of this God who did all this creating work, the God who made everything. Remember, as we've been seeing, as we've been through the Ten Commandments, there's this important idea between the gods of the nations and the God of Israel. The God of Israel is other. He is separate from the creation. He is not like the creation. There is a creator creation distinction, important to understand. They don't have this with the pagan gods that they go running after. And here we see that the real difference is that God speaks and He causes His people to listen. We see this in verse 19. I did not speak in secret in a land of darkness. I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain. ' He didn't say, Hey, come find me if you can. God spoke with a purpose to His people.
When We Worship: Exodus 20:1-11 | Resting in the Work of Christ
In a culture driven by productivity and performance, the fourth commandment stands out as both a command and a gift. In this sermon from Exodus 20:8–11, Pastor Mark reflects on God’s call to Sabbath rest and how that rest finds its ultimate fulfillment in the finished work of Christ. The Sabbath is not merely a break from work—it is a day to worship, a day to rejoice in what God has done, and a weekly reminder that we are not defined by what we do, but by what has been done for us.
This message explores the shift from the seventh-day rest in the old covenant to the Lord’s Day in the new, where we begin our week resting in Christ's resurrection and then go forth to serve. Rather than working toward rest, Christians now work from rest—trusting in God’s providence, celebrating His grace, and finding true peace in His presence.