Pastor Taylor Shippy's Sermons Taylor Shippy

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Exodus 20:1-3; Mark 10:17-27



John Wesley once said, “Whatever is loved, feared, delighted in, or depended on more than God that we make a god of.” Today, as we examine the first 'saying' of God from Mt. Sinai, the first of the 'Big Ten,' we meditate on having no other gods but God and the potential for us to create other gods either besides Him, before Him, beside Him, or against Him.

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Hosea 2:2-20; Ephesians 5:21-32



Last week we began our summer-long conversation through the Ten Commandments. Some of the most iconic, most recognizable, and perhaps, for some, the most venerated verses in the entire Bible. But also, we began talking about last week, some of the most misunderstood…



This week we are continuing that conversation, picking up where we left off, trying to discern what do we call the ten things God says to the people of Israel because the Bible never calls them 'commandments.' Why do we call them the ten ‘commandments’ when the Bible never does? Does that influence or sway our understanding of their role or function in our lives?

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Exodus 19:1-8, 16-19; 20:1-21; Matt 5:17-20



This morning we are beginning our new summer sermon series entitled - "The Big Ten: A Survey of the Ten Commandments" - where we are going to strive to figure out the function of the Ten Commandments in our walks with God. To discern, with God’s help, what is the role and purpose of God's Law not simply for ancient Israel but also for us, as His people, now 2000 years later. 



We begin with discussing the Ten Commandments, or better yet the Ten 'Words,' as a whole, unpacking that they did not appear in a vacuum; rather, they are presented to us in a narrative. How does this story inform how we are to understand their function? Perhaps we are to read and interpret the Ten Commandments in light of the story?

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Genesis 2:4-8; John 20:19-23





Today is ‘Pentecost Sunday.' ‘Pentecost’ is a transliteration of the Greek word pentēkostē (πεντηκοστή) which simply means ‘fiftieth.’ For Christians is the fiftieth day after Easter when remember the Holy Spirit descending upon the followers of Jesus after His Ascension.

The tricky part is, if you’re reading the New Testament, there isn’t one Pentecost but two. Luke tells us one (cf. Acts 2:1-41) and so does John (cf. John 20:19-23). One is a loud and large worship service; the other is a small and quiet prayer meeting. And we need to both.

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Acts 1:3-9; Hebrews 4:14-16



For many of us, when we retell the story of Jesus, we’re really good at talking about when He was born. We’re eager to share about the Cross. And we're pretty good at talking about the resurrection. But we almost never talk about the Ascension, and perhaps that’s why we forget and forfeit what our risen Lord is doing right now out of love for us…  Among many things the risen Lord is doing is interceding and mediating as our Great High Priest in the heavenly places. On this Ascension Sunday, let's remember, celebrate, and proclaim what Jesus is doing right now out of love for us!

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Acts 16:16-34



While ‘a magician may never reveal his secrets’... A preacher does. It dawned on me this week that this whole episode wasn’t an escape; it was a rescue. A rescue of not only this single jailer but also his entire family. Not to mention the slave girl from earlier that afternoon. And how about us?