Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Austin

Does God's justification of sinners make any practical difference to daily life? Is it simply a doctrine to be believed or is it a doctrine that makes a difference—both to our status and in our experience of God? This week, we turn to the first half of Romans 5 and see the difference justification makes. In some of the most joy-filled verses of Paul's letter, he lays out several ways that justification matters in the life of a Christian today, demonstrating that sound doctrine makes a difference in real life.

This week we continue our series in the book of Romans and examine Paul's discussion of Abraham's faith. For any group, the values of our forebears informs our collective identity. Paul targets Abraham's faith (Gen. 15:6), as the example of justification, to remind the church at Rome that justification by faith is not a new idea; rather, it has been the foundation of salvation from the earliest stages of the Lord's salvific ministry. In focusing on verses 17-25, we will examine the nature of Abraham's faith, and seek to understand how justification by faith functions throughout the covenant of grace.

The power of the Apostle Paul's rhetoric and logic is on clear display in the second half of Romans 3. After definitively proving that all humanity is unrighteous, under sin, and subject to God's wrath, he turns the tables and announces the good news: righteousness can only come through faith in Jesus Christ! With this set of verses, he concludes his long and devastating indictment of Jews and Gentiles alike. And with this set of verses, he begins what Martin Luther called, "the chief point, and the very central place of the epistle, and of the whole Bible.” Join us this Sunday in our continuing study of Paul's epistle to the Romans.

After showing the Gentiles their need for God's righteousness, Paul turns to his fellow Jews. Because the Jews were boasting in their outward conformity to God's will, Paul reminds them of their failure to obey the law and corrects their misunderstanding about circumcision. Paul wants the Jews to recognize they need God's righteousness just like the Gentiles. Although Paul's critiques target first-century Jews in this passage, we must recognize that we too are prone to boast in outward conformity to God's will without inward obedience. But, as we will see, our hope is not in what we do, but in what God has done for us.

Paul's great thesis in this letter is found in Romans 1:16-17. He confidently declares that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed and by that same gospel, the righteous shall live by faith. But who are the righteous? Last week, we saw how all of us are guilty of the various sins against which God's wrath is being and will be revealed. In this week's text, we are confronted with a confusing and potentially contradictory underlying theological principle: God judges according to works and on the last day, we shall all (both Jews and Gentiles) give an account to God of our works: blessings for those who have kept the law and curses for those who have violated it. How do these two great truths go together? How can salvation be by faith and by works? The ascent up Mount Romans is steep this week but the vista is worth the effort!

On June 26, 2003, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law that criminalized same-sex intimacy. That decision set the stage for another decision 12 years later that legalized gay marriage. These legal decisions merely codified what a majority of Americans still today accept and celebrate. But at the end of Romans 1, Paul uses same sex intimacy as an example of the whole hearted rebellion against God that takes root in the human heart. Christians may be tempted to stand in judgment of people that sin differently than we do. In our text this week, Paul doesn't stop with same sex sin, he also includes sins with which many of us are familiar; he even includes a sin that he will later identify in the epistle as his primary sin struggle. Join us this week as we explore the nature of sin: we need to understand the bad news in order to glory in the good news of the gospel.

This week, we begin a new sermon series in Paul's epistle to the Romans. He's writing to a church he's never visited but his letter will become one of the most important books in the New Testament, helping us understand early Christian doctrine, conflict between Jews and Gentiles, and the life that God calls us to lead as his disciples. We'll begin with a discussion of Paul's understanding of the gospel, righteousness, and faith. These foundational terms are necessary to understand for the rest of the letter to make any sense. As we begin grappling with the important ideas Paul shares, we will be changed and shaped more and more by the power of God.

In the church calendar the first Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, a day set aside to remember and reflect upon the nature and character of God. This Sunday we will explore the privilege of knowing God as a tri-une being, and discuss three implications of God's nature for his followers today.

Message from Rev. Titus Bagby on May 24, 2026

As we conclude our celebration of Easter, we turn our attention to the ascension of Christ to the Father's right hand in glory. Our text this Sundays tells us that Jesus, as the victorious King who is enthroned in power and majesty, gives gifts to his church. What are the gifts? The better question is, who are the gifts and why does our King give them to us? When we grasp that, we'll better understand Jesus' heart for his church and the purpose each one of us is given as members of Christ's body.

When we confess our belief using the Apostles' Creed, we say we believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Is that reality purely future? Or is it closer than we think? This Sunday, we'll hear from the Apostle Paul about resurrection in the present tense from 1 Corinthians 15: what does it look like for us to live “in Christ,” the one who was dead but now is alive and at work renewing all things?

Every soldier or statesman knows that after a hard fought victory, the real work begins. Whether you are rebuilding a nation after war or forming a more perfect union, the battle gives way to construction. What is God constructing after his victorious battle against sin and death? What does the new creation look like? The first step in any rebuilding process is to lay a cornerstone. Join us this Sunday as we see how Jesus is the cornerstone of the new creation—a work that includes even you and me.

Message from Rev. Danny Morgan on April 26, 2026

As we continue our celebration of Easter, we turn to the well-known story of Jesus' appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Along the way, Jesus leads them through a survey of the Old Testament showing how all of Scripture points to him! By the end of the journey, the disciples have been moved from sadness to joy. This Sunday, we'll listen in on the greatest small group Bible study ever, praying that God will also teach us and encourage our hearts with the story of Jesus' suffering and glory.

What happened to the disciples after Jesus was raised from the dead? We continue the story of the first Easter this week and find the disciples hiding in a locked room, afraid—afraid of the Jews but even more unsettled by the news of Jesus' resurrection. The disciples' reaction (especially Thomas's reaction) is illustrative for you and me: what will it take for us to believe God's promises, to trust God's Word, to follow Jesus as his disciples? Join us this week as we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

This Sunday is Easter and we will finally conclude our study in the Gospel of Mark with Mark's account of the Resurrection of our Lord. We began our study on January 8, 2023, and have returned to it each spring. I trust that these four years of study about the life and work of Jesus have not just informed your mind but have also enlarged your heart, helping you worship and follow Jesus as his disciple. In our last sermon of the series, we'll see that the earliest disciples found faith as hard as we sometimes do. But Jesus went before them, preparing them for their sacred calling to be his witnesses to the world. He goes before you and me too, preparing us for the callings on our life that we will fulfill until he comes again to restore all things.

In the church calendar, today is both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday, a day where we remember both Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his redeeming suffering on the cross. The tension between these two images of Jesus—hailed as King by the crowds but mocked as King by Pilate and others—is instructive for us. It makes us confront our own expectations of King Jesus: what does he look like? What does his kingdom look like?

The pace of Mark's storytelling—already fast compared to the other Gospel writers—spicing up. Jesus is taken from the Garden of Gethsemane to the home of the High Priest for a hasty trial before the Jewish religious leaders. Peter, meanwhile, has followed at a distance and is trapped by accusations that he was one of Jesus' disciples. Both Jesus and Peter undergo a trial of sorts, both are condemned, but only one is innocent. Join us this Sunday as we study Mark 14:53-72 and draw closer and closer to the cross.

In January 2020, a small group from Redeemer visited Israel. One of the most moving places for me to visit was the Garden of Gethsemane. The area lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives. You can look across a small valley to the ancient city of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount is clearly visible. It was there on the night before Jesus died that his disciples heard something extraordinary: they heard Jesus ask to be relieved of his divine mission. I say they heard because it was customary then to pray out loud. The reports of Jesus' prayer that are passed down to us in the Gospels are eye witness accounts. Peter, Andrew, and John heard Jesus wrestling with God in the face of impending doom. This week, we traverse that same holy ground and wrestle ourselves with Jesus' agony in the face of great trial. As we do, we are brought to our knees in wonder and love for a Savior who knowingly drank the cup of God's wrath for us.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, he established the Lord's Supper (communion) as a sign of the New Covenant for his people. He intended his church to celebrate this meal until he partakes of it with us after his return. This Sunday we will explore our theology of the table, focusing on its background, the nature of its gift, and the calling of its participants.

It's important to remember that the Gospels are both the inerrant word of God and a carefully constructed narrative full of dramatic contrasts. Nowhere is this more evident than in Mark 14 and the contrast between Judas the disciple and Mary the sister of Jesus' friend Lazarus. They are both totally devoted to…different things! This sermon we'll explore the differences between them, the difference it makes to their relationship with Jesus, and the example each are to us as Jesus' disciples today.

Our text this Sunday, Mark 13 (and the parallel texts in Matthew 24 and Luke 21), is among some of the most difficult to understand in the Bible. Jesus appears to mix predictions of things that would occur during the lifetime of the disciples with things that would only occur at the very end of human history. Although we won't have time to unravel all of the exegetical complexities of Mark 13 this week, we should be able to know and understand enough to stay awake, to be ready for our Lord's Second Coming, and to live lives of faithful expectation.

We return to the book of Mark and conclude Mark 12- where Jesus's authority has been systematically challenged by the leaders of this day. In doing so, we will see how from v. 28-44, Jesus is shown to be the Lord of the law, the Confounder of the Wise and the Judge of True Virtue.

Message from Rev. Dr. Richard Lints on February 8, 2026

For the prominence of its place in Christian theology, heaven remains a mystery. Glimpses of it can be mined in the Scripture. Our songs are filled with longings for it. We confess our belief in it. But what it actually is and what it will be like are frustratingly elusive. It's especially hard when death intrudes. Whether we bury a loved one too early or whether we finally succumb to the ravages of old age, we want to know what lies on the other side of the final breath. This week, Jesus takes on yet another delegation of Jewish religious leaders asking disingenuous questions designed to frustrate and humiliate him. But his answer gives us some of the clearest and most hopeful information we have about the next life and our being known in it.

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” Many of us are familiar with these words from Mark 12. They are one of the few places in the New Testament where Jesus or the apostles directly speak to political matters. Together, these passages provide Christians with the beginning of a political theology to help guide our understanding of life between Jesus' Resurrection and his Second Coming. But not everyone agrees about the details! This Sunday, we'll lay a foundation for understanding our relationship to human government, while also pointing ourselves forward to the day when King Jesus will rule and reign directly over all.

Message from Rev. Danny Morgan on January 18, 2026

This week, we return (for the final time, Lord willing) to our annual springtime study of the Gospel of Mark. Since 2023, we have spent most weeks of the Epiphany and Lenten seasons studying the person and work of Jesus Christ as reported by Mark. This year, we'll focus on Jesus' last week of ministry: between his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and his Resurrection. To start things off, we join Jesus the day after his Triumphal Entry. He is going back to the Temple to clean house but along the way he curses a fig tree. What is the connection between an out of season fig tree, a disordered Temple, and you and me?

Have you heard this joke? “My New Year's resolution is to stop making New Year's resolutions!” I feel that; I don't think I've ever faithfully kept a New Year's resolution. But 2026 may be different, it should be different, and it can be different if we resolve to remember what Paul tells us is true about us in Ephesians 1. Before we resolve to do anything, let's resolve to remember what God has done for us. And may that knowledge lead to joy, comfort, and assurance that will last not just one year but for all our years.

As we begin the Christmas season and conclude 2025, we remember the way of the manger- where Christ in his glory, willingly enters into the humble form of a baby. The way of the manger reminds us that despite the successes and abilities given us by the LORD, the way of weakness is the way of strength. Paul reminds us of these truths as he boasted of his weakness, inviting both the Corinthian church and our church today to reflect upon the true nature of strength- that when we are weak, we are strong, and when we are strong in our own minds, we are actually weak. This Sunday we will explore these truths in light of Paul's words, the incarnation, and the work of Christ in us today as we consider practicing the way of the manger this coming year.

Message from Rev. Danny Morgan on December 21, 2025

The world is filled with the sound of Christmas. Our friends and neighbors are likely to hear the gospel message in the carols and hymns that fight for space between the silly songs that cloud our airwaves. They may even hum or sing along to words they don't completely understand. In a sense, they are following the command of Psalm 146:1, “Praise the Lord!” But how do we move from ignorant praise to real trust in the God that does more than we can ask or think, whose reign is forever? This Sunday, we'll consider the role Jesus played—and will play again—in the restoration of all things, even you and me.

When times are tough some leaders try to mask the difficulties by filling the air with hype—unrealistic expectations of future success, joy and exuberance disconnected from real life, excitement meant to dull the senses. Much of our modern celebration of Christmas unfortunately plays into this hype. But hype can't be sustained, eventually is wears thin and falls short, leaving us in an even worse place than before. This second week of Advent, we turn away from the hype of our culture toward the hope of the Gospel message that was first preached to Israel in the Old Testament. Join us this Sunday as we look at Romans 15 and Paul's confidence that you and I can abound in hope.

This Sunday at Redeemer, we begin our Advent sermon series. Advent is a season of preparation for the celebration of Christ's birth, for anticipating His future return, and for rejoicing in His present coming into believers' hearts. We will explore Isaiah's past vision of the future of God's exalted temple from three viewpoints: from Isaiah's, from God's people in the first century BC, and from our own as we live between Christ's first and second advents seeking to glorify and enjoy him this holiday season.

This Sunday, we'll conclude our study in 1 Samuel for the year. We finish on a low note: God is no longer leading Saul, so Saul consults a medium with the hope of summoning his old prophet, Samuel, from the dead. But instead of helpful advice on the eve of battle, Saul is told he will die the next day. Saul's long life and reign are coming to an end. Although Saul is a cautionary tale for believers, he is also an object lesson bearing witness to God's patience and faithfulness. If at any time, Saul had simply repented, he would have known forgiveness and grace. It's never too late…until it finally is. Join us this Sunday as we conclude our study in 1 Samuel and the church year. Next Sunday is the beginning of Advent and the start of a new year in the church calendar.

Saul has been a constant presence for nearly half of David's life by the time of their final confrontation in 1 Samuel 26. From a servant in the king's house, to a champion warrior and royal son-in-law, to a rival king on the run—David has spent nearly all of his adult life revolving around Saul. Their final confrontation is Shakespearean. Brave soldiers, dark nights, whispered conversations among the sleeping enemy, taunting, and crocodile tears—this passage has it all! And through it, we see a new David emerge from the near catastrophe with Nabal. Here he is honorable and godly, wise and reflective. But he isn't the king all Israel, all humanity, has been waiting for. Join us this Sunday as we listen in on David and Saul's final conversation, drawing to a close a long period of David's life and hearkening a new chapter in the story of God's people.

In literature or in movies, the antihero is a flawed major character who, nevertheless, provokes some sympathy from the audience. Think of Han Solo or Professor Snape, Jack Reacher or Captain Jack Sparrow. In 1 Samuel 25, we see a different side of David. Instead of nobly suffering the injustices done to him by Saul, David seems petty and harsh, quick-tempered and prone to violence. What does "David as antihero” teach us about Old Testament characters and their need for the redemptive work of Jesus? How does the real hero of this particular chapter of David's life point us to the hope of the gospel? All that and more this week as we turn to the story of David, Nabal, and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25.

"What happens when we die?" It's a question that people both young and old have, when faced with a loved one's impending death or your own mortality. The Bible only offers a few tantalizing clues and one is found in Revelation 7: the church triumphant gathered around the throne of God, a great multitude from every nation that no one could number. What does John's vision of heaven tell us about our own eternal destiny? What comfort does it give us for those whom we love who have died in the Lord? Join us this All Saints Sunday to find out.

The image of a fortress or stronghold in relation to the Lord shows up in many passages in the Old Testament. It is a portrait of strength, security, and safety for the people of God. Indeed, the Lord is the only one who could provide such protection in times of trouble. He is the one who created all things and also controls all things. Essentially, this word-picture of a fortress and stronghold teaches us the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. In other words, we can believe that when everything in our world seems to be falling apart we can take comfort from the fact that all things are firmly under the control of the Lord. Even when misfortunes come our way, or when wickedness is exalted, we can be confident that “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble”.

Message from Rev. Danny Morgan on October 19, 2025

We return to 1 Samuel this Sunday, picking up the story of David in chapter 20. David's great acts of heroism are behind him, he is married to the king's daughter, but his place of privilege is shaky at best. Saul has conspired to kill David and this has sent David out of the king's presence—David is a man on the run. To whom does David turn in this time of great trial? His beloved friend, Jonathan, Saul's son. They reiterate the covenant they made together in chapter 18 and then David leaves Jonathan and the court of the king for good, embarking on what is probably a decade long exile. Join us this week as we consider David's story as an analogy of our own trials and stresses. Is it really possible to be at peace while we're on the run from the world, the flesh, and the devil? How can we live in anticipation of the fullness of God's promises when we've been pushed into exile? All this and more as we consider again “the gospel according to Samuel."

This Sunday marks the beginning of a new fiscal year at Redeemer. Each year we set aside this first weekend of October to discuss Christian stewardship and consider our own giving as disciples of Jesus Christ. On Sunday we will examine the story of Barnabas and compare his story with that of Annanias and Saphira as we seek to uncover the heart of Christian giving.

Message from Rev. Eric Landry on September 28, 2025