Teaching – Darryl Burling

What does biblical motivation look like? In this article you’ll discover that there are three aspects of our union with Christ that Paul draws on to motivate the believers in Colossae to abandon false religion and to walk with Christ. The motivation Paul provides is explained in Colossians 3:3-4. This article, and the sermon linked … 3 motivations to walk with Christ now Read More »

Do you sometimes think and act as if God is only concerned about whether you keep rules? In this article you’ll learn why Christianity isn’t concerned about what you do or do not do, and what it is concerned about instead. Listen to this message below. Often when people become Christians, they demonstrate a simplicity … Why Christianity isn’t about what you do Read More »

Christians are called to freedom, yet this freedom is not a libertarian freedom in which we simply get to do whatever we want. In fact, the Bible explains several qualifications of our freedom that indicate that our freedom is constrained. In Galatians 5:13-26 we are told that there are two key constraints to our freedom and … Why and How Christian Freedom is Constrained Read More »

I’ve spent lots of time thinking about our union with Christ in His death and resurrection lately. It is a crucial theological issue, essentially the hub around which all other doctrines about our salvation are centered. Recently I was able to preach on Colossians 3:1-4, one of the central passages dealing with our participation with … Union with Christ and Sanctification Read More »

One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 32. I’ve preached it previously, and last Sunday I had the privilege to preach at our church, Placerita Baptist Church. This Psalm provides us with six steps to go from Misery to Joy, and traces David’s journey after his sin with Bathsheba in 1 Sam 11-12, from the … From Misery to Joy Read More »

Its been a while. Its been busy. But here is a sermon I initially preached in December on Joshua 1:6–9. This is a shorter edition (~30 mins) I recently preached again.

1 Corinthians 15 is focused on the centrality of the resurrection. But as Paul begins, he focuses on his own experience of the resurrection. As I was studying this passage earlier this year I wanted to try and understand what Paul was getting at in 1 Cor 15:8-11. As he finishes describing appearances of Christ … A Grace Powered Life Read More »

One of the lessons the Lord has been teaching me over the last few years is humility, for which I’m grateful. Last weekend in our adult Sunday School class I had the opportunity to teach on one of the main passages that I have been dwelling on. We covered 1 Peter 5:1–7 but particularly focused on … Humility Read More »

I had the privilege of preaching twice in New Zealand recently during our Christmas break and thought I’d share one of those sermons here.  I preached the same sermon both times.  This is the longer of the two from Riverbend Bible Church in Hastings. This sermon was originally preached in August at Placerita Baptist Church (our … Sermon: Genesis 16 Read More »

It has been busy here, but it has been a good busy.  We are involved in ministry at our local church (placeritachurch.com) and occasionally, I have the opportunity to teach.  Today I was filling in for Dr Barrick in his adult Sunday School class, and I decided to start a study on 1 Thessalonians.  There … Intro to 1 Thessalonians Read More »

It is a scary thing preaching at Placerita Baptist Church.  And I have so much to learn. Here is my first sermon at PBC, on 1 John 1:8-10.  This is a great text to preach from, and there is so much in verse 5-10.

A few weeks ago (quite a few weeks ago – its been busy) I had the opportunity to teach in our Bereans Sunday School class at Placerita Baptist Church.  We are working through a series on Discipleship when our main teacher, Dr Barrick, is away.  This is my  contribution to that series. The text for … The church as community Read More »

I’ve been doing a homiletics class over the last seven or eight weeks. I’ve preached twice during it and have received valueable feedback both times. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hone my speaking ability and how I handle the word of God. While the first sermon wasn’t worth putting up here, the second one … Sermon: James 2 – Justification by works and saving faith Read More »

The story of David and Bathsheba is well known, but not known well enough.  We will often read it and not really check our own hearts as we ought and so we dont always take out everything that we can. Last weekend we went through this in our church and while we covered what God … David, Bathsheba and adultery Read More »