Providence & Peace

"The more we embrace God’s providence, the more we experience great peace." - Matt Ryman 

God’s providence is the central theme of Esther—discover how the same sovereign hand that guided Esther is still at work in our lives today.

Note: Pastor Matt issued this correction regarding this sermon. 

Dear TCW,
In my most recent sermon I said that “we have no human enemies.” I want to address that statement. As a pastor, it is my job to teach what Scripture teaches. So, if I ever teach something that isn’t in line with Scripture, it is my job to clarify or correct what I said. In this case, both are warranted.

When I said, “we have no human enemies,” I meant it in an ultimate sense. Scripture clearly teaches that our true and ultimate enemies are spiritual. As Paul says, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). Our ultimate conflict is with the devil and his lies (John 8:44), with sin that corrupts and enslaves (Romans 6:12–14), and with death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54–57). Christ has conquered all three. What I intended to communicate was that the ultimate battle of every believer is not against other people but against the spiritual forces that oppose God and His kingdom.

However, what I said was misleading because the Bible refers to human enemies. Jesus’ command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44) presupposes their real existence. Paul warns of “many who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18). These passages remind us that, while ultimate enmity is spiritual, it manifests through human opposition to God’s truth and His people. The devil works through people, like false teachers, persecutors, and rulers who resist the gospel (2 Timothy 4:14–15). The Bible calls such people our enemies, and so should we. So my statement, “we have no human enemies,” was misleading. Christians do face human opposition. Therefore, I truly apologize for making a misleading statement.

I do believe Christianity is unique in the way it teaches that our ultimate enemies are the spiritual forces of evil; and that’s what I intended to communicate. And, to be sure, Christianity is unique in how it calls us to respond to our human enemies. We are commanded to love them, pray for them, and seek their repentance rather than their destruction. We recognize that those who oppose the gospel are not merely “bad people” but captives to the lies of our ultimate enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:25–26). This doesn’t mean we ignore or excuse evil. We are to resist it, protect the flock, and pursue justice through God-ordained means. But we do so with compassion and hope, not hatred or revenge. In short, while we have human enemies in this world, we never treat them as our ultimate enemies. We love them as those who need the same deliverance and grace we ourselves have received in Christ.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I love you all and I consider being your pastor as one of the greatest honors and blessings of my life. Therefore, it is my desire and commitment to be faithful to God’s word.

For the glory of God and the good of the Twin Cities,
Pastor Matt