Sermons To The Church - Right Response Ministries: Recent Episodes
Right Response Ministries
Right Response Ministries exists to cultivate right love for God in people’s hearts by providing right knowledge of God for people’s minds. Tune in each week for sermons from Covenant Bible Church Sunday morning gatherings.
This is the first time in the whole book of Hebrews that Jesus is referred to as “the Great Shepherd” (Hebrews 13:20). As the author finishes his letter, he wants to assure his hearers that they are in good hands. Christ will lead us. Christ will protect us. And most importantly, Christ has promised to never lose us.
This sermon was preached at Covenant Bible Church on the Lord's Day, March 5th, 2023 by lay-elder Connor Hensley
There are very few faithful pastors today. If you’re blessed enough to have one, what should you do?
It seems as though some of the esteemed leaders within Judaism were not only continuing to require strict observance to the ceremonial laws found in the Old Covenant, but that they were teaching strange doctrines far beyond these ceremonial rituals. These Judaizers were not merely requiring the continuation of priestly/animal sacrifices but teaching that by eating the meat of these sacrifices, grace would be “infused” through food, rather than “imputed” through faith.
In Hebrews 13:5, we are commanded to resist the love of money and to be content with what we have. And the motive immediately provided for obeying this commandment is the unconditional love of Christ towards his elect. In other words, it is foolish to give our hearts to that which can be so easily lost. Rather, let your heart be satisfied with what you cannot lose. Christ can never be lost because Christ has promised never to lose us - “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
It's worth noting that this commandment to be content should not be interpreted as a blanket condemnation of all ambition. There is such a thing as “selfish ambition” which must be resisted by the Christian, but there is also such a thing as “righteous ambition” that seeks to glorify Christ and further benefit his people. One particular example of “righteous ambition,” not only permissible but actually commanded in Scripture, is the “righteous ambition” of diligently seeking to free yourself from slavery, in all its various forms.
In Hebrews 13:1, we are not merely commanded to continue in a “universal love” for all people, but in a “brotherly love” for our fellow believers. The same principle of Hebrews 13:1 is continued in Hebrews 13:2-3, and further fleshed out through practical examples. First, we are commanded to “not neglect show[ing] hospitality to strangers.” Hospitality is literally defined as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. However, the obligation to “strangers” referenced in Hebrews 13:2 must not be understood as a blatant contradiction to what was just commanded in the prior verse, namely, “brotherly love.”
34 “The King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”Matthew 25:34-40 ESV
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10 ESV
Jesus does not lower the bar for Christians in the New Covenant. If anything, the bar has been raised exponentially. There are far greater promises for those who have faith in Christ, but terrible warnings for unbelief. Sadly, the American Church today has no shortage of false converts. There are many who “profess” Christ, but do not “possess” Christ. And the threat of judgment for these individuals is terrifying.
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” Hebrews 12:15-16
This sermon was preached at Covenant Bible Church on the Lord's Day, January 22nd, 2023.
“A lame member of the body of Christ, the church... a weak believer; one that is ready to halt, either through the corruption of nature, or through the weakness of grace, or through want of light and judgment, and through instability and inconstancy; lest such a one should, through the irregular walk and conversation of others, be stumbled and offended, and go out of the way, and leave the paths of righteousness and truth. God takes care of, and has a regard to such, and he would have others also. The fallen believer be restored, the weak brother be confirmed, the halting professor be strengthened, and everyone be built up and established upon the most holy faith, and in the pure ways of the Gospel.” -John Gill
“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.” -Hebrews 12:5 ESV
“By which is meant, not vindictive punishment; this would not be speaking to them, nor dealing with them as children, and would be contrary to the love of God towards them; besides, chastisement in this sense has been [laid] upon Christ for them, and it would be unjust to lay it on them again.” -John Gill
Just as the Israelites were encompassed with the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, New Testament saints are also surrounded by a “cloud.” Only, this cloud which surrounds us is “a cloud of witnesses” - the Old Testament saints whose faith and patience were just mentioned in the preceding chapter. Remember, some of these Old Testament saints experienced immense victory, while others experienced crushing defeat. In either case, they all bore noble testimony to God and received commendation from God for their faith. And these Old Testament saints now serve as witnesses for, or against us, as we seek to live by faith. They are compared to a "great” cloud because they encompass us on every side, and are many in number.
It is not as though Old Testament saints received only victory, while New Testament saints receive only persecution. Virtually all Old Testament saints experienced some measure of victory, but with much defeat. And all New Testament saints experience some measure of defeat, but with an ever progressing amount of victory throughout the Gospel Age.
Throughout history, tyrants have always aimed their weapons of destruction at masculine men. Here’s how today’s tyrants are trying to snuff out masculinity and how biblical men can fight back.
When tyranny abounds, Christians must be all the more diligent to be “innocent as doves and shrewd as serpents.” So is it ever permissible for a Christian to tell a lie? In this sermon, Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on the doctrine of “the lie of necessity.”
The common time of blessing with the Patriarchs was usually right before their death, so that the recipients of these blessings might have them strongly impressed upon their minds and be all the more careful to attend to them. Jacob is said to have blessed each of his sons (as well as the sons of Joseph) in faith because he delivered this blessing when there was no appearance of the fulfilment of it. We must understand that Jacob blessed both the two sons of Joseph under the guidance and inspiration of the Spirit of God, choosing to set Ephraim before Manasseh. And when he delivered these blessings he firmly believed they would be fulfilled, although they were currently residing in a strange and foreign land.
To live by faith (or to do anything by faith) is to be governed by a dependence on God's grace and a desire for God's glory. Noah BUILT by faith (Hebrews 11:7). Abraham OBEYED by faith (Hebrews 11:8). Abraham also DIED in faith (Hebrews 11:13). And this is because Abraham's faith was TESTED (Hebrews 11:17).
Many Christians and conservatives in our nation are currently “thinking of that land from which they had gone out.” In other words, Christians must resist the temptation of nostalgia. We are not merely attempting to get back to our “homeland” - the America of our childhood where we grew up. In fact, we are not even attempting to get back to the founding of our nation, even though much of it was predominantly Christian. “But as it is, [we] desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” For the Postmillennial Christian, we believe that the best really is yet to come. I truly believe that America's most Christ-exalting days are ahead of us, not somewhere back in the 1700s. So as we work to fulfill Christ's commission to “disciple the nations” (with our rightly ordered affections being, first and foremost, focused on this nation), and as we diligently pray that God's “kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” we want to be diligent to preserve all that was truly good from our past. The aim of the “Christian Nationalist” is to make America Christian... again. But also to make America more Christian than ever before.
The land of Canaan is typical of heaven. Here Abraham sojourned for a while, though it was not his native place but another's. It was an idolatrous land; yet here Abraham sojourned by faith, believing that as it was promised, the land would belong to him and his descendants. Abraham wasn’t trusting Christ to take him out of the land, he was trusting Christ to give him the land. So too, all God's people are sojourners in this world.
In order to be a faithful Christian, each of us must be willing and prepared to stand alone. We will all repeatedly face pressure to violate God's standards and go along with the crowd. In the workplace, our associates will likely engage in blasphemous speech and immoral activities, and occasionally, they will urge us to join them. At family gatherings over the holidays, the rest of the family may ridicule us for our theological convictions and commitments to godly parenting. In these settings, how will we respond? No one likes to be ridiculed or rejected. We all want to be liked and included. At some time or another, each of us will be tempted to simply go along with the crowd rather than to stand alone for Jesus Christ. However, if we choose to yield, we dishonor Christ and forfeit our distinctive witness for our Savior. In light of this, there is perhaps no greater example of a man who stood alone than Noah. Imagine what it would be like to be the only godly family on earth. Noah’s life teaches us that Christians must be willing and prepared to stand alone in the midst of an evil age, and that the secret to accomplishing this is to establish a consistent pattern of daily walking with God.
To do something in faith is to do it with an acknowledgment of our dependence on God's grace and the motive of desiring God's glory.
Some take this “sanctification” to mean that a person can be truly justified by faith and on their way to paradise through a life of inward sanctification, and yet lose their salvation by forsaking the truth. Others say that the possibility raised here of sanctified people committing apostasy is merely hyperbole which will never actually occur because those who are truly elect will be kept from apostasy by the work of the Holy Spirit. But the sanctification mentioned in Hebrews 10:26-31 is indeed a real sanctification. However, although this sanctification is real, the sanctification mentioned in Hebrews 10:29 is not the same as the sanctification mentioned previously in Hebrews 10:14. The sanctification mentioned previously is an inward sanctification which serves as a proof of eternal justification (Hebrews 10:14). The sanctification mentioned here is an outward sanctification which serves as an added proof of guilt after committing apostasy (Hebrews 10:29).
Many Christians wrongly believe that the only good motivation for obedience to Christ comes from hearing about grace, rather than hearing about judgment. These people allow this misinformed belief to distort their view of God, until there are no theological categories left to comprehend, let alone love, a God whose wrath against sinners “is a fury of fire.” The Scripture clearly teaches that God is not mildly upset about sin, but passionately furious. Hebrews 10:26-31 stands against the false assumption that the only motivating news is good news. For every true follower of Christ, there is both the promise of joy and the warnings of judgment. This is a message of God that our world today does not want to hear. And sadly, this message of God is even despised by many in the church.
Hebrews 3:12-13 says, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another... that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” So Hebrews 10:24-25, when properly placed in context with Hebrews 3:12-13, provides both a biblical and logical explanation for the tragedy of apostasy (how some individuals who once belonged to the “visible” church ultimately chose to abandon the faith). By way of implication, Hebrews 10:24-25 informs us that the weekly gathering of the saints is the primary context for “stir[ring] up one another to love and good works.” And Hebrews 3:12-13 informs us that “exhort[ing] one another” (the phrase “exhort one another” is synonymous with the phrase “stir one another up”) is one of the church’s most effective strategies for guarding its members against being “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” which eventually causes people “to fall away from the living God” (commit apostasy). In other words, Christians are commanded not to neglect the weekly gathering of the saints because this is the necessary environment for fulfilling their Christian duty of stirring one another up. And stirring one another up (or exhorting one another) serves as a powerful defense against the deceitfulness of sin which creates a hardened, unbelieving heart. And finally, an unbelieving heart is what ultimately leads people to fall away from the living God. In short, Christians (and especially pastors) were presented with a simple choice: Either forsake the gathering to minimize the physical threat of death to our bodies, or continue to gather to minimize the spiritual threat of damnation to our souls.
Jesus has promised that he is sanctifying all those whom he has justified. And as he sanctifies the hearts of his people, he is also defeating his enemies in the world, one by one.
The “law” which the author references in the beginning of Hebrews 10:1, is not a reference to the Moral Law (the 10 Commandments). The Moral Law is not a shadow of future blessings, but an eternal system of perfect precepts; the holiness it requires is not figurative, but truly good and truly right. Furthermore, the principles of the Moral Law are not obscure, but plain and easily understood. And finally, the Moral Law is not fleeting and passing away, as a shadow, but lasting and durable. Therefore, it is not the Moral Law, but rather the Ceremonial Law, that is intended here. The Ceremonial Law was the "shadow" (a figure/type), a representation of something else that is actually true, real, and substantial. The Ceremonial Law was dark and obscure, yet there was some measure of light and ultimate reality contained in it. The Ceremonial Law ultimately pointed to Christ himself.
This week at Covenant Bible Church - Lay Elder Connor Hensley preaches from Hebrews 9:6-14.
The Tabernacle (and later the Temple) was constructed under the direction of Moses, according to the detailed instructions he received from God on Mount Sinia (or Mount Horeb). The “First Section” of the Tabernacle (the Holy Place), stands in distinction from the “Second Section” (the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies). This is not meant to signify two tabernacles, but two “sections” of one Tabernacle. Therefore, under the “First Covenant” there was only ONE PLACE where the special presence of God could be found, there was only ONE PERSON who could enter that place (the High Priest), and this person could only enter that place ONE TIME each year (the “Day of Atonement,” or Yom Kippur). In contrast, under the “New Covenant,” Jesus eternally serves as our High Priest. Christ not only atoned for our sin once and for all, but he made a way for us to “come boldly before the Throne of Grace (the Mercy Seat).” In other words, the ministry of Christ does not merely achieve forgiveness for our sins, but the ability to commune with God. Justification, although the “heart” of the Gospel, is not the “end” of the Gospel. The end of the Gospel is communion with the God forever.
Under the New Covenant, the will of God is written not just on tablets of stone, but on the minds and hearts of all God's people. God not only replaces shadows with substance, but he also takes that substance and places it within his people. He writes it on our hearts. In other words, God does not merely lay his gift of salvation and transformation down at our feet for us to pick up in our own strength and determination. Rather, God picks it up for us and puts it in our hearts and minds, and by doing so he seals us as his children forever.
The main point is that Jesus is no ordinary, weak, sinful, dying, priest. He is strong, pure, sinless, and has an indestructible life. He is the Son of God. Jesus Christ has not just come to fit into the earthly system of the priesthood as the greatest and final human priest. Rather, he has come to fulfill and end this system. This means that the entire essence of worship which we see in the Old Testament has been radically refocused onto Jesus himself. Worship has now become a “spiritual” thing, as opposed to merely an “physical” thing. The physical is still important, but the spiritual is so significant that all of external life (not just church life) has now become an expression of our worship. Worship is now something that can and should happen all the time and everywhere.
31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
Jesus is able to save us forever (“to the uttermost”) and that he intercedes for us forever (“he always lives to make intercession for [us]”). These two things are directly connected. Jesus is able to save us forever “SINCE (because) he always lives to make intercession for [us].” In other words, our future salvation rests on Christ's continual intercession for us. Those of us who HAVE BEEN saved are also BEING saved by the continual intercession of Jesus in heaven.
Even the Apostle John, when he saw Jesus in his glory, “fell at his feet like a dead man” (Revelation 1:17). However, verse 28 of our text clearly communicates that for those who abide in Christ, the dominant mood will be confidence when Christ appears. So how is this possible? The author to the Hebrews answers this question by saying that we must earnestly imitate those who are promised to inherit salvation through their genuine faith which was evidenced through practical love for the saints. We are not saved by Christ's work through us, but by Christ's work for us. However, Christ's work through us gives us confidence of Christ's work for us.
Did you know it is quite possible to be “enlightened,” to “taste of the heavenly gift [and] the goodness of the Word of God,” and even to “share in the Holy Spirit,” all while remaining an UNBELIEVER?
In this short video, Pastor Joel Webbon provides a clear answer to one of the most frightening questions. Is repentance possible for someone who never had salvation to begin with, but who grew up in a gospel-preaching church and fell away?
"For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance..." Hebrews 6:4-6 ESV.
2 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” Hebrews 5:12-13 ESV
Jesus is the merciful High Priest because he sympathizes with our weakness. But Jesus is NOT an “Empathetic” High Priest. Empathy only makes problems worse.
Secularism is a religion. Just like any other religion, Secularism has an Orthodoxy, Sacraments, and Blasphemy Laws. Winsome Christianity is not the cure.
Pastor Connor Hensley, a Lay-Elder at Covenant Bible Church preaches from hebrews 4:1-13 on Sunday, May 1st, 2022.
Churches in America are falling all around us. From Mars Hill to Hillsong, it’s all crumbling down. But at the same time, the True Church in America, and all around the world, is thriving. So what’s the difference?
In this sermon, Pastor Joel Webbon emphasizes some of the key distinctions between churches that fall and churches that thrive.
If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is both empty and a false witness against God. And if Christ is not raised our faith is empty and useless. It's not going to do us any good. So what were these people in Corinth putting their faith in? They were like many people today who have faith that Jesus was a great teacher and a good example of “the way of love.” These people in Corinth believed that the stories of Jesus' resurrection were merely symbols pointing to “the triumph of the human spirit,” and that Jesus' influence is what still lived on after his death. These people in Corinth did not say, “The resurrection is all a myth so we must REJECT it.” However, they did say, “The resurrection is all a myth and so we must REINTERPRET it.”
“8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Hebrews 3:8-14 ESV
A fearful nation is merely the fruit of a guilty nation.
The Bible promises us that a day is coming when the devil will be utterly destroyed, and it is true that this day has not yet arrived. However, even now, Christians can be encouraged in knowing that the devil's chief power (the “fear of death”) has been utterly stripped away from him for all those who are united to Christ through saving faith. For Christians, the “fear of death” has been neutralized because our guilt has been dealt with by Jesus on the cross. Christians do not have to be slaves to fear in death because we are no longer slaves to guilt in life.
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 ESV
Although Jesus was already morally perfect (without sin) before being subjected to suffering, through suffering his life and ministry was brought to a new place of completion that could not have happened otherwise. In other words, suffering brings about a new kind of “perfection,” the perfection of having been “tested.” If a newly invented device is subjected to a series of rigorous tests and passes these tests with flying colors, the inventor of this particular device might declare, “It is truly perfect!” In reality, the device was already perfect before it was tested, which is precisely why it passed the tests. Testing did not “create” perfection in the Son of God, testing “revealed” perfection in the Son of God.
Christ is currently ruling and reigning over all things. “Everything [is currently] in subjection under his feet,” and God the Father has “left nothing outside of [Christ's] control” (Hebrews 2:8). In other words, regardless of how many “kingdoms” there may or may not be, there is only one “King.” And this King is presently ruling over everything, even sin and suffering.
19 ...According to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church. Ephesians 1:19-22 ESV
We are blessed when we are persecuted for doing good. We are blessed when we are reviled for righteousness sake. But we are NOT blessed if we are fools, merely experiencing the natural consequences of being a jerk. Discernment and spiritual maturity is required to know the difference.
The “message declared by angels [which] proved to be reliable” was the Law of God, namely, the Ten Commandments. According to Deuteronomy 33:5, that was the day when God declared that he was “King in Jeshurun.” So God delivered his Law and announced his Kingship through Moses and angels. But now God has delivered not only his Law but his Gospel, announced not only that he is King but also Savior, and he has done all this not merely through Moses and the angels (who are servants in God's house), but through Jesus (who is the Son and rightful heir of all God's promises). If man's rejection of the Law delivered through mere servants “received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect” the Gospel delivered through God's only begotten Son?
The angels were not only messengers but also worshipers, and Jesus is the one they constantly adore. Even at his birth they united in worship because God had commanded it. In the first three verses of Hebrews we saw that God “has spoken to us by his Son” and that Christ is “[seated] at the right hand of the Majesty on high” because his saving work is finished. In other words, Jesus is the true Prophet and the true Priest. But here we see that Jesus is also the true King who rules and reigns with “the scepter of uprightness.”
Throughout human history, God has spoken to mankind through his prophets, but in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son, Jesus Christ. It's important to recognize that Christ does not break with the great Jewish history. To the contrary, Jesus comes to bring it to fulfillment. Without him the Old Testament revelation is partial, fragmentary, preparatory, and incomplete. God spoke in different times by different means, but in Christ he spoke fully, decisively, finally, and perfectly. In other words, Jesus illuminates and confirms the Old Testament by assuring us that the prophets did in fact speak for God and providing fulfillment to their words. And Jesus ensures and commissions the writing of the New Testament by appointing the apostles and sending the Holy Spirit to inspire their writings. So when Hebrews 1:1-2 states that Christ is the final revelation, we are meant to understand that Christ is the final revelation as we witness him through the agency of the Scripture, both the Old Testament and New Testament.
David desires deliverance not only for his own personal welfare, but for the glory of God. David says, “In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!” In other words, he rightly recognizes that if the Lord chooses to rescue him from his enemies, it will be due to two things: Mercy & Righteousness. Mercy toward David, because he too is a sinner. And righteousness towards his enemies who deserve God's judgment. Therefore, David asks the Lord to “teach [him] to do [God's] will.” This request is not made so that David can earn God's favor by his own obedience, but so that David might at least grow in obedience to the point where God's judgment on his enemies (and choice to spare David) will be viewed as a “righteous” (just) act on God's part.
“We all love the fact that children are a blast, and nobody should mind the fact that we love it. But this psalm is not about the patter of little feet around the house. This is not about your Christmas photo album. The ancient world, when they went to war, had a clearer view of what was at stake than do we. A kindergarten class is a packet of warrior seeds. A quiver holds arrows... The blessed man who has children in his youth is a man who has grown children when he is still active and in the fray. But here is the difference between faith and presumption. Children are not an 'automatic' blessing. Samuel would not have been more greatly blessed if he had five sons who took bribes instead of two sons who did (1 Samuel 8:3)... The city council of an ancient city was found in their gates. It is where their elders sat. It is where decisions were made, and where transactions were conducted. If a showdown occurred, that is where it would occur. So there are two things to note about this. The first is that a man is contending with his enemies in the gate, and his sons are there with him. His sons are present in the gates when this happens, and (this is important), they are on their father’s side. He has not brought up soldiers for the enemy. The second thing is that these are not foreign enemies, besieging the city from outside, but rather domestic adversaries, belonging to the opposition. A righteous man, together with his arrows, stands against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The issue is righteousness, not party, or tribe, or nation. And a blessed father brings his children along with him in their shared loyalty to truth and righteousness. The glue that holds such families together is [a shared allegiance to Christ]. This is fundamental. Every attempt to get families, or nations, or churches to hold together apart from Christ (Colossians 1:18) is idolatry. And according to our psalm, it is also vain.” -Doug Wilson
The federal parliament of Canada passed Bill C-4 with the support of all political parties and no opposition from any elected member of parliament. This bill, while purporting to protect individuals from coercion and abuse in the form of “conversion therapy,” will instead criminalize Christianity in our country.
This bill’s wording is sufficiently broad to allow for the criminal prosecution of Christians who would speak biblical truth into the lives of those in bondage to sexual sins like homosexuality and transgenderism. If passed by the senate, even a mother or father who offers their children freedom from sexual sin through repentance and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) could be threatened with five years in jail.
Our King is greatly displeased with our Members of Parliament for their sinful disregard for the spiritual and eternal well being of Canadians. But it is important to note that they have also committed high blasphemy by referring to biblical teaching as “myths” in this legislation. We all must therefore tremble to consider what terrifying judgments will be visited upon our nation for this bold gesture of hatred towards the most high God. May the Bride of Christ commit herself to mourning, fasting, and crying out in solemn prayer for forgiveness for the sins and worldliness in the church of Canada that have led to this calamity…
Remember that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Consider also the words of Martin Luther: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. And to be steady on all other battlefields is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point.” Rather than allow intimidation to mute our proclamation of the biblical truth about sexual sin, we earnestly pray that all the churches who confess the name of Christ would come together and stand in the gap at this critical time (Ezekiel 22:30).
May our King Immanuel supply you with all grace and wisdom in these matters.
In His Service,
Liberty Coalition Canada
“Let a man be ever so bent upon building [a house]… yet, if the Lord does not give success, it will all be in vain; the building will fall down, or be consumed by fire before it is finished; or by one providence or another he will be obliged to desist from it, as in the case of the builders of the tower and city of Babel... Whether it be understood of a family… or whether it be understood of the church of God… yet if the Lord does not prosper the work, all is in vain. For the principal builder is God.” -John Gill
“Let a man be ever so bent upon building [a house]… yet, if the Lord does not give success, it will all be in vain; the building will fall down, or be consumed by fire before it is finished; or by one providence or another he will be obliged to desist from it, as in the case of the builders of the tower and city of Babel... Whether it be understood of a family… or whether it be understood of the church of God… yet if the Lord does not prosper the work, all is in vain. For the principal builder is God.” -John Gill
The psalmist is not content to merely “know” the precepts of the Lord, but to “understand” these precepts. In other words, he possesses an insatiable desire to logically flesh out the intimate workings of God's Law so that he might apply them in practical ways to every area of his life.
According to his sovereign election, God has decreed from eternity past that he might save a people for himself from among every tongue, people, and nation. In the same way that God predestined the ends, namely that the nations would be saved, God also predestined the means, namely that the Gospel would be preached to all peoples. And not only this, but God has also predestined the ultimate and eternal fruit of the redemption of all nations; that all the nations will extol the Lord and praise him forever. In other words, Psalm 117 serves not merely as a command issued to all peoples in all times, but Psalm 117 serves as a prophetic declaration of what God has promised to bring about.
“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” -John Owen
“When [Israel] had got the good land God had promised them they had no zeal against the wicked inhabitants whom the Lord commanded them to extirpate, pretending pity; but so merciful is God that no man needs to be in any case more compassionate than he.” -Matthew Henry
In this psalm, David is not praying to the Lord. Instead, he is doing what all Christians should regularly do: David is preaching the Gospel to himself. David is not listening to his feelings and following his heart. David is recounting the promises of the Gospel and preaching to his soul. Rather than succumbing to his feelings of discouragement, David contends with these feelings. David rightly recognizes that in moments of discouragement, the goodness of God is often forgotten. Therefore, he begins to compile a list of all the benefits of the covenantal mercy of God, lest any of them should be forgotten.
Psalm 96:4-5 says, “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols.” Some translations render the phrase “worthless idols” as “nothings,” or “non-entities.” We are commanded to avoid the worship of idols not only because it is immoral, but because it is vain. Idols are simply the fantasies of the imagination of wicked men. Therefore, idols can only disappoint, and those who trust in them become like them.
God sovereignly determines the boundaries of nations, as well as their lifespan. Throughout history, the average lifespan of national empires has been approximately 250 years. From the Assyrian Empire to the Ottoman Empire, each appears to follow the same trend: 1) The Age of Pioneers, 2) The Age of Conquests, 3) The Age of Commerce, 4) The Age of Affluence, 5) The Age of Intellect, and 6) The Age of Decadence & Decay. This final stage is always marked by a departure from religion, frivolous materialism, and a massive influx of immigration and the welfare state. America has officially reached the 250 year mark and seemingly checks all the boxes of the Age of Decadence & Decay. So is America’s time up? Is it too late to repent? And most importantly, what effect will America’s fate have on the Church of Jesus Christ?
Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders he has done.” Only the most vile of men would resolve to hide the beauty of the Gospel from their own children. And yet, some parents hide the Gospel from their children by neglecting to proclaim its TRUTH in word (failure to include the children in weekly corporate- worship at a biblically faithful church, failure to lead their children in daily family-worship in the home, failure to provide their children with a Christian education in their schooling). Still, other parents conceal the Gospel from their children by neglecting to demonstrate its POWER in deed (failure to live a transformed life evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit).
The psalmist believes that God will continue to be good to Israel as a whole, but he is doubting whether or not God will be good to him personally. His doubt stems from his consistent experience of seeing wicked people around him prosper. In this particular psalm, the psalmist has reached a point where his doubt has fully developed into bitterness and envy. However, all of this changes when he enters the sanctuary of the Lord.
Moments before his execution, Polycarp famously said, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” Psalm 71:5-17 says, “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you... O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.” In other words, both Polycarp (the disciple of the Apostle John) and the author of Psalm 71 served the Lord faithfully from birth. This does not mean that they were regenerate from birth, it simply means that they were raised by their parents as “Christians.” So what does it look like for parents to raise their children in such a manner?
One genre in the book of Psalms is called “imprecatory psalms.” The word “imprecation” simply means “curse” or “judgment.” These psalms are often difficult for New Testament Christians to reconcile with the teaching of Jesus: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). The key is to carefully observe how the New Testament apostles use Psalm 69.
God is the “savior of all people” in the sense of physical preservation, but God is only the savior of “those who believe” in the spiritual and eternal sense (1 Timothy 4:10). God is the “common grace savior” of all, and God is the “special grace savior” of some (the elect). In other words, God cannot bless anyone apart from his grace, spiritual blessing (eternal) or physical blessing (temporal). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).
Psalm 63:2 says, “So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.” While on the run from his son Absalom, David has been effectively cut off the land of Israel, and most significantly, the sanctuary. Therefore, the psalmist is deprived of the praise of God, the people of God, and the presence of God. He is consumed by a desperate, and even violent, thirst for the pleasure and privilege of the presence of God in public worship. David longs to appear before his God. David knows that the sweetest times in the presence of God are not found in private devotion, but in public worship.
For the past 18 months, Christians (and especially pastors) have been presented with a simple choice: Either forsake the gathering to minimize the physical threat of death to our bodies, or continue to gather to minimize the spiritual threat of damnation to our souls. Some overly zealous Calvinists might object at this point by insisting that God is sovereign over salvation, and therefore, he is capable of preserving the souls of his elect, even in the absence of physically gathering together on the Lord’s Day. However, I might remind these Calvinists that the same God who is sovereign over salvation is sovereign over everything, and therefore, he is also quite capable of preserving the health of his people as they diligently seek to obey his commands.
According to Psalm 59, King Saul and his men were like starving, wild dogs that trap their prey right before tearing it to shreds. David's own home had been surrounded by this bloodthirsty mob. David's enemies are characterized by nothing but sheer rage and unrestrained evil. They are not capable of being persuaded by reason, if only someone would provide the facts in an honest and compelling manner. These were men who had willingly pledged their allegiance to an irrational king, a king who had completely succumbed to his own madness and fierce jealousy.
Pastor Joel Webbon preaches on the true nature of confession and the biblical characteristics of “godly sorrow” from Psalm 51:8-17. The contrite man does not merely ask for forgiveness, he asks to be changed.
Pastor Joel Webbon preaches on the true nature of confession and the biblical characteristics of “godly sorrow” from Psalm 51:1-5.
Whether our source of hardship be from without or within, the Lord is a “refuge” to all those who seek shelter in him. God is not merely our hope of future deliverance from every kind of “trouble,” but he is also our source of “present help.” He presently helps his people by equipping and empowering them to bear any kind of trouble they may find. It is for this reason that “the righteous are as bold as lions” in the face of all uncertainty and disaster, knowing that God is sovereign over both good and evil. For as the prophet says, “Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?” (Amos 3:6). Kingdoms, nations, and all the inhabitants of the earth will come and go. Even if the “earth [itself] gives way” by wars or natural desolations, we possess an unshakable refuge in our God.
In Psalm 43, David pleads with God to deliver him from the hands of those mistreating him, but not before first submitting himself to be examined by God. John Calvin once said, “It is vain for us to expect that God will avenge the injuries and wrongs which are done to us, unless our own integrity be so manifest as to induce him to be favorable to us against our adversaries.” Similarly, Proverbs 24:17-18 says, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.” In other words, our diligence to uphold our integrity in the midst of mistreatment is a major determining factor for whether or not God will choose to vindicate us.
David’s enemies constantly reminded him of his failures and God's apparent absence. However, David combats this constant assault by reminding himself of his past moments in the presence of God. David's fondest memories of the presence of God are when he was surrounded by the people of God. David remembers the “throng” of worshipers and the “multitude keeping festival.” David recognizes what many Christians in our age do not, namely, that the sweetest times in the presence of God our not found in private devotion, but in public worship.
Whether on the run from King Saul or his son Absalom, David has been effectively cut off the land of Israel, and most significantly, the Tabernacle. Therefore, the psalmist is deprived of the praise of God, the people of God, and the presence of God. He is consumed by a desperate, and even violent, thirst for the pleasure and privilege of the presence of God in public worship. David longs to appear before God.
Psalm 37:6 provides a wonderful promise: “[God] will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” In other words, those who act with integrity will eventually be vindicated, in this life or the next. Their righteousness will be revealed before both God and men. Therefore, we must diligently obey as we wait upon the Lord. This commandment is stated a final time in Psalm 37:7: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
The battle belongs to the Lord. God is sovereignly orchestrating all things in accordance with his good pleasure. Our only responsibility is to simply wait upon the Lord. We must wait humbly, quietly, obediently, and expectantly.
Many Christians, and even pastors, go to great lengths to conceal and minimize their sin. But a refusal to confess our sins produces only misery and heartache. It causes us to fall under the fatherly displeasure of God. Therefore, Christians should run to God quickly and fully.
On the surface, Psalm 24 describes David and his men as they approached the gates of Jerusalem with the ark of the covenant. And yet, in a much deeper sense, this is a prophetic description of the majestic scene of heaven directly after the ascension of Jesus. For the first time in history, a man actually approached the gates of heaven and demanded that the angelic beings, who guard them with swords of fire, open up those ancient doors for the very first time. Who is this King of glory? He is the God-man, Christ Jesus.
Psalm 23 is an account of everything God has already done for David in the past, as well as everything David is confident God will do for him in the future. But the chief end of all God's past provisions and future promises is found in the final phrase of verse 3: “...He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” All that God does is for “his name's sake.” In other words, all that God does is for his glory. And one if the chief ways God has chosen to bring glory to himself is by being good to his people.
Once more, Pastor Joel preached through Psalm 19:7-9. This time his focus was on not only the beauty of God’s Law, but also the many blessings that come by obedience to it.
This week Pastor Joel preached Psalm 19:7-9. His focus was on the beauty of God’s Law; it’s purposes and products.
This week Pastor Joel preached Psalm 19:1-6. His focus was on the joy of the glory of God, witnessed through natural revelation (or general revelation) by those with spiritual eyes to see.
This week, Pastor Joel preached Psalm 16. His focus was on how to effectively pray in times of trouble by utilizing praise to bolster our faith.
This week, Pastor Joel preached Psalm 16. His focus was on how to effectively pray in times of trouble by utilizing praise to bolster our faith.
This week, Pastor Joel preached Psalm 8. His focus was on how the majesty of God expressed through our children silences the slander of the wicked.
This week, Pastor Joel preached Psalm 2. His focus was on the wicked’s desire for autonomous rule and Christ’s ultimate victory.
This week, Pastor Joel preached Psalm 1. His focus was on the definition and need for Christian meditation.
His focus was on the spiritual reality of two kings (God and Satan), two powers (life and death), and two covenant heads (Christ and Adam). In this sermon, Pastor Joel made one final plea for the congregation of The Response Church to continue choosing the path of life by choosing Christ.
His focus was on the reality of God's Word that only by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Alone, will any of us receive salvation.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 4:23-25. His focus was on the nature of Christian faith and the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 4:16-22. His focus was on the four key components of faith: the reason for faith, the object of faith, the source of faith, and the fruit of faith.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on Romans 4:9-15. His focus was on who will be justified before God and how this justification is accomplished.
His focus was on the importance of repentance and to not neglect the gift of repentance that is given from God.
His focus was on the sufficiency of Christ and that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 3:25-26. His focus was on how a Holy God pardons guilty sinners without compromising his own justice.
His focus was on sin as a condition, and the way it affects every aspect (behaviors, speech, reason, emotions, desires, etc) of all people.
His focus was on the art of anticipating common objections to the gospel and learning how to resolve them.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on Romans 2:25-29. His focus was on the need for a circumcised heart.
His focus was on the importance of not only gaining knowledge from God’s Law but actually applying God’s Law by his grace to our daily lives.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 2:12-16. His focus was on the perfect justice of God’s judgment. We live in a culture that regularly shows favoritism towards certain individuals and certain groups of individuals, but there is absolutely no partiality with God.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 2:1-5. His focus was on the fact that every single human being makes judgments about others, and therefore, every single human being instinctively knows that there is an objective, moral stand.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on Romans 1:28-32. His focus was on God's judgement for sin in this life. According to Romans 1, God progressively hands men over to their own wickedness, and the final step in the progression of sin is when a culture begins to give its approval of wickedness.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 1:24-27. His focus was on the manner in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven toward those who willfully reject God's truth.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on Romans 1:18-23. His focus was on the wrath of God toward mankind and his wicked rebellion. He took time to carefully explain how the wrath of God, although a terrifying reality, is actually good news to those who trust him.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 1:16-17. His focus was on 5 key characteristics of the gospel. In order to proclaim the gospel without shame, we must believe the gospel. And in order to believe the gospel, we must first understand the gospel.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 1:8-15. His focus was on three key characteristics of a true saint: 1) Saints rejoice in the spread of the gospel, 2) Saints devote themselves to fervent and humble prayer, and 3) Saints long to be with other saints.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on Romans 1:5-7. His focus was on the twofold purpose of God’s grace: grace for salvation and grace for service.
This week Pastor Zack GIlman teaches on Romans 1:2-4. His focus was on the true identity of Jesus Christ and the foundational tenets of the gospel.
This week Pastor Zack begins our study in The Book of Romans. His focus was on providing an overview of the book of Romans, as well as a comprehensive background for the Apostle Paul.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:17-21. His focus was on the eternal significance of storing treasure in heaven.
Human beings are constantly worshipping. If we do not worship God, by default we will worship someone/something else. And what/who we choose to worship will powerfully shape what kind of people we become.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:6-8. His focus was on the need for godly contentment, especially in this uncertain hour.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:9-10. His focus was on the dangerous perils of the love of money, and its three-step, lethal process: 1) Desire, 2) Deception, and 3) Destruction.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:6-8. His focus was on the need for godly contentment, especially in this uncertain hour.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:3-5. His focus was on the marks of a false teacher and how to identify them.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 6:1-2. His focus was on the reality of victimhood and how Christian victims can suffer well.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 5:19-25. His focus was on the desperate need for healthy leadership in local churches, and the vital role that the congregation plays in achieving this goal.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on 1 Timothy 5:17-18. His focus was on the biblical command for local churches to honor their pastors by showing them esteem, as well as, paying them a livable wage.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 5:3-16. His focus was on how God’s ways are always best, even his instructions for caring for the poor. In this sermon, Pastor Joel reveals the tragic reality of how the poor are often used by both the church and the state simply to gain the approval of man.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on 1 Timothy 5:1-2. His focus was on the beauty of a multigenerational church, and the importance of relating to one another in a godly manner.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 4:11-16. His focus was on how to overcome the wrongful contempt of others, and how to persist in sound doctrine and godly character for the preservation of others.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 4:11-16. His focus was on how to overcome the wrongful contempt of others, and how to persist in sound doctrine and godly character for the preservation of others.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 4:6-10. His focus was on principles for leading a disciplined Christian life, as well as the proper motivation.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on 1 Timothy 4:1-5. His focus was on the dangers of false doctrine, and the slippery slope that causes many to depart from the faith.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on Luke 14:25-33. His focus was on the importance of counting the cost of following Christ.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 3:14-16. His focus was on the mission of the church, which is to present the truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 3:8-13. His focus was on the qualifications of Deacons and the type of man required by Scripture to fill this office.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 3:8-13. His focus was on the duty of Deacons and why the church so desperately needs more godly men to fill this office.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 3:1-7. His focus was on several of the qualifications listed in Scripture for Elders, but especially the importance of the ability to teach God’s Word faithfully.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 3:1-7. His focus was on several of the qualifications listed in Scripture for Elders, but especially the importance of being above reproach.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 3:1-7. His focus was on the necessity of spiritual maturity in the life and ministry of a pastor.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 2:9-15. His focus was on the biblical reasoning for why male headship and female submission is proper and beneficial for the flourishing of God's people.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 2:9-15. His focus was on how to practically apply the biblical principle of male headship and female submission
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 2:9-15. His focus was on the proper attire of women in the church, which should be godliness demonstrated through good works.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 2:9-15. His focus was on the proper attire of women in the church, which should be godliness demonstrated through good works.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on 1 Timothy 2:1-8. His focus was on the absolute necessity for prayer. In this sermon he helped us to see that our God is a God who graciously saves all kinds of people, whether it be those in positions of influence and authority or those who are of lowly estate. And because our God has promised to save all kinds of people we must be faithful to pray for all kinds of people.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 1:18-20. His focus was on the importance of faithful ministry over the course of multiple generations. In this sermon he emphasized 6 principles for accomplishing this vital task.
This week Pastor Joel’s teaching was on the topic of Church Membership. His primary biblical text was Matthew 18:15-17. His focus was on the necessity of local church membership as the only sufficient context for practical obedience to several of the commandments found in the New Testament.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues teaching on 1 Timothy 1:12-17. His focus was on what our response should be to the Gospel and how to recover a sense of awe in regards to the grace of God.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 1:12-17. His focus was on what the Gospel is and what the Gospel does in our lives.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 1:8-11. His focus was on the importance of God's law in the life of the believer.
*Due to technical difficulties the last 20 minutes were not recorded. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon continues his teaching on 1 Timothy 1:3-7. His focus was on the necessary ingredients of love. In this sermon Pastor Joel helps us to see how possessing a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith equips us for loving others according to God's standard of love.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Timothy 1:3-7. His focus was on how to correct, who to correct, and when to correct.
This week Pastor Zack Gilman teaches on 1 Timothy 1:1-2. His focus was on laying a foundation for the Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy.
This week Pastor Costi Hinn from Redeemer Bible Church in Gilbert, AZ teaches on Romans 1:16-17. His focus was on the true power of the gospel as opposed to other false forms of power, such as fabricated signs and wonders, the agenda of social justice, and the seeker-sensitive approach of pragmatism.
This week Pastor Dustin Rudolph from Del Cerro Baptist Church teaches on Genesis 11:1-9. His focus was on The Tower of Babel and the sinful desire of all men to make a name for ourselves rather than exalting the name of Christ.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Genesis 10. His focus was on the common ancestry of all humanity and the importance of global missions.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Genesis 9. His focus was on the Noahic covenant and the implications that come forth for us today.
This week Benjamin R. Merkle, the President of New Saint Andrews College, teaches on Genesis 2:4-7. His focus was on God's creation and how it relates to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 8. His focus was on the mercy of God shown to Noah through his past salvation and his promise of future preservation. Pastor Joel encouraged us with the truth that although we may feel forgotten by God in the present, God is always faithful to remember his people. Therefore, we should be faithful to remember him.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 7. His focus was on the imminent judgement of God, as well as God patience and kindness to warn us of his wrath to come. Pastor Joel also took time to help us see how many throughout human history have chosen to mock those who faithfully preach God’s warnings, and he earnestly pleaded with us not to be like them.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 6:9-22. His focus was on the life of Noah, and his radical obedience to God. Like Noah, we all must be both willing and prepared to stand for Christ even if that means we must stand completely alone.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 6:1-8. His focus was on the progression of sin as it relates to societies, cultures, and nations. Sin begins with compromise, compromise leads towards corruption, and corruption brings about condemnation.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 5. This week his focus was on the inevitably of death, and the urgency that each of us should possess to be made right with God.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Genesis 4:16-26. His focus was on the genealogy of Cain found in Genesis chapter 4. This genealogy paints a picture that is strikingly similar to much of our culture today. By God’s common grace, mankind has achieved incredible exploits. We have made great strides in medicine, architecture, music, etc. However, it is all for not if we refuse to honor the Lord.
This week Pastor Rony Renfrow teaches on Genesis 3:16-24. His focus was on the sin of Cain and how it relates to our worship.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 3:16-24. His focus was on the consequences of sin, especially as it relates to the relationship between men and women.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 3:8-15. His focus was on the power of guilt and shame, and our natural tendency to hide and blame when confronted with our sin.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 3:1-7. His focus was on the massive implications of the fall of mankind as it pertains to the covenant of works and the covenant of redemption. Pastor Joel also used this particular text of Scripture as a case study for how to become better prepared for resisting temptation.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on John 14:1-11. His focus was on how faith in Jesus is the only true antidote to our hearts being troubled in this life. He also took time to clearly explain what true Biblical faith looks like.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Genesis 2:18-25. His focus was on the God-given distinctions in roles between men and women.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 2:4-17. His focus was on the character of God as an unchanging standard for morality. In this sermon, he referenced how fickle morality appears to be in our culture today due to the fact that humanity has inserted itself in the place of God as the standard for what is right and wrong. He also took time to address the vital importance of meaningful work.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 2:1-3. His focus was on the timeless principle of the Sabbath which was instituted by God as a creational ordinance before sin ever entered the world. In this sermon Pastor Joel also offers biblical wisdom for how New Testament Christians should strive to keep the Sabbath holy.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Genesis 1:26-31. His focus was on what it means to be made in the image of God, and the unique dignity that God has prescribed to mankind.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 1:2-25. His focus was on the attributes of God which are displayed through his creation. One of the chief attributes which we see in the creation account is God's jealousy. Even in the manner in which God created the heaven's and the earth, we can clearly see that God refuses to allow his people to have any gods before him.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Genesis 1:1. His focus was on the eternal nature of God and the implications that this truth has for each of our lives. Also, in the first half of his sermon he took time to introduce the book of Genesis as a whole.
This week Pastor Rony teaches on Psalm 142. His focus was on the need for where we find hope in the midst of suffering.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Psalm 51 a second time. His focus was on the need for a broken and contrite heart in regards to our sin, that motivates us to cry out to the Lord for transformation.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Psalm 51 a second time. His focus was on the need for a broken and contrite heart in regards to our sin, that motivates us to cry out to the Lord for transformation.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Psalm 42-43. His focus was on times of trouble and the importance of experiencing and expressing godly sorrow.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Psalm 24. His focus was on the need for holiness and reverence in worship.
This week Pastor Rony Renfrow teaches on Hebrews 4:12-13. His focus was on the power of the word of God in personal reformation.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 Corinthians 7. His focus was on biblical singleness, its challenges and its blessings.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Ruth 4. His focus was on the passionate love that Boaz feels for Ruth and his refusal to compromise, which compeled him to pursue Ruth in an honorable way.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Ruth 3. His focus was on the incredible risk that Ruth takes as she attempts to provide for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Ruth 1. His focus was on the misery of Naomi. She had suffered much over the years, but in her self-pity she became blind to all of the ways that God was faithfully providing for her.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Jonah 4. His focus was on the hatred of Jonah towards the Ninevites. Although Jonah had finally obeyed God by delivering his word to the Ninevites, he was still hoping in his heart that God would refuse to show compassion to the Ninevites, and rather, destroy them.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Jonah 3. His focus was on Jonah's half-hearted obedience. Although Jonah obeyed God to an extent, he still attempted to sabotage the Ninevites by neglecting to tell them of God's compassion. Despite all this, God's compassion for the people of Ninevah shines through.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on Jonah 2. His focus was on the desperate pleas of Jonah as he cried out to God for deliverance from the belly of the fish.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on Jonah 1. His focus was on the anger of Jonah toward the Ninevites, which caused him to rebel against the call of God.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 5:18-21. His focus was on the dangers of false doctrine regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ. Pastor Joel labored to explain how a failure to see Christ rightly is not merely bad theology, but idolatry.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 5:14-17. His focus was on the importance of prayer, and the necessity for Christians to pray in accordance with God's will.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on 1 John 5:6-13. His focus was on the three witnesses to Jesus being the Son of God. These three witnesses give the saints confidence in their salvation. Rejecting one or more of these witnesses will lead to death and eternal damnation.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 5:1-5. His focus was on the importance of being born again as the basis for faith, love, and obedience.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 4:17-21. His focus was on what it means to be perfected in love.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 4:12-16. His focus was on the absolute necessity of each individual believer possessing confidence in God's personal love for them.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 John 4:7-11. His focus was on the commandment to love one another and the impossibility of achieving this task apart from the supernatural work of God.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 John 4:1-6.This week his focus was on the need for discernment, the basis discernment, and the fruit of discernment.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 John 3:19-24. His focus was on the reality of our own hearts condemning us and how Christians can effectively combat this.
This week Pastor Rony teaches on 1 John 3:11-18. His focus was on challenging christians not to simply love in theory, but to love in practice according to the Scripture.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on 1 John 3:4-10. His focus was on the nature of a true Christians relationship to sin.
This week Pastor Joel Webbon teaches on 1 John 3:2-3. His focus was on the final completion of our sanctification, which occurs at the moment when each of us stands before Christ.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 3:1. His focus was on the importance of both seeing and receiving the fatherly love of God, and how God's fatherly love sets us apart from the rest of the world.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 2:28-29. His focus was on the key to overcoming shame at the return of Christ.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on 1 John 2:24-27. His focus was on the importance of abiding in God and recognizing the abiding power of the Holy Spirit, which resides in each of us.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 2:18-23. His focus was on the strategy of false teachers, the mark of false teachers, and how to define false teaching.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 2:15-17. His focus was on the problem of worldliness and how to resist this deadly pitfall.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 2:12-14. His focus was on the necessity for assurance as the fuel for sanctification, and how each Christian, regardless of their spiritual maturity, has something that they can be encouraged about.
This week Pastor Zack teaches on 1 John 2:7-1. His focus was on the challenges of truly loving others, especially those who are closest to us.
This week Pastor Rony teaches on 1 John 2:3-6. His focus was on the assurance that comes from obedience to Christ.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 2:1-2. His focus was on the need for Jesus as both our advocate and our propitiation.
This week Pastor Joel teaches on 1 John 1:5-10. His focus was on the dangers of claiming to be without sin and attempting to redefine sin.