Christ Church Bentonville: Recent Episodes
Christ Church Bentonville
Through Hezekiah, we learn it is a privilege to pray because through prayer God invovles us in what He is doing.
The enemy of the Lord's covenant people has a consistent pattern of attack - undermining the people's position, highlighting their weakness, holding out false promises, then denying the faithfulness of the Lord. Judah's dilemma is our dilemma: will we trust the word of worldly powers, or the word of the Lord of heaven and earth?
The Lord is the Lord of all nations, and there is coming day where His boundless wrath will be poured out on His enemies and the enemies of His people. But an even better renewal is promised to all who turn from sin to trust in the redemption offered in Christ - a new creation free from sin, sickness, and sorrow and filled with glory and joy.
Isaiah's foresees a brighter day for the people of God in which their faith will be sight and they will see the beauty of the promised King!
The Lord rebukes Judah for their failure to wait for and on Him. But what is truly remarkable is the fact that He waits on them despite their disobedience.
Isaiah address both hard-hearted sinners who deny judgment is coming and proud hypocrites who deny they are worthy of judgment and declares that the only hope for all sinners is the Lord Jesus Christ.
We don't sing in worship to connect with God. We sing in response to the fact that God has connected Himself to us in and through Christ.
We are all on walking on one of two paths. We are either walking in our own self-sufficiency which leads to desolation or in Christ's all-sufficiency which leads to consolation.
As we’ve seen throughout this series of oracles, though there has been a great deal of judgment, there has also been a glimmer of hope in each one; and this one concerning Tyre is no exception.
The Lord, through Isaiah, continues to drive home the point that reliance upon anything or anyone other than Christ, particularly ourselves, is futile.
Chapter 21 not only describes God working in the midst of the geo-political conflict of Isaiah's day, it also speaks to how we are to live in our day between the already and the not yet of God's Kingdom and our salvation.
Isaiah wasn’t the only prophet to be asked to do something that resulted in his own personal humiliation. The Lord Christ "endured the cross and despised the shame" to take our guilt and shame upon Himself.
All the nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham and His seed; and that includes Israel’s classic enemy of Egypt. (This was recorded at our annual visit to Blowing Springs for worship and fellowship outdoors.)
At the right time, God would intervene and accomplish His purpose and plan for Judah, Cush, and all the nations whose destinies were in HIs hands.
Fixing our eyes on anyone or anything to experience life, other than Jesus, ultimately leads to death. It is to Him alone that we should look.
The Lord of the nations is sovereign over the nations, the judge of the nations, and a Savior for the nations.
Like Assyria, Babylon’s pride would lead to its demise. But we must admit, the seed of pride is in all our hearts.
The aim of Christ's question was to shift Martha's attention away from the general resurrection of the dead to Himself as the resurrection and the life, and it worked.
The section of Isaiah's prophecy that began with being confronted with God's holiness and his own sinfulness, fittingly concludes with a glorious doxology.
We can be content and confident in the midst of our circumstances as we see them between the bookends of the past reality and the future hope of the covenant God has made with us in Christ.
"While Assyria’s remnant was as a few scattered trees of the forest, and there was no hope; Jacob’s remnant had hope as broad as the promises of the God of truth." - E. J. Young
In Christ, we are no longer under the Lord's hand of judgment, we are in the Lord's outstretched arms of mercy, and He will never let us go. There is no other way to flee from the Lord than to flee to the Lord.
The point in redemptive history upon which everything would turn was the birth of a boy. The glimmer of hope in the midst of the pronouncement of judgment was that a son would be given and the darkness of sin and death would give way to the brightness of God’s glory.
Ahaz wouldn't ask for a sign, but the Lord gave him one anyway; a son born of a virgin whose name would be Immanuel, God with us.
God's revelation of his holiness led to Isaiah's realization of his own sin which God responded to with mercy.
Chapter 5 is a folk song that told a very real story about an ordinary people who were doing very disappointing and destructive things in the midst of an extraordinary relationship.
Judgement and salvation are inextricably linked together. Therefore, there is not only bad news regarding the last day, there is good news as well!
There was a day the Lord had determined to exercise judgement on Judah, and it pointed to the fact that there is a day the Lord has determined to exercise full and final judgment. On that day, will it be woe to you or well with you?
In Chapter 2 Isaiah's vision describes the latter days, the current day, and the coming day. And in light of what is and what will be, he said today is the day to trust the Lord and walk in His ways.
The Gospel according to Isaiah begins with a snapshot of the two themes of the entire book, the severity of judgement and the hope of salvation.
Paul closed his letter to the church in Rome with a doxology, and in doing so he summarized the entirety of the letter. It was a fitting conclusion.
The incarnation, and Paul's description of it, should bring a joy that is both deeper and more lasting than all the tinsel and glitter and celebrations around us.
Right in the middle of what appears to be his conclusion, Paul basically said, “Oh, and one more thing. Keep your eyes and ears open for the potential infiltration of false teachers into the church."
Christ is the One upon whom we must depend if we are going to experience the community and fellowship God intends for us to experience. (Due to technical difficulties, the recording begins at the end of the introduction and does not include the normal OT and NT readings.)
Being united Christ, we are united to one another which includes responsibilities for one another.
May our confidence be in the fact that we are in Christ and He is in us. May we always draw attention to what Christ has done in and through us by His Spirit.
Paul calls those who have been received by Christ to receive others who have also been received by Christ. It's what brothers and sisters do as members in the family of God.
Paul desired harmony within the church because God desires harmony within the church in order that His people can and will ascribe Him glory and praise in unison.
Paul reminds the strong in faith that "Christ has already paid the supreme price for the weak Christian, so how can the strong in faith refuse to pay the quite insignificant price of a minor and occasional restriction in their diet?" (Moo)
How do those weak in faith and those strong and faith live in unity in the church despite differing opinions on matters of Christian liberty? By looking to Christ, our stronger older brother, Who is able to make us stand because He died and rose again.
Paul continues to describe the life of those whose minds are being transformed by explaining how we are to related to everyone around us, Christian and non-Christian alike. He says we are to walk lovingly, urgently, and properly.
Paul explains how we are to live in relation to the state and the governing authorities of the civil magistrate.
The renewal of our minds changes how we relate to those within the community of faith and outside the community of faith, and Christ provides both the power and motivation to do so.
We don't live the Christian life in isolation. Every Christian has something to contribute to and we all benefit from one another.
Paul makes an appeal to the church at Rome and to us to shift from contemplating the realities of the gospel to living in light of them.
Paul spontaneously broke into praise and worship because he rightly believed God alone was and is deserving of glory and he therefore couldn’t do otherwise.
The mystery of God's plan of redemption was that the gospel was for the Jew first and also for the Greek, but the gospel was embraced by the Greeks first and also the Jews. He used the disobedience of the Jews for the sake of the salvation of the Gentiles and used the mercy shown to the Gentiles for the sake of the salvation of the Jews.
God's plan has always involved one people and one way of salvation. Jews and Gentiles are branches of the same family tree by faith alone in Christ alone.
While God was keeping a remnant chosen by grace, the rest of Israel had stumbled over Christ but had not fallen.
Despite our disobedience, God consistently and faithfully holds out His hands to offer grace to those who will repent and believe.
It’s not only what is heard (the gospel) but who is heard (Christ) that makes all the difference.
We aren't saved by doing the impossible. We're called to confess, believe, and call on the name of the Lord.
Once again, there are only two options: Christ is a rock upon whom we stand or a stone over whom we stumble. Faith makes all the difference.
God doesn’t unjustly condemn anyone who deserves to be saved, He mercifully saves those who deserve to be condemned.
Have God's purposes and promises to His people failed? Paul says, "No!" The issue is not with God or His Word or His purposes and promise. God’s purpose of election has succeeded, is succeeding, and will always succeed.
Paul, had not turned his back on his people or forsaken his roots. Their unbelief and rebellion, and the eternal consequences that awaited them, grieved him deeply.
In the midst of our suffering, not only is the Spirit praying for us and with us, the Father is working all things together for our good.
A theology of glory ignores sin and believes suffering is a consequence of a lack of faith and an obstacle to be avoided or overcome. A theology of suffering acknowledges sin and sees suffering as an inevitability that we must endure as we await the consummation of God’s kingdom and anticipate the fulfillment of future glory that is to be revealed when Christ returns in the fulness of time.
Christians are our heavenly Father’s sons and daughters, and we know that is true based on how we live. We could say it another way; how we live exhibits whose we are, and we are our Father's children.
Paul says our salvation is sure because we are no longer under the Father's condemnation, we are free in Christ, and we are indwelt by the Spirit.
Those who have been justified through faith in Christ are being sanctified, but still have the remnants of sinful corruption in their flesh until they are glorified. In Romans 7:13-25, Paul details his experience of the Christian life to teach the Romans and all Christians to endure the struggle for sanctification, knowing that the outcome is secure because God has accomplished deliverance of the most wretched of sinners from their body of death through the Lord Jesus Christ.
The law is not our problem. Sin is our problem. But the law is not the answer to our problem either. The answer is grace.
Just as there is no third way in regard to our standing (we are either in Adam or in Christ), there is also no third way in regard to our living (we are either slaves of sin or slaves of righteousness; we either obey sin or we obey God).
Paul has an answer for those who fall into the ditches of legalism on one side and antinomianism on the other. We must "consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Justification by faith alone is not simply a biblical doctrine to be theologically critiqued or debated. Justification by faith alone has life-altering blessings to which we should cling.
God is fulfilling His promise to bless father Abraham with many sons and daughters as people embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ by faith alone.
Abraham was the prime example of justification by faith, righteousness being credited and not merited, and salvation being inclusive not exclusive.
There's no room for boasting in our salvation when the righteousness God offers is received by the faith God gives as a gift and the basis for the justification God declares.
In his closing argument, Paul says the evidence, which includes the compelling testimony of Scripture, has shown beyond any reasonable doubt that no one is without excuse and is guilty before God due to sin and no one is justified by the works of the law. No not one!
Paul pauses his case for the sinfulness of all mankind to address some objections. As we hear Paul’s refutation, may we join him in being not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Paul exposes both legalism and formalism for what they are, forms of self-righteousness and false hope in terms of our justification.
Having driven home the point that God’s judgement is going to be just, patient, certain, impartial, and appropriate, Paul moves on to identify the standard by which everyone will be judged.
The Jews were judging the Gentiles and not holding themselves to the same standard. So Paul wanted them to know their only hope was the same hope as the Gentiles. A righteousness not their own.
Are there sins more heinous than others? Yes. Do all sins deserve God’s wrath? Absolutely. But there is hope. God offers salvation from them all in Christ.
We can’t appreciate the good news unless we understand the bad news. Paul rightly diagnosed the bad news and we must apprehend the severity of it to appreciate the solution which is the Gospel.
The gospel isn’t something we do. The gospel isn’t something we live. The gospel is an announcement of good news.
As a bondservant of Christ, Paul knew he was obligated to Christ. Being obligated to Christ, Paul knew he was obligated to those for whom Christ died.
It’s been called the Mount Everest of Paul’s letters and it all begins with a simple but profound greeting that tells us who Paul was, who Jesus is, and who we are.
We end 2024 and look to 2025 in Psalm 3, a song of hope for those in hopeless circumstances.
Christ was the child that was born and the Son who was given that would change everything for us.
We should worship God as He is, as He deserves, and as He desires because He is our sovereign King who has rightful authority over us.
We should look away from ourselves and our circumstances and look to Jesus our Great High Priest.
He was promised. He came. He is coming again. Until then, He speaks through what He has already spoken. So we should listen to Him, not only this season but every season.
To this point, the relationship between God and His people had been described as a marriage, with God being the faithful husband and His people being the unfaithful wife. But here the relationship is described as one between God, who is a loving father, and His people, who were an ungrateful and rebellious son.
Whether in times of joy or sadness, or in seasons of adversity or prosperity, Christ alone is the One upon whom we should call and the One upon whom we should depend.
Today, the Lord still desires for us to earnestly seek Him, and the evidence of our earnestness is the same as it was for Israel.
Hosea 4 is a warning to us all to repent of our sins and turn to Christ, because those who obstinately continue in sin walk directly into judgment, but all who turn in faith to Christ will not receive judgment but everlasting life.
Hosea's goal was Gomer's reformation and their marriage’s restoration. And we know that because they were meant to be a picture that pointed to something greater.
The Lord warned Israel. He disciplined them as well. He also sought to affectionately woo them back to Him.
The relationship between Hosea and Gomer was to be a real-time drama that symbolized and pointed to the faithlessness of Israel and the faithfulness of God who is the God of the guilty.
If knowledge is power, and safety, and happiness (h/t Thomas Jefferson), then knowing Jesus is the greatest power, and safety, and happiness. John closes his letter with reminders of what he wants Christians to know.
Do you believe John's testimony that has been confirmed by God's three-fold testimony of the Spirit, the water, and the blood?
Our faith is not in our assurances. Our faith is in Jesus. We should be encouraged by them, but our eyes should remain on Him. Our faith is a victorious faith because the object of that faith is victorious Savior.
How do we know we know God and that we are in fellowship with Him? John says it's not up for debate. We know if we love one another.
The previous passage stressed the importance of loving one another. The passage that follows will stress loving one another. This passage in between the two stresses the importance of the truth.
We should love one another. We must love one another. We can love one another because God's love has been shed abroad in our hearts.
John continues to assure his readers of their salvation by pointing out who they are as children of God.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit isn't a second blessing that only the super-spiritual experience later in their Christian life. It is the blessing every believer experiences at the point of salvation. Therefore, Christians don't need some secret knowledge, special enlightenment, or mystical extra-biblical experience to know the truth. The Holy Spirit who indwells us leads us into all truth.
We either love the world and the things of the world or we love God and the things of God. We can’t love both.
In our text this week, John says God's light shines through both the law and the gospel, therefore faithful pulpits will preach both.
The best way to refrain from sin and grow in holiness is by living a godly life by grace and through the power of the Spirit which is fruit of our salvation and therefore a means by which we are assured of our salvation.
"When we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9
By faith, fullness of joy is ours as we share life with the triune God in mutual fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We don’t have to wait for special feasts and celebrations, particularly man-made ones, to celebrate and rejoice the salvation that is ours. We celebrate the Greatest Reversal every week. (Technical difficulties caused the first few seconds of the introduction to be omitted and the audio is so-so.)
In Chapter 8 of Esther, the circumstances of the Jews don't change, but their attitudes and actions do, based on a new edict that greatly affects their future.
The surety of our salvation and our being able to approach the throne of grace is not based upon us finding favor in the sight of a self-absorbed, capricious God.
In one of the funniest chapters of the Bible, we see God opposing the proud and exalting the humble, while preserving His people, keeping His promises, and giving a picture of the greater redemption found in Christ.
Esther’s boldness and bravery were laudable. But this shouldn’t lead us to make her an exemplary model to follow. It should lead us to and point us to Christ.
TE Chris Taylor teaches the second of 7 classes of our bi-weekly summer Sunday School series we've entitled "Our Distinctives." The material covered, "What it means to be covenantal."
We can understand the state of confusion the city was thrown into. What we can’t understand, hopefully, is that Ahasuerus and Haman sat down to have a drink to celebrate and toast the decision.
We need to recognize the destructive nature of the worldly kingdom we live in, resolve not to be assimilated by it, and rest in Christ to whose heavenly kingdom we belong.
Just because we can’t see Him doesn’t mean God is not at work. He is working in the ordinary, insignificant, moments of the day-to-day. We may not be able to discern how He is working until after-the-fact, if that's even possible, but He is.
TE Aaron Raines teaches the first of 7 classes of our bi-weekly summer Sunday School series we've entitled "Our Distinctives". The material covered what it means to be confessional.
Peter warned against false teachers and gave instructions for how Christians in Asia Minor should stand firm. Because the churches who received Peter's letter followed his instruction, they continued to gather for worship and fellowship in the same way that we continue to do two millennia later.
Christ will return. We are to wait patiently until He does. But our waiting is active not passive.
In the historic examples Peter referred to, there was not only a lesson about judgment, there was also a lesson about rescue and salvation.
The Bible is a gift that we should treasure and not neglect because God has given it to us for both our preservation and perseverance until Christ returns at the dawn of the new creation.
Our striving to live godly lives is not in vain because Christ is risen! (This sermon was given at our outdoor Easter Service at Blowing Springs in Bella Vista, Arkansas)
“He cares for you” sums up the heart of the gospel. God is not indifferent to our troubles; we are his concern. - Charles Cranfield
Peter says the sheep of Christ's Church have been entrusted to the elders who serve as His undershepherds.
Enduring persecution for the sake of Christ is a cause for joy, because the Lord is a faithful Creator who will send His Spirit to comfort those who suffer according to His will.
Just like you can't show up drunk to a shootout at the OK Corral, you must be sober-minded to live the Christian life in a world hostile to the gospel.
So whatever persecution and suffering should come our way, Peter wants us to assure us that we are secure in Christ.
Peter encouraged wives to be subject to their husbands for their own physical protection, for their own spiritual growth, and for the sake of their husband’s souls.
How are we to live in a culture and society in which we are exiles and sojourners? In humble submission, pursuing holiness, and bearing witness to our Savior.
For those who have been born again, our lives are not simply characterized by repenting and renouncing sin, our lives are also characterized by positive growth that takes place in community.
Peter begins to weave the glorious truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ together with the implications and applications for the Christian life of holiness flowing from that good news.
Our hope is not in ourselves or in our circumstances. Our hope is in the grace of God. And that grace is ours.
Peter seeks to encourage and instruct Christians who are navigating and living in a world in which they do not fit or belong.
The final words of Jacob and Joseph (and Genesis) include prophesies given, professions made, purposes identified, and promises to which they were clinging.
Advent is about preparation. It’s about anticipation. It’s about celebrating the announced arrival of our Savior’s first coming and about making ourselves ready for His second coming or his return that has been foretold as well.
Joseph was able to objectively observe the change in his brothers over an extended period of time that ultimately rebuilt the trust necessary for him to reveal himself, to draw them close, and to embrace them.
Joseph did not lose his identity because he had not forgotten the God who had not forgotten him. He continued to be faithful and serve the Lord who had been and continued to be with him.
In the midst of Joseph’s trials and temptation, in the midst of his adversity and prosperity, the Lord was with him. The Lord is with us as well.
This text is another example in which we see how God loves to take what is meant for evil and use it to bring about good.
On the surface, it’s a story of extreme sibling rivalry and the main characters are, of course, Joseph and his brothers. Below the surface, however, God is the main character and it's a story of His providence, our hope, and our Savior, the greater Joseph.
While their choices and their destinies and legacies were vastly different, God’s sovereign grace was put on display in both Jacob and Esau. God’s salvific grace was evident in Jacob’s life and God’s common grace was evident in Esau’s. And the ultimate lesson we learn is that God's grace is greater than all our sin.
While our Heavenly Father may not prevent us from sinning or spare us from the consequences of our sin, He does intervene and rescue us, just as He did Jacob. Through His Word, He graciously calls us to repentance and reminds us of His promises.
What happens when everyone ignores the Lord and does what is wrong? Genesis 34 tells us. Yet, through it all, the Lord of the covenant of grace remains faithful to His promises and works for His glory and the good of His people.
Genesis 33 depicts Jacob - the elect of God - seeking to make peace with his brother Esau because the Lord showed favor on him and forgave all his sins.
This is a story of how God uses the things we struggle with most to bring us to the point that we will cling to Christ alone and never let Him go. (There was a problem with the first download. It was only 8 minutes long. This is the full sermon is 32 minutes long).
This is a story of how God uses the things we struggle with most to bring us to the point that we will cling to Christ alone and never let Him go. (The original download was only 8 minutes long. The updated version is the full sermon and is 32 minutes long.)
Jacob turns a corner as far as his character is concerned. But he is still a work in progress.
This is a love story. But it’s not so much the love story of Jacob and Rachel as it is the love story of God and His people. This love story of Jacob and Rachel simply points us to the love story of Christ, the Better Jacob, and His Church.
God affirms His promises and thus His presence and covenant faithfulness with Jacob like He did with his father and grandfather before him.
Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob were all equally at fault, but God worked all things according to His will and for His purposes. (A sermon given by Associate Pastor Aaron Raines)
It’s a true story about a man who was his father's son and made some similar choices, but who, like his father, was also graciously preserved and blessed by their covenant-making, covenant-keeping God.
Our identity as Christians is based solely on God’s creation and choosing (election) of us and who we are in Christ.
As Abraham’s spiritual offspring, Christians have been blessed in every way because we are recipients and benefactors of God’s covenantal faithfulness.
We can be faithful and obey God’s Word because our God is a God who has made incredible promises to us and provides all we need in Christ.
The great anticipation of Isaac's birth and the joyous response it elicited foreshadowed the joyous response of those who greatly anticipated the arrival of another Son some 2000 years later.
Abraham may be in the hall of faith, but his faith wavered. He was a man that fell short of the glory of God just like the rest of us.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example of the judgment of a holy, righteous, and just God who never acts arbitrarily. But the good news is, the same God is also merciful and will faithfully forgive any and every sin, no matter how small or great the sin might be, of those who repent and turn in faith to Christ.
Friends of the Lord dine with the Lord, are disciplined by the Lord, and dialogue with the Lord.
The Abrahamic covenant, while it did have earthly, biological, national, and geographical aspects to it, pointed to a greater spiritual reality. The Abrahamic covenant was a spiritual covenant promising spiritual blessings.
Sarai grew impatient with the Lord and was tired of waiting on the son He had promised her husband, and decided to take matters into her own hands. But she wasn't the only one.
When the circumstances of life collide with our faith, we have assurance that the promises are true.
Despite 2/3 of the passage being used to describe conflicts between nations, the chapter isn’t actually about the conflicts. The conflicts are simply the circumstances that the Lord used to put the spiritual battle that Abram experienced on display.
Genesis 13 has a tendency to get lost in the midst of Chapters 12, 15, and 17 that play such an important theological role in redemptive history. But the pericope is actually packed full of lessons to learn or practical wisdom and applicable truth that shouldn’t be overlooked.
When we are more like Abram than we want to be, and we fail like he failed, there is hope for us, just as there was for him.
Father Abraham has many sons, many sons has father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are all of those who are in Christ. So let's just praise the Lord!
This text tells us the nations should be important to us. Though there are things that differentiate us and divide us, we are, in some respect, all family.
This part of the Genesis narrative shows us the flood did not totally eliminate sin. Noah and his family brought sin with them into the new or re-creation.
We have a living hope because Christ has risen and we are united to Him by faith. (This sermon was given during our outdoor Easter worship service held at Blowing Springs Park.)
While the Noahic Covenant isn’t redemptive, it does undergird God’s plan of redemption in such a way that Covenant Theology as a whole suffers without it. And that’s because Covenant Theology is incomplete without it.
God remembered Noah and He remembers those in Christ as well! He is mindful of us and His mindfulness led and leads Him to act on our behalf.
While we can't ignore the weight of judgement, we can draw out the relief of grace that we see in the midst of judgment.
The story of Noah and the Flood tells us salvation comes through judgment, it is by God’s grace alone, it will only be experienced fully and completely in the new creation, and it comes through Christ.
In the midst of humanity's downward spiral further and further into sin, God's patience is pushed to its limit. But, He also exhibits His grace and faithfulness and preserves a remnant.
In this special service, representatives of Hills and Plains Presbytery join us to ordain and install Aaron Raines as Associate Pastor.
Rev. Chris Miller preaches Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who calls His sheep and saves them by laying down His own life for them.
Included after the sermon are the ordination and installation proceedings.
This is a sermon preached by Rev. Chris Miller, Pastor of Trinity Grace Church in Rogers, for our Associate Pastor's ordination and installation service.
Christ was and is THE seed of the woman who crushed the seed of the serpent and won our victory over sin and death. He was and is the one who reconciled us to God through His offering up of himself. He was and is the one who was banished, not for His sin but for our sin so we don’t have to be.
Adam and Eve rejected God. They rejected His Word. They rejected the relationship and fellowship not only with Him but with one another. And for what?
There was something about Adam being alone and lacking fellowship that did not reflect God's goodness. He had been given everything he needed to succeed except one, a companion. And it was then that God met his need and created a woman.
Without The Covenant of Works, we don’t understand the Fall; and if we don’t understand the Fall, we don’t understand our redemption.
“What does God enjoy most about His Day?" Being with His people on the Day He created for them, and knowing they are enjoying Him and the day that He has created for them.
The Lord made all things of nothing, by the word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good.
This familiar passage shows how God formed His creation and filled it, culminating with man made in His image - the pinnacle of His creation. By looking to our origins, we begin to see what it truly means to be human: to love the God Whose image we bear and to fulfill His purposes in His world.
Due to a recording issue, the first 5 minutes of this introductory sermon on Genesis are in text form below.
Opening lines of literature are important. They set the tone and convey the style of the entire book they begin. Good ones make you think and ask questions and compel you to continue reading. For example. . .
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." – Pride and Prejudice
"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day." – Jane Eyre
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . .” - Tale of Two Cities
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." – The Hobbit
"It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen." - 1984
“This is my favorite book in all the world though I have never read it.” - Princess Bride
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.” – Metamorphosis
“All children, except one, grow up.” – Peter Pan
“If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book.” - A Series of Unfortunate Events
“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
“In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.” – A River Runs Through It
I’m sure you could all add to the list because you all have your favorites. But of course, the best one of all, in my opinion, and I hope yours as well, is . . .
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
It’s an opening line that not only establishes the tone of the book of Genesis but the entire Bible as well. It says, this is all about God. He is the subject of everything that follows. In the words of Derek Kidner,
“The passage, indeed the Book, is about [God] first of all; to read it with any other primary interest (which is all too possible) is to misread it.”
It’s an opening line of the book that describes the Genesis or beginnings of key doctrines that are pillars of our faith and sets the stage for all of Redemptive History. In the words of Kent Hughes,
Genesis, which means beginning or beginnings, is an exquisite title for this very first book in the Bible because that is exactly what it does. . .The astounding thing about this book is that what we know about God what we know about creation, what we know about ourselves and our sin, and what we know about salvation begins in Genesis.
It’s an opening line that introduces us to a self-existent, omnipotent, and personal God and sets us up for His self-revelation of His purpose in creation and His plan of redemption that includes a future consummation through a new creation; all of which was and is radically different from the various pagan, polytheistic, humanistic, and naturalistic religions both past and present. In the words of Gordon Wenham,
“Though historical and scientific questions may be uppermost in our minds as we approach the text, it is doubtful whether they were in the writer’s mind, and we should therefore be cautious about looking for answers to questions he was not concerned with. Genesis is primarily about God’s character and his purposes for sinful mankind.”
It’s an opening line that says we cannot unhitch ourselves from this book. In the words of Ligon Duncan,
As we read the book of Genesis, it's not just a shadowy prefigurement of Christian truth, it is the very foundation of the faith on which the truth subsequently taught in scripture is built, and therefore we can never do away with Genesis. We are never done with these truths. [He goes on to say] And isn't it interesting, in our day and time, it is precisely against the truths of Genesis that the world is worrying. And if Christians simply lay these things aside and pretend as if they really don't matter, we will have jettisoned one of the most important parts of our faith.
Beloved, it’s an opening line that I hope will cause us to think and ask questions and compel us to continue reading and studying throughout the coming year.
And let me just remind you that it’s going to take us a year because the book covers two significant histories. The first is Primaeval History in chapters 1-11 and the second is Patriarchal History in chapters 12-50. The Primaeval History includes five major narratives which are: creation, the fall, Cain and Abel, the flood, and the tower of Babel, and in each we will see a pattern of sin, God’s verbal response, God’s grace, and God’s judgement.
(The rest is a part of the audio file)
“What if God was one of us?” There is an answer, and it isn’t hypothetical. And it’s an answer that gives us hope not just for the coming year, but for every moment of every day.
While the wisemen missed the birth, their coming months later is significant for a number of reasons. But they are only supporting characters who were drawn into and made a part of the Christ's story.
In Charlie Brown Christmas, Lucy's advice to Charlie is, "Get involved." Her brother Linus reads from Luke 2 because he knows it's not what we do but what's been done for us that brings joy.
Though the how and why of the incarnation is inconceivable, we must embrace them as true and do so by faith.
We shall dwell secure in the everlasting arms of the One who is both just and merciful, who is a righteous judge and a gracious Savior.
There is more to Christmas than tradition and sentiment. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given." And when we understand what that truly means, we find there is a great deal of hope.
Father Abraham had many sons; I am one of them, and so are you, if we share Abraham's faith in the promise of God that his Offspring would bless all the nations of the earth. That Offspring is none other than Jesus, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. This is the second sermon in our Lessons and Carols series. (We had recording problems. We apologize for the audio quality.)
Why did the Eternal Son have to take on flesh and dwell among us? RE Aaron Raines begins our Nine Lessons and Carols series in Genesis 3.
For our final Psalm in this series, RE Aaron Raines preaches Psalm 46, the basis for Martin Luther's great hymn, A Mighty Fortress. God takes center stage in this psalm, as He is the great Refuge for His people, the Refreshment for them in His city, and the Redeemer Who ends all wars and brings peace to the earth.
Visiting TE Ted Wenger preaches the darkest psalm of lament, which shows how those who believe in Jesus can continue in prayer even when it seems that the Lord is not listening. The psalmist pours out his heart in the bleakest of times, but never forgets that the Lord is the God of his salvation. We have the same hope and the same call to find our refuge in Him.
Aaron Raines preaches Psalm 73, where the psalmist Asaph starts with a worldly perspective about the prosperity of the wicked, then in the sanctuary has a change in perspective, and ends the psalm with a heavenly perspective that God is good all the time, and all the time God is good to His people who take refuge in Him.
Visiting TE Wilson Van Hooser preaches Psalm 1, which tells of what the true blessed life looks like. The true Blessed Man is the Lord Jesus, the only One in Whom repentant sinners can receive the blessed life of God.
What should we do on the Lord's Day? The psalmist says it is good to sing praise to the Lord and thank Him for His works, His wisdom, and His victory. Those who respond to the call and the causes for Sabbath praise will enter the eternal sabbath rest and continue those praises for eternity in the courts of the Lord.
Ruling Elder and intern Aaron Raines preaches Psalm 92, where we find the only mention of the Sabbath in the psalter.
Rev. Chris Miller preaches Psalm 100, showing that God is good, is worthy of praise, and His people should respond to His goodness with thankful hearts for His covenant love and faithfulness.
In the third installment of our Sabbatical Psalms series, RE Aaron Raines preaches Psalm 110 - a Psalm about Christ the King. In this Psalm, Christ is prophesied to be God in the flesh, a Warrior and Priest, who reigns now at His Father's right hand as King of all.
How should we respond when we are confronted with our sin? David gives us a vivid example in Psalm 51. This sermon was preached by Rev. Mark Kuiper from Three Rivers PCA in Grove, OK, as part of our Psalms series while Pastor Taylor is on sabbatical.
In the midst of suffering, trials, and persecution, James calls us to persevere, pray, and preserve one another.
No matter how arrogant and presumptuous we may be, His grace is more and is always in abundant supply.
God gives grace to those who know they need it. But his abundant grace doesn’t nullify our striving.
While we are unable to tame our tongues, we are no less responsible, having been united to Christ, to try anyway by God’s grace and for His glory.
We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone. True genuine faith is life-giving, and the life it gives is a life that is lived toward God.
Favoritism, partiality, or discrimination, has no place in the church. There are no qualifiers. Christians don't play favorites.
Because we are in Christ, His law is not burdensome. Obedience is possible because the Word has brought us to life, has been implanted within us, and we have listened to and received it with humility. Therefore, we are to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
When trials come it is possible to take responsibility for our active steadfastness and endure, but it is also possible to doubt and blame God.
Just as Christ's coming had marked the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New, His going would mark the end of His earthly ministry and the beginning of His heavenly one.
Encounters with the resurrected Jesus led to burning hearts, opened minds, and promised power.
There are a lot of good reasons to believe that Jesus is alive. The most important are the words of Christ.
Christ was innocent for us in that He was a spotless sacrifice that paid our debt in full. He was also innocent for us in that his sinlessness and record of perfect righteousness was imputed to us so that we would be not only blameless but holy.
The Father was leading Christ to the cross who was pleading for an alternative. The Father sent an angel to minister to Him in the midst of the battle, but the alternative to the cross never came.
God does something in us when the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper are met by the Spirit and received by faith. We feed upon Christ and are satisfied.
If God can take a diabolical plan that involved wicked betrayal and bring about His purposes, He can work out His purposes in our lives as well no matter what obstacles there may be.
Jesus didn’t tell the disciples (or us) to expect the rapture or a golden age on the earth before or after his return. He said the next big event in redemptive history would be His return.
In the midst of the already and not yet, we aren't looking for signs or waiting for the rapture, a golden age, the temple to be rebuilt, or Jerusalem to be restored. We're waiting for the return of the Son of Man.
If you take away the resurrection, Christianity comes crashing to the ground. (This was preached at our outdoor Easter service).
Hypocrisy is something we all must be aware of and combat due to the danger to which it exposes us and others.
In a public debate with the Sadducees, Jesus shows from the Old Testament God is the God of the living, not the dead, so His promises mean that at the last day all men must be raised from the dead. Those who are united to Christ by faith will share in His blessed life for eternity. This sermon was preached by Aaron Raines, RE and Assistant to the Pastor.
Our obligation to render to God the things that are God’s is an obligation to render all things to God because all things are His.
This last parable in Luke's gospel answer's the question posed to Jesus in verse 2 of chapter 20. Jesus' authority was given to Him by His Father and that authority had been given to Him because He was the eternal, only begotten, beloved Son.
The circumstances remain the same in that Jesus is still entering Jerusalem, but the scene turns on a dime from triumph to tragedy.
John writes of a Victorious King in Revelation 19. Luke writes of a Humble King in Luke 19. They are one and the same, our Lord Christ. (The recording begins 3 minutes into the introduction).
The parable’s purpose was and is to correct faulty thinking, wrong perceptions, and even false teaching regarding the already and not yet of the Kingdom as well as to instruct us in how we are to live in the midst of it. (We apologize for the poor quality of the recording. We had technical issues.)
Jesus continues to do what He has always done because His purpose has not changed. He came to seek and save the lost.
He who calls us to forsake all for Him is not asking us to do something He Himself wasn’t willing to do and hasn’t already done by forsaking all for us.
May we continually come to Christ as the children of God that we are, and may we not hinder our little ones or anyone else for that matter, from coming to Him as well.
The Pharisee “. . . was too busy being self-righteous to receive God’s righteousness which comes only as a gift.” - Philip Ryken
Jesus calls us to pray persistently; to persevere and continue to pray in spite of whatever difficulties and challenges that are present. It’s a call to not give up and lose heart or become discouraged.
The Kingdom it isn’t just something that is in the future, it has already come. In other words, the kingdom is “already”, but it is also “not yet”.
Now that Christmas is over and we’ve entered 2022, how can we not only eliminate the feeling of “Wanting More” that Christmas leaves us with, but also live throughout the coming year avoiding its re-emergence?
Our ministry intern and new Assistant to the Pastor, Aaron Raines, shares some of the theology behind Christmas from one of the oldest songs written by and sung by the early church.
How do we live as Christians in our culture? We are to live as the disciples and Kingdom Citizens we are. That life is really rather simple, but it isn’t easy. Actually, it is impossible apart from faith, and we can’t do it alone either. We need each other.
Jesus came to not only provide the forgiveness we needed but the righteousness God required.
Good stewardship involves more than just money. (This sermon was given by Aaron Raines, our Ministry Intern, and as of Jan. 1, 2022, our Assistant to the Pastor).
When we hold up this story as the mirror Jesus intends it to be, what will we see and what will we do or how will we respond as a result? God is obviously the Father, but which son are we?
We get a glimpse into the heart of our Savior and our God who does not take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked and rejoices when people repent and turn from their sin.
It is only in light of the amazing love of God in Christ that we will remember that our offering of gratitude should be nothing less than a life of seeking to love Him in return with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Jesus wasn’t concerned about keeping the conversations cordial. He wasn’t avoiding particular topics to keep the peace. And that’s because He was dealing with issues that have eternal consequences.
The exclusivity, inclusivity, and antinomy of salvation work in perfect harmony to provide the foundation and the hope for our ongoing gospel work.
Interpreting and explaining the purpose behind evil and suffering is not as easy or as simple or as prudent as many believe it to be.
We must hold fast to the Gospel and continue to proclaim it regardless of the hostility, for it alone is the power of God unto salvation.
“These parables about servants and masters are some of the weightiest parables in the gospels. They bring us face to face with our destiny and show us that we all need a Savior." - Philip Ryken
Out of the surplus of grace and love and the good gifts that are ours in Christ, we can and should be rich toward God.
"A spiritual hypocrite is one who is theologically informed, religiously active, morally conservative and whose heart is far away from God." - Phillip Ryken
Asking for a sign is simply a rejection of the greatest sign we will ever receive; and that, of course, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
We approach the King “with confidence of his fatherly goodness. . ." (WLC #189) because we are not only citizens of His Kingdom, we are His sons and daughters.
Unlike Martha who was busy preparing a meal for Jesus, Mary was enjoying the table that had been set before her and was feasting upon Christ and His Word.
The law was never intended to be used as a ladder to climb into God’s good graces. It was given to those whom he had already lavished with His grace.
What brings you the greatest joy? If we answer in any other way than our salvation, we need to try again. May we behold the beauty and wonder of our God in the person and work of Christ.
It's the most important question anyone has been asked and should be asked. It’s the most important question anyone has ever answered or will answer.
It is out of the super-abundant overflow of that which we receive from Christ that we serve and minister to each other and to our neighbor.
The apostles had the ability and the right to do what they had been sent to do only because the ability and the right to do it had been given to them by the One in whose name they had been sent.
Life is frail and death is a reality. But our hope is not in our physical health and well-being, or in the longevity of our lives. Our hope is in Christ who is and has the absolute authority over sin, sickness, life, and death.
While Christ may not protect us from experiencing storms, and while He may even lead us into them, He will certainly protect and sustain us in the midst of them.
The result of the indiscriminate sowing of the seed of God's Word is it falling on various soils. Which soil are you? Which heart do you possess?
In moments of doubt, we must look beyond what we are feeling to what we know to be true. Better yet, we must look to the One who we know to be true. The blessed, the humble, and the wise look to Jesus!
These stories have happy endings, not because the death of the first is postponed, and the death of the second is temporarily overcome, but due to what we learn about Christ who intervened. (We apologize for the recording. There were technical difficulties.)
Our fruit is a natural byproduct of who we really are and can differentiate between those who possess faith from those who merely profess faith.
When we eat and drink, Christ nourishes, strengthens, sustains, blesses and communicates His benefits to us spiritually.
The Kingdom Way is one of mercy, grace, forgiveness, gentleness, and hope, because those in the kingdom understand the depth of their own sin, the justice they deserved, and the mercy and forgiveness they have graciously received in Christ.
It’s a radical love to which is Jesus is calling. It’s a love that is more than uncomfortable. It’s a love that challenges us and pushes us to our limits.
Those of the world believe happiness comes via the physical and temporal. Those of the Kingdom believe deep, abiding, joy comes via the spiritual and eternal.
Jesus, our ultimate authority, alone determines how we can and should honor the Day that has been created for us. The rest He desires for us is a rest He desires us to experience with Him, and is a foretaste of what we will experience for eternity upon His return.
We have and will fast joyfully not sorrowfully in light of the already, and with a hunger for the consummation of the kingdom in light of the not yet.
Jesus was both willing and able to restore the leper and He continues to be both willing and able to restore anyone and everyone who will come to Him in faith and will trust Him alone for their salvation.
Peter and others are no longer going to be catching fish, they are going to be catching men. They will be actually rescuing men from death and saving them to life through the message of the gospel that they were being called to proclaim. (Due to weather, this was shared online and therefore shorter due to the circumstances of our meeting. It was also re-recorded due to operator error.)
The exorcising of demons by His Word and the healing of the sick by His Word authenticated the message of salvation He was sent to proclaim.
The Gospel is inclusive rather than exclusive and should be indiscriminately proclaimed to the poor AND the rich, those in prison AND those who are free, the sick AND the physically healthy, the oppressed AND even the oppressor.
We resist the devil and flee temptation as a result of Christ’s victory over him. And it is the grace and gratitude for Christ's victory that motivates us to not give up or give in as we do so.(The original recording was damaged. This is a audio download from our online service feed.)
Jesus is a real man. He is the real son of God. And our hope is not in anyone or anything other than Him. He alone saves us from our sin, transcends our differences, and unites us.
"While the people were called to prepare for God’s salvation, it was God who was preparing salvation for them (and us) in a special person (the Lord Jesus)." - Darrell Bock
In our faithful defense of Christ's divinity, we sometimes slight his humanity. This sermon was given by Aaron Raines, our Ministry Intern.
This text isn’t as romantic or sentimental; it’s definitely not as sensational as the previous text. But it is just as important.
Christmas is about “Good News of Great Joy”. Oh how the shepherds needed good news, and so do we.
Christ set His glory aside so that He could draw near to us, dwell with us, as one of us, for us.
John’s message would be one of repentance and forgiveness of sin. That’s because the deliverance the Messiah would secure was so much more than political and social; it was spiritual.
Mary’s song should be our song because we are recipients of God’s mercy, we are Abraham’s spiritual offspring, to use Paul’s language from Galatians, and there is no greater thing He could do for us than what He has already done for us in and through Christ.
If God could bring life from a barren womb, he could bring life from a virgin womb. Nothing was impossible for him. Nothing was beyond his reach. Everything was under his purview.
Luke begins with a story that leaves us with a choice. "Will we believe God and His Word or not?"
It doesn’t take much for us to wander away into more man-centered plans of salvation that all make more of us and our ability and less of our sin, less of our need, and less of Christ. So, we need to be reminded on a regular basis that this redemptive plan is true. So, we are going to study the Gospel of Luke, because this is exactly why he wrote it.
This sermon is by Chris Miller, pastor of Trinity Grace Church, our sending church, that he preached on the occasion of our Particularization we celebrated on October 25, 2020.
This is part 2 of our distinctive of Loving Deeply; loving God through worship. This is a fantastic sermon given by our Ministry Intern, Aaron Raines.
Jesus didn't simply commanded the disciples to love the way He loved, His command was to love those He had loved.
Legalistically judging and arrogantly demeaning one another in regard to Christian liberty and our freedom in Christ, are both out of bounds.
We’re calling the series Distinctives, not because we believe we are or because we are trying to be a unique, one-of-a-kind church, but because we believe there are a few things that distinguish us from many of the other churches in our area; things that communicate who we are and even why we do what we do that differ from those around us.
Jude's original goal was to expound upon what it meant to be called, loved, and kept. But, he had to change course. He felt that it was necessary to make an appeal to them to contend for the foundational truths of the Gospel.
Life is as simple as walking in truth and love which involves looking up, looking out not in, and looking around.
Truth and love are inextricably linked. Truth without love is cold and lifeless; love without truth is detached and empty.
Paul knew the law and the rights Philemon had as a slave owner. And yet, he asked him to not exercise those rights and to do something that was difficult and definitively counter-cultural; forgive Onesimus.
This is the first of a five-part series on the one chapter books of the Bible. This is the only one in the Old Testament. (This sermon was given by Aaron Raines, Ministry Intern.)
The benediction is a scriptural pronouncement that assures us that not only have we been offered grace but that we have received grace, which enables us to depart and go back out into the world just as boldly and confidently as we came in to approach the throne of grace.
"All those who remained committed to the old Jewish system were excluded from the benefits of Christ’s atoning death. But his death outside the camp means that he is accessible to anyone in the world who will come to him. Jesus planted the cross in the world so that the world might have access to Him and He remains permanently available." - R. Kent Hughes
In chapter 13, the writer makes it clear that who we are now affects how we should live. In particular, he says, the change in our relationship with God directly affects our relationship(s) with each other.
There isn’t a God of the OT and a God of the NT, there is only one God and He is holy and gracious. "He isn’t safe but He is good" (C.S. Lewis) and has provided for us a stream from which to drink and we should respond with appropriate worship. (We apologize for the audio quality this week. We’re working on it!)
The race is long and difficult. But we are not running alone. We may be running different courses with different obstacles and we may be running at different paces. But we’re running together. Let’s us not grow weary and fainthearted but continue to run the race set before us.
We must make willful, concentrated decisions and put in the purposeful hard work to lay those things aside that we might run the race, endure to the end, and finish well.
Most of us, if not all of us, to this point have been placed on the side of those who have conquered in success. And we need to ask if we are we ready to switch sides?
Our primary responsibility is to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only One in whom and only One through whom true justice and peace are accomplished and applied.
Our call is to rest in God's promises and as recipients of the promises to obey His commands and we are to do both by faith.
The call for us is not to “be like Abraham". The call and challenge before us is to exhibit the faith he exhibited. For we possess the same faith He possessed; a faith that elicits obedience, distinctiveness, reasonableness, and anticipation.
Chapter 11 is not a call to be like those in the Hall of Faith, it is a call to exercise the same faith they exercised, and there is a difference.
Once again the author lays out both the consequences of apostatizing and the rewards of persevering and believes his readers will hold fast to the latter due to their faith (This sermon was given by Chris Miller, Pastor of Trinity Grace Church, our planting church).
Our confidence to enter the presence of God is the result of our consciences having been sprinkled clean by the blood of Christ and leads to a confession of hope and the consideration of the brothers. (This sermon was given by Aaron Raines, our Ministry Intern).
Christ's once for all sacrifice was the culmination of a life lived in complete obedience to the Father.
We are to eagerly anticipate and wait for Christ and to live in light of the reality of our salvation and His return in the midst of our circumstances at that moment.
Through the blood of Christ, our eternal redemption has been secured, our consciences have been purified, and our eternal inheritance has been received. (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our homes).
The writer announces that the time of reformation has come and we have unlimited access to God through Christ (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our homes).
Our hope is never found in other people, institutions, or plans. Our hope is in Christ. He is the Better Priest of a Better Covenant enacted on Better Promises. (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our homes.)
In this season of uncertainty, the one thing that we can be more sure of than anything else is our salvation because of our all-sufficient intercessor, Jesus, who is able to save and fit to serve. (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our homes.)
Through Christ’s priesthood, we have a "better hope" of drawing near to God.(This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our own homes.)
Christ is superior to anyone and anything the world has to offer and our eyes should be on Him alone. (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our own homes.)
The anchor of our hope is firmly established in the presence of the Father because Christ Himself is there and we are united to Him. (This is not a full sermon due to the circumstances surrounding the corona virus and our meeting in our own homes.)
Apostacy is real. It is dangerous. And it must be warned against. But assurance is just as real.
The failure to mature and to remain in a state of spiritual infancy not only hinders walking in a manner worthy of the calling as Christians, but could have far reaching and potentially eternal consequences.
In the midst of the pressure, trials, suffering, and bouts with temptations, sin, and unbelief, rather than turn away from Christ and renounce our faith we are called to look to Christ, hold fast to our confession, and draw near to the throne of grace.
No one is out of God’s sight. No one is exempt from the all-pervasive knowledge of God. All of us are intimately known by Him. There is nothing He doesn’t understand about us and that the Word does not reveal.
While the rest that God offers is entered into now by faith, it will be entered into fully and completely at the consummation of all things when Christ returns.
One of the ways God has chosen to preserve His children is through the proclamation or preaching of the warnings to persevere that He has not only spoken but through which He also continues to speak.
We aren't merely to mull over, reflect on, or weigh our options and see if Jesus is the best choice. He’s not asking, “Have you considered Him?” No! This is an imperative. He’s saying emphatically, “You need to consider Jesus!
The author argues that Christ being a suffering substitute wasn’t cause for his readers to abandon the faith but to be more firm in their faith.
The writer warns his readers to “Pay attention to the Word and the Gospel” and to “Not go with the flow.” And it is as relevant for us today as it was for his original readers
Angels were being elevated to a position that was superior to Christ. So, the author takes the time to explain who Jesus is, and not just who he thought Jesus was but who the Scriptures revealed Him to be.
Christ is the better prophet, king, and priest. He's actually our final prophet, ultimate king, and perfect priest.
Paul's description of the Christmas story includes humility and obedience and draws our attention to the King of kings who put the needs of sinners above His own and treated us like royalty. (This sermon was given by Brandon Van Marel, Associate Pastor of Trinity Grace Church in Rogers, AR).
God became one of us, in Christ. As a result, He made dwelling with Him in His house possible, and we should respond appropriately.
Jesus earned the blessings of obedience and experienced the curses of disobedience all on our behalf.
The fellowship between God and His people was symbolized in the Lamp, Bread of the Presence, and the Sabbath rhythms He established that were fully and finally fulfilled in Christ.
God's "holy-day season" pointed back to the sabbath rest that was His aim of creation (and redemption), provided an opportunity to be thankful for His past and present provision, and pointed ahead to the only One through Him and in whom sabbath rest was available; that one being Jesus.
The call to holiness is an inclusive call not an exclusive call; it is a call for internal spiritual renewal not simply external moral reform; and it is a call to self-denial not self-promotion.
We have been declared holy, have been set apart for holy or divine use, and are expected to walk in a manner worthy of that calling; we are called to love God and love our neighbor.
God provided a way to approach Him. Many are offended that there's only one way. We should be overjoyed that God made a way at all.
Having been declared and set apart as holy as a covenant people, the call is to demonstrate holiness as we strive to become what we’ve been declared to be.
The first priesthood was insufficient and was meant to point us to a better Priest, Jesus, who was ordained by God, who offered Himself as sacrifice, who IS God dwelling with us, and who never fails. (This is a message by Aaron Raines, CCB Ministry Intern)
We don’t have to come into the presence of the Lord with the priestly garb on. That doesn’t mean, however, that anyone can come into the Lords presence in and of ourselves without a change of clothes or a thought of what we have on.
Because of our sin, we are legally guilty and have incurred a debt we can't repay. And God doesn’t simply write off our debt like an end of year loss. Praise the Lord! Christ has paid it for us.
There is no sin so small that it doesn’t need forgiveness. But there is also no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven through the atoning and cleansing work of Jesus Christ.
The peace of God is only possible for those who have experienced peace with God. And peace with God, while abundant and free, has come at a great price and is only available to those who will look to Christ.
Now having access to God, we need to consider how we engage or fellowship with Him. Worship is not a performance that is meant to entertain us, nor is it meant to simply be observed by us.
Christ has secured our "life with God in the house of God" (Morales) both now and eternally!
The true gospel is a proclamation of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that leads to boasting in the cross. The false gospel is a proclamation of salvation by faith and works that leads to boasting in ourselves. Paul's call is to embrace the former and reject the latter.
Most people who attempt to fulfill the Law to merit and maintain their salvation have obviously not read the Law. Because if they had, they would know the purpose of the Law has never been to save.
The answer to idolatry and the treadmill of merit-based salvation is not looking to yourself and how much you know about and love God. The answer is to understand God's inexhaustible knowledge of and immeasurable love for us that was exhibited in Christ.
Salvation is indiscriminately offered and therefore creates an inclusive fellowship within the church that doesn’t have the barriers that divide the world. It creates a unity in the midst of diversity. Our identity in Christ supersedes any other possible identity we might possess or claim.
Paul continues his argument against a faith and works gospel and for a faith alone gospel by explaining the power of the promise and the purpose of the Law.
Christ did more than initiate our justification, he secured it. Christ did more than make our salvation possible, he assured it. There's nothing we can to add to it or earn it. And that security and assurance is available through faith alone in Christ alone.
Unfortunately, many remain in bondage and fail to live in the freedom Christ has provided due to the blurring of the lines between Law and Gospel. It was true in Paul's day and it is true in ours as well. (A message by Aaron Raines, Ministry Intern of Christ Church)
Paul was unyielding in his preservation of the Gospel truth of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We should be as well.
Who are we seeking to please, God or man? How we answer will determine the gospel we preach, the salvation we bear witness to, and the response that's produced.
What is the Gospel? It’s a simple yet profound question with a simple yet profound answer. But unfortunately, the answer has become somewhat elusive for many in the church today. But getting the gospel right is important. Actually, it’s a matter of life and death. And that’s why Paul wrote this letter.
The Ninevites sin out of ignorance of who God is. Jonah, on the other hand, sins because of who God is which is contrary to who Jonah wants Him to be. The good news is, God is gracious and compassionate toward both.
While God did offer Jonah a second chance, grace is more than a second chance, and God is more than a God of second chances.
Jonah acknowledged God's gracious affliction and responded by returning to prayer, God's Word, and obedience.
It’s a story that clearly identifies the sinful bent of the human heart and our propensity toward rebellion. It’s a story that makes us aware of the collateral damage that results from sin and exposes our pride and our inconsistency when it comes to who we believe deserves forgiveness. But it’s also a story that paints a picture of repentance and puts the sovereignty and grace of God on display. It’s a story in which we see the indiscriminate call to repent and believe and most importantly points us to Jesus.
We are not charged to maximize our regular attendance, get people to fill out cards, raise their hands, walk isles or pray prayers. We also aren’t to simply make converts. We are called to make disciples.
Christ's death isn't in question. His resurrection isn't in question. The question is, "How will/should we respond to his death and resurrection?"
Palm Sunday. . .remembering the announcement that the fullness of time had finally come. Those in the crowd had clashing ideas and claims regarding who Jesus was. May we have clear and distinct voices in the crowd today! He is the King of kings and Lord of lords who came to save His people from their sins.
The focus of the world is on position and power. The focus of the kingdom of heaven is on humility and service. Jesus calls the disciples and us today to be different than the world and to humble ourselves and serve one another and our neighbor.
So, who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven? Fortunately, the answer is the same for those within our circles as it was when the disciples asked Jesus to settle the issue within theirs. Here's a hint. . .it wasn't any of the twelve and it's not you or me.
Jesus spoke not only of the necessity but the certainty of being delivered, killed, and then raised from the dead. These words were significant, distressing, yet hope-filled. And, of course, they called for a response.
The transfiguration points us to the glory of Christ and the glory that we will share with Him. It points us to the day when we will see Him, we will be with Him, and we will be like Him.
This is the first of a brief series of sermons walking toward the cross and Easter. We start in Matthew 16:13-28 and answer the questions, "Who is Jesus?", "What did he come to do?" and "How should we respond?"
Life is not about what we transform or reform, it’s about God and his transformation of us and his continued conforming of us into the image of Christ. And that is a slow, simple process that takes place by the Spirit in the routines, interactions, and conversations in our daily lives.
So how do we put on and take up the armor? By reaffirming, trusting, and resting in Christ and His finished work. Simply put, we trust and rest in the Gospel.
Does the Bible commend slavery? Is all Scripture still relevant? Does God care about our work? What does any of this have to do with Jesus? (Spoiler alert: no, yes, yes, & everything). This was given by Aaron Raines, Ministry Intern at CCB.
The marriage isn’t the only proving ground of our faith; it isn’t the only relationship that’s dependent upon the Gospel and used to exhibit the truths of the Gospel and that points to the Gospel. And Paul briefly and matter-of-factly lays out a couple of imperatives, one for both children and parents that will help them and us understand that.
Marriage is a mutual self-sacrificing relationship that points to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The relationship between Christ and the Church is more than just an illustration and example to emulate. The role of Christ and the Gospel is one of power that enables us to fulfill the roles we've been given as husbands and wives.
In the midst of these evil days, Paul says we should be diligent and take the time to look at our lives and ask ourselves if we're living wisely or unwisely. And, of course, he says that is determined by whether we're under the influence of the of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit or not.
Paul calls us, as beloved children of God, to love and give of ourselves to the point of sacrifice for the benefit of others and to reject sexual sin which is the epitome of taking for ourselves to the point of self-indulgence at the expense of others.
Paul reminds the Ephesians and us of how we are to treat one another, live among one another, love one another, and extend grace to one another because we are family.
Obedience to the Lord is not oppressive or optional. Our obedience to the Lord is for His glory, for our good, and the good of our neighbor.
Ahaz was called to trust in a promise. We have been called to trust in a promise fulfilled. Ahaz's sign was a child that would be called Immanuel because God was going to be with the remnant. Our sign is a child that WAS Immanuel, because He WAS God with us.
Behold our Promised, Rejected, Suffering, Obedient and Successful Servant. Merry Christmas!
Our Ministry Intern, Aaron Raines, preaches from Psalm 110. As the Old Testament passage most often quoted in the New Testament, the significance of Psalm 110 cannot be overstated. In this messianic Psalm, David points to a King who is God, who rules and reigns, who is a priest, and who is a warrior. That King is Jesus Christ.
The insufficiency of the Levitical Priesthood, the Ceremonial Law, and its sacrifices were always meant to point to the sufficiency of the better, perfect, and permanent Priest and sacrifice in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has come! He is coming again!
The prophet God had promised came as promised and will come again. But until then, He continues to speak. Therefore, we should listen.
Paul lays out 3 distinguishing marks of a church that is Growing Up Into Christ. There is a growing stability in the truth, speaking of the truth, and serving out of the truth. (Side note: the two links below are for book reviews that provide rationale for the specific naming of certain books within the sermon.)
https://www.challies.com/articles/my-top-book-reviews-of-all-time/
https://www.challies.com/articles/the-bestsellers-your-best-life-now/
Paul says Christ's gifts are extended to us, exercised by us, and are explicitly for us.
Paul calls us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling and to maintain unity in the process. That isn't achieved by becoming unity-conscious or unity-driven but by focusing on what unites us, Christ.
Paul is about to stress the fact that who they were in Christ was to have a profound impact on how they lived (Ch. 4). So, Paul prays so that their sin and failures don’t drive them to despair but rather drive them to the cross.
Paul describes the church's high calling of putting the beauty and brilliance of God's plan of salvation on display.
Christ, who is our peace, has removed every barrier so that we who were once separated, alienated, strangers, hopeless and without God might be at peace with God and with one another.
Paul wants us to remember where we came from because he knows that our understanding of and appreciation for who we are in Christ is directly proportionate to our remembering of who we once were apart from Him.
This is a message by John Warren for our Missions Sunday. God's mission has always been to redeem a people for himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Missions is our activity, as missionaries, of carrying the message of the Gospel of redemption to Bentonville/Bella Vista, NWA, our state, our nation and around the world.
When it couldn’t get heavier, when all seems lost and all hope is gone, when despair begins to creep in, Paul writes two of the most precious words in all of Scripture....BUT GOD.
Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is not only a prayer for a greater knowledge and deeper affection for God, it's a call to take our eyes off of ourselves and look to Christ.
Paul begins his encouragement of the church at Ephesus by reminding them of the blessing of their salvation that is theirs in Christ and includes the purpose of the Father, the work of the Son and the ministry of the Spirit.
Paul begins this letter with what appears to be a simple greeting. But within the greeting he communicates something very important that should encourage every believer as well as our new church as a whole.