New Braunfels OPC: Recent Episodes
From a satisfied heart, do you remember and meditate on Christ? When you remember your covenant Lord at night when you're the most vulnerable, do you meditate on Him? As you think upon Jesus, do you rejoice and desire to follow hard after Him? As you think about God's call to you in these ways, also see these as gifts of grace to you from your Lord and Savior. They aren't only to be carried out in confident comfort and hope in Christ, but also as you grow in knowledge and trust of your Lord more, as you grasp more about the surety of Jesus' help, protection, and victory, you grow in confident comfort of the benefits of His grace to you.
Do you see this expanded picture of Jesus' divine authority? Though it was questioned by hypocrites, it was clear and established by Christ in truth. Can you see in this parable how all sin, how hypocrisy will not only be exposed, but it will also be judged? God will not tolerate it. Christ will maintain the purity of His church, especially among the leaders of His people, that His beloved Bride, that you would bear good fruit. Jesus is your great Savior and beloved Cornerstone, who unites and holds His church together. Praise the Lord!
Where do you find your comfort and contentment? Do you see the necessity and goodness of you finding your comfort exclusively in your covenant Lord? Knowing His grace and love to you, do you see your need to seek out your Lord Jesus in the midst of your trials and troubles and find your contentment, your true satisfaction in Him, regardless of how bad your troubles are?
Do you see Christ's great exposure of sinners and their sin? Do you see the distinct fruit of the hearts of these two sons? An important question for you this morning is- Which son are you? Do you bear the fruit of saving grace, the fruit of repentance? Or do you have a hard heart that rejects John's call, that truly rejects Christ's call in the Gospel to believe and trust in Him, to turn from your sin, and unto Him alone for your salvation and forgiveness, then desiring to follow and obey the King?
Finally, know and never doubt the sovereign authority of Christ over all things. Remember that much of the heresies the church had to deal with in history were Trinitarian heresies. Much of them focused on Christ, either denying His humanity, or denying His deity. Therefore, hear God the Father's words in Matthew 17 "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!", and truly listen to Him. Hear Jesus' declaration in Matthew 28 that all authority has been given to Him in Heaven and on earth, and then go and obey Him!
Can you see the fruit that your faith in the Lord expresses? It will move you to pour out your heart to God in prayer. It will cause you to think lightly of and not put your confidence in men. It will also create a heart that is open and eager to listen to and obey God's Word.
Do you have exclusive trust in your God and Savior? If you're honest, does your soul wait quietly for Him? Or are there other people or things on a list in your soul that your flesh would like to consider trusting first before Him? Think about this tonight- The value of your faith is determined by its object. Your faith is worthless if it isn't resting on the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Therefore, what do you need to do? Trust in Christ alone for your salvation!
Do you see the glorious flow and connection in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, His cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree as wonderful revelation and acts of the King pronouncing His coming judgment of Israel and demonstrating His power to carry it out? Behold your King!
Are you often feeble and faint in the midst of the fight, in the dangers of the foe? May David's pleas be yours. May you plead from the bottom of your heart that God would hear you and lead you to the Rock that is Christ. May your plea be that Jesus would draw you to Himself- that you would know His presence, protection, and preservation of you in His love and grace.
Like David in Psalm 69, Jesus was opposed for being zealous for God and the purity of His worship. And yet, if God is your God, like Jesus, may it be your desire that His name may be glorified in spirit and truth in His church. May it also deeply grieve you to see her polluted by false worship and bad theology, and therefore move you to keep her pure through continual re-examination and action to remove what doesn't belong, all to the glory of your God and King!
Because of sin, you as God's people may experience His fatherly displeasure and be brought to a low condition. Yet, know your God and the truth that you are never, and will never be reduced to hopelessness because God is, and will always remain true to His promise to you in Christ. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. As you know this more, may this not only take your prayers to praise, but also cause your rejoicing to be connected to confidence. May that confidence and hope then move you forward to get up and get busy with deeper discipleship, a stronger, enduring fight, as well as an enduring witness as you carry the banner of Christ and the church does valiantly through Him!
Do you see how Jesus' meek and lowly birth as King, is matched with His lowly entrance as King- all being done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophets? Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear that though meek and lowly, King Jesus' entrance was nonetheless glorious? For He courageously entered the nest of His enemies as He faithfully fulfilled all righteousness, step by step, all the way to the cross, where He would gain the victory for His people.
May you confess Christ to be your Strength, your Defense, and your God of mercy. May you see and know His power and praise Him for it. May you remember His wonderful works of mercy through judgment. May you be more mindful of HIs mercies to you that are new every morning, and praise Him for those morning mercies! You aren't alone in this battle. You are His and He is yours. Go to Him and rest in Him!
Do you see the great testimony of these physical beggars who were spiritual servants of Christ? Do you see the great testimony of these men who didn't beg the Messiah for money, but for mercy? Shunned by the world, but loved, called, and healed by Jesus.
When the enemy pursues, watches, and waits for the perfect time to pounce and seize you, never forget to be regularly in prayer to your Lord who loves you in Christ, that He would deliver and defend, that He would snatch you and raise you higher than the reach of your enemy that rises up. Praise God for all that He has done for you as you are in Christ both now, and at the final Judgment. For you know His mercy now, and will see it with wonderful clarity on the Last Day as Jesus will show His mercy through His judgment of the wicked.
Do you see this lesson on greatness and its inseparable connection to Christ and His Gospel? May the Spirit use this passage to both convict and grow you in your daily battle with desires for vain glory and prideful ambition. The biblical view of greatness in the kingdom of Heaven isn't found in any rise to position or power. It isn't being in a place of honor or authority. No, it's having Spirit wrought and flourishing humility and love that is evident in your heart and life being focused on service and self-sacrifice, especially in the midst of suffering, as you seek to be faithful in imitating Christ as you follow Him.
Do you see the great mercy of God in His sovereign electing grace to His people? He didn't HAVE to choose anyone to be saved. And yet, He has compassion on whom He wills. He has mercy on whom He wills, and shows His mercy to you who are trusting in Christ through what He has done for you in and through Christ.
As you pray for divine judgment, you must praise the divine Judge. As you pray for judgment against the enemies of Christ, so too must you praise Jesus, the Just Judge, when He pours out His wrath on wicked sinners. You do so knowing that He doesn't act vindictively, but rather perfectly vindicates His righteousness and holiness in all that He does.
God's Blessing on Israel, There Is No Other God, Idolatry is Foolishness, Israel Is Not Forgotten, Judah Will Be Restored
Bitterness is a burning beast in heart of any man or woman, but especially in the heart of a believer. Have you experienced this? Have you been singed by its heat in your own heart, or its work in the hearts of others? Is bitterness presently on fire within you? Indeed, bitterness is so damaging! It's a common sin that the unregenerate often bathe in and many Christian men and women struggle with.
Can you understand the doctrine of total depravity more clearly tonight? Take the total and complete corruption and defilement of original sin with you, as you and all men and women by ordinary generation are by nature sinful and wretched creatures in Adam. Seeing this, how wonderful the love and mercy of Christ is to you who are in Christ! For though you were just like them, hateful, malicious, venomous, refusing to listen to the powerful warnings and sweet arguments, Jesus died for you and ransomed your soul from the snake pit! Praise God today, for you were doomed to be crushed, but God and God alone snatched you from the fire!
What are the parts of a sacrament? How many sacraments hath Christ instituted in his church under the New Testament?
Do you have eyes to see how hard it is, really how impossible it is for you to enter the kingdom of heaven on your own merits, by your own works, by your own service, even with tons of money in the bank, and stuff in your possession? I pray you can see how both wealth and poverty can blind many to the truth. I also pray that the Spirit gives you insight to see how Jesus' words give you the biblical understanding of how you, or anyone else is saved by grace, through faith in Christ. Indeed, with God all things are possible! Your salvation from beginning to end is of God. Praise Him!
Church councils and courts have been and are comprised of fallible men who seek to be wise and make godly decisions but can err in what they say and do. Considering various facets of error, what if the church is believed to have erred in its governance in the use of church discipline?
What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
Do you see the wonderful connection in these lessons regarding welcome in kingdom entrance that Jesus gives you here with both the children and the rich young ruler? How can you enter the kingdom of Heaven? How can you have eternal life? They both came to Jesus. The children were welcomed and blessed, but the ruler walked away sorrowful because he wasn't willing to abandon all and follow Christ.
How is your heart tonight? Is it steadfast? Is it fraught with fear, or fixed on Christ in faith, praising Him in the midst of your storms? Today is the day to seek His face and grace to bring that about more and more in you! May Christ and His fame be proclaimed in every place! May you be faithful in giving Him glory and bearing good witness of Him to the nations!
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review of translation homework of Psalm 57:1-2. Lecture on remainder of Lesson 17 on pronominal suffixes with Imperfects.
What happens if a sinning brother refuses to repent after your private pursuit of him, as well as your witnessed pursuit? If you have to proceed to step 3 and tell the matter to the church, what happens when the Session or the Presbytery (for ministers) engages in the pursuit, determines that the brother is guilty of a true sin, but he remains unrepentant regardless of the applied censure(s)? The elders have to prayerfully and wisely use the Office of the Keys.
Do you see how Matthew 18 lays a wonderful foundation in the context of how you then consider marriage and divorce? Do you see the Pharisaic heart that swells up demanding freedom to divorce at will? Do you see the great contrast in the Redeemed heart and how humility and love should motivate you towards the pursuit of your spouse in reconciliation when offense arises?
Be comforted by the Gospel message of mercy to you in this passage. Do you see the great picture of the shelter of divine mercy? Your soul is safe. Your soul is redeemed. Your soul is protected. Your soul is lifted up!
By whom is the Word of God to be preached? How is the Word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto? What is required of those that hear the Word preached?
Remember, though you go the first time to your sinning brother, you're not free to stop and walk away from your pursuit if he doesn't hear you in that meeting. No, Jesus calls you to keep praying and persist in going back with witnesses for both your benefit and his. Now, though you go a second time to him with them, Jesus says that you still aren't free to stop and walk away if he refuses to hear them. What does this refusal specifically mean? The Greek word for "refuses" lit. means that the sinning brother won't listen to sound counsel. In fact, such refusal not only means the ears are turned off, but the word also carries the meaning that he is willing to do the opposite and disobey the counsel given. Do you see the fruit of pride in the stubborn and hard heart here? If he refuses, know that your pursuit is to remain prayerful and persistent, but it stops being private as you must tell the matter to the church. This being said, it's right to keep the matter confidential with the church.
As one does well in being prayerful in their private pursuit of a brother or sister who has sinned against them, they also do well in being persistent and persevering in their pursuit. What do I mean by this? A good place to start is that you don't just look at the path of reconciliation with them as one and done. You don't go into your Step 1 meeting with them thinking, "I'm just going to go once and be done. Then I can say I tried, and nobody can say I didn't." Sadly, if those are the internal thoughts and mindset, pride and/or fear are still alive and well in the heart. The fruit will likely bear accordingly in the outcome of the conversation. From a place of pain, you may feel justified in a half-hearted attempt, but the offense remains sincerely unaddressed, and the matter remains unresolved and festering. Again, when self is off the throne, and pride/fear are dealt with, out of true love towards the sinning brother or sister, the humble heart that is mindful of its own struggles and falls desires to obey your Savior and pursue real reconciliation and peace.
The Servant of the Lord, Praise the Lord, The Promise of God's Help, Israel's Obstinate Disobedience
Do you see the necessity of humility in your prayerful private pursuit of a brother or sister who has sinned against you applied here? Do you see your need for you to have the heart of the King in your encounter with them? For indeed, as much as it's right for you to go to the brother and talk to him about his sin, it's just as important that you do so with kindness and compassion, freely forgiving them when they hear you and repent.
Fight fear! Memorize verse 3. When fear creeps in and takes root in your heart and mind, may you confess to Christ, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You." Never forget that God has honored His Word with His own glory so that you will receive it with absolute trust and humble fear. Indeed, fear the Lord, not men. In God you trust!
One of the great challenges of every generation has been the right handling of offense, dealing biblically with sin when offense rises up, especially between brothers and sisters in the church. The reasons why this is so challenging vary according to persons involved and the issue at hand. However, it's true that whatever the details of that challenge look like, the sources that fuel the resistance and reluctance to pursue reconciliation are very commonly pride and fear. I hope that you've been blessed as we've made our way through Matthew 18 in the morning service preaching series thus far. I hope you have had eyes to see and ears to hear how the lessons Jesus teaches you in verses 1-14 of the chapter really under gird and lay the groundwork for then how you interpret and apply His lesson in verses 15-17 in pursuing a sinning brother.
The forbidden longings of lust are a very real and present danger. Although Christians may be diligent in being on the lookout for lust, we often find it has passed through our defenses and is present in our hearts. Lust may be subtle in its entrance, and then strong in its growth and pursuits. Such longings in our hearts are part of the three that the Apostle John lists in 1 John 2 above. Don't miss John's words that importantly reveal to us that these lusts are both in the world and of the world. Notice that all three of these longings have to do with three predominant inclinations of the depraved nature. All three of them demonstrate personal gratification, and not a heart of love and obedience to God. Yet, all praise be to our God for the truth that though the natural man is in bondage to his lusts (Rom. 3:10–18), when the Lord saves us, because of our union with Christ, we are delivered from the dominion of them (Rom. 6:12-14).
What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation? How is the word made effectual to salvation?
As you think about this path, does it intimidate you? Are you fearful of, or don't do well with confrontation? It's so easy to try to take matters into your own hands, or not deal with sin at all. I pray that you see the importance of these steps of reconciliation that Jesus calls you to follow, coupled with the peace it brings. If love can't cover the sin, like the shepherd goes after the one sheep, you must go to your brother or sister. As Jesus has shown by love fueled call and example, never forget that there are no pains too much to take for the recovering of a sinner to repentance. I hope you can see the blessings of following the path, along with the great consequences of not doing so.
Don't let the burden of betrayal or other sins threaten or take away your peace. Rather, cast your fears and cares on Christ, being thankful that He will sustain you and lift you up in the midst of your trials and hardships. Take much comfort for His mercy to you and judgment against the wicked, and then continue to trust Him as you walk with Him.
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review Hebrew Dialogue 1. Introduce Dialogue 2. Lecture on beginning of Lesson 16 covering the uses of the Imperfect in the remaining verb stems, as well as the Vav Consecutive. Brief translation and exegetical discussion on Psalm 55:16.
Anger can be a volatile emotion in many people, especially after an offense. It can explode quickly like a firecracker, or a short-fused bomb. The blast radius can have deadly focus or it can be tragically broad. Once it's unleashed, the damage can be great and the path to healing and restoration even greater. Unleashed, sinful anger can often thrive in pride. It can also quickly lead the angry person down the path of regret. For these reasons and many others, sinful anger needs to be promptly and thoroughly dealt with and put to death in both heart and life.
As the disciples needed to, considering their dispute, prayerfully check your hearts this morning- Do you despise anyone in the flock? This is a critical question, whether you're an under shepherd looking at sheep, whether you're an older believer looking at and interacting with the young, whether you're in your youth interacting with peers- Do you look down at them? Do you scoff at their weakness in faith or any other area that you think you have superior knowledge, ability, or wisdom in? Remember that doing so is sinful. It hardens pride in you and can lead those who are weak or new astray, or cause them to wander in faith, doctrine, and obedience to God. Rather, value and respect them in the ways that Christ, who died for them, does. Then seek to lift them up and not tear them, or your relationship with them down.
It's important that you learn from and remember the burden of betrayal. Like David, in your grief and prayer to the Lord it's good and right to be mindful of what used to be and now is no more. All the while, like David, may you be refreshed in the nature and effects of sin, the pain that it brings, the offense that it is against the holy God, the beauty of the Gospel, and desire His justice and will be done.
What doth every sin deserve at the hands of God? What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law?
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review Hebrew Dialogue 1. Review of Lesson 15 homework covering the uses of the Qal Imperfect, the Jussive, and Cohortative. Walkthrough translation work on Psalm 55:9.
In today's edition, Pastor Miller speaks more to the matter of betrayal, its pain, and the path of godly resolution as he speaks to good lessons David teaches you in Psalm 51 as he reflected on his own experience in betraying others and fled in prayer to his Lord.
As we examine Jesus' exposition of the Law in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, we consider the great need to mortify our flesh, to kill sin within us, as we seek to be obedient to Christ's commands for us to walk in holiness and purity before Him and with one another. One of the sins that we need to be serious about putting to death is the sin of pride. It's one of the seven sins Solomon lists in Proverbs 6:17. We know well that God hates sin. Solomon teaches us that pride is an abomination to our Lord. With the prevalent, pervasive, and multi-layered presence that pride often has within us, it's all too true that killing it in our own hearts is very difficult. Why is this true? Click and listen...
The glorious truths and reality that should comfort and calm your hearts this morning are the great promises, the great hope, for the life to come for all those who believe in the crucified and risen Christ.
Meditate on this beginning of Psalm 55, and the betrayal that under girds it, this week, and may it encourage and strengthen you to walk more closely with Christ. For in the midst of being surrounded, scrutinized, and oppressed by men on the outside, while at the same time feeling squeezed, heavy hearted, even tempted to have the fear of man, not to mention the fear of death, when you feel crushed with no way out, never forget the lesson Jesus teaches here you through David.
The pain of betrayal is real and runs deep. It often hits hard as the breach of trust and confidence you had in a person, or with people, can shake you as you realized they've damaged or broken their relationship with you, or sometimes broken their covenant vows, as they've turned on you to harm you. Have you experienced betrayal in your life?
Take this picture of betrayal, its causes, and consequences with you tonight. Be especially mindful in your meditation and study of the Word regarding betrayal when it hits home. The trouble and hardship from any kind of betrayal is hard enough when it comes from those you would call friends, or those outside of your family. And yet, it's much worse when you're betrayed by your own kin. Praise God for the Lord Jesus Christ who is your Helper, who also sent you another helper, the Holy Spirit!
Do you see the glorious progression in what Jesus is teaching you thus far in Matthew 18? The rise of pride that battles for power and position was countered by Spirit wrought humility, seen in a heart of service and reception of even the least of these. As Jesus has welcomed them, so must you with open arms! As you grasp more of the value and importance of true, godly humility in your service to Christ and His people, may this lesson of the practical effect of such humility being manifest in your loving those that Jesus loves, and hating what Jesus hates, in your loving the little lambs, and your hating sin.
Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review of Lesson 14 homework. Begin Lesson 15 on Qal Imperfect of strong verbs.
As much as there is a great and growing need for godly wisdom to bud and flourish in the hearts and minds of boys, girls, young men, young women, young families, and middle aged saints in Christ's church, there is also great need for the older saints in the body to stand and walk in the wisdom God has granted them, to model and teach young men and women how to carry out their duties with better skill, how to grow in godliness in the home and vocation, thereby carrying out the valuable service of passing the torch to the next generations, strengthening the people of God around them.
Jesus wouldn't declare Peter to be His favorite. Nor would He seat James and John on either side of Him. Rather, Jesus says to all of His people that the humblest Christians are the best Christians. For in humility you show yourself to be like Christ. Being recipients of His grace and blessing, you show yourself to be fit to serve God here and now, as well as enjoy Him in the world to come.
May this psalm make you ever more mindful of the doctrine of sin and depravity of sinners! May it also deepen your understanding of your need for Christ and thankfulness for His Gospel! As you grow in this, don't fear fools! Don't fear atheists, their arguments, or engaging in evangelistic conversations with them. Rather, may the fear of the Lord be in your heart, may the fruit of it be evident in your life, and may this psalm equip you to face fools with the truth of the Word of the living God.
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review of the first lecture, and finishing the remaining lecture on Lesson 14 on remaining verb stems beyond Qal perfect. This includes learning to translate verbs in those remaining stems considering any attached prefixes and suffixes.
Women series. Among all of the passages of Scripture that teach you wonderful doctrine about motherhood, the Spirit's words through Solomon in Proverbs provide a rich theology in wisdom that lays out many good characteristics of a godly mother.
Isaiah Assures Deliverance, Sennacherib's Threat and Hezekiah's Prayer, the Word of the Lord Concerning Sennacherib, Sennacherib's Defeat and Death
Learn to hate wickedness like God does. As this corruption was clear in the persecution of David, it's even more so in the sufferings of Christ. Like David, make God your strength! Stand upon the rock that is Christ, trusting God's mercy to you in Him. Look upon and learn more of His judgment, and may that move you to worship Him even more today!
Take this lesson of the temple tax that reveals more marvelous facets, and gives you more glorious views and confirmation that Jesus truly is the omniscient and omnipotent Son of God with you today. May this passage fuel your love and worship of Him!
The presence or absence of thankfulness in your heart in your daily cross bearing, in your daily battle for Christ is something that you need to take time and examine. As I say this, you may wonder- "Wait, Pastor. Are you saying I should be thankful for the battles and suffering in my life?" Yes, but there's more...
Take the great redemptive work of Christ, and all of His benefits, with you tonight as you consider your awesome God and Heavenly Father who sent His Son to reconcile you, as dirty, guilty, stained, and defiant rebels to Himself. Psalm 51 presses this prayer to be your own as you consider your sin, sorrow, repentance, reconciliation, and worship.
As you've been blessed to see the glory of Christ, praise Jesus even more today as you are blessed by this clear view of His compassion and patience with the suffering and weakness of men, as His displays His sovereign power and authority over all things, including the spiritual forces of darkness, and builds your faith.
Pastor Miller continues his Biblical Hebrew for Beginners class. Today: Review of Lesson 13 translation homework, first lecture on Lesson 14 on remaining verb stems beyond Qal.
How is the sabbath or the Lord's day to be sanctified? What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 83 - Elder Travis Lewis - Sunday School - What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life?
Westminster Larger Catechism - Will Tejeda - Questions 68 - 69---Due to technical difficulty recording starts about 10 minutes into the lesson.-
This podcast is designed to aid your study and memorization of the Reformed Catechisms and Confessions- and deepen your knowledge, build your faith, and increase your zeal in your walk with God. It includes the standard of the week, Scripture verse for memorization, as well as the proof texts for the week's standard.
Westminster Larger Catechism 35 Part 5 - 36 Part 1 - Elder Travis Lewis - Sunday School
Paul preached Christ, and Him crucified, spiritual wisdom, the Holy Spirit's work in the hearts and minds of His people.