Restore Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Restore Church
Sermons from Restore Church in North Haledon, NJ. Restore Church is an evangelical church located in North Haledon, NJ that began in January of 2012. We seek to love Jesus more by learning about Him, responding to Him, loving one another, and serving the community around us. Restore is a member church with the Acts 29 Network.
Adrian takes look at 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 and encourages us to check-in with where we're at as disciples of Jesus and where our priorities lie.
What does it actually look like to be a Christian? How do we as the Church stand out and make a positive impact in the world?
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded on November 14th, 2021
Here at Restore Church we listen to great messages week in and week out. We agree with them. We share them. But do we live them out? What does it look like to put them into practice?
PASSAGE:
Matthew 23:1-7
‘Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. “ Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.
Message by Jakin Mai. Recorded on November 7th, 2021
Adrian wraps up the topic of Forgiveness by talking about how to practically forgive others. An awful lot easier said than done, but we are able to through the power of Jesus!
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded on October 31st, 2021
Is there a point where forgiveness isn't needed? Where someone has gone to far? Forgiveness is NOT easy. Especially when the one we are forgiving doesn't show remorse.
This week Adrian takes us through The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18.
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded on October 10th, 2021
This week Adrian takes us through the story of Samson. We learn about how bitterness and resentment can destroy and how forgiveness can set us free.
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded on October 10th, 2021
Jakin talks to us about making good-decisions and how fear will limit your thinking. We look at 1 Samuel and how FEAR led to Sauls downfall and how FAITH made David a great king and leader.
NOTES:
1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord ’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. ‘
1 Samuel 30:6 ‘David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.’
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
- Frank Herbert, Dune
Message by Jakin Mai. Recorded at Restore Church on September 12th, 2021
What do you do when it seems hopeless? When you just want to retreat? Adrian takes us through Romans 8 and how we can embrace this time and our place in it.
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded at Restore Church on August 22nd, 2021
We have a bunch of special guests this week on our Virtual Panel talking about "Why we gather". Thanks to Tom, Chloe, Brad, Tracey, & Kira for being on the panel. Such great insight and wisdom!
Recorded during our All In Zoom on August 8th, 2021
This week Adrian teaches us why we value Giving at Restore Church.
Passage: Matthew 6:19-34
Message by Adrian Jackson. Recorded at Restore Church on August 8th, 2021
Community is something we value highly at Restore Church. For us church is more than gathering on Sundays. Hannah takes us through what real community looks like and how we build it into our lives.
Message by Hannah Mai. Recorded at Restore Church on August 1st 2021
We have a fiery one for you today! Listen in on a conversation between two friends at Restore Church who have differing opinions when it comes to God's wrath, sin, and punishment.
At Restore Church we value being able to disagree and still be a community of people who loves each other. Hats off to Dave & Brad who set such a good example of how to disagree well!
Recorded at Restore Church on the 11th of July 2021. Message by David Owen & Brad Young.
Passage:
John 5:39-40
'“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me ! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. “You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me ! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.'
https://my.bible.com/bible/97/JHN.5.39-40
Recorded at Restore Church on the 4th of July 2021. Message by Adrian Jackson
This week Adrian shares with us three points for how to move forward into the future that God has for us.
Passages:
Joshua 3:5 “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
Joshua 3:13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
Joshua 4:4-7 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
Recorded at Restore Church on the 27th of June 2021. Message by Adrian Jackson
Happy Mother's Day! Celebrating all the amazing mums, grandma's, mentors, and spiritual mums today. Jakin takes us into the story of Hagar. A mother who was cast aside and forgotten. What do you do when it feels like God doesn't see you?
Passage:Genesis 16:1-13
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 9th of May 2021.
Message by Jakin Mai*
How quick are we to sum someone up? This week we look at the story of "The Woman at the Well" and what we can learn from Jesus' interaction with her.
Passage: John 4
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 25th of April 2021.
Message by Adrian Jackson*
Craig shares with us the power of God's word and the way it brings refreshing and new life to our souls.
Passage: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, for every good work.
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 18th of April 2021.
Message by Craig Humphris*
This weeks message focuses on John 21 and the incredible Grace Jesus shows to Peter.
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 11th of April 2021.
Message by Adrian Jackson*
THE LOVE THAT WON'T LET GO
Its Easter Sunday at Restore Church! Adrian takes us through the Road to Emmaus story. If God’s love would chase us into death to bring us back then what could possibly put us beyond reach?
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 4th of April 2021.
Message by Adrian Jackson*
Good Friday: Remembering the love God displayed for us through the death of Jesus. Jakin walks us through the day leading up to Jesus death and shows us how love broke through again and again.
Passage: Luke 22&23
*Sermon recorded at our Good Friday gathering on the 2nd of April, 2021.
Message by Jakin Mai.*
Sometimes we put all out energy into fighting for things that aren't actually that important. Like Mr. Potato Head... This week Adrian Jackson takes us through the story of Jesus flipping tables in the temple. We hope this message speaks to you!
Verse:
'They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text: My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves. Mark 11:15-17 https://my.bible.com/bible/97/MRK.11.15-17
Recorded at Restore Church on the 28th of March. Sermon by Adrian Jackson.
This week Jakin shares about a ride at Disneyland, Zacchaeus, Cancel Culture, and who we can be as the church. Have a listen and let us know what you think!
(Again, we apologise for audio issues. Still trying to solve the problem!)
Verse:
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Ephesians 4:2 NLT (https://my.bible.com/bible/116/EPH.4.2.NLT)
*Recorded at Restore Church on the 21st of March.
Sermon by Jakin Mai*
A powerful word from Adrian Jackson this morning. What do we do when life dishes up loss, pain, or hardship? Verse: Psalm 73 in The Message
Recorded on the 14th of April 2020
Sermon by Adrian Jackson
This week we interviewed two legends from our Restore Church community: Craig & Kathy! This couple have an incredible testimony to share. We love hearing stories of God bringing restoration out of hard situations.
Recorded at our live gathering on the 21st of February 2021.
Interviewed by Adrian Jackson.
Part 3 of our Vision 2021 Series.
Recorded on the 14th of February 2021. Sermon by Adrian Jackson.
Part 2 of our Vision 2021 Series.
Recorded on the 7th of February 2021.
Sermon by Adrian Jackson.
Today we are blessed to hear from Church Planting Resident Joey Wright, as he teaches us from Psalm 46. What do we do, and where do we run, when we are under siege? Pastor Joey reminds us where we can turn when it feels like we are being attacked from all around us.
Jesus commands his disciples to love one another in John 15, but what does that really mean? We'll consider how the love that is demonstrated by God in the birth of Jesus is a type of love that runs contrary to our cultural narrative of Christmas–and how we can live into it this year.
On this third Sunday of Advent, we consider Joy. How can we still have joy when happiness and gladness seem elusive?
Today we consider why it is that peace is so elusive. Paul promises that the peace that passes understanding is ours in Christ–so why does it seem so hard to find?
What does affliction have to do with gratitude? In a year like 2020, it would be easy to lose sight of the things that we have to be grateful for. But what if affliction is supposed to make us MORE grateful, and not LESS? Let's think about that today as we consider 2 Corinthians 4.
Thanksgiving takes on a whole different meaning during a year like 2020. We'll consider what it is that stands in the way of us giving thanks, and how it is that we can truly be grateful.
God's word helps us see God's purposes in the events of our lives. In the book of Esther, we are given a glimpse into the purpose of the exile, and how God's people learn to live in reliance on Him. The story also points us towards another reality: that although human leaders will always be temporary, King Jesus reigns forever.
How does the exile serve the world–especially when they have a position of influence? Esther chapter 8 provides a template for how the exile can best serve the world once they recognize that the story is going to end in their favor.
Would you rather pursue honor for yourself, or shame? A dichotomy is presented in the book of Esther between two characters; one who pursues honor for himself, and one who pursues humility and even shame. In the end, their roles are reversed, reminding us of the role reversal of the Gospel itself: Jesus humbled himself, and was honored by God.
How does an exile impact change? The story of Esther teaches us that the exile has more power than they realize, since their confidence is not in their position but in their full dependency on God.
What is our purpose? Most of us have wrestled with that question. In Esther 4, Esther goes through a process of discovery to figure out what it is that God is calling her to. We can learn some things from her story to help us uncover our "for such a time as this" moments.
In this sermon we consider the question, "where do our allegiances lie?" Esther 2 forces us to consider our how corporate identity has an impact on how we experience and engage with the world around us. Do we engage based on a secondary identity? Or do we engage with the world based on our primary identity in Jesus Christ?
The book of Esther begins by presenting us with a picture of what life was like under Persian King, Xerxes. He is proud, self-indulgent, and in the midst of throwing a wild party for himself and then for the capital city when the Queen, Vashti, disobeys his command. It is a tale of two cities; on the one hand, a city filled with wealth and celebration. On the other hand, a city ruled by the worst types of people. Join us as we consider why this would force Esther to consider which Kingdom she belonged to before we are ever introduced to her in the text.
Join us for worship at 9:30! "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." Do you ever hear this statement of Jesus and wonder what he was talking about? How can the believer live confidently in a world filled with trouble, and what does it really mean that Jesus has overcome? Lord's Day 19 of the Heidelberg Catechism points us to Jesus position of authority and ultimate return and judgment for assurance that not only has Jesus overcome the world, but that the believer can live according to his game plan to live as overcomers even now.
Join us for worship at 9:30! Have you ever thought about the ascension of Jesus? The Apostles Creed says that Jesus "ascended into heaven", and we'll consider why that simple phrase might be far more important than we ever imagined.
Lord's Day 17 points us towards the resurrection and asks us to take a step of faith. The step of faith it requires, however, is not whether or not the resurrection happened–it's about whether or not we believe the benefits that it has for us. Namely, that the resurrection finally allows for us to be unencumbered so that we can fully engage in life.
The impact of sin is separation–separation from one another, and separation from God–ultimately experienced in the separation of soul from body in death. During his life and death, Jesus experiences this separation on our behalf so that we never have to worry about being separated from God again.
What does it mean to suffer? For Jesus, and for us. Join us as we consider how God's wrath and his love come together finally at the cross.
We celebrate the birth of Jesus so often that we end up missing the greatest miracle in Scripture–that the Son of God took on flesh in the person of Jesus. So what do we believe about this birth? Does it really matter that Mary was a virgin? Only if Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit can we trust that, unlike us, he is truly sinless–and only if he is sinless can he mediate on our behalf and change our condition of sin.
What does it mean that Jesus is God's "only Son"? And if Jesus is our brother, how does that benefit us? The Catechism continues to talk about our positional status in the kingdom of God: that because Jesus traded in his position for ours, we can trade in our position for his.
Jesus restores Peter as a leader in the church. Jesus takes away Peter's shame and shows him grace. We are all able to bring our shortcomings to the cross and be restored to the body of Christ.
Our sermon today focuses on Jesus, and forces us to ask the question: am I finding my salvation or security anywhere else, other than Him?
Happy Father's Day! In this sermon, we're going to consider God's providence. What does providence even mean? And why does it matter?
A key difference of the Christian faith is that because of Jesus, we are able to call the God who created the universe "Father". If someone asked you what that meant, how would you answer? What difference does it make that we see God as a personal, relational being who desires to do good for his people? And specifically, what difference does it make when the world is experiencing the two crisis' of a pandemic and systemic racism? Those are some of the questions we'll explore in this sermon.
What does it mean to love our brothers and sisters in Christ? It means that we must learn how to love those who are not the same as us; we must see in them the reflection of God himself. Reverend Richard Jones helps us confront the sin of racism, and consider the areas of our heart where we are not reflecting the love of God towards our brothers and sisters.
This week we have 5 minutes from 5 voices! Join us as we hear about what it means to Choose Joy.
Voices:
- David Owen
- Chloe Lewis
- Byrt Mallanyk
- Leonie Isaac
- Jayden Linco
The purpose of the rebuild was always about internal transformation. It makes no sense to go through a rebuilding process and continue with the same behaviors that contributed to the crisis in the first place. We must take the time to realign ourselves with God's word and admit where we need to make necessary changes.
If we are a part of any significant rebuild, we can expect that there will be opposition. In this sermon, we consider what form that opposition might take, and how believers can be prepared to combat it when it comes.
After the preparation comes the building effort, starting with the foundation. The exiles who returned to Jerusalem weren't supposed to mourn what they had lost; they were supposed to remember what they could never lose. They build the altar, and then the foundation.
The first step in rebuilding is considering what assets we have to complete our project. Our assets will help us determine the course forward as we prepare to rebuild. In this sermon we'll consider the assets that God had given to his people as they prepared to rebuild the temple, and see how we have also been given those same assets as we look forward to a rebuilding ourselves.
What do you do when you feel like the stress is going to overwhelm you? What happens when you hit that moment where you feel like, "none of it matters anymore?" The story of Elijah offers us some clues. After his greatest victory for Israel and for God, Elijah still feels like there is no reason to go on living and hides under a bush–but he doesn't stay there. So how does he go from hiding under a bush to running to the mountain of God? That's the question we'll consider in this sermon.
Most of us live our lives waiting for the next good thing to happen. We endure the circumstances of today because we have something to look forward to in the future. God's plan for his people, however, is that their knowledge of future security in Christ would give them the confidence to settle in to, and not just endure, their current circumstances.
Jesus resurrection proves that He has overcome the grave; and if He can overcome the grave, believing that He has overcome the world is easy.
To get to the feast, we have to walk through the sorrow. The Lord's Supper reminds us of our sorrow, while acting as a foretaste of the future feast.
Recorded from our Instagram Livestream with Jakin Mai interviewing Jess Williams. Jess works with Open Doors and chats with us about persecution in the lead up to Easter and what we can learn from our brothers and sisters around the globe. We also wanted to learn more about the One With Them campaign. Head to http://opendoors.org.au/ to find out more.
The Christian person is called to lament. To lament is to engage with the sorrow we are feeling even if, and perhaps especially when, what we are feeling may not line up with how things really are. Psalm 13 helps us discover what lament looks like and how we can bring our sorrows to God.
Peter writes to Christians who are living in uncertainty and he begins by reminding them of their foundation for hope. Jesus Christ has been revealed now so that, even in uncertainty, our faith and our hope are in God. That means rooting our lives in the imperishable inheritance that has been promised.
The story of the tower of Babel reminds us that sometimes the towers that we are building need to be left behind, because what looks like order to us might actually be chaos. The only way we'll know the difference is when they are disrupted. Thankfully, in moments of disruption, God desires to walk with us and show us the type of tower that he is building.
Proverbs tells us that the surest foundation for wisdom is the fear of the Lord. As Christians, we can be confident in the face of uncertainty and walk with wisdom. But what does that look like in our current situation? Pastor Jeremy looks at three spiritual concepts that are incredibly important if we are to live wisely in these times.
Jesus tells the crowds that if they want to follow him, they need to count the cost in advance. The journey of discipleship is more costly and more lengthy than most of us anticipate. Baked into Jesus parable is another diagnostic question, however: what has it cost you to follow Jesus? If it hasn't cost us anything, then we need to assess whether we actually followed through on our commitment to follow him.
Jesus tells the pharisees that if they want to throw a party, they should invite the people who can't repay them. This was how the master did it in the kingdom of God. The problem is that accepting the invitation into the kingdom meant admitting you had nothing to offer the master.
A man asks Jesus a question: "Will those in the kingdom of God be few?" Jesus doesn't directly answer the question, but offers a different perspective. The real question isn't about the number of people who get in, but how they gain access–and that door is narrow.
Jesus tells a parable to his disciples about a master who leaves and puts the servants in charge of his household. How will he find them serving when he returns? The question we have to ask ourselves is, what sort of life are we leading, and how are we serving the master?
If we were honest, the parable of the Rich Fool describes exactly the type of condition we want for our own lives: enough wealth to sit back and relax. The reason the man was foolish was not because he was wealthy, but because he thought his wealth gave him security. Jesus teaches his disciples a better way to find security that will last.
The disciples made a simple request of Jesus: teach us to pray. Jesus responds by teaching them what has become the most famous prayer in history, known as "The Lord's Prayer". But that's not all he taught them; he also told them a parable to help them understand the prayer. Only when we take the two together can we fully understand the significance of Jesus' response to his disciples.
The Lawyer asks a very simple question: who is my neighbor. Jesus doesn't answer directly. Instead, he turns the question on its head by telling the story of a man who was a good neighbor, exposing the Lawyer's desire to justify himself in the process.
The point of the parable of the sower is not the sower; the point is to consider the condition of our hearts. We must consider whether our hearts are receptive to the word of God, and then, how the word can grow to maturity within us.
In 1 Peter we are told to always be able to to give a reason for the hope that is in you. What if in the New Year we practice kindness by being good to people.
Luke wants us to consider that everything in the cosmos leads up to the arrival of Jesus in Bethlehem. In an otherwise insignificant moment, the God of the universe steps into history as the Savior.
Why does Luke spends more time telling the story of John leading up to the birth of Christ than any of the other gospels? That's the question that we explore in this sermon, called "preparation".
Good stories let you in to the heart and mind of the main characters. In part 3 of Luke's story of Jesus, we get a glimpse into the heart of Mary, who is overjoyed to discover that Gabriel's promises to her were true. Out of that joy, Mary sings the "Magnificat", a song declaring the magnificence of who God is.
The most interesting stories are the ones that take us on an unexpected adventure, filled with twists that we never saw coming. Luke begins the story of Jesus with the unexpected, in an unexpected town with an unexpected young woman. We discover that if we want to live interesting lives, we also need to learn to embrace the unexpected.
The story of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke begins in an unexpected place: with an elderly priest and his barren wife. Yet this is where God chooses to announce to his people that the Messiah will be arriving soon–only, Zechariah won't be able to tell anyone. In this sermon, we'll learn what Luke intends for us to understand about anticipation as we await the return of Jesus.
The purpose of our gratitude is the glory of God. Whether we are thanking him for what we have already received or we are asking him to increase our blessings, we should strive to make his name great and not our own.
Remembering what God has done provides us with a template for what God will do in the future. We pass it on to our children and future generations so that they will know and believe God's faithfulness.
In Psalm 40, we approach God in the position of the worshipper. We must have the proper posture, perspective, and praise in order to reflect wisely on what God has done. When we are able to do that, we reap the benefits of reflecting on God's work, including protection from the things that might otherwise derail our future.
The command to honor our father and mother is given to us with a promise: that it will go well for us in the land God is giving us. The assumption is that the legacy that is left to us will be one worthy of honor; the question for us is whether or not we will leave that sort of legacy ourselves.
In part 9 we consider how the church was God's intention. All that we are will find its fulfillment when we are a part of the gathering of people proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord.
In part two of God's Design for Parenting, we consider how it is that we can fulfill God's intention that we raise our children to love God and build the culture. Paul's instruction may seem simple, but it points towards the lofty requirement of parents to demonstrate the love of God to their children and raise them to be Christ's disciple.
God intends us to view children as a gift, which means that parenting is a gift. The question is, what do we do with it, and why has he given it to us? In Sermon 7, Pastor Jeremy explores some of what God intends us to do as parents and how He intends for us to raise them as culture-builders in the world
In part 6, God's Design for Households, we consider how the household is like the church. The household is the most effective means of passing down what we believe to future generations, provided we are passing on the right things.
If we want to know anything about ourselves or what God intends for our most important relationships, we have to begin by understanding the God who created humanity in his own image. Our understanding of who we are intended to be as people, and how he intended us to relate to one another, begins with a God who is himself three distinct and eternal persons, so united that they can only be rightly seen as one.
In Part 5 of our series "By Design", we continue talking about God's design for marriage. In this sermon, Pastor Jeremy demonstrates how our understanding of who God is will impact how we view our roles in marriage. Marriage is an exclusive, one-flesh relationship in which each spouse seeks to put their partners needs ahead of their own.
If we want to know anything about ourselves or what God intends for our most important relationships, we have to begin by understanding the God who created humanity in his own image. Our understanding of who we are intended to be as people, and how he intended us to relate to one another, begins with a God who is himself three distinct and eternal persons, so united that they can only be rightly seen as one.
In sermon 4 of our series, Pastor Jeremy walks through Genesis 2 to demonstrate God's intention for Adam to have a partner who was both distinct from him, and yet one with him. When no suitable companion was found amongst all the creatures of the earth, God creates a companion and Adam calls him Woman. Discover what that means for us, and how it points towards Jesus and the church, in this sermon, "God's Design for Marriage".
If we want to know anything about ourselves or what God intends for our most important relationships, we have to begin by understanding the God who created humanity in his own image. Our understanding of who we are intended to be as people, and how he intended us to relate to one another, begins with a God who is himself three distinct and eternal persons, so united that they can only be rightly seen as one.
In part three of our series called By Design, Pastor Jeremy walks us through the biblical teaching on singleness. Not only was the savior of the world single, but singleness is a gift given to us through which we can fulfill our assignment as children of God.
If we want to know anything about ourselves or what God intends for our most important relationships, we have to begin by understanding the God who created humanity in his own image. Our understanding of who we are intended to be as people, and how he intended us to relate to one another, begins with a God who is himself three distinct and eternal persons, so united that they can only be rightly seen as one.
If the God who self-references as an "us" were to create something in his own image, what would it look like? In this sermon, Pastor Jeremy explains that the main theme of the Scripture is God gathering a people for himself, starting with the community he created in creation to the community that is gathered in the finale, with people from all tribes, tongues, and nations.
If we want to know anything about ourselves or what God intends for our most important relationships, we have to begin by understanding the God who created humanity in his own image. Our understanding of who we are intended to be as people, and how he intended us to relate to one another, begins with a God who is himself three distinct and eternal persons, so united that they can only be rightly seen as one.
In the first sermon in our series, Pastor Jeremy Mulder shows us how God has written distinction into humanity, beginning with the distinction of gender as male and female. We must celebrate this distinction, since it is only when we recognize our distinctions within the united body of humanity that we can rightly reflect the God who made us in his image.
If we want to know anything about God, it must be revealed to us. If we want to know the good news of Christianity, we must know the God that is revealed in the Scripture. The God of the Bible is described as one being eternally existent in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Getting that right is the key to understanding why the good news is so good.
Lord's Day 07 expands on the idea of faith: what is it, and why is it necessary? The catechism acknowledges that faith requires true knowledge–that is, the content of what we believe matter–and it requires the conviction that it applies to us. So how do we know? Thankfully, we stand in line with a long history of faithful believers who have come to a consensus on what Scripture teaches us about what we believe.
Jesus us more than a teacher He is the creator of the universe. All things come through Him and the ultimate response to that is worship.
Lord's Day 06 describes for us the type of deliverer we should be looking for: one who is a righteous human, but also truly God. The deliverer must share in our substance but not our condition. He must also be truly God so that he can offer eternal forgiveness. The audacious claim of Christianity is that Jesus was this God-Man.
God has given his covenant community of telling the story of Jesus over and over again. Where ever the people of God are the word of God is repeated.
The reason we believe we can pay off our debt to God is because we have difficulty comprehending eternity. We think that we can satisfy eternal justice on our own, or at least some other part of the creation can do it for us. The deliverer we should be looking for will be a human, but must also be God.
The law of God shows us our misery, which in turn leads us to questions of God's justice and mercy. When confronted with God's justice, our tendency is to question the validity of the law itself or the validity of God's response. In short, we plead for mercy without understanding that you can't have mercy with justice, and justice always costs someone something.
Just how far does our misery extend? The catechism tells us that there is nothing we can do that isn't colored in some way by our misery. The only way to see it, however, is to see what God intended for us to be, and what we chose to pretend to be instead.
The catechism teaches that misery is our current condition, but it is not something that most of us feel. We only become aware of our condition when we realize what we were intended to be, as revealed to us by God, and then restored to us in Jesus Christ.
It is the King's job to throw the party and clothe the guests; it is our job to hand out the invitations.
Engaging the mission of God will require us to say yes when our divine opportunity comes.
The Sabbath was a commandment turned to a rule that missed the heart of the God. Jesus reminds us that the Sabbath was made for US. We were not made for it.
God has prepared each of us to engage in his mission, and has prepared a role for each of us.
If we desire to engage in the mission of God we must also make sure that we have the character of the kingdom of God.
The Christian is called to live in the place of dependency and faith so that God has the opportunity to show up.
Knowing our calling is essential to Healthy Community, Personal Fulfillment, and Future Planning.
It takes a willingness to open up one's self to become aware of what their story is and engage their life.
The Christian life is about more than simply doing no harm to our neighbors; it is about actively seeking their pleasure and their good.
The Christian person is given broad freedom in many decisions; more important, however, is the work of God in our midst.
Those who are in the family of God will begin to love the way that God loves. This is the fulfillment of the law.
Are our lives defined by our allegiance to a government, or allegiance to the God of the universe?
Adrian Jackson - February 17th, 2019
What if God saves us, not in spite of our failures, but through them?
Genuine love is evident in the way that we love those around us, including our enemies.
If we think that we have earned God's favor, we will forget to reach out to those whom he has also called.
We give ourselves the opportunity to preach to others when we live out what we claim to be true: that we are defined by Christ's efforts and not our own.
If God told us how our story was going to end, it would be too glorious for us to even fathom.
No matter what 2019 brings, it pales in comparison to the glory that will be revealed to us: the glory of the sons and daughters of God.
The birth of Christ reminds us that he is the second Adam, and points us towards his resurrection from the cave after his death.
The first advent celebrates the King's birth in Bethlehem; the second will celebrate his reign over the new Jerusalem.
How we respond to the world around us will have a profound impact on how we respond to Jesus.
We serve a God who walks with us, who wrestles with us, and who simply desires to be with us.
Even when things look uncertain, God gives us exactly WHAT we need exactly WHEN we need it. He has shown that He comes through.
We need to be reminded why we give thanks, and the reason that we receive our blessings.
The Spirit leads the believer to live a life of righteousness by freeing them from condemnation and assuring them of eternal acceptance by our Abba, Father.
As long as we live we will struggle against sin; Praise God through Jesus Christ that we are rescued!
Submitting to the old way of sin would be like being set free from slavery, returning to our master, and asking him to put the shackles back on.
Jesus' ministry was marked in large part by three elements: Presence, People and the proclamation of the gospel. The harassed and helpless are like sheep with no shepherd. Jesus reminds us that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
The church is a tangible representation that God restores, and we are meant to be the light to the world.
Peace is an objective reality in the life of the Christian that can only be experienced through righteousness; righteousness can only be attained through faith.
The value of a religious up-bringing is that it teaches us religion has no value in earning us righteousness.
Because righteousness is now available through faith, we no longer have to worry about whether we measure up to anyone else's standards.
The Story of Paul's Shipwreck affirms God's protection, Paul's calling, and that sometimes, the story isn't about us.
How do we know who God is? How has He shown up to us? And what does that mean for us? We explore who God says he is in Psalm 19.
Sometimes staying the course requires pragmatism: making wise decisions in the face of difficulty.
The church will persevere when faithful leaders proclaim the word of God to the flock of God.
We persevere because small changes over a long period of time can make a big difference.
The provision God has given us in the past is a promise of what He will give us in the future.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Throughout Scripture, we see various memorials created. What were they for and why were they important? Joshua built a memorial after the Israelites crossed the Jordan river. God remembers His people.
Wisdom presents a tension to the wise: the more we know, the more we learn what we cannot discover.
Isn't there anyone who is righteous? No, there isn't...but it doesn't have to be like this.
We should not be surprised by oppression if all we have is life under the sun; because of Jesus resurrection, however, there is a new system at work through the transformed community known as the church.
Jesus was despised, rejected, and acquainted with sorrow. What other way could there have been?
An observation of life under the sun reveals that human relationships are broken; because of Jesus, those relationships can be restored.
We should acknowledge the tensions of life–that for everything, there is a season–even as we work to overcome them with eternity in our hearts.
There is enjoyment to be found in life, but only when we keep things in their proper perspective.
It is an unhappy business to know there is a problem and not know the solution, but knowledge and wisdom might lead to frustration.
Jesus has conquered sin and death, and as a result God sees us as his righteous sons and daughters.
Experiencing eternal life means that we know God, we can approach him, and he protects us.
We should live our lives with one another in such a way that people become convinced that "this really happened".
When we have been born again into the family of God, the commands of God will increasingly become a joy and a comfort, rather than a burden.
We remember why we feast. God provides for His people and we should think of this whenever we come together.
Loving our brother is not theoretical: hate leads to murder; love leads to self-sacrifice.
We will either love the Father or love the things the world loves, and there is no in-between.
"You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
When the world is discouraging, our encouragement is found in our relationship with Jesus.
The invitation of the good news is an invitation into a relationship with the Divine "Us".
Our obedience is the assurance of what God has already done, not the requirement for him to do it.
We must know the real Jesus if we are to reflect the type of fellowship he wants us to be.
God is looking for good fruit. Are we focusing on the 'rules' and missing the heart of the gospel?
Looking at the different layers that we can find in the parable of the workers in the field.
Our God is the creator and sustainer of the world, who has reconciled us to himself in Jesus.
Daniel 6 - Daniel had confidence to live out his faith in full view. He trusted God's Sovereignty. We can do the same.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son we see the Father's extravagant love for his children as he always provides a path back to redemption.
God can be trusted because he is always consistent in his character and how he deals with his people.
Paul encourages the church at Philippi to come together and put others' interests above their own.