The Trails Church: Recent Episodes
The Trails Church
The Trails Church exists to glorify God by making disciples through the gospel, in community, and on mission.
In Acts 16:6–15, we find the Lord sovereignly directing, working through, and adding to His people. Paul and his missionary team are guided by God to a new mission field, while simultaneously preparing hearts to receive the good news of the gospel. The passage presents “A Call to the Unconverted,” unfolding in two key moments which we will look at under their headings given in the English Standard Version of Scripture: 1. The Macedonian Call, and 2. The Conversion of Lydia.
Acts 15:36–16:5 unfolds in two scenes of parting and meeting, moving and changing, each advancing God’s kingdom. Here, we see God sovereignly guiding His people through disagreements, new partnerships, and the Spirit’s leading—all to accomplish His purposes of spreading the gospel and strengthening His church. We will explore each scene under the headings: 1. A Parting of Ways, and 2. A Providential Meeting.
What does it take to inherit eternal life? We are going to examine that question this morning as we walk through Acts 15. And we will do so under two headings: The Victory of Grace and the Victory of Love.
Acts 13 records the inaugural sermon preached by the Apostle Paul. Our sermon will focus on Acts 13:13-52, which presents the Apostle Paul's inaugural sermon. This passage provides a word of encouragement as it emphasizes God’s grace throughout the Old Testament, highlights Israel's rejection of the promised Messiah, declares forgiveness of sins, and illustrates the inevitable division the gospel brings.
The thimble-sized passage of Acts 13:38–39 holds an ocean of gospel truth. This passage announces what the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have made possible, while also promising salvation to all who believe upon Christ. Our brief sermon will be organized under two main headings, examining each verse individually: 1. A Glorious Proclamation, 2. A Gospel Invitation.
Acts 13 marks the beginning of Paul's first missionary journey and details the commissioning service of the first planned missionaries sent out overseas from a local church. The church in Antioch appoints Barnabas and Paul, who are sent to spread the gospel. During their mission, they face opposition but also witness a powerful conversion. Our sermon is entitled “A Missionary Journey” and will be organized under two main themes found our text: 1. A Sending Church and 2. A Sent People.
The scenes of Acts 12:1–24 depict a roller coaster of critical events in the life of the early church: heartbreaking loss in the death of the Apostle James, wonder at the supernatural deliverance of the Apostle Peter, and the chilling end of King Herod. The chapter opens with the church experiencing subtraction but ends with multiplication; it begins with sorrow but concludes with joy. Through it all, we hear the call of Samuel Stone’s hymn: “Shall the Church Now Faint or Fear, when the comforter is near.” Today, I hope to show you three reasons why we should not faint or fear in the Christian life: 1. Our God is Sovereign Over Suffering, 2. Our God is Sovereign Over Salvation, 3. Our God is Sovereign Over All.
Acts 11 contains three different “Reports of Gospel Growth.” Each report presents pictures of the early church as they grew in understanding the mission of God in the world, and their role in it. As the gospel of Jesus Christ reoriented the lives of these early believers, remarkable things took place. We will organize these “Reports of Gospel Growth” under three headings showing how the church both practiced and grew in: 1. Gospel Unity, 2. Gospel Ministry, and 3. Gospel Generosity.
Acts 10 is a pivotal chapter not only in the book of Acts but also in the storyline of Scripture. Here for the first time, we see the gospel spread to the Gentiles. Through a series of events the gospel is proclaimed, and a group of Gentiles gladly receive the good news and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord. This chapter truly is, “A Vision from and of Heaven.” It not only includes visions from God but also a vision of what the kingdom of God looks like – a people from many nations, tribes, and tongues – joined together and made one in Christ. We will cover all these verses under three headings: 1. A Divinely Orchestrated Plan, 2. A Glorious Gospel Proclaimed, and 3. A God-Ordained Response.
Acts 9:32-43 describes two scenes and details two remarkable miracles performed by Jesus through the Apostle Peter. These miracles serve as powerful testimonies to the presence and power of God leading many to believe in the Lord. This passage teaches us that both in the book of Acts, and even today that Jesus is working through his people to accomplish his mission. We will see “The Life-Giving Mission of Jesus” at work first in 1. The Healing of Aeneas, and 2. The Resurrection of Tabitha.
Acts 9:19–31 continues to tell the story of how the gospel of Jesus Christ transformed every part of Saul’s life. Over the course of one chapter, he goes from being a violent persecutor of Christians to a passionate preacher of Jesus Christ. In the early days of his new life in Christ, we find multiple accounts that help frame the rest of the apostle’s days: a passion to proclaim the good news of Jesus with others, serious opposition various people groups, and the gospel expanding through his ministry – and the ministry of his fellow believers. These verses present A Glorious Calling that God placed on his life, a life that included: 1. A Call to Proclamation, 2. A Call to Persecution, and 3. A Call to Multiplication.
Acts 9:1–19 contains one of the most significant moments in the history of the Christian faith: the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Here the man who had been utterly committed to the persecution of Jesus’ disciples becomes a disciple of Jesus himself. This is the story of “A Glorious Conversion” marked by the matchless grace of Jesus from first to last. This was true not only for the Apostle Paul, but also for you and me.
Through Psalms 58, 59, and 60, we discover a constant pattern that we've come to expect in these Psalms of David: Problems, Prayers, and Promises. Problems never seem to be far out of reach in David's life, leading him to prayerful dependence on God, where he rehearses the promises of God to him while standing in God's faithfulness and on His Word. David's life is a parable. It's a picture of the Constant Christian Life. I want us to look at these three chapters under three very simple headings that I think we'll find in our lives as well: (1) Constant Problems, (2) Constant Prayer, and (3) Constant Promises.
Romans 12:1–2 describes the Christian life as one of living worship. The Apostle Paul pleads with believers to see how the gospel provides everything we need: a secure position before God, the mercy to daily follow Jesus, and the power necessary to grow in Christ. Yet, this call to view all of life as an act of “Living Worship” is only possible as our lives are 1. Built on a Gospel Foundation, 2. Fueled by Gospel Motivation, and 3. Filled with Gospel Transformation.
Psalm 57 is the song of a heart beating with passion for God’s glory. David packs a list of reasons he must sing to the Lord in his introduction, repeats more reasons in his chorus, and keeps giving reasons for songs to be sung all the way to the crescendo. Because of the countless ways God had shown and proven himself, David had “10,000 Reasons to Sing.” And because of Jesus Christ, so do we.
Psalm 56 provides a song to sing when we feel pulled between fear and faith. Though David is surrounded by enemies in hot pursuit of his life, he purposefully puts his trust in God. Here we learn not only how we might trust God in the face of fear but are also given reasons why we should. We will outline our passage with two great comforts drawn from this text that are meant to either calm your current fears or prepare your heart for the next time you might say, “When I Am Afraid.” These twin comforts are: 1. My God is With Me, and 2. My God is For Me.
Psalm 55 is a prayer of David as the burdens of life pressed down hard upon him. While he honestly sings of the sting of being betrayed by a close friend, he also sings of the healing balm of his faithful God. As we explore this song where David describes a specific situation in his life, my prayer is that it would both instruct and equip each of us in many situations in our lives how to, “Cast Your Burden on the Lord.” We will organize our thoughts under three headings: 1. The Wings of Prayer, 2. The Cry of Deliverance, and 3. The Heart of God.
1 Peter 2:4-5 contains an inspiring description of the identity and purpose of the church. After anchoring us in the glorious gospel, the apostle builds a framework for the church to understand the role and responsibility we have been given. These verses construct a concise understanding of what it means for us to be God’s “Spiritual House.” We will organize our thoughts under three headings as we survey these blueprints to discover how the church is: 1. Built on the Foundation of Christ, 2. Shaped into a Spiritual House, 3. Fashioned into a Royal Priesthood.
Here is David, once again, facing adversity not of his own making, and as a gift to us, we have a window into how David dealt with this adversity before God. Tim Keller said in an interview that the psalms can essentially be summed up in “Lord, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but thine be done… except the psalms give you 150 versions of how you actually get your heart to be able to say that.” That is obviously too broad a brush; not all psalms fit under that rubric, but many do, and we are certainly in a stretch here that fit perfectly. So that is what we will look at this morning - we will look at this righteous man, fleeing for his life, betrayed by people that he’s done no wrong, and we’ll look at how he responds to it and ask what we should learn from it. We will walk through this under three main headers - first, “A Righteous Man’s Prayer” in verses 1-3, then “A Righteous Man’s Confidence” in verses 4-5, and finally, “A Righteous Man’s Praise” in verses 6-7.
Guilty Hearts on Trial: Psalm 53 (1) An Accusation is Made – 53:1, (2) A Witness is Called – 53:2-3, and (3) A Verdict is Rendered (almost) – 53:4-5
Psalm 52 is a song written by King David when all around seemed to be marked by suffering and sorrow. People he loved were killed, people who hated him prospered, and evil appeared to have won the day. In this moment, David reminds himself and us of the steadfast love of God, the perfect justice that one day will come, and confesses his desire to bear fruit in his life. I have titled this Psalm “Like a Green Olive Tree,” a phrase found at the end of our text and will outline the passage by the divisions you will notice on the page tracing three specific themes: 1. The Root and the Fruit, 2. A Harvest of Judgment, 3. Flourishing in Every Season.
Acts 8:26–40 contains a God-ordained, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led gospel conversation between two people. The path of the Philip the Evangelist is crossed by an Ethiopian eunuch in a search to understand Scripture. The result is nothing less than remarkable as Philip shares “The Good News About Jesus.”
In Acts 8:4–25 contrasts two kinds of spiritual work: one in which the Spirit of God blesses the effort and the other which the Lord resists. These verses detail the beginning of the Gospel spreading into Samaria and the joy that it brought and reveal that those who desire to minister to others in the power of God must do “The Lord’s Work in the Lord’s Way.” We will outline our study by looking first at 1. The Joy of The Lord’s Work, second 2. The Necessity of the Lord’s Way, and finally 3. The Continuing Work of the Lord.
In Acts 7:54-8:3, Stephen becomes the first martyr of the Christian church. Enraged by his message, the religious leaders of Israel stone him and widespread persecution sweeps through the infant church. Yet, in the darkness of these moments, light breaks through clouds. This text shines the first light of Scripture on Saul (who later becomes Paul) and the church is said to scatter – taking with it the good news of the gospel. As we look at part two of this account of Stephen’s life and death, we will focus our attention first on The Stoning of a Messenger, and second, The Seed a Martyr.
The flow of thought that begins in Acts 6:8 stretches all the way to 8:3. It describes a disciple named Steven, records the sermon he delivered to a hostile Jewish council, chronicles his martyrdom, and concludes with the mention of Saul of Tarsus. This epic contains all the characteristics of one remarkable story. That being the case, we will spend the next two weeks exploring, “A Servant, A Sermon, A Stone, and a Seed.” This morning we will just focus on the first two parts under these headings: 1. A Servant of Jesus Christ, and 2. A Sermon on Jesus Christ. For all who are able, would you stand with me as we read Acts 6:8-15.
In Acts 6:1-7, we encounter a pivotal moment in the life of the church, where dissention and distraction threatened to disrupt its unity and mission. Our passage illustrates what happens when local churches are filled with people who understand the important part each person plays in order for the congregation to experience “Flourishing Gospel Ministry.” The three lessons we can learn from are 1. The Blessing and Threat of Church Growth, 2. The Grace and Good of Shared Ministry, and 3. The Joy and Reward of Gospel Priorities.
There are 105 verses in First Peter, and we are going to look together at 3 of them this morning. We won't come close to capturing the breadth of what Peter has to say in this letter, but in this small window that we’re focusing in on, we will see the full picture of the gospel, how we are born again to a living hope.
The main theme of Ephesians 2:4–7 is bracketed off from the rest of our text drawing our eyes and our attention to one glorious truth: by grace you have been saved. This summary of the gospel message shows us that it is the grace of God, his unmerited favor, that has saved us from first to last. There are three brief truths I would like to call to your attention this morning: 1. The God of Grace 2. The Gifts of Grace 3. The Glory of Grace.
Luke 24:1-12 proclaims the greatest news ever told. These verses bridge the darkest night in history to its brightest morning. On Good Friday, the disciples' hopes were buried in the tomb with the Lord himself, On Easter Sunday their hope sprang eternal with the good news of his resurrection. This Easter morning we will look not only at the reality of the resurrection of Jesus, but also what it means. I want to shape our sermon with three truths that might fill our hearts and lives with “Resurrection Hope.” Those truths are: 1. The Tomb is Empty, 2. The Promises are True, 3. The Work is Done.
Acts 5:27–42 begins and ends with the apostles proclaiming the name of Jesus, yet the space between details the most severe persecution we have seen so far in our study. Despite their message being rejected, and their bodies beaten, the apostles rejoice in suffering and praise God that they were “Counted Worthy to Suffer.” With our bibles open and Judson’s letter ringing in our ears, let see how the apostles were willing to suffer: 1. For the Sake of the Name (27-32), 2. For the Sake of Souls (33-39), and 3. For the Joy of Being Counted Worthy (40-42).
In Acts 5:12-32 we read a report of how the Lord is at work in a local church planted in a city of vast lostness, and real threats, yet a steadfast commitment to proclaim Christ. Our verses cover a wide range of elements: days of church growth, a night in prison, a mini-sermon, and opposition. Through it all we find a thread of what might be described simply as, “Authentic Ministry.” Yet, in this update provided by Luke, we find patterns that are not only meant to be true of the ancient church, or global churches, but our church right here right now. We will think about this kind of Authentic Ministry with three signs to look for (three things to pray for): 1. Gospel Transformation, 2. Gospel Persecution, and 3. Gospel Proclamation.
In Acts 5:1-11, we are met with the first recorded sin in the New Testament church. After witnessing what seemed like ever-increasing unity and joy over the first four chapters of the book, from now on what we'll see is not only external persecution, but internal corruption. At the heart of this story, what we see most clearly is God's passion for, and His commitment to, the purity of the church. There are three lessons in this passage that instruct us on how a local church can pursue purity and fight hypocrisy: 1. Stand in the Truth, 2. Walk in the Light, and 3. Live in the Fear of the Lord.
The grace-filled description of the Jerusalem Church in Acts 4:32-37 contains a compelling picture of how the gospel recalibrates the very heart and soul of a local church. The picture we witness is one of authentic Christianity that moves us from living with self and our own agenda at the center, to a new way of living with Christ and his kingdom at the center. While this passage may seem foreign to us in some ways, it is certainly meant to feel like home in others. We will observe our passage under two headings that serve as windows through which we study this church marked with “Great Grace:” 1. Gospel Unity and 2. Gospel Generosity.
In Acts 4:23-31, we have the privilege of walking into a prayer meeting of the early church. As these believers experience their first taste of persecution, their reflex is to fly to God in prayer. In what may have been “Only A Prayer Meeting,” the description of this occasion contains helpful lessons on prayer itself and its role in the life of each local church. Here we learn something of: 1. The Practice of Prayer, 2. The Posture of Prayer, and 3. The Power of Prayer.
In Acts 4:13-22, Peter and John stand before the most powerful people in Israel and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus. The miracles they had seen and the truths they had heard from Jesus turned their entire lives upside down and caused them to be bold gospel witnesses. Here we find a pattern of living not only meant for these apostles, but for each of us who follow Christ. Since “They Had Been With Jesus,” their hearts were willed with gospel boldness and their lips with gospel witness.
In Acts 4:1–12, Peter stands before the most powerful men in Israel and boldly proclaims that “No Other Name” can save except the name of Jesus Christ. There are four marvelous truths we learn about Jesus from this passage: 1. Jesus, the Name that Divides, 2. Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, 3. Jesus, the Cornerstone, 4. Jesus, the Only Name that Saves.
In Acts 3:11–26 we find the summary of “A Christ-Centered Sermon,” the second sermon preached by Peter in the Book of Acts. After the sign of Pentecost in Acts 2 and now following the sign of the lame man healed in Acts 3, we learn how these signs set the stage for sermons, wonders made way for the Word, miracles led to the message. The sermon shows that the sign itself was not the point but was meant to point to Jesus Christ. We will outline our sermon with four points that we first find in Peter’s sermon: 1. The God of Israel, 2. The Gravity of Sin, 3. The Glory of Christ, 4. The Gospel of Repentance.
In Acts 3:1-10, the apostles Peter and John encounter a lame man begging at the temple gate. When the man asked them for money to help his situation temporarily, the apostles saw his greatest need and gave him more than he ever imagined. That day, the man who had never known use of his legs went, “Walking, and Leaping, and Praising God.” The main idea of the passage emphasizes the power of Christ at work in and through his apostles as evidence that the kingdom of God had not only come but would continue to advance.2 We will explore these ten verses from two different angles. First, The Story, then The Sign.
Among all the characteristics that describe the first New Testament church in Acts 2:42-47, the final words reveal how they were Devoted to the Mission. The church which had been built on the gospel through evangelism understood their call to spread the gospel through evangelism. From their example, I want to show you three features of the mission of the church from Acts 2:47 that I pray will strengthen our witness together. Our heading will highlight that we have been given: 1. A Dependent Mission, 2. A Shared Mission, 3. A Continuing Mission.
In Galatians 4:4-7, the Apostle Paul highlights not only the wonders of the incarnation and the reality of our redemption, but ultimately points to the adoption we have received through Christ. This spiritual adoption we have experienced gives a us a new identity, draws us into an intimate relationship with God, and transforms how we live in the world. We will explore our subject under two headings: 1. The Story of Our Adoption, and 2. The Blessings of Our Adoption.
Galatians 4:4-5 not only highlights the plan of God that would unfold in the fullness of time, but also shows the purpose of God in sending his Son. Jesus came at the appointed time to redeem us from the law, sin, and death. With his life he fulfilled the law of God and then he died for those of us who never could. This is the heart of the Christmas message. This truly is good news of great joy: that God has brought us “Redemption” through his Son. We will continue our study of this passage by focusing on the next phrase, and from it continue to fill out our doctrine of Christ. We look first at Christ the Promised Redeemer and secondly at Christ the Perfect Redeemer.
While the truths of Galatians 4:4-7 may take less than a minute to read, they offer a lifetime fruitful study. The Apostle Paul shows how the coming of Christ was neither early nor late but came to pass according to God’s eternal plan and purpose. The opening verse reveals what uniquely qualified Jesus to bring salvation to his people once and for all. Our Advent exploration of this text begins where the Apostle himself does, with “Incarnation.”
In our text this morning, we are not going to be examining gratitude and thanksgiving. Instead, our focus will be on the Godly fruit of gratitude and thanksgiving—our focus will be on Christian generosity—particularly as demonstrated in the early church. This morning, we will examine the idea of Christian generosity under three points: ● GENEROSITY DEFINED ● GENEROSITY DEFEATED ● GENEROSITY DEMONSTRATED And as we walk through these points this morning, I encourage you to keep this question in the front of your mind: What evidence of Christian generosity do you see in your life?
At the center of the characteristics found in Acts 2:42-47 is a church “Devoted to Worship.” The early church practiced a rhythm of worship as they grew in doctrine and devotion to Christ. They gathered to worship, to encourage, and to proclaim the mighty works of God together. As we look to their example, we find rhythms of worship from Scripture that we aspire to know and grow in as a church. First, we will highlight how the church Gathered to Worship. Second, we will detail the Acts of Worship listed in our passage. Finally, we will see the impact of their Evangelistic Worship.
Acts 2:42-47 presents a flourishing vision for biblical community. One of the primary characteristics of New Testament Christianity is God-focused, Christ-given, Spirit-enabled fellowship with other believers. Our faith comes with a family. Today we will look at this early snapshot of the church again and learn what it looks like to be “Devoted to the Fellowship.” There are three realities to this fellowship I want us to understand: 1. Commitment of the Church, 2. The Community of the Church, and 3. Commission of Church.
The opening eight words of Acts 2:42-47 highlight the primary characteristic of the first church in the New Testament. Every other detail about their life together followed from their devotion to the apostles’ teaching. From this starting point we will seek to understand what it means for us to be a church “Devoted to the Word.” We will show that this early church – and by extension every healthy, biblical, church must be devoted to 1. Knowing the Word of God, 2. Loving the Word of God, and 3. Living the Word of God.
In Acts 2:37–41 we find that when someone believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior, what naturally follows are repentance and baptism. The act of baptism is rich with layers of meaning and significance for the Christian life. Behind each of the aspects we care able to observe with our physical eyes are spiritual realities that have occurred in the heart. From these verses we will show that baptism is 1. A Sign of Belief, and 2. A Sign of Repentance.
In Acts 2:14-41 we find the first Christian sermon recorded in the New Testament. The Apostle Peter offers an exposition that explains what Scripture says while also explaining what it means to his listeners. At the center of his message is the glorious gospel of Jesus. The sermon concludes with a clear and compelling invitation that teaches us that the good news also demands a response from every heart. We will look at the sermon under three headings: 1. An Exposition of Scripture, 2. A Proclamation of Christ, 3. An Invitation to Respond.
In Acts 2:1-13 we arrive at the promised day of Pentecost. This unrepeatable yet remarkable scene details what happened at a significant moment in redemptive history that forever changed the way God would relate to his people as he filled and empowered them to live as his witnesses in the world. Here we will highlight two activities found both in this passage and repeatedly through the book of Acts: 1. The Spirit Fills the Church and 2. The Mighty Works of God are Proclaimed.
Psalm 6 contains the typical features we find in nearly every Psalm of lament. It is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. As we walk with King David through this sorrow, we will notice how he has left us markers along the path that teach us the practice of biblical lament. Here are the four steps we can take as we learn to lament: 1. Cry Out to God in Prayer, 2. Bring Your Burdens to the Lord, 3. Ask for God’s Help, and 4. Continue to Trust.
In Acts 1:12-26 we journey between the mountaintop experiences of the Ascension and Pentecost to learn valuable lessons in the valley of ordinary life. The simple practices of obedience, being with other believers, waiting on God, and prayer are hallmarks of the Christian life. While we will discover how it came to be that “Again There Were Twelve,” we will also see what we might glean spiritually and practically from these early disciples. I would like to shape our study with three hallmarks we see in these early believers as we find them: 1. United in Prayer, 2. Rooted in Scripture, 3. Guarding the Church’s Witness.
The "Ascension of Christ” recorded in Acts 1:9-11 details one of the most significant events in the life of Jesus. This occasion has massive implications on the church through ages past, in our lives today, and even our future. As we study “The Ascension of Christ” we will focus on its reality, its meaning, and finally, the comforts that come with it.
The Book of Acts tells the story of “The Continuing Work of Christ.” Following Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension, the Father’s plan is continued through the Son as the Spirit empowers his disciples for gospel ministry. From the opening verses of the Book of Acts we are met with certain programmatic themes that are crucial to the entire book. As we set our course today, we discover three of those: 1. The Certainty of Christ’s Continuing Work, 2. The Promise of the Holy Spirit, 3. The Advancement of the Gospel.
In the final stretch of Psalm 51 David anticipates how he will respond to God’s mercy. The psalmist first approached the Lord in a spirit of repentance as he confessed his sin (1-5). Next, he prayed for restoration (6-9) asking to be washed and purified. This led him to pray for complete renewal from within and a clean heart (10-12). The last lyrics in verses 13-19 are written from the perspective of his response to the grace of God in his life. David endured the dark night of the soul because of his sin but awakened to new morning mercies and ready to tell of all God has done.1 We will study his response under three headings: 1. Proclamation and Praise, 2. Wonder and Worship, 3. Edification and Restoration.
In Psalm 51:10-12 we come to the very heart of this Psalm and hear firsthand how the cry of David’s heart was not for forgiveness alone, but for complete renewal from within. This trio of verses are a prayer of complete dependence built of six verbs – each one pleading with God to do a deep, redemptive, restorative work in David’s life. We will organize our thoughts around those verbs as we pray with the Psalmist for God to do a renewing work in us.
As we began our exploration of Psalm 51 with genuine repentance of sin, when God’s Word exposed David’s sin – his eyes were opened. Rather than blame shifting or any excuse making, he felt conviction, he experienced deep contrition, and he confessed his sin to the Lord. David was transformed from a calloused sinner to a penitent man. In Psalm 51:6-9 the prayer of David moves from honest confession to earnest consecration. His desire is to be holy. These verses contain a serious diagnosis of sin along with a heartfelt plea for its only cure: for the Lord to cleanse entirely from sin’s stain and consequence. From the heart of this passage beats the prayer, “Wash Me White As Snow." We will focus our attention on two aspects: 1. The Sinner’s Condition (5-6), 2. The Sinner’s Petition (7-9.)
Psalm 51 is the prayer of a soul that is aware of its depths of sin and desperate need of God’s grace. These first four verses cast every hope of forgiveness on God’s mercy in ‘repentant faith.’3 The lyrics remind us about the trappings of sin, instruct us what to do with our sin, and teach us how to restore fellowship with God. As we will hear, the theme of this song is not sin. The theme of this song is mercy. I have entitled this first sermon on Psalm 51, “Have Mercy on Me, O God.” We will divide the text into three sections: 1. The Story Behind the Song, 2. The Heart of God Toward Sinners, 3. The Heart of Genuine Repentance.
In our reading of Psalm 50, we will see God shine forth and make a declaration to His people about the nature of their worship towards Him. We will also see a warning to those who do not call upon the name of the Lord. Today’s sermon is titled “TRUE WORSHIP”.
Our passage today is like a commentary on “The Parable of the Rich Fool.” 2 We find in Psalm 49 a song filled with wisdom, teaching us where to and where not to find our worth. By contrasting two ways to live and die, we learn the futility of trusting in wealth and the blessedness of trusting in in Christ. I pray each of us would hear through the lyrics of this song that our true worth is not in what we own or anything we’ve done; our true worth is found in Christ. We will divide the chapter into three sections: 1. A Call to All, 2. The Great Divide of Death, and 3. A Call To Us to Trust in the Lord.
Psalm 47 is a call to worship the Lord for his perfect rule and reign as King of the Nations. This song is an evangelistic invitation that welcomes the peoples of the world to join the people of God in bringing praise. These lyrics also point forward to the work of Christ the King who condescended to save us through his work of redemption, then ascended to the highest throne to reign forever. The chorus of this song is a command to “Sing to the King.”
In the final scenes of Exodus we find a spectacular crescendo where God’s name is proclaimed, his covenant renewed, and his glory seen like never before. Here we see a glimpse into the heart of God as to why he saved his people in the first place – so they might know him for who he is, enjoy the promises he had made, and live in response to his glorious presence. In this capstone sermon, we will rehearse three truths about the Lord seen throughout our study that I pray we never forget: that Yahweh is 1. The God who Redeems, The God of Covenant, 3. The God of Glory.
Exodus 33 details a spectacular conversation between Moses and the Lord. This section of Scripture hemmed in between the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) and the covenant graciously being renewed (Exodus 34) shines with the brightness of Moses’ intimate relationship with the Living God. Through the conversation, we also see yet another glimpse into God’s heart for relationship with his people. Springing from this passage that highlights The Glory of Knowing God are two prayers that are also meant for us to pray: 1 Show Us Your Ways (7-17), 2. Show Us Your Glory (18-23).
The story of The Golden Calf recorded in Exodus 32 is one of the darkest corners of the Bible. It is here that Israel breaks the newly sealed covenant they have made to be God’s people. Before the ink has time to dry, they deny God, forge an idol, and hold a worship service in its honor. Yet, the Lord who is gracious and compassionate, whose love will not let them go, shows them great mercy. We will look at our text under three headings: 1. The Fall of Israel, 2. The Act of Repentance, and 3. The Need for Atonement.
In Exodus 31:12-17 we find “A Reminder to Rest.” While the first part of this chapter included the supernatural way the Spirit filled people to work, the second half contains a command to rest. The lesson for both Israel of old and for us today is that the work God gives is ultimately not dependent on the workers, but on the one who ordained the work. There are three aspects of the Sabbath command I would like to draw to your attention from our passage: 1. A Sign to be Kept, 2. A Day of Holy Rest, and 3. A Tradition to be Passed Down.
In Exodus 31 we have a window into how God chose to work through his people to build the Tabernacle. He called and equipped them to fulfill unique roles in the task of building the place where God would dwell among them. What we learn from these craftsmen is that the Spirit of God enables us to serve God’s people for God’s glory and to see the kingdom advance!1 In this passage we find “A Call To Ministry” given long ago that I believe also calls out to our church today. There are important characteristics that we will see if this call to ministry: 1. A God-Given Ministry, 2. A Church-Building Ministry, 3. A God-Glorifying Ministry.
The instructions contained in Exodus 28-29 detail a majestic ordination ceremony for the priests who would minister to the Lord in the Tabernacle and describe their wardrobe. We will see the theological significance of why so much attention is given to these priests of old and how they ultimately foreshadow the final Priest to come. We will outline our sermon under three main headings: 1. The Role of the Priests, 2. The Garments of the Priest, 3. The Ordination of the Priests. Along the way, I want us to see and feel “The Heart of the Priest” that beat for his God and his people.
As we put together the pieces of Exodus 27 and 30, the whole picture of the Tabernacle comes into view. We also finally see the border of the courtyard that contained the entire Tabernacle area. In this court sat an altar for daily sacrifice and a water basin for cleansing before entering God’s presence. These elements, “The Water and the Blood” hold theological realities for Israel as God sought not only to dwell among his people – but also to meet with them by his grace. We will look at our passage under two headings: 1. The Altar and the Basin, 2. The Cross and The Cleansing. Since we are covering a bit of ground today, we won’t read each section.
Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of the landmark passages of Scripture. Here we find the message of the gospel in a short-hand expression, proclaiming that salvation is not something that can be earned through any work but is solely a gift from God. Here we see that: 1. Salvation is By Grace Alone, 2. Salvation is Through Faith Alone.