INTRODUCTION: The title of this message is a phrase that has been used to describe the great work of the Spirit in the Reformation, and that Latin phrase means “after darkness, light.” It is the purpose of this sermon to focus on one particular manifestation of that transformation, which was the musical transformation which occurred. …
Blessed Are the Fleeced
This last Lord’s Day, something occurred to me in the course of the sermon, something which I mentioned in passing. But then as I was reading the Scriptures this last week, the same point jumped off the page at me, and in a far more explicit way than what I had seen before. I was …
A Couple Doctrinal Pathologies
One of the things we must come to understand is that the various theological and practical pathologies that afflict the Church today are very rarely new. There is nothing, Solomon taught us, new under the sun. A common error in conservative Protestant circles is the error of propositionalism. This is the error that holds that …
True Communion of Saints
Every Lord’s Day, we confess that we believe in the communion of saints. This precious doctrine means that Christ’s Church is genuinely and really one, and that when we gather in worship, we are gathering together with all true saints everywhere, and we are doing so in the heavenly places, as we assemble in the …
The Hand of God, Wall Street, and You
INTRODUCTION: When God shakes the nations, or we think He is about to shake the nations, He does so in order that we might return to the basics. THE TEXT: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as …
Always a Good Investment
Our nation is in the midst of significant financial upheaval, along with many other nations, and because of this we have to remember certain things as we approach God with our worship. Lord willing, we will address this in greater detail in next week’s message, but it is important to say a few things about …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 50
INTRODUCTION: This is the first of twelve psalms ascribed to Asaph. Mostly likely this is the Asaph who lived at the same time as David (2 Chron. 29:30), although that name does appear later (2 Kings 18:18). This psalm is a wonderful illustration of how thoroughly the godly saints of the old covenant understood true …
The First Five Centuries
Most Christians today do not have a good grasp of the history of what they believe. They have no real idea of the “old paths,” and this is the source of many errors among us. When you don’t know where you have been, and where you are going, any road will get you there. “Thus …
The Magistrates of Vanity Fair
We are in the thick of a political campaign—you have seen yard signs sprouting everywhere like they were mushrooms, and those who do not know God are evidencing their faith in democracy. But we have faith in Jesus, not democracy. We believe in Jesus, not the Republicans and not the Democrats. C.S. Lewis once said …
Louisiana Bearskinning
Here is an occasion for thanksgiving, along with a need for continued prayer. Yesterday, the Northwest Presbytery of the PCA approved a report finding Peter Leithart within the boundaries of the Westminster Confession. There was minority report that found differently, but the vote at presbytery was strongly in Peter’s favor. The need for continued prayer …