Disagreements are healthy only because they give us opportunity to obey the Scriptures as we strive together for like-mindedness. But some have taken the fact that disagreement is healthy in this limited sense, and twisted it into disobedience. They believe that we are supposed to strive for disagreements, because they are healthy. But the Scriptures …
Why You Must Come
Let all the nations be glad. The Lord is God, and He is extending His reign to the uttermost parts of the earth. Since He is doing this, just as He promised, we cannot by our sins and compromises keep it from happening. But our sins and compromises can keep us from exulting in the …
No Doctrinal Grape Nuts
As many of you noted, the front page newspaper article last weekend made clear that some local unbelievers are very unhappy about the influence that our church is having in the community. We are grateful that we are having enough influence to be noticed, and we are equally grateful that our opponents have been judicially …
What His Work Tastes Like
You are the people of God, and this means that you have been saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. The Scriptures teach us to believe that we have been saved definitively, and yet not to rest in some carnal fashion upon our laurels. We are also warned against that constant temptation …
A Remote Control With New Batteries
The Word of God tells us in countless places that we are to live with a view toward everlasting consequences. God tells us that our motivation in this should be hunger for blessing from Him. The moralistic philosopher Kant tried to teach us that a deed is not really moral unless it is done from …
But He Invited Both of You
We have been called to liberty, but this liberty is no occasion for the flesh. We are granted full forgiveness, but this is not granted so that we might begin sinning with impunity. How can we who died to sin still live in it? The works of the flesh are plain, Paul tells us. But …
Here Am I And the Children You Have Given
The glory of the Lord fills His Temple, and the seraphim cover their faces. We are ascending before the Lord God now, and we too must cover our faces. God has made provision for us in this, and we cover ourselves in Jesus Christ. We ascend into the heavenlies in Him and through Him. We …
The Arbiter
We will come at the conclusion of this service to the Lord’s Supper. Too often this Table has been made the occasion for disputes, but this has happened because one aspect of the Table has been neglected. We need to learn to think of this Table as a central arbiter of all disputes. Too often …
Jazz Played Well
When the gospel breaks out, it always brings joy and gladness in its train. Sinful and tidy-minded men do not like the kind of disorder the gospel brings, and so they bustle around trying to pick up after it. After a time, God grants their request and sends leanness to their souls, and their museum …
Fathers Leading In Worship
Fathers, the word of exhortation is directed at you this morning. You have gathered your families, and you have brought them here to worship in the presence of the Lord. The exhortation here is that it is not enough to do this physically. The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that he had behaved toward them …