Introduction: Since the first century, the Christian church has commemorated the resurrection of Jesus from the dead by meeting on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). The Sabbath was ordained, as the Old Testament makes abundantly clear, for as long as the old creation lasted. Therefore, nothing would be adequate …
Why C.S. Lewis Would Not Have Liked Me Very Much
Those who have been around here for a while know that I am a C.S. Lewis junkie. I have read and reread him, and have been edified by him in ways beyond reckoning. If I were to calculate the impact that various writers have had on me—and there have been many who have—he would always …
The Apostles Creed 11: He Descended Into Hades
Introduction: And so now we come to an odd one, one which reveals a fairly large gap in cosmology between a child of the biblical era and a child of the modern era. It is also a testing point, sometimes, for the most stalwart inerrantist. Wait, what? You think that an actual star came down …
On Reading the Bible Clean Through
An exciting joint project has broken out among the ladies of Christ Church, and many other women around the world (from every continent except Antarctica) are now involved as well. That project is one of reading the Bible together, completely through, starting this month and ending 9 months from now. Over a thousand women are …
Isaiah Against the Gnat Stranglers
Introduction: In this section of Isaiah, we find a glorious description of the turn from the old to the new covenant, and from the corrupted covenant to the incorruptible. The Text: “Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded …
The Apostles Creed 9: He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate
Introduction: This portion of the Creed points to something that is absolutely unique about the Christian faith. Our God is the God of all things, which means that He is the God of history. History matters, which means that historicity matters, which means the name of a Roman prefect, governing the small Roman province of …
Real Reform
“That minister . . . whose preaching results in the actual conversion of human beings, contributes far more, in the long run, to the progress of society, literature, art, science, and civilization, than he does, who, neglecting these themes of sin and grace, makes a direct effort from the pulpit to ‘elevate society’” (Shedd, Homiletics …
The Apostles Creed 8: Conceived, Born
Introduction: We have been working through the Apostles’ Creed phrase by phrase, but this week I thought it important to take two phrases at once. We are talking about that most remarkable of women, Mary. If some have erred through excessive devotion to her, we are not going to fix anything by withholding from her …
But Sometimes Your Inner Pietist is Right
You can take a drop from a bottle of vinegar, put it on the tip of your tongue, and tell what is in the rest of the bottle. You don’t need to drink the whole thing to make sure. And this relates to a basic question in pastoral counseling. “What’s your mouth like?” And Jesus …
The Apostles Creed 7: Our Lord
Introduction: The foundational Christian confession is that Jesus is Lord. We find this at the very beginning, and there is no hope without it. As we have been making our way through the Creed, we have addressed who Jesus is. But what do we mean by Lord? The Text: I believe in God the Father …