The law of God beats us up, but it does this for our edification, not our condemnation. Whenever we hear of His wisdom, His holiness, His righteousness, with humble hearts, it convicts us, but it also encourages us. But if we are exasperated by it, or condemned, or frustrated, or if we chafe under the …
The Glory of Repetition
Remember the glory of routine. The sun comes up every morning, and when it did so this morning, it did not come up tired and listless, muttering something about six thousand years of this. The thing which keeps us from exulting in repetitive actions is simply this – sin. We are called to a life …
The Sacraments of Life
This is the our annual celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, an event so important that we also celebrate it weekly. This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. We do not just rejoice at the life that Christ entered into. We rejoice because He …
Minds, Hands, Lungs, and Feet
No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful, Scripture tells us. But afterward, we are promised, it yields the peaceful fruit of an upright life. Such discipline is too often thought of as chastisement for sin. While of course, this is included in what Scripture addresses, it also, and very importantly, includes all aspects …
A Psalming People
As we continue to pray and labor for reformation in the church, remember that this is not accomplished in some invisible place. Reformation is manifest in the church; it is manifest to the world. Reformation is not change for the sake of change, but it will sometimes look like this to outsiders. Reformation is not …
Love or Drift
You are accustomed now to all the liturgical changes we have made over the course of this last year. You must now be exhorted to remember the point of all such orders of worship. The fact that you know the order of events frees you to concentrate on worshiping the Lord Himself, just as learning …
You Were Baptized in Water
When we gather together as the people of God, remember that we are the redeemed of the Lord. Our characteristic note should therefore be one of exuberance and joy. Accept no substitutes, particularly the substitute of carnally generated joy. We are called to worship God in the joy of the Holy Ghost. We are commanded …
For the Small Stuff
I am on the road this Lord’s Day, and will be preaching at Christ Church in Cary. At home in Christ Church, the pulpit will be filled by Francis Foucachon. Thus, as it turns out, I am not responsible for the exhortation in the call to worship this morning, or for the homily that accompanies …
Like One Another
By the grace of God, we are growing into a genuine community. This means that we must deal with far more than the simple issues that attend membership in a religious club that meets once a week. We are learning to live together. This means shared meals. It means watching one another’s children. It means …
The Lord’s Prayer, After All
This was the exhortation in the call to worship a few years ago when we first introduced the Lord’s Prayer into our worship service. This morning we have the privilege (and high responsibility) of introducing the Lord’s Prayer into our public worship of God. This will be done at the conclusion of the prayer of …