As you all know, this last week saw a renewed attack on us, this time from zoning scribes and Pharisees, professing Christians whose hypocrisy is so evident that even they appear to be dimly aware of it. But this exhortation is not directed at them—rather it is given to encourage you. And here is the …
The Sin of Striking Back
When someone hurts you, the natural, carnal reaction is to strike back. No one needs to teach us this; we learn it from Adam. And even though we are in the new Adam, with this new way of being human being renewed in us, we still have regular provocations to the old Adam. As we …
Gird Up Your Loins
Always beware of unexamined assumptions. When we speak and act, we do so on the basis of what we instinctively know to be the case. When we are right, this is right and proper—it is how we were created to live. We cannot be examining all our assumptions constantly. We have to live on the …
Friends of God
You are entering into the heavenly courts, and you are doing so as a congregation that has every right to be there. This is because we present ourselves at the gates as a people who are clothed in the righteousness of our head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are accepted on that basis. Knowing …
Stage Directions
This morning you will notice a few alterations in our liturgy that we wanted to go over with you beforehand. First, we will no longer be announcing any of the hymns or psalms beforehand. We will try to give you a moment to locate where we are in the bulletin, but are trying to keep …
Peace
When God is at work, let the arm of flesh rest. When God speaks, let all the creatures of the earth be silent. But this is not something we can do in our own strength. Jesus Christ quieted the winds and the waves with a word. If you have come here this morning with a …
Preparing the Tongue for Worship
No man can tame the tongue, James tells us. But the Word of God also tells us that what is impossible for men is possible with God. What is impossible for the flesh is easy for grace. We have thanked God for the work He is doing in our midst. It is right that we …
Worship Tremors
If God in His grace allows this service of worship to be an earthquake, the tremors will be felt elsewhere. But this quake will not happen as the result of anything we might do or think up. Our service to Him is all of grace; if it is right, then He has done it. But …
On Earth, In Heaven
The Holy Spirit dwells in the Temple of the living God, and you, considered together, are that Temple. Individually, you have responsibilities, each of you, as a living stone, but in the public worship of God, when we are gathered together like this in the congregation, we are the Temple of God. This means you …
Hard Providence
As a congregation we affirm the exhaustive and complete sovereignty of God. We have done so in an era when many within the church at large dispute it, and so many of us have been in debates on this subject. But men are not the only ones who might test or probe the depth of …