Relent? I haven’t even lented the first time. Having arisen this morning, I was greeted with a couple of Ash Wednesday posts in my feed, and so thought that this might be some kind of guidance. I therefore thought I would just outline a few Presbyterian caveats about why I don’t feel the traditional Lenten …
Christmas Eve 2014
As Christmas, we celebrate the great occasion when the infinite Word became a finite baby. Not surprisingly, Christmas time is therefore a time to reflect on this staggering paradox—the one who spoke the galaxies into being is the same one who was held by a woman, cooing at her, not knowing how to speak at …
Born of the Virgin, Mary
Introduction: The doctrine of the virgin birth does not so much show us Mary’s absence of a relationship to a man—although it does do that. This doctrine centrally points to her Son’s relationship to God. Jesus was born the normal way, but He was not conceived the normal way. This tells us something of His …
The Light from Galilee of the Gentiles
Introduction: Sometimes familiar words run down well-worn grooves. The words from our text have graced countless Christmas cards, but at the same time it is important for us to realize that this doesn’t make them any less true. But, as the truth of Scripture, it is given in such a way that whenever we come …
Christmas: Night and Day
Introduction: And the evening and the morning were the eighth day. We should not be surprised at the pattern of darkness and then light, a pattern which we see not only in the creation of the world, but also in the re-creation of all things. The Text: I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify …
Christmas Dawn
Introduction: When Christians are discouraged by the corruptions of our time, it is like complaining about a day that is dark gray and drizzly, wet and soggy. It is in fact a day just like that, but it is not a day like that at midnight. Because Jesus Christ lived, died, rose again, and ascended …
Troubles at Thanksgiving
One of the fundamental duties of man is the responsibility to give thanks, to be grateful, and one of the fundamental realities of man’s experience is trouble. How are we to function in this kind of ongoing juxtaposition? Massive cultural apostasies are the result of men refusing to honor God as God, and refusing to …
Grace and Peace
Introduction Today we celebrate the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. As we consider this great event, we have to remember that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force. He was given to the Church at Pentecost so that He might glorify Jesus Christ, who in turn brings us …
Many Mansions
Introduction Today is Ascension Sunday, the time when we remember the ascension of the Lord Jesus into the heavenly realms, where He was ushered on the clouds of heaven into the presence of the Ancient of Days, where He was given universal power, authority, and dominion. From that place, He rules on earth, but also …
Ascension Gifts
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, and now ascended to the right hand of God the Father, at whose right hand is a torrent of everlasting pleasure. Greetings in the grace and peace that come from the Father, and also from His Son, our Lord, the Lord Jesus …