Sermons

The Covenant Renewed

Before the people of God could march in and conquer the land of Canaan, they had an issue that needed to be resolved. They had not observed the signs of the Lord's Covenant with them: circumcision and the Passover. In spite of all the wonders that God had already done for the Israelites, the warlords of Canaan resolved to fight to the last, instead of bowing the knee before the Lord. And yet now He tells His people to incapacitate their entire army by doing something they had neglected and ignored for the last 40 years – circumcising all the Israelite men, thereby giving them the sign and the seal that they belonged to God. People tend to not like a disciplining God, as He had showed Himself to be during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. The good news of the Gospel is true, but we cannot live however we want and still be blessed by the Lord. But praise His name – there is hope for the next generation! The people of Israel also celebrated the Passover – the remembrance of the Lord's redemption of their nation from slavery in Egypt. And the very next day, they enjoyed the produce of the land of Canaan and the fruit of the Lord's fulfilled promises! Are we passing on our faith to the next generation of our children and grandchildren? They must be discipled and pointed to the Lord Jesus! When this is done, the Gospel will melt the hearts of whole families and begin to have an influence upon the culture in general.

Take Stock of Your Life

Ephesians

Remember the Lord's Work!

A wedding ring is a sign and symbol of a promise that was made on a very special day in the lives of a husband and wife. We want to remember things that are important to us. In fact, one of the key words that is repeated over and over again in the Bible is "remember." As God's people, that is what we are called to be – a remembering people. Joshua had detailed 12 men to pick up 12 stones out of the Jordan River, which were to be set up as a monument when the Israelites reached Gilgal on the other side of the Jordan River. But it was not to be a memorial of when the people crossed the River; it was to be a memorial of the amazing power of the all-powerful God, Who miraculously caused the waters to part for His people. The 12 stones were to be a memorial that would help God's people remember His mighty works on their behalf – just like the Lord's Supper is a memorial to us of the work of redemption that Jesus carried out for us! The Lord knew that when the children and the future generations would see the memorial at Gilgal, they would be curious and ask their parents what they meant. And the parents were to tell them that this was the place where God displayed His power and brought them into the land of Canaan. The good news of the Gospel is for us and our children. God wants us to remember and think of Him as strong and powerful and victorious over His enemies. Remembering is hard! Too often, we forget God's mercy and kindness to us. Pray for grace to make a practical memorial for yourself, and to have purposeful conversations with your children and grandchildren about our God – Who always keeps His promises and is worth remembering!

Don't be a baby

A Promise-Keeping God

Our God does not deal in empty promises. He means every Word that He says, and He will bring each one to a perfect fulfillment. Here in Joshua 3, He is beginning to fulfill the promise that He made to Abraham, hundreds of years earlier. The people of Israel are standing on the banks of the Jordan River. The Ark of the Covenant is far ahead of the rest of the people, making it clear to all that it was the Lord Himself Who was leading the way. Joshua reminds the people that they have a faithful God Who keeps His Word and fulfills His promises. How would they know this for sure? They would see the Jordan River open up before their own eyes when the priests who were carrying the Ark stepped into the water. The waters of Jordan would split, as the Red Sea did, in obedience to "the Lord of all the earth." Everything on earth is His; He is the Creator, Master, and Ruler of all! Every step that the Israelites took forward was an act of faith in the God Who keeps His promises. Do we believe His Word to us?

An Unlikely Convert

People often miss the point when they talk about the narrative of Rahab in Jericho. They get too caught up in talking about her lie concerning the Hebrew spies that she was hiding, but the theme we are to focus on here is Rahab's growing faith. When the spies were in her home, Rahab told them that she knew God had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites; and she confessed to them that all the people of the land were fearful of them, because they still remembered how the Lord had worked on their behalf at the Red Sea, forty years earlier. She acknowledged Jehovah to be the one true God, and she essentially denounced everything she had known as a Canaanite. Rahab knew her only hope was to turn to the God of Israel, and the spies responded to her with a promise of safety for her and her family. Rahab ought to be remembered most of all for her faith. That's what the New Testament writers focused on when they mentioned her. This Canaanite woman was at the very bottom of society, but she illustrates for us how the Lord raises up the lowest sinners and turns them into saints. Sinners are to be brought into the Church so that they may be healed there and enter into a relationship with the only One Who can save them from their sins!

God's Eternal Love

Do You Love God's Word?

How do you feel about God's Word? Can you echo what the Psalmist said about it – "O how I love Your law!" Loving God and loving His Word go hand in hand. The Bible is God's communication with us. Is it sweet to you? Do you cultivate a taste for it? How do you use God's Word? You must actually pick it up and read it, and discipline yourself to read and understand – even if that means giving up time from some other pastime that you enjoy. This does not come naturally for anyone! But as you cultivate a taste for God's Word, it will become sweet to you. What benefit does God's Word have for me? We have spiritual enemies that are always on the lookout to throw us down, and the Scriptures have the wisdom we need in order to combat them. Not only that, the Bible also outlines all the boundaries we need so that we can avoid falling into the pits of tempation. What will you do with this information? Will you keep a hardened heart, or will you devote yourself to loving God's Word – starting right now?

Our Humble King

Humility is something that is so foreign to the minds of most Americans. But God calls us to humility, and He gives us a supreme example of it in the Person of Jesus Christ. He was God Himself! He is and always has been King, yet He set aside His Kingship and took the form of human flesh. Unlike earthly rulers who seek to maintain their power at all costs, Jesus left His throne and became like a slave. He came to be obedient to the Law of God, because we are not. He did not sin, but He came to pay the price for our sins. We have fallen into a miry pit, but He came to rescue us and save us. We can't talk about Jesus coming in the flesh without talking about why He did so. Everyone on earth – either willingly or unwillingly – will confess that He is Lord and bow the knee to Him! Are you still trying to hold on to your own ways? Or do you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord? Do you do all to bring Him glory?

Promise Keeping

Joshua 1:10-18 calls God's people to keep their covenant promises, stand with one another, and fix their eyes on Jesus, the faithful King who keeps every promise.

Be Strong and Courageous!

At the commandment of the Lord, Moses had commissioned Joshua to be the next leader of His people. He would take Israel across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. The Lord promised Joshua that He would never leave him nor forsake him. But how would Joshua find the courage he needed to carry out the tremendous responsibility that was laid upon him? Where would the nation that was under his command find their strength? Verses 8 and 9 of this chapter reveal the source of courage: the Word of God! Our courage and confidence does not come from the strength of our arms or the numbers of our armies. It is found in the pages of Scripture. Unfortunately, Israel did not fully obey the words of the Lord; but we are in the same position – not one of us can obey God perfectly. However, the Word of God points us the Lord Jesus, Who did keep the Law without any fault or flaw! And because of what He has done to redeem us and save us, we have true courage! We have no strength, courage, or confidence in ourselves; but the Lord's promises are for us today, too. He has assured us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and His Divine presence is what strengthens us!

Do Not Covet - Contentment and Gratitude

By nature, we all possess a heart of ingratitude and covetousness for things we don't have. And it doesn't help that we are constantly bombarded by advertisements and other ungodly influences that try to promote the world's mindset of discontentment and "more is better." In the Tenth Commandment, the Lord forbids the sin of covetousness. This is a sin that makes us distrust God's goodness, become bitter against our neighbors, lose our own joy, and grow anxious and stressed. It may not seem like this sin is "really that bad." After all, it's not as bad as murder, stealing, or adultery, is it? The truth is, however, that all of these terrible crimes had their beginning in a covetous heart that was not satisfied with the blessings that the Lord had already provided. How can the sin of covetousness be conquered? It helps to cultivate a mindset of subtraction, instead of always yielding to the world's push for "more and bigger and better." Contentment is not found in the stuff that we own. It is also helpful to have our heart and mind focused on our eternal treasures in heaven. And a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude for the everyday things in life will go a long way in battling the sin of covetousness. Above all, though, we need to properly value the preciousness of our Lord Jesus! When we do this, everything else will fall into its proper perspective; and we will find ourselves not only growing in thanksgiving, but also in "thanks-living!"

Promote Truth

Even though people often have more respect for those who speak the truth, being consistently truthful can be a very difficult thing. But God is a God of truth, and He has made it clear to us in His Word that people who tell lies encounter serious consequences (e.g., Ananias and Sapphira). There are all kinds of ways in which we are often untruthful – whether it is exaggerating, leaving out details, believing untruths about other people without evidence, or telling outright falsehoods. One small lie starts great fires, and the Lord assures us that liers don't have a place in heaven. The Psalms describe those who dwell on God's holy hill as being those who tell the truth. As believers, we strive to be truthful because we have put on Christ. He is the only human being Who has never lied; and if we love Him, we will endeavor to imitate Him and keep His Commandments. Is His Spirit within us, helping us to tell the truth no matter what the cost?

Don't Steal - Promote Wealth

Ten Commandments

Promote Purity

Marriage is a beautiful picture, for it represents the relationship that will be enjoyed between the Lord Jesus and His Church when He returns to bring her to His heavenly home in glory! But in our culture, there is so much wordly influence upon the way we view the marriage relationship; and it is the complete opposite of the purity that the Seventh Commandment requires of us. Immorality in this sphere is not just a physical issue; it is a heart issue as well. Usually a person who involves themselves in these kinds of sins has already walked away from a relationship with Christ. Jesus is extremely zelaous for the preservation of the marriage-relationship, and He tells us that even looking at someone in a wrong way is adultery in the heart. He requires His followers to do anything and everything to avoid this sin, and even every situation that may lead to a temptation thereto -- as Joseph did in Potiphar's house (Genesis 39). We are not to merely strive or fight against this sin; we must flee from it! Why is this so serious? Because our bodies are for the Lord, not for immorality. God has made us for His own glory; our bodies are not our own. We have been redeemed and bought with a price; our bodies are now temples for the Lord, and ought not to be defiled with impurity and immorality!

Sola

The "Five Solas" outline the key points that Martin Luther and other Godly leaders took a stand on during the Reformation. 1. Sola Scriptura: The Scriptures alone are our only principle of authority. They are the inspired Words of God Himself; and they do not change, despite how much our post-modern world tries to misinterpret their meaning. If we reject the authority of God's Word, we reject God Himself. 2. Sola Gratia: By Grace alone, God repairs the broken relationship that exists between Himself and mankind. As sinners, we can do nothing that merits His favor and mercy. 3. Sola Fide: Salvation is received by Faith alone; we are not saved by a "faith + works" system. Jesus was perfect and paid the entire price of our salvation for us. 4. Sola Christus: Christ alone is our Savior, He alone is the only way for us to get to the Father, and He alone gives us peace. If He had not come to earth, died for us, and rose again, we would be in everlasting trouble. 5. Sola Deo Gloria: All the Glory goes to God alone! He saved us -- not because of any good works that we had done, but so that we may now do good works that bring glory to His name!

Our Hope

The 5th Commandment

Sadly, the philosophy of the modern age in which we live does not respect authority, especially within the family unit. In fact, our culture accepts rebellion against parental authority, and even promotes it. But God is very serious about this matter, as we can see in this Commandment. He intends for fathers and mothers to govern and disciple their families, and there is no other way around it. Children must obey and respect that authority. Jesus was a perfect Example in this matter. The Gospels present many instances of Him respecting His mother, Mary; and He also continually showed honor to His heavenly Father (John 5:30). He even called out the Pharisees for permitting and condoning dishonor to one's parents. Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 remind us of the importance of this Commandment. Parents are to be respected and honored. And this Commandment comes with the promise that it will go well with us as we honor our father and mother.

The Fourth Commandment

Sadly, in today's culture, the observance of the Fourth Commandment has mostly gone by the wayside. But we really have to stop and think, "Is our society truly any better than back in the times when the Lord's Day was observed?" The Lord completed His work of Creation in six days and set an example for us of resting on the seventh day. Unfortunately, many come up with all kinds of objections as to why we cannot or do not need to keep the Lord's Day. It is hard to not fall into the temptation of trying to divide our time between God and the world. But the Lord assures us that if we call His Day a delight, we will be blessed! He will remind us of His promises and recenter our hearts upon Himself.

Honor God's Name

The Lord -- the great and self-existent "I AM" -- used His holy name over 6,000 times in the Old Testament, so it is clear that He does not want His name to be hidden from us. However, as this Commandment makes clear, He does not want us to use that holy name lightly or reverently. What does it mean to take God's name in vain? It certainly includes using that name as a curse word or a swear word; but it would also include the prophesying of falsehood in the Lord's name, as well as mocking His name. God tells us that He will not hold the person guiltless who uses His name in vain. But how do we use His name rightly? He wants us to praise and bless His name, and to use it to cry out to Him for help and mercy. We have salvation through Jesus' name; therefore, let us pray for grace to glorify and honor that holy name every single day, by our words and by our actions!

The Second Commandment

We tend to think that the Second Commandment is not really relevant today. After all, we don't worship idols, right? But even though we may not bow down to a graven image or burn incense in pagan shrines, we still worship other things besides the Lord. The people of the Old Testament were often tempted to bow down to idols like Baal, even though they were expressly forbidden to do so, since Jehovah was their God. He Himself is to be the object of our worship and the consumer of our worship! He will not permit us to take the worship that rightly belongs to Him and give it to any other person or thing. He cannot be represented by an image or anything that can be made by human hands. But we do have one Person that we can look to and see the glory of God visually -- and His name is Jesus! He is "the icon" of the Father. If you want to see the Father, see the Son! Why is there this prohibition against worshiping anything or anyone else but the Lord? Because He doesn't want to share His people with any other competing power or influence. He has a burning passion to love them! He is zealous for their love and for His glory! If we make any other image, we are essentially saying that we hate God. And our children will naturally pick up on this. But thankfully it doesn't end there! The Lord shows mercy and lovingkindness to thousands of those who love Him and keep His Commandments! Do you love and serve the Lord alone? If you're honest, you'll admit that your heart is divided. So what hope is there? It is Jesus Christ! We serve the Lord only because Jesus perfectly kept this Law and loved His Father with a perfect love! And now it is our blessing to worship God in Christ!

The First Commandment

Ten Commandments

A Gracious Redeemer

Thes first two verses form the foundation of everything else that comes after them. The Lord our God is the foundation of the Ten Commandments. He is the Great "I AM" – the self-eternal One Who is without beginning and without end. He is "the First and the Last"; He does not need anyone or anything. He is unchangeable, mighty, awesome, sovereign, and gracious. Does the knowledge of God make you love Him more? Do you stand in awe of His holy presence? The nature of Who God is forms the bedrock of our faith. If we don't believe Who He is, then we are worshipping an idol of our own making. God tells His people to remember the love shown to them. He has brought us out of spiritual darkness and into the light of freedom. He gave the Commandments to Israel after they were liberated from bondage in Egypt; and in the same way, He has saved us by grace alone, and now we ought to keep the Commandments from a sense of love to Him. Following the Commandments in themselves doesn't free us from sin; we are already made free in Christ. Do you struggle with loving God? Then fix your eyes upon Jesus! His work of salvation and redemption in your soul will cause you to love and obey the Lord like you never have before!

Jesus' Commands

In this conversation shortly before His death, Jesus is telling His disciples to keep His words, and all will be well. We must keep His commandments in order to be in Him, and to have Him be in us. What are these commandments? They are summed up in these words: love God and love your neighbor. So are we under the Law, then? It is true that we are under grace, but the Law still exists. We are God's workmanship, created for good works. As Paul says in Romans 13:8-10, we are to love one another, which fulfills the commandment. The Law is not binding for salvation; but it still exists, and it is there for us to follow. The Law of God shows us the sins that we are committing, and it helps to train us in the ways of righteousness. However, there is none of us that can say, "I have kept all the commandments!" The sad fact is that we fail. But Jesus did keep the Law of the Lord perfectly, and He wants us to repent of our sins and love Him. In and of ourselves, we will never perfectly keep the whole Law; but Jesus says, "Come to Me and find rest and righteousness!"