Come Sojourn with Us
This is where you will find sermons and updates for our church. Our mission is to preach expository sermons focusing on the gospel of Christ. We are a church that is tied to the reformed tradition and seeks to submit to the scriptures so we walk in the Lord’s wisdom rather than our own.
We would love to have you join us on our Christian sojourn if you are in the Belgrade, MT area. If you are not in area then join us by listening to our bi weekly free sermon podcast.
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The basis of our Christian ethic is that we live our lives before the Lord. This is really the beginning or the foundation of the Christian ethic that we live before the Lord as we walk in His power. How is the command not the blaspheme the Lord much bigger than we thought? How can this commandment regarding blasphemy encompass this whole ethic and orientation in this age?
We might think that blasphemy is not that big of a deal because it is just speaking a word that is careless. So, if someone just says something that is careless then why does the Lord command the Israelite child to be executed when he blasphemes the Name? Is the Lord just being petty? What does this teach us today in the church? How do we present the Lord as being a gracious God? What is the real issue of blasphemy?
It is tempting to take out the doctrines of the Christian faith that do not seem to be that high of a priority. We could do this with the doctrine of the resurrection. We could try to make the case that this is a doctrine that only impacts us at the end of life rather than impacting us right now. Is that something that the Apostle Paul would affirm? Why does Paul make such a big deal about the resurrection and the gospel? What does the Corinthian church teach us about the continuing nature of the church?
As Christians we can think that idolatry is only conducting baal worship or something that is forbidden in the Old Testament. We can think that we do not worship baal or the golden calf so we are free from this sin. The reality is that we are tempted to trust in many things to sustain us apart from the Lord. Why is it so absurd to trust in something other than the Lord?
It is a good thing to desire the Lord’s sanctifictifying power. We should want such a thing if we take hold of Christ by faith. It is honorable, but do we think about what we are asking? We are people who are stained with sin. We are people who honor strength and not suffering. How does the Lord conform us to Him? Do we always enjoy this conforming power of the Lord? When is the Lord working us the most when it seems he has abandoned us?
The Apostle Paul gives some strong words regarding the call for members in the church to examine themselves. It is rather frightening to hear Paul talk about people actually dying in the midst of the congregation. Why would we as sinners desire to partake of such a meal? Who is worthy to eat at the Lord’s table? Who can claim a worthiness to be a partaker of this food? So, how can one come to the Lord’s Supper without knowing that one is not going to be struck dead? What does Paul mean when he exhorts us to examine ourselves?
We might be tempted to think that there is not a whole lot we can learn from Israel or the history of Israel. They are a people who lived under the Old Covenant and they were people who did bad things while we are the people who are going to do good things because we are more informed right? The apostle Paul wants the church to learn things from Israel’s history. How does Paul use their history to show that we can fall into similar things? What does the history of Israel have to do with us, our sacraments, and even the Lord’s Supper?
Our confession uses strong language that we are to be baptized once. This means that we do not agree with other traditions that will baptize someone a second time because they do not see infant baptism as being a valid baptism. Why do we believe in one baptism? What is the bigger picture of this baptism? How do we as Reformed people see baptism as something for children and adults? Why are we not Roman Catholic even though we baptize infants?
Romans 7 is a passage that is debated about its application. Some say that this is Paul under judaism, Paul in a pre vs post conversion, a regenerate man looking at unregenerate man, and the theories continue. How can Paul be talking about the issue of human sin and the law? What if Paul is just laying out that fallen man is so sinful that fallen man cannot attain the holy God apart from Christ?
I believe that God has chosen His people before the foundations of the world. This is something that is rather risky for a preacher to believe because if God chooses His people then what is the point of preaching? I mean really, if God just does what God desires then why preach? Why care about the people who do not know the Lord? So, why do we preach if God chooses HIs people anyway?
One of the basic accusations against the Reformed faith is basically along the lines that if we make grace too free or too gracious then people will be lethargic in the Christian life. Is this true? How can a free grace view of redemption account for Paul’s letter to Titus where he exhorts us to train ourselves in godliness? How can we account for all men being saved? How can a system that believes that God’s grace is only applied to the God’s chosen elect account for Paul’s language of training and stating all being saved?
If Christ is in heaven how can He know our struggle? If Christ is in heaven it seems that He is too distant to care. So, how do we know that Christ is not too far away to care about our struggles here?
Mr. Shaun Murray encourages us to bear witness to the truth as those who have been redeemed.
We are exhorted to strive to enter the Sabbath rest of the Lord. Does this mean that we have to work really hard to please God? Was the problem with Israel that they just did not understand the gospel? Was it that they did not have Christ? Why would the letter to the Hebrews appeal to Israel when we are being exhorted through the words of this letter? What can we possibly learn from the Israelites that is relevant today?
The interaction between Christ and Nicodemus communicates that there is a problem. It is a problem with the human condition and not a problem with the Lord. We can understand on one level the complexity of redemption, but on the other level we fail to see how complex it is. Nicodemus is shocked by the proposal of a new birth because Nicodemus hears that he needs to be part of another family or another genealogy. Christ is telling him that this is partly true, but it is not a genealogy tied to a family in this world. So, what genealogy matters? What genealogy do we want to have? How do we attain this genealogy and the necessary birth?
We might think that this notion of the preservation and perseverance of the saints is unique to the Apostle Paul. We might also think that this is not all that significant in terms of our psychology or encouraging us through difficult times in this life. In fact, we might think that that knowing God will preserver us waters down the struggle or the hardship of this life. It sounds like life is not that challenging because God will just continue to pull the puppet strings. So, what does a Calvinist say about such a claim that Reformed Theology minimizing suffering?
The claim that there is one mediator that we have in Christ seems like a poor arrangement. We think that it stands to reason that to have more eggs in more baskets provides for us additional security. So, why would we wantto rest in the one God-Man who resides in the glory of heaven? So, why is it good that we have one mediator? What does it mean that He is the mediator of all? Why would we be content with such a mediator?
There is no doubt that one would not be saved apart from the grace of God. I think all Christians who have a grasp of Christianity would affirm the necessity of grace for our salvation. We know that we are those who need grace, but how much grace do we need? Is 90 percent enough or do we need more? Is our confidence in that we will not fall away because we love the Lord enough or is it because know that the Lord loves us enough?
The incarnation of Christ is a very difficult doctrine for us to understand. In fact, I would say that as human beings it is an impossible doctrine to fully understand. This doctrine teaches that Christ, who is from all eternity, took on real human flesh to ratify the promises of God. If this doctrine is so difficult to understand then why do we want to study this doctrine? What could be beneficial about it regarding our day to day life?
We know that Christ is the Good Shepherd and there is no shepherd that even compares to Christ in terms of His caring for the sheep. We also know that God is gracious and good in terms of HIs care for His people. We also know that Christ is so gracious that He is going to do what is right and consistent with His gracious will. So, is it gracious that God decides who receives the work of Christ? What basis would we have to make the claim that God limits the work of Christ? So, we continue to deal with the question of how many people are impacted by the work of Christ?
We are a bible believing church in the Belgrade, MT. We are a Reformed Protestant church who desire to build one another up in love as we sojourn under the sun.
