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 apostle Paul exhorts the church to rejoice always and in all circumstances. This is not very easy to do and we might want to just fake it until we make it. How can we find the strength or the encouragement to do this? How do we rejoice in all circumstances?
Our Lord celebrates the passover with his disciples. It is tempting to think that as the Lord celebrates the passover with his disciples that passover and the Lord's supper are exactly the same thing. However, when Christ takes the bread and the wine he does not ground the sacrament in the exodus, but in his work. This tells us that Christ is doing something unique: he is using this as a symbol to assure us that the new covenant is confirmed in him.
We are called to live each day in light of our Lord's return. Our Lord will return, but we do not know the day or the time. This explicit truth does not stop people from trying to predict Christ's return, and there have been many people disappointed that predictions did not come to pass. Despite these disappointments Paul still reminds us that these truths encourage us. How does knowing that Christ will return at some point comfort and encourage us to live out the gospel today?
John's baptism is a baptism of repentance closing the old testament canon. Christ's baptism is a baptism that goes to the nations with the gospel. We consider baptism in scripture and what it means in terms of an ordeal. Baptism overlaps the significance of the ordeal, but does that necessarily mean that the application and meaning is always the same?
In order for us to baptize infants it is important to see that Circumcision and Baptism point to the same promise. If the signs do not signify the same thing then we should not baptize infants. The Apostle Paul assures that Christ has received the sign of circumcision and baptism. We know that Christ was circumcised at his birth and baptized by John. However, Christ's death and resurrection point to the significance of these signs. How do we know that these signs fundamentally signify the same promise? How do we know that there is a correlation between Baptism and Circumcision?
We associate the resurrection with the end times or easter. We do not always first and foremost think about the resurrection being grounded in Christ guaranteeing our future, and giving us comfort in our daily life. The resurrection also helps us with our grieving because it assures us that our Lord is sovereign even through death.
Abraham receives the official Covenant of Grace in Genesis 15. The Lord is going to establish his covenant promise through this barren couple. This barren couple will have a son, the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15) will be sustained despite barrenness.
Abraham and Sarah have a crises of faith doubting that the Lord really can give them a son. Their crises and action is recorded in Genesis 16. Abraham and Sarah conspire to use a surrogate mother to establish the Lord's line. They are going to help God establish his covenant line.
In Genesis 17 the Lord gives a sign that symbolizes the promised heir will come through Abraham and Sarah's line. This barren couple will continue the lineage of the woman's seed despite their doubts. Abraham and Sarah both laugh at this prospect, but the Lord is faithful.
In terms of the sacraments we see the the precedent of the parents professing faith, and then the household receiving the sign. We also see how this sign pictures the gospel promise.
If Christ is the one who secures us, makes us alive, and guarantees our passage into heaven then are there norms for us to live out? Do we just say that we are secured in Christ and now we can live how we want? Are we called to dominate the society that is around us? How do we evangelize the world as we sojourn under the sun? What does it mean to live that peaceful and quiet life?
The Apostle Paul desires to meet with the Thessalonian church, but there is no clear path to make this happen. Paul is frustrated because the Thessalonian church does not seem very rooted in the gospel. Does Paul think that the Lord is only as strong as the apostle or his people? What is the assurance in knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ will direct his way to them? What does this tell us about Christ and the Lord's sovereign will? How does this assure us about the outcome of our faith?
Reformed people are often accused of being drab, stoic, or rote. This week we look at 1 Corinthians 14 and consider why our worship is very structured. We consider the Apostle Paul exhorting the Corinthian Church to make sure that their worship is about the Lord and building up the body rather than about personal advancement. Why does Paul exhort them to do all things decently and in order? Why does Paul recall for us and the Corinthian church that God is a God of peace?
The Apostle Paul is invested in this church. He planted this church, he preached to these people, but he was not able to stay with the church because of the agitators in the city. Paul desires to know how the church is doing because they have not had the opportunity to be firmly rooted in the faith. So Paul writes to the church and receives word back from Timothy that is good gospel news. How does the suffering in this church encourage us today? What does it tell us about our current circumstances?
The book of Hebrews teaches us that Christ truly is central and essential. The Old Testament models point to Christ and show the necessity of his work. Hebrews celebrates the truth that Christ is the greater priest who enters into the heavenly places once for all. How does this testify to the faith that we have? What is the ultimate comfort that we have in the Lord?
The Apostle Paul says, "11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ..." Does this mean that the saints do the ministry as the men gifted in interpreting the word teach them or does this mean that the men who bring the word do the ministry? What is the ministry that Paul has in view?
The Apostles desire to go to a church, but they are not able to meet with that church. Our struggle as Christians is to think that the Lord is not really doing anything to save us. However, we learn from the Thessalonian church that God's word is sufficient. How does Paul's prevented visit communicate that the Lord's word is sufficient?
The true church desires to bend its neck under Christ's yoke. The true church desires to conform to Christ and build Christ's kingdom rather than its own kingdom. The false church desires to build a kingdom unto itself. The false church claims its own authority and might even claim to uphold the Bible. We know that there is no such thing as a perfect church in this age, but at what point is a false church a false church?
The Corinthian church has many problems and the Apostle Paul uses the precedent of the Exodus to exhort the Corinthian church. Paul does not just recall the Red Sea crossing as part of the Exodus, but he refers to it as a "Baptism." This Baptism is a movement from death to life and it warns the church today that just because someone goes through the actions of Christianity they might not have the blessings of Christ. So, why would we want to baptize infants in light of this precedent?
We consider what it means that the Lord will put enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent. The Lord is making explicit that as the human race is divided into two lines the Lord determines his citizen and his means. The Lord will raise up a citizen people through Abraham. If the promised line comes through Abraham how do we become part of this kingdom? Can we even know if we are citizens of God’s kingdom?
We struggle to see with the eyes of faith. We can be tempted to please man rather than God. How does the resurrection of Christ, the work of Christ, and even the Gospel encourage us to move beyond our natural human struggle?
We believe that Baptism is a sign of the covenant and not a sign or our faith. In Acts 19 it appears that the Apostle Paul sees baptism as a sign of faith and the Spirit. In fact, Paul mentions that there are two baptisms. Paul also seems to be saying that we can have faith without the Holy Spirit. What is Paul teaching?
Paul praises the Thessalonians church for following their example. Why would Paul give the church such praise? How does this praise encourage us today? What does this say about our current circumstances today? Overall what does this book communicate about living out the Gospel?
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.
