Sin Is Unfulfilling (Hosea 4:10-19)

When Satan stood before Adam and Eve in the garden of eden he gave them the seduction and the allure of freedom. They could be like God and God would have to bow to their will. Adam and Eve discovered that Satan is a liar in that moment. We also discover that sin's appetite is never exhausted and it can never be quenched. Hosea gives the examples of this from Israel's depravity, but also teaches us that God's redeeming mercy can reach deeper than our depravity and sin.

Removing our Shame (Hosea 2:14-23)

The Lord promises to transform his people. This is not some outward makeover, but internally. We will move from being people enslaved to Baal's ownership and idolatry to a people transformed by the Lord. How much we need to take comfort in the Lord showing his mercy and compassion to us in Christ Jesus. #expositorypreaching #hoseaseries #gospelpreaching

Do Not Take an Oath at All? (Matthew 23:16-22; LD 37)

The Song of Moses and the Lamb (Exodus 15)

Rev. Karel opens the word of God for us this morning to Exodus 15. He lays out the significance of baptism picturing the Gospel.

Redeemed to Conscious Living (Isaiah 63:7-64:12; LD 24)

The prophet Isaiah recounts the Lord's gracious work, and intercedes on behalf of God's people. We ultimate rest in God’s steadfast mercy. We are unfaithful, but He is faithful. We desire the potter to mold us as his redeemed.

Redeemed as a Community (LD 21; Revelation 5:1-10)

The Lord's gospel call is incredibly gracious. It is amazing that the Lord calls us to bow our knees before him, and to receive true everlasting life for the sake of Christ and his merits. It is easy to think that this call is only for the present time or maybe it is just for me. However, as we look at the book of Revelation we notice that the picture is much bigger than just my response to the Gospel. Our faith response to the Gospel not only unites us to the Trinitarian God, but also unites us to the Church universal. What a gracious God to give us such a taste our our beautiful redemption as we walk in the power of His Spirit.

#expositorypreaching #christisenough #revelation #gospel

A Losing Servant? (LD 16; Isa. 52:13-53:12)

We might wonder why the disciples seemed to consistently miss Christ's message. We can read Luke 24 and desire to give a very harsh rebuke to the disciples who doubt Christ's resurrection. However, Christ tells these struggling disciples that the scriptures spoke of the Christ's suffering, and death. If we walk through the servant songs there are three servant songs that make us think we are on the winning side. We see a picture of the Lord's servant that we like. The fourth servant song is not an image of the servant that we fully comprehend. However, this final servant song communicates how the servant is going to be victorious. We cannot be ashamed of Christ's suffering, but we must embrace it. We must not end with Christ's suffering, because he lives to make intercession. We serve a Lord who has suffered in our place, but is also raised the Lord of life.

(Preached on November 13, 2022 in the evening)

#expositorypreaching #sufferingservant #christisenough #isaiah

Am I Redeemed? (LD 7; John 20:30-31)

The question that we can always ask is how do I know if the Lord's redemption is mine? We know that God promises to redeem, but how does that promise become my promise? This is where faith is the essence of assurance. This means that when we have faith in Christ we have assurance. The reason is because faith in Christ takes hold of Christ and all his blessings.

(Sunday August 28, 2022)

What Kind of Redeemer? (LD 5; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

God's wrath is kindled because of Adam's fall into sin. This leaves us with the question: how can we get out this predicament? The answer is only through the means that God prescribes: Christ. Christ is God and man joined together in one person. He has to be God to endure the eternal punishment on behalf of his people. He has to be man because man offended God. God cannot simply overlook sin, God will punish sin. The solution is God's redemptive provision. God is the one who pays the redemption that we take hold of by faith.

(Sunday August 14, 2022)

Prophecy of Doom and Deliverance (Zechariah 9:1-8)

Zechariah receives word regarding some cities that we barely know. However, these cities better pay attention because the Lord's judgment is coming against them. This is not just a prophecy that declares death, but there is assurance that the Lord will establish his heavenly city as symbolized in Jerusalem.

(Sunday August 7, 2022)

Waiting on the Lord's Wisdom (LD 3; Psalm 14)

We might think that God does not see the injustice in this age. We are tempted to cry out to God, "How Long O Lord?" The reality is that injustice is upsetting. We have a problem in our human perspective. We think God has lost sight of everything, but we fail to see the bigger picture. Psalm 14 assures us that God does in fact see all things in this world and can even peer into the heart. This does not make God a busybody, but shows that God is bonded to his people. God will establish his promised eternal rest.

Redeemed from Impurity (Titus 2:14; LD 1)

A strange slogan for the gospel could be, “The Lord can save even a cretan.” This does not sound very polite, but the apostle Paul quotes from a cretan philosopher who summarizes non favorable cretan philosophers. Nevertheless, Paul makes very clear that even the cretans get the same gospel as Abraham. The point that Paul is making is that we are all set apart in Christ as a people who have been made worthy in Christ. It is because Christ has redeemed us that desire to live out of gratitude. In fact, it is a blessing to be owned by Christ.

God’s Comforting Oath (Isaiah 45:23)

Israel is in exile when Isaiah writes chapter 45.  You would think that all is lost because Israel has failed, they are in a foreign land, and God should be done with them.  The Lord does not discard his people, but binds himself to deliver his people out of exile.  What does this deliverance teach us about God’s name?  What does this deliverance teach us about the Lord’s redemptive promise?

Living in Communion (Philippians 2:4-8)

It is easy to think that we serve well when we compare ourselves to others, but what is the real standard of service?  How does this standard exhort us to conform to Christ, and to find comfort in Christ? 

Is Christ's Flesh Good? (Romans 9:5)

The Apostle Paul tells us that living according to the flesh is a bad thing. It means we are either relying on ourselves or we are pursuing sin. So, Paul goes on to say that Christ took on the flesh. If the flesh is bad then how is Christ’s taking on the flesh a good thing? Is Paul contradicting himself or is there another usage of the flesh in Paul’s letters?

Redeemed by a Unique God (Ephesians 2:18)

The doctrine of the trinity is a confusing doctrine. How can God be one God and three persons at the same time? Why would we want to talk about God being one God and three persons? How can such talk be encouraging and necessary? Is it necessary to speak of God being one God and three persons?

Our Only Comfort? (1 Peter 1:18)

The catechism makes a strong statement that we have only one comfort in life and in death.  How can there be only one comfort rather than the top five or top ten comforts?  Is it really possible to have only one comfort?

Friday Fools (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Christ assures us that the folly of Christ’s cross is salvation manifested by the power of God.  How can this be?  This sounds impossible because the cross is a method of execution.  Why would we want this symbol?  The tragedy is that we are tempted to sanitize this symbol, but why is that so tragic?  What could be the possible benefit of this cross?

Wounded for OUR Transgressions (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

The servant is the one who secured us by His work.  So, how is the servant going to remove the offense of exile from His people?

The Christmas Servant (Isaiah 50:4-51:16)

The servant is the one who lives out the promises of the Lord.  This is great, it is encouraging, and it is very significant for his mission.  However, why would we appeal to this text for Christmas rather than Isaiah 9 or Isaiah 7 if we were going to use a passage from Isaiah?  What does this servant teach us about the significance of Christmas?