Why Such Suffering? (Philippians 2:5-11; BC 29)

Paul calls us to have the same mindset as Jesus, who, despite being divine, didn't cling to His status. Instead, He emptied Himself, becoming a servant and embracing human vulnerability. Christ's obedience went all the way to death, and even death on a cross. Because of this, God exalted Him, giving Him a name above all names, so that every being will acknowledge His lordship. One of the things we learn about the Christian life is that our sanctification is in a sense suffering. It is suffering to deny self to conform to Christ. We d not naturally want to die to self, but this is what Paul is teaching us. As we are in the power of the Spirit we are new creatures called to conform to our heavenly status in Christ.

Self Help or Sanctification? (Luke 14:25-33)

Christ does not follow the program for church growth, but rather does everything in his power to discourage people from following him. Christ exhorts us to bear our cross making clear that we are to be continual disciples in Christ and of Christ. We understand that Christ is more than merely a self-help guru. He is a redeemer and teacher.

God’s Exclusive Worship (LD 35; 2 Kings 18:4, 5)

The Lord calls us to worship him exclusively. We can be creative in our worship. We struggle to follow the Lord and to follow him exclusively. We see this in Judah and also note Hezkiah reforming worship.

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

Lord's Day Offering (1 Cor. 16:1-4)

One of the jokes that people make about the Dutch Reformed tradition is that every time the church gets together there is an offering.  This is exaggerated, but it is a perception that people have regarding reformed churches. There are other traditions who do not take an offering in the context of worship, but they put a box in the back of church.  So, why would we take an offering in the context of worship?  

Sabbath People Journeying to Heaven (Heb 4:8-16)

The reality is that the people of God are called to enter the rest that Israel looked to enter. You would think that they arrived in the rest having the land, but yet there is still a day that is marked as a day of rest. How can this exhortation for us to strive to enter that rest be encouraging for us?

Communion Instituted (Luke 22:1-23)

Our Lord gathers together with his disciples to celebrate passover.  It is during this passover feast that Christ and the disciples have the first communion or Lord’s Supper. It would seem that if the Lord’s Supper is instituted at passover that the Lord’s Supper and passover would be the same thing.  However, reformed people have not seen them being the exact same thing.  How can we make a distinction between the Lord’s Supper and the Passover?  What has Christ stated that helps us understand this disinction?

Worship Elements: Sacraments General (Romans 4:11)

The Apostle Paul speaks Abraham first having faith and then receiving he sign. This would seem that the sacraments are a sign of our faith rather than a sign of the covenant.  This has profound implications because this would mean that first we would profess our faith and then receive the sacrament.  So, why would we as reformed people baptize infants if this contradicts the Apostle Paul? Why would infants potentially receive the sign if they have not first professed faith like Abraham did? 

Worship Elements: Assurance (Micah 7:18-20)

If we already know the gospel then why do we need to hear about our sins being forgiven?  Why would we want to talk about the forgiveness of our sins week after week?

Worship Elements: Invocation (Psalm 124)

The Lord calls His people to worship Him.  This is something that we understand and assume in Christian worship, but why would we invoke or call upon the name of our God?  If we know that we are worshipping Him anyway it seems that we are going to do the right thing no matter what. So, what is the significance of this invocation?

Call to Worship (Psalm 100)

The Lord commands people to worship him.  Why does God need his creatures to worship him?  He is a God who is complete in himself so why does he give such a command?  What do we know about God that makes it a joy to worship Him?  Why will His people want to worship Him?

Called to Worship (Psalm 40; Hebrews 10:5-7)

The Lord calls us to worship and to make the Lord our focal place.  When we are called to worship as a people what is the basis of the Lord calling us to worship?  How are we called out of the world to Worship our God and our King?

The Cross Examination (2) (Malachi 2:1-9)

We know that the ministering priesthood of Israel has come to completion because of Christ’s priestly work.  Malachi rebukes the priests in Israel, and so what value can Malachi’s warning for the priests have for us today?

Cross Examination (Malachi 1:6-14)

The Lord has established for Israel that the Lord really does love Israel.  The Lord is also one who has been faithful to the promises of the covenant of grace.  The Lord has delivered, defended, and deposited Israel right where they need to be.  Now the Lord turns to cross examine Israel.  Have they loved the Lord as they should?  How has Israel failed to love the Lord?

Corporate Dialoguing (Joshua 24)

When we meet together for worship it might be something that has become rather rote.  We rise, we sing, we listen, and we might think that there is not much we can glean from worship because the experience is not what we expect it to be.  Is this a problem with worship or a problem with us?  What is really going on between God and HIs people even if the Ark of the Covenant is not present with us?

A Corporate Community (Joshua 5:1-12)

Joshua assembles the Lord’s people together after they cross the Jordan River.  Joshua is command to circumcise the people of God a second time.  Why would Joshua waste precious time to engage in such a physical ceremony?  Why not just go to war, secure the land, and enjoy the Lord’s redemptive purpose?

A Worshipping Community (2) (Genesis 15)

Abraham is one who has called out of his land, away from his father, and away from idolatry.  He is called to worship the one true God.  Does this mean that only those who are genetically tied to Abraham have life in Abraham?  How do we know that the blessings for Abraham are for the nations rather than one nation or nationality?

A Worshipping Community (Genesis 4:1-16)

We know that the fall of mankind radically changes human history.  It also changes how we relate to God.  Can we have a relationship with the Lord once again?  What does that relationship look like after God pronounces a curse upon man and this creation?  Can man really worship the one true God?

The Sabbath’s Answer to Absurd Anxiety (1 Peter 5:6-11 (LD 38; COD Head 5 Art. 14, 15)

There are many things in this life that can upset us and even overwhelm us.  Peter affirms the reality of the hardship in the Christian life as he tells us that we have our own struggles, the world, and Satan is out to destroy us.  These things make it pretty difficult for us to maintain a positive outlook in our perseverance.  So, how do we know that we will arrive at the goal of heaven?  Where do we turn in our darkest moments?  Where is our hope in this Christian life?

Absurdity of a False Means (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (LD 35; Head 5; Art. 14)

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?