The sermon explores the theme of God's providence through the biblical account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. It highlights how divine timing brings together specific individuals to share the gospel, emphasizing that salvation is a gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ rather than human merit. The preacher stresses the necessity of repentance and humility, illustrating these truths with personal anecdotes and the transformative power of baptism as a public declaration of faith. Ultimately, the message encourages listeners to recognize God's active role in their lives and to respond to His call by following Him without turning back.

Sermon: Faith That Makes a Family Sermon Text: Romans 4:9-12 Sermon Preached at Providence Presbyterian Church Evansville, IN The sermon expounds on Romans 4 to establish that justification is received by faith alone, independent of religious rituals or ethnic heritage. Using Abraham as the primary example, the preacher demonstrates that God credited righteousness to him before he was circumcised, proving that salvation is not contingent upon outward signs like baptism or Jewish lineage. This theological argument dismantles any reliance on works or ceremonial badges for salvation, emphasizing that faith in Christ's finished work is the sole instrument of being made right with God. The message extends this truth to Gentiles, affirming that all who believe are united as a spiritual family under Abraham, regardless of their background. Consequently, believers are called to live out this faith through costly commitment and obedience, reflecting their identity as children in God's family.

Sermon: Faith That Makes a Family Sermon Text: Romans 4:9-12 Series: The Power of God for Salvation (Romans) The sermon expounds on Romans 4 to establish that justification is received by faith alone, independent of religious rituals or ethnic heritage. Using Abraham as the primary example, the preacher demonstrates that God credited righteousness to him before he was circumcised, proving that external signs like baptism do not confer salvation. The message warns against relying on church affiliation, good works, or sacraments for standing before God, emphasizing instead that trust in Christ is the sole instrument of pardon. This doctrine unites believers from all backgrounds into a spiritual family, sharing Abraham as their common father through shared faith rather than biology or ritual. Consequently, true Christians are called to live out costly commitment and obedience as a response to this grace, reflecting the unity and responsibility of being part of God's family.

The theological continuity between Old Testament circumcision and New Testament baptism is because they are igns of God's covenant promise. Baptism emphasizes that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ, not by ritual works, using Abraham's experience as a primary example. The preacher contextualizes the baptism of Hanna Nelson within this framework, viewing the rite as an appeal to God for faithfulness rather than a means of saving the child. Parents and the congregation are called to raise the covenant child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, relying on divine grace. The service concludes with prayers affirming that salvation is entirely of the Lord.

The sermon emphasizes that the gospel consists solely of Jesus Christ and His finished work, rejecting any addition of human works or obedience to salvation. It distinguishes between justification by faith alone and the subsequent fruit of sanctification, warning against confusing the two which leads to spiritual misery. The preacher argues that adding requirements like baptism or good deeds to the gospel distorts the message of free grace and turns good news into bad news. Believers are encouraged to rest in Christ's imputed righteousness rather than their own performance, trusting that holiness flows naturally from a right relationship with Him. Ultimately, the message calls Christians to proclaim the unadulterated truth without shame, knowing that salvation is entirely God's mercy received through faith.

To properly interpret this passage, we must recognize that Paul himself makes a biblical-theological argument here. That is to say, the timing of these events and prophetic pronouncements in real history matters. To properly apply what we learn in this passage, we must continue to use biblical theology ourselves, recognizing that the various epochs in Scripture under the various different covenants affects how we ought to respond today. The application I draw is that this passage as clearly as any other in the Bible explains why we practice believer's baptism. Yet another highly relevant application (which I do not elaborate on in the audio) is that, ever since Jesus walked the earth, ethnic Jews cannot claim Abraham as their father merely by physical descent. See what Jesus said in John 8:39-47.

NCBF Sermon Live August 9 - Biblical Counseling Pt. 3 FIND US: Our website: https://ncbf.net Our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@ncbf_az Our Facebook page: https://fb.me/NCBFids Our SermonAudio page: https://www.sermonaudio.com/broadcasters/ncbf/ ABOUT US: New Covenant Bible Fellowship (NCBF) started as the result of a church plant in August 2000. We are an informal family of believers who meet in Gilbert, Arizona. We are Reformed in that we hold to the Doctrines of Grace and the Five Points of Calvinism. We also practice believer's baptism, and we teach from the point of view of New Covenant Theology. SERMON LIVE STREAMS: Our sermon live stream starts from 10:30 am to 11:00 am (MST) on Sunday

The sermon explores the essential connection between genuine faith and the ordinance of baptism, using the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch as a primary example. It argues that baptism serves not as a means of salvation but as a public declaration of an internal transformation wrought by the Holy Spirit. The preacher emphasizes that true belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God must precede and motivate the act of being baptized, rejecting the notion of baptismal regeneration. By referencing various biblical accounts, the text illustrates how baptism symbolizes burial with Christ, the washing away of sin, and the beginning of a new life of obedience. The message concludes by challenging listeners to examine what might be hindering their own willingness to obey this command and to ensure their testimony centers on faith in Christ.

"Baptism: Properly Defined, Proper Persons, and Proper Mode" Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:12, 36-38 Pastor Bucky Erwin

Pastor Mark Hogan teaches on Matthew 28:16-20, the Great Commission, as the concluding text of Matthew's Gospel. He contrasts this commission with the earlier restriction in Matthew 10, where Jesus sent the disciples only to Israel, and shows that the risen Christ now removes those limits because salvation has been accomplished. Hogan ties the command to "make disciples of all the nations" to the Abrahamic promise of worldwide blessing and to Daniel 7, where the Son of Man is given universal dominion. He emphasizes that the church's missionary activity flows from Christ's all-encompassing authority, and that the scope is as big as the world, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of a light to the Gentiles. The central task is not mere decisions but making committed disciples through preaching, baptism in the triune name, and teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded, not just a minimal set of rules. He applies this by urging believers to have a richer view of Christ's exalted power, to pursue comprehensive obedience, and to trust in the promise that Jesus, Emmanuel, is with his people always, even to the end of the age, a promise that fortifies the church through trials until Christ returns.