Psalm 132 is about God’s covenant with his people. It recalls a time when David made an oath to the Lord, and how the Lord turned that about to make his own oath to David. It recognises that God’s covenant to his people was grounded in history, but that it looked to the future. In order to recall God’s kind covenant to his people, the psalmist speaks here of three symbols of God’s covenant love: the temple (vv. 1–10), the throne (vv. 11–12), and the city (vv. 13–18).

In Ephesians 4, the apostle tells us what church growth looks like. He shows us that God has given gifted teachers to the church in order to equip the church for the work of the ministry so that the church, in the end, might grow up into the likeness of Jesus Christ, its head.

Christ’s call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross and follow him is a familiar passage of Scripture. Yet could it be that our familiarity with this passage has jaded the imperative of the call? This calling is particular to those who would follow Christ; humbling to those who would count the cost; and worthy when one considers that this is a call to the kingdom of God.

The prevailing cultural influences and worldly system do not make it easy to live a simple and contented life. In fact, they directly oppose such peaceable living. Psalm 131 provides us with a revolutionary and countercultural model of someone who achieved satisfaction and contentment in this life—and the next. This short psalm teaches us lessons that often take a lifetime to learn, and we will do well to learn from it the lessons of humility, simplicity, ambition and mutual encouragement.

This psalm is one of the seven penitential psalms. It is so saturated with gospel hope that Martin Luther called it a “Pauline Psalm.” In this psalm we go from the rock bottom of guilt to the boundless heights of glory.

In chapters 1–3 Paul has revealed the supernatural new society of the one new man in Christ. Now, in chapter 4, he begins to reveal the new standards of this society. They are extraordinary and yet for the Christian they are what is expected of the normal Christian life.

In these opening verses Paul highlights three fundamental principles to help us to live the normal Christian life.

The phrase “the perseverance of the saints” describes the biblical teaching that, once a person is justified by faith alone in Christ alone, they are forever justified. This is because Jesus Christ preserves us. He, in fact, perseveres with us—and so we persevere to the end (Jude 24–25).

Those who have been born again by the grace of the gospel of God are assured that they will be increasingly sanctified and ultimately glorified. We will persevere to the end and be finally and fully saved. But the reason, fundamentally, is because of the perseverance of the Saviour: Jesus will complete what He has begun. This conviction will go a long way toward helping us to persevere in the face of difficulties as we seek to be faithful and fruitful disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the theme of Psalm 129.

Because Paul is persuaded of the purpose and the power of God, he knows that these believers can experience so much more of personal sanctification. He knows that they can experience and achieve so much more of Christlikeness. He knows that this congregation can achieve so much more supernatural power in their community of faith. And so can we.

As we study this benediction, may the Lord once again open our eyes to see how much more we can have of the so much more grace of God.

In Acts 20, Paul meets with the Ephesian elders and tells them that elders of the church must be found transparently tested, tirelessly tenacious and tearfully testifying. If they are, they will be men who are trusted and treasured by the sheep they lead.

Ascension Day is perhaps the most comprehensively significant day in the Christian calendar. It gives us great hope and comfort as we live in a world of trial and sorrow. The ascension is designed to provide perspective and unusual power for those who, by the grace of the Spirit, see its reality.