Psalm 51 is a Prayer of Confession that's actually genuine. With all the celebrities, and even celebrity Christians falling into public sin, only to be followed by half-hearted contrition, or none at all, it's necessary to come back to this psalm and experience what godly sorrow looks like.

Whereas so many leaders of country's and cults have hideous sin in their lives, David stands out as one of few that actually chart a course to repentance. When a Muslim apologist was faced with having to deal with the pedophilia of Muhammad, he side-stepped and mentioned David's infidelity. But Psalm 51 shows us that unlike the progenitor of Islam, David recognized his actions as sin and sought forgiveness and healing.

Psalm 51

1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

The Bible commands us to praise the Lord, but it also gives us reasons why we should praise the Lord. In this sermon Pastor David examines how this psalm shouts that our God is good, our God is great and our God is gracious. It delights in His sovereign power over all creation and redemption.

Psalm 135

Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,

2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!

3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to His name, for it is pleasant!

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His own possession.

5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.

7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;

9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;

10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to His people Israel.

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.

14 For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;

17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!

20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!

21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, He who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!

Further Study: Ps 29:2 34:8; 115; 119:68; 148:8; 1 Pet 2:9; Dan 4:35; Isa 46:9-10; Job 37:10-12; 42:2; Heb 1:3; Col 1:15-20; Acts 17:28; Rom 11:36; John 6:44, 65.

None of us likes to be told what to do. We want to be our own boss, to call the shots, but the Bible warns us that there is a King over all the universe and it's not you or me. In this sermon Pastor David explains that rebellion against the Almighty means certain destruction, so we must bow the knee to Christ the King. There is no refuge from Him, there's only refuge in Him.

Psalm 2

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, “As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to Me, “You are My Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

Further Study: 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Isaiah 45:22-23; Acts 4:24-29; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Acts 13:33; John 5:19-24; Revelation 1:4-7; 19:11-16.

This Sunday Pastor David reminds us that the Great Commission isn't optional, but a command from the Lord.

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

If Christ promised He would build His church, what are the means by which He does it? In this sermon Pastor David explains that God saves souls through our proclamation of the Gospel, through our evangelism. God uses His people to accomplish His saving work. Christians are the means God uses. We must proclaim the Gospel with boldness and pray for God to save souls through it.

Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Romans 10:13-14 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Further Study: Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25; Phil 1:29; Eph 2:8-9; 1:3-14; Matt 16:18; John 3:3-7; 6:44, 65; Acts 2:47; Titus 3:3-7; Rom 10:13-17.

"I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you EXCEPT Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, SO THAT your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." 1 Cor. 2:1-5

As the representatives of God's Kingdom on Earth, it is important that the Church is one unified body expressing the same saving message, regardless of denomination or ethnic/cultural history and life experience. It's not that the Father sent Jesus so that those redeemed by His sacrifice could have a lack of individuality or independent thought, but that our independent thoughts would be guided by the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures of His inspiration, so that we would be of the same mind on the things of God's grand narrative. In this sermon, Pastor David explains that we might disagree on minor details, however, we must be solidly together on the indisputable facts of the Gospel.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

1 Corinthians 1:9-13

10I appeal to you, brothers,a by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Christ’s Example of Humility

Philippians 2:2-4

2complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

We were made to be in community, to do life together with fellow church members.So we have a responsibility to care for one another in the church. In fact, church membership is a commitment to care for one another. In the sermon Pastor David examines various New Testament commands about how we as a church must care for one another in thought, word and deed.

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Romans 12:3–13 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Everything the church does in a worship service is intentional and that's because nothing we do in a worship service is neutral. Each element of worship either teaches about the God who is there or about a god of our own imagination. Therefore, we should seek to have each element of worship be as biblical as possible. We must worship by the Book. In this sermon Pastor David focuses in on what the Bible prescribes regarding the use of Scripture, Prayer and Singing.

Hebrews 12:28-29 Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

For further study: 1 Tim 4:13; Col 4:16; 1 Thess 2:13; 5:18, 27; Rev 1:3 Psalm 34; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Acts 20:27; Matt 6:9-13; 7:7; 9:38; Phil 4:6; Psalm 1

What must the church do? In this sermon Pastor David explains that the worship gathering of the church is one of the ways that we make disciples and bring glory to God. Every time the church assembles it is for the exultation of God, the edification of one another and the evangelization of visitors.

Hebrews 10:19–25 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Psalm 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.