Confession on SermonAudio

When Jesus was arrested, beaten, and crucified, His disciples faced the darkest night of their lives. They had followed Him through years of ministry, witnessed His miracles, and confessed that He alone had the words of eternal life. Yet when the Shepherd was struck down, the sheep were scattered. Why did the disciples abandon Jesus? Was their failure inevitable because Scripture had prophesied it? And what should they have done when following Jesus suddenly became more difficult than they could imagine? We discover that the disciples didn't ultimately fall because they lost their Shepherd. They fell because they refused to follow Him where He was leading. But their failure wasn't the end of the story. If you enjoy the episode, please consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving a 5-stars rating. This helps others find the podcast. My sermons are the fruit of nearly 30 years of pastoral ministry, biblical counseling, formal seminary training, and a lifelong passion for God's Word. Since childhood, I've been drawn to the beauty and power of expository preaching—opening Scripture verse by verse and applying it to real life. After graduating from Moody Bible Institute, I spent the next 27 years serving as a youth pastor, senior pastor, church planter, and host of the Food For Your Soul radio broadcast. Along the way, I also earned a Master of Sacred Literature and a Doctor of Religious Studies. For more content from D. Richard Ferguson, visit TreasuringGod.com. Follow on social: • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DarrellFerguson • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrell.r.ferguson/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.DRichardFerguson

1. A God-centered Confession 2. A Gospel-focused Confession

Reading: Revelation 5 Text: Lord's Day 17 Christ reveals His glory through the resurrection. 1. The glory of his righteousness 2. The glory of his renewal 3. The glory of his return Questions for reflection 1. What struck you from this sermon? 2. Some people struggle with guilt when death approaches? What comfort does Christ's resurrection offer us in this regard? 3. How does Christ prepare us to see God in all his glory? 4. What part of God's glory stands out for you the most? 5. What does our confession mean when it says that "by Christ's power we are raised to a new life?" 6. If you find no joy in Christ now, do you think that you will find joy in him when in heaven?

This instructional sermon examines the seventh question of the Spurgeon Catechism, defining the decrees of God as His eternal purpose according to the counsel of His own will, by which He has foreordained whatever comes to pass, for His own glory. The teaching emphasizes that God's decrees are not reactive but were established in eternity, before the foundation of the world, reflecting the absolute sovereignty of the Triune God, who works all things according to His perfect will. Through passages from Ephesians, Isaiah, and Acts, the message explores how God sovereignly directs the affairs of humanity and even uses the wicked actions of men to accomplish His redemptive purposes, while remaining perfectly holy and separate from sin. The sermon concludes with a pastoral exhortation for believers to find comfort and peace in God's sovereign control and for sinners to take personal responsibility for their actions, confess their sins, and seek salvation in Jesus Christ rather than using divine sovereignty as an excuse for their sin.

This sermon explores the theological implications of Zechariah 13, presenting the cross as the divine remedy for humanity's inherent sinfulness. It argues that human efforts, such as religious rituals or moral integrity, are insufficient to address the offense of sin before God, who is holy and just. The message details four effects of Christ's sacrifice: removing the offense of sin, purging the conscience through the fountain of cleansing, cutting off the names of idols, and causing the unclean spirit to depart from the believer's soul. The tone is pastoral and convicting, urging listeners to recognize their need for a Savior and to trust solely in Christ's finished work. Ultimately, the sermon concludes that the proper response to this salvation is a heartfelt confession that the Lord is one's God, reflecting a regenerated heart that is cleansed forever.

Today's Sunday School examines the doctrine of original sin as presented in the 1689 Confession, specifically focusing on the relationship between original corruption and actual transgression. The teaching highlights the two-fold problem of human nature: an utter privation of good and a positive inclination toward evil, which renders individuals indisposed, disabled, and opposed to all that is good. By analyzing passages such as Romans 8 and Colossians 1, Pastor Jason illustrates how this internal corruption results in alienation from God and a hostile mindset. Then, transitions to Matthew 15, where Jesus confronts religious hypocrisy to reveal that true defilement originates from the heart, producing evil thoughts and actions rather than external rituals. This exposition serves to convict us of the depth of human depravity while pointing to the necessity of Christ's redemption for those who are dead in sin.

Believing With the Heart and Confessing with the Mouth 1. The Priority 2. The Benefit

Believing in God I. The manner of this confession II. The focus of this confession

Pastor Mark Hogan teaches on the necessity of substantial corporate prayer in worship, arguing that it must not be reduced to a brief transition but should be an essential, Scripture-saturated act of worship and means of grace. Drawing on examples such as 1 Samuel 7, 2 Chronicles 20, 1 Kings 8, Nehemiah 9, Ezra 9, the Psalms, Isaiah 56, Acts 2:42, and 1 Timothy 2:1–8, along with 1 Corinthians 14:15–17, Matthew 26, Ephesians 6, and 1 Peter 2, he shows that prayer belongs to early and biblical worship, should be audible and understandable for edification, and is connected to other ordinances such as the Lord's Supper. He calls for comprehensive prayer—adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, intercession, and lament—offered with the attitudes named in the Westminster Larger Catechism, including humility, faith, sincerity, fervency, love, perseverance, and submission to God's will. The application is that churches should preserve meaningful congregational prayer, leaders should pray biblically so the church can say amen, and believers should harness wandering thoughts, pray along with the leader, and actively affirm the prayers in both public and private worship.