Confession on SermonAudio

We must continually seek God's forgiveness for our sins, acknowledging our debt, while also extending genuine forgiveness to others as Christ has forgiven us.

The Law and its perfect requirements drives us to the Gospel of grace and the redemption found only in Christ. The Gospel, once applied by the Holy Spirit, then sends us back to the Law to obey its commands as a rule of life, as children who delight in the God who gave it.

The sermon explores Jesus's baptism in the Jordan River as a profound act of identification with sinful humanity, using the metaphor of 'dirty water' to illustrate His willingness to enter into human filth and shame. By joining the line of confessing sinners, Jesus demonstrates that He is not ashamed of those who are spiritually contaminated, fulfilling His role as the federal head of a new humanity. The narrative contrasts this humble entrance with divine validation from the Father and the anointing of the Spirit, leading directly into the temptation in the wilderness where Jesus succeeds where Adam and Israel failed. Drawing on the story of quiz show contestant Charles Van Doren, the preacher highlights the universal human condition of feeling like an imposter and the deep-seated fear of exposure. Ultimately, the message offers comfort by asserting that because Christ bore our shame and was not ashamed to call us brothers, believers can find confidence and cleansing in His redemptive work.

Grace Covenant Baptist Church is a Reformed Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. We are a confessional church subscribing to the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. We adhere to the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation; Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria. Find more information about or listen to past sermons from Grace Covenant Baptist Church at https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/gcbcwm/

The sermon provides a detailed analysis of Joshua chapter 7, using the story of Achan as a case study on the seriousness of sin, the necessity of divine accountability, and the ultimate solution found in the Gospel. The speaker contrasts biblical justice with modern culture's emphasis on rehabilitation, arguing that society often downplays the need for severe consequences. The sermon unfolds by tracing the progression of Achan's sin, as framed by James 1:14-15. It began not with God's tempting, but with Achan's own lust or covetousness. This internal "greed of the heart" escalated into the external acts of stealing and hiding forbidden items, a direct violation of God's recent and historical commands. His single act is shown to be a breach of multiple aspects of God's moral law. A key point is Achan's confession. It is portrayed as genuine and theologically significant, akin to David's in Psalm 51, because he acknowledges his sin as primarily an offense "against the Lord." His detailed admission of where the loot was hidden is seen as evidence of true repentance. However, the sermon strongly emphasizes that repentance does not always remove temporal consequences. Achan's private sin had devastating public effects—the death of 36 men and the defeat of Israel—and thus, judgment was still necessary and just within the old covenant's theocratic context. This principle of accountability is extended to the New Testament church. The speaker uses the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) and Jesus' teachings in Matthew 16 and 18 to argue that God's holiness is unchanging and that the church has a God-given responsibility to address sin for its own health and purity.

John 6:66-71

Scripture: Revelation 1:4-8; 4:1-11 Belgic Confession, Article 12 Sermon Title: To God Alone be the Glory Sermon Theme: Glorify God Alone Sermon Points: I. The Glorious God II. Created for Glorifying III. Redeemed for Glorifying IV. Focusing on Glorifying