The sermon encourages believers to recognize the ongoing victory of Christ's kingdom despite current cultural challenges. Drawing from Matthew 4, it highlights three key aspects of this advance: the dawn of light in darkness, the calling of disciples to spread the gospel, and the powerful description of Christ's ministry. Benjamin urges the congregation to combat doubt and small-mindedness by fervently praying for ministers and the expansion of God's reign. This prayerful engagement is presented as the primary means for individuals and the church to participate in Christ's ultimate triumph over evil. The message concludes with a call to trust in the unstoppable progress of the gospel until Christ's return.

Zechariah 7:9-14 (KJV) Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. 11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. 13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: 14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

This sermon explores the tension between God's unchanging covenant faithfulness and the apparent abandonment experienced during times of severe trial. Using Psalm 89, the preacher contrasts the historical destruction of Jerusalem with the eternal nature of God's promises to David and his greater Son, Jesus Christ. The central message asserts that while circumstances may suggest God has broken His word, His immutable character and solemn oath guarantee He cannot renege on His commitments. Believers are encouraged to bring honest complaints to God while simultaneously refusing to doubt His ultimate faithfulness. The passage concludes by affirming that all divine promises find their fulfillment in Christ alone for those who trust in Him.

As you make your way through this morning's bulletin, I have no doubt that your attention will be caught by the several hymns that are traditionally associated with the Christmas season. Yes, I realize it is July not December. What these hymns have in common with the rest of the service, and particularly this morning's sermon text from Psalm 47, is a focus on God's plan of redemption for the nations. All through this morning, we'll read of Jesus' care for "other sheep that are not of this fold" (John 11:16) and His rule over the entire "kingdom of this world" (Revelation 11:16). We'll hear the command for "all peoples" to rejoice (Psalm 47:1) because "God reigns over the nations" (Psalm 47:8) and that our various heritages are chosen for us by Him (Psalm 47:4). We'll hear the declaration that "from the rising of the sun to its setting [His] name will be great among the nations" (Malachi 1:11). In response, we sing "Let every kindred, every tribe … crown Him Lord of all," "At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess Him King of glory now," and (even though it isn't December) "He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove." God's plan of redemption has always included the "heirs of gentile thrones" as the "people of the God of Abraham" (Psalm 47:9). The promised Messiah was not merely the hope of a single desert tribe, but the "dear desire of every nation." —Henry C. Haffner

The sermon examines the progressive spiritual virtues outlined in 2 Peter 1, urging believers to cultivate faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. It addresses two groups of listeners: those who have forgotten their purification from sin and those doubting their salvation, offering this list as evidence of genuine faith. The preacher emphasizes that these qualities must be added diligently to one's existing faith, which serves as the essential foundation for all Christian growth. By abiding in Christ and allowing trials to produce patience, believers can confirm their calling and avoid spiritual barrenness. Ultimately, the message calls for a vibrant, active walk with God that reflects His character and demonstrates the reality of salvation through love and self-control.

Heidelberg Catechism Question 26 teaches that God Almighty created all things through the Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit. God created the world freely, by His Word, out of nothing, in perfect wisdom, over six days, and He continues to uphold and govern all things by His providence. Sadly, many Christians and mainline Protestant denominations have compromised the doctrine of creation. They try to blend the Bible with evolution, and have put forth several different theories: • Day-Age Theory: that the "days" of creation were actually long periods of time. • Punctuated Day Theory: the days of creation were ordinary days, but there were long periods between the six days. • Gap Theory: is similar, but holds that there was a long interval of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:3–31 • Framework Theory: claims that the "days" of creation have nothing to do with time. Instead, the language of Genesis is figurative or symbolic rather than literal. Why do they come up with such unbiblical theories? One reason is that they are embarrassed that the Bible says the earth/universe is only 6,000 years old. They do not believe in the power and wisdom of God. In the Bible, we see that God made many things old when they were new, such as Adam being made as an adult, and making both stars and starlight (which appears old) at the same time. For a Christian to embrace any form of evolution, or doubt that God made the heavens and the earth in six days, means that they have a problem. Not with science and its theories, but with God. Their God is too small and too weak. This is not the God of the Bible.

What does it mean that God raised up a horn of salvation? That phrase, drawn from Luke 1:67-72, might sound foreign to modern ears, but it carries a depth of meaning that reaches straight into the heart of the gospel. In Pastor Paul Chapman's message, the Horn of Salvation, we explore the ancient imagery of the horn, a symbol of concentrated strength and power, and discover why Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was moved by the Holy Spirit to use it when describing the coming Messiah. The horn was both a weapon of conquest and a place of refuge, and remarkably, Jesus embodies both. He fights our battles and gives us a place to run. We also walk through the extraordinary story of Zechariah himself, a priest struck silent for his unbelief, who spent months in quiet reflection before finally exercising the faith he had once refused. His story challenges us to ask a hard question: when God is silent in our own lives, are we doubting with faith, or doubting with unbelief? The difference, as we will see, is everything. This message reminds us that silence is not the same as absence, and that God is always working, even when we cannot see or hear it.

The devotional centers on the faith of Rahab, a woman of questionable reputation in Jericho, who is spared during the city's destruction because she believed the reports of God's power, heard through traveling traders, and acted on that faith by protecting the Israelite spies. Her story illustrates that faith is not merely intellectual assent but a lived commitment that risks everything, and it underscores God's sovereign grace that extends even to the marginalized. The preacher emphasizes that faith is nurtured through hearing God's Word—historically through human messengers, now through the written Scripture—and calls believers to trust God's promises despite doubt and cultural resistance. Drawing from the father's plea, 'Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief,' the message challenges listeners to acknowledge their spiritual struggles while persisting in faith, recognizing that God honors even imperfect belief when it leads to action. Ultimately, the sermon affirms that God's deliverance is available to all who trust in His Word, regardless of past or present circumstances.

What is Job's biggest concern? Job 9:27–10:22 prepares us for the opening part of public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Job's biggest concern is that, while he had been hoping for mercy through a Mediator, it does not seem to him that he actually has this with God. The devotional explores Job's desperate transition from addressing his friends to directly pleading with God, highlighting his fear that he is being judged by strict justice rather than grace. It emphasizes Job's longing for a Mediator who can bridge the gap between humanity and the holy and just God, contrasting this need with Bildad's insufficient advice to simply improve one's behavior. Pastor applies Job's anguish to the terror believers may feel when their assurance of salvation is shaken by suffering or doubt. Rather than offering false comfort, the text encourages genuine wrestling with God, pointing to Christ as the ultimate Mediator who lays His hand on both parties. The message concludes with a call to rely on sovereign grace and the finished work of Jesus rather than personal merit or outward appearances of piety.