First Irving Sermons

Main Point: God powerfully creates a new people through his Word.

Driving Question: How does God create a new people?

1. God’s Work In Us (1–5)

2. God’s Word In Us (6–10)

THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S WORK

1. The Word received (6).

2. The Word imitated (6, 7).

3. The Word proclaimed (8, 9).

4. The Word obeyed (9, 10).

a. They turned from idols

b. They served the living and true God.

c.They waited for the Son.

Pete Stewart is a pastor at Hope Community Church Barlanark in Glasgow, Scotland. He also heads up our church-planting efforts in Glasgow and the West of Scotland

Why does the church need elders?

Christ gives elders to order, shape, and protect His church.

Today, the text will answer Why Elders in three ways.

1. To bring order (5)

2. To model godliness (6–8)

3. To hold firm to the word (9)

Two responsibilities:

1. Teach sound doctrine.

2. Rebuke error.

Response.

1. Pastoral Exhortations

We must teach the truth of Christ (v.1).

We must love Christ’s glory, or we will be weak shepherds.

We must steward authority well.

Our union with Christ must be visible.

We must be bold and courageous to guard the flock.

2. Church Exhortations

Be a church that receives the truth of Christ.

Be a praying church.

Men: pursue faithfulness and be shaped by godly leadership.

Women: be strengthened by and support godly leadership.

Children: be faithful.

Main Idea. God delights to relent when sinners repent.

In three movements, God’s mercy toward sinners is on full display:

1. The Prophet Preaches (1–4)

2. The City Repents (5–9)

3. The Lord Relents (10)

Takeaways about our God:

The Lord is patient. (He gives second chances).

The Lord is holy. (He confronts our sin).

The Lord is merciful. (He saves sinners).

Jonah 2 Hope from the Grave

Main Idea. God brings us low, He hears our cry, and He raises us up.

1. He brings us low (1:17, 2:1)

2. He hears our cry (2–9)

3. He raises us up (10)

Two Takeaways.

1. Salvation belongs to the Lord (2:9).

2. The Sign of Jonah (1:17).

Consider the Biblical declarations and benefits of Jesus' resurrection:

Romans 1:4 God “declared him to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.”

Romans 4:25 Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

Hebrews 2:14–15 Jesus “destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”

1 Corinthians 15 Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Three acts of God’s sovereign grace toward sinners.

1. God Speaks (1–3)

2. God Seeks (4–16)

Three ways God seeks:

1. God seeks with a storm (4–6).

2. God seeks in the casting of lots (7–10).

3. God seeks through a judgment (11–16).

3. God Saves (17)

Matthew 12:40–41: “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth… and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”

Main Idea. God pursues his rebellious people with unstoppable grace.

3 Responses from Jonah 1.

1. Cry out to the Greater God.

2. Commit to the Great Commission.

3. Confess the Greater Jonah

MI: God accomplishes redemption for His people through the gracious work of His perfect redeemer.

1. Redemption Accomplished (vv. 1-12)

2. Redemption Applied (vv. 13-17)

3. Redemption Anticipated (vv. 18-22)

Takeaways from Ruth

1. God’s Promises in Scripture

2. God’s Purposes in Suffering

3. God’s Providence in Salvation

Three movements:

1. Naomi’s Plan (1–5)

2. Ruth’s Proposal (7–12)

3. Boaz’s Promise (13–18)

Main Idea. God's people ask for covering under the Redeemer's wings and He vows to provide it.

Takeaways.

Ruth’s request to rest.

Boaz will not rest until redemption is finished.

Main Idea. God graciously provides covering for his destitute people through a worthy redeemer.

1. A destitute woman (Ruth)

Three aspects of Ruth’s destitution:

- She is a foreigner (vv.2,6,10,21).

- She is poor (v.2).

- She is a widow (vulnerable).

2. A worthy redeemer (Boaz)

Five aspects of “why” Boaz is worthy:

- He Loves the Laborers in His Field (v.4).

- He Obeys the Law of the Lord (v.8).

- He Provides Protective Covering (vv.9,15).

- He Shows Abundant Generosity (vv.9, 14–16).

- He Is a Redeemer (v.20).

Takeaways.

We need more men like Boaz.

We need humble responses like Ruth’s (v.10).

We need to glean the fields of the Lord.

We need a Redeemer.

Why study the Book of Ruth? (from Tony Merida)

1) The Book of Ruth is God’s Word.

2) Ruth helps us see the bigger story of redemption.

3) Ruth teaches us about God’s providence.

Four moving parts:

1. Empty House (1–5)

2. Empty Hope (6–18)

3. Empty Homecoming (19–21)

4. Full Harvest (22).

Main Idea. Even when God’s hand feels heavy and life empty, He is providentially working for his people's good.

Takeaways.

In God’s providence, even our failures are woven into His redeeming plan.

In God’s providence, emptiness points us back to the Bread of Life.

In God’s providence, He visits and provides for His people, in ways seen and unseen.