From the Pulpit

This sermon was preached by Pastor Josiah to Stone Ridge Bible Chapel in Hamilton, ON on July 18, 2021.

Key Passage: Ecclesiastes 5:10–20

Series: N/A

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

A  common practice for many sport teams is to watch film from previous  games. Oftentimes a coach will lead these viewings, stopping the tape  from time to time to point out successes and failures, strengths and  weaknesses, areas to be applauded and areas to improve. The purpose  behind these sessions isn’t humiliation or confrontation but, rather, refinement, motivation, and group cohesion. A good coach knows that a team rises and falls together; that while a weak member harms the whole, a strong member can inspire those faltering.

Sardis, like every church since (including our own), is a team that has on her roster some who are struggling and some who are thriving. In our text  today, Coach Jesus watches some game film with that congregation—correcting, challenging, affirming, and encouraging— with the ultimate goal being the strengthening, effectiveness, and growth of the entire team.

Key Passage: Revelation 3:1–6

Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

For the past several weeks we have been studying the letters to the Seven Churches found in the second and third chapters of the Book of  Revelation.

There are two bed rock things we must keep in mind as we study these churches: First, they were historical churches, that is they existed as real churches with real pastors and real buildings and, second, they are at the same time pictorial churches, meaning that as we observe these churches we can see something of the strengths and weaknesses of our own churches.

Key Passage: Revelation 2:18–29

Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus

Speaker: Lew Worrad

Avid  hikers are used to receiving warnings before setting off on their  favourite trails—“beware loose stones,” “watch for bears,” “look out for  falling trees.” However, in 2021, apparently there’s a new hazard that  demands caution: The selfie. Says one New York news outlet, “what many  people don't think about is that every year dozens of people across the  country are injured or killed by taking a selfie and not watching their  footing. Many park officials have put up signs and barriers to keep  hikers safe on popular trails, but many people ignore them and get as  close as possible to the edges of cliffs and waterfalls to get the  perfect photo.” Wanting to capture the moment, danger and warnings are  ignored to potentially harmful and fatal ends. Like these determined  shutterbugs, the church of Jesus Christ can become distracted  well—whether by hardship or success—to  the point of ignoring warning signs, sacrificing footing, and risking  harm to ourselves, one another, and the mission we’ve been entrusted  with.

Key Passage: Revelation 2:12–17

Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

Polycarp (AD 70–155), the bishop of Smyrna, was urged by the Roman proconsul to publicly renounce his faith in Jesus or face execution for the amusement of the anti-Christian culture of the day. In response to the deadly ultimatum, the man of God said: “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me any injury. How then can I blaspheme my King and my  Saviour?” Thus, the fire was lit and Polycarp was burned at the stake.

This is just one example of countless saints who have chosen agony and over apostasy, death over denial of Christ, conviction over capitulation, and earthly loss over heavenly loss. Stories like theirs force us to ask ourselves weighty questions: Would I join them if faced with the same dilemma? Could I endure persecution without compromise? These are exactly the types of questions Christ asks his people to consider in our passage today—“Are you prepared to die for me?”

Key Passage: Revelation 2:8–11

Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

Imagine Oakridge got a letter from Christ. What would it say? What would  he commend us for as a church? What would he rebuke? Where would he  encourage us, and where would he correct us? These are the sort of  questions we can be asking ourselves as we take the next seven weeks to  read the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. Today  we’re going to start with the church at Ephesus and see that it's good  to do good, but our motives matter.

Key Passage: Revelation 2:1-7

Series: Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus

Speaker: Andrew Longmire

Everyone loves a good story and I have a great story to tell today. It  is the story of future history. It's not fictional—the product of  someone’s imagination—but it's a true story. It's called "The  Revealing of Jesus Christ." This story is about the future, about the  things that must soon take place. But where did this story come from? It  came from God. It came through Jesus Christ. Then, by means of an  angel, to the apostle John. Then, through the apostle John, to all the  servants of Jesus. But, not only is Jesus telling the story, he is the  subject of the story. This story is an autobiography of Jesus.

Key Passage: Revelation 1:1-20

Speaker: Dr. Jim Rennie

There are many experiences in life that prompt mixed emotions. Walking a daughter down the aisle can bring a father sadness and joy, nostalgia  and pride. Dropping a child off at school for the first time—whether  kindergarten or university—is a feelings’ factory for parents. Attending  a Christian funeral both breaks the heart with grief and fills the heart with hope. These types of circumstances are beyond simple sentiment and spark a variety of simultaneous emotions to be recognized, understood, and managed. So it is as our church family begins to again re-gather after a time of forced separation. There is, all at once, relief, gratitude, joy, and cautious optimism. But there is also a  gnawing cynicism, a deep fatigue, and a resigned helplessness. In other  words, it’s a time of mixed emotions. What do we do with all of that? Are those appropriate reactions? How can we move forward in a way most pleasing to the Lord?

Key Passage: Psalm 126

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

We talk a lot about grace in the church, and, rightly so! As Christians, we are saved by grace, live by grace, mature in Christ by grace, are filled with grace so as to extend grace to others, both inside and outside the church. The importance of God’s grace cannot be overstated. But there’s an enemy of God’s grace that lurks in every Christian church, in every Christian family, and in every Christian heart. That enemy’s name is legalism, and it’s antithetical to grace as it elevates rules, expectations, and traditions to a place of authority that only Scripture should have. Legalism kills joy, strangles liberty, and may be the most tolerated sin in Christianity because it masquerades as serious-holiness and super-spirituality. Our text today is going to help us identify it as the monster that it is and highlight four terrible consequences of legalism.

Key Passage: Matthew 12:1–14

Series: Matthew: Of King and Kingdom

Speaker: Josiah Boyd

Philip  Melancthon, the great Reformation theologian, once said to his friend and mentor, Martin Luther, “Today you and I will discuss the governance of the universe.” It’s reported that Luther calmly responded: “Today we’ll go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God.” That’s a picture of resting in the Almighty! And, Lord knows, our world could  use some of that today, couldn’t it? We all desire a respite from doubts  and fears, weariness and loneliness, stressors and frustrations,  burdens and obligations. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to just “leave it all  to God”? Today we’re going to be reminded by Jesus that that type of “divine holiday" is very much available to us all. But we’re also going to notice the realization and experience and enjoyment of that rest necessitates humility. The reality is, pride robs us of rest while humility sends us fishing.

Key Passage: Matthew 11:20–30

Series: Matthew: Of King and Kingdom

Speaker: Josiah Boyd