Heart on SermonAudio

The sermon explores the theological concept that spiritual growth is often most profound during seasons of trial and suffering, rather than in times of ease. It emphasizes the necessity of cultivating agape love, a selfless and sacrificial affection that mirrors God's nature, by laying aside malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking. The message encourages believers to view their hardships as essential for deepening their faith, using the metaphor of a bamboo plant developing extensive roots before visible growth. Furthermore, it highlights the critical importance of a daily dependency on the Word of God, likening the believer's need for Scripture to a newborn's need for milk, to ensure continuous spiritual maturity and resilience.

What does it mean to be a citizen of heaven while living in a world consumed by politics? That question sits at the heart of one of the most dramatic courtroom scenes in all of Scripture. In Pastor Paul Chapman's message, Jesus and Politics: Citizens of Heaven in a World of Politics, we explore John 18, where Jesus stands before Pilate, the most powerful political figure in the region, and the exchange that follows gives us five grounding truths that are just as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago. We discover that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual in nature, not a political movement to be won or lost on election day. We are reminded that this does not excuse us from engagement, but rather calls us to a higher and more purposeful kind of involvement, one rooted in truth, conscience, and faith. The tension between Rome, the religious establishment, and the revolutionary spirit of the age mirrors the fractured political landscape we navigate today. And yet Jesus, standing at the center of all that chaos, is unshaken. His composure before Pilate is not passivity. It is the confidence of someone who knows that all authority ultimately flows from above. If we are wrestling with anxiety about the direction of our world, this passage offers us something no political platform ever could, a peace that comes from knowing who is truly on the throne.

In Mark chapter 7 the scribes and Pharisees confronted Jesus because His disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders by eating without ritually washing their hands. While these traditions of the elders began with the best of intentions, things had gone awry. They had devolved into rigid, lifeless observances of man-made rules divorced from genuine devotion. Jesus exposes the religious leaders as hypocrites whose worship is hollow, whose hearts are distant from God, and whose elaborate traditions not only inflate God's law but, in some cases, actively undermine it. True Christian tradition is God-given. It is the faithful handing down of scripture and gospel truth. This must be distinguished from traditionalism, which, like the traditions of the Jewish elders, is the rigid, lifeless observance of man-made rules, devoid of genuine devotion.

This sermon explores the biblical command to stand firm in the Lord, framing spiritual resilience as a form of godly stubbornness rather than pride. Drawing from Philippians 4, the message outlines six practical disciplines for maintaining this firmness: fostering congregational unity, expressing deep joy, exhibiting reasonableness, releasing anxiety through prayer, engaging the mind with godly criteria, and imitating faithful examples. The central emphasis is placed on the discipline of thought, urging believers to filter their mental focus through the lens of truth, honor, justice, purity, and praise. By rejecting thoughts that do not align with God's character and instead dwelling on what is excellent and praiseworthy, Christians can guard their hearts against the chaos of the world. The tone is instructional and pastoral, encouraging the audience to rely on the peace of God and the legacy of faithful predecessors to persevere until the return of Christ.

We live in a world that constantly tells us we need more—more money, more possessions, more comfort, and more success. But will having more ever truly satisfy us? In 1 Timothy 6:6–10, Paul exposes the danger of pursuing wealth and reminds us that true gain is found in godliness with contentment. Because we came into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing, we must learn to hold earthly possessions loosely and find our satisfaction in God alone. The desire to be rich can become a dangerous trap, leading us into destructive desires and pulling our hearts away from the faith. The question is not how much we have, but whether Christ is enough.

And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. [c]Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 12 And Barnabas they called [d]Zeus, and Paul, [e]Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Healthy foods scarcely benefit a person who's already ingested poison. So the Christian who attends a weekly Bible study, hears a sermon every week, and enjoys biblically-sound podcasts hinders spiritual growth if the heart is already poisoned. Poisoned? With what? "Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander..." 1 Peter 2:1 (LSB). All these toxins can show up in relationships with other believers and—if left unchecked—stunt our spiritual growth. Yes, the word of God is powerful to change us, yet our nourishment is impeded by savored sins. That's why Peter links putting away sinful attitudes with an eager appetite for Scripture. A growing hunger for God's Word belongs alongside a growing love for His people. "... like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation...," 1 Peter 2:2. This Lord's Day, we'll turn to 1 Peter 2 and its commands—as well as God's provision—for growing toward spiritual maturity. Join us as we consider, "Homeward Bound: What Do You Crave?" Prepare for Sunday: Read and meditate on 1 Peter 1:22-2:3. How do attitudes such as ill-will, envy, and insincerity affect your appetite for truth? In what ways do Christians settle for impure spiritual nourishment—teaching or counsel that sounds biblical but distorts God's Word? How, specifically, can you become better prepared to take in, and benefit from, the Word of God?

Please consider how you can be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ through your financial support to the continued work of His Church in this time. Contributions can be made by PayPal ( https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=CK4HH84AFWTY4 ) or by visiting our website ( faithbiblepres.org ) or by mailing your contribution to: Faith Bible Presbyterian Church 3001 Marian Dr. Trenton Mi 48183 "The Pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both." ~ John Calvin (July 10, 1509 - May 27, 1564). "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." ~ NKJV John 10:27 "Satan's greatest success is in making people think they have plenty of time before they die to consider their eternal welfare" ~ John Owen (1616 - August 1683). "For the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ." ~ NKJV Rev. 1:9 Fᴀɪᴛʜ Bɪʙʟᴇ Pʀᴇsʙʏᴛᴇʀɪᴀɴ Cʜᴜʀᴄʜ ~ Tʀᴜᴇ Worship & Aᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄ Fᴇʟʟᴏᴡsʜɪᴘ ~ Faith Bible Presbyterian Church is a Bible believing and Christ honoring church that is committed to teaching|preaching the Word of God with diligence and authority. We stand for the historic Christian faith, and we welcome you to our services of worship. Won't you join us? faithbiblepres.org

The spread of the gospel to the nations is entirely dependent on the sovereign will of God, as He directs missionaries to preach according to His plan, illuminates the minds of the hearers, and regenerates hearts. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, preaching is in vain. But the Spirit never works without the Word, but through it for the effectual calling of God's elect from among the nations.

This part of the Treatise on The Religious Affections and been converted to a more modern, easier to grasp English. In Section 2 of *A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections*, Jonathan Edwards argues that genuine Christianity consists largely in holy affections, demonstrating that true faith requires vibrant, heartfelt engagement rather than weak, intellectual indifference. Drawing from Scripture, human experience, and the example of Christ, he establishes that the affections—chiefly holy love, from which all other godly emotions like fear, joy, sorrow, and zeal flow—serve as the primary mainspring of all human action and spiritual obedience. Edwards asserts that divine truth only transforms a soul to the extent that it deeply affects the heart, noting that Scripture consistently equates sin with an unaffected "hardness of heart" and true conversion with a tender, responsive spirit. Ultimately, while acknowledging that natural emotions can mingle with spiritual grace, he concludes that without habitual, holy affections, no amount of doctrinal light or outward religious duty is acceptable to God.