Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

September 21, 2025Who Is Your Builder?
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
Order of Service
Call to Worship — 2 Corinthians 2:14
Hymn — All You That Fear Jehovah's Name
Prayer of Invocation
Reading of the Law — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Prayer of Confession
Assurance of Pardon — Colossians 1:21-22
Scripture Reading — Ezra 8:24-36
Hymn — Through All the Changing Scenes of Life
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Sermon
Hymn — The Church's One Foundation
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Doxology
Sermon Title: Who Is Your Builder?
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
I. Clarification (vv. 13–15)
A. Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
Jesus is not asking out of ego — the question is for the benefit of his disciples
The disciples report that people identify Jesus as John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets
The people are only partly right — Jesus is a prophet, even the prophet foretold in Deuteronomy 18:15, but he is far more
B. Jesus makes the question personal: "But who do you say that I am?" (v. 15)
The disciples have walked with Jesus through healings, feeding thousands, calming storms, and the Sermon on the Mount — they have been eyewitnesses
After the storm in Matthew 8, the disciples themselves asked, "What sort of man is this?"
The question is inescapable for every person regardless of age, background, or circumstance
Common modern answers: good moral teacher, someone offensive, a comfort blanket, a Savior without Lordship
C.S. Lewis's trilemma: Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord
Application: What does your life say about who you believe Jesus to be?
II. Confession (vv. 16–17)
A. The subject of the confession — Peter answers: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v. 16)
Christ is not a surname — it is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, meaning "the Anointed One"
R.T. France: for most Jews of the day, the title pointed to a coming king of the line of David who would restore national independence and the preeminence of God's people
Jesus is the Christ — but not the conquering political king the people expected; he is the suffering and conquering King who defeats sin and death at the cross and resurrection
The greatest enemy of man in every age is sin against God and the need for reconciliation — that is what Christ came to accomplish
Peter also confesses Jesus as the Son of the living God — marking him as second Adam, new Israel, son of David, and ultimately the eternal Son of God, very God of very God, of one substance with the Father
Only the person of the Son could bear the weight of sin and the wrath of God on the cross, and only the Son could rise again
B. The source of the confession (v. 17)
Jesus responds with a beatitude: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah"
The confession did not originate with Peter — "flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven"
The Father alone can reveal the true identity of Jesus to whomsoever he will
Application: Let this humble you — you did not arrive at your confession on your own
Application: Let this encourage persistent intercessory prayer for unbelieving loved ones, neighbors, and enemies — the source of confession is the Father
III. Construction (vv. 18–19)
A. The builder of the church
Jesus says, "I myself will build my church" — the pronouns in the Greek are emphatic
Jesus the Christ is the sole builder of his church; no one is more qualified than the one who loved her and gave himself up for her
B. The blueprint — the rock upon which the church is built
There is a wordplay: Peter (Petros, small rock) and this rock (petra, large boulder/bedrock)
The church is built upon Peter as representative of the apostles and their confession of Christ
Ephesians 2:20 — the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone
With help from J.C. Ryle: the church is the whole body of believers of every age, tongue, and people who have made and hold to the good confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God
The keys of the kingdom given to the apostles involve binding and loosing — a doctrinal and judicial determination of what is and is not the gospel, and the ordering of the church, carried out by elders throughout the ages
C. The unsuccessful enemy of the church
"The gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (v. 18)
The church stands secure on an indestructible and enduring foundation
J.C. Ryle: "The true church never dies. Like the bush that Moses saw, it may burn but shall not be consumed. Every member of it shall be brought safe to glory."
Application: No matter how much it appears that everything is set against Christ and his church, neither the enemy nor his servants will ultimately prevail — because of who the builder is and because his blueprint is wise, good, and flawless
35 min
September 14, 2025The Image of God Restored Part II
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Order of Service
Hymn of Preparation (read by pastor) — Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove
Call to Worship — Hebrews 10:19-25
Hymn — It Is Well with My Soul
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon
Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism (on the Trinity)
Scripture Reading — Ezra 8:15-23
Hymn — What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn of Preparation — Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove
Sermon
Hymn — Fairest Lord Jesus
Benediction
Doxology
Sermon Title: The Image of God Restored Part II
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
I. The Restoration of the Image Through the Revelation of God the Father
A. Two wisdoms and two ages in 1 Corinthians 2:6-9
God's wisdom belongs to the age to come — eschatological, eternal, permanent (cf. 2 Corinthians 3)
The wisdom of "this age" is passing away and belongs to rulers who crucified the Lord of glory
God's wisdom is "secret and hidden," decreed before the ages for our glory — it cannot be attained through human reason
B. The noetic effects of the fall (Romans 1)
Fallen man retains intellectual capacity but his mind stops at creation, exchanging the glory of the Creator for the creature
The restored image means the mind moves upward from creation to glorify the triune God from whom all truth derives
C. Adam as the "newborn adult" — the mature universe illustration
Adam was created mature yet entirely dependent on God's revelation, like a child on his father's word
The fall: Adam pursued the wisdom of this age — knowing good and evil independently of God
The image is restored as Christ makes us newborn children again, living on every word from the mouth of God
Irony: the "mature" ones (v. 6) are those childlike and dependent on the Father's revelation — cf. Matthew 18:3
II. The Restoration of the Image Through the Interpretation of God the Spirit
A. The Spirit as the self-knowledge of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-13)
Paul argues from lesser to greater: as a person's spirit alone knows that person's inner thoughts, so the Spirit alone comprehends the depths of God
Richard Gaffin: the Spirit is "omnicompetent" — he has the capacity to probe all things, even the deep things of God
God grants us his Spirit — the very self-knowledge of God — so we understand the things freely given to us
B. The Spirit grants true, eschatological knowledge
1 Corinthians 2:9 (quoting Isaiah 64:4): what no eye has seen nor ear heard nor the heart of man imagined — what God has prepared for those who love him
The Spirit is the down payment of glory, giving a foretaste of the new heavens and new earth; we know in part now but shall know fully
This Spirit-wrought knowledge is true knowledge — anticipatory, expectant, now-but-not-yet knowledge
C. Direction of the restored image: forward and upward
Adam's sin sent him backward — from dust to dust
The Spirit restores the image, moving the soul forward and upward toward Mount Zion where Christ is seated at the Father's right hand
Practical test: obedience moves toward the permanent age; disobedience clings to an age passing away
III. The Restoration of the Image Through the Mind of God the Son Incarnate
A. The spiritual person and the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)
The spiritual person "judges all things" — not freedom from proper authority, but freedom from judgment according to merely human wisdom
All truth — philosophy, mathematics, science — is subservient to and derivative of the triune God, from whom all truth flows
B. Christ as the telos of all wisdom
The Greek word telos (mature, v. 6) was used in philosophy for the chief aim and goal; Paul declares that telos is Christ crucified, risen, and ascended
Isaiah 11:1-2: the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom rests upon him
1 Corinthians 1:24: Christ is the wisdom and power of God; the very mind of him who is wisdom incarnate now transforms our minds
C. Gaffin's conclusion: saving revelation as the indispensable key
The saving revelation of God in Christ, taught by the Spirit, is the key to rightly understanding God and all of creation
All other knowledge, however functionally productive, is essentially misunderstanding apart from this
Adam's original mandate: every discovery was to draw his heart upward to the God who made him; the image restored in Christ fulfills that mandate
Colossians 3:10: "Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" — put on the mind of Christ
34 min
September 07, 2025The Image of God Restored Part I
Scripture: Genesis 3:14-24
Order of Service
Hymn — We Praise Thee, O God (Revive Us Again)
Call to Worship — Psalm 47
Hymn — We Praise Thee, O God (Revive Us Again)
Prayer of Invocation
Reading of the Law — Exodus 20:1-17
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon
Confession of Faith (Apostles' Creed)
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:14-24
Sermon
Lord's Supper
Hymn — Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Gloria Patri
Sermon Title: The Image of God Restored Part I
Scripture: Genesis 3:14-24
I. The Image of God Restored Through Established Gospel Warfare (Genesis 3:15)
A. God establishes a new cosmic order by setting enmity between the serpent and the woman
The Hebrew word for "enmity" occurs five times in the Old Testament and signifies hostile intent unto the degree of murder
God places the word "enmity" at the front of the sentence in Hebrew to emphasize his sovereign act
B. The enmity extends to the offspring (seed) of both the serpent and the woman
The Hebrew word for "seed" can be both singular and plural, conveying both physical and spiritual descendants
John 8:44 — Jesus calls the devil a murderer from the beginning and identifies the Pharisees as children of the devil
The spiritual seed theology is immediately illustrated in Genesis 4 — Cain (seed of the serpent) murders Abel (righteous seed of the woman)
C. The promised decisive blow: "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel"
To crush the heel was a significant blow; to crush the head was the decisive, victorious, death blow to the representative king
Isaiah 53:10 — the Father crushes the suffering servant (the same word for "seed/offspring"), yet through that crushing the spiritual posterity of the woman is secured
D. This warfare is a gracious act of God toward fallen humanity
Adam and Eve were at enmity with God after the fall; God graciously redirects that enmity toward the serpent for his chosen people
The Christian life is not passive but one of active warfare — putting to death the old man in Adam and putting on the new man in Christ
The evidence of new birth is the battle with sin (Romans 7)
II. The Image of God Restored Through Faith in Gospel Promise (Genesis 3:20)
A. Adam names his wife Eve ("mother of all living") immediately after the death sentence of verses 16–19
This name is an act of faith in the gospel promise just given — life is named in the face of death
Adam and Eve's days are prolonged by common grace, though they deserved death that very day
B. Eve's words at the birth of Cain (Genesis 4:1) — "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord" — reflect faith in the promise of the serpent crusher
She expects a man, not merely a child, because the promise spoke of a male seed who would crush the serpent
Tragically, Cain proves to be the first antichrist — the seed of the serpent (1 John 3:12)
C. Abel is the righteous seed of the woman who dies in faith
Hebrews 11:4 — Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice by faith and was commended as righteous; though he died, he still speaks
Genesis 15:6 — Abraham likewise believes God and it is counted to him as righteousness
Matthew 22:32 — Jesus affirms to the Sadducees that God is the God of the living, not the dead, vindicating the resurrection hope of the spiritual seed
D. The gospel is the very first word God speaks after the fall
From Genesis 3:15 to John 3:16, all of redemptive history flows from this one gospel promise
The only hope for the restoration of fallen man is the promised Messiah, the serpent crusher, who dies for our sins
III. The Image of God Restored Through Gracious Gospel Covering (Genesis 3:21)
A. God makes garments of animal skins for Adam and Eve — the first substitutionary sacrifice
Animal skins require the shedding of blood, establishing the foundation for the entire sacrificial system
The thread of substitutionary blood sacrifice runs through all of Genesis and beyond:
Genesis 4 — Abel's firstborn of the flock
Genesis 8 — Noah's burnt offering (the Noahic covenant)
Genesis 15 — the Abrahamic covenant ratified through severed animal carcasses
Genesis 22 — the ram as substitute for Isaac
Hebrews 9:22 — "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins"
B. God must be the one to cover — Adam and Eve's self-made loin cloths are insufficient
The Hebrew word for atonement (kafar) literally means "to cover"
God himself makes the payment that covers fallen humanity and restores them to his presence
Lane Tipton's term: "image endowment" — God covers the fallen, naked image of God with the righteous garment of the seed of the woman, who is himself offered in sacrifice
C. New Testament fulfillment of the clothing imagery
Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:24 — "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness"
1 Corinthians 15:54 — "the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality"
Paul uses the same Greek root in all three passages that corresponds to God clothing Adam and Eve
D. Adam was to be the priest of the garden temple; now he is banished, and the way back is guarded by cherubim and a flaming sword
Exodus 28:2 — Aaron the high priest was clothed in holy garments for glory and beauty before entering the Holy of Holies
The only way back through the cherubim into God's presence is through death — through the flaming sword of God's wrath
At the crucifixion, the temple curtain (embroidered with cherubim) is torn in two as Christ passes through God's wrath completely naked, covered only with our sins
The Lord's Supper is a reminder that our only hope is to come naked in sin and be clothed in the righteous garment of Christ, the image of God perfectly restored
35 min
September 07, 2025September 7, 2025; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Romans 8:28
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
Hymn — Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty (#163)
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 26, Questions 69–71
Hymn — Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord (#106A)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Romans 8:28-30
Sermon
Hymn — Not What My Hands Have Done (#435)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: God at Work for Your Comfort
Scripture: Romans 8:28-30
I. God's Determination for Your Good
A. Romans 8:28 is among the most beloved and most misused verses in Scripture — it is not a vague slogan open to general use
B. The "we" who know something is limited to two descriptions: those who love God and those called according to his purpose — elect believers
That any sinner should love God is remarkable; by nature we are lovers of self and sin, born depraved
Love for God is not natural; it is the fruit of God's own work in a person
C. God's call is both potent (effectual) and purposeful — never a vague scattering, always according to his eternal purpose
Ephesians 1:11 — God works all things according to the counsel of his will
The Westminster Confession: God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass
D. "All things work together for good" means ultimate, eternal, spiritual good — not earthly comfort or health-and-wealth
The "all things" include hard things, evil things suffered, highs and lows, dry seasons and fruitful seasons
James 1:2-3 — trials produce steadfastness
Romans 5:3-4 — suffering produces endurance, character, and hope
God works all things together toward our conformity to Christ — stripping us of self-reliance and driving us to him
II. God's Disposition in His Grace
A. Verses 29–30 open with "for," grounding and confirming verse 28 — Paul now reveals more of who God is and how he works
B. "Foreknew" (Greek: proginōskō) carries more than mere prior cognition
The Hebrew concept of knowledge (yada) involves intimate, personal, caring knowledge — Genesis 4:1; Exodus 2:24-25
John Murray: "to know" in Scripture often means "to set regard upon, to know with particular interest, delight, affection, and action" — practically synonymous with love
To interpret foreknowledge as God merely observing future faith puts all the weight of salvation on the sinner and contradicts the whole tenor of Paul's argument
C. Those whom God foreknew are those whom God fore-loved — his love is eternal, particular, and self-originating
Deuteronomy 7:6-8 — God's love for Israel was not based on their size or merit but solely on his own sovereign love and oath
Jeremiah 31:3 — "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you"
1 John 4:19 — we love because he first loved us
D. God's predestination flows from his fore-loving — those he eternally loved he eternally ordained to be conformed to the image of his Son
III. God's Design Toward Your Glorification
A. Romans 8:29–30 presents the golden chain of salvation — every link is the active work of God himself, not of the sinner
The Shorter Catechism: the Spirit applies redemption by working faith in us; effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit; justification and adoption are acts of God's free grace; sanctification is the ongoing work of God's free grace
B. The rhythmic structure of Romans 8:29-30 traces God's blueprint: foreknew → predestined → called → justified → glorified
The end goal is conformity to the image of Christ — the firstborn among many brothers
Paul summarizes his entire apostolic ministry as "until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19)
Paul is not exhaustive — some links are omitted — but the point is the God who is sovereignly at work at every stage
C. "Those whom he justified, he also glorified" — Paul uses the past tense for a future reality (prolleptic use), signifying absolute certainty
John Murray: the past tense is "prolleptic, intimating the certainty of its accomplishment"
1 John 3:2 — when Christ appears we shall be like him
Unlike a traveler whose destination is not guaranteed, the believer's glorification is certain — God speaks of it as already accomplished
D. Application: through daily battle with sin, weakness in prayer, and suffering in a fallen world, God is at work for the believer's good, surely bringing to completion what his love purposed from eternity
37 min
August 31, 2025The Image of God Fallen
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 72:18-19
Hymn — Blessed Be the Lord Our God
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — John 3:16
Confession of Faith (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q&A 5)
Scripture Reading — Ezra 7:11-28
Hymn — O Father, You Are Sovereign
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Preparation
Hymn — God Be Merciful to Me
Sermon
Hymn — Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Doxology
Sermon Title: The Image of God Fallen
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13
I. The Source of the Image of God Fallen
A. The serpent is introduced as the tempter, but he is not the ultimate source of sin
Jesus calls Satan the "father of lies" in John 8:44
James 1:14-15 gives the most concise definition of sin: temptation draws out the desire already within the heart; desire conceived gives birth to sin; sin fully grown brings death
The source of sin is the heart of man — Satan merely draws out what is already there
B. Satan distorts God's word
He begins with an absurd exaggeration: "Did God really say you shall not eat of any tree?" (Genesis 3:1)
Eve engages with the distortion, signaling that the bait has been taken
C. Eve compounds the distortion of God's word
She exaggerates the prohibition by adding "neither shall you touch it" — the first Pharisee, adding to God's law
She omits the name of the tree
She minimizes the penalty: God said "you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17) — the Hebrew doubles the word die; Eve reduces it to a single die
She minimizes the privilege: God said "you may surely eat" (Genesis 2:16) — again a Hebrew doubling; Eve reduces it to a single eat
Minimizing privilege and minimizing penalty always go together
D. Satan's deeper tactic: making man the autonomous arbiter of truth
Satan, ironically, quotes God's word more accurately than Eve (v. 4)
Eve is placed on the bench as judge; God is placed in the dock (C.S. Lewis)
Satan's goal is not to make outright Satan-worshipers but to convince humanity of its own autonomy — that each person can reason through God's word independently and decide what is acceptable
The fall stems from questioning whether the bare, unadorned word of God is sufficient — not the word clothed in rationalism, scientific reasoning, or Enlightenment thought
For fallen man, God speaks as creature and man speaks as creator
II. The Shame of the Image of God Fallen
A. The contrast with Genesis 2:25 is stark
"They were both naked and were not ashamed" — the finished masterpiece of creation
Genesis 3:7 demands grief: the beauty is now tainted with darkness and shame
B. Sin entered; shame entered simultaneously
Adam is described in 1 Corinthians 11:7 as "the image and glory of God" — glory (Hebrew kavod) means heavy; his fall produces a cosmic boom felt by all creation
G.K. Chesterton: only man can be absurd, for only man can be dignified — from honor and dignity to absurdity, from freedom to slavery
C. Adam and Eve make loin cloths — the first human act of making
The Hebrew word for make echoes the creation account of Genesis 1
God's order: God speaks → God makes → God sees that it is good
Sin reverses the order: Eve questions the word → Eve sees that it is good → Eve makes what covers what God declared good
D. Sin is completely and utterly backwards
Man who was to rule over land animals (Genesis 1:28) is now ruled by one
Adam who named the serpent in authority over it now bows down to it
Scripture uses many words for sin — transgression, iniquity, sin, evil, wicked, filthy, unclean — because sin is dynamically filthy in the same way Christ is dynamically beautiful
Shame is equally dynamic: it clings, it varies, it dominates fallen humanity
Fallen humanity continues to fashion loin cloths — autonomy, success, silence, isolation, bitterness, anger, sexual sin, alcohol — to cover shame
III. The Seal of the Image of God Fallen
A. God summons Adam and Eve to his judicial bench (Genesis 3:8-13)
The formal judgments on all three parties follow in vv. 14-19
Notably, God shifts from second person plural (serpent–Eve exchange) to second person singular, summoning Adam alone
The prohibition was given to Adam alone (Genesis 2:17) before Eve was made — Adam was the original prophet, to pass God's word to Eve; instead, Eve passed him the forbidden fruit
B. God's question is a gracious opportunity to repent
"Where are you?" — God is omniscient; like a father giving his child a chance to confess
The model response would have been Psalm 51:4: "Against you, and you only, have I sinned; your judgments are true and just"
C. Adam and Eve respond with blame-shifting, sealing humanity in total depravity
Adam: "The woman whom you gave to be with me — she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate" — the man who sang a love song to his bride (Genesis 2:23) now deflects blame onto her and onto God
Eve: "The serpent deceived me, and I ate" — the first words from each reveal the pattern: the woman / the serpent
Even when confronted by the sovereign King, they remain autonomous and self-ruled
Adam, once a vice-regent king, now behaves like a narcissistic king — hand caught in the cookie jar, he says "not me, you"
D. Sin is not a small mistake but a hardened, confirmed, and sealed rebellion
A set-in-stone, backward, twisted revolt against the one who made us in his image for his glory
All fallen humanity — religious and secular — responds by attempting to work its way back into the garden; every such system is a works-righteousness paradigm
This proves the serpent still has humanity's ear: "It's not that bad. You don't need Christ alone. You can attain the heights of God on your own."
Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is the only answer
E. Two and only two options for every person
Remain in Adam, serving the serpent
Come to Christ by faith alone and in the power of the Spirit serve God
"Choose this day whom you will serve"
31 min
August 24, 2025The Image of God Created Part 2
Scripture: Genesis 2:4-25
Order of Service
Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Call to Worship — Psalm 95:1-6
Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 4
Scripture Reading — Ezra 7:1-10
Hymn — Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth (Psalm 119:33–40)
Prayer of Confession
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn of Preparation — Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners
Sermon
Hymn of Dedication — We Gather Together
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Gloria Patri
Sermon Title: The Image of God Created Part 2
Scripture: Genesis 2:4-25
I. Introduction: Man Created for Fellowship with God
A. Genesis 1:26-27 and Genesis 2:7 show the creation of man as intimate and personal
God breathes life directly into man's nostrils — unlike all other creation
Man was made by God, for God, and for eternal fellowship with God
B. Three aspects of that fellowship:
Worship-based fellowship
Word-based fellowship
Corporate-based fellowship
II. Worship-Based Fellowship with God
A. Eden as the original temple mount
Four rivers flow out of Eden, making it a life source and an elevated place — a mountain (Ezekiel 28:14 calls Eden "the holy mountain of God")
The garden faces east, as both tabernacle and temple faced east — patterning the original garden temple
B. Adam as the original priest-king
The Hebrew verbs for "work" and "keep" (Genesis 2:15) are used almost exclusively of Levitical priests guarding the temple
Cherubim guarding Eden after the fall (Genesis 3) mirror the cherubim on the temple curtain
The Spirit hovers over creation (Genesis 1:2) just as the glory cloud and pillar of fire indicate God's presence at the tabernacle and temple
C. Man created to be enveloped in God's holy presence without being consumed
Isaiah 43:2 — walking through fire and not being burned
Like the burning bush (Exodus 3) — enveloped in God's presence but not consumed
The disciples on the Emmaus road: "Did not our hearts burn within us?" (Luke 24)
D. True humanity is defined by worshiping the triune God in his holy presence
III. Word-Based Fellowship with God
A. God's word is the means of fellowship
As God named what he created, Adam is granted authority to name the living creatures — mimicking his Father, strengthening the bond of fellowship
Luke 3 calls Adam the son of God; the son replicates the actions of the Father
B. The command in Genesis 2:16-17
The first recorded words to man are in the form of a command — man is made to obey God's word
The Hebrew doubles the verb in both verses: "you may surely eat" and "you shall surely die" — abundance of blessing for obedience, abundance of curse for disobedience
The tree of life is a sacramental sign and seal of eternal life in God's presence; confirmed in Revelation 22:3
C. Obedience is to be for God's sake alone — no quid pro quo
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"
Jesus to the rich young ruler: "Only God is good" — connecting to the temptation in the wilderness
Adam was to desire God for God's sake, receiving his word with delight
IV. Corporate-Based Fellowship with God
A. It is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18)
God brings the animals to Adam for naming, so Adam himself comes to recognize his need — the Father leading the son to desire what the Father desires for him
This reflects the pattern of Hebrews 12 — God disciplines those he loves to align their desires with his own
B. The creation of woman is the climactic finishing touch on the imago Dei
Adam's song of praise in Genesis 2:23 — "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" — is the culmination of the naming process
The one-flesh union of Genesis 2:24 reflects the corporate solidarity of the three-in-one God
Only with male and female united does God rest over his completed creation
C. The imago Dei finds its ultimate completion in Christ and his bride
Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 can prefer singleness because the image of God is now most fully seen in the union of Christ and his church
Jesus in John's Gospel: "I long for you to be one with me as I am one with the Father"
Ephesians 5:25-27 — Christ sanctifying and presenting his bride without spot or wrinkle, echoing Adam's words over Eve
At the last day, the last Adam will say to his glorified bride: "At last, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh"
D. Conclusion: The imago Dei is complete only in Christ
Fellowship with God comes through worship of Christ, the word of Christ, and corporate solidarity in Christ
In Christ alone the imago Dei is complete
38 min
August 24, 2025August 24, 2025; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Romans 8:26
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 105:1-5
Hymn — Oh, Praise the Lord, His Deeds Make Known
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 25 (Questions 65–68)
Hymn of the Month — My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Spirit of God, Dwell Thou Within My Heart (#393)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Spirit Intercedes in Our Weakness
Scripture: Romans 8:26-27
I. Our Weak Condition in Our Waiting Prayers
A. Paul introduces verse 26 with "likewise," connecting the Spirit's help to the patient hope already described in Romans 8:18-25
Christians live between two worlds — the fallen creation and the glory to come
The Spirit's help is now directed not only at suffering but at an inward deficiency — our weakness
B. We have the right to commune with God in prayer
As image-bearers, God made us for communion with him, giving us thought and speech
Adam and Eve enjoyed communion with God in the garden; after the fall, that communion became distorted
Christ restored the enjoyment of communion with the Father; through him we have the right to cry "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15)
C. Yet we lack the required knowledge to pray as we ought (Romans 8:26)
The weakness is not merely how to pray, but what to pray for
John Stott: we are unsure whether to pray for deliverance from suffering or for strength to endure it
Paul's own thorn in the flesh illustrates this — he prayed three times for removal, but God's will was endurance (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
The fall clouded our knowledge of God and of ourselves; our prayers are full of self-interest and often misdirected
Our instinct is to pray "make this stop," but we do not always know what we ought to pray for
II. The Spirit's Comfort in Our Waiting Prayers
A. The Spirit is our helper and intercessor
Promised by Christ in John 14 as the Helper sent by the Father and the Son
His manner of helping is intercession — he intercedes for the saints (Romans 8:27)
John Murray: Christians have two divine intercessors — Christ intercedes in the court of heaven; the Spirit intercedes in the court of their hearts
B. The Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26)
Creation and God's people groan in Romans 8:18-25; now the Spirit himself groans within us
The groanings originate in the Spirit, not merely translations of our prayers — they are his own expression on our behalf
The Spirit knows the layout of our hearts perfectly — our cares, concerns, and conflicts too deep for us to articulate
Stott: these are unspoken, agonized longings for final redemption and the consummation of all things
C. The Spirit intercedes according to his perfect unity with the Father (Romans 8:27)
The Father searches hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit — he knows the Spirit perfectly (1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 17:10)
The Spirit is perfectly of one will with the Father; his intercessions always conform to the will of God
John Murray: though our groanings are inarticulate, they are wholly intelligible to God and found to be in accordance with his will
The Father and Spirit work in perfect harmony, bringing before God exactly what we need
D. This truth is comfort, not an excuse for prayerlessness
Jesus commands persistent prayer and not losing heart (Luke 18:1)
Paul commands, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Name your needs as best you know them; have confidence the Spirit expresses them perfectly before the Father
Cry to him as a needy child — he knows what you need better than you know yourself
32 min
August 17, 2025August 17, 2025; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Romans 8:26
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 147:1
Hymn — How Great Thou Art (#227)
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 24 (Questions 61–64)
Hymn — His Robes for Mine
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Ephesians 4:1-3
Sermon
Hymn — My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (#459)
Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
Sermon Title: Cultivating and Maintaining Gospel Unity
Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3
I. Live Like Christians
A. Paul urges the church to walk in a manner worthy of their calling — Ephesians 4:1
B. In Ephesians 1–3, Paul establishes the grand reality of the new humanity in Christ: God has healed our alienation from him and brought believing Jews and Gentiles into one body
C. The implication: God has sovereignly and indestructibly united his people to himself and to one another; now Christians are to live out that unity
God's sovereignty and human responsibility are not contradictions — they work together
Be who God has made you to be in Christ; cultivate and work at the unity he has given
II. Love God's Family
A. Paul gives the specific how of Christian life and unity in Ephesians 4:2 — with humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance
B. Humility
A modest estimation of self combined with high esteem for others — cf. Philippians 2:3
Does not mean wavering in conviction about God's word, but convictions must be held without pride
Humility looks like selfless service — a new heart that beats for Christ and his people
Pride, the opposite of humility, destroys fellowship and fractures unity
C. Gentleness
Not weakness, but strength under control deployed for the benefit of others
Contrasted with a bully's self-assertion; illustrated by emergency responders and soldiers who risk themselves for others
The supreme example is the Lord Jesus — the most powerful man who ever lived, who welcomed children and gave himself to be crucified for sinners
Christians are called to lay down rights, privileges, and even life for the benefit of others in the household of faith
D. Patience
Forbearance toward personal offenses — enduring with aggravating people
Willingness to cover offenses; essential for unity in the household and in the church
E. Tolerance (bearing with one another)
Not politically correct tolerance, but making space for one another
Giving leeway, cutting one another slack, suffering one another's different personalities for the good of the family
All of these virtues are expressions of love — seeking the best interest of others even at personal cost
III. Keep the Peace
A. Paul commands eagerness and diligence to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace — Ephesians 4:3
B. This unity was purchased at the cost of the blood of the Son of God and wrought by the irresistible work of the Holy Spirit; therefore it must be guarded
C. Practical applications of diligence:
Guard the tongue and the heart
Cultivate humble concern for others and seek ways to serve them
Use strength and resources to bless rather than assert
Be patient and give one another space
D. Gospel unity is simultaneously a gift from God and our responsibility — we must ask whether this witness of love is evident in the local church
E. Call to prayer: ask Christ to pour out his Spirit, root out pride, and make humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love an ever-increasing reality in the congregation
34 min
August 17, 2025No Game of Thrones
Scripture: Psalm 146
Order of Service
Call to Worship — 1 Chronicles 16:8-11
Hymn — O Worship the King
Prayer of Adoration
Lord's Prayer
Reading of the Law — Matthew 22:37-40
Corporate Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon
Scripture Reading — Ezra 6:13-22
Hymn — I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — The Lord God Reigns in Majesty (Psalm 99)
Sermon
Hymn — Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Doxology
Sermon Title: No Game of Thrones
Scripture: Psalm 146
I. A Warning About Misplaced Trust (vv. 1–4)
A. The call to praise in verses 1–2 is connected to a warning about trust
Worship and trust are inseparable — the object of deepest trust will receive worship
The psalm calls for both corporate and personal praise: "Praise the Lord, O my soul"
B. The psalmist warns against ultimate trust in "princes"
"Princes" is a catch-all for whoever appears most capable of delivering ultimate things: significance, satisfaction, security, and salvation
Examples of misplaced ultimate trust: political leaders, a spouse or romantic partner, one's children, money or fame, oneself (the triumph of the modern self)
C. The reason for the warning: princes cannot save (Psalm 146:3-4)
"There is no salvation" in them — they cannot even save themselves
A wordplay in Hebrew: adam (man) returns to the adamah (earth/ground) — mankind is created from the ground and returns to it
"On that very day his plans perish" — man's power and purposes die with him
Isaiah 40:6-7: "All flesh is grass… the grass withers, the flower fades"
II. Guidance in the Way of Blessed Trust (vv. 5–10)
A. A beatitude introduces the contrast: "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God" (Psalm 146:5)
"Help" and "hope" stand in parallel; hope carries the sense of expectant looking
The Lord redirects our expectant looking to himself
B. Trust in the eternal might of God (Psalm 146:6, 10)
In contrast to man, God made heaven and earth — he has no beginning and no end
"He who has no beginning has no end" — no variation or shadow due to change
The Lord reigns forever; his strength is never spent
C. Trust in the faithfulness of God (Psalm 146:6)
He keeps faith forever with his creation — a witness to his faithfulness to his people
He loves the righteous with a steadfast, unending love
Though his people are prone to wander and to trust in other things, he is always faithful
D. Trust in the justice and provision of God (Psalm 146:7-9)
Though injustice may appear to win for a time, the faithful God ultimately executes justice for the oppressed
The way of the wicked he brings to ruin — temporary satisfaction is all they receive
He feeds the hungry, frees prisoners, opens blind eyes, lifts the bowed down, watches over the sojourner, upholds the widow and fatherless
E. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Psalm 146
Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue (Luke 4:17-21) and declares, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" — he is the Lord of Psalm 146
He is the son of man in whom there is salvation: when his breath departed and his body was laid in the ground, it did not stay there — his plans were not destroyed but established in resurrection
In him alone: freedom from the prison of sin, opening of blind spiritual eyes, lifting of drooping heads, and full payment of the debt of sin
III. The Central Charge: Worship God Alone
A. Who or what you trust most will receive your worship
If ultimate trust is placed in a limited person or thing, worship will follow there
Without trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot worship God rightly
B. Significance, satisfaction, security, and salvation are found in Christ alone
Christ trusted and knew the Father perfectly — he is the model and the means
Only in and through Christ can you worship God as you were made to do
C. The Father is seeking true worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24)
The Father's seeking is not passive searching — he draws, saves, and ensures the means by which he will have right worshippers
"You were made to worship. Worship God alone."
33 min
August 10, 2025The Image of God Created
Scripture: Genesis 1-2:3
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 100
Hymn — All People That on Earth Do Dwell
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Isaiah 12:2
Scripture Reading — Ezra 6:1-12
Hymn — Children of the Heavenly Father
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — God, All Nature Sings Thy Glory
Sermon
Hymn — This Is My Father's World
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Image of God Created
Scripture: Genesis 1:1–2:3
I. The Distinctiveness of the Created Image of God
A. The creation of man is marked by a unique and abrupt change in language
All other creatures are made by a word directed outward: Let the land…let the water…
Man's creation involves an inward divine council: Let us make man in our image — an ad intra word within the triune God
There is no according to its kind language for man, only intimate divine deliberation
B. Man's distinctiveness is evident in his God-given dominion
The language of subdue and rule (Genesis 1:28) is royal language used of kings in the ancient world
Man rules as a vice-regent, a mini-king, because he alone bears the image of the King of creation
God is not playing favorites among equals — he is blessing the one who alone is in his image
C. The Hebrew word for image (tselem) carries the idea of a conquering king placing statues of himself throughout a nation to signify his sovereign rule
The propagation of man as image of God is about the glory and magnification of the triune God over all creation
Man is unique both ontologically (in his nature) and functionally (in his calling and duty)
D. Man is distinct from all other religious ideas of humanity in the ancient Near East
Pagan gods sought to limit human multiplication; the God of Genesis commands man to be fruitful and multiply
This uniqueness flows from what man is by nature: imago Dei
II. The Dependence of the Created Image of God
A. We are images of God, not the original — we are replicas entirely dependent on God
John Stott: Human beings are not self-explanatory. They derive their meaning from outside themselves, from God in whose image they are made.
We are not autonomous individuals; our dignity is derivative
B. Man shares creatureliness with all other creatures
Man is created on the sixth day alongside the land animals — there is no special day set apart for him
The Hebrew word Adam echoes adamah (ground) — he is made of the dust of the earth, not from some heavenly substance
This shared creatureliness is not evidence of evolutionary derivation from animals, but of a common Creator
C. Caution against defining the imago Dei by a single characteristic or capacity
Philosophers and theologians often narrow the image to one faculty: reason, speech, creativity, free will, etc.
This creates gradations of God's image, implying some humans bear it more than others
The text is clear: man is God's image because God declares it before Adam does anything — not because he expresses any particular trait
Therefore the mentally handicapped, the child in the womb, the deaf, the blind, the infant are as fully image of God as the most gifted intellect
D. Support from 1 Corinthians 1:26–29
God chose what is foolish, weak, and despised to shame the wise and strong
Purpose: so that no human being might boast in the presence of God
All human beings, whatever their capacities, are dependent creatures who owe their image-bearing existence to God alone
III. The Delight in the Created Image of God
A. Man is the crown of God's creation
After each of the first five days: God saw that it was good
After the creation of man: God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good — the word behold means most surely, most certainly
Like an artist finishing a masterpiece, creation reaches its apex with the image-bearer
B. God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1–3) is not exhaustion but delight
God rests as one who beholds and delights in what he has made
This gives the pattern for Sabbath observance: we too rest as we delight in God's handiwork in creation and new creation
Job 38:4, 7 — the morning stars sang and the sons of God shouted for joy at creation
Zephaniah 3:17 — the Lord exults over his redeemed people with singing
C. The third heaven — the glory realm — is where God delights over his creation
The three heavens: the sky (day 2), the stars (day 4), and the invisible glory realm (2 Corinthians 12:2; Isaiah 6; Psalm 104)
From this throne room, surrounded by angels, God delights in his image-bearers
D. The fallen image and its restoration in Christ
Sin has distorted the image: pride (false independence from God) and self-loathing depression (denial of one's dignity as image-bearer) are the two poles of the fallen condition
Only in Christ is the image perfectly harmonized — utterly dependent on the Father, yet radiating God's glory as the exact imprint of his nature (Colossians 1:15)
At Christ's birth the angels sang Glory to God in the highest; at his baptism the Father declared This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
Fallen image-bearers are now utterly dependent on Christ, the spotless image of God, so that the Father can once again delight over his people — but only as he sees them in and through the Son
Outside of Christ: the frown of the artist whose masterpiece has been soiled; in Christ: the Lord exults over us with singing and the heavenly chorus joins
32 min

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Weekly expository preaching from the Lord’s Day morning and evening worship services at Northpointe Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Meridian, Mississippi.

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