Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • Incarnation And Justification

    Scripture: Hebrews 2:14-18

    Order of Service
    • Call to Worship — Psalm 24:7-10
    • Hymn — Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Faith — Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 29
    • Scripture Reading — Micah 5:1-5
    • Hymn — O Little Town of Bethlehem
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Offering
    • Prayer of Dedication
    • Hymn — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
    • Sermon
    • Hymn — Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
    • Benediction
      • Sermon Title: Incarnation and Justification

      Scripture: Hebrews 2:14-18

      I. Our Need for Justification

      A. The diagnosis: mankind is born into a desperate spiritual predicament

      1. Romans 3:10-12 — none is righteous, no one does good
      2. All have sinned and fall short; all are liable before God for judgment
      3. Adam's sin as federal head brings condemnation upon all men

        4. B. Two responses to guilt illustrated in Genesis 3

        1. Adam and Eve's self-made coverings of fig leaves — mankind's perpetual attempt to self-justify
        2. God's provision of garments from animal skins — only God can provide a covering that truly atones

          3. C. Every attempt at self-justification is faulty from the start; we remain condemned before God as long as we look to ourselves

          II. The Necessity of Christ's Incarnation to Become the Justifier

          A. Christ takes to himself full humanity

          1. Hebrews 2:14 — since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise partook of the same things
          2. Hebrews 2:17 — he had to be made like his brothers in every respect
          3. Hebrews 2:18 — he himself suffered when tempted
          4. He was born a baby, grew in wisdom, and was subject to weakness — made like us in every way, yet without sin

            5. B. Christ takes to himself fully the cup of God's wrath

            1. Hebrews 2:17 — as merciful and faithful high priest he makes propitiation for the sins of the people
            2. Propitiation: reconciliation with God by atoning for sin — putting away sin and restoring right relationship with God
            3. Isaiah 51:17 — God takes the cup of staggering, the bowl of his wrath, from his people's hand
            4. In Gethsemane Christ prays that the cup pass, yet submits: not my will but yours be done
            5. Upon the cross Christ drinks the cup of God's just wrath to the dregs
            6. Isaiah 53:4-5 — he bore our griefs, was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities

              7. C. Christ had to be made like us in every way so that he might be the justifier of his people

              III. The Necessity of Faith for Justification in Christ Incarnate

              A. What is accomplished must be applied — a balm left unapplied does no good to the wound

              1. Westminster Shorter Catechism definition: justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith

                2. B. The target of Christ's work — Hebrews 2:16

                1. He does not help angels but the offspring of Abraham
                2. Christ himself is called the offspring of Abraham
                3. The offspring of Abraham are a covenant people marked by faith — an elect, foreloved people
                4. Galatians 3:7-9 — it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham, blessed along with Abraham the man of faith

                  5. C. Justification is received by faith alone in Christ alone

                  1. God regenerates the heart, adopts the sinner as his child, and works saving faith into him
                  2. By faith the believer takes hold of Christ and the benefits of his priestly ministry flow through union with him
                  3. Christ is the vine; believers are the branches — his righteousness is imputed to those who trust in him

                    4. D. Practical application: justification delivers from bondage to the fear of death — Hebrews 2:14-15

                    1. Through death Christ destroyed the devil who had the power of death
                    2. Through death Christ delivers all who were subject to lifelong slavery through fear of death
                    3. The believer's debt for sin has been paid; death holds nothing over them
                    4. 1 Corinthians 15:55 — O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
                    5. In Christ: no more condemnation, no more fear of death
                      6. 34 min
                    6. Hymn Sing
                      Order of Service
                      • Homily / Call to Worship — Psalm 149:1, Psalm 150, Revelation 5:9
                      • Hymn — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (#311)
                      • Hymn Sing (Congregational Requests)
                        • Once in Royal David's City (#322)
                        • Silent Night (#315)
                        • Joy to the World (#299)
                        • Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (#293)
                        • Song of Zechariah (#294)
                        • Of the Father's Love Begotten (#268)
                        • Unto Us a Child Is Born (#306)
                        • O Little Town of Bethlehem (#323)
                        • My Soul Magnifies the Lord (#301)
                        • Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (#305)
                        • Angels We Have Heard on High (#318)
                        • What Child Is This (#317)
                        • Away in a Manger (stanza 1)
                        • Benediction / Closing Prayer
                          • Sermon Title: Singing New Songs in the Fullness of Time

                          Scripture: Psalm 149:1

                          I. The Biblical Pattern of New Songs

                          A. Throughout redemptive history, new songs accompany new and powerful acts of God

                          B. Key examples of new songs across Scripture:

                          1. The angels singing at creation — Job 38:7
                          2. The Song of Moses after crossing the Red Sea — Exodus 15
                          3. The Psalms, written to commemorate specific deliverances of the Lord
                          4. The new song of the redeemed in glory — Revelation 5:9
                            5. II. The Fulfillment Brought by Christ Calls for a New Song

                            A. The hymns of the Christmas season are songs of fulfillment, not merely songs of anticipation

                            1. We sing not in the days of preparation but in the days of fulfillment
                            2. Christ's incarnation is the supreme new act of God that warrants a new song

                              3. B. The congregation stands in the long line of redemptive history when it gathers to sing

                              III. The Call to Praise

                              A. Psalm 150 commands all creation, with every instrument and voice, to praise the Lord

                              B. Psalm 149:1 calls the assembly of the godly to sing a new song to the Lord

                              C. The church is summoned to carry the joy of the incarnation not only in the Christmas season but throughout all of life, until Christ returns

                              1. The ancient prayer of the saints: Maranatha — Come quickly, Lord Jesus
                                2. 54 min
                              2. Incarnation and Adoption

                                Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7

                                Order of Service
                                • Hymn — Joy to the World
                                • Call to Worship — Hebrews 4:14-16
                                • Hymn — Joy to the World
                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                • Confession of Sin — Isaiah 53
                                • Assurance of Pardon — Ephesians 1:7
                                • Scripture Reading — Isaiah 9:1-7
                                • Hymn — Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                • Doxology
                                • Offertory Prayer
                                • Hymn — Of the Father's Love Begotten
                                • Sermon
                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                • Hymn — Good Christian Men, Rejoice
                                • Benediction
                                • Doxology
                                  • Sermon Title: Incarnation and Adoption

                                  Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7

                                  I. The Incarnation Brings a Human Adoption

                                  A. Paul's phrase "born of woman" (Galatians 4:4) echoes the proto-gospel of Genesis 3:15, pointing not to one specific woman but to generic, representative womanhood

                                  1. "Woman" recalls Eve, fashioned from Adam, whose Hebrew name (Isha) derives from Ish (man), just as Adam (Adam) derives from Adamah (ground)
                                  2. Adam renames Eve "mother of all living" after the fall and after the promise of Genesis 3:15, signaling that humanity plunged into death will be restored through the offspring of the woman

                                    3. B. The "woman" of Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled progressively through redemptive history

                                    1. Eve → Sarah → Rebekah → Tamar → Rahab → Ruth → Bathsheba → Mary
                                    2. Each bears a "son of promise" until in the fullness of time the Son of God himself is born of woman

                                      3. C. Union with the Son born of woman grants believers a new family history

                                      1. The Old Testament is not merely ancient history for believers — it is their own family record
                                      2. As Romans 9:5 states, from Israel's race according to the flesh comes the Christ, through whom Gentiles are grafted in
                                      3. Stories of God's providential rescue — Moses, Mordecai, Esther — become the believer's own story of salvation
                                        4. II. The Incarnation Brings a Legal Adoption

                                        A. The Son was "born under the law" (Galatians 4:4), specifically the Mosaic law given to Israel

                                        1. Luke 2:21 records Jesus's circumcision on the eighth day, consecrating him to full covenant obligation
                                        2. Jesus is not named until after his circumcision; the name Jesus ("the Lord is salvation") is given by the angel and defines his mission

                                          3. B. Jesus undergoes a second, final "circumcision" at the cross (Colossians 2), cut off for our sins, completing the legal transaction

                                          1. At the cross he declares Tetelestai — "It is finished" — the debt paid in full, the final signature signed
                                          2. Mankind, held captive by the law's condemnatory power, is legally transferred from the domain of darkness into the household of God

                                            3. C. The legal reality of adoption is robust and permanent

                                            1. Adopted children who struggle to feel they truly belong need the full biblical doctrine: believers are lawfully sons of God, lawfully heirs of the kingdom
                                            2. Abraham is truly and legally the believer's father; Christ is truly and legally the believer's elder brother
                                            3. Satan cannot reclaim what the Father has legally secured: Tetelestai — it is finished
                                              4. III. The Incarnation Brings a Spiritual Adoption

                                              A. Christ is called Son of Man because he is born of woman, and Son of God because he is born of the Spirit

                                              1. At Jesus's baptism (Mark 1), the Spirit descends and the Father speaks to the Son: "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased" — the Spirit confirms to Christ in the flesh his divine sonship
                                              2. That same Spirit now confirms to believers' hearts that they are sons of God, so that with Christ they cry Abba, Father

                                                3. B. The Spirit does not make us sons; rather, because we are sons, the Father sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts (Galatians 4:6)

                                                1. Herman Bavinck: sonship is the ground for receiving the Spirit, and the Spirit is the means by which believers become conscious of their sonship — these are reciprocal, not contradictory
                                                2. The heir, even while under guardians, remains an heir; the adopted child, even before the legal work is completed, is already written on the adoptive parent's heart

                                                  3. C. Election grounds adoption before time; the Spirit applies it in time

                                                  1. Ephesians 1:4-5: in love the Father predestined us for adoption through Christ before the foundation of the world
                                                  2. In the fullness of time the Spirit is sent to confirm in our hearts what we have always been in the Father's heart — sons of God, heirs of the kingdom of heaven, through the Son born of woman, born under the law, born of the Spirit
                                                    3. 30 min
                                                  3. The Manner of Our Piety

                                                    Scripture: Titus 2:11-14

                                                    Order of Service
                                                    • Call to Worship — Psalm 145:1-2, 21
                                                    • Psalm — I Will Forever Bless Your Name (Psalm 145b, stanzas 1–4, 12)
                                                    • Prayer of Invocation
                                                    • Confession of Faith — Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 160
                                                    • Hymn — Song of Mary (#301)
                                                    • Pastoral Prayer
                                                    • Sermon
                                                    • Hymn — Day by Day and with Each Passing Moment (#255)
                                                    • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                      • Sermon Title: The Manner of Our Piety

                                                      Scripture: Titus 2:11-14

                                                      I. The Disciplines of Our Piety (v. 12)

                                                      A. Context: the two appearances of Christ

                                                      1. The first appearing — the Incarnation: grace and salvation have come in Christ (Titus 2:11; cf. Luke 1:79); salvation for all kinds of people, fulfilling the promise of Genesis 12
                                                      2. The second appearing — the future return of "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13); Christ's deity affirmed
                                                      3. The disciplines are lived out in "the present age" — the era between the two comings (cf. 2 Peter 3:11)

                                                        4. B. The grace of God trains us (Titus 2:12); there is an educating power in grace (Donald Guthrie)

                                                        C. Negatively: we are trained to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions

                                                        1. Ungodliness — living without regard for God or his will
                                                        2. Worldly passions — Calvin: "unbridled love of evil"; what belongs to our former selves apart from Christ
                                                        3. To renounce means to deny their power and place in our lives

                                                          4. D. Positively: we are trained to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives

                                                          1. Self-controlled — the discipline of piety within ourselves; to live soberly with conscious mastery over unchecked appetites and activities; Calvin: without this we are like stampeding cattle
                                                          2. Upright — the discipline of piety with others; living justly toward our neighbors; fulfilling the second table of the law (Matthew 7:12); honoring authorities and seeking the good of others in home, church, work, and civic life
                                                          3. Godly — the discipline of piety before God; all of life lived coram Deo; loving God through obedience to his moral law in all spheres of life

                                                            4. E. Such piety is possible only because of Christ's justifying work and the Spirit's sanctifying work (cf. Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

                                                            II. The Dispositions of Our Piety (vv. 13–14)

                                                            A. Disciplines and dispositions belong together; Paul is equally concerned with how we practice piety, not only what we do

                                                            B. First disposition: hope-filled waiting (Titus 2:13)

                                                            1. The Christian lives in a state of waiting for "our blessed hope" — the personal return of Jesus Christ
                                                            2. Hope here is not a wish but the assured object of expectation; "faith is the assurance of things hoped for" (Hebrews 11:1)
                                                            3. As the expectation of a wedding day seasons all the days leading up to it for a bride, so the hope of Christ's appearing seasons all the hard days of duty and denial for the Christian
                                                            4. This disposition works backward upon all the waiting days, making them better days

                                                              5. C. Second disposition: eager working (Titus 2:14)

                                                              1. Christ gave himself for us unto two purposes:
                                                                • To redeem us from all lawlessness — to free us from captivity to sin (cf. Exodus 19:5)
                                                                • To purify for himself a people for his own possession — drawing on the "peculiar treasure" language of Exodus 19:5 (Guthrie)
                                                                • This purified people is marked by being zealous for good works — fervently, passionately eager to do what is good in God's eyes
                                                                • God desires not mere outward compliance but hearts that delight to obey; a disposition the preacher acknowledges we often fail to fully attain
                                                                • We are not saved by our works or dispositions, but God by his Spirit is actively shaping both — working in us as we are justified by grace through faith

                                                                  • D. Conclusion: the Spirit uses hope-filled waiting and growing eagerness to season our disciplines, so that we adorn the doctrine of God (Titus 2:10) — making beautiful in our lives what we believe and confess

                                                                  32 min
                                                                • December1, 2024; Sunday Morning Worship

                                                                  Scripture: John 17

                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                  • Call to Worship — Isaiah 9:1-7
                                                                  • Hymn — Angels from the Realms of Glory
                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                  • Confession of Faith — Colossians 1:15-20
                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Isaiah 7:10-17
                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                  • Offering
                                                                  • Hymn — O Come, All Ye Faithful
                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                  • Lord's Supper Reading — Luke 5:27-32
                                                                  • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (first two stanzas)
                                                                  • Lord's Supper
                                                                  • Hymn — Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
                                                                  • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (final two stanzas)
                                                                  • Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Incarnation and Regeneration

                                                                    Scripture: John 1:11-13; John 3:1-8

                                                                    I. You Must Have the Regeneration Life That Comes with Christ

                                                                    A. Christ came to bring life — John 10:10

                                                                    1. In him was life; he came that his people might have life abundantly
                                                                    2. Eternal life begins now — Paul calls this "regeneration" in Titus 3:5, a being born again

                                                                      3. B. Man was created with vital spiritual life breathed into him by God — Genesis 2:7

                                                                      1. Derek Kidner notes the personal self-giving nature of God breathing life into man
                                                                      2. Man was made with knowledge of God, righteousness, and spiritual vitality

                                                                        3. C. That spiritual life was lost through sin

                                                                        1. Adam's sin brought immediate spiritual death — the loss of his spiritual vitality — as well as eventual physical death
                                                                        2. Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones captures the condition of fallen man
                                                                        3. Paul summarizes: we were dead in our trespasses — Ephesians 2:1

                                                                          4. D. Therefore you must be born again — John 3:3

                                                                          1. Without spiritual life you cannot see or enter the kingdom of God
                                                                          2. The best of your works earns only eternal death apart from regeneration
                                                                            3. II. How You Get the Regeneration Life That Comes with Christ

                                                                            A. Those who believe are those who were born of God — John 1:12-13

                                                                            1. Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man
                                                                            2. Faith follows the new birth; one does not will himself into new spiritual life

                                                                              3. B. You must be born of water and the Spirit — John 3:5

                                                                              1. Water here likely refers to baptism as the sign of the inward work of the Spirit
                                                                              2. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit — John 3:6

                                                                                3. C. Christ himself is the one who gives this life

                                                                                1. Illustration: a rusted, seized 1940 Pontiac Coupe cannot start itself — it needs another to do a complete work of restoration on it; so too with dead sinners
                                                                                2. After his resurrection Jesus breathed on his disciples — John 20:22 — echoing Genesis 2:7, signaling he has come to renew the spiritual life lost in sin
                                                                                3. God promises in Ezekiel 36:26-27: I will give you a new heart and a new spirit; I will remove the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh and put my Spirit within you

                                                                                  4. D. Geerhardus Vos: the Spirit works out of Christ and jointly with Christ, taking the life of Christ and implanting it in the dead heart

                                                                                  1. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, created in Christ Jesus
                                                                                    2. III. How You Can Know You Have the Regeneration Life That Comes with Christ

                                                                                    A. Thomas Boston on regeneration: the question of assurance — how shall we know whether we are born again?

                                                                                    B. The marks of regeneration, adapting the language of the Westminster Confession:

                                                                                    1. A mind enlightened savingly in the things of God — new knowledge of who God is, his wisdom, justice, and gracious love; growing trust in his providential purposes
                                                                                    2. A renewed will — new knowledge of and love for God's moral law; love for God and love for neighbor; growing power and motivation to obey
                                                                                    3. Evidence of a growing hatred of sin and whatever displeases God
                                                                                    4. Love for the church — a renewed desire to see the people of God grow and flourish — 1 John 2:3

                                                                                      5. C. The chief mark: being effectually drawn to Jesus Christ

                                                                                      1. Illustration: Lucy Pevensie in Prince Caspian — waking at night, catching a glimpse of Aslan far off, and sprinting toward him, paying no attention to anything else
                                                                                      2. The Spirit having given new life causes you to see the beauty of Christ and want to get to him; you cannot but believe on Christ as Savior and Lord

                                                                                        3. D. Application and call

                                                                                        1. The question is not whether you have these marks in full measure — perfect faith, untainted love, perfect obedience are not achieved in this life
                                                                                        2. Do you find even some small measure of these marks? If so, praise God
                                                                                        3. If not, you must be born again — you can ask the Father for that life now
                                                                                        4. For those who have professed faith, the Lord's Table is a table of sustaining grace for the weak and weary on the long road of sanctification
                                                                                          5. 33 min
                                                                                        5. December 1, 2024; Sunday Evening Worship
                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                          • Call to Worship — Psalm 100
                                                                                          • Hymn — All People That on Earth Do Dwell (#100b)
                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                          • Confession of Sin — Daniel 9
                                                                                          • Assurance of Pardon — Romans 5:6-8
                                                                                          • Hymn — Song of Mary (#301)
                                                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — Romans 8:1-11
                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                          • Hymn — O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (#209)
                                                                                          • Benediction
                                                                                            • Sermon Title: The Source and Power Behind Holy Living

                                                                                            Scripture: Romans 8:1-8

                                                                                            I. The Giving Love of the Father

                                                                                            A. God the Father as sacrificial offerer, not merely Christ as sacrificial offering

                                                                                            1. Leviticus required costly offerings — firstborn, unblemished animals — as the means of fulfilling the Mosaic law
                                                                                            2. Israel as offerers could never fully satisfy the law's requirement through the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 10)
                                                                                            3. God the Father offers his own firstborn, his eternally begotten Son, as the perfect sin offering (Romans 8:3)

                                                                                              4. B. To miss the Father as sacrificial offerer leads to pietism — self-feeding rather than receiving from the Father's gracious hand

                                                                                              1. Like a toddler trying to feed himself: the result is mess, not nourishment
                                                                                              2. True piety flows from receiving, as a helpless child, the bread the Father freely gives — his Son
                                                                                              3. Matthew 18:3 — entering the kingdom requires faith like a little child
                                                                                                4. II. The Gift of Righteousness in the Son

                                                                                                A. The Son is sent from the Father as the pre-incarnate, heavenly Man (1 Corinthians 15)

                                                                                                1. He comes in the likeness of sinful flesh — the Greek word sarx denotes the sinful nature — yet without sin himself
                                                                                                2. His coming had no relevance apart from the fact of sin; he came into the closest possible relation to sin without becoming sinful (John Murray)

                                                                                                  3. B. Christ condemns sin in the flesh — in that very nature dominated by sin in all others, he vanquishes sin's power

                                                                                                  1. He blots out sin's guilt (justification) and breaks sin's enslaving dominion (sanctification) — Rock of Ages: "be of sin the double cure, save me from its guilt and power"
                                                                                                  2. Hebrews 2:14-15 — through death he destroys the devil, who held humanity in slavery through fear of death
                                                                                                  3. Christ is the new Sovereign; we fear him in obedience, no longer fearing sin in obedience to it

                                                                                                    4. C. Satan as accuser is answered both in justification and in sanctification

                                                                                                    1. In justification: Christ our Advocate presents the penalty paid in full before the holy Judge
                                                                                                    2. In sanctification: Satan's bullying whisper — you are not holy — is silenced by the righteousness of Christ
                                                                                                    3. James 4:7 — resist the devil and he will flee from you
                                                                                                      4. III. The Generating Energy of the Spirit

                                                                                                      A. Paul presents a trickle-down structure of the two governing principles — flesh and spirit

                                                                                                      1. Moral condition — being in the flesh vs. being in the spirit
                                                                                                      2. Bent of heart and mind — minding the things of the flesh vs. minding the things of the spirit
                                                                                                      3. Practice — walking according to the flesh vs. walking according to the spirit

                                                                                                        4. B. Those in the flesh are totally depraved and totally unable to please God (Romans 8:7-8)

                                                                                                        1. Enmity against God = total depravity; cannot please God = total inability (John Murray)
                                                                                                        2. James 1:14-15 — desire conceives and gives birth to sin; the condition produces the bent, which produces the act

                                                                                                          3. C. Reconciling Romans 7 and Romans 8

                                                                                                          1. Some argue Romans 7 describes Paul before conversion, but this misreads the text
                                                                                                          2. The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7) — but Paul in Romans 7 is hostile toward sin, not God; his mind is after the law of God
                                                                                                          3. 2 Corinthians 10:3 — we walk in the flesh but do not wage war according to the flesh; Paul wages war according to the Spirit even while lamenting the flesh

                                                                                                            4. D. Piety is Spirit-wrought warfare with sin

                                                                                                            1. We are no longer at enmity with God but friends through the reconciling blood of Christ; we are now enemies of sin
                                                                                                            2. Battles may be lost — Romans 7 is a sweet balm in those moments — but no decisive defeat ends the war
                                                                                                            3. The Spirit stakes his flag in the soul he indwells and will not surrender it; he will gain total and final victory
                                                                                                              4. 33 min
                                                                                                            4. Thanksgiving Service
                                                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                                                              • Choir Anthem
                                                                                                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 131
                                                                                                              • Hymn — For the Beauty of the Earth
                                                                                                              • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                              • Responsive Reading — Psalm 136
                                                                                                              • Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
                                                                                                              • Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:25-34
                                                                                                              • Thanksgiving Prayer
                                                                                                              • Hymn — Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
                                                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                                                              • Hymn — Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
                                                                                                              • Prayer for the Meal
                                                                                                              • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                • Sermon Title: The Destructive Power of Covetousness and Its Remedies

                                                                                                                Scripture: James 4:1-10

                                                                                                                I. The Destructive Power of Covetousness

                                                                                                                A. Definition of covetousness

                                                                                                                1. A consuming desire to possess in a wrong way something that belongs to another, stimulated by the perceived beauty of the coveted thing
                                                                                                                2. Not the mere having of possessions, but the sinful desire for them — cf. 1 Timothy 6:9-10: it is the love of money, not money itself, that plunges people into ruin
                                                                                                                3. Covetousness has no desire to receive from God as a gift with thanksgiving; it seeks only to consume and move on

                                                                                                                  4. B. Covetousness is the fountainhead of many sins

                                                                                                                  1. Many scholars see the 10th commandment as the basis for commandments 5–9
                                                                                                                  2. Adultery, theft, murder, abuse of authority, and deception all flow from covetous desire

                                                                                                                    3. C. Covetousness reveals our sinful hearts — James 4:1-3

                                                                                                                    1. James turns our accusatory fingers back at ourselves: quarrels and fights are symptoms of passions at war within us
                                                                                                                    2. We don't have what we want because we don't ask God for it — sinful independence seeks worldly things by worldly means
                                                                                                                    3. When we do ask, we ask wrongly — God cares about our motives; he will not grant requests meant only to fuel fleshly desires
                                                                                                                    4. Illustration: the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) — envious of the fatted calf, willing to sacrifice his father's fellowship for it
                                                                                                                    5. Illustration: Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of soup — despising the eternally valuable for the immediately gratifying

                                                                                                                      6. D. Covetousness destroys the covenant community — James 4:4-5

                                                                                                                      1. It destroys fellowship with one another: dissatisfaction with God is projected onto relationships; there is no humility, no concern for others, no love
                                                                                                                      2. It destroys communion with God: James charges the church with spiritual adultery — friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4)
                                                                                                                      3. God himself is jealous for our hearts; he is discontent with our discontentment — our hearts are made to belong to him
                                                                                                                        4. II. Three Precious Remedies for Covetous Hearts

                                                                                                                        A. Humble yourself before the Lord — James 4:6-10

                                                                                                                        1. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble — humility works because of who God is, not as a formula
                                                                                                                        2. Submit yourself to God: relinquish self-righteous plans, give up demands for the thing coveted, say "Lord, if you will"
                                                                                                                        3. Resist the devil: by the Spirit, recognize his schemes, turn from the broad path to the path of life — active fighting, not passive surrender
                                                                                                                        4. Draw near to God through prayer and repentance: cleanse hands, purify hearts, cast off double-mindedness
                                                                                                                        5. Assured outcomes for the humble: God gives grace, the devil flees, and God will exalt you in due time — James 4:6-10

                                                                                                                          6. B. Love your neighbor — Romans 13:8-10

                                                                                                                          1. The one who loves another has fulfilled the law; love is the fulfilling of every commandment including "you shall not covet"
                                                                                                                          2. Focus not on what you are owed but on what you owe your brothers and sisters — love
                                                                                                                          3. Hands extended to a neighbor cannot be clenched around idols; mouths filled with blessing cannot be filled with envy; hearts pouring out compassion cannot be filled with malice

                                                                                                                            4. C. Be strengthened in Christ — Philippians 4:11-13

                                                                                                                            1. Paul learned the secret of contentment in every circumstance — plenty and hunger, abundance and need
                                                                                                                            2. The secret: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" — Christ is enough
                                                                                                                            3. The problem is never the catalog or the possessions others have; the problem is our hearts
                                                                                                                            4. Seek satisfaction and strength in Christ alone; then contentment will flow, and with it, true Thanksgiving
                                                                                                                              5. 32 min
                                                                                                                            5. "Joy in the World, but Not of It"

                                                                                                                              Scripture: John 16:16-33

                                                                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
                                                                                                                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 92
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
                                                                                                                              • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                              • Confession of Faith — 1 Timothy 3:16
                                                                                                                              • Scripture Reading — Joshua 7:16-26
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — In Christ Alone
                                                                                                                              • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                              • Offertory Prayer
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — What a Friend We Have in Jesus
                                                                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — This Is My Father's World
                                                                                                                              • Benediction
                                                                                                                                • Sermon Title: Joy in the World, but Not of It

                                                                                                                                Scripture: John 16:16-33

                                                                                                                                I. A Painful Joy (John 16:20-22)

                                                                                                                                A. The world rejoices at Christ's crucifixion, while the disciples mourn — but this sorrow will be reversed at the resurrection

                                                                                                                                1. Unlike Lazarus, who returned to the grave, Christ rises never to die again, making his resurrection a permanent and everlasting joy for believers
                                                                                                                                2. The "world" (Greek: kosmos) — the world sown in sin — rejoices at the cross, thinking it has defeated the Messiah

                                                                                                                                  3. B. Jesus uses the illustration of a woman in labor: pain is the means to joy, not its opposite

                                                                                                                                  1. Hebrews 12:2 — "for the joy set before him he endured the cross"
                                                                                                                                  2. Augustine: the pain of labor is part of the curse of the fall, yet it brings forth life — so also the curse of the cross brings forth eternal life

                                                                                                                                    3. C. Joy in Christ this side of glory is always a cross-bearing joy

                                                                                                                                    1. Romans 8:17 — we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him
                                                                                                                                    2. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance (Ephesians 1), giving us a foretaste of heavenly joy even amid the world's rejection
                                                                                                                                      3. II. A Praying Joy (John 16:23-27)

                                                                                                                                      A. Jesus introduces two redemptive-historical epochs of prayer

                                                                                                                                      1. Before the resurrection: no prayer was offered in Jesus's name — no Old Testament prayer ends "in the name of Jesus Christ"
                                                                                                                                      2. After the resurrection and ascension: Christ sits at the Father's right hand as both sacrifice and high priest, interceding for his people, and believers now pray to the Father in his name

                                                                                                                                        3. B. Christ's mediation is not arm-twisting — the Father himself loves believers (John 16:26-27)

                                                                                                                                        1. God the Father so loved the world that he gave his Son; he is not a disgruntled Father who must be persuaded
                                                                                                                                        2. John 16:14-15 — all that the Father has is the Son's, and through the Spirit it is declared to believers

                                                                                                                                          3. C. Prayer is the completion of joy because it is the ascension of the soul to God (John of Damascus)

                                                                                                                                          1. Psalm 16:11 — "at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" — where Christ now is, and where prayer directs the heart
                                                                                                                                          2. Prayer includes petition for material things (Christ commands us to pray for daily bread), but all blessings are meant to align the heart with God's promises that find their yes in Christ
                                                                                                                                            3. III. A Sinner's Joy (John 16:29-33)

                                                                                                                                            A. The disciples express overconfident faith, claiming full understanding — but Jesus exposes the limits of their self-reliance

                                                                                                                                            1. Compare John 6 — Peter's confession of faith is immediately met by Jesus's sobering word that one will betray him
                                                                                                                                            2. Jesus predicts they will all be scattered to their own homes at his arrest, breaking both their union with Christ and with one another — echoing Adam and Eve hiding from God and each other after the fall

                                                                                                                                              3. B. Jesus does not need his disciples' faith to accomplish salvation — only the strength of his Father by the Spirit

                                                                                                                                              1. Salvation rests entirely on Christ's faithfulness to the Father, not on the disciples' resolve

                                                                                                                                                2. C. The peace and joy Christ offers is given precisely to those who have failed and scattered

                                                                                                                                                1. "In me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
                                                                                                                                                2. Christian joy never graduates beyond being a sinner's joy — it is always and only found in the cross of Calvary
                                                                                                                                                3. Even in glory, the nail marks on Christ's hands will forever remind us that our eternal joy rests in Christ crucified
                                                                                                                                                  4. 27 min
                                                                                                                                                4. The Age of the Spirit

                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: John 16:5-15

                                                                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 9:1-2
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Wholehearted Thanksgiving
                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Confession
                                                                                                                                                  • Assurance of Pardon — Ephesians 2:4-5
                                                                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Joshua 7:1-15
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — All You That Fear Jehovah's Name
                                                                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                  • Offering
                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Dedication
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Breathe on Me, Breath of God
                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — God Is Known Among His People
                                                                                                                                                  • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Age of the Spirit

                                                                                                                                                    Scripture: John 16:5-15

                                                                                                                                                    I. The Holy Spirit Is a Spirit of Conviction

                                                                                                                                                    A. The "Helper" (Greek: Paraclete) was introduced in John 14:16 and 14:26 as a witness-advocate in a court of law

                                                                                                                                                    B. The Spirit convicts the world in three areas (John 16:8-11)

                                                                                                                                                    1. Concerning sin — specifically the sin of unbelief in Christ
                                                                                                                                                    2. Concerning righteousness — established by Christ's ascension to the Father's right hand
                                                                                                                                                    3. Concerning judgment — the defeat of Satan at the cross

                                                                                                                                                      4. C. The primary Redemptive-historical fulfillment is the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-24)

                                                                                                                                                      1. All Jews and God-fearing Gentiles gathered in Jerusalem for the pilgrimage festival
                                                                                                                                                      2. Peter's sermon cuts them to the heart; ~3,000 souls are added to the church
                                                                                                                                                      3. Contrast: at Passover the crowd condemned Christ; at Pentecost the Spirit convicted the crowd concerning Christ

                                                                                                                                                        4. D. Application: the Spirit's conviction comes through the inscripturated Word

                                                                                                                                                        1. John 20:30-31 — the Gospel of John is itself a Spirit-inspired witness to produce belief
                                                                                                                                                        2. The witness language in John is used more than anywhere else in the New Testament
                                                                                                                                                        3. It is through the reading and preaching of Scripture that the Spirit convicts us of sin and reveals our need for Christ's alien righteousness
                                                                                                                                                          4. II. The Holy Spirit Is a Spirit of Clarity

                                                                                                                                                          A. Jesus has more to say but the disciples cannot bear it yet (John 16:12-13)

                                                                                                                                                          1. The Spirit of truth will guide them into all truth, speaking not on his own authority but Christ's
                                                                                                                                                          2. Understanding the things of Christ's kingdom requires a heavenly birth — John 3 — because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2)

                                                                                                                                                            3. B. Redemptive history has reached its age of maturity (Galatians 4:4-6)

                                                                                                                                                            1. Before Pentecost, mankind was in the unclear, muddy waters of anticipation
                                                                                                                                                            2. With Christ and the Spirit, the mysteries hidden for ages are now revealed

                                                                                                                                                              3. C. The Spirit's role in creation mirrors his role in new creation

                                                                                                                                                              1. Genesis 1:2 — the Spirit hovers over the formless void, ready to bring order, light, and beauty
                                                                                                                                                              2. At the resurrection, the Spirit is unleashed again to bring clarity and the knowledge of God to new creation hearts
                                                                                                                                                              3. The age of the Spirit is the age of clarity — Christians are called to activate and invest their minds in the things of God
                                                                                                                                                                4. III. The Holy Spirit Is the Spirit of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                A. The Spirit's guidance is not vague or mystical — it is bound to the glory of the Son (John 16:14)

                                                                                                                                                                1. Just as the Son came to glorify the Father, the Spirit comes to glorify the Son
                                                                                                                                                                2. Everything the Spirit does in guiding believers is directed toward the honor and glory of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                  3. B. The Gnostic error — then and now — separates the Spirit from the objective person and work of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                  1. Paul addresses this in Colossians regarding asceticism, which has the appearance of godliness but is ungodly
                                                                                                                                                                  2. Treating the Spirit as an impersonal force (rather than a person) leads to this error

                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. The Paraclete as Christ's closest confidant (John 15:26-27)

                                                                                                                                                                    1. The Spirit's credentials as witness are the same as the disciples' — he has been with Christ from the beginning
                                                                                                                                                                    2. The Spirit was present with Christ at his conception, baptism, temptation, miracles, the cross, and the empty tomb
                                                                                                                                                                    3. Romans 8:9-10 — to have the Spirit is to have Christ; Paul uses the two interchangeably

                                                                                                                                                                      4. D. Christ gives us his closest friend and Confidant

                                                                                                                                                                      1. The Spirit who helped, comforted, and sustained Christ through his earthly ministry is now given to believers
                                                                                                                                                                      2. The Spirit that glorified the Son in his life, death, and resurrection now indwells us so that we might glorify the Son — in life, in death, and in resurrection
                                                                                                                                                                        3. 30 min
                                                                                                                                                                      3. The Setting of Piety

                                                                                                                                                                        Scripture: Genesis 1:26-2:3

                                                                                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Hebrews 1:1-4
                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — Rejoice, the Lord Is King (#281)
                                                                                                                                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                        • Catechism Reading — Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 89–90
                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night (#158)
                                                                                                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                        • Scripture Reading — Genesis 1:26–2:3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — This Is My Father's World (#252)
                                                                                                                                                                        • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: The Setting of Piety

                                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: Genesis 1:26–2:3

                                                                                                                                                                          I. The Personal, Intimate Setting of Piety

                                                                                                                                                                          A. The creation of man is marked by an abrupt shift in the creation narrative

                                                                                                                                                                          1. The repetitious pattern of "and God said" in Genesis 1:3-25 suddenly stops at verse 26
                                                                                                                                                                          2. This pause signals that the creation of man is uniquely personal to God — a counsel within the Godhead itself

                                                                                                                                                                            3. B. Adam is called "the son of God" in Luke 3 — all creation is gifted to him as to a son

                                                                                                                                                                            1. Adam was created to reflect the Son, the second person of the Trinity
                                                                                                                                                                            2. Adam was to be drawn into intimate union and communion with the Father

                                                                                                                                                                              3. C. Personal piety is cultivated in private prayer and time in God's Word

                                                                                                                                                                              1. Matthew 6:5-6 — pray in secret to the Father who sees in secret; public performance is not where the relationship is deepened
                                                                                                                                                                              2. Like a father-son relationship built in private moments, our bond with God deepens in the secret place
                                                                                                                                                                              3. Do not arrive at death regretting neglected communion with God — piety begins in the closet
                                                                                                                                                                                4. II. The Corporate, Public Setting of Piety

                                                                                                                                                                                A. The plural "let us" in Genesis 1:26 reflects the three persons of the Trinity in counsel

                                                                                                                                                                                1. Scripture interprets scripture: all three persons appear in the first three verses of the Bible — Father (Genesis 1:1), Spirit (Genesis 1:2), and the Word/Son (Genesis 1:3; John 1:1-3)
                                                                                                                                                                                2. The interchange of singular and plural in Genesis 1:26-27 mirrors the Triune God: three-in-one makes man both individual and corporate

                                                                                                                                                                                  3. B. The primary corporate relationship established at creation is the family

                                                                                                                                                                                  1. The tselem (image) language echoes ancient Near Eastern kings erecting statues throughout conquered cities — mankind as living statues proclaiming God's sovereignty
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. The fifth commandment functioned for ancient Israel as the means by which children learned to obey the first four — parents modeling piety before their children
                                                                                                                                                                                  3. Adam's failure to instruct Eve in God's word (Genesis 2:17) led to the fall — corporate piety requires sharing and teaching God's word to one another

                                                                                                                                                                                    4. C. Corporate piety means rejoicing over fellow image bearers

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Adam's song over Eve in Genesis 2:23 contrasts sharply with his blame of her after the fall (Genesis 3:12)
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. We are to treat fellow human beings as the crown of creation — pushing back against a culture that elevates animals to equal or greater status
                                                                                                                                                                                    3. Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 — singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; holding one another accountable to holiness

                                                                                                                                                                                      4. D. Corporate piety begins not with our ascent but with receiving the purity given in Christ

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed (Genesis 2:25) — corporate piety is lives lived in the freedom of the gospel, shame and guilt expunged by Christ's blood
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. In the personal setting: "Christ is my Savior and King"; in the corporate setting: "Christ is the Savior and King — there is no other"
                                                                                                                                                                                        3. III. The Work Setting of Piety

                                                                                                                                                                                        A. At its core, work is caring for the gifts God has given his image bearers

                                                                                                                                                                                        1. When Adam receives the breath of life he awakes to the greatest gift imaginable — all creation handed to him — and God says, "take care of it"
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. This definition is broader than a nine-to-five job; it encompasses all of life because all of life is gift

                                                                                                                                                                                          3. B. A reward-based definition of work breeds bitterness; a gift-based definition enables contentment

                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Proverbs and 2 Thessalonians 3:10 affirm the cause-and-effect of labor and fruit, but this is not the deepest meaning of work
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Only when all is seen as gift can we say with Job, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away — blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21)
                                                                                                                                                                                          3. The elder brother's complaint (Luke 15:29-30) reveals the danger of an earned-reward mentality; the father's answer reframes everything as unmerited gift

                                                                                                                                                                                            4. C. All work is oriented toward the eternal Sabbath rest

                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Genesis 2:1-3 — God works six days and rests on the seventh; man made in God's image works toward Sabbath rest
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Hebrews 4 — a Sabbath rest still remains for God's people; do not be like the wilderness generation that failed to enter through disobedience
                                                                                                                                                                                            3. Adam's probationary task pointed forward to Revelation 21–22 — the eternal, macrocosmic Sabbath rest; restored in the last Adam, we are given that charge afresh
                                                                                                                                                                                            4. The weekly Sabbath is the microcosmic pattern — caring for God's gifts Monday through Saturday and resting in him on Sunday — by which the Spirit progressively cleanses us until we enter the eternal rest completely pure
                                                                                                                                                                                              5. 36 min

                                                                                                                                                                                            About Northpointe PCA Sermons

                                                                                                                                                                                            From the publisher's feed

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