Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

August 25, 2024The Heart Revealed
Scripture: John 12:1-8
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 100
Hymn — All People That on Earth Do Dwell
Prayer of Invocation
Old Testament Reading — 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Hymn — All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer
Hymn — Spirit of the Living God
Sermon
Hymn — Christ for the World We Sing
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Heart Revealed
Scripture: John 12:1-8
I. The Heart of Mary
A. The extravagance of Mary's gift
The ointment was pure nard, imported from northern India — genuine and unadulterated
Valued at 300 denarii — approximately one year's wages — an extraordinary sum
B. The oddity of Mary's action
Anointing feet with perfume was unusual; wiping with her hair was stranger still
Jewish women never unbound their hair in public — it was associated with shame (cf. Numbers 5:18)
The act is best described not as humble devotion but as humiliated devotion
C. The heart of the gospel displayed
Mary sets aside social and moral customs, stooping like a servant before her Lord — echoing David's dance before the ark in 2 Samuel 6
Her service is before the eyes of the Lord, not the eyes of men
In Matthew 26:10 Jesus calls it "a beautiful thing" — the same humiliation Mary enacts foreshadows Christ's own humiliation at the cross
Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 15 — "the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me" — the heart of the gospel is Christ, not merely social good
II. The Heart of Judas
A. Judas's character exposed
This is the only place in the Gospels where Judas's corrupt character is revealed before the betrayal
He held the money bag and skimmed from it — a thief by habitual practice
According to Matthew 26 and Mark 14, it is immediately after this episode that Judas goes to the authorities to betray Jesus — the loss of financial gain may have been the final provocation
B. The nature of apostasy
Apostasy is not the loss of salvation but the open exposure of what was always in the heart
1 John 2 — "they went out from us because they were never of us"
Judas did not fall suddenly; his rebellion was built up incrementally, small compromise by small compromise
C. A warning to believers
Give the devil an inch of your life and he will take it all
Sin hardens the heart progressively — little exceptions to God's commands accumulate until the levy breaks
As John Owen warned: be killing sin, or it will be killing you
Keep vigilant watch over your heart (Proverbs 4:23)
III. The Heart of Jesus
A. The word therefore in verse 1 connects back to John 11:54
Jesus had retreated to the wilderness because the authorities sought to kill him
Now he deliberately returns to Bethany — only 2 miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18) — the headquarters of those plotting his death
Bethany is Jesus's "last homely house" — a place of rest with friends before he meets the cross
B. Jesus interprets Mary's act as preparation for his burial (John 12:7)
The word for burial refers to preparation of the body, not the burial itself — anointing with spices was Jewish custom (cf. John 19:40)
Christ, reclining alive at table, already has his heart set on the cross
C. Christ's heart set on the cross is the only ground for our hearts being set on God
Thomas Chalmers, The Expulsive Power of a New Affection — old affections cannot be displaced except by a new and stronger affection
The atonement of the cross opens the way for sanctifying influence into the sinner's heart
Jesus, the last Adam, replaces the corrupted affections inherited from the first Adam with holy and self-giving love
To have a heart warm toward God and cold toward the world, sit often at the cross — your heart can only be right with God when united to the heart of Christ broken for you
31 min
August 18, 2024More and More: Pleasing to God
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 104:2-9, 33-34
Hymn — God, All Nature Sings Thy Glory (#253)
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — Isaiah 53
Assurance of Pardon — 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
Hymn — Sing Aloud to God Our Strength (#81)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Sermon
Hymn — Lord, You Have Searched (#139)
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: More and More: Pleasing to God
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
I. Why Your Life Must Be Pleasing to God
Paul urges believers twice (vv. 1 and 10) — the image of a parent wooing a child to walk — to let their lives be more and more pleasing to God. That such a thing is even possible is stunning given the depth of human sin.
A. Because of God's Will for You (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7)
"This is the will of God, your sanctification" — God has not called us for impurity but in holiness
Answers the common question: "What is God's will for my life?" — the answer is your sanctification
Sanctification: the ongoing work of God by the Spirit, enabling us more and more to die to sin and live to righteousness, progress secured in salvation
B. Because of God's Work for You (1 Thessalonians 4:1, 8)
Paul frames the whole call "in the Lord Jesus" — the context of Christ's person and finished work
Sanctification follows upon justification; it is not its cause but its natural consequence
Justified believers are already counted holy and righteous in Christ; as a holy priesthood they offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (1 Peter 2)
Because of what God has done for you in Christ, walk out your salvation, letting your life be more and more pleasing to him
II. How Your Life Must Be Pleasing to God
A. By the Conduct of Your Sexual Ethic (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
"Abstain from sexual immorality" — the Greek word porneia is broad, covering all manner of sexual sin contrary to God's design
God designed sex as good, set within marriage between one man and one woman; sin distorts and twists this good gift
Sexual ethics encompasses both body and heart — the seventh commandment (do not commit adultery) and the tenth commandment (do not covet) together show that sinful desire itself is sin (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5)
"Abstain" carries the force of a clean cut and total separation — remove sexual sin as far as possible, as one cuts away rot from fruit
The answer is not withdrawal from the world (the cloister fails because we take our sin with us) but setting Christ as the target: his perfect example, his death and resurrection breaking sin's chains, his blood covering even sexual sin for those who trust him
A horizontal dimension: sexual sin wrongs a brother or sister; the Lord is an avenger of the unrepentant sexually immoral (1 Thessalonians 4:6)
B. By the Conduct of Your Work Ethic (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)
Brotherly love is to be expressed more and more; the Thessalonians were already doing this throughout Macedonia but are urged to increase
Idleness appears to be a specific problem in Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:14) — the idle person is able to work but unwilling
Paul gives one attitude and two activities (1 Thessalonians 4:11):
Attitude: Aspire (make it your ambition) to live quietly — a disposition of peace, contentment, and calm stability
Activity 1: Mind your own affairs — do not meddle in what does not concern you
Activity 2: Work with your hands — those not busy with their own business become busybodies
Goal: to walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one — supporting oneself and one's family is itself an expression of love (1 Thessalonians 4:12)
Work hard as unto the Lord, not as idol-worship, not from anxiety, but from godly diligence before a watching world
33 min
August 18, 2024True Israel Revealed
Scripture: Malachi 3:16-4:6
Order of Service
Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Call to Worship — Psalm 113
Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Nicene Creed
Scripture Reading — Matthew 3:1-12
Hymn — Take Time to Be Holy
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth
Sermon
Closing Prayer
Hymn — Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart
Benediction
Sermon Title: True Israel Revealed
Scripture: Malachi 3:13–4:6
I. True Israel Is Disciplined by God
A. Throughout Malachi, God uses the "disputational method" — God makes a statement, Israel rebuts, and God replies — but in Malachi 3:16 this pattern is interrupted by historical narrative for the first time
B. The "god-fearers" within Israel respond to God's rebukes by speaking and reasoning with one another, writing a book of remembrance before the Lord — a covenant renewal
This parallels Josiah's tearing of robes and covenant renewal upon hearing the law (2 Kings 22) and Ezra and Nehemiah's confession and covenant renewal
The phrase "treasured possession" in Malachi 3:17 echoes Exodus 19:5, where God first established the covenant with Israel
C. God distinguishes the righteous from the wicked within the covenant community — the wheat and the chaff, the sheep and the goats
1 Peter 2:9 calls the church "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for his own possession" — but this is inseparable from 1 Peter 1:14-16's call to holiness
Hebrews 12 teaches that true children of God are those who receive discipline
D. Application: Are we open to rebuke — from God's Word and from brothers and sisters in Christ?
The god-fearers did not react with hot temper or flight; they reasoned carefully together, like the Bereans, so that repentance would be lasting
The mark of God's true children is openness to correction and discipline
II. True Israel Is Comforted by God
A. In Malachi 4:1-3, the same heat of the day of the Lord destroys the wicked but brings healing and warmth to those who fear God
The wicked are burned like stubble in an oven, left with neither root nor branch (Malachi 4:1)
For the righteous, the "sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4:2); they will go out leaping like calves and tread down the wicked (Malachi 4:3)
B. The comfort is directly tied to the destruction of the wicked — God's hot anger against the oppressor is a welcomed deliverance for the righteous
Romans 8 — we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
Romans 16:20 — the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
C. The ultimate comfort is not merely the victory over enemies but the nearness of God himself
Malachi 3:7 — God says "return to me, and I will return to you" — the prize is his presence and countenance
Christ, the Satan-crusher, wins our hearts at the cross; we are drawn not just to the victory but to Christus Victor himself
III. True Israel Is Preserved by God
A. Malachi 4:5-6 promises the sending of Elijah before the great and awesome day of the Lord, fulfilled in John the Baptist (Matthew 17:12; Matthew 3:4; 2 Kings 1:8)
B. Why Elijah? Because Elijah and Moses are the prophets par excellence of covenant faithfulness, both connected to Mount Horeb (Sinai)
Moses received the covenant law at Horeb; Israel quickly broke it with the golden calf
Elijah fled to Horeb in dejection over Israel's covenant unfaithfulness (1 Kings 19), sustained miraculously as Israel was in the wilderness; God assured him of a remnant of 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal — an Israel within Israel
Since the problem of post-exilic Israel is covenant infidelity, it is fitting that Elijah be assigned the task of restoring covenant fidelity
C. Covenant fidelity is realized through the turning of hearts across generations (Malachi 4:6)
Generational disobedience is a repeated theme in Malachi: 2:3, 2:12, 2:15, 3:7
When Elijah (John the Baptist) comes, fathers' hearts turn to children and children's to fathers — generational covenant faithfulness
D. New Testament fulfillment: John's baptism of water for repentance prepares the way; Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11-12)
At Pentecost (Acts 2), the Spirit is poured out; Peter calls for repentance in Acts 2:38-39 — "the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off"
Throughout Acts and the New Testament, God saves whole households — fathers to sons, sons to fathers — from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth
Those who reject Christ are being prepared for the baptism of unquenchable fire; the righteous and their children are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ
34 min
August 11, 2024Return to the Lord
Scripture: Malachi 3:7-12
Order of Service
Hymn — Come, We That Love the Lord
Call to Worship — Psalm 65:1-4
Hymn — Come, We That Love the Lord (sung)
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — 2 Corinthians 5:21
Scripture Reading — Proverbs 11:23-31
Hymn — Lord, Thou Lovest the Cheerful Giver
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — Speak, O Lord
Sermon
Hymn — The Man Is Blessed Who Fearing God
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Doxology
Sermon Title: Return to the Lord
Scripture: Malachi 3:6-12
I. Repentance Responds to the Immutable God
A. The key word in the passage is not tithing but return (Malachi 3:7) — tithing is a symptom of a heart turned back to God, not the root issue
A church budget is not always an indicator of faithfulness; giving must flow from a heart turned away from idols
Repentance is the headwaters; tithing and offering flow from it
B. God's immutability is seen in both his justice and his covenant faithfulness
Malachi's language closely parallels Deuteronomy — God foretold Israel's unfaithfulness and promised restoration upon repentance (Deuteronomy 30, Deuteronomy 31)
The pattern of sin, judgment, crying out, and restoration runs throughout the Book of Judges
From Genesis to Revelation, the whole counsel of God declares that God does not refuse the returning sinner
C. One of the greatest roadblocks to repentance is believing God cannot or will not forgive
The cross is the sign of God's unchanging posture of forgiveness toward the repentant sinner
Jesus commands forgiving seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22) because that is the very nature of God
God's patience with Israel in the wilderness — he knew their darkened hearts yet restored them in steadfast love
Christlike forgiveness is costly; bitterness comes easily, but forgiveness carries the cross
II. Repentance Requires Sacrifice
A. Israel's disobedience in tithing is the presenting symptom of their turned-away hearts (Malachi 3:8-9)
The tithe (a tenth) is an ancient practice: Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek (Genesis 14); Jacob vowed a tenth to God at Bethel (Genesis 28)
The Mosaic law declared a tenth of all produce holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27), intended for the Levites; the Levites in turn gave a tenth to the Aaronic priests
The tithe also blessed the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) — echoed in the generosity of the early church at Pentecost (Acts 2)
B. Israel's difficult circumstances under Persian rule do not excuse disobedience
They paid the Persian governor with healthy animals (Malachi 1:8) yet withheld the full tithe from God's house
God calls them to bring the full tithe — whatever the circumstances, God always comes first
C. A major obstacle to repentance is seeking to live for God without self-sacrifice
When circumstances determine obedience, we become like ignorant Israel asking, "How have I robbed you?"
Seek first the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 6:33) — God's provision follows God's priority
III. Repentance Repays Abundantly
A. God's remarkable invitation: "Test me in this" (Malachi 3:10)
"Opening the windows of heaven" echoes the flood language of Genesis 7:11 and Genesis 8:2 — but now floods of blessing rather than judgment
God will "rebuke the Devourer" (Malachi 3:11) — the same Hebrew word used in Deuteronomy 28:20 for covenant curse, now turned against the locust on Israel's behalf
B. The pattern of reversal: curse → blessing
Disobedient Israel becomes a byword among the nations; repentant Israel will be called blessed and a land of delight (Malachi 3:12)
This curse-to-blessing pattern culminates in Christ — who endured the cross for the joy set before him and is now seated at God's right hand (Hebrews 12:2)
From the curse of Golgotha to the glory of resurrection Sunday
C. A final obstacle to repentance: the lie that life with God is misery while life for the world brings abundance
In robbing God, Israel was herself being robbed — her crops devoured under her feet
True abundance comes only from turning to the Lord; the gods of this world only take
Without Christ, one is already cursed (John 3:18); in repentance toward Christ, the cursed estate of sin becomes a blessed state of glory
28 min
August 11, 2024August 11, 2024; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:6
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 100
Hymn — Shout to the Lord All the Earth (100a)
Prayer of Invocation
Catechism Reading — Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 83
Hymn — Sing Aloud to God Our Strength (881a)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 3:6–13
Sermon
Hymn — I Love the Lord (116a)
Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:28
Sermon Title: The Look of Gospel Ministry
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:6–13
I. The Encouraging News of Gospel Ministry (vv. 6–8)
A. Timothy returns to Paul with a good report from the Thessalonians
The Greek word for "good news" (euangelizō) is used here — the only place in the New Testament it refers to something other than the gospel of Christ's death and resurrection
The encouraging news is the Thessalonians' enduring faith and love in the face of affliction
B. The nature of the Thessalonians' faith and love
Faith: mental assent flowing into genuine trust — dead sinners now resting upon Christ as offered in the gospel
Love: active, lived out vertically (obedience to Christ) and horizontally (knowing, serving, forgiving one another)
Mutual longing for fellowship between Paul and the Thessalonians — Christ breaks down walls and reconciles his people
C. The effect on Paul: comfort and relief
"Now we live if you are standing fast in the Lord" — 1 Thessalonians 3:8
Paul is no disinterested party; the bond between shepherd and flock is close
Elders and ministers are similarly comforted when Christ's people stand firm
II. The Earnest Labor of Gospel Ministry (vv. 9–10)
A. The earnest labor of the Word
Paul longs to return to supply "what is lacking" in their faith — 1 Thessalonians 3:10
The word "supply" (katartizō) carries the sense of a fisherman mending nets, a surgeon setting bones, a politician reconciling factions — putting things in proper order
Ministers today are not apostles but stewards of the revealed Word, applying it with care to the needs of Christ's people
The preached Word reproves, rebukes, exhorts, and trains — 2 Timothy 4:2; 2 Timothy 3:16–17
Ministers serve as "sheep dogs" who know the voice and commands of the Shepherd and guide the sheep accordingly
B. The earnest labor of Prayer
Prayer is the engine of the ministry of the Word — Paul prays "night and day" for the Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 3:10
Prayer is often the hardest labor of gospel ministry, crowded out by deadlines and distractions
Paul models prayer repeatedly throughout his letters — even from prison, shipwreck, and affliction his mind remains fixed on the churches
The closing doxology and benediction (vv. 11–13) is itself a written-out prayer, modeling this prayer-soaked labor
III. The End Goal of Gospel Ministry (vv. 11–13)
A. Paul's prayer is addressed to "our God and Father" and "our Lord Jesus Christ" — two persons of the Trinity addressed with a singular verb in the Greek, affirming the one will and work of the one God — 1 Thessalonians 3:11
B. The end goal stated plainly: 1 Thessalonians 3:13
"That he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints"
The end goal is not happier people, self-fulfillment, or self-awareness — it is hearts established blameless in holiness
C. What this establishment means
Believers are already justified — declared righteous in God's courtroom through Christ
The Spirit is now sanctifying believers, conforming them to the image of Christ
At Christ's coming, believers will be liberated from the stain of indwelling sin — perfected body and soul, freed from the very possibility of sin (Thomas Boston and Augustine)
God alone can accomplish this; it is entirely his work
D. The coming of Christ as the horizon of gospel Ministry
Christ will return with all his saints — those who have died in Christ and are with him
Believers will be gathered to him and made fit to dwell in the eternal presence of the holy God
The end goal of gospel Ministry far surpasses any earthly achievement — Hearts established blameless in holiness before God forever
32 min
August 04, 2024A Table Set
Scripture: Exodus 25:23-30
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Revelation 5:11-14
Hymn — Lift High the Cross
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 75
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 9:1-11
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer
Hymn — Bread of the World in Mercy Broken
Sermon
Lord's Supper — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (final stanzas)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: A Table Set
Scripture: Exodus 25:23-30
I. The Grace of the Lord's Presence
A. The Tabernacle was God's portable dwelling place, traveling with his people through the wilderness
The table was made movable — fitted with rings and poles — so the Lord's presence would accompany his people wherever they went (Numbers 4)
As the pillar of cloud and fire moved, the whole Tabernacle moved with it, emphasizing that where the people were, the Lord would be
B. The bread of the presence (literally, "bread of the faces") signified intimate covenant fellowship with God
Twelve loaves set in two piles of six, representing the twelve tribes of Israel (Leviticus 24)
Shared meals marked covenant fellowship throughout Scripture — e.g., the Lord dining with Abraham after the covenant (Genesis 18), and the covenant meal on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24)
This fellowship was undeserved — sin broke the communion enjoyed in Eden, yet God in grace came to walk with his sinful, chosen people
C. The table was made magnificent to reflect the worth and glory of the God who dwells with his people
Though modest in size (roughly the dimensions of a coffee table), it was overlaid entirely in pure gold
God was not making a crude, makeshift dwelling — the Tabernacle and all its furnishings were to be beautiful and worthy of the King of kings
Like Mephibosheth — lame in both feet, yet invited to dine always at King David's table — God's people are invited into a fellowship far above their station
II. The Grace of the Lord's Provision
A. The wilderness setting made the table's provision all the more striking
In a dry and barren land, fresh bread was to be set before the Lord regularly — a tangible sign that the Lord who gave his presence also supplied his people's daily needs
God sent food in abundance: the manna, the quail (Psalm 78)
B. The table served as a repeated, visible reminder of dependence on God's provision
Like the petition "give us this day our daily bread," the table called the people to ongoing trust in God as their provider
Hard hearts and short memories require more than one reminder — repetition is built into the rhythms of worship by God's design
The danger of prosperity: when Israel entered the land flowing with milk and honey, they would need this continuing reminder that all provision comes from the Lord
C. The bread on the table pointed forward to Christ
Christ is himself the bread that came down from heaven — he is both the Tabernacle of God's presence and the provision set upon the table
He perfectly trusted and gave thanks to the Father for provision (e.g., the feeding of the five thousand)
Christ sets before his people a table with bread and a cup, inviting all believers to eat and drink — no longer only the priests, but all who believe on him for forgiveness, adoption, and sanctification
D. Application: Coming to the Lord's Table
As believers eat the bread and drink the cup, Christ is present to faith as a sign of his continued presence by his Spirit
The Lord's Supper is the new covenant Passover meal — a perpetual reminder of what we once were (bond servants to sin and death) and what we now are in Christ (sons and daughters of the living God)
The table is for wandering wilderness sojourners who belong to a heavenly country, feeding on the King who reigns at the right hand of the Father
27 min
August 04, 2024August 4, 2024; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:6
Order of Service
Hymn — All Creatures of Our God and King (#248)
Call to Worship — James 1:17-18
Hymn — All Creatures of Our God and King (#248)
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Jeremiah 31:33-34
Hymn of the Month — Sing Aloud to God Our Strength (Psalm 81b)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — John 13:1-38
Sermon
Hymn — Now Blessed Be Jehovah God (#564)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The New Commandment to Love One Another
Scripture: John 13:33-34
I. What the New Commandment Is Not
A. The command to love is not new to the New Testament — it is clearly taught in the Old Testament
Leviticus 19:18 — "Love your neighbor as yourself"
Matthew 22:36-40 — Jesus quotes this as the second greatest commandment, on which all the law and prophets hang
B. The command to love is not merely an expansion of the scope of neighbor love
Some argue Jesus is broadening Old Testament law to include enemies and outsiders (Good Samaritan, love your enemies)
But Leviticus 19:33-34 already commands love for the foreign sojourner — the Mosaic law was never exclusively tribal
II. What Makes the Commandment New
A. The newness lies in the words "as I have loved you"
Jesus is the personification of love — his life among the disciples is the standard and the model
The context of John 13:1-17 provides the immediate illustration: Jesus washing the disciples' feet
B. The foot-washing scene reveals the nature of Christ's love
Disciples arrived with dusty feet; no servant was provided; none of the disciples — not even Judas — volunteered
Jesus rose, removed his outer garment, wrapped a towel around himself, and stooped to wash and dry each disciple's feet
Peter's protest reveals how startling this act was — this was the Messiah, the transfigured Son of God, stooping as a slave
Jesus's response: unless Peter has a part in this humiliation and washing, he has no part in Christ's redemptive work
C. The foot-washing points forward to the cross
The next morning Jesus would bear the curse in his body on the tree — Mark 10:45
His humility and servitude are the full measure of his love for his people
D. The commandment is new because no man has ever loved as this man loved — and on the basis of that revelation, Christ calls his people to love one another in the same way
III. How We Are to Obey This Hard Commandment
A. Never forget who calls us to love
It is Christ, whose love cost him everything — his glory, his comfort, his life
His voice calls us to love as he has loved; we cannot turn a deaf ear to it
B. Walk in newness of life through union with Christ
Romans 6:4 — buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life
We are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness — Romans 6:18
Loving one another is an essential manifestation of that new righteousness
C. Rely on the grace provided by the Holy Spirit
At Pentecost Christ poured out his Spirit on his church to indwell believers and conform them to his image
Romans 8:9, 11 — the Spirit who raised Christ dwells in believers and gives life to their mortal bodies
D. Look to the promise of divine blessing for obedience
John 13:17 — "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them"
Luke 12:37 — at the last day, the Master will gird himself and serve those servants found faithful
The great wonder: at the wedding feast of the Lamb, Christ will once more stoop to serve his people
20 min
July 28, 2024July 28, 2024; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: Malachi 2:17-3:
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 146
Hymn — Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, O My Soul
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — from Psalm 51
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51:17
Scripture Reading — Luke 2:22-38
Hymn — All Glory, Laud and Honor
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer
Hymn — Come, Thou Almighty King
Sermon
Hymn — O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Lord's Coming Brings Judgment, Pure Worship, and Salvation
Scripture: Malachi 2:17–3:6
I. The Lord's Coming Brings Judgment Within Israel
A. The disputational method in Malachi: declaration, rebuttal, and response
Israel accuses God of allowing evil to run rampant in the land
Israel accuses God of failing to bring justice
B. Israel's accusations reflect their assumption that God's judgment is directed outward — at Pagan rulers — rather than at themselves
They still labor under Persian rule and see no powerful display of God's presence in the temple (cf. Ezekiel 43)
God's response: his judgment will begin with his Covenant people and their leaders, not with Pagan nations
C. This pattern holds in the New Testament: Jesus's public ministry is marked by judgment on Israel and especially Israel's leaders, not on Roman governors
Parallels Malachi written ~400 years prior — nothing has changed among Israel's leaders
Like a mother who corrects her own child regardless of what others do, God holds Covenant people to Covenant standards
Application: Is your house set in order for the day of the Lord's visitation? (Deuteronomy warns repeatedly of God's judgment on disobedient Israel)
II. The Lord's Coming Purifies Worship Within Israel
A. Two messengers appear in Malachi 3:1
The first messenger prepares the way — identified as the eschatological Elijah (Malachi 4:5); fulfilled in John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14)
The second messenger is Yahweh himself, coming to his Temple — the language evokes a theophany
B. The theophanic fire throughout Scripture points to God's visible presence
Genesis 15 — God appears to Abraham as a flaming torch
Exodus 3 — God appears to Moses in the burning bush
Exodus 19 — God descends on Mount Sinai in fire
Wilderness wanderings — pillar of fire by night
C. Irony: Israel delights in Yahweh's coming, yet his coming brings judgment and refinement
Parallel: Jesus's triumphal entry — the crowd waves palm branches in delight, yet his first act is to cleanse the temple
The Court of the Gentiles (some 35 acres) had become a marketplace rather than a place of prayer for the nations, contrary to the vision of Malachi 1:11
Jesus's cleansing of the temple removes the obstacle to right worship for the nations, fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant that all nations would be blessed
The old Covenant system is ultimately consumed when Christ himself bears the wrath of Yahweh at the cross, ushering in New Covenant worship in spirit and truth (John 4)
D. Illustration: William Tyndale
Tyndale worked to put the Bible into the hands of the English-speaking people; many were burned at the stake for possessing it
Tyndale himself was burned at the stake; his dying prayer: "Lord, open the eyes of the King of England"
Two years later, King Henry VIII ordered Miles Coverdale's Bible (based on Tyndale's work) placed in every English parish church
False shepherds had to be judged and removed so that right and true worship could spread — the same pattern seen throughout the prophets and in Jesus's compassion for sheep without a shepherd
III. The Lord's Coming Accomplishes Salvation for the Remnant Within Israel
A. Refiner's fire and Fuller's soap are agents of separation and purification (Malachi 3:2-3)
Fire burns away dross from ore; lye separates dirt from fabric
Yahweh separates true Israel from false Israel — the circumcised of heart from the merely circumcised of flesh
B. Malachi 3:6 belongs with this section: God's immutability (unchanging nature) has two sides
First side: God does not change in his righteousness — he will bring the judgment Israel accuses him of withholding
Second side: God does not change in his covenant faithfulness — he will not utterly consume the children of Jacob; the remnant will be refined and preserved
C. Within a fallen world, God can only bring salvation through judgment — the two cannot be separated
Noahic Covenant established after and through flood judgment
Abrahamic Covenant established after and through Babel judgment
Mosaic Covenant established after and through Red Sea judgment
Davidic Covenant established after and through King Saul's judgment
New Covenant established after and through the cross of Calvary
D. The cross is the climactic fulfillment: Christ bears the judgment of God so that the law written on stone (which brings only condemnation) is now written on the hearts of his people by the Spirit, as promised in Jeremiah and Ezekiel
Christ's resurrection and ascension accomplish judgment over sin and death
The cross is the supreme symbol of the immutable God faithful to both his justice and his saving purposes
E. Christ will come again: the fire of God's wrath not exhausted at Calvary will be poured out on all not united to the Son; his people will be fully purified, glorified, and ready for everlasting worship in resurrected bodies
Application: let us soberly and genuinely cry out — Maranatha, come quickly, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20)
28 min
July 28, 2024July 28, 2024; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:17
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 117
Hymn — Praise the Lord, God, All You Nations (#117b)
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 26
Hymn of the Month — Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:5
Sermon
Hymn — God Be with You Till We Meet Again (#207)
Benediction — Numbers 6:24–26
Sermon Title: The Beauty of the Church
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:5
I. The Church as the Family of God
A. Paul heaps up family language in 1 Thessalonians 2
He calls himself a mother (v. 7), a father (v. 11), and a brother (v. 17)
The Greek word translated "torn away" literally means to be orphaned — the language of a child ripped from a parent
B. Paul's accusers claimed he abandoned the Thessalonians; he responds with passionate longing for face-to-face fellowship
C. Satan hindered Paul's return, likely through the Thessalonian persecutors who pursued him from Thessalonica to Berea to Athens (cf. Acts 17)
Satan attacks the unity of the church family because God's blessings flow through gathered fellowship
Psalm 133:1–3 — where brothers dwell in unity, the Lord commands the blessing
D. Paul's longing illustrates that virtual or online convenience must never replace embodied fellowship
Hebrews 10:24–25 — do not neglect meeting together; encourage one another as the day draws near
II. The Church as the Fruit of Godly Service
A. Paul calls the Thessalonians his hope, joy, and crown of boasting at Christ's coming (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20)
The crown was a laurel wreath given to the victor in Greek athletic contests
The Thessalonians' steadfast faith is the visible fruit of Paul's God-given apostolic mission
B. Paul sacrificed the companionship of his co-workers for the sake of the church
He sent Timothy back to Thessalonica from Athens alone (1 Thessalonians 3:1–2)
According to Acts 18:5, Silas and Timothy later rejoined Paul in Corinth
This self-sacrificing service models what bearing fruit for Christ looks like
C. The church is the crown and glory of Christ himself
Ephesians 5:25–27 — Christ gave himself for the church to present her holy and blameless
Psalm 45 — the royal wedding psalm pictures Christ receiving his glorified bride
Christian fruitfulness cannot be properly defined apart from the body of Christ; bearing fruit means serving the church in preparation for the bridegroom's coming
III. The Church as the Faithful People in the Midst of Suffering
A. Paul sent Timothy specifically so the Thessalonians would not be moved by afflictions (1 Thessalonians 3:3–5)
These new converts had witnessed Paul and Silas persecuted; Jason and other believers were dragged from their homes (Acts 17)
Suffering was not introduced later as an afterthought — Paul included it in his initial gospel proclamation: we are destined for this
B. The gospel call is a call to discipleship — to follow Christ as both Savior and Lord
It is the lordship of Christ, not merely his saving work, that draws the fiercest opposition
Acts 17:7 — the charge against Paul: "They say there is another king, Jesus"
The term parousia (coming/royal visit) appears in 1 Thessalonians 2:19; "Lord Jesus" occurs 24 times across 1 and 2 Thessalonians — more than anywhere else in the New Testament
C. Living under Christ's lordship in a post-Christian world inevitably produces suffering
Declaring Christ as Lord above culture, family, country, and Caesar is what costs the disciple
Application: Is your Christian life affliction-free? Is there no cost to your discipleship?
D. Closing quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Costly grace calls us to follow Jesus Christ — it costs a man his life and gives him the only true life
It is costly because it cost God the life of his Son; it is grace because God did not count that price too dear
30 min
July 21, 2024July 21, 2024; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 91:1-2, 14-16
Hymn — Psalm 91B (Who with God Most High Finds Shelter)
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 28:6-7
Hymn — Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16
Sermon
Hymn — How Firm a Foundation (#243)
Benediction
Sermon Title: Thanksgiving for the Working Word of God
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:13
I. Introduction: Paul's Constructive Thanksgiving as Encouragement to Endure
A. The Thessalonians face severe affliction for believing the gospel (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 3:3-4)
B. Paul, like a loving parent, chooses encouragement through thanksgiving rather than mere command
C. Paul's tactic: name what is true of the Believers so they might persevere
II. Thanksgiving Because the Word of God Is Welcomed by Believers
A. What the word of God is
It is the word from God — originating in his will, stamped with his full authority, breathed out from his mouth
It is not the word of men — no human eloquence or literature, however moving, is of the same kind as Scripture
The difference is not one of degree but of kind — like the difference between a cold lifeless pebble and a living, breathing mountain
B. How the word of God comes — by hearing through preaching
God delivers his word through messengers; it cannot be downloaded directly
Romans 10:14 — "How are they to hear without someone preaching?"
Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 155: the Spirit makes "especially the preaching of the word" an effectual means of salvation
C. How a person must respond — by receiving and accepting (welcoming) the word
Receiving and accepting was common language for a disciple taking on a teacher's tradition
The word must not merely be intellectually received but personally welcomed — like a transplanted organ that the body accepts as its own
This welcoming can only occur by the work of the Holy Spirit, who implants the word into the dead and hard heart
III. Thanksgiving Because the Word of God Is Working in Believers
A. The verb "at work" is present tense — the working is ongoing and continuous
Isaiah 55:11 — God's word shall not return to him empty but shall accomplish his purpose
Jeremiah 23:29 — "Is not my word like fire… and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"
Hebrews 4:12 — the word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword
Ezekiel 37 — the most vivid picture: the word preached causes dry bones in a valley to live again
B. What specific working Paul has in mind
1 Thessalonians 1:3 — fruit of saving faith: work of faith, labor of love, steadfastness of hope (ongoing sanctification)
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 — turning from idols to God; deliverance from the wrath to come (justification and repentance)
The word works justification and sanctification together
C. Evidence of the word's working: endurance under suffering (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)
The Thessalonians imitated the Judean churches by enduring suffering from their own countrymen
Paul is not anti-Semitic — he speaks of specific unbelieving Jews who opposed the gospel; Romans 9–11 guards against misreading
Endurance of suffering for the word can only come by the working of the word
D. The word continues to work against forces inside and outside the believer
Internal forces: love of comfort, discontentment, a wavering heart
External forces: worldly ideas, societal pressures, schemes of Satan (1 Thessalonians 3)
The word does not return to God void — it works until the end for all in whom it has been implanted
IV. Conclusion: The Firm Foundation of the Working Word
A. Hebrews 10:23 — "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful"
B. 1 Corinthians 1:9 — "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son"
C. The believer is called to remember the welcoming of the word and recognize its ongoing working — that you may endure until the end
31 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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