Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

March 19, 2023March 19, 2023; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Colossians 3:16-17
Hymn — O Come, My Soul, Bless Thou the Lord (#6)
Prayer of Invocation
Catechism — Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions 100–101 (The Lord's Prayer: Preface and First Petition)
Hymn — May the Mind of Christ My Savior (#644)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — All to Jesus I Surrender (#562)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Church as Salt and Light in a Dark World
Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16
I. The Church as the Salt of the Earth
A. Salt was among the most valuable commodities in the ancient world — used primarily to preserve food from decay
A Roman official wrote: "There is nothing more useful than salt and sunshine"
Christ calls the church the salt and sunshine of the Earth, a radical yet fitting claim
B. The image of a rotting earth is rooted in Old Testament history
Genesis 6:5 — mankind's wickedness causes the earth to rot; Noah is the salt
Genesis 11 — the earth rots again at Babel; Abraham and his seed become the salt
2 Chronicles 13:5 — the Davidic Covenant is called a covenant of salt
The pattern: earth rots → God preserves through a chosen people → fulfilled ultimately in Christ and his church
C. Jesus warns that salt which loses its taste is worthless (Matthew 5:13)
Technically, sodium chloride cannot lose its saltiness — scholars suggest Jesus may be citing a known Jewish proverb: "Can salt lose its flavor?" answered by "Can a sterile mule bear young?"
True salt cannot lose its flavor; only counterfeit salt does — those who lose their taste show they were never true salt
Good fruit reveals good root; bad works reveal false profession — ye shall know them by their fruit
D. Application: the church is not merely a philanthropic option — it is the preservative of the Earth
Tom Holland's Dominion argues that nearly every philanthropic institution (hospitals, justice, homeless shelters) ultimately traces its origins to Christianity
Salt also gives taste — the church in Christ makes the world a delight, drawing eyes upward to God
II. The Church as the Light of the World
A. Background: Isaiah 49:1-6 presents an individual servant who is to be a light to the nations
Matthew 4:12-17 shows Jesus personally fulfilling this as he goes to Zebulun and Naphtali, the Galilee of the Gentiles, fulfilling Isaiah 9
In Matthew 5:14, the light of Christ the individual head trickles down to his body — the church organically united to him by the Spirit carries the light to the ends of the earth
This mystery is confirmed throughout the New Testament — Acts 9 (Christ identifying with the persecuted church: "Paul, why are you persecuting me?")
B. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden — the contrast with Rome
Rome, the city of seven hills, was considered the eternal city from which light went to the world
Jesus declares it is not the powerful empire but the people of God who are the true light of the world
Augustine's two kingdoms: the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of heaven — it is the otherworldly kingdom that brings light to the world
C. The church serves the world by being unlike the world
There is to be a holy strangeness to Christian worship, charity, and evangelism
The church does not use worldly methods and mechanisms — it proclaims the unadulterated gospel, resting on the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit
It is not merely individual Christians but the church's corporate holiness that spreads into communities and neighborhoods
D. The aim of good works — Matthew 5:16
"So that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven"
The goal is not better marriages or financial stability — it is to make worshipers of God, moving hearts from earthly gods to the one true God of heaven and earth
III. The Character of the Salt and the Light
A. The salt and light passage cannot be read apart from the Beatitudes that precede it (Matthew 5:3-12)
Jesus does not say "blessed are the highly intelligent" or "blessed are the movers and shakers"
He says "blessed are the poor in spirit" — those who know their spiritual bankruptcy before a holy God
The traits that advance the Kingdom of Heaven are not the traits that advance the kingdom of the world
B. Christ himself is the model: he shines his light by entering the deepest darkness and dying for sinners
His silence before his accusers was not weakness but a holy strangeness — the centurion declared, "Surely this was the Son of God"
Paul's instruction not to take a brother to human courts (1 Corinthians 6) — the kingdom of heaven rights wrongs in a distinctly different way
C. Salt and light involve both the message and the method — content and the way content is presented
The church loses its saltiness when it battles the world using the world's own tactics
What disarms the kingdom of the world is when citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven remain gentle, meek, and mild in the heat of battle
Self-effacing, self-denying, humble love — like Christ who "counted equality with God not a thing to be grasped but made himself nothing, even a servant unto death on the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8)
33 min
March 12, 2023March 12, 2023; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Acts 27
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 107:1-2
Hymn — When Morning Gilds the Skies (#167)
Prayer of Invocation
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 98 & 99
Hymn — Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare (#628)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (#598)
Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Sermon Title: Take Heart — Trials and the Faithfulness of God
Scripture: Acts 27:21-26
I. Take Heart Because Trials Are Frequent
A. Trials come because we are hard of hearing
Paul had warned the men before the voyage not to set sail from Crete — Acts 27:10
In Acts 27:21, Paul reminds them he had spoken this warning — not to say "I told you so," but to establish that he is someone worthy to be heard
We too are hard of hearing; some trials we face are brought on by our failure to heed God's word — though not all trials have this cause
B. Trials come because we are subject to circumstances
All 276 men on the ship are at the mercy of the sea, powerless and not in control — Acts 27:22, Acts 27:26
Even Paul, God's faithful apostle, receives no special exemption from trial — imprisonment, beatings, stoning, and shipwreck mark his ministry
The COVID-19 pandemic is a recent reminder that all of us are subject to circumstances beyond our control — fear, grief, loss, and anxiety remain real
Trials are the routine experience of even God's people; because trials are frequent, there is a genuine need for the call to take heart
II. Take Heart Because God Is Faithful
A. God faithfully speaks
In the midst of the storm, an angel of God appears to Paul: "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar" — Acts 27:23-24
This is the same God who speaks creation into being, who speaks from the burning bush, who speaks through the prophets, and who upholds all things by the word of his power — Hebrews 1:3
God is not a distant, removed entity; he is personal and intimate with his people, especially close to the brokenhearted
"Do not be afraid" is God's repeated word to his people: to Israel before Canaan, to Joshua after Moses' death, to Mary and Joseph at the announcement of Christ's birth — and now to Paul
B. God faithfully keeps
God promises to preserve Paul's life so that he will stand before Caesar — his perfect plan for Paul is not abandoned — Acts 27:24-25
God also promises to keep all 276 men aboard the ship — likely in answer to Paul's intercession on their behalf
Many of these men are likely pagans, yet God promises to keep them — a picture of his common grace even toward those who have not honored him as Lord
The promise is fulfilled: "all were brought safely to land" — Acts 27:44
Paul can call the men to take heart because he personally knows this speaking and keeping God — he has tasted God's faithfulness ahead of them
Christ himself promises to keep all who are his: "This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me" — John 6:39
III. The Faithful God Creates Gospel Opportunity
A. In Acts 27:34-35, Paul gathers the men, urges them to eat, gives thanks to God before all, and breaks bread
Even in the midst of trial, the faithfulness of God opened a gospel opportunity around a shared meal
Paul's testimony of his faithful God was proclaimed to all 276 men on the boat
B. Application: look back and remember God's faithfulness; hold on to those remembrances when new storms come
God is always in control, always over all things, always working all things together for the spiritual good of his people — Romans 8:28
Take heart — he who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it
31 min
March 12, 2023The Beatitudes
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12
Order of Service
Announcements
Hymn — Praise Him, Praise Him
Call to Worship — Psalm 47
Hymn — Praise Him, Praise Him
Prayer of Invocation
Prayer of Confession
Assurance of Pardon — Jeremiah 31:33-34
Scripture Reading — Acts 19:21-41
Hymn — My Jesus, I Love Thee
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — My Jesus, I Love Thee
Sermon
Prayer of Blessing
Hymn — Blessed Be the Tie That Binds
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: The Beatitudes
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12
I. Introduction: The Beatitudes as Part of the Whole Sermon on the Mount
A. A photograph can only capture part of a whole scene; to appreciate any part of the Sermon on the Mount, one must understand the whole
B. The Sermon on the Mount is for Christians — for God's liberated people
Jesus speaks to his disciples gathered closely around him, with the crowds listening in (Matthew 4:25)
Jesus speaks as the suffering servant, the true Israel, the better Moses — giving New Covenant law of liberty for kingdom life
The sermon is not a self-help guide; it is an autobiography of Christ and a biography of every believer
C. The purpose of the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus prepares his people to live as kingdom citizens in a hostile, upside-down world
The world hates believers because it hated Christ first
Persecution, anxiety, and indwelling sin are all addressed throughout the sermon
The Christian life is a pilgrim life — the life of an alien in a foreign land
D. Structure of the Sermon on the Mount, following Martyn Lloyd-Jones
General (Matthew 5:1-16) — the Beatitudes belong here as a general overview of the Christian character
Particular (Matthew 5:17 through end of Matthew 7) — specific outworkings of the general
E. The Beatitudes set forth who you are in Christ's kingdom
II. The Character of Those in Christ's Kingdom in Relation to God (Matthew 5:3-6)
A. The structure of each Beatitude: a pronouncement of blessedness, a character quality, and a promised blessing
Blessedness carries the sense of congratulations — not merely an emotional state, but a declaration of one's situation before God
This is what God thinks of his people; Jesus pronounces it with the full weight of the Godhead
B. Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3)
Not material poverty — spiritual poverty; awareness of one's emptiness before God
Rooted deeply in the Psalms and Prophets; the poor man is afflicted, unable to save himself, and looks to God alone
Promise: theirs is the kingdom of heaven — the poor in spirit can submit to Christ's reign and receive his kingdom now
C. Blessed are those who mourn (Matthew 5:4)
Mourning over sin and its effects in a broken world
Promise: they shall be comforted — comfort is available now in Christ, and will be fulfilled finally when God wipes every tear (Revelation 21:4)
D. Blessed are the meek (Matthew 5:5)
Not a natural personality trait toward humility, but a Spirit-wrought disposition of a bowed heart before a holy God
Humility grounded in a right understanding of the self before the righteous King
Promise: they shall inherit the earth — background in Psalm 37, where the Lord cuts off the wicked and gives the land to the righteous; the emphasis is on the gracious Giver, not the thing given; fulfilled now and fully in the new heavens and new earth
E. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6)
Flows from knowing one's spiritual poverty and lowness before God
The blessed person desires Christ himself — who is righteousness — not merely what he gives
Promise: they shall be satisfied — Christ gives himself, his righteousness, to his people
III. The Character of Those in Christ's Kingdom in Relation to Mankind (Matthew 5:7-10)
A. God saves his people not only to reconcile them to himself, but to restore right relationships between people
The second table of the law (commandments five through ten) reflects God's care for horizontal relationships
The second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself
B. The person in Christ's kingdom responds in a certain way
Blessed are the merciful (Matthew 5:7) — they do not return hurt for hurt; they keep short accounts because they know they have received immeasurable mercy
Even under persecution — being reviled and harassed for righteousness — they can respond with mercy, knowing they belong to a better, lasting kingdom
Promise: they shall receive mercy
C. The person in Christ's kingdom lives in a certain way
Blessed are the pure in heart (Matthew 5:8) — not perfect, but seeking to live with a pure conscience through the work of Christ and the Spirit
They run toward holiness even when the world runs toward sin
Promise: they shall see God — they live now before the face of God and will dwell with him forever
D. The person in Christ's kingdom pursues certain ends
Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) — the same word Paul uses for Christ's work of making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:20); one people made out of two (Ephesians 2:14-16)
Peacemakers seek reconciling peace in their community, family, and church
Promise: they shall be called sons of God — declared to be children of the King, proved so on the last day
IV. Conclusion
A. These character qualities are not a pick-and-choose list — all are true of every believer
B. None of these qualities are natural to any person; they are given — pronounced over God's people in Christ
C. For those who do not know Christ: these can be yours — believe on Christ, submit to his reign, come humbly to him
D. The Beatitudes are your biography, believer — Christ has congratulated you; this is who you are
34 min
March 05, 2023march 5, 2023; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Matthew 5
Order of Service
Prayer of Invocation
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 96 & 97 (Lord's Supper)
Hymn — Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless (#424)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — What a Friend We Have in Jesus (#629)
Benediction
Sermon Title: Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
Scripture: Matthew 4:23–5:1
I. The Sermon on the Mount Is for Israel
A. Matthew is a deeply Jewish Gospel, presenting Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and as a recapitulation of Israel's history
The genealogy in Matthew traces Jesus back to Abraham, the father of Israel, in contrast to Luke's genealogy which goes back to Adam
In Matthew 2:15, Matthew applies Hosea 11:1 — "Out of Egypt I called my son" — to Jesus, identifying him with corporate Israel called out of Egypt
B. Jesus recapitulates the history of Moses and Israel through the first four chapters of Matthew
Herod's slaughter of male infants mirrors Pharaoh's command in the Exodus
Jesus's 40-day fast in the desert recalls Moses's 40 days on Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and Israel's 40 years of wilderness wandering
Jesus takes upon himself the baptism of repentance, identifying fully with exiled, disobedient Israel
C. Jesus answers Satan's three temptations with quotes from Deuteronomy — the book of the second giving of the law — succeeding where Israel failed
Deuteronomy 8:3
Deuteronomy 6:16
Deuteronomy 6:13
D. Jesus is the obedient Suffering Servant — the fulfillment of Isaiah's servant songs — who succeeds where Israel failed, then sits down on a mountain as the new Moses to give New Covenant law
II. The Sermon on the Mount Is for Gentiles
A. Classical dispensationalism (C. I. Scofield, Charles Ryrie) argued the Sermon on the Mount is not for the church but for Israel in the millennial kingdom; the context of Matthew refutes this
B. Matthew 4:12–17 records Jesus preaching in the "Galilee of the Gentiles," fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy — a region with a significant Gentile population
C. Matthew 4:25 lists the diverse crowds present: Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan — a mixed Jewish and Gentile multitude
William Hendriksen notes the Decapolis was a federation of ten largely Gentile cities extending northeast of Samaria and Galilee
The scene echoes the Pharisees' words in John 12:19: "Look, the whole world is going after him"
III. The Sermon on the Mount Is for the Liberated People of God
A. Moses prophesied of a coming prophet like himself in Deuteronomy 18:15: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me… it is to him you shall listen"
At the Transfiguration, the Father echoes this: "This is my beloved Son; listen to him" — with Moses present as a witness
B. Jesus gives law not to a people in bondage but to a people he has already begun to liberate
In Matthew 4:24, Jesus heals the sick and casts out demons — reversing the curse of the Covenant (cf. Deuteronomy) and breaking Satan's dominion
Unlike Sinai, there is no thunder, lightning, or people trembling at a distance; Jesus sits down among his disciples as a friend
C. The law of the Sermon on the Mount is the law of Liberty (cf. James), given to those freed from the curse of the Mosaic law
The sermon contains no ceremonial or civil law — only the moral law, the application of the Ten Commandments
The law of God is no longer written on stone but inscribed on the heart by the Spirit, as promised in Jeremiah 31
D. Jesus internalizes and heightens the law, moving beyond externals to the heart — as will be seen throughout the sermon
Anger equals murder in the heart; lust equals adultery in the heart
Greater grace brings greater responsibility to obedience (cf. Hebrews 12)
E. In Matthew 7:28–29, the crowds recognize Jesus teaches as one with authority, not as the scribes — he is Yahweh in the flesh giving New Covenant law face to face, as God spoke to Moses like a friend
The Pharisees distorted the law into externalism; Jesus reveals its true, inward meaning
The Sermon on the Mount must always be heard with eyes fixed on Christ the Law-Giver and Law-Fulfiller, not as a set of rules to earn heaven
30 min
March 05, 2023March 5,, 2023; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 2 Samuel 13
Order of Service
Announcements
Opening Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
Call to Worship — Hebrews 12:18-24
Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 8, Section 1
Scripture Reading — Exodus 12:21-28
Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Sermon
Lord's Supper Hymn — Jesus Paid It All (stanzas 1–2)
Administration of the Lord's Supper
Lord's Supper Hymn — Jesus Paid It All (stanzas 3–4)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Horror Show of Sin in the House of David
Scripture: 2 Samuel 13:1-22
I. Amnon — Heat Without Humanity
A. Amnon's desire is entirely self-directed — he wants to do something to Tamar, not love her as a person
His words to Tamar are only those that lure her in; he cannot hear her pleas for mercy
In 2 Samuel 13:17, the Hebrew literally reads "get this out," treating her as an object
B. Verse 15 reveals the horror of sin's effect: the "love" that drove Amnon turns immediately to hatred
If you treat, speak about, or think of people as dirt, they become dirt in your eyes — twisted love becomes horrific hate
Amnon's hatred of Tamar is a projection of self-loathing; once the lustful spell breaks, he recognizes himself as a fool and projects that shame outward
Compare Adam in Genesis 3: "the woman you gave me" — the same pattern of projecting self-loathing onto others
C. True love requires a three-part biblical understanding of self
Created in the image of God
Fallen into sin
Redeemed and restored by the blood of Christ
Only with all three can we fulfil Matthew 22:39 — "Love your neighbor as yourself"
Without redemption, what looks like love is ultimately a form of hate projected outward
II. Jonadab — Intelligence Without Integrity
A. Jonadab (David's nephew) is described in 2 Samuel 13:3 as "very crafty" — the same Hebrew word used elsewhere for wisdom, but exercised without the fear of the Lord
He possesses all the practical ingredients of wisdom: shrewd thinking, foresight, skillful execution
What makes him dangerous is the complete absence of integrity and godliness
B. Intelligence without integrity produces history's greatest horror shows
Nazi Germany, the Soviet Gulags — brilliant minds and brilliant organizers with no moral anchor
The story of the Vicar of Bray illustrates craftiness without conviction: changing allegiances with every regime to preserve personal position
C. Application for the church (quoting Dale Ralph Davis)
"Those with the greatest gifts pose the greatest threat, for unless their gifts are wrapped in godliness they multiply disaster among Christ's flock"
The church wants your gifts to shine, but desires your godliness even more
Godliness should be like the sun; your gifts are the rays emanating from it — giftedness exercised through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
III. Tamar — A Victim Without a Voice
A. Tamar seeks someone to see and hear her, and finds no one
Amnon overpowers and defiles her, then casts her out — stripping the robe that symbolized her virginity (2 Samuel 13:18-19)
Absalom offers hollow comfort — "do not take this to heart" — silencing rather than entering her pain; he is already plotting his own revenge rather than seeing his sister
She lives as a desolate woman the rest of her life
B. David's response is righteous indignation without righteous action
The Septuagint adds: "he would not punish Amnon because he loved him, since he was his firstborn"
David's anger does nothing for Tamar — a show of indignation without justice or restoration
Warning: we can be so wrapped up in rage over injustice that we never actually see or hear the victim; the victim becomes a statistic that fuels our anger rather than a person we love
C. What Tamar needed — and what the Lord's Table provides
A King who does not merely display anger over sin but acts to deal with it
A King who enters personally into the pit with the victim — who sees, hears, and knows each person by name
Christ at the cross is both the act of justice and the act of intimate solidarity — he enters the victim's place, bears the shame, and says "this is for you"
The Lord's Supper is the token and down payment of that intimate union: a King who knows his sheep by name (John 10:14) and who has paid it all
35 min
February 26, 2023February 26, 2023; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:16-31
Order of Service
Preservice Music
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship — Psalm 136
Hymn — Give to Our God Immortal Praise
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — Psalm 38
Assurance of Pardon
Scripture Reading — Acts 19:1-41
Hymn — More Love to Thee
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Man of Sorrows, What a Name
Sermon
Hymn — It Is Well with My Soul
Benediction
Sermon Title: Godly Sorrow in a Fallen World
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:15-31
I. Godly Sorrow Brings Pleading in the Midst of Despair
A. David fasts and pleads desperately before God on behalf of his dying child, even though God had already pronounced judgment
His elders are so unsettled by his anguish they fear telling him the child has died
His grief is raw and real — he refuses to rise from the ground or eat
B. David's prayer is neither fatalistic nor overly spiritualistic
He does not resign himself to God's declared judgment and refuse to pray
He does not treat fasting and crying out as a mechanism to manipulate God into changing his mind
He prays like a son appealing to a father: "who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me" — 2 Samuel 12:22
C. David's pleading is rooted in the character of God
He knows God is just and his judgments are true
He also knows God is "full of steadfast love and mercy to the thousandth generation"
He comes before God as Moses did interceding for Israel, yet with the surrender of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — "even if he does not deliver us"
II. Godly Sorrow Brings Praise in the Midst of Disappointment
A. When David hears the child has died, he rises, washes, anoints himself, changes his clothes, and goes to the house of the Lord to worship — 2 Samuel 12:20
The language is resurrection-like: he arises from the earth, washes and consecrates himself, strips off sackcloth and puts on garments of praise
He moves from the dust of mourning into the house of the Lord
B. Worship gives David proper perspective on his son's death
David does not want his son to return to him — he wants to go where his son is
"I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" — 2 Samuel 12:23
The earthly tent (the tabernacle) points to the heavenly tent where David's son now dwells
C. David acts out what he believes before his feelings catch up — a model for believers in grief
A PCA pastor who lost his infant daughter described how reciting the Lord's Prayer each night, even when the words were painful, gradually restored trust in God's steadfast love
Psalm 73 — "my foot almost slipped…until I went into the sanctuary of God" and gained proper perspective
Coming to worship in the midst of darkness is a sign to the watching world that victory is secure in Christ
D. The chapter comes full circle: David's sin began with him staying in Jerusalem while he should have been fighting; now, after worship, he rises and leads Israel to victory over the Ammonites — 2 Samuel 12:26-31
Worship is the energy that restores David to his duty
Psalm 51 — after confession, David declares he will serve God's people and proclaim his goodness to the congregation
III. Godly Sorrow Brings Promise in the Midst of Defeat
A. David faces not only the grief of losing a child but the crushing guilt that his sin caused the child's death
The child is never named — he dies on the seventh day, before the eighth-day circumcision at which he would have received his name
"Only the Lord knows his name" — echoing Jeremiah 1:5: God knew and claimed him even before birth
B. God's promise breaks through defeat: Bathsheba conceives again and the child survives to the eighth day — 2 Samuel 12:24-25
He is named Solomon — from the Hebrew shalom, meaning peace
He is given the covenant name Jedediah — "Beloved of the Lord"
The promised son of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) comes not through David's heroic deeds but through Bathsheba, the wife of the man David murdered
"You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" — Joseph's words to his brothers apply here
C. Solomon points forward to Jesus Christ
Luke 2:21 — Jesus is named on the eighth day of his circumcision; the name Jesus means "the Lord is salvation"
Jesus rises on the first day of the new week — the eighth day — and speaks to his disciples: "Peace be with you" (shalom)
Colossians 2 — Christ's circumcision is our circumcision; his name is now our name
D. Every Lord's Day is the eighth day — the day of resurrection and new creation
Every Sunday we gather as born-again new creatures and hear our Lord say: "Peace"
Godly sorrow is cross-shaped sorrow that leads us to the eighth day where we hear: "Something greater than Solomon is here — peace everlasting"
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." — John 16:33
34 min
February 19, 2023February 19, 2023; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Ephesians 1:3-14
Hymn — O Father, You Are Sovereign (#75)
Prayer of Invocation
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 92 & 93
Hymn — Blessed Are the Sons of God (#526)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (#598)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Arena, Attitude, and Activity of New Spiritual Life
Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10
I. The Arena of New Spiritual Life
A. Paul addresses the church as "brothers," situating new life within the community of believers
The Greek word adelphoi (brothers/sisters) signals Paul is writing as a member of the church to fellow members
The "law of Christ" in verse 2 echoes John 13, where Jesus commands his disciples to love one another — a love directed first within the fellowship of believers
B. The primary arena is the local church — specifically the household of faith (Galatians 6:10)
Concentric circles extend outward: local, regional, national, international church
Broadly, the arena includes all people ("do good to everyone"), but the church is the first priority
C. A second arena is before God himself (Galatians 6:7)
God is not mocked — he sees all thoughts, words, and deeds (Matthew 6; Hebrews 4:13)
He rewards what he sees, whether a life sown to flesh or to spirit
New spiritual life is ultimately lived to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1)
II. The Attitude of New Spiritual Life
A. Restoration of a sinning brother or sister requires a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1)
Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit already named in chapter 5, now applied practically
There is no room for pride, self-congratulation, or lording it over an erring brother or sister
B. Self-watchfulness is essential (Galatians 6:1)
We keep watch on ourselves because we know our own susceptibility to temptation
The one focused only on others' sin is like a woman watching out the front window while an intruder enters the back door
C. Right thinking about oneself guards against self-deception (Galatians 6:3)
The Galatians were blinded by works-focused living, unable to see their true condition
The Spirit, through the word, teaches us to see ourselves rightly — as Paul did, calling himself the chief of sinners
D. Testing one's own work is done through Christ, not by comparison with neighbors (Galatians 6:4)
Christ kept the law perfectly, setting the highest standard of holiness
His righteousness is imputed to believers; his cross shows us what our sin deserves
Calvin: the Christian has good reason to boast — not against a neighbor, but in the full work of Christ and the Spirit's forming of Christ within us (Ephesians 2:10)
III. The Activity of New Spiritual Life
A. Bearing burdens includes addressing known sin (Galatians 6:2)
Calvin: the burdens of verse 2 are the weaknesses and sins under which we groan
To overlook a known, serious sin is more harmful to a brother's soul than the discomfort of confronting it — illustrated by Nathan confronting David
Discernment is needed: not policing every move, but acting when sin has a hold, affects witness, or endangers others
The model for this process is Matthew 18
B. Restoration is the goal of addressing sin (Galatians 6:1)
The Greek word for "restore" carries the sense of setting a broken bone or resetting a dislocated joint — putting back into proper order
We move toward the erring brother or sister, not away; we are mindful of tone, posture, and nonverbal communication
We recall them to the gospel, to repentance, and to look upon Christ again
C. Generous sharing of burdens is part of the one-another life (Galatians 6:2, 6)
The fallen world brings unexpected loss, doubt, anxiety, and loneliness — no one bears these alone
Help may take the form of financial aid, a meal, presence, or a shared "me too"
Specifically, the local church is to support generously those who teach the word (Galatians 6:6)
D. Sowing to the spirit, not to the flesh, yields eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8)
Sowing to the flesh serves only self and only the temporal — it runs counter to one-another life
Sowing to the spirit is living now in view of eternity, keeping in step with the Spirit — the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit lived out
Illustration: as a child places his feet on his father's feet and is carried along, so believers move in concert with the Spirit who leads and works spiritual life into us
E. Perseverance in doing good is commanded (Galatians 6:9-10)
Do not grow weary — in due season there will be a harvest
Do good to everyone, and especially to those of the household of faith
35 min
February 19, 2023Mortification of Sin
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-15
Order of Service
Announcements
Opening Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Call to Worship — Hebrews 10:19-25
Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1
Scripture Reading — Acts 18:18-28
Hymn — Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Sermon
Hymn — O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
Doxology
Sermon Title: Mortification of Sin
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-15
I. Mortification Involves Self-Exposure
A. God pursues David in grace by sending Nathan to expose his hidden sin
Dale Ralph Davis: "You may succeed in unfaithfulness, but Yahweh will come after you" — God's pursuing grace is genuine comfort
David's sin had been lingering unrepented, possibly six months to a year — a spiritual gangrene eating away at his soul
Nathan's parable provokes David's indignation against the rich man who stole the poor man's lamb
B. David unknowingly invokes a curse upon himself, echoing Peter's denial (1 Samuel 15)
Nathan's haunting declaration: "You are the man"
David judged the rich man as deserving death — the very judgment applicable to himself
C. The passage reveals how sin creates blind spots
We tend to make the litmus test for godliness the areas in which we naturally excel
David would never steal a poor man's lamb — yet he is the man; his sin was in a different category he did not scrutinize
David's sin was secret (2 Samuel 12:12) — we wrongly assume that secret sin is less serious
"Judge not lest you be judged" (Matthew 7:1) is not situational but a permanent standard of Christian living
D. Practical application: when news kindles our anger at another's sin, pause and examine what lies within that, if unleashed, would produce the same sin
John Owen: "Sin aims always at the utmost… every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could"
The cross proclaims to every sinner: "You are the man" — place your hand over your mouth before judging others
II. Mortification Involves Sanctifying Consequences
A. God's judgments on David are perfectly proportioned to his sins
The sword will never depart from David's house — corresponds to his killing of Uriah
David's wives will be taken and given to his neighbor publicly — corresponds to his taking of his neighbor's wife in secret
Luke 8:17: "Nothing is hidden that will not be made known, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light"
B. The importance of confessing sin to a trusted brother or sister
Part of killing sin is opening up to one another so that we can be iron sharpening iron
Find someone who will listen without wagging a finger, remind you of forgiveness in Christ, and encourage sanctification
C. The deepest consequence is that David has sinned personally against the Lord
2 Samuel 12:9: "Why have you despised the word of the Lord?"
2 Samuel 12:10: "You have despised me"
David's confession: "I have sinned against the Lord" — not against Bathsheba, Uriah, or Israel, but against his personal Lord
Psalm 51:4: "Against you, and you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight"
D. David's two-word Hebrew confession — "Sin, Lord" — is the mark of a man after God's own heart
No excuses, no circumstances offered — naked and exposed before God
Contrast with Saul's excuse-making in 1 Samuel 15
A man after God's own heart is one who knows how desperately he needs Jesus Christ
Hebrews 12 — the Father disciplines the children he loves, rendering us naked before him so we may be clothed in Christ's righteousness alone
III. Mortification Involves a Stinging Forgiveness
A. Nathan delivers the assurance of pardon: "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die"
David had declared the guilty man deserves to die; Nathan had declared David is that man — yet David hears the pardoning voice
B. God's forgiveness does not cancel the consequences of sin
The child born to David and Bathsheba will die as a consequence of David's sin
Illustration of a father who forgives a son yet maintains the discipline — love and consequence together strengthen the relationship
Do not shudder at the combination of God's rod and God's forgiveness — together they draw us closer to him
C. The correlation between David's judgment on the rich man and the judgment on David
In 2 Samuel 12:5 David calls the man "a son of death" (Hebrew); his own son becomes a son of death
Important clarification: this is a unique, explicitly stated divine consequence — the passage does not teach that the death of a child is generally the result of parental sin
D. The stinging forgiveness points to Calvary
Placing David's pardon and his son's death in the same breath (2 Samuel 12:13-14) directs our hearts to the cross
The Father's pardoning voice to us costs the death of his own Son — God's Son becomes a son of death so we may have life in abundance
Your forgiveness comes with a cup of wrath — poured out not on our sons but on his Son
When temptation comes, let the death of God's Son come to mind, as the death of his son would have come to David's mind
We are to live as thanksgiving and self-sacrificing offerings to the Father who did not spare his only begotten Son (Romans 8:32)
34 min
February 12, 2023David's Sin
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 117
Hymn — From All That Dwell Below the Skies
Prayer of Invocation
Corporate Confession of Sin — adapted from Psalm 51
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51:17
Scripture Reading — Acts 18:1–17
Hymn — Though Troubles Assail Us
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — God Be Merciful to Me
Sermon
Hymn — In Christ Alone
Benediction
Sermon Title: David's Sin
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11
I. The Sight of Sin
A. David's sin is preceded by his neglect of duty — he remains in Jerusalem while his army is at war (2 Samuel 11:1)
B. Inactivity and idleness open the eyes to temptation
The Hebrew word for sin means "to miss the mark" — David misses the mark of his duty before he commits the outward act
Contrast with Joseph and Potiphar's wife: Joseph's mind is fixed on duty, so his defenses are up (Genesis 39)
Contrast with Eve: she neglects her dominion over the serpent, lending it her ear, and the seeing follows (Genesis 3)
C. Mindlessness makes us slaves to our eyes — we become like animals, reacting rather than reasoning
Colossians 3:2 — "Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth"
The remedy is not workaholism but purposeful mindfulness — actively orienting the mind to duty, rest, worship, and family
II. The Selfishness of Sin
A. The author highlights David's aggressive agency and Bathsheba's complete passivity
David's verbs in verses 4 and 27: sent, took, lay, sent, brought
Bathsheba's verbs: returned, conceived, became, bore — she is voiceless and nameless throughout
Her only words are "I am pregnant" — her voice matters only when it creates a problem for David
B. Sin is not merely lust — its root is the desire to be like God, to move from creature to Creator
David has the power to satisfy his lust; the sin is the exercise of a Creator's prerogative — taking what is not given
This distorts the Creator-creature distinction — sin is the search for pathways that make one feel independent of God
Whether through pornography, debt, social media, or control of others, sin is about feeling like God rather than living as a dependent creature
C. David moves from creaturely gratitude to Creator demand
His earlier posture in 2 Samuel 7:18: "Who am I, O Lord God, that you have brought me thus far?"
Now he moves from vice-regent to self-appointed regent, from creature to Creator
The believer who lives as dependent creature can rejoice even in poverty; the unbeliever who lives as independent creator is shrouded in bitterness even amid wealth
III. The Shame of Sin
A. David's shame produces cover-up rather than repentance — a worldly grief, not a godly grief
2 Corinthians 7:10 — "Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death"
David's repentance comes only when Nathan confronts him (ch. 12); here, shame only drives deeper sin
B. The passage traces meaning through the "eyes" of its characters
Verse 2: David saw Bathsheba
Verse 25 (Hebrew): David tells Joab, "Do not let this thing be evil in your eyes"
Verse 27: "The thing that David had done displeased the Lord" — lit. "was evil in the sight of the Lord"
David's shame is driven by concern for the eyes of men, not the eyes of God
C. Living before the eyes of man leads from bad to worse — David's cover-up likely caused the deaths of many additional soldiers, not only Uriah
Illustration: a gifted pastor and theologian who lived before the eyes of men, relied on his gifting as his anchor, and when man's praise collapsed, it brought death — he said, "I learned to rely on my gifting"
Worldly shame spirals into more sin and ultimately death
D. Conclusion: David himself would point to 2 Samuel 11 — not 1 Samuel 17 — as the passage that reveals who he truly is
Psalm 51:5 — "In sin did my mother conceive me" — David sees himself not merely as one who sins but as one who is born a sinner
Only God's forgiveness can restore life and vitality; man's praise cannot
Living before the eyes of God drives the sinner into Christ; living before the eyes of man drives the sinner into deeper sin
34 min
February 12, 2023February 12, 2023; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Galatians 5:16-24
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Romans 8:16-17
Hymn — O God, Our Help in Ages Past (#30)
Catechism Reading — Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions 90–91
Hymn — Abide with Me (#402)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:16-24
Sermon
Hymn — Breathe on Me, Breath of God (#334)
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: The Spirit's Battle Against Sin
Scripture: Galatians 5:16-24
I. The Spirit Versus the Law
A. The law alone cannot sanctify; it only condemns from the outside
The law exposes guilt and shame but has no internal heart-changing power
Only the Spirit has the power of sanctification
B. The Spirit writes the fulfilled law on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3)
Christ fulfilled the law and poured out His Spirit into our hearts
What is inscribed on the believer's heart is the law of liberty — fulfilled in Christ
Jesus is the Word made flesh, the law made flesh, come to fulfill it in the power of the Spirit
C. The Spirit transforms our relationship to the law
The law is no longer a nagging enemy but a friend, encourager, and motivator
The believer can say with the psalmist in Psalm 119: "In the way of your testimonies I delight"
D. Application: Are we a law of liberty or a law of condemnation to one another?
Ephesians 6:4 — Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord
Many people carry unseen burdens; they need the Spirit-wrought comfort we can offer
II. The Spirit Versus the Flesh
A. The flesh is the old sinful nature — the control center that drives man toward sin
The believer experiences an internal dualism: a fierce battle between two control centers (Galatians 5:17)
Paul addresses believers, not unbelievers — this battle is real for the Christian
B. Satan's lie: you have no choice but to sin
Many in the world — and in the church — believe they cannot live any other way
The Spirit empowers the believer to resist the flesh and live differently
C. The flesh has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 5:24)
This is a settled fact for those who are in Christ, not a goal yet to be achieved
Satan tries to make us forget Calvary; the Spirit reminds us the cross has happened
D. Sanctification is not perfectionism, but Spirit-empowered pursuit of holiness
Romans 7 — even when I do good, evil lies close at hand
Hebrews 12:1 — sin clings so closely
Eyes must be fixed not on our own power but on the power of the indwelling Spirit
The Spirit reminds us: the gas is in the engine and the car is on — now drive toward holiness
III. The Spirit Versus Self
A. The works of the flesh picture a man bent inward on self
Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality — self-gratification
Idolatry, sorcery — manipulating God for personal ends
Strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy — relationships governed by selfish concerns
Drunkenness, orgies — escaping reality and using others for self-satisfaction
The Hebrew concept of iniquity: being bent inward on self
B. The fruit of the Spirit is outward and upward, not inward
Love stands first because it is the greatest commandment — love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39)
Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control all flow from an outward and upward orientation
C. Living by the Spirit means surrendering self to the Spirit's influence
The Spirit's work is a paradox: true contentment comes not from self-satisfaction but from Christ-satisfaction
Me decreasing and Christ — and Christ's body, the church — increasing
D. Closing application
If you have been battling a nagging sin, guilt and shame alone will not free you
Remember who indwells you — the third person of the Trinity reigns in your heart
Your old nature has been crucified in Christ; you are a new creation, empowered to say no to sin
30 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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