Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • Union With Christ

    Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11

    Order of Service
    • Call to Worship — Psalm 117
    • Hymn — From All That Dwell Below the Skies
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Sin
    • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 103:11-13
    • Scripture Reading — Ruth 4:1-12
    • Hymn — There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Offering
    • Prayer of Dedication
    • Hymn — Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord
    • Sermon
    • Hymn — Amazing Grace
    • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
      • Sermon Title: Union With Christ

      Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11

      I. Union with Christ and Justification

      A. Paul's impeccable credentials as an Israelite (Philippians 3:4-6)

      1. Circumcised on the eighth day; of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews
      2. A Pharisee — the strictest sect in Judaism
      3. Zealous to the point of persecuting the church; blameless under the law

        4. B. The monumental reversal: all gain counted as loss (Philippians 3:7-8)

        1. Paul's religious achievements were like a growing bank account of righteousness — but when he met Christ he discovered he was actually bankrupt before a holy God
        2. He counts everything as rubbish (dung) not to gain heaven or eternal life as abstract concepts, but to gain the person of Christ

          3. C. Justification flows from union with Christ (Philippians 3:9)

          1. "Being found in him" — not a righteousness of one's own from the law, but the righteousness from God through faith
          2. Christ's righteousness is imputed and reckoned to the believer's account — we become co-heirs with him (Romans 8:17)
          3. The benefits of salvation are never to be separated from the Benefactor — salvation is a person, Jesus Christ
            4. II. Union with Christ and Sanctification

            A. The paradox of resurrection and death (Philippians 3:10)

            1. Paul appears to reverse the expected order — resurrection first, then suffering and death — because the risen Christ empowers the believer to die to self
            2. "[W]hoever loses his life will keep it" (Luke 17:33) — you get busy living by getting busy dying

              3. B. The meaning of koinonia — sharing in his sufferings

              1. The Greek word translated "fellowship" conveys an organic, vital union — like a limb to a body — not mere metaphor
              2. It is spirit-wrought connection: the very same Spirit that empowered Christ to go to the cross now indwells and empowers the believer

                3. C. Sanctification is Christ's sanctification imparted to us

                1. Christ does not merely declare us rich and depart — he takes us with him, trains us in righteousness, and imparts his Holy Spirit
                2. Daily dying to self and living unto God is possible only through union and communion with Jesus Christ
                  3. III. Union with Christ and Glorification

                  A. Paul's vision of the good life is bodily resurrection (Philippians 3:11)

                  1. Christ is not a bodiless spirit — he is raised body and soul, seated at the right hand of the Father; Paul is united to this Christ
                  2. Paul's goal is not land, possessions, or even heaven in the abstract — it is to be raised like Christ, body and soul, at the last day

                    3. B. The mishandling of 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

                    1. Death still stings until the day of resurrection — a grieving spouse knows this; the pastor must not deny it
                    2. What turned the disciples' sadness to joy was not a feeling or a cliché but the physical, risen Christ — hands, feet, wounds that Thomas could touch

                      3. C. Glorification is already secured in our union with the risen Christ

                      1. Christ raised is the firstfruits guaranteeing the full harvest of resurrection for all united to him
                      2. Romans 8:30 — "Those whom he justified he also glorified" — spoken as a settled fact because our glorification is in the already-risen Christ
                      3. Therefore believers can die to self with joy, knowing they share fellowship with the ascended Christ today and will one day be made like him, body and soul
                        4. 31 min
                      4. Gospel Joy

                        Scripture: Philippians 3:1-3

                        Order of Service
                        • Announcements
                        • Opening Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 146:1-2, 7-10
                        • Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
                        • Prayer of Invocation
                        • Confession of Faith
                        • Reception of New Members (Hoskins Family)
                        • Prayer for New Members
                        • Hymn — Great Is Thy Faithfulness
                        • Pastoral Prayer
                        • Offering
                        • Prayer of Dedication
                        • Hymn of Preparation — Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts
                        • Sermon
                        • Closing Hymn — O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
                        • Benediction
                          • Sermon Title: Gospel Joy

                          Scripture: Philippians 3:1-3

                          I. Gospel Joy and Its Everlasting Nature

                          A. The fleeting nature of worldly joy

                          1. The experience of loss and grief reveals how transient earthly joys are
                          2. Culture's response — "seize the day" (e.g., OneRepublic's I Lived) — places unbearable pressure on the individual to extract maximum joy from a short life
                          3. This pursuit is haunted by the fear of never having lived fully enough, echoing Luther's anxiety over never working hard enough for salvation

                            4. B. Christ as the only everlasting joy

                            1. Philippians 3:1 — Paul's imperative: Rejoice in the Lord; joy is located in Christ, not in self or circumstance
                            2. Philippians 3:8 — Paul counts everything as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus
                            3. Christ is the alpha and omega, the same yesterday, today, and forever — his joy is permanent, not vapor
                            4. Regret-filled living is self-centered living; it locates joy in one's own decisions rather than in Christ
                            5. All have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3); our best and worst are equally rubbish outside of Christ — Wretched man that I am! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
                              6. II. Gospel Joy and Its Enemies

                              A. The Judaizers: a historical case study

                              1. Unlike other epistles, Galatians opens with no thanksgiving — Paul launches immediately into rebuke because the gospel is being distorted
                              2. The Judaizers taught Christ plus circumcision and the Mosaic ceremonial law — i.e., you must become part of ethnic Israel to be saved
                              3. These same false teachers appear to have infiltrated the church at Philippi

                                4. B. Paul's deliberately provocative language in Philippians 3:2-3

                                1. Dogs — Jews used this term for Gentiles; Paul reverses it, calling the Judaizers the ones outside the covenant
                                2. Evil doers — those who distort the gospel are workers of wickedness
                                3. Mutilate the flesh — echoes the pagan prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:28 who cut themselves to get their god's attention; Paul charges the Judaizers with the same pagan futility
                                4. We are the real circumcision — the true Israel of God is the church, Jews and Gentiles united to Christ (cf. Galatians 6:16)

                                  5. C. Christ as the fulfillment of all Old Covenant types

                                  1. Christ is the true circumcision, the true temple, the true Israel — united to him, the church shares in all he is and has done
                                  2. Any addition to Christ alone subtracts from true gospel joy
                                  3. False teaching is insidious: it speaks highly of Jesus but shifts the emphasis to an additional law or standard, inviting regret, division, gossip, and chaos into the church

                                    4. D. Application: what unites the church in gospel joy

                                    1. Not personalities or niceness, but a shared identity as wretched sinners who meet one another in Christ alone
                                    2. Gospel joy must be guarded at all costs — wolves will continue to infiltrate until Christ returns
                                      3. III. Gospel Joy and the Exaltation of God

                                      A. The meaning of true circumcision at the cross

                                      1. Colossians 2:11 — in Christ we are circumcised without hands, by the putting off of the body of flesh
                                      2. The cross carries both the negative symbol (Christ cut off as substitutionary sacrifice) and the positive symbol (consecration and bold access to the Father)
                                      3. The temple curtain torn open gives us entry into the true heavenly tabernacle to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4)

                                        4. B. The danger of self-centered worship

                                        1. The Judaizers dragged the church back to obsolete Old Covenant forms (cf. Hebrews); the modern equivalent is worship and Christian living centered on self rather than Christ
                                        2. Christ reduced to a life coach is Christ dethroned

                                          3. C. Practical training in adoration and exaltation

                                          1. The ACTS prayer framework (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) is helpful but can be hijacked by self-focus — lips moving in adoration while the heart is fixed on guilt or personal need
                                          2. Prescription: practice prayers of pure adoration and thanksgiving (AT prayers) — deliberately set aside confession and supplication at times to train the heart to behold God first
                                          3. We do not rightly behold ourselves by first beholding ourselves; we see ourselves rightly only when we first behold God
                                          4. Approaching confession from a heart saturated in God's majesty produces genuine brokenness; approaching supplication from a heart saturated in God's grace produces bold confidence
                                          5. The goal: each member, individually trained in adoration, brings a heart aimed upward so that corporate Lord's Day worship is collectively fixed on the glory of Christ alone
                                            6. 32 min
                                          6. Do not be fools

                                            Scripture: Hosea 13

                                            Order of Service
                                            • Call to Worship — Psalm 48:1-3, 9-11
                                            • Hymn — How Great Thou Art (#44)
                                            • Catechism Reading — Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 53–54
                                            • Hymn — All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (#296)
                                            • Pastoral Prayer
                                            • Scripture Reading — Hosea 13
                                            • Prayer of Illumination
                                            • Sermon
                                            • Hymn — Like a River Glorious (#699)
                                            • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                              • Sermon Title: Do Not Be Fools

                                              Scripture: Hosea 13

                                              I. The Foolishness of Trusting in Position (Hosea 13:1-3)

                                              A. Ephraim was exalted and favored by God — not because of their own greatness, but by God's sovereign choice

                                              1. Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, was raised to represent the whole northern kingdom of Israel
                                              2. Their exalted position was a gift of God's grace, not their own achievement

                                                3. B. Pride swelled as they contemplated their favored status, and they fell into idolatry (Hosea 13:2)

                                                1. They incurred guilt through Baal and died spiritually
                                                2. They sinned more and more, making metal idols — worshiping the creature rather than the Creator
                                                3. Like weeds in a garden, pride must be vigilantly fought or it overtakes the heart

                                                  4. C. The Lord's verdict: they are like morning mist, dew, chaff, and smoke — utterly insignificant apart from him (Hosea 13:3)

                                                  D. Wisdom requires knowing who we are in light of who God is

                                                  1. To be an image-bearer is not an end in itself — we bear the image of the Triune Creator
                                                  2. We must not worship the image-bearer but the one whose image we bear
                                                    3. II. The Foolishness of Trusting in Provision (Hosea 13:4-8)

                                                    A. The Lord identifies himself as the God who redeemed Israel from Egypt and intimately knew and provided for his people in the wilderness (Hosea 13:4-5)

                                                    1. The "knowing" here is like the intimate knowledge between husband and wife — a caring, mutual provision
                                                    2. Their clothes and sandals never wore out; their stomachs were never empty

                                                      3. B. As they became full, their hearts were lifted up and they forgot their Provider (Hosea 13:6)

                                                      1. They missed the Provider for the provision — they saw the gifts but forgot the Giver
                                                      2. They believed themselves to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining

                                                        3. C. Application: affluence is one of the greatest spiritual dangers in the Western world

                                                        1. Teaching children to say "thank you" and "please" is meant to cultivate awareness of dependence on another
                                                        2. Praying before meals is a discipline to remind us that all provision comes from the Lord
                                                        3. The gospel begins with our need — those who believe themselves self-sufficient cannot hear it
                                                          4. III. The Foolishness of Trusting in Princes (Hosea 13:9-11)

                                                          A. The Lord mocks Israel's confidence in earthly rulers: "Where now is your king to save you?" (Hosea 13:10)

                                                          1. This alludes to Israel's demand for a king in 1 Samuel 8 — they wanted a king like the nations to lead them in battle
                                                          2. The Lord had been their king, but they sought another

                                                            3. B. The temptation is to trust the seen over the unseen — to place full weight of trust in leaders whose faces we can see

                                                            1. The issue is not with earthly leaders themselves, but with misplaced ultimate trust
                                                            2. Earthly leaders cannot bear the full weight of our trust, just as an extension cord cannot tow a car

                                                              3. C. We are to pray for our leaders, but prayer for them is meant to reinforce that they serve an unseen King

                                                              1. Mayors, senators, presidents — all are under-rulers who serve at God's pleasure and according to his will
                                                              2. Prayer trains our hearts to remember who is truly King and who truly provides
                                                                3. IV. The Foolishness of Trusting in Permanence (Hosea 13:12-16)

                                                                A. Israel began with great promise and hope, but foolishness has brought that promise to a bitter end

                                                                1. Israel is called "an unwise son" who does not present himself at the right time (Hosea 13:13)
                                                                2. Israel is a fountain once full and overflowing, now run dry
                                                                3. The sword brings swift judgment — death is the culmination of their foolishness

                                                                  4. B. The sobering message of Hosea 13:14 — the Lord has sovereign power over death

                                                                  1. Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 15 to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the defeat of death
                                                                  2. In Hosea's context, however, the controlling phrase is "compassion is hidden from my eyes" — the One who can defeat death will not withhold death from his guilty, foolish people
                                                                  3. Paul's use of the verse is meant to be ironic and surprising — the words of judgment are transformed into a shout of resurrection triumph
                                                                  4. Foolishness has a cost; Proverbs 1–9 repeatedly connects the path of foolishness with Sheol and death

                                                                    5. C. Nations, empires, and dynasties rise and fall — nothing earthly is permanent; to trust in permanence is folly

                                                                    D. Merciful closing note: this is not the final word — Hosea 14 follows with a call to repentance and a promise of restoration

                                                                    1. "Whoever is wise, let him understand these things" (Hosea 14:9)
                                                                    2. Where there is breath in the lungs, there is hope for the heart
                                                                    3. The Lord is a keeping God — for those who repent and trust in him, there is always more
                                                                      4. 32 min
                                                                    4. August 7, 2022; Sunday Morning Worship

                                                                      Scripture: Philippians 2:19-30

                                                                      Order of Service
                                                                      • Preservice Music
                                                                      • Welcome and Announcements
                                                                      • Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
                                                                      • Call to Worship — Psalm 67
                                                                      • Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
                                                                      • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                      • Confession of Sin — Psalm 51
                                                                      • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51
                                                                      • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                      • Offering
                                                                      • Prayer of Dedication
                                                                      • Hymn — Arise, My Soul, Arise
                                                                      • Scripture Reading — Philippians 2:19-30
                                                                      • Prayer of Illumination
                                                                      • Sermon
                                                                      • Prayer
                                                                      • Lord's Supper
                                                                        • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (verses 1–2)
                                                                        • Words of Institution — 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
                                                                        • Prayer of Consecration
                                                                        • Distribution of Bread
                                                                        • Reading — Hebrews 10:11-14
                                                                        • Distribution of Cup
                                                                        • Prayer of Thanksgiving
                                                                        • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (verses 3–4)
                                                                        • Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
                                                                        • Postlude
                                                                          • Sermon Title: Reliable and Self-Sacrificing Servants of Christ

                                                                          Scripture: Philippians 2:19-30

                                                                          I. The Reliability of Timothy

                                                                          A. Paul places the traveling plans of Timothy and Epaphroditus here deliberately, to present them as life examples of the godliness he has urged since Philippians 1:27

                                                                          B. Timothy's character mirrors Paul's earlier imperatives

                                                                          1. In Philippians 2:2, Paul called the church to like-mindedness; Timothy is described as uniquely like-minded with Paul (Philippians 2:20)
                                                                          2. In Philippians 2:4, Paul called believers to look to the interests of others; Timothy is genuinely concerned for the Philippians' welfare, not his own (Philippians 2:20-21)

                                                                            3. C. Timothy's proven worth (Philippians 2:22)

                                                                            1. He served Paul like a son with a father, demonstrating faithfulness over time
                                                                            2. He is known and trusted by the Philippian church
                                                                            3. The portrait of Timothy in Paul's letters is not of an imposing figure — he was sensitive, timid, and prone to ailments — yet what set him apart was reliability

                                                                              4. D. The illustration of Ulysses S. Grant: Lincoln valued Grant not for superior military knowledge but for his dependability in battle; so too Timothy always answered the call with Isaiah's response: "Here I am, send me" (Isaiah 6:8)

                                                                              E. The Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 presents saints with many besetting sins and weaknesses who were nevertheless reliable servants in the kingdom of God

                                                                              F. Application: Are you a reliable servant?

                                                                              1. Reliability can overshadow many weaknesses and imperfections
                                                                              2. Unreliable Christians are called to re-evaluate their priorities so they may say, "Here I am, Lord, send me"
                                                                                3. II. The Self-Sacrifice of Epaphroditus

                                                                                A. Historical background: Ancient Roman prisons did not provide for prisoners' basic needs; the Philippians sent Epaphroditus over 800 miles to care for Paul on their behalf

                                                                                B. Epaphroditus fell gravely ill en route or in Rome — without modern medicine, such an illness was likely fatal; Paul attributes his recovery to the mercy of God, and some commentators see a miraculous divine intervention (Philippians 2:27)

                                                                                C. Paul commends Epaphroditus and instructs the Philippians to honor such men who risk their lives for the work of Christ (Philippians 2:29-30)

                                                                                D. Comfort vs. giftedness

                                                                                1. Christians often decline service by saying "I am not gifted in that way," when the honest answer is "I would be uncomfortable doing that"
                                                                                2. Giftedness and comfort are not always correlated; gifts are often discovered through uncomfortable acts of service in faith
                                                                                3. The illustration of John Calvin and William Farel in Geneva: Farel confronted Calvin's preference for scholarly comfort over pastoral ministry; Calvin, shaken out of his comfort zone, discovered his gift of pastoral ministry
                                                                                4. We all need people who will shake us out of complacency

                                                                                  5. E. The call of the gospel is a call to take up the cross — the height of discomfort, yet the way of peace, joy, and glory for those united to Christ (Luke 9:23)

                                                                                  F. Application: Sacrifice daily comforts in faith and service; say with Epaphroditus, Timothy, and Isaiah, "Here I am, Lord, send me"

                                                                                  III. The Glory of Jesus Christ

                                                                                  A. A refrain of Christ's glory runs throughout the passage and undergirds the godly lives of both men

                                                                                  1. Timothy cares for the interests of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:21)
                                                                                  2. Timothy serves with Paul in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:22)
                                                                                  3. Epaphroditus nearly died for the work of Christ (Philippians 2:30)

                                                                                    4. B. What compels such reliable, self-sacrificing service is a heart set on the glory of Jesus Christ, not personal affection alone

                                                                                    1. Epaphroditus is a Macedonian Gentile serving a Jewish missionary he had known only briefly — this is remarkable
                                                                                    2. His name means "belonging to Aphrodite," yet the gospel transformed him so that he now belongs to Christ and takes up his cross for his new Lord

                                                                                      3. C. The Lord's Supper connects to the passage's theme

                                                                                      1. In the covenant of redemption, the Son said to the Father, "Here I am, send me" — and went to the cross as the spotless Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7; Exodus 12)
                                                                                      2. Christ accomplishes a new exodus — the liberation of the soul from captivity to sin
                                                                                      3. At the table, believers really and truly feed on Christ by faith, reminded of his self-sacrificing, reliable, suffering-servant kingship
                                                                                      4. The proper response is to turn to Christ afresh and say, "Here I am, Lord — send me"
                                                                                        5. 31 min
                                                                                      5. August 7, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                        Scripture: Hosea 12

                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 34:1-3
                                                                                        • Hymn — When Morning Gilds the Skies (#167)
                                                                                        • Shorter Catechism — Questions 51 & 52
                                                                                        • Hymn — On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand
                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                        • Hymn (#172)
                                                                                        • Benediction
                                                                                          • Sermon Title: Remember Who You Are

                                                                                          Scripture: Hosea 12:1-14

                                                                                          I. Israel Is to Remember Their Helpless Estate — Hosea 12:1-6

                                                                                          A. Israel has made covenants with Assyria and given oil to Egypt, acting more like the surrounding Canaanite nations than like the people of God

                                                                                          B. God draws Israel back to their origin story in Jacob

                                                                                          1. In the womb, Jacob grabbed Esau's heel — the name "Jacob" means deceiver/supplanter (Hosea 12:3)
                                                                                          2. In maturity, Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord at Peniel and prevailed — his name was changed to Israel, "he strives with God" (Genesis 32:24-28)
                                                                                          3. Jacob wept and sought God's favor; he met God at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-19)
                                                                                          4. Bethel ("house of God") has become Beth Aven ("house of wickedness") throughout Hosea — Israel now seeks Baal where their fathers sought Yahweh

                                                                                            5. C. The covenant name Yahweh (LORD of hosts) in verse 5 drives home to whom Israel belongs

                                                                                            D. The call in verse 6: "So you, by the help of your God, return; hold fast to love and justice and wait continually for your God" (Hosea 12:6)

                                                                                            1. This is a call to repentance — not self-improvement by bootstraps, but helpless dependence on God
                                                                                            2. Mature Jacob/Israel reached manhood not through scheming but through weeping and crying out to God in desperation
                                                                                            3. Jacob no longer sought God's blessing through deceit (birthright for porridge) but through grace and faith — this is true maturity
                                                                                              4. II. Israel Is to Remember Their Humble Beginnings — Hosea 12:7-9

                                                                                              A. "Merchant" in verse 7 is the same Hebrew word as "Canaanite" — Israel has adopted the shady dealings of the very nations they were called out of (Hosea 12:7)

                                                                                              B. Israel's prideful boast in verse 8: "I am rich, I have found wealth for myself… they cannot find in me iniquity or sin" (Hosea 12:8)

                                                                                              1. Economic success at its height has blinded Israel to their sin
                                                                                              2. Success frequently blinds us to guilt — we assume prosperity equals righteousness
                                                                                              3. David is the prime example: at the height of his victories he could not see his own sin until Nathan said, "You are the man" (2 Samuel 12)
                                                                                              4. Jesus warned: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24)

                                                                                                5. C. God's response in verse 9 is to humble Israel: "I will again make you dwell in tents as in the days of the appointed feast" (Hosea 12:9)

                                                                                                1. The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) was designed to remind Israel of their 40 years of wilderness wandering — sojourners totally dependent on God
                                                                                                2. In the wilderness, Israel depended on God for manna, water from the rock, and guidance into the Promised Land
                                                                                                3. God will strip their pride and return them to humble dependence

                                                                                                  4. D. Application: Recalling our own conversion — the time when the weight of sin came home most clearly — is meant to keep us from the complacency Israel displays; remembering our humble beginnings draws us back to cry out to the Lord

                                                                                                  E. True Christian maturity and manhood/womanhood is humility and the cross of Calvary — the soldiers mocked Christ's power, but he held fast in helpless trust to his Father's promise; this is godly maturity

                                                                                                  III. Israel Is to Remember to Hear God's Word — Hosea 12:10-14

                                                                                                  A. Verse 10 emphasizes Yahweh speaking through the prophets in various forms: "I spoke to the prophets, it was I who multiplied visions, and through the prophets gave parables" (Hosea 12:10)

                                                                                                  B. Verse 11 contrasts the living, speaking God with the voiceless idols at Gilead and Gilgal

                                                                                                  1. "Gilgal" means "heap of stones" — the altars there will become useless heaps (Hosea 12:11)
                                                                                                  2. Israel is going to dead idols while the living God speaks through his prophets

                                                                                                    3. C. Hebrew parallelism in verses 12–13: Jacob served for a wife (Rachel); a prophet (Moses) brought Israel up from Egypt and kept/guarded them (Hosea 12:12-13)

                                                                                                    1. Yahweh binds himself in covenant to his people through his word and his prophets
                                                                                                    2. To forget the word of God is to forget the covenant with God — they cannot be separated

                                                                                                      3. D. The covenant is made and kept by God's word, not by Israel's word or effort — covenant keeping is found in binding ourselves to and resting in his word

                                                                                                      E. The ultimate fulfillment: the writer to the Hebrews declares that God who spoke through the prophets "in many times and in many ways" has in these last days spoken through his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2)

                                                                                                      1. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate (John 1:1-14)
                                                                                                      2. He is the first and only true covenant keeper because he is the very word that establishes and keeps covenant in human form
                                                                                                      3. Isaiah 49:8 — "I will keep you as a covenant to the people": the Messiah himself is the covenant
                                                                                                      4. New covenant Christians are to rest in and remember Christ — the covenant-making and covenant-keeping Word incarnate — trusting him as helpless, humble children
                                                                                                        5. 30 min
                                                                                                      5. The Actions of Holy Work

                                                                                                        Scripture: Philippians 2:14-18

                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Christ, We Do All Adore Thee
                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Matthew 11:28-30
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Christ, We Do All Adore Thee
                                                                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                        • Confession of Faith — Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 8
                                                                                                        • Scripture Reading — Ruth 3:1-18
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Be Still, My Soul
                                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                        • Offering
                                                                                                        • Prayer of Dedication
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth
                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                        • Prayer
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Take My Life and Let It Be
                                                                                                        • Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: The Actions of Holy Work

                                                                                                          Scripture: Philippians 2:14-18

                                                                                                          I. Holy Action Involves a Dedication to a Life of Service

                                                                                                          A. Paul's directive in Philippians 2:14 — do all things without grumbling or questioning

                                                                                                          1. The word for "grumble" appears only three times in the New Testament; Paul uses it here and in 1 Corinthians 10:10 in reference to Israel's wilderness wandering
                                                                                                          2. Paul deliberately echoes Israel's desert experience to warn the Philippian church

                                                                                                            3. B. The warning drawn from Deuteronomy 32:5 — Israel's grumbling made them "crooked and twisted"; the church is to be the opposite

                                                                                                            1. The Philippians, as adopted children of God, are to heed Israel's negative example (1 Corinthians 10:11)
                                                                                                            2. The church is trekking through a crooked and twisted generation and is called to shine as lights in the world

                                                                                                              3. C. Grumbling stems from insistence on personal rights — the opposite of Christ-like service

                                                                                                              1. In Philippians 2:6-11, Christ emptied himself of his divine rights to become a servant
                                                                                                              2. Christ did not grumble — he laid aside his rights at every point: no place to lay his head, washed feet, was judged and condemned at Calvary
                                                                                                              3. Christian service begins with an emptying of self before any outward action is taken
                                                                                                                4. II. Holy Action Involves a Dedication to a Life of the Word

                                                                                                                A. Philippians 2:16 — "holding out the word of life" (preferred over "holding fast" given the context of shining as lights to the world)

                                                                                                                1. The Philippians shine not only through humble service but through proclamation of the gospel
                                                                                                                2. Holy action is not just a life lived, but words uttered — lips dripping with the gospel of Jesus Christ

                                                                                                                  3. B. The popular misquote of Francis of Assisi — "Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words" — is unbiblical

                                                                                                                  1. Romans 10:14-15 — faith comes by hearing; someone must preach
                                                                                                                  2. Our witness is made distinctive by the words of life placed on our lips

                                                                                                                    3. C. Every believer is commissioned to proclaim the gospel — the church as a kingdom of prophets

                                                                                                                    1. Moses's longing in Numbers 11 — "Would that all the LORD's people were prophets"
                                                                                                                    2. Unlike the 70 elders who stopped prophesying, Spirit-wrought believers are to hold out the word of life until Christ comes again
                                                                                                                    3. The preached word is the primary means by which God brings dead sinners from death to life
                                                                                                                      4. III. Holy Action Involves a Dedication to a Life of Worship

                                                                                                                      A. Philippians 2:17 — Paul pictures his ministry as a drink offering poured out upon the burnt offering of the Philippians' faith

                                                                                                                      1. Together, Paul and the Philippians form a pleasing sacrificial aroma to God, which is the source of mutual rejoicing
                                                                                                                      2. This is drawn from Old Testament sacrificial system language

                                                                                                                        3. B. At its heart, worship is sacrifice — established throughout all of Scripture

                                                                                                                        1. Adam's probationary test was an act of self-sacrificial devotion (Genesis 3)
                                                                                                                        2. Cain's offering was rejected; Abel's was accepted because Abel sacrificed the best of his flock
                                                                                                                        3. Noah, Abraham, and Jacob all expressed worship through building altars and sacrificing
                                                                                                                        4. Israel's entire sacrificial system pressed home that the whole of life is to be self-sacrificial worship
                                                                                                                        5. The incarnation — from manger to cross — is one supreme act of worship from the Son to the Father; Christ endured the cross for the glory awaiting him (Hebrews)

                                                                                                                          6. C. The English word "worship" derives from "worth" — giving God what he is worth; Christ's cross declares what God's glory is worth

                                                                                                                          D. Application: living a self-sacrificial life Monday through Saturday kindles a burning desire for the corporate Lord's Day gathering

                                                                                                                          1. When all individual sacrifices are heaped together — singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; giving offerings; hearing the word; administering the sacraments — they rise as a sweet aroma before God
                                                                                                                          2. Romans 12:1 — present your bodies as living sacrifices; this is your spiritual worship
                                                                                                                          3. Living for self from Monday to Saturday makes Sunday feel like a nuisance; living sacrificially makes Sunday the longed-for culmination of the week's worship
                                                                                                                            4. 31 min
                                                                                                                          4. July 24, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                            Scripture: Hosea 11

                                                                                                                            Order of Service
                                                                                                                            • Call to Worship — Isaiah 55:6-7
                                                                                                                            • Hymn — My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (#521)
                                                                                                                            • Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 49 & 50 (Second Commandment)
                                                                                                                            • Hymn — The Sands of Time Are Sinking (#564)
                                                                                                                            • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                            • Scripture Reading — Hosea 11:1-11
                                                                                                                            • Sermon
                                                                                                                            • Hymn — Amazing Grace (#460)
                                                                                                                            • Benediction
                                                                                                                              • Sermon Title: The Love That Brings You All the Way Home

                                                                                                                              Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11

                                                                                                                              I. The Lord Calls

                                                                                                                              A. His calling is adoptive in character

                                                                                                                              1. The exodus redeems Israel not merely in location but in status — from slaves to the Lord's adopted son
                                                                                                                              2. The calling draws distinctions, singling out the covenant people as his own
                                                                                                                              3. Illustrated by Jean Valjean's redemption and adoption of Cosette in Les Misérables

                                                                                                                                4. B. His calling is according to his love, not Israel's merit — Hosea 11:1

                                                                                                                                1. Deuteronomy 7:7-9 — Israel was not chosen because of size, loveliness, or righteousness
                                                                                                                                2. Verses 2, 5, and 7 show Israel's continual rebellion and unfaithfulness
                                                                                                                                3. The Lord's foreknowledge in Romans 8:29-30 means fore-love — election is grounded in his love, not foreseen faith
                                                                                                                                4. Calling to faith brings adoption as joint heirs with Christ with all the rights and privileges of sonship
                                                                                                                                  5. II. The Lord Cultivates

                                                                                                                                  A. He cultivates as a teaching and tender father — Hosea 11:3

                                                                                                                                  1. The image of a father patiently teaching a young child to walk
                                                                                                                                  2. The Lord is personally and closely engaged in bringing his people to full maturity

                                                                                                                                    3. B. He cultivates as a restraining and nourishing farmer — Hosea 11:4

                                                                                                                                    1. The Hebrew imagery of cords and leather straps guiding a farm animal
                                                                                                                                    2. The farmer is not harsh but guides, provides, and eases the yoke; he bends down to feed
                                                                                                                                    3. Together the two metaphors portray a God who deeply cares and works to bring his people into their fullness

                                                                                                                                      4. C. This cultivating work is sanctification

                                                                                                                                      1. Forming new habits, desires, affections, and attitudes — conformity to God's holy law
                                                                                                                                      2. Paul says Christ is being formed in the believer (Galatians 4:19)
                                                                                                                                      3. Means of grace: faithful preaching of the Word, proper administration of the sacraments, corporate prayer, the fellowship of believers, and church discipline
                                                                                                                                      4. Hebrews 12:6 — the Lord disciplines those he loves and chastises every son he receives
                                                                                                                                        5. III. The Lord Keeps

                                                                                                                                        A. He keeps through the full measure of his unceasing love — Hosea 11:8-9

                                                                                                                                        1. Admah and Zeboiim are cities destroyed alongside Sodom and Gomorrah for sin
                                                                                                                                        2. Israel deserves the same total judgment, yet the Lord's heart recoils and his compassion grows warm
                                                                                                                                        3. This language is anthropopathism — God describing himself in emotional terms for the benefit of his people; Scripture must interpret Scripture; God is immutable and unchanging
                                                                                                                                        4. As Derek Kidner notes, this language never takes the warmth from love, the fire from anger, or the audacity from grace
                                                                                                                                        5. The burning anger Israel deserves is not withheld forever but is poured out fully on Christ — the call is to come to him and cling to him in faith

                                                                                                                                          6. B. He keeps toward the full maturity of his people — Hosea 11:10-11

                                                                                                                                          1. The final metaphor: the Lord as a roaring lion — powerful, commanding reverence and worship
                                                                                                                                          2. His roar does not drive his people away but draws them; it is a fear that woos and humbles
                                                                                                                                          3. His people come as trembling birds — small and fragile — responding to the call of the lion
                                                                                                                                          4. Growth in grace means growing in the knowledge of who we are (fragile birds) and who he is (the roaring lion)
                                                                                                                                          5. Sin tempts us to fancy ourselves the lion of our own lives; maturity strips that away

                                                                                                                                            6. C. The destination: the Lord brings his people home

                                                                                                                                            1. The promise to return them to their homes points beyond the land of Canaan
                                                                                                                                            2. Hebrews 11:16 — a better country, a heavenly one; the Promised Land was always a type of the eternal home
                                                                                                                                            3. He calls, cultivates, and keeps — fitting his people for that home all along the way
                                                                                                                                              4. 37 min
                                                                                                                                            4. Guarding Your Heart

                                                                                                                                              Scripture: Hosea 10

                                                                                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                                                                                              • Call to Worship — Isaiah 51:1-8
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn — A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord (#175)
                                                                                                                                              • Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 47 & 48
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn — None Other Lamb, None Other Name (#157)
                                                                                                                                              • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                              • Scripture Reading — Hosea 10
                                                                                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn — (#681)
                                                                                                                                              • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                • Sermon Title: Guarding Your Heart

                                                                                                                                                Scripture: Hosea 10

                                                                                                                                                I. We Guard Our Hearts by Giving Thanks

                                                                                                                                                A. Israel used God's abundance as material for idol worship (Hosea 10:1)

                                                                                                                                                1. The more Israel prospered, the more altars they built — spoiled children misusing God's gifts
                                                                                                                                                2. A thankless heart leads to disregard for all authority, both divine and human (Hosea 10:3)

                                                                                                                                                  3. B. Thanklessness corrodes the heart and fosters autonomy — "all I need is wonderful me"

                                                                                                                                                  1. The Fifth Commandment is the hinge between duties to God and duties to man; forgetting God produces a law unto oneself
                                                                                                                                                  2. Selfish living flows from thankless living

                                                                                                                                                    3. C. Application: Cultivate a habitual, daily pattern of thanksgiving — even in small things like meals — to keep the heart oriented toward God

                                                                                                                                                    II. We Guard Our Hearts by Destroying Idols

                                                                                                                                                    A. Israel mourned the exile of the golden calf when Assyria carried it away (Hosea 10:5)

                                                                                                                                                    1. The Hebrew word galah (exile/departed) is used similarly in 1 Samuel 4:22 when the ark departed — but Israel has now transferred that devotion to an idol
                                                                                                                                                    2. Failure to crush idols leads to a life-or-death commitment to them

                                                                                                                                                      3. B. Calvin: "Our hearts are perpetual idol factories" — every believer has idols to battle throughout the Christian life

                                                                                                                                                      C. John Owen: "If you are not killing sin, sin will be killing you"

                                                                                                                                                      1. Identifying and crushing idols daily is part of sanctification — putting off the old self and putting on the new
                                                                                                                                                      2. Israel serves as a warning: do not wait until the idol is torn away to discover how deeply it owns your heart
                                                                                                                                                        3. III. We Guard Our Hearts by Thinking Theologically

                                                                                                                                                        A. Israel made political covenants with pagan nations, invoking pagan deities alongside Yahweh (Hosea 10:4)

                                                                                                                                                        1. Thinking politically first made Israel terrible theologians
                                                                                                                                                        2. Trust in military strength and pragmatic alliances produced iniquity, injustice, and lies (Hosea 10:13)

                                                                                                                                                          3. B. Israel viewed God through the lens of politics and pragmatics rather than viewing politics through the lens of God

                                                                                                                                                          C. Application: Build theological muscle — read good theology, mature in the knowledge of God — so that political and pragmatic pressures do not disorder the heart's priorities

                                                                                                                                                          IV. We Guard Our Hearts by Considering God's Judgment

                                                                                                                                                          A. Hosea uses stark language to depict coming judgment (Hosea 10:14)

                                                                                                                                                          1. Shalmanesar destroyed Beth-arbel — a foretaste of what awaits Israel
                                                                                                                                                          2. Thorns and thistles on the altars echo the curse of the Fall in Genesis — only other occurrence of this pairing in the Hebrew Bible (Hosea 10:8)

                                                                                                                                                            3. B. Israel as a new Adam: Hosea 6:7 — "like Adam they transgressed the covenant"; the reconstituted covenant people meet the same fate as the first representative

                                                                                                                                                            1. The high places (aven = iniquity) that Israel trusted will come crashing down on them
                                                                                                                                                            2. This language reappears in Luke 23 and Revelation 6 pointing to final cosmic judgment

                                                                                                                                                              3. C. God's threats of judgment are a covenant benefit for his people — they sober, redirect, and sanctify

                                                                                                                                                              1. Jesus addresses cutting off hands, feet, and eyes to avoid hell — speaking to his disciples (Matthew 5)
                                                                                                                                                              2. Romans 2 warns against presuming on God's patience as license to sin
                                                                                                                                                              3. David in 2 Samuel 24:14 chose to fall into God's hand rather than man's — recognizing that the covenant Lord's mercy is greater than the world's hard yoke
                                                                                                                                                                4. V. We Guard Our Hearts by Remembering God's Goodness

                                                                                                                                                                A. Hosea 10:11-12 — an ark in the flood; God recalls Israel's early obedience as a trained calf with a spared neck (an easy yoke) and calls them to return

                                                                                                                                                                1. "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap steadfast love, break up your fallow ground, seek the Lord"
                                                                                                                                                                2. Even to adulterous Israel God extends his merciful hand: repent and he will rain righteousness down

                                                                                                                                                                  3. B. Matthew 11:28-30 — "Come to me… my yoke is easy and my burden is light"

                                                                                                                                                                  1. The yoke of vainglory, sexual pleasure, military conquest, money, and fame is hard and ultimately crushing
                                                                                                                                                                  2. Only the yoke of the covenant Lord in the face of Jesus Christ is easy

                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. Christ as the true vine — John 15

                                                                                                                                                                    1. Israel produced fruits of unrighteousness (Hosea 10:1); union with the true vine is the only source of fruit of righteousness
                                                                                                                                                                    2. John the Baptist prepares the way in the wilderness (symbol of judgment); Christ fulfills all righteousness and, from his throne, rains down the Spirit on fallow hearts, making them good soil for thirty-, sixty-, and a hundredfold fruit

                                                                                                                                                                      3. D. Application: Think on Christ daily; remember God's goodness to you in and through Christ by the Spirit; keep your heart by contemplating him often

                                                                                                                                                                      35 min
                                                                                                                                                                    3. July 3, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                                                      Scripture: Psalm 124

                                                                                                                                                                      Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                      • Call to Worship — Psalm 146:1-10
                                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah (#57)
                                                                                                                                                                      • Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 43 & 44
                                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — His Robes for Mine
                                                                                                                                                                      • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                      • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — Rock of Ages (#499)
                                                                                                                                                                        • Sermon Title: The Danger of the Self-Made Nation

                                                                                                                                                                        Scripture: Hosea 8:1-14

                                                                                                                                                                        I. A Self-Made Kingdom (Hosea 8:4, 14)

                                                                                                                                                                        A. Self-made kings and princes (Hosea 8:4)

                                                                                                                                                                        1. Israel set up rulers without divine sanction — "they made kings, but not through me"
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Derek Kidner traces this pattern from Abimelech (Judges 9) to "not this man, but Barabbas" (John 18)
                                                                                                                                                                        3. Israel's desire for a king like the nations — popular opinion drowning out the law of God (1 Samuel 8)
                                                                                                                                                                        4. The warning of Deuteronomy 8: do not say "my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth"

                                                                                                                                                                          5. B. Self-made structures and monuments (Hosea 8:14)

                                                                                                                                                                          1. Israel forgot its Maker and built palaces; Judah multiplied fortified cities
                                                                                                                                                                          2. The eye deceives — impressive cities become cesspools of lawlessness
                                                                                                                                                                          3. The Kingdom of Heaven conceived not in Herod's temple or Caesar's palace, but in a stable; the cross inverts all worldly measures of glory
                                                                                                                                                                          4. Modesty is the antidote to self-made kingdoms built only to turn to ash
                                                                                                                                                                            5. II. A Self-Made Religion (Hosea 8:4-6, 11-13)

                                                                                                                                                                            A. The origin of self-made religion (Hosea 8:4-6)

                                                                                                                                                                            1. Self-made wealth always serves self-made religion — hearts are perpetual idol factories (Calvin)
                                                                                                                                                                            2. The golden calf of Exodus 32 and Jeroboam's calves at Dan and Bethel — pagan forms used to worship Yahweh
                                                                                                                                                                            3. "It is not God" — what comes from man is not God, however the name of God is attached to it
                                                                                                                                                                            4. Application: churches that ordain women as pastors, affirm homosexuality, preach social gospel in place of substitutionary atonement, or fail to protect life in the womb — Hosea's voice rings out, "that is not God"

                                                                                                                                                                              5. B. Three things self-made religion does (Hosea 8:11-13)

                                                                                                                                                                              1. It exacerbates sin (v. 11) — multiplied altars without God's glory only add sin upon sin; all the show of piety with none of the substance
                                                                                                                                                                              2. It makes godly religion a strange thing (v. 12) — denominations that drift from truth find biblical orthodoxy alien and unwelcome
                                                                                                                                                                              3. It is always self-serving (v. 13) — like Hophni and Phinehas consuming the sacrifices (1 Samuel 2); the church uses the name of Christ to win worldly acclaim and avoid persecution

                                                                                                                                                                                4. C. The result: return to Egypt (Hosea 8:13)

                                                                                                                                                                                1. Literal fulfillment in the Assyrian captivity — a portion of Israel shipped to Egypt
                                                                                                                                                                                2. Symbolic meaning: return to the unredeemed status of "not my people" (Hosea 1:8-9)
                                                                                                                                                                                3. Self-made religion is not progress but regress — back into bondage with no God to save
                                                                                                                                                                                  4. III. Self-Made Alliances (Hosea 8:7-10)

                                                                                                                                                                                  A. A self-made religious alliance (v. 7)

                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Israel sowed the wind through Baal worship (cult prostitution at shrines to stir fertility) and reaped the whirlwind — no produce, no offspring
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. The whirlwind is a symbol of Yahweh's judgment

                                                                                                                                                                                    3. B. A self-made political alliance (vv. 8-10)

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Israel like a stubborn wild donkey makes alliances with Assyria for security (Hosea 8:9)
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. The world promises much — "put away what divides us and together we can make a name for ourselves" (echoing the tower of Babel and the serpent's promise to Eve)

                                                                                                                                                                                      3. C. The double consequence: a useless vessel (Hosea 8:8)

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Israel becomes useless to Yahweh — and useless to the very nations it aligned with
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Assyria and Babylon, promised allies, became the very instruments of God's wrath
                                                                                                                                                                                      3. The church that joins hands with the world becomes a pawn — a faithful church is a thorn in Satan's side, so alliances are a ploy to neutralize it
                                                                                                                                                                                      4. The result is both pathetic and wicked — unfaithful to the Lord who called his people

                                                                                                                                                                                        5. D. Closing application

                                                                                                                                                                                        1. The church must remain the church — a God-made people, fashioned only through the God-man Jesus Christ
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. We must have deaf ears to the siren call to set aside doctrine and sanctified ears to hear the command of our King speaking through his Word
                                                                                                                                                                                          3. 32 min
                                                                                                                                                                                        3. June 19, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: Hosea 7

                                                                                                                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Catechism — Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 39–40
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — O God of Every Nation (#485)
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — Hosea 7
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (#457)
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon Title: Let Not an Unteachable Heart Hinder You

                                                                                                                                                                                            Scripture: Hosea 7

                                                                                                                                                                                            I. The Problem of an Unteachable Heart

                                                                                                                                                                                            A. Sin is rampant among God's people — they are called "adulterers" (Hosea 7:4), having wandered from their covenant God

                                                                                                                                                                                            B. A painful refrain runs through the chapter: despite devastation and need, the people do not return

                                                                                                                                                                                            1. "None of them calls upon me" (Hosea 7:7)
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. "They do not return to the LORD their God nor seek him" (Hosea 7:10)
                                                                                                                                                                                            3. "They do not cry to me from the heart" (Hosea 7:14)

                                                                                                                                                                                              4. C. Sin leads naturally to consequences — in relationships, leadership, and provision — yet no lessons are learned and no ways are mended

                                                                                                                                                                                              D. Foolishness illustrated: like a person repeatedly walking into a doorway with a two-by-four rather than turning it; like a pilot one degree off course who refuses to correct

                                                                                                                                                                                              E. Ephraim is "like a dove, silly and without sense" (Hosea 7:11) — going to Egypt and Assyria rather than returning to the Lord

                                                                                                                                                                                              1. They have "bird brains" — they know they need help but seek it from every source except God
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. The old hymn captures it: prone to wander, prone to leave the God I love

                                                                                                                                                                                                3. F. Application: Where is your heart being drawn in affliction? Are you going back to the Lord, or going elsewhere?

                                                                                                                                                                                                II. The Correction of an Unteachable Heart

                                                                                                                                                                                                A. The correction of right knowing

                                                                                                                                                                                                1. "They do not consider that I remember all their evil" (Hosea 7:2) — they have not known God rightly
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. God hates wickedness — he is holy, holy, holy; his justice cannot overlook sin
                                                                                                                                                                                                3. God knows wickedness — he is omniscient; we cannot hide our sin from him (Psalm 139)
                                                                                                                                                                                                4. God redeems from wickedness — "I would redeem them" (Hosea 7:13); the cross is both God's condemnation of sin and his grace poured out
                                                                                                                                                                                                5. We come to know God rightly only through Christ — God the Father known through God the Son

                                                                                                                                                                                                  6. B. The correction of humility

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. "The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD" (Hosea 7:10)
                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Pride has been close to the heart of sin since the Garden — Eve bypassing God's word to be her own god
                                                                                                                                                                                                  3. Humility is not self-defamation; it is knowing yourself rightly as a creature made for God's glory
                                                                                                                                                                                                  4. Know God rightly through his Word; in doing so, know yourself rightly as well

                                                                                                                                                                                                    5. C. The correction of prayer

                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. The Lord's repeated desire: "call on me," "come to me," "seek me" — the language of prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Prayer is the overflowing expression of one who knows themselves rightly before a God they know rightly
                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. Hearts must be tuned toward God — illustrated by a digital TV antenna that must point in the right direction to receive a signal
                                                                                                                                                                                                    4. Jesus teaches us to pray "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9) — training us to see God as Father and cry out to him
                                                                                                                                                                                                    5. As we develop habits of prayer, the heart softens, learns, and grows in trust and love
                                                                                                                                                                                                    6. Guard against every temptation to tune the heart in another direction
                                                                                                                                                                                                      7. 37 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.