Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

June 19, 2022Christian Confidence
Scripture: Philippians 1:19-26
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Hebrews 12:18-24
Hymn — Give to Our God Immortal Praise
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 37
Scripture Reading — Ruth 1:1-14
Hymn — O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — My Faith Looks Up to Thee
Sermon
Hymn — The Solid Rock
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: Christian Confidence
Scripture: Philippians 1:19-26
I. Christian Confidence Is Dependent Upon Prayer
A. Paul's confidence in Philippians 1:19 is rooted in the intercessory prayers of the Philippians
"Deliverance" carries both a temporal meaning (release from prison) and an eternal dimension
The phrase "turn out for my deliverance" echoes Job 13:16, pointing beyond a Roman tribunal to the judgment of God himself
The Philippians' prayers encompass not only Paul's release but his continued growth in sanctification and holiness amid suffering
B. Individual sanctification is reliant upon the intercessions of Christ's body
Paul, far from being a lone-wolf Christian, openly depends on the prayers of the church
Christians are often tempted to ground their confidence solely in personal spiritual performance rather than in the corporate prayers of the body
The session prays regularly for each member and family — this is not a formality but a powerful means of grace
C. Spurgeon's call: the one remedy for a declining church is prayer
The chief aim of corporate prayer is not merely temporal deliverance from sickness or hardship but the sanctification and holiness of the body — making the bride ready for the Bridegroom
II. Christian Confidence Is Driven by Christ
A. Paul's courage in prison flows from the Spirit of Christ reigning within him (Philippians 1:19-21)
In the original Greek, Philippians 1:21 contains no verbs: literally "to me the life Christ and the death gain" — Paul's answer to the meaning of life is not a sentence but a person
Paul's confidence in the face of death rests on the certainty that death brings gain: the gaining of Christ himself
B. At death, the souls of believers immediately pass into glory — there is no soul sleep, no purgatory
Philippians 1:23 — "to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better"
Jesus's words to the thief on the cross: "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43) confirm the immediacy of the soul's entrance into glory
Theologians describe this as the "intermediate state" — the soul in the full presence of Christ while the body awaits the resurrection
C. The Scottish Covenanter Hugh McKail's dying words illustrate confidence driven entirely by Christ
"Now I begin my intercourse with God which shall never be broken off … welcome death, the engine … welcome eternal life"
Death is the believer's gain — it can be faced with courage because Christ is on the other side
III. Christian Confidence Is Devoted to Service
A. Paul is torn between departing to be with Christ and remaining for the sake of the Philippians (Philippians 1:22-26)
Contrast with 2 Timothy 4:6-7 — in his later imprisonment Paul is no longer torn; his mission is complete and he is ready to depart
Here, Paul is confident the Lord will release him because his heart is set on unfinished service to the Philippians
B. Sinclair Ferguson's practical principle for discerning God's will: place natural desires alongside present responsibilities; the answers often clarify God's direction
C. The contrast between David and Hezekiah illustrates two ways of seeking God's mercy
David in Psalm 51:12-13 pleads for mercy with a servant's heart — restored joy so that he can teach transgressors God's ways
Hezekiah, after receiving mercy, displays his wealth to the Babylonian embassy in pride, and his final recorded words show concern only for peace in his own days (2 Kings 20)
The question for every believer: are you seeking the Lord's mercy to serve yourself (Hezekiah) or to continue serving Christ and his people (David and Paul)?
D. Proverbs 28:1 — "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion"
Self-serving Christians will quiver in trial; those devoted to service to Christ will be bold as a lion in the day of affliction
Set your heart on service to the King and his kingdom — this is the path to genuine Christian confidence in times of suffering and want
31 min
June 12, 2022June 12, 2022; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: Philippians 1:12-18
Order of Service
Call to Worship — 2 Corinthians 2:14
Hymn — How Firm a Foundation
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Belgic Confession, Article 13
Scripture Reading — Acts 14:19-28
Hymn — Though Troubles Assail Us
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Hymn — How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
Sermon
Hymn — 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Christ Proclaimed in Chains
Scripture: Philippians 1:12-18
I. Christ Is Proclaimed
A. The advance of the gospel is the heart of Paul's concern in this passage
The whole imperial guard has come to know that Paul's imprisonment is for Christ (Philippians 1:13)
Brothers have become bold to speak the word without fear (Philippians 1:14)
B. Paul distinguishes two groups of preachers — those motivated by envy and rivalry, and those motivated by goodwill and love (Philippians 1:15-17)
Paul is not addressing false teaching here — the message being preached is Christ
Regardless of the preacher's motivation, Christ is proclaimed, and in this Paul rejoices (Philippians 1:18)
C. A false gospel — the gospel of the self — is widely proclaimed today, especially in relation to identity and sexuality
Some even invoke the name of Christ in service of this message, picking and choosing selectively
The young especially must be prepared to recognize, love those caught in, and flee from this false gospel
Paul holds out Christ like an IMAX screen — is Christ sufficient for your joy and satisfaction?
II. Christ Is Proclaimed by the Providence of God
A. Paul's chains are not a random misfortune — what has happened to him has really served to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12)
B. The Belgic Confession (Article 13) and the Westminster Shorter Catechism both affirm God's holy, wise, and powerful governance of all creatures and all their actions
Not a hair of your head falls apart from the will of your Father
God works all things together for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28)
C. Joseph's words to his brothers illustrate this doctrine — Genesis 50:20: You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
Men freely put Paul in prison; God sovereignly purposed it to advance the gospel
Paul moves to the background; Christ is brought to center stage
The Lord has never left himself without witnesses — the gospel will go forth
III. Christ Is Proclaimed by the Providence of God for the Confidence of Believers
A. The Philippians are distressed that Paul is in prison, fearing God's purposes may have stalled (Philippians 1:12)
Paul writes not to draw attention to his own situation but to fix their eyes on the Lord and the gospel
Their confidence rests not in Paul's freedom but in God's sovereign, providential work
B. Christ himself acknowledges that trials are part of the Christian life, but commands confidence in him — In this world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33)
C. Like Denethor in The Lord of the Rings, who gazed fixedly on the enemy's plans until driven to despair, we too can become consumed by the problems before us rather than looking to Christ
Real concerns — illness, financial pressure, prolonged waiting — are not made light of
But Paul calls believers to peel their eyes away from distractions and fix them on Christ
D. Practical application: examine your heart
Where are your eyes fixed? On a person, a political party, an upcoming event, a sports season?
Paul calls us to train our hearts to find joy in Christ — prophet, priest, king, and head of the church
Christ is proclaimed by the providence of God for your confidence, believer — that is enough
33 min
June 05, 2022June 5, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Hosea 5:15-6:11
Order of Service
Call to Worship
Hymn — I Am Thine, O Lord (#533)
Shorter Catechism — Questions 37 & 38
Hymn — Jesus, Lover of My Soul (#485)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Hosea 5:15–6:11
Sermon
Hymn — (#705)
Benediction — Ephesians 3:17–19
Sermon Title: Know Your God
Scripture: Hosea 5:15–6:11
I. His Jealousy Convicts You of Waywardness
A. God is a jealous God who will not permit his people to seek satisfaction in or give worship to any other
The first four commandments reveal the Lord's jealousy for his own glory and proper worship
Hosea 5:15 — God withdraws his special presence until his people acknowledge their guilt and seek his face alone
B. The waywardness of God's people is fickleness
Hosea 6:4 — "Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away"
Like clouds and dew, their love is present one moment and gone the next
C. The waywardness of God's people is unfaithfulness
Hosea 6:7 — "Like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me"
Adam's unfaithfulness under temptation has become our unfaithfulness
Hosea 6:7–10 — A road map of unfaithfulness from the garden through named locations to the house of Israel
Calvin: the human heart is a perpetual factory of idols — where are you seeking ultimate satisfaction?
II. His Desire Compels You to Come to Him
A. God desires his sinful people to return to him — his departure is itself a drawing
Hosea 5:15 — "Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face… in their distress they will earnestly seek me"
Two different Hebrew verbs for seeking: one a single search for something lost, the second an intense, diligent, unrelenting pursuit
B. God is a God who welcomes his people back
Hosea 6:1 — The Lord himself gives his people the words of return: "Come, let us return to the Lord"
Matthew 11:28 — "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"
He compels his people not with cold commands but with the effectual call of a long-suffering, loving Father — pictured in the parable of the prodigal son
C. God is a God who tears and heals, wounds and binds up
Hosea 6:1–2 — "He has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up"
His discipline is meant to turn his people from trusting themselves and seeking other loves
The full measure of the Lord's tearing and striking fell upon Jesus Christ — Isaiah 53 — pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, stricken and smitten by God
Christ takes the fullness of the Father's striking so that all who believe may find healing in him
D. God is a God of patience who brings life
Hosea 6:2 — "After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him" — possible allusion to union with Christ in his resurrection
The God who raised his crucified Son is the God who gives new life now by faith
1 Thessalonians 4 — Christ's return is certain; the fullness of life before him awaits that day: "We will always be with the Lord"
E. God is a God to be known rightly
Hosea 6:6 — "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" — cited by Jesus multiple times in his ministry
Proper knowledge of God leads to right worship — not empty forms, not worship according to human imagination
The regulative principle: God alone determines how he is to be worshipped, according to his revealed Word
Right knowledge of God overflows in love for God and love for neighbor
F. Come to God in expectant hope
Come knowing who your God is, what he hates, what he loves, and what he has done for you in Christ
In Christ there is restoration — for affections, relationships, marriages, and desires
John 17:3 — "This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent"
36 min
May 29, 2022Thanksgiving
Scripture: Philippians 1:3-8
Order of Service
Announcements and Graduate Recognition
Call to Worship — Psalm 134
Hymn — O Bless Our God with One Accord
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 8
Scripture Reading — Acts 14:1-7
Hymn — For All the Saints
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — Speak, O Lord
Sermon
Hymn — Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Thanksgiving and the Faithfulness of God
Scripture: Philippians 1:3-8
I. Thanksgiving for the Faithfulness of the Church
A. Paul thanks God — not the Philippians — for their faithfulness, showing that the church is a supernatural product of God's work
To love Christ is to love his church (Ephesians 5:25)
Christ's charge to Peter — "Feed my sheep" — is a call to love Christ's body
Paul yearns for the Philippians "with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:8)
B. The church is Christ's greatest accomplishment
In John 14, Jesus promises the Spirit will produce greater works — the gospel expanding to the ends of the earth
In John 17, Christ's glory is bound up in giving eternal life to all the Father has given him
The Covenant of Redemption: the Father ordains, the Son redeems, the Spirit applies
C. The church universal is a sign of Christ's victory — redeemed sinners from every tribe, nation, and tongue
Giving thanks for the faithful church should be a regular part of the believer's prayer life
II. Thanksgiving for Faithfulness to the Gospel
A. The evidence that the gospel has taken root is that it is upheld in good times and bad (Philippians 1:5, 7)
The parable of the sower (Matthew 13): rocky soil joy is fleeting; good soil joy endures through trials
The Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1: true comfort is belonging to Christ alone, on the mountaintop or in the pit
B. Paul's letter to the Galatians offers a warning contrast
Galatians 1:6-9: Paul is astonished they are deserting the true gospel and turning to a distorted one
A church that abandons the gospel offers thanksgiving that falls on deaf ears before God
C. Application: may this church be good-soil gospel defenders, resting in Christ alone according to the apostolic doctrines of the faith
III. Thanksgiving for the Faithfulness of God
A. Philippians 1:6 — "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ"
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints: salvation is of the Lord from beginning to end
William Hendriksen: God carries out a plan; he never does anything by halves
Romans 8:30 — God is the subject of every verb: predestined, called, justified, glorified
B. The goal is completion "at the day of Jesus Christ" — the consummation of all things, not merely individual death
Ephesians 5:25-27: Christ gave himself for the church to present her to himself in splendor
Christ's glory is bound up in the redemption of his bride — he will not forsake his glory
C. Assurance of salvation rests not in the believer's ability but in Christ's covenant with the Father
Christ stakes his word and his glory on the completion of his redemptive mission
He will not lose one whom the Father has given him (John 17)
Where believers should look in doubt: to Christ and his eternal covenant, not inward to themselves
32 min
May 22, 2022May 22, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Hosea 5:1-14
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Exodus 15:1-3
Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (#53)
Catechism — Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 35–36
Hymn — Trust and Obey (#672)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Hosea 5:1-14
Sermon
Closing Prayer
Hymn — (#334)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Marks of an Unrepentant Life
Scripture: Hosea 5:1-14
I. Unrepentance Is Infectious
A. God summons kings, priests, and all the people to hear his charge (Hosea 5:1-2)
Sin has spread from political centers (Mizpah) to countryside and mountains (Tabor, Shittim) — from kings and priests to the whole nation
God declares he will discipline all of them — he does not judge on a sliding scale; wherever sin is found, he will meet it
B. The pattern of spreading sin is seen throughout Scripture
The genealogy of Cain ends in Lamech glorying in murder (Genesis 4); by Genesis 6 the whole earth is filled with wickedness
A little leaven leavens the whole lump — the Reformers recognized church discipline as a mark of the true church precisely because unchecked sin spreads like gangrene
II. Unrepentance Is Ingrained
A. Their deeds do not permit them to return to the Lord (Hosea 5:4)
The northern kingdom was established in sin in 930 BC; every single king made Israel to sin — 150+ years of habitual, top-down disobedience
Habitual sin reaches a point where the call to repentance can no longer be heard — deeds enslave and will not allow turning
B. God is long-suffering, but his patience has a limit
Despite golden calves in Dan and Bethel from the very founding of the northern kingdom, God waited over 150 years before bringing this word of judgment
Noah's generation was given 120 years; Peter says the delay of Christ's coming is mercy so that all would repent (2 Peter 3:9)
Today is the day of salvation — do not allow sin to become so ingrained that repentance becomes unimaginable
III. Unrepentance Is Prideful
A. The pride of Israel testifies to his face (Hosea 5:5)
The northern kingdom was economically prosperous — syncretism seemed to be "working," making the call to repentance seem unnecessary
Like the Pharisees who claimed descent from Abraham, pride of status deafens people to the call to repentance
B. The modern motto that man is basically good is the pride of unrepentance
If man is basically good, he needs only education and self-improvement — not a Savior
Repentance follows humility; man's intentions are only evil continually from his youth (Genesis 6:5)
A right understanding of sin before a holy God is the necessary foundation for understanding repentance and turning to Christ
IV. Unrepentance Brings God's Judgment
A. Judah is also implicated — the princes of Judah moved the boundary markers of Benjamin, breaking the Deuteronomic covenant (Hosea 5:10; Deuteronomy 19; Deuteronomy 27)
B. Both Israel and Judah sought political alliance with Assyria to stave off judgment (Hosea 5:13; 2 Kings 15)
These diplomatic efforts are futile — the threat is not political but covenantal
The covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28 — enemy nations, wasting disease — are being fulfilled
C. Yahweh himself is the ultimate agent of judgment (Hosea 5:14)
Assyria is the physical instrument, but God declares: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off and no one shall rescue
The church today similarly fears the judgment of culture more than the judgment of God — making alliances with the culture in place of faithfulness to Christ
Donald Grey Barnhouse's observation: if Satan took over a city, the churches would be full every Sunday — where Christ is not preached
Bethel (house of God) becomes Beth Aven (house of emptiness/nothingness) when Christ crucified is not at the center (Hosea 4:15)
D. The only remedy is Christ and him crucified
Our problem is not with culture, government, or programs — our problem as sinners is with God
The church must own its fallen estate before a holy God and turn to the only place we can be made clean — Christ Jesus
Corporate confession of sin reflects the longing to be Bethel, a true house of God, not Beth Aven
30 min
May 15, 2022May 15, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Hosea 4
Order of Service
Call to Worship — 1 Chronicles 16:8-12
Hymn — Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ (#524)
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 33 & 34 (Justification and Adoption)
Hymn — A Child of the King (#525)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Hosea 4:1-19
Sermon
Hymn — When This Passing World Is Done (#545)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Ignorance Is Not Bliss
Scripture: Hosea 4:1-19
I. Ignorance in the People
A. The charge against Israel: no faithfulness, no steadfast love (hesed), and no knowledge of God (Hosea 4:1)
The marriage covenant theme: Israel has broken covenant with Yahweh, their bridegroom
Hesed — covenant love, faithfulness within the bounds of a covenant relationship
B. The fruit of ignorance: violation of the latter six commandments (Hosea 4:2)
Swearing and lying — breaking the ninth commandment
Murder — breaking the sixth commandment
Stealing — breaking the eighth commandment
Adultery — breaking the seventh commandment
Bloodshed follows bloodshed — all bounds broken loose
C. The order of moral collapse
Breaking covenant with God → loss of knowledge of God → lawlessness in the land
Losing the first table of the law inevitably leads to losing the second table
The land mourns as a result of corporate sin (Hosea 4:3)
D. The Adam and ground (adamah) connection
Corporate Israel is a new Adam placed in the land; their sin causes the land to mourn
Parallels to Genesis 3:17 and the curse on the ground, and to Genesis 6 and the universal wickedness of mankind
In the flood narrative, what appeases God is not the flood itself but Noah's substitutionary burnt offering (Genesis 8:20-22)
The cycle: wholesale sin → judgment → consecration back to God through sacrifice
E. Christ as the fulfillment of all three sacrificial types
Expiatory (sin offering) — removes guilt and sin
Consecration (burnt offering) — "Into your hands I commit my spirit"
Peace offering (fellowship) — "Peace be with you"; breakfast with disciples after resurrection (John 20-21)
Both adam (man) and adamah (ground) benefit — Christ brings a new creation
II. Ignorance in the Priests
A. The indictment shifts from people to priests (Hosea 4:4-6)
The people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because the priests rejected knowledge
As the teacher goes, so goes the people
B. The priority of pastoral study and sound teaching
The apostles appointed deacons so they could devote themselves to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6)
A pastor's primary calling is to be in the Word — yet this is neglected in much of contemporary ministry
The result: widespread doctrinal ignorance among professing Christians
C. Bad teaching compounds itself (Hosea 4:7)
Bad teacher begets bad teacher — moral and spiritual degradation accelerates
D. Priests feeding on the sins of the people (Hosea 4:8)
A wordplay on the Levitical practice: priests received meat from the sin offering (Leviticus 6)
More sin = more benefit for the priest — no incentive to feed the people Christ
Parallels to the sale of indulgences at the Reformation (Tetzel)
A present danger in Protestant and even Reformed Christianity: leaders cultivating neediness in the people for personal gain
E. Judgment falls equally on priest and people (Hosea 4:9)
Teachers face stricter judgment — James 3:1
The temptation to separate ministerial performance from personal holiness
Richard Baxter: the best sermon preached is when a pastor preaches first to himself
III. Ignorance and the Passions
A. "Passions" defined: disordered, God-denying fleshly lusts (Ephesians 2:3)
B. Context: Israel's economic prosperity bred complacency and idle flesh (Hosea 4:10-14)
Judah warned not to enter Israel — gilgal and Bethel (now Beth Aven, "house of emptiness") on the border
Comfort and prosperity filled with satisfying fleshly lusts: sexual immorality, wine, cult prostitution
Boredom begets sin
C. The key sequence from Hosea 4:10
Forsaking the Lord → satisfying the passions of the flesh → loss of understanding
Man is not primarily a thinking being but a desiring being — we are creatures of deep affection made for God
The serpent's strategy in the garden: manipulate desires, not primarily impart false information — and foolishness follows (Genesis 3)
D. Disordered desire, not lack of information, is the root of foolishness
The drug addict example: the mind follows where the heart is engaged
Regenerate Christians — regardless of education — are the most truly wise because their desires are rightly ordered toward God
Paul's frustration with the Corinthians: given rightly ordered desires, yet still feeding on milk rather than solid food (1 Corinthians 3)
E. Closing exhortation
The regenerate have been given a new heart — every faculty transformed: body, soul, mind
The "foolishness" of the cross is wiser than all human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1)
Set your minds on heavenly, eternal things — where neither moth nor rust destroys
28 min
May 08, 2022May 8, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Hosea 3
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 113
Hymn — O Worship the King (#2)
Westminster Shorter Catechism Reading — Questions 31 & 32
Hymn — Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (#529)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Hosea 3
Sermon
Hymn — O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus (#535)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Vast and Active Love of God for His People
Scripture: Hosea 3
I. The Redeeming Action of the Lord's Vast Love (vv. 1–2)
A. God speaks and calls Hosea to act — "the Lord said to me" reflects God's gracious condescension as a speaking God
Hosea is commanded to go and love his unfaithful wife Gomer again, mirroring God's pursuit of unfaithful Israel
B. The love takes a specific, costly shape: redemption
Hosea buys Gomer back for 15 shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley — approximately 30 shekels total, the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32)
Gomer's "free love" had led to bondage; to love her again, Hosea must redeem her
C. This living picture points to Christ's redemption of his people
Israel's idol worship put them in spiritual bondage, requiring both physical and spiritual redemption
The price inflates from silver and barley to the blood of the Son of God
Ephesians 1: "In him we have redemption through his blood"
Acts 20: Christ obtained the church with his own blood
Christ's death pays our debt (justification); his resurrection confirms full redemption of body and soul
II. The Reconditioning Patience of the Lord's Vast Love (vv. 3–4)
A. After redeeming Gomer, Hosea calls her to a season of faithful dwelling and abstaining — a time of purification and heart-resetting
"You must dwell as mine for many days… so will I also be to you"
These are gentle, instructing words calling Gomer away from old ways
B. Verse 4 applies the same pattern to Israel: a prolonged season without king, sacrifice, temple, or household gods
All the elements that had ensnared Israel are removed for a season of cleansing and reconditioning
C. This patience reflects the ongoing work of sanctification in the believer's life
We live in the "already/not yet" — redeemed, yet still being conformed
James says we all stumble in many things; Romans 7 — Paul does what he does not want to do
Sanctification is "a long obedience in the same direction" (Eugene Peterson)
Israel's 40 years of wilderness wandering illustrates God's patient reconditioning after centuries of pagan influence
All whom Christ justifies, he also sanctifies — the work is being done progressively, by faith
III. The Resounding Future of the Lord's Vast Love (v. 5)
A. The word "afterward" carries great theological weight — it points to a promised future beyond redemption and reconditioning
B. Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king — fulfilled in Christ
Christ is both Lord and King; the latter days have dawned with his coming
All who respond to Christ's invitation in faith (Matthew 11:28) come to their king in reverent, Spirit-wrought fear
C. The latter days are both breaking in now and yet to be fully consummated
The Spirit poured into our hearts is a foretaste of what will be fully ours at Christ's return
1 Corinthians 3 — gold, silver, precious stones will endure; wood, hay, and straw will be burned away
1 Thessalonians 4: "We will always be with the Lord" — the word of encouragement for the saints
D. The fullness of the latter days: all counterfeit satisfactions will fall away
As Gomer's unfaithful lovers give way to her true husband, so our hearts' wandering will give way to full and final satisfaction in Christ
The consummation is Christ himself — the bridegroom with his bride; all longings finally and fully satisfied
E. Summary of the ordo salutis seen in Hosea 3
Justification — redeemed, the debt paid, standing not guilty before God
Sanctification — reconditioned, affections remade and refashioned
Glorification — the resounding future, brought fully home to Christ
39 min
May 08, 2022Victory Directed By God
Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:11-31
Order of Service
Hymn — Holy, Holy, Holy
Call to Worship — Psalm 105:1-3
Hymn — Holy, Holy, Holy
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 103:8-10
Hymn — How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn — He Leadeth Me
Sermon
Hymn — Who Is on the Lord's Side?
Benediction — Ephesians 3:20-21
Sermon Title: Victory Directed By God
Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:11-31
I. Victory Directed by God Is Reliant
A. David's victory relies entirely on God's providence, illustrated by the providential discovery of an Egyptian servant
The amalekites were nomadic raiders — finding them in the wilderness was nearly impossible without divine guidance
The Egyptian, abandoned by his Amalekite master, led David directly to the enemy camp
This mirrors the episode in chapter 22 where Abiathar, the lone survivor of Nob, fled to David and was used as an instrument of victory in chapter 23
B. David's pattern of being a refuge for the burdened becomes a vehicle for God's providential victory
The distressed, indebted, and bitter-in-soul gathered to David (1 Samuel 22:2) and formed his army
David remains a haven of grace, mercy, truth, and love rather than hardening under suffering as Saul did
C. Romans 8:28 is not merely psychological comfort but a call to love God above all in hardship
John 14:15 — "If you love me, you will keep my commandments"
David strengthens himself in the Lord because he genuinely loves God and keeps his commandments
God's providence is sweet even when harsh — but only for those who love Christ and keep his commandments
II. Victory Directed by God Is Restorative
A. The author emphatically stresses total restoration in verses 18–20
"David recovered all" (1 Samuel 30:18)
"Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters" (1 Samuel 30:19)
Additional livestock spoil from the Amalekites — restoration plus abundance
B. David distributes spoil to the towns of Judah that had been raided (1 Samuel 30:26-31), restoring not just his own men but the wider covenant community
This generosity explains why Judah later crowns David king at Hebron (2 Samuel 2)
C. God's salvation is restorative — not just a salvation from but a salvation to
Job receives twice what he had before (Job 42:10)
Isaiah 61:7 — a double portion instead of shame
Matthew 13:12 — "to the one who has, more will be given"
God's salvation is not the fireman who saves you from the fire while the house crumbles — he saves you and restores all, plus far more
D. The longing of the believer should be for the place where all beauty originates — God himself
Salvation is an invitation into restoration plus eternity
The new heavens and earth will be filled with the glory of God so that there is no more need for sun or moon
III. Victory Directed by God Is Received
A. Two hundred of the 600 men stayed behind at the Brook Besor, too exhausted to continue
Their exhaustion was understandable — a 50–60 mile journey followed by the emotional shock of finding their families kidnapped
B. The 400 men who fought refused to share the spoil with those who stayed behind; the author calls them "worthless fellows"
David rebukes them: "with what the Lord has given us, he has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us" (1 Samuel 30:23)
David establishes a lasting statute: those who guard the baggage share equally with those who fight
C. This is not a principle of works-righteousness but of grace properly received
1 Corinthians 4:7 — "What do you have that you did not receive?"
The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18) — the one who has been forgiven much must extend grace freely
Hoarding reflects a failure to understand oneself as an empty vessel entirely dependent on God
D. The spoil belongs to the Lord and is lavished upon his covenant people
The Cherethites (associated with the Philistines) are not among the recipients — only covenant people receive the spoil
In John 17, Jesus prays for those the Father has given him, that they would see his glory
The ultimate spoil of God's victory is his own glory, freely given to all who receive and rest upon the Son of David, the Son of God
Restoration plus eternity, plus much, much more
35 min
May 01, 2022May 1, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: Hosea 2
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 96:1-9
Hymn — Holy, Holy, Holy (#100)
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 29 & 30
Hymn — Just As I Am (#501)
Prayer of Invocation
Scripture Reading — Hosea 2:2-23
Sermon
Hymn — The Love of God (#252)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Faithful Husband and His Faithless Bride
Scripture: Hosea 2:2-23
I. Separation: The Faithful Husband Parts from His Unfaithful Wife (Hosea 2:2-13)
A. The separation is purposeful — aimed at restoration, not mere punishment
The purpose clause in v. 2: "that she put away her whoring" — separation is so Israel will return to Yahweh alone
Parallel to New Testament church discipline: 1 Corinthians 5:5 — deliver to Satan "so that his spirit may be saved"; 1 Timothy 1:20 — handed over to Satan "that they may learn not to blaspheme"
B. Israel still maintained outward religious observance while chasing Baal
They still kept feasts, new moons, and sabbaths — Yahweh's name on their lips
They believed they could have both Yahweh and the Baals
God removes those empty rituals and gives them fully over to what they actually desire
C. The imagery of being stripped and returned to the wilderness (Hosea 2:3)
Israel brought back to the wilderness condition — where their covenant relationship began at the Exodus
Literal fulfillment: the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom (722 BC)
Baal, meaning "husband" in Hebrew, was the god of fertility — yet separation from Yahweh brings only barrenness, not lushness
D. Baal is a faithless and cruel husband
Israel pursues her lovers but cannot find them (Hosea 2:7)
Baal worship involved cult prostitution — satisfying lusts, but offering nothing when hardship comes
Every false god is a taker; only Yahweh is a giver
Israel did not know it was Yahweh who gave the grain, wine, and oil (Hosea 2:8)
Modern parallel: progressive communities that celebrate individuals only as long as they serve the movement's agenda
II. Betrothal: Yahweh Recommits to His Unfaithful Bride (Hosea 2:14-23)
A. The lush land is restored in the wilderness
God speaks tenderly in the wilderness and restores vineyards (Hosea 2:14-15)
The Valley of Acor ("trouble") becomes a door of hope
Jezreel — previously a name of judgment (Hosea 1:4) — now means "God sows," signaling grand reversal
B. This is a universal, eschatological salvation
Heaven and earth become recipients of God's grace (Hosea 2:21-22) — new creation imagery
John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness fulfills Isaiah's prophecy: Matthew 3:1-3
Matthew 5:5 — the meek inherit the earth
Ephesians 6:2-3 — "live long in the land" (Greek: eretz / earth) expands the promise universally
Christ's ascension: all authority over heaven and earth given to him; Acts 1:8 — gospel goes to the ends of the earth
Already inaugurated in Christ; awaiting consummation in the new heavens and new earth
C. This is a monergistic marriage — God goes all the way
Not synergism (God and man each meet halfway) but monergism — God is the sole active agent
Hosea 2:19 — "I will betroth you to me forever… in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love and mercy"
Fulfilled in the Son of the new covenant:
The righteous Son who fulfills the law
The Son at the cross, making God both just and justifier
John 6:37 — "all that the Father gives me will come to me"
Luke 4:18 — the Son anointed to proclaim freedom to captives
Christ, the head of the new covenant, is adorning his bride — Jew and Gentile — with holiness
D. The monergistic marriage produces faithfulness from the bride
Hosea 2:17 — God removes the names of the Baals from her mouth
Hosea 2:23 — "He shall say, 'You are my God'"
God's sovereign act involves internal heart transformation — stony heart made flesh, regeneration, new birth
Israel's deepest need was never political deliverance but a redeemed heart that beats for Yahweh alone
The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever — all other relationships flow from this restored relationship
31 min
May 01, 2022A Spiritual Wake-Up Call
Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-10
Order of Service
Announcements
Call to Worship — Psalm 100
Hymn — All People That on Earth Do Dwell
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Belgic Confession, Article 1
Scripture Reading — Acts 13:44-52
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — The Solid Rock
Sermon
Lord's Supper
Hymn — Fairest Lord Jesus (stanzas 1–2)
Lord's Supper Distribution
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Hymn — Fairest Lord Jesus (stanzas 3–4)
Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
Sermon Title: A Spiritual Wake-Up Call
Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:1-10
I. The Reason for the Spiritual Wake-Up Call
A. David and his men return to Ziklag after a near-death experience at Aphek, only to find the city burned and their wives and children taken captive by the Amalekites
B. The grief is overwhelming — they wept until they had no more strength to weep (1 Samuel 30:4)
C. The men turn on David and speak of stoning him, described as "bitter in soul" — the same language used in 1 Samuel 22:2 of those who had originally aligned with David
D. This crisis is traceable to David's earlier spiritual drift
In 1 Samuel 27:1, David consulted his own heart rather than the Lord, reasoning that he must flee to the Philistines
This led to David deceiving Achish, joining the Philistine campaign, and being away from Ziklag when the Amalekites struck
In 1 Samuel 29:8, David called the pagan king Achish "my lord and my king" — God had been reduced to the background of David's life
E. Application: Hardship is not always the result of particular sin (cf. Job and his three friends), but it is wise and healthy to trace our steps backward and discern where we have gone astray — see Psalm 139:23-24
II. The Resolve of the Spiritual Wake-Up Call
A. 1 Samuel 30:6 — "But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God"
This verse is a hinge point for the remainder of 1 and 2 Samuel — from here until 2 Samuel 11 David walks closely with the Lord
God had not been mentioned on David's lips since 1 Samuel 26
B. Strengthening oneself in the Lord means actively recalling and laying hold of God's promises
Parallel in 1 Samuel 23:16-17: Jonathan "strengthened David's hand in the Lord" by reminding him of God's promise that he would be king
David was in great distress, yet actively — not passively — engaged his soul in the promises of God
C. The model prayer for active faith: Psalm 43:5 — "Why are you cast down, O my soul? … Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God"
D. Application: The church today suffers from a passive faith — waiting for circumstances to improve before trusting God's promises
Philippians 4:8 — "whatever is true … think about these things" — an active, deliberate command
We must take God's whispered promises and, through meditation, turn them into a shout
Connection to the Lord's Supper: baptism is passive ("you are baptized"), but at the Table the Lord commands take, eat, drink — an active engagement of the soul in the promises of God
III. The Response to the Spiritual Wake-Up Call
A. David goes to Abiathar the priest and inquires of the Lord through the ephod (1 Samuel 30:7-8)
Abiathar had been with David since 1 Samuel 22 — the sole survivor of Saul's massacre of the priests at Nob — yet David had not consulted him since 1 Samuel 23
The spiritual wake-up call does not merely strengthen David inwardly — it drives him to seek God through the appointed means
B. The Lord answers: "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue" (1 Samuel 30:8)
C. Typological application: Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb (John 20) mirrors David's distress and restoration — Jesus speaks her name and sends her with the word "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God"
David strengthened himself in the LORD his God and came to God through the priest
We strengthen ourselves in the Lord and come to the Father through our risen, ascended High Priest, Jesus Christ, who always lives to make intercession for us
D. Application: A spiritual wake-up call is not complete until we run to our great High Priest and through him cry "my God, my Father"
Christ at the Lord's Table invites us into his own eternal relationship with the Father — "my Father and your Father, my God and your God"
We are called to forsake living in allegiance with the world (as Judas ate and drank judgment) and to come in living faith, taking hold of Christ and through him calling on God as our Father
30 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.

Share Northpointe PCA Sermons

Sign up to save your podcasts

Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

About Northpointe PCA Sermons