Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
Download on the App Store

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • April 24, 2022; Sunday Morning Worship

    Scripture: 1 Samuel

    Order of Service
    • Announcements
    • Call to Worship — Psalm 145:1-2, 9
    • Hymn — All Creatures of Our God and King
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Sin
    • Assurance of Pardon — 1 John 1:9
    • Scripture Reading — Acts 13:26-44
    • Hymn — It Is Well with My Soul
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Offering
    • Prayer of Preparation
    • Hymn — O God Our Help in Ages Past
    • Sermon
    • Hymn — Near the Cross
    • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
      • Sermon Title: Cornered — Providence and the Anointed King

      Scripture: 1 Samuel 29:1-11

      I. The Predicament: David Surrounded by His Enemies

      A. Background from 1 Samuel 27: David flees Saul and enters the service of Achish, king of Gath

      1. David raids the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites while deceiving Achish into thinking he raids Israelites
      2. Achish trusts David completely and plans to bring him into battle against Israel

        3. B. The impossible corner: David is expected to fight Israel alongside the Philistines

        1. Turning against the Philistines is not a viable option — their army at Aphek is massive (1 Samuel 29:1)
        2. Joining Saul is also not viable — David knows from 1 Samuel 28 that Saul is rejected and will die in the battle
        3. David is like an undercover agent whose cover is about to be blown
          4. II. The Solution: God's Providence Through Enemy Opposition

          A. The Philistine commanders object to David's presence (1 Samuel 29:3-5)

          1. They call David and his men "Hebrews" — likely a derogatory term connected to the Habiru, landless raiders known in the ancient Near East
          2. They cite the song: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands" — they rightly distrust him

            3. B. Achish is forced to dismiss David, and David keeps up appearances (1 Samuel 29:6-10)

            1. David protests with feigned disappointment — shrewd and consistent with his character throughout
            2. Letting his guard down would have aroused suspicion

              3. C. God's strange and mysterious providence delivers David through his enemies' own opposition

              1. Psalm 2 — the Lord in the heavens laughs at those who seek to thwart his purposes; the reader is meant to laugh here as well
                2. III. Application: Gaining Favor with Enemies

                A. Achish acts as David's unlikely mediator and advocate before the Philistine lords

                B. This episode belongs to a major redemptive-historical theme: God carries out his purposes through his servants gaining favor with enemies

                1. Joseph and Pharaoh — the means by which God preserves the Abrahamic promises
                2. Esther and King Ahasuerus — Israel saved from Haman's genocide
                3. Daniel and King Darius — Darius executes the conspirators and issues an edict honoring the God of Daniel
                4. Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes — favor granted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem
                5. In church history: Martin Luther and Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, enabling the Reformation to continue

                  6. C. This theme carries into the New Testament

                  1. Paul calls believers to honor governing authorities (Romans 13); Peter likewise calls for honor within every sphere of life
                  2. The church advances not through a revolutionary "us vs. them" spirit but as salt applied even within enemy territory

                    3. D. Christ himself is the supreme example — he did not come to destroy his enemies but to save them

                    1. Romans 5:8-10 — while we were still enemies, God sent his Son to redeem us
                    2. The church must not look like a political party but like the bride of Christ, who dined with enemies and repaid evil with good
                    3. We do not gain favor by becoming like the enemy, but by becoming like Christ — his grace, wisdom, and dignity draw hearts toward him
                      4. IV. Application: Stay Near the King When He Is Cornered

                      A. The 600 men with David represent the posture of the believer — they are not the heroes, but their quiet nearness to David is instructive

                      1. They were not perfect — recall 1 Samuel 24 where they urged David to kill Saul in the cave
                      2. But at the end of the day, they are with David in the teeth of the enemy, not with Saul at Jezreel

                        3. B. Parallel with the disciples of Jesus in John 6:67-68

                        1. When many disciples left, Peter said: "Where will we go? You have the words of eternal life"
                        2. They were imperfect — Jesus rebuked Peter sharply, they argued about greatness — but they remained near Christ so he could correct and train them

                          3. C. It is better to be a fool near Christ than a fool apart from him

                          1. Near Christ — through his church and the ordinary means of grace — he corrects, teaches, and trains in righteousness
                          2. Outside the church, foolishness is only exacerbated

                            3. D. The ultimate question of Romans 5:12-21: are you in the camp of Adam or the camp of Christ?

                            1. The men bound to Saul are destroyed with him; the men bound to David are saved
                            2. Near the cross is where glory is found — picking up the cross is not a harsh command but a gracious one; it is the path Christ himself took to glory
                            3. When the enemy surrounds you, whose camp will you be found in?
                              4. 32 min
                            4. April 24, 2022; Sunday Evening Worship

                              Scripture: Hosea 1

                              Order of Service
                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 150
                              • Hymn — Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (#38)
                              • Prayer of Invocation
                              • Westminster Shorter Catechism — Questions 27 & 28
                              • Hymn — Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord (#465)
                              • Pastoral Prayer
                              • Sermon
                              • Hymn — Not What My Hands Have Done (#461)
                              • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                • Sermon Title: A Living Picture of Judgment and Mercy

                                Scripture: Hosea 1:2–2:1

                                I. The Living Picture of Deserved Judgment (Hosea 1:2–9)

                                A. The call to marry an unfaithful woman (Hosea 1:2–3)

                                1. The call is abrupt and shocking — Hosea's marriage is a living picture of the human problem
                                2. The reason given: "the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD"
                                3. The covenantal framework: God takes his people as a husband takes a bride; the intimacy and duties of marriage define the relationship

                                  4. B. The human problem of unfaithfulness (Hosea 4:1–2)

                                  1. No faithfulness, no steadfast love, no knowledge of God in the land
                                  2. Specific sins map directly onto the moral law — lying, stealing, murder, adultery
                                  3. Warning to self-examination: we are not free from the same wandering heart

                                    4. C. The three children as pictures of broken relationship (Hosea 1:4–9)

                                    1. Jezreel — points to God's judgment on wickedness and the reality of wickedness itself; recalls Jehu's self-serving bloodshed; anticipates the Assyrian and Babylonian exile
                                    2. Lo-ruhamah (No Mercy) — God's covenant choosing was pure mercy; those who harden themselves in sin may finally hear "I will no more have mercy"
                                    3. Lo-ammi (Not My People) — the deepest consequence of covenant-breaking; severance of the relationship God initiated
                                    4. The names function as a warning, not merely a verdict — repentance opens the door to God's relenting mercy (cf. Jonah and Nineveh)
                                      5. II. The Living Promise of Undeserved Mercy (Hosea 1:10–2:1)

                                      A. The Lord's promise to rescue (Hosea 1:7)

                                      1. God promises to save Judah "by the LORD their God" — the triune God: the Father announces salvation by the Son
                                      2. Salvation will not come by bow, sword, war, horses, or horsemen — the enemy is spiritual, not physical
                                      3. No human strength, good works, government, family, or self-effort can defeat the enemy of sin
                                      4. Christ alone saves — he takes upon himself the deserved judgment for all who trust in him; God's full wrath is poured out on Christ so that deserved judgment is replaced with undeserved mercy
                                      5. The hymn Not What My Hands Have Done captures this: "Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin"

                                        6. B. The Lord's promise to restore covenant bonds (Hosea 1:10–2:1)

                                        1. The promise to Abraham of a vast, innumerable family is renewed — the number of God's people will not diminish (Hosea 1:10)
                                        2. God's hesed — his steadfast, unwavering, never-failing covenant love — remains firm for all his elect
                                        3. "Not my people" becomes "my people"; "No mercy" becomes "mercy" — the undoing of the undoing, accomplished in Christ
                                        4. Gathered under one head, Jesus Christ, family bonds are restored; broken relationships within God's family find their only sure foundation here
                                        5. Restored relationship with God in Christ is guaranteed and unwavering, even when earthly restoration remains uncertain
                                          6. 35 min
                                        6. Easter Sunday
                                          Order of Service
                                          • Musical Prelude — Choir
                                          • Call to Worship — Psalm 118
                                          • Hymn — Sing Choirs of New Jerusalem (Choir: verses 1–2; Congregation joins: verses 3–4)
                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                          • Confession of Faith — Colossians 1:15–20
                                          • Scripture Reading — Luke 24:1–12
                                          • Hymn — Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                          • Offering
                                          • Hymn — In Christ Alone
                                          • Sermon
                                          • Hymn — Up from the Grave He Arose
                                          • Benediction
                                          • Choral Anthem — Choir
                                            • Sermon Title: The Reasonableness of Resurrection

                                            Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3–8

                                            I. The Reasonableness of Resurrection Found in Life as an Image-Bearer of God

                                            Scripture: Genesis 2:5–7, 16–17

                                            A. God formed man from dust, breathed life into him, and man became a living creature — created for life, not death

                                            B. Death is a foreign enemy, not a natural reality

                                            1. Man was not created to die; death entered only through sin
                                            2. The image-bearer instinctively fights for life — death feels unnatural and unreasonable up close and personal

                                              3. C. Jesus Christ, the sinless Last Adam, cannot remain in the tomb

                                              1. Death had no claim on the sinless one; he laid down his life voluntarily
                                              2. The Father looks on the lifeless body of his perfect Son and, as at the first creation, breathes the Spirit — Christ rises never to see the dust again
                                              3. All united to Christ by faith share in his resurrection; Luther's confidence over his dying daughter illustrates this: "She will rise on the last day"

                                                4. D. The empty tomb is the yes and amen to every image-bearer's longing for life — the cry of Christian in Pilgrim's Progress: "Life! Life! Eternal life!"

                                                II. The Reasonableness of Resurrection Found in Life Under the Sun

                                                Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:12–14

                                                A. Solomon, having experienced every pleasure and accomplishment, concludes: "All is vanity" — hebel (vapor, mist)

                                                1. Russell Brand and Chris Evans illustrate the modern experience: reaching the top and finding nothing there
                                                2. If this world is all there is, life is ultimately meaningless

                                                  3. B. Augustine: "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God" — without resurrection, we chase counterfeit gods that cannot satisfy

                                                  C. The New Testament speaks of resurrection in past and present tenses, not only future

                                                  1. "You have been raised with Christ into newness of life" — Romans 6
                                                  2. Resurrection does not merely promise future relief; it reorients life now

                                                    3. D. Contrast: life under the sun without resurrection vs. life under the sun with resurrection

                                                    1. Without resurrection: the ticking clock haunts every joy; death looms like a permanent goodbye
                                                    2. With resurrection: holding the things of this world loosely, one is freed to enjoy them fully, and faces death with Paul's confidence in Philippians 1: "It is far better to go and be with the Lord"
                                                      3. III. The Reasonableness of Resurrection Found in Life According to the Scriptures

                                                      Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3–8

                                                      A. Paul says Christ's death and resurrection occurred "in accordance with the Scriptures" — not one prophet but all of Scripture pants and longs for resurrection

                                                      B. On the Emmaus road (Luke 24), Jesus opens all the Old Testament Scriptures to show they point to his person and work

                                                      C. The whole life of Israel in the Old Testament is temporary, longing for the permanent

                                                      1. Blessings followed by curses, temples crumbling — all crying out for a temple raised in three days never to fall again
                                                      2. The Old Testament is an age of temporal realities; the New Testament is an age of eternal realities

                                                        3. D. Every Scripture passage is essentially saying: "We were made for resurrection, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in the resurrected Christ"

                                                        1. The temporal gives way to the eternal
                                                        2. The fleeting gives way to the permanent
                                                        3. Darkness gives way to light when the tomb is empty

                                                          4. E. Conclusion: without the resurrection, humanity is destined for dust; life is meaningless vapor; and Scripture itself becomes vapor — but Christ is risen, and by faith in him the believer receives permanent life, now and forevermore, as also evidenced by the eyewitness appearances listed in 1 Corinthians 15:5–8 — to Cephas, to the Twelve, to five hundred brothers, to James, to all the apostles, and to Paul himself

                                                          33 min
                                                        4. Introduction to Hosea
                                                          Order of Service
                                                          • Call to Worship — Psalm 147:1-5
                                                          • Hymn — Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah (#57)
                                                          • Shorter Catechism — Questions 25 & 26 (Offices of Priest and King)
                                                          • Hymn — Jesus, Lover of My Soul
                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                          • Sermon
                                                          • Hymn — How Firm a Foundation (#94)
                                                          • Benediction
                                                            • Sermon Title: Introduction to Hosea

                                                            Scripture: Hosea 1:1

                                                            I. Prosperity — Israel's Wealth and Spiritual Complacency

                                                            A. Historical Background: The Divided Monarchy

                                                            1. United monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon split in 930 BC when Jeroboam set up golden calves at Dan and Bethel
                                                            2. Northern kingdom (Israel) had all wicked kings; southern kingdom (Judah) had mostly wicked kings, with some godly exceptions due to the Davidic line
                                                            3. Northern kingdom exiled by Assyria in 722 BC; southern kingdom (Judah) exiled by Babylon in 586 BC

                                                              4. B. Hosea: The Deathbed Prophet

                                                              1. Hosea is the last prophet to Israel before the Assyrian exile, earning him the title "the deathbed prophet"
                                                              2. His prophetic ministry spanned the reigns of four Judean kings (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah) and one northern king (Jeroboam II)
                                                              3. The lengthy span suggests Hosea may have prophesied both before and after the Assyrian exile

                                                                4. C. The Jehu Dynasty and Its Prosperity

                                                                1. The Jehu dynasty (842–753 BC) was the longest in the northern kingdom, ending with Jeroboam II
                                                                2. This era was marked by extreme prosperity in Israel, a context Amos also addresses as a contemporary of Hosea
                                                                3. Moral failure and spiritual adultery coincided with this prosperity

                                                                  4. D. God's Warning Against Prosperity Leading to Idolatry

                                                                  1. Deuteronomy 31:19-20 — God forewarned that when Israel grew fat in the land they would turn to other gods
                                                                  2. God designed Israel's liturgical calendar to keep their hearts oriented toward the Giver rather than the gifts

                                                                    3. E. Israel's Liturgical Life as a Guard Against Complacency

                                                                    1. The first fruits offering (Leviticus 23:9-14) reminded Israel that the whole harvest belonged to God
                                                                    2. Connects to 1 Corinthians 3:6 — God gives the growth; and to 1 Corinthians 15 — Christ as the firstfruits of the resurrection harvest
                                                                    3. By Hosea's time, Israel's eyes were on the benefits, not the Benefactor

                                                                      4. F. Application: The Liturgical Pattern of Your Life

                                                                      1. Daily habits and routines shape and orient the heart — either toward God or away from Him
                                                                      2. Opening your phone vs. opening your Bible; praying before meals; morning and evening prayer; gathering on the Lord's Day
                                                                      3. Every habit is a liturgy forming the heart; good liturgies orient us toward the one true God
                                                                        4. II. Prostitution — Israel's Spiritual Adultery

                                                                        A. Hosea's Marriage to Gomer as Symbol

                                                                        1. God commands Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer to symbolize Israel's spiritual harlotry
                                                                        2. The symbolism is double: Israel prostitutes herself to Baal, and Baal worship itself involved cult prostitution

                                                                          3. B. Yahweh's Jealousy for His People

                                                                          1. In Exodus 34:14, God calls His name "Jealous" — in the context of covenant renewal after Israel's idolatry with the golden calf (Exodus 32)
                                                                          2. Numbers 5:11-31 — a husband's jealousy over an unfaithful wife is not condemned but commended; this is the kind of righteous jealousy Yahweh has for His covenant people
                                                                          3. God's love for His people is intense and unwavering — not passive or indifferent
                                                                            4. III. Promise — God's Gracious Restoration

                                                                            A. The Prophet as Both Covenant Prosecutor and Mouthpiece of Yahweh

                                                                            1. Prophets come to disobedient Israel with warnings and condemnation, not commendation
                                                                            2. Israel's sins were truly heinous: child sacrifice, cult prostitution, oppression of the poor, unjust judgment — a pattern seen throughout Judges and beyond

                                                                              3. B. Yet God Always Promises Covenant Faithfulness

                                                                              1. Amid doom, Hosea contains some of the most beautiful and compassionate words in all of Scripture
                                                                              2. Exodus 34:6-7 — Yahweh is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love; His mercy extends to the thousandth generation while His wrath extends only to the third and fourth
                                                                              3. God's default setting is grace, not wrath — His steadfast love is greater than His judgment

                                                                                4. C. Application: Hosea as Comfort for Sinners

                                                                                1. When we understand the depth of Israel's sin and the extravagance of God's mercy toward them, we see how lavish His love is toward us
                                                                                2. God brings harsh warnings to His covenant people to steer them away from idols and back to Himself
                                                                                3. His love is intense, serious, and will carry His people all the way to glory
                                                                                  4. 30 min
                                                                                4. The Triumphal Entry

                                                                                  Scripture: John 12:12-19

                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 118:1-9
                                                                                  • Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                  • Confession of Faith — Philippians 2:6-11
                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Zechariah 9:9-13
                                                                                  • Hymn — Rejoice, the Lord Is King
                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                  • Offering
                                                                                  • Prayer of Dedication
                                                                                  • Hymn — Come, Thou Almighty King
                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                  • Hymn — Crown Him with Many Crowns
                                                                                  • Benediction
                                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Triumphal Entry

                                                                                    Scripture: John 12:12-19

                                                                                    I. The Savior King

                                                                                    A. The crowd's cry of "Hosanna" comes from Psalm 118:25-26, part of the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113–118), sung at major festivals including Passover

                                                                                    1. "Hosanna" means literally give salvation now — an urgent cry for deliverance
                                                                                    2. The Hallel Psalms oriented Israel toward past salvation (the Exodus) and future deliverance from enemies

                                                                                      3. B. The connection to Passover is theologically significant

                                                                                      1. At the Passover meal, families sang the Hallel Psalms between the cups of blessing; after the final cup, Psalm 115–118 was sung
                                                                                      2. In Matthew 26:30, Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn — almost certainly Psalm 118 — before going to Gethsemane
                                                                                      3. In Gethsemane, Jesus himself cried out a kind of hosanna — let this cup pass from me — yet submitted to the Father's will

                                                                                        4. C. Christ is the true Passover Lamb; the cup of wrath was not passed over him so that it might be passed over us

                                                                                        1. Colossians 1:13-14 — we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of his beloved Son through the forgiveness of sins
                                                                                        2. We belong to a new Exodus, a new deliverance — not from physical enemies but from sin
                                                                                          3. II. The Humble King

                                                                                          A. The second Old Testament reference in the passage is Zechariah 9:9, already read in the service — the king comes on a donkey, not a war horse, and comes to take the war horse away from Jerusalem

                                                                                          B. Palm branches carried nationalistic, militaristic symbolism in first-century Israel

                                                                                          1. Palm branches were imprinted on Jewish coins; Simon Maccabee was met with palm branches and music when he drove Syrian forces from Jerusalem
                                                                                          2. The crowd expected a conquering military king; Christ deliberately rejected that image by riding a donkey

                                                                                            3. C. The donkey is rooted in earlier Old Testament prophecy

                                                                                            1. Genesis 49:11 — Jacob's prophecy that the king from Judah would come with a donkey's colt
                                                                                            2. Deuteronomy 17 — the law of the king: he shall not multiply horses, wives, or wealth; no Israelite king ever kept this law
                                                                                            3. At Solomon's coronation (1 Kings 1:38), he rode David's mule — a foreshadow fulfilled perfectly by Christ, who had no wives and no place to lay his head

                                                                                              4. D. Even the disciples did not understand until Christ was glorified (John 12:16)

                                                                                              1. Christ's glorification — resurrection, ascension, Pentecost — brought clarity to how all Old Testament promises find their Yes in him
                                                                                              2. 2 Peter 3 — after witnessing the glorification, Peter awaits a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells
                                                                                              3. John 18:36 — My kingdom is not of this world; the path of this king is humility, not worldly glory
                                                                                                4. III. The Rejected King

                                                                                                A. The massive crowd that welcomed Jesus was drawn largely by the raising of Lazarus — the seventh and climactic sign in John's Gospel

                                                                                                1. Jewish historian Josephus notes crowds swelled to nearly three million for Passover
                                                                                                2. The seven signs in John culminate in the raising of a man dead four days, making Christ's entry — and his crucifixion — a maximally public event before all Israel

                                                                                                  3. B. The same crowd that shouted "Hosanna" would shout "Crucify him" five days later

                                                                                                  1. John 19:15 — We have no king but Caesar; Pilate crucified him with the title King of the Jews posted above his head
                                                                                                  2. The Greek word for king (basileus) appears only twice before John 12:13 in this Gospel: John 1:49 (Nathanael's confession) and John 6:15 (the crowd trying to make Jesus king by force, from which he escaped); now he does not escape — his hour has come

                                                                                                    3. C. The rejection was always part of God's plan — not a tragedy but the cornerstone of salvation

                                                                                                    1. Psalm 118:22-24 — The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes
                                                                                                    2. The crowd sang the hosanna of verse 25 while forgetting the rejected stone of verses 22–24 — but God did not forget
                                                                                                    3. John 12:32 — And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself — Christ on the cross is most attractive to sinners who know they are perishing

                                                                                                      4. D. We cry hosanna today with full assurance that salvation has come

                                                                                                      1. The rejected stone is now the chief cornerstone, exalted at the Father's right hand
                                                                                                      2. We await the final epochal event — Christ's return to consummate the kingdom already inaugurated
                                                                                                      3. God's steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 118:1); the cross is the supreme display of that other-worldly, steadfast love
                                                                                                        4. 31 min
                                                                                                      4. The Fruit of the Spirit:
                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 67
                                                                                                        • Hymn — How Great Thou Art (#44)
                                                                                                        • Shorter Catechism Reading — Questions 23 & 24
                                                                                                        • Hymn — [untitled] (#681)
                                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                        • Hymn — Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (#529)
                                                                                                        • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: The Fruit of the Spirit — Self-Control

                                                                                                          Scripture: Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 2:15-17, Genesis 3:1-11

                                                                                                          I. The Design of Self-Control

                                                                                                          A. God created mankind as self-aware, thinking, and willing creatures — not robots or machines — bearing his image

                                                                                                          B. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states God made man in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; mankind was created to be right-knowing and right-willing

                                                                                                          C. In the state of innocence (Thomas Boston's first state), Adam and Eve's wills were perfectly in harmony with God's will

                                                                                                          1. Self-control is woven into the fabric of humanity as a self-governing capacity
                                                                                                          2. The moral law — summarized in the two great commandments — was written on their hearts, and their wills aligned perfectly with it
                                                                                                          3. This harmony can be compared to two voices singing in perfect tune, neither drawing attention away from the other
                                                                                                            4. II. The Difficulty of Self-Control

                                                                                                            A. Thomas Boston's four states of mankind provide a framework:

                                                                                                            1. State of Innocence — able to sin, able not to sin
                                                                                                            2. State of Depravity — not able not to sin
                                                                                                            3. State of Grace — able not to sin (though never perfectly)
                                                                                                            4. State of Glory — unable to sin

                                                                                                              5. B. The Fall broke harmony between man's will and God's will; the self rose up as its own melody

                                                                                                              1. Genesis 3:6 — Eve saw, desired, reasoned, and took the fruit; the self became the governor of its own governing
                                                                                                              2. Even those in the state of depravity can demonstrate a form of self-control through God's common grace

                                                                                                                3. C. Two kinds of self-control distinguished by the ancient Greeks (as noted by George Bethune):

                                                                                                                1. Continence — merely denying indulgence to irregular desires; one selfish desire overcoming another; a "just say no" campaign focused on external behavior
                                                                                                                2. Temperance — the healthful regulation of desires and appetites themselves; getting to the heart of the matter

                                                                                                                  3. D. True self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, not human willpower

                                                                                                                  1. Sin disorders our desires; the Spirit reorders them
                                                                                                                  2. Galatians 5:24 — those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
                                                                                                                  3. As Alistair Begg notes: self-control cannot be a "just say no" campaign focused on external obedience — God's enabling grace changes the heart from the inside out
                                                                                                                    4. III. The Domain of Self-Control

                                                                                                                    A. The domain of self-control is the whole person in the whole of living

                                                                                                                    B. Governing the thought life

                                                                                                                    1. Jesus taught that to look at another with lustful intent is already to commit adultery in the heart
                                                                                                                    2. Impulsive judgments of others — even in everyday situations like driving — require repentance

                                                                                                                      3. C. Governing the emotions

                                                                                                                      1. We live in a feelings-based culture that coddles emotions, yet the heart is deceitful above all else
                                                                                                                      2. Emotions matter and we should care for others, but not every feeling is legitimate or right

                                                                                                                        3. D. Governing the tongue

                                                                                                                        1. James likens the tongue to a ship's rudder and to a spark that ignites a forest fire
                                                                                                                        2. Jesus says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34)
                                                                                                                        3. Practical applications: husbands and wives, parents and children, coworkers, and fellow believers must all govern their speech; gossip and false flattery have no place among God's people

                                                                                                                          4. E. Governing the use of things

                                                                                                                          1. Food and drink — gluttony is a forgotten sin
                                                                                                                          2. Technology — cell phones, computers, and streaming devices require careful self-governance

                                                                                                                            3. F. The tension of reality and requirement

                                                                                                                            1. Self-control is both a reality being worked into believers by the Spirit and a requirement to be pursued
                                                                                                                            2. Ephesians 2 — good works are not saving works, but they are the duties and responsibilities flowing from salvation
                                                                                                                            3. The state of glory is the certain hope: a day is coming when believers will be unable to sin; until then, cling to the promise that he who began a good work will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6)
                                                                                                                              4. 39 min
                                                                                                                            4. The Loss of God

                                                                                                                              Scripture: 1 Samuel 28

                                                                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                                                                              • Announcements
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — Arise, My Soul, Arise
                                                                                                                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 66:1-4
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — Arise, My Soul, Arise
                                                                                                                              • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                              • Confession of Sin
                                                                                                                              • Assurance of Pardon — Romans 10:9-10
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — My Faith Has Found a Resting Place
                                                                                                                              • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                              • Offering
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — Abide with Me
                                                                                                                              • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 28:1-25
                                                                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                                                                              • Lord's Supper
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — God Be Merciful to Me (stanzas 1–2)
                                                                                                                              • Lord's Supper (distribution and partaking)
                                                                                                                              • Hymn — God Be Merciful to Me (stanzas 3–4)
                                                                                                                              • Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
                                                                                                                                • Sermon Title: The Loss of God

                                                                                                                                Scripture: 1 Samuel 28:1-25

                                                                                                                                I. The Loss of God Manifested in Skirting Directions

                                                                                                                                A. Saul begins by seeking God through approved means — dreams, Urim, and prophets (1 Samuel 28:6) — but receives no answer

                                                                                                                                1. When God goes silent, Saul turns to a medium and necromancer
                                                                                                                                2. This is deeply hypocritical: Saul himself had banned such practices (1 Samuel 28:3)

                                                                                                                                  3. B. Saul is not seeking a pagan god through the medium — he is seeking the one true God through forbidden means

                                                                                                                                  1. Compare the golden calf incident in Exodus 32 — Israel attributed the name Yahweh to the golden calf; God's response was wrath
                                                                                                                                  2. This is the same presumptuous pattern as Saul's earlier rejection in 1 Samuel 15 — saving Agag and the livestock for sacrifice
                                                                                                                                  3. Samuel's rebuke in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: "To obey is better than sacrifice… rebellion is as the sin of divination"
                                                                                                                                  4. In chapter 15, Saul commits a sin equivalent to divination; in chapter 28, he actually commits it

                                                                                                                                    5. C. Application: We do not truly worship God if we worship him outside the means he has appointed

                                                                                                                                    1. "Authentic worship" as self-directed worship is not acceptable to God
                                                                                                                                    2. God desires obedience over grand displays of personal expression (1 Samuel 15:22)
                                                                                                                                    3. Illustration: A son waking his father by pouring cold water on him — it may work, but it is not the right approach; we must come to God through the means he has provided
                                                                                                                                      4. II. The Loss of God Manifested in a Successful Darkness

                                                                                                                                      A. The medium appears genuinely surprised when Samuel actually appears (1 Samuel 28:12) — suggesting she was not accustomed to real success

                                                                                                                                      B. Scripture condemns mediums and necromancers not because they are ineffective, but because they are an abomination to God

                                                                                                                                      1. See Deuteronomy 18 and Isaiah 8
                                                                                                                                      2. We do not reject witchcraft as merely irrational or unscientific — we reject it because our battle is spiritual (Ephesians 6)

                                                                                                                                        3. C. God in his mysterious providence appears to give success to the medium — Samuel comes up and delivers God's ordained judgment to Saul

                                                                                                                                        1. This success is not God's commendation of the means
                                                                                                                                        2. When God gives success to darkness, it often confirms people in their hardened estate as objects of his wrath

                                                                                                                                          3. D. Parallel: Pharaoh's magicians in Exodus 7

                                                                                                                                          1. God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 7:3)
                                                                                                                                          2. He allowed the magicians to replicate the first three miracles so that Pharaoh's heart remained hardened (Exodus 7:22)
                                                                                                                                          3. The success of the magicians paved the way for the greater display of judgment and salvation: the Passover and the parting of the Red Sea

                                                                                                                                            4. E. The pattern continues in redemptive history

                                                                                                                                            1. God gave success to the wicked schemes of Israel's leaders in Jesus's day — paving the way for the cross
                                                                                                                                            2. God allows darkness to have its day today — paving the way for Christ's return and final judgment
                                                                                                                                            3. See Romans 1-2 and Hebrews 12 — God's discipline is a mark of legitimate sonship; confirmed success in darkness is a mark of judgment

                                                                                                                                              4. F. Satan and his minions have no independent power — all they have is what God permits (Exodus 3:14)

                                                                                                                                              III. The Loss of God Manifested in a Sorrowful Dinner

                                                                                                                                              A. Samuel's words to Saul confirm God's total rejection

                                                                                                                                              1. The Lord has torn the kingdom from Saul and given it to David (1 Samuel 28:17) — because of Saul's disobedience regarding Amalek
                                                                                                                                              2. Israel will be given into the Philistines' hands; Saul and his sons will die the next day (1 Samuel 28:19)

                                                                                                                                                3. B. The language Saul uses reveals the severed covenant relationship

                                                                                                                                                1. Saul uses the generic name Elohim (God) when speaking of the Lord
                                                                                                                                                2. Samuel uses the covenant name Yahweh (LORD) — approximately four times
                                                                                                                                                3. The way one speaks of God can reveal the state of one's relationship with him (cf. the instinct of the adopted child to cry Abba, Father)

                                                                                                                                                  4. C. The meal with the medium of Endor bookends Saul's tragic life

                                                                                                                                                  1. Saul's life began with a covenant meal with Samuel in 1 Samuel 9 — Samuel coming in solidarity with God's chosen king
                                                                                                                                                  2. Saul's last supper is a meal shared in fellowship with a medium — fellowship with darkness

                                                                                                                                                    3. D. The Lord's Supper as the counterpoint to Saul's sorrowful dinner

                                                                                                                                                    1. This table declares our allegiance to Christ alone
                                                                                                                                                    2. The table poses a question: Are you merely sorrowful for sin, or do you repent of it and endeavor after new obedience?
                                                                                                                                                    3. Saul gave lip service to the ways of Yahweh but when the sun went down his heart was revealed
                                                                                                                                                    4. The Lord's table is not for perfect people — it is for sinners who, like the prodigal son, have seen the filth of feeding on sin and have run back to the Father through the Son (Luke 15)
                                                                                                                                                      5. 33 min
                                                                                                                                                    5. March 27, 2022; Sunday Morning Worship

                                                                                                                                                      Scripture: 1 Samuel 27 - "Success through suspect ways"

                                                                                                                                                      Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
                                                                                                                                                      • Call to Worship — Psalm 9:1-2, 9-10, 11
                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
                                                                                                                                                      • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                      • Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
                                                                                                                                                      • Scripture Reading — Acts 13:13-25
                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn
                                                                                                                                                      • Baptism — Anastasia Elliott Grammer
                                                                                                                                                      • Prayer
                                                                                                                                                      • Offering
                                                                                                                                                      • Prayer of Dedication
                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — I Need Thee Every Hour
                                                                                                                                                      • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                      • Hymn
                                                                                                                                                      • Benediction
                                                                                                                                                        • Sermon Title: Success Through Suspect Ways

                                                                                                                                                        Scripture: 1 Samuel 27:1–28:2

                                                                                                                                                        I. A Successful Safe Haven Through a False Perspective

                                                                                                                                                        A. David flees to Achish, king of Gath, with 600 men, and Saul ceases his pursuit (1 Samuel 27:1-4)

                                                                                                                                                        1. David's reasoning comes from his own heart — "I shall be swept away" — rather than from trust in God
                                                                                                                                                        2. Contrast with 1 Samuel 26:10, where David trusted God to deal with Saul

                                                                                                                                                          3. B. David is leaning on his own understanding rather than God's promises

                                                                                                                                                          1. Proverbs 3:5-6 — "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding"
                                                                                                                                                          2. The ends do not justify the means; pragmatism inevitably keeps our eyes on self rather than on God

                                                                                                                                                            3. C. Trusting God's promises will inevitably make us impractical in the world's eyes

                                                                                                                                                            1. The martyrs throughout church history refused to recant even at the cost of their lives
                                                                                                                                                            2. We proclaim a crucified Savior — a contradiction and offense to worldly pragmatism
                                                                                                                                                            3. Luther: "Here I stand, I can do no other" — leaning not on his own understanding but on God's Word
                                                                                                                                                              4. II. A Successful Stronghold Through a False Promise

                                                                                                                                                              A. David is given Ziklag — a city belonging to Israel — by Achish (1 Samuel 27:5-7)

                                                                                                                                                              1. God's mysterious providence works even through David's compromised actions
                                                                                                                                                              2. David raids Philistine allies but deceives Achish by claiming to raid Israelites

                                                                                                                                                                3. B. David's deception earns Achish's trust, leading to a dangerous predicament (1 Samuel 28:1-2)

                                                                                                                                                                1. Achish invokes Yahweh's name in affirming David's "honesty" — David is soiling the name of God through his lies
                                                                                                                                                                2. The deception will ultimately lead to the capture of David's families by the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30)

                                                                                                                                                                  3. C. David's presumption — assuming God approves of everything he does because of past success

                                                                                                                                                                  1. A dangerous pattern seen in gifted leaders throughout church history and in contemporary evangelicalism
                                                                                                                                                                  2. Matthew 7:22-23 — "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name…I never knew you"
                                                                                                                                                                  3. David's sin with Bathsheba may reflect this same presumption following his military victories
                                                                                                                                                                    4. III. A Successful Salvation Through a False Premise

                                                                                                                                                                    A. David raids the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, leaving no one alive (1 Samuel 27:8-12)

                                                                                                                                                                    1. Recall that Saul lost his throne for failing to devote the Amalekites to destruction (1 Samuel 15)
                                                                                                                                                                    2. David's premise, however, is not obedience to God's command but self-preservation and concealment from Achish

                                                                                                                                                                      3. B. There is no mention of Abiathar or the ephod — David receives no direction from God

                                                                                                                                                                      1. Contrast with 1 Samuel 23, where David consulted God through Abiathar and the ephod before acting
                                                                                                                                                                      2. The ephod reappears in 1 Samuel 30 when David rightly seeks God's will concerning the Amalekites

                                                                                                                                                                        3. C. The danger of following your own heart rather than God's Word

                                                                                                                                                                        1. Jeremiah 17:9 — "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick"
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Proverbs 28:26 — "Whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool"
                                                                                                                                                                        3. "Follow your heart" may be the worst advice any Christian can receive (Craig Troxel)

                                                                                                                                                                          4. D. The example of Christ as the only one with a truly pure heart

                                                                                                                                                                          1. John 6:38 — "I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me"
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Though sinless, Christ never acted outside the will of his Father — the perfect model of a pure heart
                                                                                                                                                                          3. Godly success does not look like Ziklag — it looks like Golgotha; we are called to take up our cross and be Christ-followers, not heart-followers
                                                                                                                                                                            4. 33 min
                                                                                                                                                                          4. The Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control
                                                                                                                                                                            Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                            • Call to Worship — Romans 11:33-36
                                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn — When Morning Gilds the Skies (#167)
                                                                                                                                                                            • Shorter Catechism — Questions 21 & 22
                                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn — My Jesus, I Love Thee (#648)
                                                                                                                                                                            • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn — Fairest Lord Jesus (#170)
                                                                                                                                                                            • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                                              • Sermon Title: The Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness and Gentleness

                                                                                                                                                                              Scripture: Matthew 5:5

                                                                                                                                                                              I. Meekness Toward God

                                                                                                                                                                              A. Meekness toward God is a humble, submissive disposition of the soul before his truth and commandments — coming before God as an empty vessel ready to be filled

                                                                                                                                                                              • George Bethune: "Meekness toward God is a humble and acquiescing submission of the soul to the truth of all his doctrines... to the excellence of all his commandments"

                                                                                                                                                                                • B. Christ modeled this meekness perfectly

                                                                                                                                                                                • Philippians 2:6-8 — Christ did not grasp his divine rights but emptied himself, submitting fully as the last Adam to his Father's will
                                                                                                                                                                                • At his baptism, he submitted "so that all righteousness might be fulfilled"
                                                                                                                                                                                • At the cross, he could have descended but stayed to fulfill all righteousness

                                                                                                                                                                                  • C. We must constantly divest ourselves of prideful supposed rights before God

                                                                                                                                                                                  • Augustine: "God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them"
                                                                                                                                                                                  • Hebrews 12 — resisting God's discipline reveals a proud spirit, not a meek one
                                                                                                                                                                                  • Matthew 18:3 — "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of God"
                                                                                                                                                                                  • Luke 18 — Christ holds infants; the point is helplessness, not innocence

                                                                                                                                                                                    • D. Meekness before God is a lifelong, constant disposition — we never graduate from the household of God

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. We are always helpless children crying out "Abba, Father"
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. We must never become like the Pharisee who began empty but grew full of himself
                                                                                                                                                                                      3. II. Meekness Toward Man

                                                                                                                                                                                      A. Meekness toward unbelieving man

                                                                                                                                                                                      • 1 Peter 3:13-16 — always be prepared to give a defense, yet do it with meekness and respect
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Meekness is not cowardice — we must speak up and defend the gospel
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. But a defense delivered without meekness shames the defender, not the slanderer
                                                                                                                                                                                        3. Bethune on the early martyrs: "It was the meekness more than the blood of the martyrs which was the seed of the church"
                                                                                                                                                                                        4. Christ at the cross modeled this — silent before accusers, opening his voice only to say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)
                                                                                                                                                                                        5. Meekness must be practiced in private — how we speak of unbelievers at home and among like-minded people is the training ground for public witness

                                                                                                                                                                                          6. B. Meekness toward believing man

                                                                                                                                                                                          • We often emphasize meekness toward outsiders but neglect it toward fellow believers
                                                                                                                                                                                          • The closer we are in proximity to others, the more our fallenness highlights differences and breeds contempt
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Galatians 6:1-2 — "If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness"
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Galatians 6:10 — "Do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith"
                                                                                                                                                                                          • John 21 — Christ's threefold charge to Peter is not "love the unbeliever" but "love my sheep" — displaying meekness and kindness toward the bride of Christ
                                                                                                                                                                                            • III. Meekness Toward the World

                                                                                                                                                                                            A. Meekness is the opposite of worldly ambition

                                                                                                                                                                                            • Worldly ambition keeps a man full of himself — rendering meekness impossible
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Matthew 16:26 — "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?"
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Contrast with Matthew 5:5 — the meek inherit the earth of the age to come; the ambitious gain only the passing world

                                                                                                                                                                                              • B. The meek man is a waiting man

                                                                                                                                                                                              • 2 Peter 3:10-13 — the present heavens and earth will pass away; we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells
                                                                                                                                                                                              • The ambitious man is impatient, easily offended, driven to claw his way upward
                                                                                                                                                                                              • The meek man waits with humble, self-effacing spirit for his inheritance — the new creation
                                                                                                                                                                                                • 31 min
                                                                                                                                                                                              • The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
                                                                                                                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Catechism — Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions & Answers 19–20
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Hymn — Great Is Thy Faithfulness (#32)
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:22–25
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Hymn — Go Labor On (#584)
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Benediction
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: Faithfulness and the Fruit of the Spirit

                                                                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: Galatians 5:22–25

                                                                                                                                                                                                  I. Faithfulness in the Character of God, Exemplified in the Person of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                                                  A. God's faithfulness (trustworthiness) is one of his most repeated attributes throughout Scripture

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. God is a covenant-keeping God whose faithfulness flows from his unchanging character
                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. The Covenant of Redemption — an eternal, intra-Trinitarian covenant made before creation, historically called the pactum salutis

                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. B. Psalm 89:1–37 presents the eternal covenant between the Father and the Son

                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Wilhelmus à Brakel argues Psalm 89 is primarily about Christ, not David — David serves as a type
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Titles in the psalm that apply most eminently to Christ: the Elect of God (Isaiah 42:1), the Holy One (Luke 1:35), the Firstborn (Hebrews 1:6), King of Kings (Revelation 19:16)
                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. David's kingdom ended; Christ's kingdom endures as long as the sun and moon

                                                                                                                                                                                                      4. C. God's faithfulness holds all creation together

                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Hebrews 1:1–4 — the Son upholds all things by the word of his power
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Apart from God's faithfulness, all creation would dissolve into chaos

                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. D. Christ is explicitly identified as faithful in Scripture

                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Isaiah 11:1–5 — the Branch from Jesse's root is clothed in faithfulness
                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Revelation 19:11 — Christ is called "Faithful and True," judges in righteousness, rules with a rod of iron
                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. Matthew 3 — at his baptism the Father declares, "This is my beloved Son" — the greater David, God's Beloved
                                                                                                                                                                                                          4. II. How the People of God Are to Cultivate Faithfulness in Daily Life

                                                                                                                                                                                                          A. The surrounding culture is hostile to faithfulness

                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Entertainment and popular culture treat people as expendable and sexuality as a commodity
                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. "You do you" — personal fulfillment has triumphed over faithfulness to promises and vows
                                                                                                                                                                                                          3. None of us are immune; many have suffered or caused suffering through faithlessness

                                                                                                                                                                                                            4. B. Vertical faithfulness — our faithfulness to God

                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Baptismal vows bind us to specific, serious promises before God
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. The three vows examined: acknowledging need of Christ's cleansing blood; claiming covenant promises in faith; dedicating oneself/one's child and promising to set a godly example, pray with and for them, teach the doctrines of the faith, and use all the means of grace
                                                                                                                                                                                                            3. Particular application of the third vow: praying with spouses and children, reading Scripture together, regular Lord's Day attendance, training children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
                                                                                                                                                                                                            4. Where we have fallen short, the Spirit brings us to repentance and humble reliance on divine grace

                                                                                                                                                                                                              5. C. Horizontal faithfulness — our faithfulness toward our neighbors

                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Marriage — a lifelong covenant; husbands love your wives, wives submit to your husbands; keep the vows made before God through difficulty, confession, forgiveness, and renewal
                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Singleness — singleness affords freedom and mobility for generous service; single persons must glorify God in their bodies and give undivided devotion to Christ
                                                                                                                                                                                                              3. Parenting — parents are bound before God to train children in the fear of the Lord, lovingly discipline them, and share the gospel with them; even when children stray, parents are to remain ever faithful, keeping the door open, mirroring the faithfulness of the heavenly Father
                                                                                                                                                                                                              4. Vocation — Christians should be model employers and employees, known for reliability, honesty, and consistency; employers pay right wages; employees work diligently and honestly; our character in the workplace is a witness that woos others to Christ

                                                                                                                                                                                                                5. D. How we grow in faithfulness

                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Acknowledge our own unfaithfulness — Psalm 19 — "Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Plead with the Lord to produce the fruit of faithfulness in increasing measure
                                                                                                                                                                                                                3. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 — "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                4. William Grimshaw (quoted via J. C. Ryle): before God would allow his promises to fail, he would have to lay aside his divinity and un-god himself
                                                                                                                                                                                                                5. Hebrews 13:8 — Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever; believers may rest in this truth even in their own unfaithfulness, knowing Christ bore their unfaithfulness and now empowers them by his Spirit to repent, believe, and live faithfully
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  6. 54 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.