Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

October 03, 2021October 3, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-4 - NOTE: There will be no audio streamed during our evening time of prayer, audio will resume when the message commences.
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 93
Hymn — How Great Thou Art (#44)
Westminster Shorter Catechism — Question 1
Hymn — Hallelujah, Thine the Glory (#179)
Prayer of Invocation
Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 1:1-4
Sermon
Prayer
Hymn — Man of Sorrows (#246)
Benediction
Sermon Title: True Knowledge of God
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-4
I. True Knowledge Is Dependent upon God
A. The source of true knowledge is divine power, not human effort
2 Peter 1:3 — "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him"
The vehicle of God's power is the gospel — Romans 1:16 — the gospel is the power of God unto salvation
B. True knowledge and salvation go hand in hand
Unredeemed man cannot truly know God or creation because he is dead in sin — the noetic effects of sin
Cornelius Van Til's presuppositional apologetics rightly understood that man must be regenerated before he can truly know anything
Van Til contrasted with Thomas Aquinas's evidentialism, which sought to reason upward from empirical observation to God; Van Til argued this cannot bring us to knowledge of the triune God
True knowledge requires regeneration — the passive reception of God's saving power uniting the sinner to Christ by faith
II. True Knowledge Is Manifested in Godliness
A. God grants all things pertaining to life and godliness through knowledge — knowledge is the instrument God uses to produce godliness in redeemed man
The false teachers infiltrating the Asian churches reflected Greek dualism — spiritual world good, material world bad
This produced two responses: Stoic asceticism or Epicurean hedonism; the false teachers in 2 Peter appear to reflect an Epicurean tendency, using supposed knowledge to indulge the flesh
B. Becoming partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) is God's act, not man's achievement
Greek mystical thought taught that man could work his way up to share in the divine nature through discipline
Peter reverses this: God by sheer grace makes the Christian a partaker in his glory through Christ
This is not deification in being (as in some Eastern Orthodox teaching) but sharing in God's moral character — his holiness
C. True knowledge is evidenced by having "escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire"
Faith union with Christ has definitively and objectively broken the chain of sin — a past-tense reality
This manifests progressively as the believer is conformed into the image of Christ and dies to sin experientially
Practical warning for the Reformed tradition: every theological concept is practical theology — it must make us look more like Christ
III. True Knowledge Is Focused on God
A. Peter bookends the epistle with the theme of knowledge
2 Peter 1:2 — "grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord"
2 Peter 3:17-18 — "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
B. The object of true knowledge is Jesus Christ
Peter calls himself "servant of Jesus Christ" — a Jewish writer deliberately applying the Old Testament phrase "servant of Yahweh" to Jesus, affirming his deity
2 Peter 1:1 — "our God and Savior Jesus Christ" identifies Jesus Christ as God
C. Jesus is not merely the way to truth and life — he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)
False teaching throughout the New Testament reduces Christ to a means to something beyond himself:
Judaizers (Galatians): Christ as the way to Jewish ritualism
Mystics (Colossians, 1 John): Christ as the way to mystical experience
Today: Christ as the way to social justice, material prosperity, community flourishing, etc.
Christ is both the path and the destination — he is the way to himself; he is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
All truth flows from Christ and returns to Christ; he is the fullness of deity (Colossians 1:19); to see Christ is to see the Father (John 14:9)
Application: We are to have our minds transformed by the knowledge of God (Romans 12:2); Christ and Christ alone is to fill our paths, focus, aspirations, and goals
33 min
September 26, 2021The LORD Works Great Salvation
Scripture: 1 Samuel 11
Order of Service
Announcements
Prelude — Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven
Call to Worship — Hebrews 12:28-29
Hymn — Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Nicene Creed
Scripture Reading — Acts 5:1-16
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Sermon
Hymn
Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
Sermon Title: The LORD Works Great Salvation
Scripture: 1 Samuel 11
I. The LORD Works Salvation from the Hand of the Enemy
A. The nature of the enemy — Nahash the Ammonite
Nahash (Hebrew for serpent) besieges Jabesh-gilead, demanding to gouge out the right eye of every man, bringing disgrace upon all Israel
His intent is to mock God's people and call into question God's ability and willingness to save — an attack on God's very character
This echoes Satan's tactics from the beginning: in Genesis 3, Satan twisted God's character to tempt Eve; Nahash stands as a living picture of the enemy's schemes
B. The nature of the victory
God has given Israel a king precisely for this purpose — to save them from surrounding enemies (cf. 1 Samuel 9–10)
The Spirit of God rushes upon Saul (1 Samuel 11:6), kindling righteous anger; Saul musters 330,000 warriors and routs the Ammonites
The victory belongs to the LORD — Saul is the instrument, but it is God who works salvation
C. Christological horizon: this victory anticipates the day when Christ will fully vanquish Satan — the seed of the woman crushing the head of the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15); Satan will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)
II. The LORD Works Salvation Despite the Forgetfulness of the People
A. The people forget to call on the LORD
When Nahash besieges Jabesh-gilead, there is no prayer, no crying out to God — the people immediately seek a treaty with the enemy
This confirms what Samuel has repeatedly declared: Israel has rejected the LORD as their king
B. The people forget the king God has given them
Rather than going directly to Saul in nearby Gibeah, the messengers are sent broadly throughout Israel, as if no king existed
When the messengers reach Gibeah, the message is delivered to the people at large, not to Saul — he only hears of it by chance
C. Application: we too are prone to forget God
Like Jabesh-gilead, we often fail to call on God in trials, distress, and sin
We attempt to work out our own salvation — by being good enough, working hard enough, managing our own reputation
Yet God's grace is displayed in this: he saves his people despite their forgetfulness — not to excuse it, but to spur humble worship and remembrance
III. The LORD Works Salvation Because He Is a Covenant King
A. The covenant name of God appears three times in 1 Samuel 11:12-15 — Yahweh, the LORD — tied to his unwavering, steadfast love for his people
B. Saul's mercy on the day of battle points forward to Christ
Saul declares that no one shall be put to death, because the LORD has worked salvation (1 Samuel 11:13)
On the day Christ hangs on the cross, one man is put to death for the salvation of all God's people — what Saul does not do, the Father does to the Son
Christ is the true and greater covenant king; his shed blood establishes the new covenant (Hebrews 13:20)
C. The call to trust the covenant king
Are you trying to save yourself by your own strength and goodness, or are you trusting in the covenant king?
The seed of the woman has crushed the head of the seed of the serpent — for every man, woman, boy, and girl, there is forgiveness, wholeness, and salvation in Christ alone
30 min
September 26, 2021"I Thirst"
Scripture: John 19:28
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 93:1-5
Hymn — Petitions for Deliverance
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — #322
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Benediction — Romans 15:13
Sermon Title: I Thirst
Scripture: John 19:28
I. The Setting: Jesus Crucified and Thirsty
A. John 19:28 is the fifth of seven statements Jesus made from the cross, recorded only in John's Gospel
B. In Greek, I thirst is a single word expressing the physical anguish of Jesus in his sixth hour on the cross
C. This was no ordinary thirst — it was the thirst of hell, Jesus experiencing for sinners what they deserve
II. The Paradox: The God-Man in Need of a Drink
A. John's Gospel establishes both the full deity and full humanity of Christ from the outset
John 1:1-3 — the Word was God, and all things were made through him
John 1:14 — the Word became flesh and dwelt among us
B. The Nicene Creed confesses Jesus as very God of very God, begotten not made, who became man for our salvation
C. Early heresies (docetism) denied Christ's real humanity; John writes to refute this — Jesus genuinely suffered
D. The paradox: the one who offers living water so that none will ever thirst again now cries out, I thirst
Philippians 2:6-8 — though equal with God, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross
III. The Cup Jesus Refused
A. Before crucifixion, Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh — a narcotic to dull pain — and he refused it
Recorded in Matthew and Mark, absent from John
To accept any relief would have diminished his suffering and left the full penalty of sin unpaid
B. Jesus had to drink the cup of God's wrath undiluted, as he had prayed over in Gethsemane
C. His refusal of mercy was an act of resolve to glorify the Father by fulfilling all things planned before the foundation of the world
IV. The Fulfillment of Scripture
A. The text states explicitly: knowing that all things were accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled
B. Jesus's eye was always fixed on the Word of God as the source of his strength to endure
C. Moments before, Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 — My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? — affirming the scripture he was fulfilling
D. Psalm 40:7-8 — Jesus came to do all that was written in the scroll of the book about him
E. Psalm 69:21 — For my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink — fulfilled when the soldiers offer him sour wine
V. The Depth of Jesus's Suffering: The Thirst of Hell
A. The source of Jesus's deepest anguish was not physical but the wrath of God poured out upon him for sin
B. For the first time in eternity, the Son was cut off from communion with the Father — this is hell
C. Jesus's loneliness at the cross: his disciples scattered, even the women and John stood at a distance
D. The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 illustrates the eternal thirst of those separated from God
The rich man in torment cries for a drop of water to cool his tongue
Faith to escape this fate comes by hearing the Word of God — Romans 10
E. Jesus experienced an eternity of this anguish compressed into the hours of the cross, for his people
VI. The Glorious Outcome: Satisfaction for His Travail
A. Isaiah 53:10-11 — it pleased the Lord to crush him; yet he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied
Believers are the labor of Christ's soul — he looks upon them and declares them worth it
B. Jesus drank the cup of wrath to the dregs so that his people might drink with him in the Father's house
C. Because Jesus thirsted, those who trust in him shall never thirst
D. There is no wrath in the cup of the Lord's Supper for the believer — only blessing, as we come to the table next Lord's Day
42 min
September 19, 2021September 19, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:17-27
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 96
Hymn — For All the Saints
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Proverbs 28:13
Scripture Reading — Acts 4:23-37
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Arise, My Soul, Arise
Sermon
Hymn — Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Concerning Enthronement of the Lord's Anointed
Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:17-27
I. A Concerning Announcement of Enthronement
A. Samuel's ominous opening declaration at Mizpah frames Saul's coronation as an act of Israel's rejection of Yahweh as king
Samuel recounts Yahweh's saving acts — deliverance from Egypt and all oppressing kingdoms — as Israel's true Ebenezer ("stone of help")
The very place of coronation, Mizpah, carries haunting weight: it was the site of Israel's repentance and deliverance in 1 Samuel 7, marked by the Ebenezer stone; travelers to the coronation would pass that stone on the way
Mizpah also echoes Judges 20, where all Israel gathered there to destroy Saul's own tribe of Benjamin and his city of Gibeah
B. Israel's haunting silence in response to Samuel's rebuke mirrors their deeper spiritual rebellion
Rather than repenting and reclaiming Yahweh as king, Israel remains obstinately silent
This silence foreshadows Israel before Pilate in John 19:14-15: "We have no king but Caesar" — the same desire for a king like the nations
II. A Concerning Process of Enthronement
A. Saul is chosen by lot before all Israel as God's public confirmation of his private anointing
Lots in the Old Testament served as God's confirming sign of his will — here making God's choice undeniable before the people
The whittling-down process (tribe → clan → individual) publicly confirms what was already done privately through oil and Spirit in 1 Samuel 10:1-7
B. The lot-casting process carries a deeply troubling echo of Judges 7 and the account of Achan
The identical narrowing process — nation to tribe to clan to individual — was used in Joshua 7 to identify Achan as guilty and worthy of destruction, not to identify a hero worthy of honor
The ironic cry "Long live the king!" rings hollow when the precedent for this process is the exposure and execution of a guilty man
Saul's later sin in 1 Samuel 15 — sparing the Amalekite spoil just as Achan took Jericho's spoil — confirms the ominous parallel; Saul is like Achan
III. A Concerning Response to Enthronement
A. Saul's response: hiding among the baggage
Despite having been privately anointed, filled with the Spirit, and commanded to act in 1 Samuel 10:7 ("do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you" — echoing the charge to Joshua in Joshua 1), Saul hides
Israel must rely on Yahweh simply to locate the tallest man in the nation — an irony that exposes their own folly in rejecting Yahweh as king
God in grace provides men of valor whose hearts he has touched to accompany the weak Saul (1 Samuel 10:26)
B. The worthless fellows' response: despising the Lord's anointed
Their contempt — "How can this man save us?" — is not merely political cynicism; it is rebellion against Yahweh's own anointed king
The rights and duties of the kingship, written and laid before the Lord (1 Samuel 10:25, drawn from Deuteronomy 17:14-20), establish that the king rules under Yahweh — to despise the anointed is to despise Yahweh
David's response in 2 Samuel 1:14 — executing the man who killed Saul even though Saul was David's sworn enemy — shows the gravity of harming the Lord's anointed
C. The worthless fellows as a mirror pointing to Christ
If David mourned over Saul the anointed, how much more heinous is the rejection and crucifixion of Christ (Christos = the Anointed One), the sinless Lion of Judah
Yet in the wisdom of God, the cross is the very throne of the true Anointed One — as Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified"
At Golgotha our worthlessness is fully exposed AND the Father's love is fully revealed — ugliness and beauty, heaven and hell simultaneously
Israel needed not a king who could defeat surrounding enemies, but a king who could defeat their chief enemies: sin and death — and that king is Christ, crucified and risen, enthroned forever at the Father's right hand
37 min
September 19, 2021September 19, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 95:1-7
Hymn — O God Beyond All Praising (#660)
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — All the Way My Savior Leads Me (#605)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 5:5-14
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: Humility Before the Mighty Hand of God
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-11
I. Humility Submits to God
A. The word "therefore" in 1 Peter 5:6 ties humble submission to God to the entire preceding argument of the letter
Peter establishes a theme of submission beginning in 1 Peter 2:13 — submission to civil authorities, masters, husbands, and elders
All earthly submission ultimately flows from and reflects submission to God who has ordained those authorities
B. The pattern of humiliation and exaltation
Jesus models the "up-down-up" pattern in Philippians 2:6-9 — equal with God, made himself nothing, exalted to glory
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates the same principle: "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14)
A practical guide in gray areas: ask not "how do I save face?" but "how do I get low here?"
C. God's power and tender care are held together in 1 Peter 5:7
"The mighty hand of God" evokes the sovereign Creator and the God who led Israel through the Red Sea
Yet within the same breath: "he cares for you" — transcendence paired with tender condescension
Cast all anxieties on him because this mighty God holds his people close
II. Humility Resists Satan
A. First resistance: watchfulness (1 Peter 5:8)
The devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour — not a threat to be ignored
Christianity does not retreat to safety; it goes out where the lion roams, armed with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6)
Watchfulness means going out with senses heightened, not heads in the clouds
B. Second resistance: solidarity with the church (1 Peter 5:9)
"The same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world" — we do not suffer alone
Four advantages of this truth (Samuel Bénétreau):
Encouragement: you are not uniquely isolated in your suffering
Unity: the bond to Christ joins you to the global family of God
Expectation: suffering is inherent to the Christian life
Hope: the spread of trials points to the nearness of the consummation
The great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) — past saints who suffered likewise are an encouragement
Satan's tactic is to convince us no one has ever suffered as we have — this breeds pride, bitterness, and isolation from God and others
III. Humility Rests in Christ
A. Four verbs of divine restoration in 1 Peter 5:10: restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish
These are both present realities tasted now in the pilgrimage and future realities fully realized at the consummation
We cannot know the restoring, confirming love of the Father unless we humbly receive his help and lean upon him
B. The verb "strengthen" (Greek hapax legomenon in the New Testament) appears in noun form in Job describing the strength of a lion
We face a roaring lion, but we go out with the Lion of Judah whose strength makes the devouring lion look like a weak cub
The strength of Christ is for us — he is our Lion
C. All grace, calling, comfort, and care come to us in Christ: "the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ"
With the incarnation, God's tender care for his people is not merely metaphorical — the sovereign ruler of the universe physically held children in his hands
Cast all anxieties on this God, who came down in the person of his Son, and who now and into glory cares for his own
30 min
September 12, 2021The Prince and The King's Word
Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:1-16
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 96:1-9
Hymn — Rejoice, the Lord Is King
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Colossians 1:15-20
Scripture Reading — Acts 4:1-22
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer
Hymn — Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Sermon
Prayer
Hymn — What Wondrous Love Is This
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: The Prince and the King's Word
Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:1-16
I. The Prince Is Subject to the King's Trustworthy Word
A. Samuel anoints Saul and gives him three confirming signs (1 Samuel 10:1-8)
He will meet two men at Rachel's tomb in Benjamin who will report the donkeys are found
He will meet three men at the oak of Tabor who will give him two loaves of bread
He will meet a band of prophets at Gibeah-elohim, the Spirit will rush upon him, and he will prophesy
B. The first two signs demonstrate God's trustworthy word in humble, everyday circumstances
The donkeys found and bread provided recall Saul's needs in 1 Samuel 9
These humble signs are easily overlooked in favor of the dramatic third sign
C. Contrast with David: Saul moves quickly from anointing to enthronement, while David is shaped through years of humble circumstances
David learns the trustworthy nature of God's word while fleeing Saul
Psalm 59:16-17 — David praises God as fortress and refuge in days of distress
A skyscraper must be dug deep before it can rise high — the foundation of trust in God's word must be laid in low seasons
II. The Prince Is Subject to the King's Spiritual Word
A. The Spirit rushes upon Saul and he prophesies, becoming "another man" (1 Samuel 10:6), provoking the proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
B. The unnamed man's question — "Who is their father?" (1 Samuel 10:12) — points to the truth that prophecy does not come from human lineage
2 Peter 1:21 — "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit"
C. This rushing of the Spirit is not the Spirit of regeneration but a special empowerment for a specific kingdom purpose
Parallel: the Spirit given to Bezalel for crafting the tabernacle (Exodus 31)
Parallel: the Spirit given to the judges for military deliverance (Judges), including the same language used of Samson
Foreshadowing: Gibeah-elohim housed a Philistine garrison (1 Samuel 10:5); Saul is anointed to save Israel from the Philistines (1 Samuel 9:16)
D. The end goal of the Spirit's work is not ecstatic experience but obedience to God's word
Saul is commanded to go to Gilgal, wait seven days, and receive further instruction from Samuel
Acts 2:42 — after the mighty outpouring at Pentecost, the summary is devotion to the apostles' teaching
The greatest manifestation of the Spirit is obedience to the word of God — that dead sinners are revived and turn from the world to follow Christ
III. The Prince Is Subject to the King's Prophetic Word
A. The office of the prophet is consistently and closely tied to the king throughout the passage
The king was never to rule outside of God's word; the prophet was the mouthpiece of God's word to the king
Prophets functioned as "covenant prosecutors," laying charges against Israel and its kings for departing from God's law
As the king went, so went Israel — the king's ear toward or away from the prophet determined the nation's fate
B. The ideal prince of Israel holds the word of the Lord close to his heart — fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9)
Matthew 5:17 — "I have not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them"
John 12 — Jesus speaks only what the Father commands; his reign is in full accord with the Father's word
In temptation: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God"
In Gethsemane: "Not my will, but your will be done" — obedience even unto the cross
His perfect obedience to the word secured peace by his blood; he now reigns from the Father's right hand with a scepter of righteousness
C. Application: True and lasting security is found only in the Prince of Peace, not in political leaders or parties
No earthly ruler has perfectly kept God's word or can give lasting peace
Christ alone — the Word made flesh — rules in perfect accord with God's word and pours out his Spirit to write that word on our hearts
36 min
September 12, 2021The Elders
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 84
Hymn — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (#92)
Prayer of Invocation
Pastoral Prayer
Hymn — Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (#598)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Elders
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5
I. Elders Practice Authority
A. Peter calls himself a "fellow elder" in 1 Peter 5:1, identifying with the office while also establishing his apostolic credentials as a witness of Christ's sufferings and the transfiguration
Apostolic authority is not transferred to elders; the comparison runs one way
Peter addresses elders (plural), reflecting a plurality of leadership, not a single bishop
B. Elder and bishop are interchangeable titles for the same office
Elder emphasizes the wisdom required for the office
Bishop (overseer) emphasizes the function — exercising oversight (1 Peter 5:2)
C. No age requirement exists for elders, but a wisdom requirement does
Timothy is an example of a young elder (1 Timothy 4:12)
Requirements in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 include the ability to teach, theological maturity, and not being a recent convert
The elder must manifest the wisdom of God in character and doctrine regardless of age
D. Younger members of the congregation are to be subject to the elders (1 Peter 5:5)
E. This fits Peter's broader theme of God-ordained authority structures in every sphere of life
Civic submission to kings and governors — 1 Peter 2:13-17
Servants subject to masters — 1 Peter 2:18-25
Wives subject to husbands — 1 Peter 3
The church subject to elders — 1 Peter 5
Submission to ordained authority in any sphere is ultimately submission to the Lord who ordained it
II. Elders Shepherd the Flock
A. Peter commands shepherding that is willing, eager, and non-domineering — 1 Peter 5:2-3
B. Psalm 23 provides the model for what a shepherd is to be
Pleasant — leads to green pastures and still waters; not domineering but a comforting presence
Righteous — leads in paths of righteousness, modeling right living before the flock in word and deed
Present — with the flock in the darkest valleys; at the hospital, graveside, and in seasons of grief and anxiety
Joyful — Peter's adverbs willingly and eagerly indicate the elder must genuinely love and long for the people of God
C. Duty is necessary but not sufficient; there must be a relentless desire to serve
Spurgeon: "The first sign of the heavenly calling is an intense, all-absorbing desire for the work. If you can imagine yourself doing something else, then do it."
An elder who only serves out of compulsion falls short of the Petrine standard
III. Elders Submit to Christ
A. Elders hold only ministerial and declarative authority — their authority is derived from and accountable to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:4)
B. Elders must answer to Christ for the care of His flock
The flock belongs to Christ, not to the elders
James 3:1 — teachers will be judged with greater strictness
Illustration: Caring for another person's children heightens the sense of responsibility
C. The elder's ultimate motivation is to hear Christ say, "Well done, good and faithful servant"
Service done willingly and eagerly — not merely out of compulsion — is what the Chief Shepherd rewards
This hope of approval from the Shepherd King is a motivation for all believers, not elders alone
24 min
September 05, 2021September 5, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19 - NOTE: There will be no audio streamed during our evening time of prayer, audio will resume when the message commences.
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 92:1-4
Hymn — How Firm a Foundation (#94)
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — Breathe on Me, Breath of God (#334)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 4:12-19
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Assurance, Refinement, and Comfort Found in Suffering
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19
I. Suffering Brings the Assurance of Salvation
A. Peter warns the churches in Asia Minor not to be surprised by fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12)
Christians were persecuted for calling Jesus Lord rather than Caesar
Peter writes ahead of Nero's large-scale persecution campaign to prepare believers
B. Suffering for Christ is a sharing in Christ's sufferings (1 Peter 4:13)
Christ identifies himself with the church's suffering — Acts 9 ("Saul, why are you persecuting me?")
Believers are likewise to identify their sufferings with Christ's
Sharing in Christ's suffering means sharing in the glory that follows — reason for present joy
C. The Spirit of glory resting on believers is evidence of salvation (1 Peter 4:14)
The language echoes Isaiah 11:2, where the Spirit rests upon the Messiah — the only two places in Scripture where the Spirit is said to "rest" on someone
At Jesus's baptism in Matthew 3, the Spirit descends on Christ; in Matthew 4, the Spirit immediately drives him into the desert to suffer
The Spirit's primary role is not extraordinary experiences but empowering believers to say no to self and yes to God
When we suffer for Christ, the Spirit confirms to our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God
II. Suffering Brings the Pain of Refinement
A. Not all suffering is commendable — suffering for wrongdoing is not honored by God (1 Peter 4:15)
Peter lists murderer, thief, evildoer, and meddler
"Meddler" (used only here in the Greek New Testament) refers to one who intrudes into others' affairs — even well-intentioned meddling is not commended by God
B. Suffering for the name of Christ is a refining judgment, not a judgment of wrath (1 Peter 4:16-17)
The hymn How Firm a Foundation captures this: God designs to consume our dross and refine our gold
John Owen: "We will not know the power of grace until we feel the power of testing; we must be tried in order to realize the glory of being preserved"
C. Peter presents two kinds of judgment, drawn from Christ's teaching in Mark 9:43-49
The refining fire — painful and temporary, leading to eternal glory
The hell fire — the unquenchable flame, leading to eternal destruction
The church must not avoid preaching these hard words; Christ places them in Scripture to awaken us
Saying no to self, repenting, and confessing sin brings a strange but real joy — evidence that God is at work in the heart (cf. John Owen, The Mortification of Sin)
III. Suffering Brings the Comfort of the Creator
A. Peter calls believers to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19)
Saying yes to self brings no rest — illustrated by David's adultery (cf. Psalm 32, Psalm 38, Psalm 51) and Peter's denial
Saying no to self and yes to God is painful, yet it is where true rest is found
B. The Creator has become the believer's heavenly Father through adoption in Christ (Matthew 6:25-34)
Jesus appeals to God as Creator and Sustainer of birds and lilies, yet addresses him as "your heavenly Father" (vv. 26, 32)
All of creation becomes a grand display of the Father's love and care for his adopted children
The way God sustains creation is a picture — infinitely magnified — of how he cares for his people
C. Conclusion: Entrust yourself to the faithful Creator
Say no to self and yes to Christ, confident that the God who made all things has adopted you and will care for your soul into eternal glory
32 min
August 29, 2021August 29, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 1 Samuel 8
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Hebrews 4:14-16
Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
Scripture Reading — Acts 2:1-47
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Fairest Lord Jesus
Sermon
Hymn — I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Be Careful What You Wish For
Scripture: 1 Samuel 8
I. A Desire to Be Like the Other Nations Brings Foolishness
A. Israel's demand for a king reflects a desire for the gods of the nations
Pagan kings were considered divine manifestations of false gods
Israel's request is thus tantamount to forsaking Yahweh for other gods (v. 8)
B. God anticipated this moment in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, prescribing a very different kind of king
The king of Israel was not to acquire many horses, wives, or excessive wealth (Deuteronomy 17:16-17)
He was to keep the law of the Lord close and govern as a vice regent under Yahweh (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)
The king's rule was to be ministerial and declarative — administering God's law — not legislative
C. Obedience to God's law was meant to make Israel a witness to the nations, not an imitator of them (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)
Israel's cry in chapter 8 inverts the order: instead of the nations wanting to be like Israel, Israel wants to be like the nations
D. Wanting to be like the world makes us deaf to God's Word and impatient for results
Israel's pattern — "Go get the ark" (ch. 4), "Go get us a king" (ch. 8) — contrasts with the genuine repentance of chapter 7
The world's slogan is "just do it" — embrace pragmatism, seek quick fixes, discard God's Word
II. A Desire to Be Like the Other Nations Brings Forgetfulness
A. The Ebenezer stone of 1 Samuel 7:12 was set as a memorial: "Till now the Lord has helped us"
It pointed back through all of Israel's history to Yahweh's faithfulness as their conquering king
B. God's indictment in verses 7–8 mirrors the entire pattern since the Exodus
"They have not rejected you but they have rejected me from being king over them"
From Egypt to Samuel's day, Israel has repeatedly forsaken and forgotten Yahweh
C. Embracing the world leads not only to forgetting God but to viewing him with contempt
Israel in the wilderness said they preferred bondage under Pharaoh to freedom under God
The modern new atheism (e.g., Hitchens, Dawkins) recapitulates this ancient pattern — God becomes the villain
This is not new; it is as old as the fall
III. A Desire to Be Like the Other Nations Brings Misery
A. Samuel's warning in verses 10–18 describes a king like those of the surrounding nations
He will conscript their sons for military service and forced labor
He will take their daughters as servants
He will seize their fields, vineyards, flocks, and servants
The people will become his slaves, and they will cry out — but the Lord will not answer (v. 18)
B. This is the antithesis of the Deuteronomy 17 king who does not exalt himself above his brothers
C. The most terrifying aspect of this chapter: God gives Israel exactly what they want
"Be careful what you wish for" is the message of 1 Samuel 8
God's wrath is sometimes most fully displayed in giving sinners what they demand
God's grace is displayed in giving us what we would never think to ask for
D. The true king stands in complete contrast to Israel's requested king
Not born in a palace but in a manger; not a warrior in royal attire but a crucified carpenter's son
God's goodness and grace are fully displayed in the crucified king — something no one would naturally seek
Turn from the world's cry to conform, cling to Christ and his Word, and receive a glory this world cannot fathom
37 min
August 22, 2021August 22, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 1 Samuel 7
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 18:1-3
Hymn — Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him
Prayer of Invocation
Corporate Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 103:8-10
Scripture Reading — Acts 1:1-26
Pastoral Prayer
Hymn — Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Offering
Hymn — Amazing Grace
Sermon
Hymn — The Solid Rock
Benediction — Romans 15:5-6
Doxology
Sermon Title: Repentance That Brings Restoration
Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:1-17
I. Repentance That Brings Restoration Turns to a Prophet
A. Samuel returns as the prophet of the Lord in 1 Samuel 7:3, calling Israel to put away foreign gods and serve the Lord only
What comes between lamentation (v. 2) and full repentance (v. 4) is the word of the Lord through the prophet
Samuel's word is a word of promise and assurance: "He will deliver you" — no "maybe," but certainty of mercy for those who turn
B. Repentance requires ears open to hear the word of promise
Israel's ears were opened through God's discipline — defeat, loss of the ark, judgment at Beth-shemesh
Like a parent saying "look at me when I'm speaking to you," God uses discipline to turn his children's faces toward him
The response God seeks is that of 1 Samuel 3: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"
C. Jesus Christ is the last and final prophet — the Word made flesh (John 1; Hebrews 1)
His word of promise: those who are sorrowful over sin and turn from it will be saved and restored to fellowship with God
Martin Luther's first of the 95 Theses: when Christ said "repent," he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance
Repentance is not a once-for-all event at conversion but a lifelong turning — from sorrow over sin to endeavoring after new obedience
II. Repentance That Brings Restoration Turns to a Priest
A. Samuel functions as priest in 1 Samuel 7:5-9, interceding for the people with prayer accompanied by sacrifice
Israel pours out water and fasts (v. 6) — a water libation, unique in Scripture, symbolizing that Yahweh alone is their life source
Samuel offers a nursing lamb as a burnt offering while crying out to the Lord (v. 9); the Lord answered
B. Prayer and atonement go hand in hand in priestly ministry
The puritan Thomas Watson: "Prayer as it comes from the saint is weak and languid, but when the arrow of a saint's prayer is put into the bow of Christ's intercession, it pierces the throne of grace"
Christ still bears the nail marks of his sacrifice and presents them before the Father as he intercedes — his atoning work is confirmed: "It is finished"
C. Christ is the great and final High Priest interceding at the right hand of the Father
Illustration: speaking through a translator in Trujillo, Peru — no longer stuttering but speaking boldly and clearly; so too, our feeble prayers reach the Father clearly through Christ our interpreter
Repentance is a recognition that Christ, not we ourselves, is our intercessor; we can come boldly and confidently before the Father through him
III. Repentance That Brings Restoration Turns to a King
A. Chapter 7 portrays Yahweh as Israel's conquering king
In the ancient Near East, a subjugated nation would cry out to a greater king; when he conquered their enemy, they would bow the knee to him as their king — this is the pattern here
Yahweh "thunders" against the Philistines (v. 10) — language that evokes Baal, the Canaanite thunder-god, but it is Yahweh, not Baal, who wins the victory
B. The contrast between chapter 4 and chapter 7 centers on repentance
In chapter 4, Israel used the ark as a lucky charm and was defeated at a place already called Ebenezer ("stone of help") — yet Yahweh was not their stone of help there
In chapter 7, Israel comes in genuine repentance, recognizing Yahweh alone as their life source — and now he truly becomes their Ebenezer
C. Jesus Christ is our Ebenezer — the stone of help and conquering king
1 Peter 2:6 (quoting Isaiah 28:16): "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame"
He is a stone of help only for those who turn to him in humility and recognition of sin; for those who treat him as a "get out of jail free card" while living in unrepentance, he becomes a stone of offense that crushes rather than helps
D. Summary: repentance that brings restoration is a turning from sin to our Prophet, Priest, and King — Jesus Christ
37 min

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Weekly expository preaching from the Lord’s Day morning and evening worship services at Northpointe Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Meridian, Mississippi.

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