Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • The Fear of the Lord

    Scripture: 1 Samuel 6

    Order of Service
    • Announcements
    • Prayer of Preparation
    • Call to Worship — Matthew 11:28-30
    • Hymn — May Jesus Christ Be Praised
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Sin — Isaiah 53
    • Assurance of Pardon — 1 John 1:9
    • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 24
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Offering
    • Hymn — My Faith Has Found a Resting Place
    • Sermon
    • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
    • Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
      • Sermon Title: The Fear of the Lord

      Scripture: 1 Samuel 6

      I. The Fear of the Lord Tested (vv. 1–9)

      A. The ark has been in Philistia for seven months, bringing devastating judgment — the destruction of Dagon, plague, and mice ravaging the land

      B. The Philistine priests and diviners recognize this as a spiritual war and instruct the people to return the ark with a guilt offering

      1. Five golden tumors and five golden mice correspond to the five cities of the Philistine pentapolis
      2. The judgment against Dagon — god of grain and harvest — is compounded by mice ravaging the crops, demonstrating Yahweh's total supremacy

        3. C. The Philistines devise a test using two unyoked milk cows separated from their calves — against every natural instinct, the cows go straight toward Beth-shemesh, confirming Yahweh's hand

        D. Application: The pagan Philistines respond with more godly wisdom than Israel — and perhaps more than the church today in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

        1. This pandemic, whatever its scientific explanation, comes from the sovereign hand of God
        2. God may be placing his people in his classroom to school them in the fear of the Lord
        3. We must not allow pagans to outdo us in wisdom and reverence before God
          4. II. The Fear of the Lord Remembered (vv. 10–18)

          A. The ark arrives at Beth-shemesh, a Levitical city (Joshua 21:16), where it is received with joy and the people offer burnt offerings to the Lord

          B. In verses 17–18, the author pauses to address his original audience: the stone at Beth-shemesh stands as a witness to Yahweh's acts of judgment against the Philistines and against Israel

          C. Application: God uses hard providences — days of want and disruption — to place us before the mirror so we see ourselves clearly before a holy God

          1. In days of suffering we often learn the fear of the Lord, but in days of plenty we forget those lessons
          2. We must take inventory of what God teaches us in difficult seasons and not allow prosperity to veil our true nature before a holy God
            3. III. The Fear of the Lord Forgotten (vv. 19–21)

            A. Joy turns to sorrow when 70 men of Beth-shemesh are struck down for gazing upon the ark of the Lord

            B. This violation goes back to Numbers 4:6, where God gave explicit instructions that the ark was not to be uncovered or gazed upon — the Levites of Beth-shemesh, of all people, should have known this

            C. The covenant people of God respond identically to the pagan Philistines: Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? — and send the ark away

            1. Whether inside or outside the church, approaching God outside of his Word turns joy into sorrow
            2. Excitement and exuberance can cause forgetfulness of obedience — illustrated by the behavior of children, and equally true of God's people

              3. D. The proper response is a fearful joy — not irreverent excitement, but reverent, obedient rejoicing

              1. Psalm 2:11 — Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling
              2. Philippians 4:4 — Rejoice in the Lord always — but it is a reverent, obedient joy
              3. Irreverent joy is fleeting; the joy of heaven is the joy of saints and angels prostrate before the King of kings in fearful adoration

                4. E. Conclusion: We are not prepared for heavenly worship if our worship lacks proper fear before a holy God; Christ restores to us the obedient, reverent joy lost in Adam, by his Spirit

                38 min
              4. August 15, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6 - 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 100
                • Hymn — All People That on Earth Do Dwell (#1)
                • Prayer of Invocation
                • Hymn — My Jesus, I Love Thee (#648)
                • Pastoral Prayer
                • Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 4:1-6
                • Sermon
                • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                  • Sermon Title: Living Before God and Not Man

                  Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6

                  I. The Source of a Life Lived Before God and Not Man

                  (1 Peter 4:1)

                  A. Christ suffered in the flesh — a definitive past act with ongoing implications

                  1. In his death, Christ bore our sins and sin lost all claim on him (1 Peter 2:24)
                  2. Those united to Christ by faith utter with him: "It is finished" — dead to sin, alive to righteousness

                    3. B. The phrase "has ceased from sin" is in the Greek perfect tense — a past act with ongoing present and future ramifications

                    C. This follows on the heels of Peter's discussion of baptism (ch. 3), mirroring Paul's argument in Romans 6:3-7

                    1. Baptism is the sign and seal of union with Christ in his death and resurrection
                    2. We are to live out existentially what we are declared to be sacramentally — dead to sin and alive to God

                      3. D. Suffering for Christ is one of the means by which the Spirit confirms to our spirit that we are indeed united to Christ and have ceased from sin

                      II. The Lifestyle of a Life Lived Before God and Not Man

                      (1 Peter 4:2-4)

                      A. Verse 2 — the goal: live the rest of one's time in the flesh not for human passions but for the will of God

                      1. The phrase "the rest of the time in the flesh" implies urgency — life is short; do not waste it on the flesh
                      2. Spend it on treasures that neither moth nor rust can destroy

                        3. B. Verse 3 — Peter lists the former way of life practiced by these gentile Christians

                        1. Sensuality — unrestrained moral attitudes and behaviors
                        2. Passions — lust, craving, coveting
                        3. Drunkenness — excess of strong drink
                        4. Orgies/carousing — raucous, noisy reveling, often associated with pagan temple worship
                        5. Drinking parties — excessive alcohol consumption
                        6. Lawless idolatry — idolatry transgressing even civic law, making Christians the better citizens

                          7. C. Verse 4 — the world's reaction: surprise and slander

                          1. The word for "malign" is the root of the word blaspheme — they will slander Christians and their God
                          2. We are strangers and exiles; faithfulness to the gospel will cause the world to consider us strange and even dangerous
                          3. Matthew 10:22 — "You will be hated by all for my name's sake"
                          4. This was true in the first century and is increasingly true today — the church is not merely tolerated but actively opposed
                            5. III. The Future of a Life Lived Before God and Not Man

                            (1 Peter 4:5-6)

                            A. Verse 5 — those who slander believers will give account to Christ, who is ready to judge the living and the dead

                            1. The Father delegates final judgment to the Son (1 Peter 3:22 — Christ is at the right hand of God, all authorities subject to him)
                            2. This refers to the final, physical judgment of all people — believer and unbeliever alike (John 5:28-29)

                              3. B. Verse 6 — the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, so that though judged in the flesh by men, they live in the spirit according to God

                              1. The KJV rendering is preferred: "judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit"
                              2. Peter encourages Christians who have lost brothers and sisters to martyrdom — they were condemned by men but live forever before God
                              3. This parallels Paul's concern in 1 Thessalonians 4 for those confused about the fate of Christians who have died
                              4. Though we may be judged and even put to death by the world, our spirits live on awaiting reunion with resurrected bodies in the new heavens and new earth (Philippians 1)

                                5. C. Practical application: do not waste the short time in the flesh on human passions; do not fear persecution or death, for those united to Christ will live forever — and will one day even judge angels

                                31 min
                              5. August 8, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship

                                Scripture: 1 Samuel 5 - Don't Mess with Yahweh

                                Order of Service
                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 67
                                • Hymn — God, All Nature Sings Thy Glory
                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                • Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism
                                • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:18–39
                                • Offering
                                • Hymn
                                • Sermon
                                • Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
                                • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                  • Sermon Title: Don't Mess with Yahweh

                                  Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:1–12

                                  I. Don't Mess with Yahweh's Sovereignty

                                  A. The philistines place the ark before Dagon in his temple, symbolizing Yahweh as subject to Dagon after Israel's defeat

                                  1. The next morning Dagon is found face down before the ark — the posture of a subject before a sovereign
                                  2. The philistines replace Dagon, revealing his pathetic, man-handled nature — an implicit indictment on Israel, who treated Yahweh similarly

                                    3. B. The second morning Dagon's head and hands are cut off — the ancient sign of total conquest over an enemy

                                    1. God is not merely sovereign over Dagon; he is Dagon's conqueror and destroyer
                                    2. The thick irony: the philistines believed they had conquered Yahweh; in fact they had only secured their own defeat

                                      3. C. Parallel in Judges 16:23–30 — the philistines offer sacrifice to Dagon saying "our god has given our enemy into our hand," yet Samson pulls down the house and destroys them

                                      1. A seeming victory for Dagon served only the philistines' destruction

                                        2. D. Application: Every movement that declares victory over the God of Scripture — relativism, postmodernism, evolutionary theory, the sexual revolution — only seals its own fate

                                        1. Genesis 3:15 — the seed of the woman crushes the serpent's head; the serpent's apparent wounding of the heel only places its head under the foot
                                        2. Satan thought he won at the cross; he only placed his head under the sovereign foot of Christ
                                        3. God will sometimes give his enemies the illusion of victory — they are playing into his hands
                                          4. II. Don't Mess with Yahweh's Independence (Aseity)

                                          A. God's aseity — from the Latin a se ("from self") — means God is utterly self-existent and independent, not dependent on creation for his being, power, or purposes

                                          1. Yahweh's name revealed in Exodus 3 — "I AM WHO I AM" — declares his absolute independence

                                            2. B. In chapter 4, Israel treated the ark as a lucky charm, assuming God's power was at their beck and call; God judged that presumption with defeat

                                            1. Here in chapter 5, Israel is not even present, yet God gains victory over his enemies entirely on his own

                                              2. C. God brings plague upon the philistines — most likely a form of bubonic plague transmitted through rats/mice

                                              1. 1 Samuel 6:5 references images of tumors and mice, confirming the connection
                                              2. God uses insignificant mice — not a mighty army — to defeat the philistines, almost mocking their power

                                                3. D. Application: The church today often cow-tails to culture out of fear that God will become irrelevant without our help — this is the same error as 19th–20th century liberal Christianity

                                                1. When the church simply rests in and obeys God's Word, it declares: God doesn't need us — we need him
                                                2. God's redemptive purposes will press forward; we can share in his victory or be part of the rubble
                                                  3. III. Don't Mess with Yahweh's Glory

                                                  A. The Hebrew word kavod means both "heavy/weighty" and "glory" — a key theme linking chapters 4 and 5

                                                  1. In chapter 4: Eli died because he was kavod (heavy); Phinehas's wife named her son Ichabod — "the kavod (glory) has departed"
                                                  2. In chapter 5, verse 6 and verse 11: "the hand of the LORD was heavy (kavod)" against the philistines — the glory that departed Israel in judgment now rests on the philistines in judgment

                                                    3. B. God's glory is not only a positive attribute — it is also an instrument of judgment on wickedness

                                                    1. Isaiah 66:18 — "they shall come and see my glory" — glory here as judgment on all nations
                                                    2. Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3 — God ordains the reprobate "to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice"

                                                      3. C. Illustration: Viewing a solar eclipse without proper eyewear — the same beautiful light that amazes can blind and destroy

                                                      1. Without Christ standing between us and God's glory, that glory is a glory of judgment and condemnation for sin
                                                      2. In Christ, that same glory becomes a glory of salvation — a weightiness that lifts rather than crushes

                                                        3. D. Eschatological hope: In the new creation, God's glory will be our light and lamp — Revelation 21:23 — with no need for sun or moon

                                                        35 min
                                                      3. August 8, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                        Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-22

                                                        Order of Service
                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 66:1-4
                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                        • Hymn — Great Is Thy Faithfulness (#32)
                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                        • Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 3:13-22
                                                        • Sermon
                                                        • Benediction
                                                          • Sermon Title: Hidden in the Ark — Judgment, Salvation, and Baptism

                                                          Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-22

                                                          I. A Good Conscience Before Accusers: Suffering and Defense (vv. 13–17)

                                                          A. Peter's repeated admonition: be zealous for good and honor everyone

                                                          1. Echoes 1 Peter 2:15 — doing good silences foolish people
                                                          2. The phrase "but even if you should suffer" implies suffering is not the norm for the Christian living quietly and peaceably

                                                            3. B. Christians are called to pursue peace in society

                                                            1. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 — pray for kings and those in authority, that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives
                                                            2. If suffering comes despite this pursuit, consider yourself blessed — do not stir up controversy or seek conflict

                                                              3. C. Two foundations of a good conscience in defense (v. 15–16)

                                                              1. Honoring the truth of Christ's work — the content of the gospel: sin, atonement, faith, eternal life, reconciliation with God
                                                              2. Honoring the truth of Christ's character — presenting the gospel with gentleness and respect (Matthew 11:29)
                                                              3. Both must be held together: right content without gentleness, or gentleness without sound doctrine, burdens the conscience
                                                              4. Paul before Festus is an example: honorable bearing combined with sound gospel proclamation
                                                                5. II. The Work of Christ as the Foundation for Holy Living (v. 18)

                                                                A. Peter grounds the call to do good in the pattern of Christ — as in 1 Peter 2:21, "to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you"

                                                                B. The doctrine of union with Christ is central

                                                                1. We are not merely to pursue the benefits of redemption (justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification) but to long for Christ himself, the Benefactor
                                                                2. Each doctrine of grace should cause the heart to burn for Christ

                                                                  3. C. Substitutionary atonement stated plainly in v. 18

                                                                  1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 — he who knew no sin became sin for us
                                                                  2. Christ's passive obedience: his death washes away sin and makes us clean
                                                                  3. Christ's active obedience: his righteous life is imputed to our account, giving us positive righteousness before God

                                                                    4. D. "Put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit" refers to the resurrected state, not the intermediate state

                                                                    1. 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 — the last Adam became a life-giving spirit through resurrection
                                                                    2. "Spirit" indicates the realm of resurrection life, empowered by the Holy Spirit
                                                                      3. III. Christ's Proclamation to the Spirits in Prison (vv. 19–20)

                                                                      A. The phrase "in which" refers back to the spirit — Christ, in the resurrected realm of the spirit, is the subject

                                                                      B. The NASB and KJV rendering "in which also" (Greek: kai) is preferred — it introduces a related but non-chronological point

                                                                      1. Christ did not descend to preach to imprisoned spirits after his resurrection
                                                                      2. Rather, Christ by the Spirit preached through Noah to the ungodly during the building of the ark
                                                                      3. Those who disobeyed then are now in prison because of that former disobedience
                                                                      4. God's patience was displayed during the construction of the ark, yet only eight were saved
                                                                        5. IV. Baptism as Antitype of the Flood (vv. 20–22)

                                                                        A. The Greek word antitupos (antitype) is key

                                                                        1. The flood waters are the type; baptism is the antitype — the fulfillment and reality foreshadowed by the flood
                                                                        2. Noah's family was saved through the waters, not from them — the same waters of judgment became waters of salvation

                                                                          3. B. Baptism saves "not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience"

                                                                          1. Peter is not pointing to the outward rite but to the inward, conscience-cleansing work of Christ's death and resurrection
                                                                          2. Hebrews 9:8-14 — the blood of Christ purifies the conscience from dead works, unlike external washings under the old covenant

                                                                            3. C. Christ is the Ark who absorbs the baptism of judgment

                                                                            1. Luke 12:50 — "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished"
                                                                            2. Mark 10:38 — Jesus speaks of his coming baptism of judgment at the cross
                                                                            3. United to Christ by faith, his baptism of judgment becomes our baptism of salvation
                                                                            4. Outside of Christ, the baptismal waters remain a sign of judgment

                                                                              5. D. Christ is now ascended and enthroned (v. 22)

                                                                              1. All angels, authorities, and powers are subjected to him
                                                                              2. The resurrection and ascension confirm his authority over all — the ultimate ground of the Christian's confidence in suffering
                                                                                3. 35 min
                                                                              3. The Misuse of God

                                                                                Scripture: 1 Samuel 4

                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 66:1-4
                                                                                • Hymn — God of Grace and God of Glory
                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                • Prayer of Confession
                                                                                • Assurance of Pardon — Romans 8:1-2
                                                                                • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-17
                                                                                • Offering
                                                                                • Hymn
                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                • Hymn — This Is My Father's World
                                                                                • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                  • Sermon Title: The Misuse of God

                                                                                  Scripture: 1 Samuel 4

                                                                                  I. The Misuse of God's Instruments (vv. 1–4)

                                                                                  A. Israel is defeated by the Philistines and the elders respond not with repentance but by fetching the ark from Shiloh, expecting it to save them (1 Samuel 4:3)

                                                                                  B. The ark is described in v. 4 with three layers of irony:

                                                                                  1. It is the ark of the covenant — a covenant conditioned on obedience to God's holy law, yet Israel and her priests (Hophni and Phinehas) are flagrantly breaking that law
                                                                                  2. It represents the mercy seat — sprinkled with blood on the Day of Atonement — yet Israel pauses for no confession of sin and seeks no mercy from God
                                                                                  3. It belongs to the Lord of Hosts — yet Israel treats him as if he is at their beck and call, a weapon to be wielded

                                                                                    4. C. There is no word from God directing Israel to bring the ark into battle — unlike the clear divine instruction seen in Numbers 10 and Joshua 6

                                                                                    D. Using God's instruments apart from God's word turns means of grace into means of judgment

                                                                                    1. Paul warns the Corinthians that eating and drinking the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner brings judgment, not blessing (1 Corinthians 11)
                                                                                    2. Treating physical instruments of grace as magical objects — like a rabbit's foot or a magic wand — is functionally idolatry: domesticating God to do our bidding
                                                                                      3. II. The Misuse of God's Battle (vv. 5–11)

                                                                                      A. Israel's shout when the ark arrives shakes the earth; the Philistines are terrified, knowing what Yahweh did to Egypt (1 Samuel 4:5-9)

                                                                                      1. The Philistines assume Israel worships many gods, yet display more reverent fear of Yahweh than Israel does
                                                                                      2. Grand religious spectacle does not guarantee God's blessing — God does not see as man sees

                                                                                        3. B. Israel is again routed: 30,000 foot soldiers killed, Hophni and Phinehas die, and the ark is captured (1 Samuel 4:10-11) — fulfilling the prophecy of the man of God in 1 Samuel 2

                                                                                        C. We must not confuse our personal battles with God's battles

                                                                                        1. God is not obligated to grant victory in every battle we claim as his
                                                                                        2. God often works through defeats — his power and goodness are not bound to our victories
                                                                                        3. Losses can be God's preparation for something greater; the sufferings of this life are not worth comparing to the eternal weight of glory (Romans 8)
                                                                                        4. Stubbornly insisting God fight our battles leads either to frustration with God or abandonment of faith altogether
                                                                                          5. III. The Misuse of God's Glory (vv. 12–22)

                                                                                          A. A Benjaminite messenger brings the news to Eli in stages, saving the worst for last: Israel has fled, there was a great slaughter, your two sons are dead — and the ark of God has been captured (1 Samuel 4:17)

                                                                                          1. It is the news about the ark that causes Eli to fall backward, break his neck, and die (1 Samuel 4:18)
                                                                                          2. Eli, as high priest, bore responsibility for the ark; its loss was his ultimate failure

                                                                                            3. B. The Hebrew word kavod (glory/heaviness) runs through the passage as a double entendre

                                                                                            1. Eli dies because he was old and heavy (kavod) — likely bearing not only physical weight but the weight of his iniquity
                                                                                            2. The heaviness of Israel's sin, and especially her leaders' sin, causes the weightiness of God's glory to depart

                                                                                              3. C. Phinehas's wife names her son Ichabod — "the glory has departed" — at her death (1 Samuel 4:21-22)

                                                                                              1. She is not entirely wrong in her grief, but she has the cause and effect reversed: the ark was not captured and then the glory departed — the glory departed because of sin, and the ark's capture was the consequence
                                                                                              2. A church can be filled with magnificent symbols of transcendence and grandeur yet have Ichabod written over its door if God's word, the gospel, and repentance are absent

                                                                                                3. D. The remedy is the opposite of Israel's self-assertion: decreasing so that God might increase, coming to the cross with nothing in hand, so that the weightiness of God's glory might rest upon his people

                                                                                                39 min
                                                                                              3. August 1, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-12

                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 34:1-3
                                                                                                • Hymn — Blessed Assurance (#693)
                                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                • Hymn — Be Thou My Vision (#642)
                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 3:8-12
                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                • Benediction
                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: The Blessing of the Christian Life

                                                                                                  Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-12

                                                                                                  I. The Blessing of Church Life

                                                                                                  A. Peter addresses the members of the churches in Asia Minor with five admonitions describing the ideal church (1 Peter 3:8)

                                                                                                  B. First admonition: Unity of mind — be like-minded

                                                                                                  1. Not uniformity of opinion on every matter, but sharing the mind of Christ
                                                                                                  2. Paul develops this in Philippians 2:3-11: contrast rivalry and conceit versus Christ's humility; looking to one's own interests versus Christ taking the form of a servant
                                                                                                  3. Christ's humility leads to glory and inheritance — the church follows the same path
                                                                                                  4. Like-mindedness is centered on Christ and union with Him, not sameness

                                                                                                    5. C. Second admonition: Sympathy — concern for fellow Christians (Romans 12:15)

                                                                                                    D. Third admonition: Brotherly love — the love of brothers and sisters in Christ

                                                                                                    1. All have been adopted into the household of God
                                                                                                    2. What binds the church together is not biological blood but the blood of Christ

                                                                                                      3. E. Fourth admonition: A tender heart — a gut-wrenching, intestinal love for one another (from the Greek word depicting feelings from one's inner parts)

                                                                                                      F. Fifth admonition: A humble mind — make yourself nothing as Christ did, so that brothers and sisters are everything

                                                                                                      1. The average American evangelical church does not reflect this vision
                                                                                                      2. The church is not a voluntary organization; it is a family into which God adopts us by virtue of Christ's blood
                                                                                                      3. Jonathan Leeman: most people lump churches into the same category as soccer clubs or voluntary associations, or regard them as a service provider — Peter sees the church as a family
                                                                                                        4. II. The Blessing of Future Life

                                                                                                        A. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but bless (1 Peter 3:9)

                                                                                                        1. Peter repeats this admonition throughout the letter — previously in 1 Peter 2:21 regarding slaves suffering under cruel masters
                                                                                                        2. The world constantly pulls Christians into its ways; Peter calls them to keep their eyes on their inheritance

                                                                                                          3. B. What it means to bless enemies (in contrast to repaying evil)

                                                                                                          1. Pray for enemies
                                                                                                          2. Be kind to enemies
                                                                                                          3. Seek to promote the welfare of enemies
                                                                                                          4. Christ models this threefold blessing from the cross: praying for his enemies (Father, forgive them), kindness to the penitent thief (today you will be with me in paradise), and seeking enemies' welfare (It is finished)
                                                                                                          5. Christian suffering is not returning curses but dying to self — as Stephen in Acts 7

                                                                                                            6. C. The word for "obtain" in "obtain a blessing" is the word for inheritance, linking back to 1 Peter 1:4 — an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading

                                                                                                            1. This is how Christians lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)
                                                                                                            2. Loving, blessing, praying for, and seeking the welfare of enemies is how we live toward that inheritance
                                                                                                              3. III. The Blessing of Present Life

                                                                                                              A. Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16 in verses 10-12, framing the good life in the present

                                                                                                              B. The Christian life of dying to self is the good life now, not merely later

                                                                                                              1. The apostles rejoiced after being beaten by the Sanhedrin — joy in suffering, not just future hope
                                                                                                              2. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our future inheritance (Ephesians 1:14) — we get a foretaste of heavenly joy now

                                                                                                                3. C. The good life begins with guarding the tongue (1 Peter 3:10)

                                                                                                                1. The tongue is where we most often return evil for evil
                                                                                                                2. James: the tongue is like the bit in a horse's mouth or the rudder of a ship — it steers the whole body; guard the tongue and you guard the whole person

                                                                                                                  3. D. Seeking and pursuing peace (1 Peter 3:11)

                                                                                                                  1. Peter quotes the Hebrew concept of shalom — not merely the absence of conflict but inward completeness and right relationship with God
                                                                                                                  2. Jesus's first words after the resurrection: "Peace be with you" — spoken to disciples who would face imprisonment, beatings, and martyrdom; clearly a different kind of peace
                                                                                                                  3. Christians are shalom makers — promoting the peace of reconciliation with God through Christ's blood (Matthew 5:9)

                                                                                                                    4. E. God's eyes are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer (1 Peter 3:12)

                                                                                                                    1. God hears the prayers of humble, obedient servants who rest in Christ
                                                                                                                    2. Those living in unrepentance — giving lip service to Christ while living for themselves — find God's ears closed
                                                                                                                    3. This is not prosperity gospel; Peter is writing to suffering Christians, including slaves under cruel masters

                                                                                                                      4. F. Joy in Christ is universal — not dependent on wealth or social status

                                                                                                                      1. Culture's version of happiness is exclusive: you must join the "haves" to have the good life
                                                                                                                      2. Christ is the common denominator — a Christian in a third-world prison cell can share the same joy as a Christian in a mansion
                                                                                                                      3. Christ is the bridge to the eyes and ears of God the Father; today is the day of salvation
                                                                                                                        4. 32 min
                                                                                                                      4. Samuel's Call

                                                                                                                        Scripture: 1 Samuel 3

                                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 9:1-2
                                                                                                                        • Hymn — Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
                                                                                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                        • Confession of Faith — Belgic Confession, Article 1
                                                                                                                        • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 22:26-51
                                                                                                                        • Baptism of Eloise Grace Jones
                                                                                                                        • Prayer
                                                                                                                        • Offering
                                                                                                                        • Prayer
                                                                                                                        • Hymn
                                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                                        • Closing Hymn — He Leadeth Me
                                                                                                                        • Benediction — Romans 15:5-6
                                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: Samuel's Call

                                                                                                                          Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-4:1

                                                                                                                          I. God's Word Speaks into the Void

                                                                                                                          A. The context: a spiritual famine in Israel

                                                                                                                          1. The word of the Lord was rare; there was no frequent vision (1 Samuel 3:1)
                                                                                                                          2. This is the era of the judges, when "everyone did what was right in their own eyes"
                                                                                                                          3. God's silence is his severest judgment on a rebellious people — Amos 8:11

                                                                                                                            4. B. God speaks into darkness as he once spoke over the void at creation

                                                                                                                            1. Samuel is the instrument through whom God breaks his silence and restores his word to Israel

                                                                                                                              2. C. The final and fullest word comes in Christ — Hebrews 1:1-2

                                                                                                                              1. Illustration: the Kimyal people of Indonesia receiving the New Testament in their own language for the first time
                                                                                                                              2. Their pastor's prayer echoed Simeon holding the infant Jesus — to have God's word is to hold Christ
                                                                                                                              3. The Bible read and proclaimed every Sunday is cause for the same praise
                                                                                                                                4. II. God's Word Speaks in a Surprising Way

                                                                                                                                A. Samuel is a mere boy, not the seasoned high priest Eli

                                                                                                                                1. The Hebrew of verse 1 literally means "youth" or "young lad"
                                                                                                                                2. God repeatedly chooses the unexpected: David the shepherd boy, Moses at the burning bush, the disciples at their fishing nets

                                                                                                                                  3. B. Samuel had not yet received a special revelation — "Samuel did not yet know the Lord" (1 Samuel 3:7)

                                                                                                                                  C. Samuel is presented as a foil to Hophni and Phinehas

                                                                                                                                  1. Hophni and Phinehas: sleeping with women at the tent entrance, stealing sacrifices
                                                                                                                                  2. Samuel: sleeping near the ark, faithfully tending the sanctuary lamp (Exodus 27:20-21), dutiful and ready

                                                                                                                                    3. D. Application: we prepare for God's surprising call by faithful service in whatever station he has placed us

                                                                                                                                    1. Live like Hophni and Phinehas — God's surprising call will be a call of judgment
                                                                                                                                    2. Live like Samuel — God's surprising call will be a welcome call of salvation
                                                                                                                                      3. III. God's Word Speaks Hard Things

                                                                                                                                      A. The message Samuel receives is a word of judgment on Eli and his entire house (1 Samuel 3:11-14)

                                                                                                                                      1. Eli is Samuel's father figure and mentor, making this an especially painful word to deliver
                                                                                                                                      2. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision (1 Samuel 3:15)

                                                                                                                                        3. B. True courage is doing the right thing even when afraid

                                                                                                                                        1. Abraham ascending the mountain; Jeremiah delivering words of judgment — both were afraid yet obeyed
                                                                                                                                        2. Christians often spiritualize avoidance: "God hasn't called me to that" or "I'm not gifted that way"
                                                                                                                                        3. Obedience to the gospel requires courage; God blesses courageous, obedient children

                                                                                                                                          4. C. Eli's response models humble submission to God's word: "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him" (1 Samuel 3:18)

                                                                                                                                          1. Even a flawed antagonist can speak wisdom — the Bible deals in reality, not Disney-style characters (cf. Job's friends)
                                                                                                                                          2. The hardness of God's word for sinners lies partly in its finality — we want it malleable; it is not
                                                                                                                                          3. Expository preaching through whole books forces preachers and congregations to face hard words they might otherwise avoid
                                                                                                                                            4. IV. God's Word Speaks to His Corporate People

                                                                                                                                            A. The pattern in 1 Samuel 3:19-4:1 moves back and forth between Samuel the individual and all Israel

                                                                                                                                            1. Samuel grows → all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognizes him as prophet → the Lord reveals himself to Samuel → the word of Samuel comes to all Israel
                                                                                                                                            2. God's word to the individual is always in service of his redemptive plan for his people

                                                                                                                                              3. B. Every individual call in Scripture advances God's corporate redemptive purposes

                                                                                                                                              1. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, David, the prophets, John the Baptist, the disciples — each called for the sake of God's people
                                                                                                                                              2. Genesis 3:15 — the seed promise drives the whole redemptive story forward
                                                                                                                                              3. Solomon's request for wisdom is pleasing to God because it is for the benefit of the people he serves

                                                                                                                                                4. C. Application: a helpful gauge of one's Christian walk — does this serve the church of Jesus Christ?

                                                                                                                                                1. Colossians 3:16 — "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" so that you may teach and admonish one another
                                                                                                                                                2. Personal sanctification and personal devotion are real and vital, but the word received personally is meant to be a blessing to the body
                                                                                                                                                3. Early Protestant practice: "The word of God for the people of God"
                                                                                                                                                  4. 39 min
                                                                                                                                                4. July 25, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

                                                                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 104:31-35
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (#76)
                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Rock of Ages (#499)
                                                                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 3:1-7
                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                  • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Beauty of Submission in the Christian Home

                                                                                                                                                    Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

                                                                                                                                                    I. A Wife's Submission to Her Husband Is Christ-like

                                                                                                                                                    A. The theme of submission to God-ordained authority runs from 1 Peter 2:11 through chapter 3, encompassing governing authorities, masters, and now wives

                                                                                                                                                    • "Likewise" in 1 Peter 3:1 connects the wife's submission to the broader pattern established in 1 Peter 2:13
                                                                                                                                                    • Christ's own submission to unjust authority is the model (1 Peter 2:21-25)

                                                                                                                                                      • B. This submission applies even when the husband is unbelieving

                                                                                                                                                      1. The wife's holy conduct may win her unbelieving husband to the faith without a word
                                                                                                                                                      2. Just as the church's honorable conduct before the pagan world may lead them to glorify God (1 Peter 2:12), so the wife's conduct before her unbelieving husband presents the gospel

                                                                                                                                                        3. C. Submission does not mean abandoning allegiance to Christ

                                                                                                                                                        1. Jesus himself respected the authority of the scribes and Pharisees while not imitating their conduct (Matthew 23:2-3)
                                                                                                                                                        2. A wife submits to her unbelieving husband's authority in the home but does not follow him away from Christ
                                                                                                                                                        3. Peter's own word to the authorities applies: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29)
                                                                                                                                                          4. II. A Wife's Submission to Her Husband Is Consistent with Her Submission to God

                                                                                                                                                          A. The wife's submission is to be pure and free from moral defilement (1 Peter 3:2)

                                                                                                                                                          1. Submission is not blind obedience but the wise and godly act of an image bearer equal in standing to her husband
                                                                                                                                                          2. A husband who leads her away from Christ forfeits her submission in that area

                                                                                                                                                            3. B. The husband is called to lead with knowledge and understanding (1 Peter 3:7)

                                                                                                                                                            1. His authority is not autocratic ("because I said so") but wise and consultative
                                                                                                                                                            2. A godly wife has the right and responsibility to bring biblical correction to her husband's leadership
                                                                                                                                                            3. The husband retains final decision-making authority, but his ears are not closed to his wife's wise counsel

                                                                                                                                                              4. C. The husband is to honor his wife as the weaker vessel and as a joint heir of grace (1 Peter 3:7)

                                                                                                                                                              1. "Weaker vessel" likely refers primarily to her position as the one who submits, not merely physical weakness
                                                                                                                                                              2. The husband's authority exists to bestow honor on his wife, not to accumulate honor for himself — just as Christ uses his authority to make his people joint heirs of the kingdom
                                                                                                                                                              3. Husband and wife are equal in status and dignity; their roles are complementary, not hierarchical in worth (Ephesians 5:33)

                                                                                                                                                                4. D. A husband who fails to honor his wife has his prayers hindered (1 Peter 3:7)

                                                                                                                                                                1. Wayne Grudem: "So concerned is God that Christian husbands live in an understanding and loving way with their wives that he interrupts his relationship with them when they are not doing so"
                                                                                                                                                                2. A husband's prayer life and walk with God are directly tied to how he treats his wife
                                                                                                                                                                  3. III. A Wife's Submission to Her Husband Is Beautiful

                                                                                                                                                                  A. Peter contrasts external adornment with the true beauty of the hidden person of the heart (1 Peter 3:3-4)

                                                                                                                                                                  1. The contrast is not an absolute prohibition on braiding hair or wearing jewelry, but a statement of priority
                                                                                                                                                                  2. True beauty is a gentle and quiet spirit, which is imperishable and precious in God's sight

                                                                                                                                                                    3. B. The wife's eyes are to be fixed on God, not on the world or cultural opinion

                                                                                                                                                                    1. Just as the suffering slave keeps his eyes vertical — toward God — so the submissive wife looks to God (1 Peter 2:19-20)
                                                                                                                                                                    2. The shift from a nearly universal complementarian position across the first seventeen centuries of the church to a more egalitarian view coincided with the Enlightenment's elevation of human reason over divine revelation

                                                                                                                                                                      3. C. Sarah is the model of this beautiful submission (1 Peter 3:5-6)

                                                                                                                                                                      1. Sarah submitted to Abraham, calling him lord; Christian women who submit likewise are called her daughters
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Drawing on the logic of Galatians 3, the true daughters of Sarah are those who practice her faith, not merely her physical lineage

                                                                                                                                                                        3. D. The wife is not to fear frightening circumstances (1 Peter 3:6)

                                                                                                                                                                        1. Fallen women are tempted, especially under stress, to usurp the husband's role — a pattern rooted in Genesis 3:16
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Faithful submission in times of fear and tension yields peace, security, and hope grounded in the gospel
                                                                                                                                                                          3. 34 min
                                                                                                                                                                        3. July 11, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12

                                                                                                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                          • Call to Worship — Psalm 134
                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — (#94)
                                                                                                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — (#305)
                                                                                                                                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:11-17
                                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                          • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon Title: Living as Exiles — Caring for Souls, the World, and Those in Authority

                                                                                                                                                                            Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-17

                                                                                                                                                                            I. Exiles Are to Care for Their Souls (v. 11)

                                                                                                                                                                            A. Peter addresses the church as "beloved" — they are the dear possession of God, a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation (1 Peter 2:9)

                                                                                                                                                                            B. The church's citizenship is in heaven, not on earth; their inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading (1 Peter 1:4)

                                                                                                                                                                            C. Exiles are urged to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against the soul

                                                                                                                                                                            1. The passions of the flesh are detailed in 1 Peter 4:3 — sensuality, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, lawless idolatry
                                                                                                                                                                            2. These passions feed the body with instant gratification while causing the soul to be neglected and forgotten
                                                                                                                                                                            3. Satan's tactic is to keep believers in the arena of bodily pleasures so that the immortal soul is never considered
                                                                                                                                                                            4. Augustine: "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God" — when we contemplate eternal things, the soul finds its proper orientation toward the Creator
                                                                                                                                                                            5. C.S. Lewis illustrates in The Screwtape Letters: the demon Screwtape instructs Wormwood to redirect the man's attention from eternal reading to bodily hunger and the bustle of "real life," drowning out the immortal soul
                                                                                                                                                                              6. II. Exiles Are to Care for the Gentiles — the Pagan World (v. 12)

                                                                                                                                                                              A. The church is to keep honorable conduct among the pagans — in the world but not of the world

                                                                                                                                                                              1. Abstaining from fleshly passions (v. 11) does not mean full separation from the pagan world, but rather shining as bright lights within it
                                                                                                                                                                              2. We show ourselves not to be of this world by refusing instant sinful gratification and by suffering honorably

                                                                                                                                                                                3. B. Honorable suffering before the pagan world is a powerful witness

                                                                                                                                                                                1. Peter instructs: love your enemies, do good to those who wrong you — this is heavenly citizenship in practice
                                                                                                                                                                                2. The goal: that pagans may see good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12)
                                                                                                                                                                                3. Honorable suffering opens ears to the gospel; some will come to see the light and glorify God on the last day

                                                                                                                                                                                  4. C. The centurion at the cross as an illustration

                                                                                                                                                                                  1. He witnessed Christ suffering in an honorable way — forgiving the thief (Luke 23:43), interceding for his killers (Luke 23:34), silent before his accusers
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. He heard no sermon; he saw honorable suffering, and concluded: "Surely this was the Son of God"
                                                                                                                                                                                  3. The church's honorable conduct under false accusation and suffering should provoke the same conclusion in onlookers
                                                                                                                                                                                    4. III. Exiles Are to Care for the Leaders — Submission to Governing Authorities (vv. 13–17)

                                                                                                                                                                                    A. Christians are to be subject to their rulers, consistent with Romans 13:1-7 — governing authorities are instituted by God to punish evil and promote good

                                                                                                                                                                                    B. First reason for submission: this is the will of God (v. 15)

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Rebellion against governing authorities (even Nero) would lend credibility to accusations of lawlessness against Christians
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. The church is to silence false accusers through honorable, law-abiding conduct — "be the best citizens Rome has ever had"
                                                                                                                                                                                    3. The church is always under a microscope; the world watches for hypocrisy and will use any dishonorable conduct as ammunition against the gospel

                                                                                                                                                                                      4. C. Second reason for submission: true Christian freedom is found in service, not autonomy (v. 16)

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. The world defines freedom as autonomy — "I make my own laws, no one tells me what to do"
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Christian freedom is the opposite: it is service to God expressed in honorable service to all people, including enemies and rulers
                                                                                                                                                                                      3. Parallels God's instruction to Israel in exile: seek the welfare of Babylon, pray for it, honor the rulers placed over you (Jeremiah 29:4-7)
                                                                                                                                                                                      4. Autonomous self-rule is bondage to one's own finite, limited judgment — illustrated by the Prodigal Son, whose "freedom" led to feeding pigs; only in returning as a servant to his father did he find true joy (Luke 15:11-24)
                                                                                                                                                                                      5. Biblical freedom is found within the walls of God's Word — service and submission to God expressed in honoring and serving all people for the sake of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                                        6. D. The ultimate example of servant freedom: Christ himself

                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Equal with God, yet counted equality with God not a thing to be grasped (Philippians 2:6)
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Washed the feet of disciples who would abandon him; forgave his mockers and killers from the cross
                                                                                                                                                                                        3. The church is called to nothing less — radical, utterly counter-cultural, shining as light and salt to a dying world
                                                                                                                                                                                          4. 33 min
                                                                                                                                                                                        4. July 11, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship

                                                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:12-21

                                                                                                                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Call to Worship — Isaiah 12
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Confession of Faith — Nicene Creed
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 21:15-22
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Offering
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Offertory Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Closing Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Benediction — 1 Thessalonians 5:23
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Gloria Patri
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon Title: Light in the Darkness — Godly and Ungodly Priests in Israel

                                                                                                                                                                                            Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:11-26

                                                                                                                                                                                            I. The Light of a Godly Priest versus the Darkness of Ungodly Priests

                                                                                                                                                                                            A. Samuel ministers before the Lord in 1 Samuel 2:11, contrasted immediately with Hophni and Phinehas in 1 Samuel 2:12

                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Hophni and Phinehas are called "worthless men" who "did not know the Lord"
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Samuel is introduced as ministering before the Lord — he knows the Lord

                                                                                                                                                                                              3. B. The wickedness of Eli's sons as priests (1 Samuel 2:13-17)

                                                                                                                                                                                              1. The three-pronged fork was meant to arrange sacrifice on the altar, not to take food for the priests
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. According to Leviticus 7:28-36, God allotted the breast and right thigh of the peace offering to the priests — Hophni and Phinehas took beyond what was prescribed
                                                                                                                                                                                              3. Per Leviticus 3, the fat of the peace offering was to be burned before the Lord first — the priests demanded raw meat before the fat was burned, taking by force if refused
                                                                                                                                                                                              4. Their sin was "very great in the sight of the Lord" because they treated the offering of the Lord with contempt

                                                                                                                                                                                                5. C. Samuel shines as a light amid the darkness (1 Samuel 2:18)

                                                                                                                                                                                                1. He is clothed in a linen ephod — the priestly garment — marking him as a true and coming priest
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. He is likened to a "morning star" — a precursor to the sun rising, as John Wycliffe was a morning star before the Reformation, and as John the Baptist was before Christ
                                                                                                                                                                                                3. No matter how thick the darkness in the church, Christ promises the gates of hell will not prevail — he will not leave himself without a witness
                                                                                                                                                                                                  4. II. The Light of Life in Abundance versus the Darkness of Death and Judgment

                                                                                                                                                                                                  A. Hannah's faithfulness brings the blessing of life (1 Samuel 2:19-21)

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Hannah makes a small robe to cover Samuel's priestly ephod — her focus remains on his service to the Lord
                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Eli blesses Elkanah and Hannah; the Lord visits Hannah and she bears three more sons and two daughters
                                                                                                                                                                                                  3. Life abounds in the household of faithful parents

                                                                                                                                                                                                    4. B. Eli's sons face the judgment of death (1 Samuel 2:22-25)

                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Hophni and Phinehas slept with the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Eli rebukes them, noting a crucial distinction: if a man sins against another man, God may mediate, but sinning against the Lord himself — who can intercede?
                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. As priests and appointed intercessors, their direct offense against God in his own house left no mediating third party

                                                                                                                                                                                                      4. C. The hardening of Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 2:25)

                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. "They would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death"
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. The text does not say God put them to death because they would not listen — they would not listen because God had already determined to put them to death
                                                                                                                                                                                                      3. God confirmed them in their wickedness by giving them deaf ears to calls of repentance — consistent with Romans 1, where God manifests wrath by giving sinners over to their sin
                                                                                                                                                                                                      4. Application: Do not presume on God's mercy by delaying repentance — today is the day of salvation; the example of Hophni and Phinehas warns that continual, unrepented sin can result in God confirming a hardened heart in judgment
                                                                                                                                                                                                        5. III. The Light of a Good Reputation versus the Darkness of a Bad Reputation

                                                                                                                                                                                                        A. The dark reputation of Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 2:22-23)

                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Their evil deeds were heard by "all the people" — leaders called to model holiness had soiled their name before those they served
                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Corrupt leaders are among the most devastating forces to the people of God; the darkness in Israel began at the top

                                                                                                                                                                                                          3. B. The qualifications for godly leadership

                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. The elder must be above reproach — 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 emphasize character above all else
                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Historical example: Samuel Blair (1740) described religion as "dying and ready to expire its last breath" in America — corrupt scholastic leadership had overtaken godliness
                                                                                                                                                                                                          3. God raised up Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield in that darkness — men committed not only to preaching truth but to living it before their people, sparking the Great Awakening

                                                                                                                                                                                                            4. C. Samuel's growing reputation as the counterpoint (1 Samuel 2:26)

                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. "Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man"
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Unlike the judges, Samuel would do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, not his own eyes
                                                                                                                                                                                                            3. Application: Pray not only for leaders who preach the truth but for leaders who practice the truth — men above reproach whose lives magnify the light of Christ before their people
                                                                                                                                                                                                              4. 37 min

                                                                                                                                                                                                            About Northpointe PCA Sermons

                                                                                                                                                                                                            From the publisher's feed

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