Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

July 04, 2021Hold Firm Your Faith
Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 134
Hymn
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — Psalm 51
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51:17
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 21:1-14
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn
Sermon
Hymn
Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
Sermon Title: Hold Firm Your Faith
Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16
I. Introduction: The Purpose and Context of Hebrews 11
A. Hebrews 11 does not exist in isolation — it serves the call to endurance in Hebrews 10:36 and Hebrews 12:1-2
B. The original audience had suffered persecution, grown comfortable, and needed a call to steadfastness
C. The broad definition of faith: a certain conviction wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit as to the truth of the gospel, and a hearty reliance or trust on the promises of God in Christ
D. Faith defined specifically in Hebrews 11:1 — faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen
Faith is a guarantee — a confidence now of what has been promised for later
To hold firm your faith is to remain confident in your possession of things promised in God's Word
II. Faith Frames a Particular Posture Toward This World
A. The heroes of faith died without receiving the things promised — Hebrews 11:13
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents in the promised land, never taking full possession — Genesis 12
Death reminds us this world is temporary; sin has made death an unwelcome ruler
B. The faithful confessed themselves strangers and exiles on the earth — Hebrews 11:13
The Greek word for "strangers" carries the sense of alien — one who does not belong at all
"Exiles" carries the sense of one merely passing through, not settled
In speaking this way they made clear they were still seeking a homeland — Hebrews 11:14
C. God did not fail his promises — Abraham and his heirs lived and died in faith, trusting what had been promised
D. Two practical implications of not being home yet
Guard what you treasure — Matthew 6:19-21: do not lay up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy; be careful what you love and give your heart to
Work for the good of this world while here — Jeremiah 29:5-7: seek the welfare of the city where God has placed you, as stewards and caretakers of creation since Genesis 1
III. Faith Desires the Sure Hope of a Home with God
A. The faithful desire a better country — that is, a heavenly one — Hebrews 11:16
The logic of the verse turns on two words: "therefore" and "for"
God prepares a city → the faithful desire that city → God is not ashamed to be called their God
B. God has prepared a home for his people — this is pure grace
Before the fall, mankind had a home with God — intimacy without fear, guilt, or shame
The fall broke that intimacy and expelled man from God's presence
God was not required to prepare a home — these words are soaked in grace
This home has been prepared from the foundation of the world — Matthew 25
C. This home is not universal — it is for those who by faith desire the better, heavenly country
To desire the heavenly home is to desire the home where Christ is
Christ ascended into heaven — Luke 24:51-52
Christ is seated at the right hand of the throne of God — Hebrews 12:2
Christ ever lives to make intercession for his saints there
D. God is not ashamed to be called their God — wonder of grace
This echoes the covenant promise: "I will be your God and you will be my people"
The enmity and hostility created by sin is fully undone through Christ
Christ is the mediator of a new and better covenant — his blood cleanses the guilty conscience
All things set right: Revelation 21:4 — no more death, mourning, crying, or pain
IV. Conclusion: Hold Firm Your Faith in God's Promises
A. Faith frames a particular posture toward this world — this is not your final home; guard your treasure; work for the good of this place
B. Faith desires the sure promise of a home with God — by faith, that home is already a guarantee, waiting for all who trust in Christ
32 min
June 27, 2021The God of Grand Reversals
Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:1-11
Order of Service
Announcements
Graduate Honors
Call to Worship — Psalm 117
Hymn
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 20
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Offertory Prayer
Hymn
Sermon
Hymn — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Gloria Patri
Sermon Title: The God of Grand Reversals
Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:1-11
I. The Grand Reversal of God for Hannah — 1 Samuel 2:1-2
A. Hannah's song opens with personal testimony of God's salvation
She uses the covenant name Yahweh nine times in ten verses
Her testimony springs from her own experience of reversal — barrenness turned to fruitfulness
B. God is holy yet personal — "there is no rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2)
Unlike the gods of the ancient Near East, Yahweh is not subject to the life-and-death cycles of creation
He is transcendent and holy yet stoops to hear the cries of weak and suffering saints
His salvation is solid like a rock precisely because he is eternal and unchanging
C. Hannah exults over her enemies (1 Samuel 2:1)
The Hebrew word for "derides" means to be enlarged over — the language of conquest
Her mini-blessing is a taste and foretaste of God's grand cosmic redemption
To invoke Yahweh is to invoke the God who places enmity between his people and the seed of the serpent
Small blessings are not merely occasions for thanksgiving to a good gift-giver but occasions to praise God as the cosmic victor — as in Romans 8 where Paul declares believers more than conquerors
II. The Grand Reversal of God for the World — 1 Samuel 2:3-8
A. Verse 3 serves as a transition: "the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed"
God balances human experiences by weighing human actions
Warning against arrogance in comfortable circumstances
B. The reversals of verses 4–8 span every dimension of human life
The mighty are broken; the feeble are strengthened (1 Samuel 2:4)
The full become servants; the hungry are fed (1 Samuel 2:5)
The barren bear children; the mother of many is forlorn (1 Samuel 2:5)
The poor are raised from the dust to sit with princes (1 Samuel 2:8)
C. The lesson is not asceticism but humility
Whatever your state of blessing, do not become proud — God weighs actions and balances the scales
Jesus echoes this: "whoever exalts himself will be humbled; whoever humbles himself will be exalted"
Paul warns the Gentiles against spiritual arrogance toward unbelieving Israel in Romans 11 — God can reverse the reversal
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" — not with pride and arrogance
III. The Grand Reversal of God for the King — 1 Samuel 2:9-10
A. God guards his faithful ones but destroys the wicked — prevailing comes not by human might but by resting in God's strength (1 Samuel 2:9)
B. Hannah closes by speaking of the king — God will judge the ends of the earth and crush his adversaries through the king (1 Samuel 2:10)
The same language used of Hannah — God raising her "horn" — is applied to the king
The king will not be a display of human might but of God's strength working through humility
C. This is foreshadowed in David's anointing in 1 Samuel 16
Samuel assumed Eliab, the firstborn, had the look of God's anointed
God's response: "the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart"
God raises up David — the youngest, a simple shepherd boy — as king over Israel
D. The greatest display of this grand reversal is the cross of Christ
At Calvary, the God-man is presented as a crucified criminal; Rome and the Jewish authorities appear to be winning
That very moment sealed their fate — God brought victory through the crucified king
The God Hannah calls her rock (1 Samuel 2:2) is Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone — once crucified, now raised
For those who reject him he becomes a rock of offense and crushing judgment; for those who receive him he is the rock of salvation
Every small blessing in the believer's life is an ingredient of that grand reversal — life and victory out of death and defeat
34 min
June 27, 2021June 27, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 96:1-6
Hymn — How Great Thou Art (#44)
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (#616)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:9-10
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Church as the New Israel of God
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10
I. Introduction: The Grand Reversal — "But You"
A. The most important theological word in Scripture is often the conjunction "but"
Ephesians 2:1-4 — dead in sin… but God, rich in mercy, made us alive
1 Peter 2:8 — unbelievers destined to stumble… but you are a chosen race
B. The church's election is grounded not in its own obedience but in God's sovereign mercy
Deuteronomy 7:7 — God chose Israel not because of their size but because of his love and oath
Galatians 6:16 — Paul calls the church the Israel of God
Ephesians 2 — Gentiles grafted into the commonwealth of Israel; one covenant of grace
C. The church is not the new Israel because it replaces Israel, but because it is united to Christ who fulfills Israel's calling
II. The Church as a Chosen Race and a Holy Nation
A. The first "chosen one" is Christ himself
1 Peter 2:4 — Christ is the living stone, "chosen and precious" in God's sight
Ephesians 1 — the church is chosen in Christ; God never sees the church apart from Christ
B. Old Israel began with a person (Jacob/Israel), expanded to the twelve tribes, then to a nation — new Israel follows the same pattern
Matthew 2:15 quoting Hosea 11:1 — "Out of Egypt I called my son": the nation's calling is fulfilled in the one true Son
Christ chooses twelve disciples; the new nation expands from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth
C. Christ is the substance of all Israel's types and shadows
John 6:32 — Christ is the true bread from heaven
1 Corinthians 10:4 — the rock in the wilderness was Christ
Hebrews — Christ is the true sacrifice; bulls and goats were shadows
Matthew 5:17 — Christ did not abolish the law but fulfilled it
Isaiah 42–53 — the Servant songs speak both of the nation and of a person; Christ is the fulfillment of both
III. The Church as a Royal Priesthood
A. The language of royal priesthood comes from Exodus 19:6 — Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
B. The church fulfills this calling only through faith union with Christ the true Priest-King
Hebrews 7 — Jesus comes after the order of Melchizedek, not the Levitical priesthood
Melchizedek (cf. Genesis 14) is both king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of the Most High God — a royal priest
Christ as the true Melchizedek tears the temple curtain at his death, opening full access to the heavenly holy of holies
Hebrews 4 — as the last Joshua, Christ crosses into heaven itself and sits at the Father's right hand, granting his people free access to the throne of grace
C. The purpose: to proclaim the excellencies of God to the ends of the earth
Exodus 19:5 — Israel was to be God's treasured possession, shedding his light throughout the earth he owns
Israel was always meant to be an instrument of redemption for the whole fallen creation — this mission finds its fulfillment in Christ
Acts 2 — the Spirit poured out on Jews in Jerusalem; Acts 8 — on Samaritans; Acts 10 — on Gentiles: the light of God explodes to the ends of the earth through Christ at Pentecost
IV. Conclusion: Christ as the Apex of All Things
A. Colossians 1 — all things were made by, through, and for Christ; he is the firstborn of creation and of the dead
B. All old covenant promises — to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and the new covenant of Jeremiah 31 — find their Yes and Amen in Christ
C. Genesis 3:15 — the seed of the woman crushes the head of the serpent; united to that seed, the church now proclaims the gospel to the four corners of the earth as God calls his elect from every nation
23 min
June 20, 2021Remembrance
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:19-28
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 113
Hymn of Praise
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — 1 Kings 8
Assurance of Pardon — 1 John 2:1–2
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 19:31–43
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Sermon
Hymn — Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Remembrance
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:19–28
I. God Remembers Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19–20)
A. God's remembrance comes in His own timing
"In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son" — the Septuagint reads "in the course of time," indicating a period of waiting
Abraham and Sarah illustrate the danger of forcing God's timing: attempting to secure the promise through Hagar produced only chaos (Genesis 15)
Matthew 7:22–23 — those who seek God's blessing through disobedience and lawlessness will be turned away; it is better to wait in obedience and receive nothing in this life than to grasp blessings through unfaithfulness
B. God's remembrance is a remembrance of prayer
The Hebrew verb sha'al (to ask) recurs like a drumbeat throughout chapter 1 — it is the basis of Samuel's name: "I have asked for him from the Lord"
Hannah models persistent, humble petition even when God seemed silent and her rival mocked her year after year
We serve the God of Samuel — the God who hears the askings of His servants; we are to boldly bring our petitions before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), confident that He hears us even when He seems hidden
II. Hannah Remembers God (1 Samuel 1:21–28)
A. Hannah's remembrance is honorable — she keeps her vow
Hannah waits until Samuel is fully weaned (approximately three years in the ancient Near East) before presenting him, ensuring he is no longer dependent on her when she gives him over permanently
Ecclesiastes 5:4–6 — God takes vows with utmost seriousness; it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay; circumstance and state of mind are no excuse before the faithful God
No relationship — with God or with others — can be healthy if one party is unfaithful to their word; God's own faithfulness to His word is the ground of our salvation
B. Hannah's remembrance is joyful — she gives generously and gladly
She brings an extravagant offering: a three-year-old bull (sacrificed), a skin of wine, and an ephah of flour — three times the normal amount for a grain offering; this is not reluctant compliance but lavish, joyful worship
Hannah rejoices because her son will serve the Lord all his days — the deepest longing of a godly parent
Monica, mother of Augustine, illustrates this same longing: she followed her wayward son from city to city, pouring out her soul for his conversion; parents are called to long above all things for their children to serve the Lord
C. Hannah's remembrance brings blessing to the people of God — through the Nazirite vow
The Nazirite (nazir, "set apart") vow involved no cutting of hair, no fruit of the vine, and no contact with the dead; usually a temporary, self-imposed vow, but Samuel is dedicated from birth for life — one of only three in Scripture (Samson in Judges 13; Samuel; John the Baptist)
Samuel as forerunner to the king: he is both the last judge and the first official prophet (Acts 3 — Peter states "all the prophets, beginning with Samuel"); he anoints David and the Spirit rushes upon him (1 Samuel 16), mirroring John the Baptist baptizing Jesus as the Spirit descends
The structure of Luke's Gospel parallels 1 Samuel: as 1 Samuel opens not with David but with his forerunner Samuel, Luke opens the Gospel of the Kingdom not with the King but with His forerunner John the Baptist (Luke 1:6 — Zechariah and Elizabeth were "righteous and blameless before God")
The Hebrew Old Testament canon ends with 2 Chronicles — with the decline of Judah and the disappearance of the king; the New Testament opens in Matthew 1 with a royal genealogy and in Matthew 3 with John the Baptist, the new Samuel, breaking the silence and preparing the way for the new covenant King
III. Conclusion — The Pattern of Faithful Remembrance
A. Hannah, Elkanah, Zechariah, and Elizabeth teach us that our quiet, faithful service to the Lord results not only in personal blessing but in blessing flowing to others and to the whole kingdom of God
B. God sees and uses quiet, hidden faithfulness to accomplish things beyond our comprehension — things we may never be aware of in this life
C. Three imperatives for the people of God:
Never stop praying to the God who hears
Never stop waiting on God in obedience
Never stop remembering God — entrust your future, your timing, and your children to His wise and sovereign redemptive plan
38 min
June 20, 2021June 20, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 146:1-6
Hymn — Nothing But the Blood (#307)
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (#252)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: The New Covenant Temple
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-8
I. The New Covenant Temple Is Founded on Christ
A. The church is the spiritual house of God only insofar as it is built upon Christ the chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-5)
B. Peter quotes three Old Testament passages to identify Christ as the cornerstone
Isaiah 28:16 — the chosen and precious cornerstone laid in Zion
Psalm 118:22 — the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone
Isaiah 8:14 — a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
C. The cornerstone was the foundation of the entire temple structure; Solomon used costly, dressed stones for the foundation of his temple (1 Kings 5:17)
D. Christ applies Psalm 118:22 to himself in the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-44)
The rejected stone becomes the destroyer of those who reject it
Those who receive Christ by faith become stones built upon him and offer spiritual sacrifices
E. The difference between fruitfulness and fruitlessness is not human effort but union with Christ
Pragmatic, man-centered schemes for church growth sideline Christ
The church's task is to be Christ-centered; he produces the fruit
II. The New Covenant Temple Is Living
A. Christ is described as a living stone (1 Peter 2:4); those united to him become living stones (1 Peter 2:5)
The church is not inert marble but a living, breathing house
Colossians 3:1 — those raised with Christ are joined to the resurrected cornerstone
B. The Davidic Covenant background (2 Samuel 7)
David wanted to build God a house of stone; God promised to build David a house of people
Christ, the Son of David, is the fulfillment — he builds a living, dynasty of people, not brick and mortar
C. Edmund Clowney: "God's architecture is biological — his house grows as new stones are added, but also as the stones in place are perfected"
Sanctification and evangelism go hand in hand
A church not centered on Christ and mortifying sin has nothing life-giving to offer the lost
D. The New Testament epistles address the church corporately — ecclesiology matters
1 Timothy 3:15 — the household of God, the church of the living God, is the pillar and buttress of the truth
Evangelism is a corporate effort; the church must be a solid edifice anchored on Christ so that outsiders are invited into something vital and real
III. The New Covenant Temple Is Spiritual
A. The temple is spiritual because it is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:5)
Adam was lifeless until God breathed ruach (spirit) into him — true life has always been spirit-wrought
John 6:63 — "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail"
B. Gentiles, once excluded from the temple courts, now enter and offer spiritual sacrifices through Christ
Ephesians 2:19-22 — no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens built on the apostles and prophets, Christ himself being the cornerstone
The old ceremonial sacrifices were types and shadows pointing to Christ's once-for-all atoning death
C. True spiritual worship is worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23)
D. Two errors to avoid regarding spiritual
Error 1 — Experiential subjectivism: treating "spiritual" as a vague, personal, truth-free category of feeling and experience; spirit is always joined to truth
Error 2 — Rationalist reduction: reacting against subjectivism by treating "spiritual" as less real than the physical — closer to Buddhist categories than New Testament theology; for the New Testament authors, that which is true is spiritual
E. God is immutable — he has always been spirit and has always sought worshipers in spirit and truth; proper worship finds its fulfillment in Christ, the spirit-giver
32 min
June 13, 2021Peter's Pentecost Sermon
Scripture: Acts 2:25-41
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 105:1-4
Hymn
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — Luther's Shorter Catechism
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 19:16-30
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn
Hymn
Sermon
Hymn — May the Mind of Christ My Savior
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Doxology
Sermon Title: Peter's Pentecost Sermon
Scripture: Acts 2:25-41
I. Receive the Promise by Knowing Christ
A. Peter establishes that David's words in the Psalm are not about David himself
David is dead and buried; his tomb is visible outside Jerusalem (Acts 2:29)
The Jews believed in the infallibility of Scripture — it does not contradict itself
Therefore David could not have been writing about himself in Psalm 16; he was writing about another
B. David's words point forward to the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:27)
God promised David that one of his descendants would reign on his throne forever (Acts 2:30)
To reign forever one cannot remain dead
Jesus, the only descendant of David whose body did not see decay, is the clear fulfillment of this promise (Acts 2:31-32)
C. Christ has been exalted and has poured out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33)
Jesus ascended and was seated at the right hand of the Father
Jesus told his disciples it was good that he go away, so the Helper would come
The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost is visible proof of Christ's lordship and resurrection
We can know Christ even without seeing him, because his Spirit testifies to his resurrection and lordship
D. Our hope rests on the empty tomb (Acts 2:26)
David looked forward with gladness to the resurrection of his descendant
We look back on the empty tomb and rejoice with the same hope
As Jesus was raised, so too shall we be raised if we receive the promise
II. Receive the Promise by Being Baptized into Christ
A. The crowd's response and Peter's call (Acts 2:37-38)
Hearing Peter's sermon, they were cut to the heart and asked, "What shall we do?"
Peter's answer: repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins
B. The two aspects of baptism
The outward physical sign — sprinkling or pouring of water in the name of the Trinity — marks membership in the new covenant community and is a call to righteous living
The inward reality — the Holy Spirit present in the believer by faith — is what the outward sign points to
The outward sign becomes inward reality through repentance and faith, itself a gift of God
C. Baptism corresponds to circumcision in the Old Testament
Paul in Colossians teaches that Spirit-baptism unites us with Christ in his death and resurrection
The sign is applied to us by another, not by ourselves — we do not baptize ourselves
D. The promise extends to the children of believers (Acts 2:39)
Peter quotes the covenant promise given to Abraham: "for you and for your children"
In the Old Testament, the covenant sign was applied to the sons of covenant members; in the New Testament it is broadened to include both male and female children
Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven belongs to little children
Presbyterian view distinguished from Roman Catholic: baptism by water points to regeneration but does not in itself effect regeneration — children must still personally cash the check by faith
The unbelief of those who receive the sign does not invalidate the promise of God (cf. Ishmael receiving circumcision)
Baptism is a serious covenant bond: faithfulness brings blessing; covenant-breaking brings greater judgment
E. The promise extends to those who are far off (Acts 2:39)
In the immediate context, Peter addresses Jews scattered across the nations gathered at Pentecost
As Acts unfolds, the promise goes to Samaritans and then to the Gentiles
The gospel goes indiscriminately to every nation, tribe, and tongue — no one nation holds special status before God
The vast majority of Christians today are the children of Christians, a fruit of the promise going forth across generations
24 min
June 06, 2021June 6, 2021; Sunday Morning Worship
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-18
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 100
Hymn
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin — based on Isaiah 53
Assurance of Pardon — 1 John 1:9
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 19:1–15
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn of Preparation — Be Still, My Soul
Sermon
Hymn — Be Thou My Vision
Benediction
Sermon Title: Godly Sorrow in the Midst of Suffering
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1–18
I. The Culprits of Godly Sorrow
A. Circumstances outside of God's ordained purposes
Elkanah's taking of two wives departs from God's design for one-flesh marriage established in Genesis 2:23–24
Polygamy enters the biblical record with wicked Lamech in Genesis 4, signaling how far humanity had fallen
The rivalry between Hannah and Peninnah is a direct consequence of this arrangement outside God's ordinance
B. The provocation of an adversary
Peninnah mocked and derided Hannah for her barrenness, especially during the annual festival worship at Shiloh
Barrenness in Israel was often culturally interpreted as a sign of God's disfavor, deepening Hannah's anguish
Hannah's response is not retaliation or worldly bitterness — she turns wholly to God, distinguishing her grief as godly rather than worldly
Paul's distinction between worldly grief and godly grief in 2 Corinthians 7:8–10: worldly grief produces death; godly grief produces repentance leading to salvation
II. The Cry of Godly Sorrow
A. The cry arises in the midst of celebration
Hannah rises during the festive meal at Shiloh — a joyful occasion that only intensifies her awareness of her sorrow
She does not remain to be a "killjoy" but runs to the house of the Lord to pour out her soul
B. The nature of the cry itself
Hannah prays so bitterly that only her lips move and her voice is not heard — Eli mistakes her for a drunkard
This reveals the spiritual decline of Israel at the time: drunkenness in the house of the Lord was apparently not uncommon (cf. the sins of Hophni and Phinehas in 1 Samuel 2)
Though silent to human ears, God hears the wordless cries of a broken heart directed toward Him
C. The remarkable contrast in Hannah's vow (1 Samuel 1:11)
She addresses God as the Lord of Hosts — the sovereign commander of the heavenly armies, the almighty ruler of heaven and earth
Yet she boldly asks this God of the universe: See me. Remember me. — reflecting her understanding of God as both transcendent and intimately covenantal
Hannah calls herself the Lord's servant throughout — she is not bargaining for God to prove His worth; He is already Lord of Hosts and already worthy of her service
Her vow to dedicate the child back to God (the Nazirite vow — no razor, no fruit of the vine, no contact with the dead) reveals that her desire for a son is for the glory of God, not personal vindication over Peninnah
This distinguishes her cry as truly godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow disguised as piety
III. The Comfort of Godly Sorrow
A. God brings comfort through the word of the high priest
Eli, upon learning Hannah is not drunk, speaks with priestly authority: Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition (1 Samuel 1:17)
This authoritative word causes Hannah to rise, eat, and no longer be sad (1 Samuel 1:18)
The high priest speaks on God's behalf as the ordained intercessor between God and His people; Hannah serves God through serving the one God has appointed
B. The greater High Priest who comforts His people
Hebrews 4:15–16: Jesus is a High Priest who sympathizes with our weakness, having been tempted in every way yet without sin — He will never mistake a sorrowful heart for drunkenness
Christ speaks His word of comfort through His ordinary means of grace: the preached Word, the sacraments, corporate worship, the prayers of the church, and fellow believers who offer Christ-like encouragement
Jesus is not only High Priest but Lord of Hosts — He has all authority in heaven and earth, and He says: Behold, I am with you until the end of the age
The suffering saint can cast their tears at the throne of grace, knowing their High Priest hears them and declares: in Christ, you are more than conquerors
35 min
June 06, 2021June 6, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 99:1-5
Hymn — My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (#521)
Prayer of Invocation
Hymn — Amazing Grace (#460)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 1:22–2:3
Sermon
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Power of God's Word
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22–2:3
I. The Power of God's Word That Brings Love
1 Peter 1:22
A. Purified souls come from obedience to the truth
"The truth" is the whole counsel of God's Word, centered on Jesus Christ
The obedience Peter calls for is the obedience of faith — repent and believe on Christ
This is simpler than Old Testament obedience because Christ fulfills all that the law required
B. The evidence of a purified heart is earnest love for brothers and sisters in Christ
The Greek word translated earnestly means "stretched" or "strained" — the same word used of Jesus in Gethsemane
This love is active, not merely a feeling or state of mind
Christ's own pure, stretched, dying love for the church is the source: Ephesians 5:25–26 — Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, cleansing her by the washing of water with the word
When Christ penetrates the heart by his Spirit through the Word, his pure active love replaces our impure, selfish desires
II. The Power of God's Word That Brings Life
1 Peter 1:23–25
A. The new birth is accomplished through the living and abiding Word of God
This is the second mention of new birth in the epistle; the first, in 1 Peter 1:3, names the resurrection of Christ as the agent of new birth
Here the agent is the living and abiding Word of God — resurrection and Word are presented as almost interchangeable: to be reborn by the Word received in faith is to be reborn by the resurrection of Christ
1 Peter 1:8 — though these believers have not seen Christ, they believe and rejoice; the resurrection is brought before them through the proclaimed Word
Galatians 3:1–2 — Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified before the eyes of the Galatians through the preached Word received by faith
B. The whole counsel of God and Christ cannot be separated
John 1 — the Word of God was made flesh; to receive Christ is to receive the Word made flesh
To deny the inerrancy of God's Word is to deny Christ; you cannot embrace Christ while rejecting the whole counsel of Scripture
Christ is the yes and amen to all of God's Word; his fulfillment of Scripture proves their inseparability
C. The whole counsel of God finds its focus in the gospel of Jesus Christ
Peter quotes Isaiah 40:6–8 — all flesh is like grass, but the Word of the Lord stands forever
He then identifies this enduring Word with the gospel: "this word is the good news that was preached to you" (1 Peter 1:25)
The proclamation of the gospel is the primary means by which God plants his life-giving, imperishable seed in the heart
III. The Power of God's Word That Brings Growth
1 Peter 2:1–3
A. Those born again by the Word must put off sins that destroy brotherly love
The list — malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander — deals with horizontal relationships within the covenant community
To love from a pure heart requires both positive pursuit of brothers and sisters and negative mortification of these vices
B. The newborn believer is to be nurtured and grow by the pure milk of the Word
The Greek word translated spiritual (logikon) is rooted in logos (word); the KJV and NASB render it "the milk of the word"
The same Word that plants the imperishable seed of new birth also nourishes, strengthens, and grows the believer into salvation
The already/not yet dynamic: believers are already born again and seated in Christ (1 Peter 1), yet still growing toward the consummation of salvation
As faith is tested through suffering, believers grow closer to the day of Christ's return and taste more of the coming glory
"If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:3) — the Word is where we taste the goodness of the Lord
C. The doctrine of inerrancy is inseparable from the gospel itself
If God's Word in all its counsel is not trustworthy, then Christ is not trustworthy and the believer has nothing to stand on
Because Christ's Word is trustworthy, believers are called to feed on it daily, be reminded of their identity as new creations, and grow more and more into the salvation that is theirs in Christ
31 min
May 30, 2021Introduction to 1 Samuel
Scripture: Ruth 4:13-22
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 99
Hymn
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 18:19-33
Pastoral Prayer
Offering Prayer
Offering
Hymn
Scripture Reading — Ruth 4:13-22
Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Before the Throne of God Above
Benediction — Romans 15:5-6
Sermon Title: Introduction to First Samuel — The Eternal, Expansive, and Servant Kingdom
Scripture: Ruth 4:13-22
I. The Kingdom of God Is an Eternal Kingdom
A. The book of Ruth bridges the period of the Judges and the monarchy, ending with the genealogy of David
B. The book of Judges closes on a dark note: Judges 21:25 — "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes"
C. The genealogy in Ruth 4:18-22 traces from Perez, son of Judah, pointing forward to David
D. The everlasting covenant seed planted with Abraham blossoms progressively through redemptive history
God promises Abraham that kings will come from him and that his covenant is everlasting — Genesis 17:5-7
Jacob blesses Judah: the scepter shall not depart from him until all peoples render obedience — Genesis 49:8-10
The Davidic covenant confirms the throne will be established forever — 2 Samuel 7:16
Matthew's genealogy (Matthew 1:3-6) repeats the same genealogy from Ruth, extended from Abraham to Christ
Jesus inaugurates his ministry with the announcement of the eternal kingdom — Matthew 4:17
E. First Samuel is about God's providence moving redemptive history toward its fulfillment in David and ultimately in David's greater son, Jesus Christ
II. The Kingdom of God Is an Expansive Kingdom
A. The Abrahamic covenant promises blessing to all nations — Genesis 17:5-7; Genesis 49:10
B. Ruth, a pagan Moabite, is praised as more precious than seven sons — Ruth 4:15
She would have worshipped Chemosh, not Yahweh, yet she is honored above Hebrew sons
Her inclusion signals the kingdom's reach beyond Israel
C. The genealogical line of the king is filled with unexpected outsiders and sinners
Perez — born of Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, through a scandalous union — Genesis 38
Boaz — son of Rahab, a pagan prostitute from Jericho — Matthew 1:5
Boaz marries Ruth, a pagan Moabite
Solomon — son of Bathsheba, born through David's adultery and murder
Jesus — son of a carpenter, with prostitutes, pagans, murderers, and sinners in his line
D. The kingdom of God has always been for the filthy and unexpected — the entire fallen world — coming through an unlikely king
III. The Kingdom of God Is a Servant's Kingdom
A. The kinsman-redeemer theme in Ruth points to God as the ultimate redeemer
Levirate law required a family member to marry a widow and preserve the family line
Boaz fulfills the kinsman-redeemer role by marrying Ruth
Yet it is the Lord, not Boaz, who gives conception — Ruth 4:13 — the only second time in Ruth where God is the subject of the verb
B. The child's name, Obed (meaning "servant"), reveals the character of the coming kingdom
God redeems his people through a servant king
David is repeatedly called "my servant" — a king after God's own heart because he serves the true sovereign
C. The servant king pattern is fulfilled in Jesus Christ
Isaiah prophesies the exaltation of the suffering servant — Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53
Paul identifies Jesus as the ultimate Obed: though equal with God, he took the form of a servant, humbled himself to death on a cross, and was therefore exalted — Philippians 2:6-9
God visits his people by giving conception to Mary, providing the servant who ushers in the kingdom
D. First Samuel traces David's pattern of anointing followed by suffering before exaltation — pointing to Christ
David is anointed in 1 Samuel 16 but spends the rest of the book suffering under Saul's persecution
Jesus, anointed at the Jordan, sets his face toward Jerusalem and the cross — Luke 9
Through the cross, the servant king is exalted as eternal king over every tribe, nation, and tongue
32 min
May 23, 2021The Conclusion - Guard your Heart
Scripture: Exodus 20:17, Romans 7:7-25
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 96:1-6
Hymn — O God Beyond All Praising
Prayer of Invocation
Prayer of Confession
Assurance of Pardon — Romans 8:1-2
Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 18:1-18
Baptism of James Roth Ethan Morrow
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Prayer
Hymn
Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:17 and Romans 7:7-25
Sermon
Hymn — Rock of Ages
Benediction
Sermon Title: Guard Your Heart — The Tenth Commandment
Scripture: Exodus 20:17; Romans 7:7-25
I. The Tenth Commandment Gets to the Heart of the Matter
A. The Hebrew word for covet means "to desire" — the commandment targets the internal man
B. Jesus exposes the rich young ruler's heart using the tenth commandment in Mark 10
The young ruler claimed to have kept the second table of the law (commandments 5–9)
Christ commands him to sell all he has, exposing that his desire was for riches, not God
C. Paul in Romans 7:7-25 describes the painful battle against indwelling sin, launching from the tenth commandment
The tenth commandment most explicitly exposes the heart of the sinner
The only proper response is: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24)
II. We Guard Our Hearts by Guarding Our Eyes
A. The Hebrew word for covet in Exodus 20:17 is the same word used in Genesis 3:6 — Eve saw that the tree was a delight to the eyes
The eyes are a portal to the heart and to desire
Seeing precedes coveting, which precedes sinful action
B. David and Bathsheba illustrate the same pattern — 2 Samuel 11:2
The forbidden was a delight to his eyes; he coveted, planned, and acted
C. We live in an image-based culture that exploits the covetous heart
Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985): advertisers exploit what is wrong with the buyer, not what is right with the product
Dazzling images bypass reason and captivate the heart
D. Application: fallen eyes convince us that what is not ours ought to be ours
III. We Guard Our Hearts by Guarding Our Ears
A. Before Eve saw the fruit, she heard the serpent — Genesis 3:1-6
The ears are a portal to the heart just as the eyes are
The message received shapes what the eyes delight in
B. Eyes and ears work in tandem throughout Scripture
Eve — ears first, then eyes (Genesis 3)
David — eyes first, then planning and action (2 Samuel 11)
Solomon — eyes lusting after foreign women, then ears lending to their message
Samson — eyes captivated by beautiful women, then ears lending to Delilah
C. The spirit of God transforms the covetous heart through the Word
If God's Word is not training your ears, some other message is steering your heart
Do not treat devotional life as optional; do not neglect corporate worship
D. Application: pattern your life around God's Word; the Spirit will train your eyes and heart
IV. We Guard Our Hearts by Guarding Our Minds
A. The tenth commandment cuts into our thoughts, imaginations, and fantasies
What do you think about when there is nothing to think about?
Would you be willing to tell anyone what you daydream about?
B. The battle lies within, not without
Israel's chief enemy was not Egypt, the Moabites, the Assyrians, or the Babylonians — it was themselves
The tenth commandment draws the battle line at the internal man
C. This is why fallen man wants nothing to do with God — God invades the most private space: the mind
Israel said to Moses: You speak to us — not God (Exodus 20:19)
The tenth commandment demolishes the notion that people are "generally good"
D. The only answer the tenth commandment drives us to: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25)
The answer is not positive thinking, psychotherapy, or higher self-esteem
It is Christ and Christ alone — Galatians 2:20
V. The Conclusion — Christ Alone
A. Israel could only stand far off from the mountain because of impure hearts
B. Jesus Christ alone can ascend the mountain — he has clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3-4)
He ascends on our behalf to defeat our greatest enemy: ourselves and our sinful hearts
C. The closing chapter of the Ten Commandments is Christ and Christ alone
D. The one question the Decalogue puts to every sinner: Do you know Christ? Are you hidden in him today?
28 min

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

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