Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • A Perpetually Binding Law

    Scripture: Exodus 24:1-8; Exodus 34:1-9

    Order of Service
    • Scripture Reading — Exodus 19:10-11
    • Call to Worship — Psalm 105:1-6
    • Hymn — Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Sin — from Daniel 9:4-5
    • Assurance of Pardon — Romans 8:1-2
    • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 7:18-29
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Hymn — Father, I Know That All My Life
    • Sermon
    • Hymn — Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
    • Benediction — 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
      • Sermon Title: A Perpetually Binding Law

      Scripture: Exodus 24:1-8; Exodus 34:1-9

      I. Introduction to the Decalogue

      A. The Ten Commandments (the Decalogue) come from two Greek words: deca (ten) and logos (words) — literally "the ten words of God"

      B. The Ten Commandments are given twice in Scripture

      1. Originally in Exodus 20
      2. Repeated in Deuteronomy 5 before Israel entered the Promised Land
        3. C. The Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21–23) is distinct from the Ten Commandments and contains miscellaneous civic and ceremonial laws
        II. Contrasting the Book of the Covenant and the Ten Commandments

        A. Difference in authorship

        1. The Book of the Covenant was written by Moses (Exodus 24:4)
        2. The Ten Commandments were written by God himself — "the work of God…the writing of God" (Exodus 32:16)
          3. B. Difference in the medium of writing
        3. The Book of the Covenant written on parchment — temporary and perishable, symbolizing its transient nature
        4. The Ten Commandments written on stone — symbolizing permanence and perpetual binding force
          5. C. The Ten Commandments are accompanied by the revelation of God's own name and character (Exodus 34:6-7)
          D. The tablets were placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, closely tying the Ten Commandments to the very presence and person of God
          E. Conclusion: As image bearers of God, we are made to reflect his holy character engraved in the Decalogue; the Ten Commandments are perpetually binding on both old and new covenant people of God
          III. The Three Uses of the Law

          A. The Constraining Use — the law restrains evil and promotes righteousness in civic society

          1. The Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21–23) applies the Ten Commandments to Israel's civic life as a theocratic kingdom
          2. Paul describes governing authorities as "ministers of God" who are "a terror to evil and a promoter of good" (Romans 13)
          3. Even unbelieving rulers function as God's servants through common grace — all image bearers have the law written on their hearts (Romans 2)
          4. The church is to pray for governing authorities so they may govern well and the church may live peaceable lives (1 Timothy 2)
          5. When governing authorities promote evil and constrain good, they step outside their office and are to be opposed (e.g., Dietrich Bonhoeffer opposing the Nazi regime)

            6. B. The Convicting Use — the law convicts sinners of sin and drives them to God's means of atonement through blood sacrifice

            1. After God thundered the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, Israel cowered in fear, saying "do not let God speak to us, lest we die" (Exodus 20:19)
            2. God immediately instituted the sacrificial system (Exodus 20:22-26) — the law convicted, the sacrifice atoned
            3. The law "imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" (Galatians 3:21-22)
            4. In the Old Covenant, the law drove Israel to insufficient, repeated sacrifices; in the New Covenant, it drives us to the once-for-all sufficient sacrifice of Christ (cf. Hebrews)

              5. C. The Conduct Use — the law gives redeemed sinners a rule for how to conduct themselves before God

              1. God prefaces the Ten Commandments with a declaration of redemption: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:1-2)
              2. The blood sacrifices reminded Israel of God's redemption — just as the Passover lamb was the paradigmatic sacrifice of the nation
              3. In the New Covenant: those once slaves to sin are now "slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:15-19)
              4. The Puritans: once the law convicts and drives us to Christ, Christ turns us back to the law as a rule of conduct — a thanksgiving offering to our Redeemer
              5. The Spirit writes God's law on our hearts so we are conformed to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:3)
              6. The goal: with the psalmist of Psalm 119, to love God's holy law because we love our Redeemer God
                7. 37 min
              7. A Healthy Church

                Scripture: Titus 3:8-15

                Order of Service
                • Prelude
                • Announcements
                • Call to Worship — Psalm 100
                • Hymn
                • Prayer of Invocation
                • Confession of Sin — Isaiah 53
                • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 130:3-4
                • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 7:1-17
                • Sacrament of Baptism — Zoe and Elliot Tulip
                • Pastoral Prayer
                • Hymn
                • Sermon
                • Hymn
                • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                  • Sermon Title: A Healthy Church

                  Scripture: Titus 3:8-15

                  I. A Healthy Church Protects Unity Within the Body

                  A. The foundation of true church unity is the trustworthy saying of Titus 3:4-7 — the grace, mercy, and love of the triune God who saves sinners

                  1. Some conjecture that Titus 3:4-7 may be an early creed confessed by the churches, given Paul's phrase "the saying is trustworthy"
                  2. Paul closes the letter "grace be with you all" (plural), indicating the whole congregation is addressed; grace is the foundation of unity

                    3. B. False teachers in Crete were destroying unity through foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law (Titus 3:9)

                    1. This same problem appeared in Ephesus — see 1 Timothy 1 — indicating it was a widespread concern in the early church
                    2. Divisive people love to fight; their character is defined by quarreling rather than being forced reluctantly into necessary division

                      3. C. Paul commands firm discipline for divisive persons (Titus 3:10-11)

                      1. Warn once, then twice; after that, have nothing more to do with them
                      2. Such a person is warped, sinful, and self-condemned — they have heard God's warning through proper authority and rejected it
                      3. Excommunication is a legitimate and necessary tool for safeguarding the unity of the church
                        4. II. A Healthy Church Produces Good Works Among Its Members

                        A. Those who believe the trustworthy saying are to devote themselves to good works (Titus 3:8)

                        1. The triune God's salvation is the incentive for good works — humility before God as sinners saved by grace prepares believers for every good work
                        2. Pride and a know-it-all spirit (like the Pharisees) render a person useless to the body of Christ; it is the humble, like the tax collector and the thief on the cross, who are ready for good works

                          3. B. The immediate context of verse 14 involves supporting Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, likely the letter-carriers who would continue proclaiming the gospel (Titus 3:13-14)

                          1. Good works extend beyond the local congregation to the global cause of the gospel
                          2. See 1 Corinthians 8-9 — Paul commends the Macedonian church for giving beyond their means to support suffering Christians in Jerusalem
                          3. This is why the church supports both local and global missionaries

                            4. C. The church is not a volunteer organization governed by an 80/20 rule

                            1. Paul writes in the imperative — it is a command of the gospel, not a suggestion
                            2. The New Testament standard is a "zero/100 rule" — 100% of those who confess Christ are to be zealous for good works (Acts 2:44-45)
                            3. God calls dead sinners out of darkness into his assembly; that calling obligates every member to bear fruit
                              4. III. A Healthy Church Pursues Fellowship with the Saints

                              A. Paul's longing for Titus (Titus 3:12) reflects a pattern throughout his letters of deeply desiring the fellowship of believers

                              1. 2 Timothy 4:21 — Paul urges Timothy to come before winter, even from prison
                              2. Philippians 4:1 — "my brothers and sisters whom I love and long for"
                              3. In Romans, 1–2 Corinthians, and 1 Thessalonians, Paul commands the churches to greet one another with a holy kiss — a sign of familial acceptance and fellowship in the Lord, not cultural custom

                                4. B. True Christian fellowship is centered on God and corporate worship, not merely social interaction or shared hobbies

                                1. Acts 2:42 — the early church devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers
                                2. Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 — the church addresses and teaches one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; corporate worship is fellowship with both God and one another
                                3. Fellowship flows outward from the Lord's Day gathering; Sunday worship is the core and crux from which all other fellowship proceeds

                                  4. C. Practical implication: to ask "how do I fellowship?" one must first ask "how do I worship?"

                                  1. Fellowship is not the gift of conversation — it is a shared interest in Christ
                                  2. The sweetest fellowship among the saints is found in gathered corporate worship of the triune God
                                    3. 38 min
                                  3. February 21, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                    Scripture: Proverbs 6:1-19

                                    Order of Service
                                    • Call to Worship — Psalm 103:1-5
                                    • Prayer of Invocation
                                    • Pastoral Prayer
                                    • Scripture Reading — Proverbs 6:1-19
                                    • Sermon
                                    • Benediction
                                      • Sermon Title: Three Portraits of Folly

                                      Scripture: Proverbs 6:1-19

                                      I. The Foolish Giver — Proverbs 6:1-5

                                      A. The situation: acting as a surety

                                      1. A surety is a third party who vouches for a debtor before a lender, taking on the debtor's responsibility if the debtor fails to pay
                                      2. The surety has pledged himself for a stranger — someone unvetted and untrustworthy — putting his family in serious economic danger
                                      3. The practice was common throughout the ancient Near East (Hammurabi Code, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Palestinian texts), yet Israel's law (Exodus 22; Deuteronomy 24) is notably silent on third-party sureties, suggesting God's people should be trustworthy enough not to need them

                                        4. B. The call to urgent action (Proverbs 6:3-5)

                                        1. Strong, piled-up verbs convey urgency: save yourself, go, hasten, plead, give your eyes no sleep
                                        2. Every available avenue must be exhausted immediately to escape the situation
                                        3. New Testament parallels: the persistent widow (Luke 18), the friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-8), leaving your gift at the altar (Matthew 5)

                                          4. C. A deeper form of sluggardness

                                          1. The sleeplessness commanded in verse 4 contrasts with the sleep condemned in verse 9 — there is a sluggishness of avoidance, not just of laziness
                                          2. Shoving problems under the rug — relational, marital, financial, parental — is its own form of folly
                                          3. Scripture's consistent call: deal with issues today, not tomorrow

                                            4. D. Wise kindness vs. foolish niceness

                                            1. Foolish niceness: giving people what they want, handing out compliments and money, receiving easy praise in return
                                            2. Wise kindness: helping people get their own house in order — harder, sacrificial, truth-telling
                                            3. The father of Proverbs models wise kindness: he does not rescue the son from consequences but calls him to urgently take responsibility for himself
                                              4. II. The Foolish Sluggard — Proverbs 6:6-11

                                              A. Learn from the ant (Proverbs 6:6-8)

                                              1. The ant needs no chief, officer, or ruler — she takes initiative without being told
                                              2. The ant prepares in summer and gathers at harvest; barley harvest began at Passover (end of March), wheat harvest concluded at Pentecost (end of May)

                                                3. B. The urgency of the season (Proverbs 6:9-11)

                                                1. How long? implies the harvest is already underway — decisive action must be taken or judgment (temporal and possibly eternal) will fall
                                                2. The sluggard's answer is a shrug: not now, later, I'll get to it
                                                3. Bruce Waltke: sleep in the plural in Hebrew — for the sluggard, sleep is escapism, a refusal to face the world; it is narcotic, craving ever more sleep to avoid the pain of living

                                                  4. C. Cultural and parenting implications

                                                  1. A culture that tells children they can be whatever they want produces adults unprepared for reality
                                                  2. Contrast with Proverbs 1–9: a father imparting wisdom so the son can live a self-sufficient, responsible life
                                                  3. The church must resist cultural foolish niceness and practice the sacrificial wise kindness that calls people to responsible living
                                                    4. III. The Foolish Troublemaker — Proverbs 6:12-19

                                                    A. Portrait of the troublemaker (Proverbs 6:12-15)

                                                    1. The Hebrew word for person (rather than the typical adam/man) suggests his wickedness has forfeited what it means to be truly human
                                                    2. Crooked speech: deceptive language that distorts truth for personal gain
                                                    3. Wicked non-verbal cues: winking eyes, signaling feet, pointing finger — malice expressed even without words
                                                    4. A perverted heart: he schemes and devises evil, then acts on it — sowing division in households, friendships, and communities
                                                    5. Parallel to the false teachers in Crete (Titus 1) who overturn households for personal gain

                                                      6. B. Seven abominations to the Lord (Proverbs 6:16-19)

                                                      1. Haughty eyes — pompous self-exaltation, denial of God's authority
                                                      2. A lying tongue — deceit spoken with ease
                                                      3. Hands that shed innocent blood — deliberate murder of the innocent
                                                      4. A heart that devises wicked plans — significantly placed at the center of the seven, the hinge on which all wickedness swings; all evil flows from the heart
                                                      5. Feet that make haste to run to evil — zeal for wickedness, not accidental sin
                                                      6. A false witness who breathes out lies — perjury, lying under oath
                                                      7. One who sows discord among brothers — the culminating social destruction

                                                        8. C. Sin is never solitary

                                                        1. Commentator McKane: these behaviors are all disruptive, characterized by self-assertiveness, malice, or violence, and they break the bond of confidence and loyalty between people
                                                        2. Sin always radiates outward — affecting families, communities, churches, and generations
                                                        3. The fall of Adam and Eve: not only devastates their own relationship but unleashes generational consequences — Cain kills Abel; Lamech glories in murder (Genesis 3-5)
                                                        4. The father writes not just for the son before him but for generations of sons — righteousness and sin both expand beyond the individual
                                                        5. We are called to righteous living not only for ourselves but for those we love now and for generations to come
                                                          6. 35 min
                                                        6. Trinitarian Salvation

                                                          Scripture: Titus 3:4-7

                                                          Order of Service
                                                          • Call to Worship — Psalm 99
                                                          • Hymn
                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                          • Nicene Creed (Corporate Confession of Faith)
                                                          • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 6:16–23
                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                          • Hymn — Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery
                                                          • Sermon
                                                          • Hymn
                                                          • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                            • Sermon Title: Trinitarian Salvation

                                                            Scripture: Titus 3:4–7

                                                            I. Trinitarian Salvation Involves the Love of the Father

                                                            A. The fount of salvation is the love of God the Father

                                                            1. The activity of the Spirit in regeneration and the Son in justification are the outworking of the Father's love
                                                            2. Key texts: John 3:16; Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 4:7
                                                            3. John Owen: "The father is a fountain of eternal love… the father is the great fountain of all gracious communications and fruits of love"

                                                              4. B. Paul's emphasis in Titus 3:4 is on the Savior, not merely on salvation

                                                              1. The benefits of salvation are meant to draw our eyes upward to the Benefactor
                                                              2. The Father's love is a holy love — he does not set aside his holiness but justifies sinners in the blood of his Son and cleanses them by his Spirit

                                                                3. C. The Father's salvific love changes our person, not merely our circumstances

                                                                1. Through regeneration and renewal he establishes holy communion and union with his children
                                                                2. This communion is enjoyed now and forevermore through the Son and by the Spirit
                                                                  3. II. Trinitarian Salvation Involves the Regeneration of the Spirit

                                                                  A. The weight of Titus 3:5 is understood against the backdrop of Titus 3:3

                                                                  1. Outside of Christ: foolish, disobedient, enslaved to passions, living in malice and envy
                                                                  2. The same "but God" formula appears in Ephesians 2:1–5; Titus 3 identifies the Holy Spirit as the agent who makes us alive

                                                                    3. B. The Spirit as the Spirit of illumination

                                                                    1. John 3:3 — unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God
                                                                    2. Dead, blind sinners are given sight to see Christ and lay hold of him by faith, becoming heirs of the kingdom

                                                                      3. C. The Spirit as the Spirit of transformation (renewal)

                                                                      1. The word renewal appears elsewhere only in Romans 12:2 — "be transformed by the renewal of your mind"
                                                                      2. The Spirit not only changes our status as heirs but changes our character to live as citizens of the kingdom

                                                                        3. D. The cosmic and eschatological dimension of regeneration

                                                                        1. The word regeneration appears elsewhere only in Matthew 19:28, referring to the final renewal of all things
                                                                        2. Sinclair Ferguson: regeneration is "the incursion of a new order into the present order of reality… transformation from without and from above caused by participation in the power of the new age"
                                                                        3. Individual regeneration is evidence of age-to-come blessings breaking into the present world — the Father's will being done on earth as it is in heaven
                                                                          4. III. Trinitarian Salvation Involves the Mediation of the Son

                                                                          A. The Son's mediation in connection with the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:6)

                                                                          1. The Father pours out the Spirit through the Son — this is not a New Testament novelty
                                                                          2. Genesis 1:1–2 — the Spirit hovers over the lifeless void; the life-giving Spirit penetrates it through God's Word (the Son, as John's Gospel makes clear)
                                                                          3. Likewise, the dead soul is made alive by the Spirit through the Son
                                                                          4. The Nicene Creed: the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (filioque) — distinguishing Western orthodoxy from Eastern Orthodoxy, and grounded in both original creation and new creation

                                                                            5. B. The Son's mediation in connection with justification (Titus 3:7)

                                                                            1. "Justified by his grace" refers back to the Father's love in verse 4 — the Father declares unrighteous sinners righteous through the Son
                                                                            2. We are not saved by our own righteousness but by the righteousness of Christ offered to the Father on his people's behalf
                                                                            3. Romans 4:25 — Jesus was delivered for our trespasses and raised for our justification
                                                                            4. Christ dies and rises not as a solitary man but as a corporate, representative, federal head — taking his covenant people with him through death and resurrection
                                                                            5. From beginning to end, salvation is trinitarian: it stems from the love of the Father, who sends the Holy Spirit, who unites us to the Son, where justification and salvation are found
                                                                              6. 33 min
                                                                            6. February 7, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                              Scripture: Proverbs 5:7-23

                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 96:7-9
                                                                              • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                              • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                              • Scripture Reading — Proverbs 5:7-23
                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                              • Benediction
                                                                                • Sermon Title: The Consequences, Joys, and Divine Oversight of Sexual Faithfulness

                                                                                Scripture: Proverbs 5:7-23

                                                                                I. The Consequences of Adultery (Proverbs 5:7-14)

                                                                                A. The warning to keep far from the forbidden woman (Proverbs 5:8)

                                                                                1. "My son" (singular) in v. 2 becomes "my sons" (plural) in v. 7 — addressing future generations of the family line
                                                                                2. The family name and economic well-being are bound up in the son's conduct
                                                                                3. Do not even go near her house; do not flirt with destruction or rationalize nearness to temptation

                                                                                  4. B. Economic ruin from adultery (Proverbs 5:9-10)

                                                                                  1. "Honor" (splendor, dignity) is forfeited to others; a man's reputation is destroyed
                                                                                  2. In ancient Near Eastern context, an offended husband had legal rights over the adulterer, who could become his slave — the "merciless" strangers who take his labors
                                                                                  3. Today: ruined reputations, alimony, legal fees, broken homes, lost years of vitality

                                                                                    4. C. Social ruin from adultery (Proverbs 5:11-14)

                                                                                    1. The man is overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow at the end of his life
                                                                                    2. He spurned the voice of teachers, parents, and wise sages at the city gates (v. 13)
                                                                                    3. Public shame before the assembled congregation — judges, elders, family, neighbors (v. 14)
                                                                                    4. Adultery is a social offense, not merely a personal one; it dishonors families and communities
                                                                                      5. II. The Joy of Fidelity (Proverbs 5:15-20)

                                                                                      A. The wife's body belongs to the husband and the husband's body to the wife

                                                                                      1. The wife's body is depicted as a cistern, well, spring, and fountain — described as your own
                                                                                      2. 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 — Paul explicitly states that the wife has authority over the husband's body and vice versa; they are not to deprive one another
                                                                                      3. Genesis 2:23-24 — Adam's "bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh" establishes ownership language at the first institution of marriage
                                                                                      4. Ephesians 5:28-33 — the one-flesh union reflects the union of Christ and his church; this is serious business, not mere poetry

                                                                                        5. B. Mutual ownership weakens and kills temptation outside marriage (Proverbs 5:16-17)

                                                                                        1. Verses 16–17 are difficult to interpret; the writer may deliberately leave ambiguous whether it is the husband or wife seeking satisfaction elsewhere — mutual ownership protects both
                                                                                        2. 1 Corinthians 7:5 — "come together, so that Satan may not tempt you"
                                                                                        3. Adultery often results from married couples not owning the reality of one-flesh union — acknowledging it in theory but not seizing it in practice
                                                                                        4. Shame and embarrassment about physical union within marriage are results of the fall, not of Christ's work
                                                                                        5. Genesis 2:25 — before the fall, "the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed"; Genesis 3:11 — after the fall, shame enters
                                                                                        6. Christ, the second and last Adam, reverses the shame of the fall; the gospel impacts the physical union — Christian marriages should have the freest, most joyful physical union because shame has been removed in Christ

                                                                                          7. C. The physical union within marriage is to be a delight and an intoxication (Proverbs 5:19)

                                                                                          1. The Hebrew word for "intoxicated" (v. 19) is the same word used for "led astray" (v. 23) — a deliberate wordplay
                                                                                          2. Two intoxications: one within marriage leading to joy, life, and delight; one outside marriage leading to guilt, death, and destruction
                                                                                          3. Physical satisfaction exists in both, but only one ends in peace and contentment
                                                                                            4. III. The Eyes of God (Proverbs 5:21-23)

                                                                                            A. The omnipresence of God — nothing is done in secret (Proverbs 5:21)

                                                                                            1. Whatever a man thinks he does discreetly is seen by the Lord
                                                                                            2. Every human being instinctively knows adultery and sexual immorality are wrong; shame accompanies sin whether one is caught or not — because God sees all

                                                                                              3. B. The judgment of God upon the unrepentant (Proverbs 5:22-23)

                                                                                              1. The wicked man is ensnared and held fast in the cords of his own sin
                                                                                              2. He dies for lack of discipline and is led astray by his great folly

                                                                                                3. C. Joy in marriage flows from obedience to God, not primarily from feeling

                                                                                                1. Paul's directives in 1 Corinthians 7 are imperatives — commands to be obeyed
                                                                                                2. God owns us individually and owns our marriages; he sees all and will judge all
                                                                                                3. God is so serious about the joy of marriage that he does not leave it to feelings — he gives commandments; obedience to those commands is where marital joy is found
                                                                                                  4. 34 min
                                                                                                4. The Loving Kindness of the Church

                                                                                                  Scripture: Titus 3:1-3

                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 96:1-9
                                                                                                  • Hymn — Bless the Lord, O My Soul
                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                  • Confession of Sin
                                                                                                  • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 103:11-13
                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 6:1-15
                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                  • Hymn — Holy, Holy, Holy
                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                  • Hymn — May the Mind of Christ My Savior
                                                                                                  • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Loving Kindness of the Church

                                                                                                    Scripture: Titus 3:1-3

                                                                                                    I. The Goodness and Loving Kindness of the Church Involves Remembering

                                                                                                    A. Titus is to continuously remind the church of their calling, drawing on the gospel framed in Titus 2:11-15 and Titus 3:4-7

                                                                                                    1. Goodness and kindness toward others flows out of knowledge of God's goodness and kindness toward us
                                                                                                    2. These gospel truths must be continually set before the congregation by duly ordained leaders

                                                                                                      3. B. The three opening verbs of verse 3 describe failures of the mind — foolish (without understanding), disobedient (tied to false knowledge of God, cf. Titus 1:16), and led astray (deceived by false teachers)

                                                                                                      1. False teachers in Crete were overturning households; the regenerate are to turn from that false teaching
                                                                                                      2. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 warns that this present age will be filled with deceitful spirits and the teaching of demons

                                                                                                        3. C. The church serves as a memorial center — a safe haven of sound doctrine — in an over-mediatized, over-politicized world

                                                                                                        1. False guides flood our homes 24/7 through technology, hardening hearts and overturning households
                                                                                                        2. Sabbath worship is where hearts are softened and we are reminded of the grace, mercy, and loving kindness of Christ
                                                                                                          3. II. The Goodness and Loving Kindness of the Church Involves Rulers

                                                                                                          A. Throughout the Pastoral Epistles, Paul consistently emphasizes submission to governing authorities

                                                                                                          1. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 — pray for kings and those in high positions
                                                                                                          2. Romans 13 — governing authorities are providentially established by God for our good
                                                                                                          3. 1 Peter 2:17 — fear God, honor the king

                                                                                                            4. B. The apostolic witness does not envision a theocratic civic order in this present age; rather, the church submits even to pagan authorities

                                                                                                            1. The purpose given in verse 1: submission makes us ready for every good work
                                                                                                            2. 1 Corinthians 9:20-23 — Paul became all things to all people that by all means he might win some to the gospel

                                                                                                              3. C. Church history confirms this pattern of the orthodox church honoring ruling authorities

                                                                                                              1. Justin Martyr's First Apology argued to Emperor Antoninus that Christians are the best of citizens
                                                                                                              2. John Calvin wrote his Institutes partly to show the King of France that the Reformed were not revolutionaries
                                                                                                              3. Martin Luther vehemently opposed the Peasants' Revolt and modeled proper disagreement through lawful channels — the 95 Theses were a formal appeal, not an insurrection

                                                                                                                4. D. The dominant spirit in American evangelicalism today — submitting only to authorities that mirror one's own views — is a failure of true submission

                                                                                                                1. The Greek word for submissiveness means to arrange oneself under; autonomous self-rule negates the need for authority
                                                                                                                2. The word for disobedient in verse 3 carries the nuance of refusing to be persuaded by an argument and therefore refusing to obey
                                                                                                                3. We are to voice disagreement through proper lawful channels, conducting ourselves as honorable citizens so that we might win all people to the gospel
                                                                                                                  4. III. The Goodness and Loving Kindness of the Church Involves Relationships

                                                                                                                  A. Verse 2 calls the church to speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people — not merely fellow believers

                                                                                                                  1. This stands in stark contrast to verse 3: malice (getting back at people), envy (getting even), and mutual hatred

                                                                                                                    2. B. Paul is not forbidding confrontation, debate, or church discipline; he is forbidding the casting of aspersions on a person's character

                                                                                                                    1. Speaking evil of someone is not disagreeing with their position but soiling their name and ascribing unspoken motives to them
                                                                                                                    2. We naturally concoct mental narratives of others' evil intentions — this is easy because it safeguards our pride and avoids the harder work of direct, honest conversation

                                                                                                                      3. C. Biblical love, summarized from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, is fundamentally about giving people the benefit of the doubt — presuming innocence, being long-suffering and patient

                                                                                                                      1. Church discipline proceeds slowly precisely because we cannot read hearts or motives
                                                                                                                      2. Hate comes naturally to fallen humanity; love is unnatural and must be learned in the school of Christ
                                                                                                                      3. We were once verse 3 people — recipients of God's goodness and loving kindness while still in sin — and so we extend that same goodness and loving kindness to all people
                                                                                                                        4. 34 min
                                                                                                                      4. The Christ of Our Past, Present and Future

                                                                                                                        Scripture: Titus 2:11-15

                                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                                        • Preservice Announcements
                                                                                                                        • Prelude
                                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 95:1-7
                                                                                                                        • Hymn — How Beautiful
                                                                                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                        • Confession of Faith — Martin Luther's Small Catechism, Second Article
                                                                                                                        • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 5:1-25
                                                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                        • Hymn — In Christ Alone
                                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                                        • Hymn — Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire
                                                                                                                        • Benediction
                                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: The Christ of Our Past, Present and Future

                                                                                                                          Scripture: Titus 2:11-15

                                                                                                                          I. The Grace of Christ in the Present — Titus 2:11-12

                                                                                                                          A. Grace is not a substance God dispenses but His unmerited — indeed, de-merited — favor toward sinners, found entirely in the person of Jesus Christ

                                                                                                                          1. Christ is the "house" of God's grace; all divine favor and approval is located in Him
                                                                                                                          2. The gospel is sufficient for all people; Christians are to conduct themselves so as to commend it to everyone (Titus 2:1-10)

                                                                                                                            3. B. The manifestation of grace is an earnest pursuit of godliness — renouncing ungodliness and worldly passions, living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age

                                                                                                                            1. First question: Are you actively pursuing godliness, or are you sitting in your worldly passions while claiming Christ?
                                                                                                                            2. Second question: Are you pursuing godliness outside of Christ? Zealous effort apart from the house of grace produces only weariness — as with the Jews in Romans 10:2-3

                                                                                                                              3. C. The key distinction: we do not work for God's favor; we work from God's favor

                                                                                                                              1. Adam's estate: toil, weariness, and frustration in the present (Genesis 3)
                                                                                                                              2. The new Adam (Christ): joy and thanksgiving fuel obedience as freed people, not chained people
                                                                                                                                3. II. The Hope of Christ in the Future — Titus 2:13

                                                                                                                                A. Hope is centered in Christ just as grace is — the "house of hope" is also Christ Himself

                                                                                                                                1. Hope is not a feeling or a possibility; it is a Person — the second person of the Trinity, crucified, risen, ascended, and coming again
                                                                                                                                2. God swears by His own name that He will make all things new (Hebrews 6)

                                                                                                                                  3. B. The alternative to hope in Christ is hopelessness or despair

                                                                                                                                  1. The unbeliever's question: "What if this is as good as it gets?" — leading to anxiety, idolatry, or hedonism
                                                                                                                                  2. The scoffers of 2 Peter 3:4: "Where is the promise of his coming?"

                                                                                                                                    3. C. Hope in Christ fuels present godliness

                                                                                                                                    1. 2 Peter 3:13 — we await a new heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells; this expectation shapes how we live now
                                                                                                                                    2. Adam's estate: anxiety and fear over a future ending in dust (Genesis 3)
                                                                                                                                    3. The new Adam: joyful expectation, resting in the permanent kingdom of Christ rather than the fleeting, fallen world
                                                                                                                                      4. III. The Redemption of Christ in the Past — Titus 2:14

                                                                                                                                      A. Paul's language echoes the Old Testament exodus and Passover

                                                                                                                                      1. God's repeated word through Moses — "Let my people go" — pointed to redemption from bondage (Exodus 4)
                                                                                                                                      2. The Passover lamb's blood on the doorpost was the redemptive act; its annual celebration was meant to fuel covenant faithfulness in Israel
                                                                                                                                      3. Israel's failure: despite this redemption, they became covenant breakers, running after the idols of surrounding nations, resulting in the Assyrian exile (722 BC) and the Babylonian exile (587 BC)

                                                                                                                                        4. B. The prophesied new covenant solution — Ezekiel 36:25-27

                                                                                                                                        1. God promises to sprinkle clean water, cleansing His people from all uncleanness and idolatry
                                                                                                                                        2. He promises to put His Spirit within them, causing them to walk in His ordinances — covenant keepers, not covenant breakers
                                                                                                                                        3. This new covenant is also promised in Jeremiah 31

                                                                                                                                          4. C. Christ is the new and greater Passover Lamb

                                                                                                                                          1. Having completed His work and ascended, He pours out the Holy Spirit — the regenerative, cleansing waters — upon His people (Titus 3:5-6)
                                                                                                                                          2. The Lord's Supper corresponds to the Passover: celebrated repeatedly until Christ returns, continually reminding the church of redemption in His blood
                                                                                                                                          3. Adam's estate: a past dominated by guilt, regret, and shame
                                                                                                                                          4. The new Adam: the Christian's past is now defined not by personal failures but by the redemption of the Lamb — Christ crucified, ascended, and interceding

                                                                                                                                            5. D. Practical application: past, present, and future no longer belong to Adam but to Christ

                                                                                                                                            1. The Christian's present is not weariness but joy in the grace of Christ
                                                                                                                                            2. The Christian's future is not anxiety but joyful expectation in the hope of Christ
                                                                                                                                            3. The Christian's past is not guilt and shame but joyful recounting of redemption in Christ
                                                                                                                                            4. This Christ-invaded past, present, and future is the fuel for covenant keeping — displaying the gospel in every sphere of life
                                                                                                                                              5. 36 min
                                                                                                                                            5. Sound Living

                                                                                                                                              Scripture: Titus 2:1-10

                                                                                                                                              Order of Service
                                                                                                                                              • Call to Worship — Psalm 117
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn
                                                                                                                                              • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                              • Confession of Sin — Psalm 51
                                                                                                                                              • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51:17
                                                                                                                                              • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 4
                                                                                                                                              • Reception of New Members
                                                                                                                                              • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn
                                                                                                                                              • Sermon
                                                                                                                                              • Hymn
                                                                                                                                              • Benediction
                                                                                                                                                • Sermon Title: Sound Living

                                                                                                                                                Scripture: Titus 2:1-10

                                                                                                                                                I. Sound Living for Men

                                                                                                                                                A. Paul addresses older men first (Titus 2:2)

                                                                                                                                                1. They are to be sober-minded — temperate, clear-headed, making wise decisions
                                                                                                                                                2. They are to be dignified — worthy of respect, engaged in the community, not isolated
                                                                                                                                                3. They are to be self-controlled — curbing base desires in a manner that serves Christ

                                                                                                                                                  4. B. The foundation of these qualities is being sound in faith, love, and steadfastness

                                                                                                                                                  1. Faith — speaks of one's relationship with God
                                                                                                                                                  2. Love — speaks of one's relationship with neighbor
                                                                                                                                                  3. Steadfastness — endurance in faith and love; perseverance in loving God and neighbor
                                                                                                                                                  4. These inner qualities produce the outward character of dignity and self-control

                                                                                                                                                    5. C. Older men are to be examples to younger men (Titus 2:6-8)

                                                                                                                                                    1. Younger men are likewise urged to be self-controlled
                                                                                                                                                    2. Titus himself is to model good works, integrity, dignity, and sound speech
                                                                                                                                                    3. The goal: opponents have nothing evil to say about the church
                                                                                                                                                    4. Paul's concern throughout is how Christians appear to those outside the church
                                                                                                                                                    5. Speech is to be filled with grace, mercy, and truth — not like the devouring fire James describes in James 3
                                                                                                                                                    6. In a time of increasing opposition, men must win souls through humble integrity, not brash social-media-style arguments
                                                                                                                                                      7. II. Sound Living for Women

                                                                                                                                                      A. Older women are to be reverent and holy (Titus 2:3)

                                                                                                                                                      1. They are not to be slanderers — gossip is ungodly and harms those who cannot defend themselves
                                                                                                                                                      2. They are not to be addicted to much wine
                                                                                                                                                      3. Slander is condemned because it attacks another's character in their absence; conflicts are to be resolved directly

                                                                                                                                                        4. B. Older women are to train younger women (Titus 2:4-5)

                                                                                                                                                        1. Training younger women in godliness is a front-and-center Christian responsibility for older women
                                                                                                                                                        2. This training is oriented primarily toward love of husband and children
                                                                                                                                                        3. The word order in the Greek places love of husband before love of children — the wife is first a "husband-lover"
                                                                                                                                                        4. Our culture has reversed this order; Paul calls wives to cherish, respect, and speak well of their husbands

                                                                                                                                                          5. C. Wives are called to be submissive to their husbands' headship (Titus 2:5)

                                                                                                                                                          1. "Submit" means to arrange oneself under — not groveling or indicating any deficiency in women
                                                                                                                                                          2. Brian Chapell: suppression of gifts is not the point; proper expression of them is — a wife expresses her gifts in support of her husband's spiritual leadership
                                                                                                                                                          3. When a wife takes spiritual charge while the husband is passive, the Word of God is reviled
                                                                                                                                                          4. A wife's role is to be her husband's helper, encouraging him to lead in family worship and the ways of Christ
                                                                                                                                                          5. This is a high calling, not a low one
                                                                                                                                                            6. III. Sound Living for Slaves

                                                                                                                                                            A. Slaves are to be submissive to their masters in everything (Titus 2:9-10)

                                                                                                                                                            1. Slavery in first-century Rome often resembled indentured servitude or an employee-employer relationship
                                                                                                                                                            2. Applied today: employees are to respect and submit to those in authority over them
                                                                                                                                                            3. They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative
                                                                                                                                                            4. They are not to steal but to be trustworthy — masters should be able to entrust possessions to them

                                                                                                                                                              5. B. The purpose: to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior

                                                                                                                                                              1. This phrase is a refrain throughout the passage — every group is called to honor the gospel through their conduct
                                                                                                                                                              2. A Christian who argues with, steals from, or proves untrustworthy to a superior soils the name of Christ

                                                                                                                                                                3. C. Christ himself is the supreme example of submission under fallen authority

                                                                                                                                                                1. As the second person of the Trinity, he submitted to his earthly parents, to Roman rulers, and to the Mosaic law
                                                                                                                                                                2. He submitted to paying taxes (Matthew 22) and directed the cleansed leper to present himself to the priest (Mark 5)
                                                                                                                                                                3. He received the unjust sentence of death without appealing to his rights — silent before his accusers
                                                                                                                                                                4. He endured this, as Hebrews indicates, by looking ahead to the heavenly glory set before him
                                                                                                                                                                5. Before our time of glorification, we likewise are called to submit with dignity and respect — until the day Christ rides on the clouds and consummates his kingdom
                                                                                                                                                                  6. 29 min
                                                                                                                                                                6. January 24, 2021; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: Proverbs 5 1:6

                                                                                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 148:1-6
                                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                  • Congregational Prayer Requests
                                                                                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Proverbs 5:1-6
                                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                  • Benediction
                                                                                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: The Speech and Path of the Forbidden Woman

                                                                                                                                                                    Scripture: Proverbs 5:1-6

                                                                                                                                                                    I. Introduction: Solomon, the Heart, and the Forbidden Woman

                                                                                                                                                                    A. Solomon, the author of Proverbs, is himself the greatest example of the devastation caused by foreign women — 1 Kings 11:9 states his heart turned away from the Lord

                                                                                                                                                                    B. The end of Proverbs 4 (especially v. 23) establishes the theme: guard your heart above all else, because it affects the tongue, eyes, and feet

                                                                                                                                                                    C. The forbidden woman in Proverbs 5:1-6 is the direct contrast and antithesis to the life and path of wisdom

                                                                                                                                                                    D. She takes more than physical purity — she takes the man's heart and steers him down a destructive path

                                                                                                                                                                    E. Matthew 5:27-30 — Jesus confirms adultery begins in the heart; the warning about cutting off eye and hand is given specifically in the context of lustful looking

                                                                                                                                                                    II. The Speech of the Forbidden Woman — Proverbs 5:1-4

                                                                                                                                                                    A. Adultery is closely linked to speech — affairs begin not in the bedroom but in conversation

                                                                                                                                                                    1. Words and conversations between men and women create pathways, whether or not we are aware of it
                                                                                                                                                                    2. Conversations that are not guarded can lead to very destructive places

                                                                                                                                                                      3. B. The seductive words of the forbidden woman (v. 3)

                                                                                                                                                                      1. Her lips drip with honey — possibly a double entendre (speech and physical lips), but speech is clearly in view
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Her speech is smoother than oil — olive oil, a metaphor for gladness (Isaiah 61:3) and prosperity
                                                                                                                                                                      3. She presents herself as one who will make you glad, prosperous, and filled with joy

                                                                                                                                                                        4. C. The application extends beyond one particular woman to entertainment, advertisement, and media

                                                                                                                                                                        1. The mediatized forbidden woman is presented daily — attractive, fun, and progressive while the faithful woman is caricatured as joyless and restrictive
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Entertainment never shows the destructive end that Solomon reveals

                                                                                                                                                                          3. D. But in the end she is bitter as wormwood and sharp as a two-edged sword (v. 4)

                                                                                                                                                                          1. Rather than sweet like honey, she is bitter like wormwood
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Rather than smooth like oil, she is sharp like a two-edged sword
                                                                                                                                                                          3. She promises life but delivers the opposite — death and destruction
                                                                                                                                                                          4. The excitement of the affair is fleeting; misery and ruin follow
                                                                                                                                                                          5. Men who have had affairs and repented testify: the excitement ends quickly and the life is left in ruins
                                                                                                                                                                            6. III. The Path of the Forbidden Woman — Proverbs 5:5-6

                                                                                                                                                                            A. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol (v. 5)

                                                                                                                                                                            1. Sheol here means the grave and abode of the dead, following directly from "her feet go down to death"
                                                                                                                                                                            2. Proverbs does not treat death merely as an expiration date at the end of life — death is something we are either walking toward or walking away from
                                                                                                                                                                            3. The forbidden woman is the walking dead — she may have a heartbeat and speak words, but she walks the path of death
                                                                                                                                                                            4. Application: pornography is presented as normal in 21st-century culture, but it is the path of the forbidden woman and the path of death; one cannot proclaim Christ while walking that path

                                                                                                                                                                              5. B. She does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander and she does not know it (v. 6)

                                                                                                                                                                              1. The word ponder is the same word used in Proverbs 4:26 — the son is to ponder the path of his feet; the forbidden woman does not
                                                                                                                                                                              2. Because she does not think through her path, she wanders aimlessly
                                                                                                                                                                              3. The entire structure of Proverbs 1–9 — a wise father instructing a son — stands against the cultural trend of championing young, idealistic voices over older, wiser counsel
                                                                                                                                                                              4. The ideal woman presented by culture is always young and attractive; Proverbs directs the son to heed his older, wiser father, not the wandering forbidden woman
                                                                                                                                                                              5. Job 12:12 — wisdom is with the aged and understanding in length of days
                                                                                                                                                                              6. Young people can give good counsel when they humbly sit under the instruction of older, wiser men and women — the goal is to be wise now by heeding that counsel
                                                                                                                                                                                7. 23 min
                                                                                                                                                                              7. Teaching That Brings Order

                                                                                                                                                                                Scripture: Titus 1:5-16

                                                                                                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 99
                                                                                                                                                                                • Hymn — He Loves Me Too
                                                                                                                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                                • Confession of Sin
                                                                                                                                                                                • Assurance of Pardon — 1 John 1:9
                                                                                                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 3:26–39
                                                                                                                                                                                • Membership Vows — Kade and Morgan Boes
                                                                                                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                • Hymn — Take Time to Be Holy
                                                                                                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                                • Hymn — Gracious Spirit
                                                                                                                                                                                • Benediction
                                                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: Teaching That Brings Order

                                                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: Titus 1:5–16

                                                                                                                                                                                  I. Sound Doctrine Brings Order Through the Restoration of the Family

                                                                                                                                                                                  A. Paul left Titus in Crete to appoint elders and put things in order (Titus 1:5)

                                                                                                                                                                                  B. The key elder qualification emphasized here is holding firm to sound doctrine (Titus 1:9)

                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Elders must be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and rebuke those who contradict it
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. This verse serves as a bridge into the problem of false teachers in verses 10–16

                                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. False teachers were upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain (Titus 1:10–11)

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. The churches in Crete were likely in an early, home-based, missional phase without yet-appointed elders
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Paul quotes the Cretan prophet Epimenides (c. 600 BC): "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons" (Titus 1:12)
                                                                                                                                                                                    3. To "cretinize" someone in the first century meant to gain someone's trust and then exploit them

                                                                                                                                                                                      4. D. False doctrine, like the warning in Exodus 34:5–7, does not merely harm an individual — it spreads to the third and fourth generation

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Elders are responsible to silence false teachers, not merely dialogue with them
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Illustration: A pastor who wrote a pointed letter rebuking a guest preacher for adding political conditions to the gospel, calling himself "a she-bear protecting her cubs"

                                                                                                                                                                                        3. E. Caring about people and caring about doctrine are not opposites — they are inseparable

                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Sound doctrine protects families, children, and future generations
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. The church's motto: We take doctrine seriously because we love the people of God
                                                                                                                                                                                          3. II. Sound Doctrine Brings Order Through the Restoration of the Guilty

                                                                                                                                                                                          A. Paul's shocking goal in verse 13: rebuke false teachers sharply so that they may be sound in the faith (Titus 1:13)

                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Despite calling them liars, evil beasts, and gluttons, Paul desires their restoration
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Order in the church is seen when heinous sinners are transformed by gospel doctrine, not when generally good people work out minor flaws

                                                                                                                                                                                            3. B. The false teachers are identified as the circumcision party — judaizers (Titus 1:10; cf. Galatians 2)

                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Judaizers held to a "gospel plus" salvation — gospel plus man-made rules such as circumcision and observance of Old Testament ceremonial laws
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Paul summarizes their teaching as "commandments of men" (Titus 1:14)

                                                                                                                                                                                              3. C. We are all susceptible to pharisaism — law-giving rather than law-obeying

                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Since the fall, the sinful inclination is to set our own standards for right relationship with God (cf. Genesis 3)
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Man-made rules are like carbon monoxide — they seep in unchecked because they appear morally upright on the surface
                                                                                                                                                                                              3. We never come to Scripture as empty receptacles; we come bent inward as sons of Adam

                                                                                                                                                                                                4. D. Sanctification means being stripped bare of unchecked biases, hobby horses, and grudges, and being clothed with Christ plus nothing

                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Only then can we be law-obeyers and submitters to God's Word rather than law-givers
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. The goal is Christ alone, with nothing added
                                                                                                                                                                                                  3. III. Sound Doctrine Brings Order Through the Restoration of the Heart

                                                                                                                                                                                                  A. The circumcision party emphasized externals — food laws, circumcision, ceremonial observances

                                                                                                                                                                                                  B. Paul's rich irony in Titus 1:15: "To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure"

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. The false teachers' attempt to achieve purity through external observance reveals their internal defilement
                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. What is impure is not external things but their consciences and minds

                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. Jesus confirms this in Matthew 15:11, 18

                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out from the heart
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. The heart is the source of defilement, not creation itself

                                                                                                                                                                                                      3. D. God created all things good for man's enjoyment (Genesis 1)

                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Defilement entered through the fall of man — the impure heart turning away from God to become its own law-giver
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Christ's blood and Spirit cleanse the internal heart, restoring right relationship with God's good creation
                                                                                                                                                                                                      3. Romans 8 — creation groans not because it is inherently evil, but because it is in bondage due to man's fallen heart
                                                                                                                                                                                                      4. Cleansed hearts can now obey 1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"

                                                                                                                                                                                                        5. E. Jonathan Edwards: "The first and great work of a Christian is about his heart… see that your chief study be about your heart"

                                                                                                                                                                                                        F. Those who gauge their standing with God by self-concocted external benchmarks are, as Paul says, "unfit for any good work" (Titus 1:16)

                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Rest in the finished work of Christ, who makes all things new — most especially the defiled heart
                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. A cleansed heart makes us fit to serve and work for the glory of God
                                                                                                                                                                                                          3. 35 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.