Northpointe PCA Sermons

By Northpointe Presbyterian ChurchReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

May 10A Call To Endurance
Scripture: Daniel 12:4-13
Order of Service
Welcome and Announcements
Senior Bible Presentation — Gavin, Luke Morrow, William Phillips, and Elliot Watson
Prayer for Seniors
Call to Worship — 1 Chronicles 16:8-12
Hymn — Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Prayer of Invocation
Corporate Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Isaiah 12:2-3
Scripture Reading — Luke 6:43-49
Hymn — The Solid Rock
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
Sermon
Hymn — Soldiers of Christ, Arise
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Doxology
Sermon Title: A Call to Endurance
Scripture: Daniel 12:4-13
I. Endurance Comes Through Dedication to the Word of God
A. The sealing of the book in Daniel 12:4 carries a double meaning
The seal confirms the trustworthiness and divine origin of the prophecy
The seal preserves the prophecy for the suffering saints who will face it in the last days — as with the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, one copy for public use and one sealed in the ark
B. "Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase" describes vain, wandering searching for truth apart from God's word
The phrase "to and fro" echoes Satan's wandering in Job 1 and Amos 8:12: people search everywhere except in the revealed word of God
EJ Young: "While the written revelation of God is in the world, men heed it not — they look for knowledge where it is not to be found"
C. Daniel 12:10 — the wise are refined and made white through suffering, while the wicked remain in darkness
The refining-fire image points to precious metals purified through the furnace
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 — Jews seek signs, Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: the power and wisdom of God
Revelation 5:9 — Christ is worthy to open the sealed scroll precisely because he was slain; the cross qualifies him to unseal what Daniel sealed
Romans 5:3-4 — suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope
Colossians 2:15 — the cross disarms rulers and authorities; it is through the suffering of the covenant people that God refines and prepares them for glory
D. The saints are like lambs led to the slaughter (Romans 8:36) who will be like the Lion of Judah — but only through the way of the cross
II. Endurance Comes Through Dedication to the Oath of God
A. The man clothed in linen (Daniel 10:5-6) is the pre-incarnate Son of God, whose appearance mirrors Christ in Revelation 1
B. He raises both hands toward heaven — an oath of oaths, conveying unusual strength and solemnity
Ordinarily one hand was raised; two hands signals the supreme weight of this sworn oath
As "Song of Songs" denotes the greatest song and "King of Kings" the greatest king, this is the oath of oaths
C. Hebrews 6:13-18 — God swore by himself to Abraham since there was no one greater; his oath gives us strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us
D. The oath is rooted in and confirmed by the cross
Genesis 15 — God passes through the severed carcasses in theophanic form, swearing a self-maledictory oath
Genesis 22 — God spares Abraham's son and provides the ram; a foretaste of the oath fulfilled
The blood of the eternal covenant shed at Calvary is the ultimate confirmation: "It is finished"
The Solid Rock — "His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood"
E. Acts 17 — God now commands all people everywhere to repent; the days of ignorance are past; the oath has been sealed in the Son's blood
Will we cling to the sure oath of God confirmed in the blood of the covenant?
Or will we cling to the oaths of mere men that perish with them?
III. Endurance Comes Through Dedication to the Call of God
A. The command "Go your way, Daniel" appears in Daniel 12:9 and again in Daniel 12:13
Daniel is aged and will not live to see these prophecies fulfilled
Daniel does not fully understand the visions — yet God does not demand full comprehension before faithful obedience
Daniel apparently remained in Persia after Cyrus's edict, serving a pagan king — faithful in the specific lot God assigned him
B. 1 Corinthians 7:20 — "Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called"
Paul's first example is slavery — exactly Daniel's condition as an exile serving a foreign king
Application: whatever worries or uncertainties we carry, the call is the same — go your way and serve God faithfully where he has placed you
C. The promise to Daniel: "You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of days" (Daniel 12:13)
"Allotted place" echoes the land allotments given to the twelve tribes — a place in God's presence
John 14:2-3 — "In my Father's house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you"
Whether in days of intense persecution or relative peace, the call is the same: obey the word of the cross, cling to the fulfilled oath of God, and go your way
D. The 1,335 days are a blip in the light of eternal glory — blessed are those who endure to the end
40 min
May 10Singing in God's Presence
Scripture: Psalm 100:1-2
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Romans 11:33-36
Hymn — To God Be the Glory (#236)
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism Reading — Lord's Days 127–129 (Questions 127–129)
Hymn — Holy Spirit of the Messiah (#401)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Psalm 100:1-2
Sermon
Hymn — O God Beyond All Praising (#241)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: Singing in God's Presence
Scripture: Psalm 100:1-2
I. Singing Is a Means of Prayerful Remembrance of the Word of God
A. The Psalter is simultaneously the prayer book and the song book of the Bible
The Hebrew word tehillim means "praises," and psalmos (Greek) means "song"
The first song appears in Genesis 2:23 — Adam's poetic love song to Eve, written in Hebrew parallelism
Musical notations in the Psalter (selah, references to the choirmaster, tune headings) confirm its sung character
B. The Psalter functions as a mnemonic device, repeating the words and works of God to sink them into memory
Repetition throughout the Psalter is purposeful, designed for memorization through song
Illustration: RTS students memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism through song; children at a classical education program singing Genesis 1:1-27 answers
C. Singing is a form of prayer — the Psalter is a prayer book sung to God
Corporate singing gives God's people theologically rich, doctrinally sound words to pray every Lord's Day
Practical application: read and pray through the hymn lyrics before worship so the mind engages with the content, not merely the tune
Singing hymns by Newton, Watts, and Wesley is confessing sound doctrine in unison — the same principle as corporate liturgical confession
II. Singing Is a Means of Proper Response to the Work of God
A. The Exodus is the seminal Old Covenant redemptive event, repeatedly recalled throughout the Psalter
The Abrahamic covenant promise (Genesis 15 and 17) — a people, a God, a blessing to all families — begins to be realized as Israel multiplies in Egypt
The Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14) establishes Israel as the covenant assembly of God
B. Immediately after the Red Sea deliverance, God's people respond in song — Exodus 15:1: "Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord"
The structure of Exodus: redemption (ch. 1–18), covenant (ch. 19–24), dwelling (ch. 25–40) — God redeems so his people may dwell with him
Psalm 100:2 — "Come into his presence with singing" is the response of a redeemed people before their God
C. The Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120–134) were sung by pilgrims ascending Mount Zion toward the temple presence of God at Passover, the Feast of Booths, and Pentecost
D. The cross is the new and greater Exodus
Paul calls the Red Sea crossing a baptism in 1 Corinthians 10 — a baptism of salvation for Israel, a baptism of judgment for Pharaoh's army
In Luke 12:50, Christ calls his death a baptism — he bears the floodwaters of judgment so his people cross over in safety
Christ is the greater Moses; we are transferred from bondage to sin and death to the heavenly Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22-24)
E. Singing is a covenant act — the covenantal/dialogical principle of worship
God speaks (call to worship, Scripture reading, preaching); the covenant people respond in song
Singing is not merely emotional expression but a covenant response to God's covenant act of redemption
III. Singing Is a Means of Priestly Representation in the Worship of God
A. Jesus himself sang — Matthew 26:30 / Mark 14:26: at the Last Supper he sang the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113–118) with his disciples, introducing the fourth Passover cup of praise
B. Christ continues to sing in heaven as our great high priest — Hebrews 2:10-12
Verse 12 quotes Psalm 22:22: "In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise"
Psalm 22 is a chief messianic psalm: verses 1–18 depict Messiah's humiliation; verses 19–31 depict Messiah's exaltation
The writer of Hebrews shows that Christ, having passed through suffering (humiliation), now sings in his exalted state in the midst of his congregation
C. When the church gathers for corporate worship, it joins the heavenly congregation described in Hebrews 12:22-24
The assembly includes innumerable angels, the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant
Part of Christ's mediatorial priestly role — like the sons of Asaph and the sons of Korah under the Levitical priesthood — is to lead the congregation in worship through song
Our earthly worship leader conducts the service, but Jesus Christ is the true worship leader, mediating the praises of his saints to the Father
D. Zephaniah 3:17 — "He will exult over you with loud singing" — the Father himself responds with singing over his redeemed people through the Son
An antiphonal picture: the congregation sings; God exults over his people in song through Christ our great high priest
Application: when we sing on the Lord's Day, we join the heavenly anthem conducted by King Jesus — think on him as we sing
36 min
May 03"The Grace of Prayer"
Scripture: John 16:22-24
Order of Service
Hymn — Safely Through Another Week (#152)
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 51, Question 126 (Fifth Petition)
Hymn — Holy Spirit of Messiah (#401)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Before the Throne of God Above (#277)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Grace of Prayer
Scripture: John 16:22-24
I. Condition — The Grace of Prayer and Our New Condition
A. Our old condition was spiritual death and enmity with God, as Paul describes in Ephesians 2:1-3: dead in trespasses and sins, children of wrath, at hostility with God.
B. Christ came to change our condition — God made believers alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5), bringing us from enmity into peace and fellowship with God.
C. In John 16:23, Jesus grounds his instruction on prayer in the monumental redemptive shift brought about by his resurrection and ascension — "in that day."
The disciples had enjoyed direct access to Jesus for questions during his earthly ministry; that would change at his death and ascension.
D. A. Carson notes that "in that day" refers to the post-resurrection period as the inauguration of the last days — a new epoch in redemptive history.
D. In that new age, Jesus' people would no longer ask him questions face to face, but would instead have a new and better way to pray: asking the Father in Jesus' name.
Old Testament believers prayed through the typological mediation of the priesthood and sacrifices (Calvin: the high priest entered the holy place in the name of the whole people).
These types pointed forward to Christ, the antitype, who has now entered the Most Holy Place bearing his people's names on his heart (Isaiah 49:16).
The veil is torn; Christ at the Father's right hand gives his people full access to the throne of grace in a new and better way (Hebrews 4:14-16).
E. The grace of prayer: the believer gets to "name drop" Jesus — to ask the Father in Christ's name, through Christ, because of Christ. Archibald Alexander: prayer is a holy converse, a fellowship with God.
II. Conformity — The Grace of Prayer and Our Christlike Conformity
A. Praying "in Jesus' name" is not a magical formula; D. A. Carson explains that prayers in Jesus' name are prayers offered in thorough accord with all that his name stands for.
B. Union with Christ by faith means being brought deeper into conformity to Christ — his mind, his will, his loves, his longings (Philippians 2:5).
The word of Christ dwelling richly in us shapes what we pray; our prayers serve the word and are meant to breathe it back to God.
In sanctification, the Spirit trains our loves and desires to conform to Christ's will, so that praying in Jesus' name becomes an expression of genuine union with him.
C. Even our best prayers are stained by sin — wrong motives, self-interest, creaturely ignorance about what is truly best.
D. The Spirit helps us in this weakness (Romans 8:26): the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, repackaging and interpreting our prayers to the Father according to the will of God.
E. This is connected to God's purpose to conform his people to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29): prayer both reflects the conformity to Christ already worked in us and further forms us into that conformity.
Matthew Henry: "What more can we wish for than to have what we want — nay, to have what we will in conformity to God's will — for the asking?"
III. Confidence — The Grace of Prayer and Our Joyful Confidence
A. Jesus promises that whatever is asked of the Father in his name will be given (John 16:23-24); the same promise appears in Luke 11:9-10: "Ask and it will be given to you… everyone who asks receives."
B. Guy Richard (president of RTS Atlanta) notes that Jesus sometimes leaves such sweeping promises without qualification, because he wants us to feel the full weight of the promise: prayer works.
C. What about unanswered or long-delayed prayer? Some have abandoned faith over this; others have wrestled for years.
The answer begins with conformity to Christ: Christ himself prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
God trains his people in the school of submitting their will to his — learning to find him good in all his answers.
D. The parable of earthly fathers in Luke 11:11-13 illustrates God's fatherly goodness: earthly fathers do not give harmful things when good things are asked for; how much more the heavenly Father gives good things — supremely the Holy Spirit — to those who ask.
God does not always give exactly what is asked, or in the way his children expect.
His answer may be no, not yet, or yes but differently than imagined — yet he is always good and never unfaithful to his promises.
God is working all things together for the good of his people (Romans 8:28).
E. The goal of confident prayer is fullness of joy (John 16:24): "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full."
Calvin: Jesus means that nothing will be wanting which could contribute to a perfect abundance of all blessings, the accomplishment of our desires, and calm satisfaction.
Matthew Henry: "God's gifts through Christ fill the treasures of the soul; they fill its joy."
Prayer is a means of grace: fellowship with the Father in Christ, forming conformity to Christ in us, and filling us with joy from Christ.
35 min
May 03Real Comfort
Scripture: Daniel 12:1-3
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 47:1-9
Hymn — We Praise You, O God, Our Redeemer
Prayer of Invocation
Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — 2 Corinthians 5:21
Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Abide with Me
Sermon
Prayer of Preparation for the Lord's Supper
Hymn — Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (stanzas 1–2)
Lord's Supper
Hymn — Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (stanzas 3–4)
Benediction
Sermon Title: Real Comfort
Scripture: Daniel 12:1-3
I. The Comfort of Heavenly Protection
A. Context: verse 1 refers back to the time of Antichrist at the end of chapter 11, when the covenant people face intense persecution
The vision seems paradoxical: defeat on earth, yet victory in heaven for God's people
Michael, the great prince, leads the heavenly host in protecting the people of God
B. Protection is grounded in election — those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life are kept secure regardless of earthly suffering
Luke 10:17-20 — Jesus tells the 72 not to rejoice that spirits are subject to them, but that their names are written in heaven
Matthew 7:21-23 — "Depart from me, I never knew you" warns against false confidence in works rather than true relationship with Christ
C. "Nothing shall hurt you" does not mean freedom from physical suffering
The apostles suffered greatly; most were martyred
Romans 8:35-39 — Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
Illustration: a pastor who lost his son stood at the pulpit and recited Romans 8 alone; another pastor whose 16-year-old died gave a graveside benediction (Numbers 6:24-26) with a guttural cry — both exemplify heavenly protection amid earthly pain
D. Satan's true victory over Job would have been to make him curse God and die eternally — not merely to cause suffering
The beasts of this earth can kill the body but cannot touch the soul protected by the heavenly host
II. The Comfort of Bodily Resurrection
A. Daniel 12:2 contains the first explicit use of the phrase "everlasting life" in the Old Testament, refuting critical scholars who deny bodily resurrection in the Old Testament
B. This general resurrection is expounded by Christ in John 5:28-29 — all in the tombs will hear his voice; some rise to life, some to judgment
C. In Daniel's immediate context, the focus is on the covenant people
Many Israelites compromised under Antiochus Epiphanes and became Hellenized
Similarly, in the last days some in the church will compromise with Antichrist and apostatize — rising to everlasting death
Those who conquer to the end (Revelation) will rise to everlasting life
D. The word "dust" in verse 2 echoes Genesis 3:19 — "You are dust and to dust you shall return"
The capstone curse of the fall haunts all of fallen humanity
Romans 5 — death came to all through one man's trespass
E. Death is the final enemy, destroyed at the bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15)
Christ's resurrection is the firstfruits of the resurrection harvest
His one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for the new humanity bound up in the last Adam
The Spirit planted in our hearts now will reach full bloom when we are raised body and soul on the last day
F. Sunday worship reflects new creation — we gather on the first day of the week because the eschaton has broken into the present with Christ's resurrection
Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1: our only comfort in life and in death is that we belong, body and soul, to our Lord Jesus Christ
III. The Comfort of the Church Militant
A. Daniel 12:3 — the wise shine like the brightness of the sky; those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever
In the midst of the final conflict between Christ's people and Antichrist's people, some will not bow the knee to evil
Their shining is not merely personal wisdom but the sharing of that hope and good news with others
B. Two dimensions of those who lead in righteousness
Institutional: ordained shepherds, elders, and leaders who feed and guard the flock — contrasted with the failed shepherds of Israel whose neglect sent the nation into exile (Ezekiel)
Interpersonal: members of the body encouraging one another, sharing the light of Christ as they see the day drawing near
C. The neglect of Christian friendship as a blind spot in American Christianity
John Chrysostom (the "Golden Tongue"): true friendship means helping one another spiritually and hindering what leads friends to hell
Paul in 2 Timothy 4 longs for Timothy's presence for mutual encouragement — because his life is on the line
Jesus desired Peter, James, and John at Gethsemane because hell was pressing in and he wanted friends in faith nearby
Comfortable Christianity in the Bible Belt can breed a blind spot to our need for one another
D. The corporate assembly is the starting point for mutual edification
Colossians 3:16 — singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is how we teach and admonish one another in all wisdom
Corporate worship is not only individual soul-feeding; active participation teaches and encourages those to our left and right
Hebrews 10:24-25 — stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, all the more as you see the day drawing near
E. Application: We are in the last hour; many antichrists are already in the world
We need one another as friends in Christ
We come to the Lord's Table to feed on our greatest friend, Jesus, who lays down his life for his friends (John 15:13-15)
37 min
April 26Ingredients of Antichrist
Scripture: Daniel 11:21-45
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 72:1-8
Hymn — Hail to the Lord's Anointed
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Exodus 34:6-7
Scripture Reading — Luke 6:37-42
Hymn — I Surrender All
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Faith of Our Fathers
Sermon
Hymn — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Benediction
Sermon Title: Ingredients of Antichrist
Scripture: Daniel 11:21-45
I. Antichrist Is Self-Deifying
A. Antiochus Epiphanes deified himself — his title Epiphanes means "God manifest," and he placed this on his coinage
B. The final Antichrist surpasses Antiochus: he exalts himself above every god (Daniel 11:36-37)
He pays no attention to the gods of his fathers or to any other god
He magnifies himself above all — including the pagan god beloved by women (likely Adonis or Dionysus)
C. This reflects the original temptation of the serpent in the garden — "You will be like God" — the usurpation of God's throne
D. The Enlightenment illustrates this pattern: Reformation concepts of freedom and individuality, stripped of Christian foundations, become a vehicle for glorifying man apart from Christ
E. Antichrist is the intensification of counterfeit Christs already present — borrowing Christian concepts to draw worship to themselves (1 John 2:18)
II. Antichrist Is a Man of War
A. Like Antiochus Epiphanes, Antichrist wages international war; the kings of the south and north (Daniel 11:40-45) represent world powers challenging him — not literal modern Egypt or Syria
B. His god is war itself — "the god of fortresses" (Daniel 11:38) is an idiom for war as his religion
C. Two wars are in view:
International warfare against world powers
War against the covenant people of God — the "glorious holy mountain" (Daniel 11:45)
D. Those who conform to Antichrist receive honors and comfort; those who resist face destruction (Daniel 11:39)
E. The enmity originates in Genesis 3:15 — God placed enmity between the serpent's offspring and the woman's offspring
F. The spirit of Antichrist operates this way today: conform and keep your comfort; resist and face ruin
III. Antichrist Exposes the True People of God
A. Antiochus Epiphanes used flattery to gain power (Daniel 11:21); many covenant people apostatized and became Hellenized
The Jew Menelaus conspired with Antiochus, had the high priest Onias III killed, and took his place — likely "the prince of the covenant" of Daniel 11:22
B. Antichrist similarly loads those who acknowledge him with honor (Daniel 11:39)
C. Edom, Moab, and Ammon (Daniel 11:41) — spared by Antichrist — symbolize those connected to the covenant people by birth but who are actually enemies of God
Edomites: descendants of Esau; Moabites and Ammonites: descendants of Lot
Like the Pharisees who claimed Abraham as father but were called sons of the devil (John 8)
D. Antichrist separates wheat from chaff, sheep from goats — 1 John 2:19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us… that it might become plain that they are not of us"
E. As in Elijah's day, 7,000 who have not bowed the knee are illuminated by contrast with the surrounding darkness
F. God has sovereignly decreed this suffering (Daniel 11:36) as an instrument to expose those truly baptized and circumcised in the heart, not merely externally
IV. Antichrist Is a Servant of Evil, Not the Emperor of It
A. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 — "The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan"; Antichrist is Satan's servant, not the emperor
B. Genesis 3:15 — the people of God do battle with the offspring of the serpent, not Satan directly
C. Christ alone goes face to face with Satan:
In the wilderness — Satan offers him all the kingdoms of the world
At the cross — Christ destroys "the one who has the power of death, that is the devil" (Hebrews 2:14)
D. The book of Job illustrates the point: in Job 1, God restrains Satan — "do not stretch out your hand against him." At the cross there is no such restraint; Satan touches Christ fully as sin-bearer
E. Christ's resurrection is the guarantee that Satan will never ultimately touch his people
F. Antichrist is only a minion — "one little word shall fell him": Christ
36 min
April 26The Lord's Supper
Scripture: Mark 14:22-25
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Hebrews 13:15
Hymn — Lift High the Cross (#287)
Prayer of Invocation
Catechism Reading — Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 50 (Q&A 125)
Hymn — To the Hills I Lift My Eyes (#121B)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face (#202)
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: The Lord's Supper
Scripture: Mark 14:22-25
I. The Lord's Supper Is a Passover Meal for His Sinful People
A. The Lord's Supper is instituted during the third cup of the Passover — the cup of redemption — which commemorated the blood of the lamb spread on the doorposts so that the angel of death would pass over Israel.
The four Passover cups: the cup of sanctification (Kiddush), the cup of deliverance, the cup of redemption, and the cup of praise.
Christ institutes the Lord's Supper at the third cup, then leads into the fourth cup by singing one of the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113–118).
B. The Passover is not mere deliverance but redemption — God purchasing his people to himself as his firstborn son.
Exodus 4:22 calls all of Israel God's firstborn son.
Exodus 13:1 and 13:13 institute the consecration and redemption of the firstborn as a perpetual reminder that Israel was bought with the blood of the Passover lamb.
The firstborn was the heir of the father's blessing and inheritance — redemption brings God's people into that inheritance, not a slavish relationship.
C. The firstborn theme runs throughout the New Testament and points to Christ as the true Passover.
Hebrews 1:6 — God brings his firstborn into the world.
Romans 8:29 — Christ is the firstborn among many brothers.
Colossians 1 — Christ is the firstborn from creation and from the dead.
Unlike the firstborn in Israel who are redeemed, the Father's firstborn faces the wrath of God in our place, making us co-heirs of the kingdom united to Christ.
D. At Gethsemane, Christ asks the Father to let the cup pass over him — Passover language — acknowledging himself as the Passover lamb for whom there is no substitute (Galatians 4:7).
E. At the table, believers feed on Christ by faith as their substitute and propitiation; they come not as those who are good enough, but as empty sinners whom Christ earnestly desires to feed (Luke 22:15).
Fencing the table is necessary (1 Corinthians 11), but the table is not for the self-sufficient — it is for sin-sick sinners hungry for grace.
Coming worthily means coming empty, ready to be fed by a host who longs to give us his body and blood.
II. The Lord's Supper Is a Covenant Meal for His Covenant People
A. In Scripture, covenants are often ratified and sealed by a shared meal between the covenant parties; Christ's words in Mark 14:24 — "This is my blood of the covenant" — invoke this pattern.
B. Christ is the fulfillment and substance of every covenantal administration in Scripture — the one covenant of grace.
Christ is our circumcision (Colossians 2), our Passover, the fulfillment of the Davidic promise, the law written on hearts by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31), and the hope of groaning creation (Romans 8).
The covenant formula — "I will be your God, you will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst" — finds its fulfillment in the Son, in whom the fullness of deity dwells (Colossians 2).
C. Exodus 19–24 is instructive: the covenant enacted between God and Israel is ratified when Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu go up the mountain and eat and drink in God's presence (Exodus 24:11); immediately following come the tabernacle instructions — God dwelling in the midst of his people.
The covenant meal confirms and seals God's covenantal condescension to dwell among his people.
Exodus 20:24 — "In every place where I cause my name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you" — is the background for "Do this in remembrance of me."
D. The Lord's Supper is not a bare memorial of an absent Christ but a covenant remembrance in the presence of the living Christ — more like a birthday celebration with the person present than a memorial service for the departed.
E. When believers gather at the table, they ascend not Mount Sinai but Mount Zion (Hebrews 12), eating and drinking in the presence of God through the face of the Son by the Spirit, just as the elders did in Exodus 24.
The torn curtain signals that the covenant promise of God's dwelling is fulfilled in Christ, who is himself the curtain through whom we now have access to the Father (Hebrews 10).
The chief end of the supper is not merely assurance of forgiveness (though that is included), but covenantal dwelling — enjoying God and his presence through the Son by the Spirit.
III. The Lord's Supper Is a Spiritual Meal for His Wilderness People
A. Stephen calls Israel in the wilderness the "church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38); Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 says they ate spiritual food and drank spiritual drink from the spiritual rock, which was Christ.
B. There is continuity between the spiritual feeding of the old covenant church and the new covenant church: the same substance and source — Christ — feeds his people in every age (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).
C. Calling the supper a "spiritual meal" (as the Reformers following Calvin did) does not diminish it but enhances its sanctity.
What the blood represents is the life of the sacrificed one; what sinners need is not a physical portion of Christ's blood or bones but the whole Christ — his very life poured into dead souls.
The Spirit feeds the life of Christ to souls dead in sin; we drink in all of Christ at the supper by faith.
D. The Lord's Supper is a wilderness feeding for a sojourning people (1 Corinthians 11:26 — "until he comes").
The Spirit is the down payment and seal of the inheritance (Ephesians 1); the meal is one of the means by which the Spirit reminds us of the fullness of that inheritance still to come.
Like Israel in the Sinai wilderness, the new covenant church sojourns toward the fullness of the kingdom, longing to see Christ face to face; meanwhile the Good Shepherd spreads the table in the wilderness and feeds his people with himself (Psalm 23; Psalm 63:1).
E. The supper is the appointed place where Christ himself meets his people — word and sacrament on the Lord's Day is the main event, the primary means by which God feeds and dwells with his covenant people, and ought to be the starting point rather than an afterthought in the life of the church.
39 min
April 19April 19, 2026; Sunday Evening Worship
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 134
Hymn — Come, Bless the Lord (Psalm 134, #134)
Prayer of Invocation
Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 49, Question 124 (Third Petition of the Lord's Prayer)
Hymn — To the Hills I Lift My Eyes (#121B)
Pastoral Prayer
Scripture Reading — Acts 2:37–39
Sermon
Hymn — Baptized into Your Name, Most Holy (#193)
Benediction
Sermon Title: The Kindness of God in Baptism
Scripture: Acts 2:37–39
I. See God's Kindness in What Baptism Is as a Means of Grace
A. Baptism arises from Peter's Pentecost sermon in which he holds forth Christ crucified and risen, demonstrated from the Old Testament
The crowd is "cut to the heart" and asks, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)
Peter calls them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38)
B. Repentance flows from or together with faith in Christ
The Shorter Catechism defines repentance as a saving grace whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, turns from sin unto God
True repentance and faith take hold of Christ — "I find you lovely; I will have no more of my sin"
C. Baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace
As a sign, the outward washing with water points to the inward cleansing of the heart by faith in Christ — sin defiles; what every sinner needs is the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit
As a seal, baptism is a pledge, a marker — like a wedding ring — that the baptized person belongs to Christ
Baptism signifies and seals remission of sins in Christ's blood, regeneration by his Spirit, adoption, and resurrection unto everlasting life — union with Christ in his death and resurrection
II. See God's Kindness in Who Baptism Is For as a Means of Grace
A. All Christians agree: a person coming to saving faith who has never been baptized should be baptized upon profession of faith (Acts 2:38)
B. Peter extends the promise further: "For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off" (Acts 2:39)
Peter's Jewish audience would have heard covenant language echoing Genesis 17:7 — the promise to Abraham and his offspring throughout their generations
In Genesis 17:9–13, God commands circumcision as the covenant sign for Abraham and all male offspring — a sign of the cutting off of sinful flesh, pointing ahead to Christ
Circumcision was given to the adult believer Abraham and to his offspring (including Isaac, not yet born); God has always dealt with his people generationally
C. The covenant sign has changed in form but not in principle
Christ shed his blood; now the promise comes with water washing, not a bloody cut — God promised in Ezekiel 36 to sprinkle clean water and give a new heart
Paul confirms in Colossians 2:11–12 that both circumcision and baptism point to the same spiritual reality: Christ's death dealing with sin and his resurrection bringing new life
The sign is no longer limited to male children; it is now placed on every child of a believer, including gentiles grafted in
D. The children of believers are members of the covenant community
They are called holy simply by being the child of a believing parent (1 Corinthians 7)
Paul addresses children directly in Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3 as members of the covenant community, calling them to obedience and faith
The burden falls on those who would exclude covenant children from the sign to show that God has changed his ways of dealing with his people across the Testaments
Isaiah confirms the principle: the offspring of the blessed of the Lord are included with them (Isaiah 65:23)
III. See God's Kindness in How Baptism Is Useful as a Means of Grace
A. Baptism functions as a seal — it authenticates and confirms God's saving work
Paul's language of seal comes from Romans 4:11: Abraham received circumcision as a seal of the righteousness he had by faith while still uncircumcised
The seal was not given in response to Abraham's faith but to confirm what God had already done — declaring him righteous ahead of time in Christ
The seal remained in his body all his days, like a birthmark, impressing upon him his identity before God
B. For every believer, baptism seals the promises of God personally
Jason Hopoulos: "Baptism seals the promises of God to us… my baptism helps me grasp not just that Christ died for sinners generally, but that he died for me"
William Perkins: baptism serves as a certificate to assure the baptized of the forgiveness of sins and of eternal salvation
When tempted to sin, the waters of baptism remind the believer of the costly price Christ paid; when tempted to despair, they seal the love of God who adopted us as sons and daughters
C. Application to covenant children baptized in infancy
One-time baptism stays with the believer; looking back to it, the believer sees grace given when they had nothing good in themselves to bring
Covenant children baptized as infants are to look to those waters when they come to faith — the grace of Christ on display, God's kindness sealed upon them before they could understand it
The call is to improve upon baptism by striving to live holy lives in accordance with the grace given in Christ
39 min
April 19Messy History
Scripture: Daniel 11:1-20
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Exodus 3:13-15
Hymn — The God of Abraham Praise
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Faith — 1 Timothy 3:16
Scripture Reading — Luke 6:27-36
Hymn — More Love to Thee
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn of Preparation
Sermon
Hymn — Commit Now All Your Griefs
Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
Sermon Title: Messy History
Scripture: Daniel 11:1-20
I. The Who — Characters Involved in the Prophecy
A. Darius the Mede is most likely another name for Cyrus, the first great king of Persia
B. The fourth Persian king is Xerxes (Ahasuerus), known from the book of Esther
Esther 1 depicts Xerxes displaying his great riches, confirming the prophecy
His wealth and power exceed the previous Persian kings
C. The mighty king of verse 3 is Alexander the Great of Greece
His kingdom is broken at his sudden death (around age 32–34) and divided among four generals — north, south, east, and west
Previously depicted as a leopard in Daniel 7 for his swift conquests
D. Two of the four divisions receive primary focus
The North: Syria, ruled by the Seleucid Empire
The South: Egypt, ruled by the Ptolemaic Empire
Israel lies between them, making this tension central to the prophecy's ultimate aim
II. The What — Events Described in the Prophecy
A. Verses 5–12: Dominance of the South (Ptolemaic Egypt)
Ptolemy II gives his daughter Berenice in marriage to the Seleucid king Antiochus II in 250 BC, seeking a northern foothold
Antiochus II's spurned wife Laodice is set aside, then restored after Ptolemy II dies; she poisons Antiochus II and murders Berenice and her son
Berenice's brother, Ptolemy III, retaliates — invades the north, captures Laodice, and executes her (verse 7)
Continued wars result in repeated Ptolemaic victories, including a battle where the Seleucids lose 17,000 men
B. Verses 13–16: The Rise of Antiochus III and Seleucid Success
Antiochus III builds a massive army, defeats Ptolemaic forces in Phoenicia and Palestine
By 198 BC, Israel (the "glorious land," verse 16) passes from Ptolemaic to Seleucid control — a pivotal shift setting the stage for later events
C. Verses 17–20: Seleucid Overreach and Decline
Antiochus III betroths his daughter Cleopatra (not the later Cleopatra) to Ptolemy V, attempting the same strategy in reverse; she sides with Egypt instead
Antiochus III campaigns against Mediterranean coastlands; Rome warns him not to enter Greece — he ignores the warning, is defeated, and the Seleucid Empire becomes a Roman tributary
Forced to pay tribute, Antiochus III robs a temple of Zeus and is killed by its worshipers
His son Seleucus IV inherits the tribute obligation, sends his general Heliodorus to plunder the Jerusalem temple treasury; Heliodorus later poisons Seleucus IV — fulfilling verse 20: "within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle"
This passage (verses 1–20) serves as a primer for verse 21 onward, where Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the abomination of desolation come into view
III. The So What — Reflections for the Church
A. The God of the Hebrews declares the end from the beginning
Daniel writes in the mid-to-late 500s BC and describes events of the 200s–100s BC with intricate precision
Isaiah 46:9-10: "I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning"
This is one of Scripture's clearest demonstrations that Yahweh is the sovereign Lord of history — an anchor for faith in difficult days
B. Do not trust mortal kingdoms; trust the God who stands over them
A recurring pattern of but throughout the passage: every scheme is frustrated (verses 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Arranged marriages, military campaigns, and power grabs all fail
Only God's counsel stands — Isaiah 46:10: "My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose"
C. The people of God are often helpless victims of world power struggles
Israel is geographically squeezed between the Seleucids (north) and Ptolemies (south) — a vice closing in on the covenant people
Romans 8:28 applies not only to individual suffering but to all of human history — events in distant nations are being worked out for the good of those who love God
Ephesians 1:22: Christ is head over all things for the church — his sovereign rule over kingdoms and tribal disputes is ultimately for the glory of his body
D. The exile marks a decisive shift in redemptive history: the kingdom advances by the cross, not the sword
Before exile, Israel was a theocratic nation where God blessed military victory; that era effectively ended with the exile and never fully returned
After the exile, God's purposes for his people are carried out within pagan kingdoms and through suffering at pagan hands
1 Chronicles 22:8: David could not build God's house because he was a man of war who shed blood; Christ qualifies as the Davidic king who builds his house because his own blood is shed by his enemies
Peter's impulse to protect Jesus with a sword (cutting off the servant's ear) is rebuked — the kingdom comes not by sword but by cross
In every sphere of influence — marriage, family, work, church, neighborhood — believers are either bearing the sword in pride (serving kingdoms of this world) or bearing the cross in humility (serving the kingdom of God)
The kingdoms that bear the sword rise and fall; the cross-bearing church is the one against which the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18)
43 min
April 12How to Handle Suffering
Scripture: Daniel 10
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 99
Hymn — Glorify Thy Name
Prayer of Invocation
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 28:6-7
Scripture Reading — Luke 6:20-26
Hymn — Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit (The Beatitudes)
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Hymn — Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Sermon
Hymn — In the Cross of Christ I Glory
Benediction
Sermon Title: How to Handle Suffering
Scripture: Daniel 10
I. Be Confident in Prayer
A. Daniel mourns and fasts for three weeks (Daniel 10:2-3), suffering because of the reversal of Cyrus's edict to rebuild Jerusalem
Cyrus initially issued the edict in his first year (c. 538 BC) allowing Israel to return and rebuild
Enemies of Israel persuaded Cyrus to rescind the edict (Ezra 4), halting the rebuilding
Daniel's suffering reflects the seeming cruelty of a gift taken away
B. Daniel's prayer is one of humble seeking for understanding
The desire for understanding is a recurring theme throughout the chapter
Crying out "I don't understand" in suffering is not a failure of faith — even Christ on the cross cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
C. God answers Daniel's prayer from the very first day (Daniel 10:12)
"I have come because of your words" — God answers prayer
Daniel is called "man greatly loved" (Daniel 10:11, 10:19)
John 16:26-27 — the Father himself loves you and hears your prayers
Psalm 86:7 — "In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me"
D. Application: In suffering, be confident that the God who loves you hears and answers prayer
II. Be Confident in Christ
A. The mysterious figure of Daniel 10:5-6 is the pre-incarnate Son of God
Church fathers, Reformers, and scholars identify this figure as the glorified Christ
The description closely parallels John's vision of Christ in Revelation 1:13-15
B. The figure connects to earlier imagery in Daniel
In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar's statue depicts four kingdoms in different metals; the small stone crushes it
Here the glorified figure consolidates all majesty into one king — the small stone now in glorified form
The fourth beast of Daniel 7 spoke great words; this figure's voice is like the sound of a multitude
C. Daniel's and John's responses to the vision are nearly identical
Both fall prostrate, lose strength, and are breathless before the Lord of glory
Both are touched and addressed: "Man greatly loved, fear not" (Daniel 10:19); "Fear not, I am the first and the last" (Revelation 1:17)
Both receive the vision in the midst of intense suffering — Daniel under national crisis, John exiled on Patmos
D. The fear of God is a comforting doctrine for the suffering believer
Matthew 10:28 — fear him who has the keys of death and Hades, not those who can only harm the body
The most fearful and dreadful being in the universe is for you in Christ — this is the ground of comfort
Challenge: Read Revelation focusing on the descriptions of the glorified Christ rather than prophetic chronology
III. Be Confident in Heaven
A. The princes of Daniel 10:13 and 10:20 represent angelic beings engaged in heavenly warfare
The prince of Persia and prince of Greece are evil angels serving Satan
Michael is the chief prince serving the pre-incarnate Christ
This describes a literal battle in the heavenly realm correlating to earthly events
B. The suffering of God's people will be ongoing — victory over Persia gives way to the battle against Greece
Antiochus Epiphanes and the Seleucid Empire will bring the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11)
Yet the "book of truth" (Daniel 10:21) assures Daniel that God is sovereignly writing history
C. The heavenly battle is already being won
Revelation 12:7 — Michael and his angels defeat the dragon; Satan is cast down
Revelation's events are primarily heavenly — it pulls back the curtain (apokalypsis) on the spiritual realm
Abraham Kuyper: "If once the curtain were pulled back…the fiercest battle fought on earth would seem by comparison a mere game. Not here, but up there."
D. The believer's true battle is spiritual, not earthly
Ephesians 6:12 — our battle is against rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers in heavenly places
Colossians 2:15 — at the cross Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities, triumphing over them
The weapon in this battle is not therapy or self-help but the gospel of the cross of Christ
E. Application: In suffering, pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," trusting the conquering Christ who was slain but now lives and wins the victory for his saints — fear not, you are greatly loved
39 min
April 12"The Sacraments"
Scripture: Exodus 20:22-24
Order of Service
Call to Worship — Psalm 45:6-17
Hymn — My Heart Is Overflowing (#45B)
Prayer of Invocation
Catechism Reading — Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day on the Second Petition
Hymn — I Lift My Eyes Up (#121B)
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Hymn — The Lord's My Shepherd (#23A)
Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
Sermon Title: The Sacraments — Sign, Seal, and Spiritual Grace
Scripture: Exodus 20:22-24
I. The Sacraments Are a Sign
A. Scripture uses signs throughout redemptive history as meaningful, covenantally loaded markers.
Lights in the heavens as signs — Genesis 1:14
The rainbow as the sign of the Noahic covenant — Genesis 9:12-13
Circumcision as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant — Genesis 17:11
Baptism as a sign of union with Christ in his death and resurrection — Romans 6:3-4
Bread and wine as signs of the body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper
B. A sign is not a bare piece of information — it carries the word of God bound up in it.
Illustration: a stop sign has no intrinsic power, but the law of the land is bound to it; to honor it is to obey; to disregard it brings penalty
In the same way, God's covenant word is bound to the sacramental signs; to receive them in faith brings blessing; to disregard or abuse them brings judgment
1 Corinthians 11:27-29 — eating and drinking the Lord's Supper unworthily is to eat and drink judgment
The waters of Noah's flood illustrate two baptisms: blessing for those in the ark, curse for those outside — 1 Peter 3:20-21
John the Baptist declares Christ will baptize with the Spirit and with fire — blessing and curse are two sides of the same covenantal coin
C. Modern evangelicalism has largely lost a serious understanding of the significance of the sacraments; they must be approached with reverence and faith, not treated as light or casual observances.
II. The Sacraments Are a Seal
A. The distinction between sign and seal: the sign pictures the things signified; the seal actually does something — it confirms and solidifies God's word of promise to the heart of the believer.
B. Romans 4:11 — Abraham received circumcision as a seal of the righteousness he had by faith; it is not a seal of the individual's faith but a seal of God's word of promise, received by faith.
C. The Reformed position stands between two errors:
Rome: everything saving is in the sacrament itself (ex opere operato)
Anabaptists: the sacrament is merely a memorial with no real sealing power
The Reformed/biblical balance: the sacrament truly represents and conveys what it promises when received in faith, because God has bound his word to it — illustrated by a check that genuinely represents and can be cashed for real money
D. The rainbow illustrates the sealing function: given precisely when the promise of no future flood seems threatened, it seals and confirms the Noahic covenant to Noah's heart — Genesis 9:14-15
E. Acts 2:38-39 — baptism, like circumcision, is a seal of God's covenant promise to believers and their children, to be received by faith as Abraham received circumcision.
F. The "word versus sacrament" dichotomy common in evangelicalism is self-contradictory: the sacraments are designed to enhance, confirm, and seal the word; to be word-centered is to embrace the sacraments as seals of the covenant promise in Christ.
III. The Sacraments Are Spiritual
A. A right understanding of the sacraments begins with the foundational truth that God is a spirit with no body; nothing material can contain him — yet he is pleased to condescend and meet his people through material, physical means he himself appoints.
B. The second commandment forbids man-made images not because God cannot use material means, but because God alone sovereignly determines how he condescends and meets with his people — Exodus 20:22-24
God reveals himself through his word spoken from heaven
Therefore no gold or silver images are to represent him
Yet he himself appoints an earthen altar as the place where he causes his name to be remembered and promises to come and bless his people
C. The language of Exodus 20:24 ("wherever I cause my name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you") directly parallels Christ's institution of the Lord's Supper ("do this in remembrance of me") — the God who is uncontainable spirit meets his people covenantally through divinely appointed ordinances.
D. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 — Paul identifies the physical manna and the physical water from the rock as the same spiritual food and drink, because the spiritual rock was Christ; there is a real spiritual presence of Christ conveyed through the physical elements God covenantally appoints.
E. False alternatives that arise when this is misunderstood:
Asceticism — denying the material world to attain God
Legalism — adding extra rules to secure access to God
The sacraments correct both errors: the God who is pure spirit meets us through his ordained, physical signs and seals in and through the incarnate Son
F. Summary: the sacraments are not idolatry (man containing God in man's way) but are God's own appointed means of meeting man in God's way; receiving them by faith is receiving Christ, because the gospel is signified, sealed, and spiritually applied to the soul through their rightful use.
36 min

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

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