Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • What are you reading?

    Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

    Order of Service
    • Preparation for Worship — Psalm 51:6
    • Call to Worship — 1 Chronicles 16:8-13
    • Hymn of Praise
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 49 (Second Commandment)
    • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 28:1-25
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Hymn
    • Sermon
    • Hymn
    • Benediction
      • Sermon Title: What Are You Reading

      Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

      I. The Example of God's Word

      A. Paul instructs Timothy to continue in what he has learned, grounded in confidence tied to those who taught him — 2 Timothy 3:14

      B. Three teachers shaped Timothy's faith

      1. The apostle Paul, Timothy's role model (see last week's sermon on 2 Timothy 3:10-13)
      2. Timothy's mother Eunice and grandmother Lois, introduced in 2 Timothy 1:5
      3. Timothy's father was a Gentile unbeliever; Paul circumcised Timothy in Acts 16 to remove obstacles among Jewish audiences
      4. Paul may have had Timothy's home in mind when writing 1 Corinthians 7:13-14 — the believing spouse sanctifies the household

        5. C. The faith of Eunice and Lois was sincere — meaning without hypocrisy (2 Timothy 1:5)

        1. They did not merely go through religious motions; they believed and lived what they taught
        2. Hypocrisy in parents — teaching God's Word while contradicting it in life — has been the ruin of countless children
        3. Timothy stood firm because his mother and grandmother exemplified God's Word

          4. D. Application for parents and believers

          1. Are you diligently teaching your children God's Word?
          2. Are you seeking to live it out before their eyes?
          3. The goal: that those you teach will one day say not only "I thank God I was taught God's Word" but "I thank God for who taught me"
            4. II. The Effects of God's Word

            A. 2 Timothy 3:16 — "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (theopneustos)

            1. This Greek word is found nowhere else in Scripture or in Greek literature prior to this letter — it is a uniquely Pauline, uniquely Christian word
            2. No existing term was sufficient to capture the supernatural reality of inspired Scripture
            3. Scripture is the visible mark of God's invisible breath — just as a breath on a cold window leaves a visible mark

              4. B. The language of "God-breathed" echoes creation

              1. God breathed into Adam's nostrils and he became a living creature
              2. Scripture, as the object of God's breath, is a living, breathing, active word — Hebrews 4:12
              3. The pneuma connection: the Spirit's work, like the wind in John 3:8, is invisible but its effects are visible

                4. C. Because all Scripture is of divine origin, it is profitable for every facet of life

                1. Teaching — positive instruction in true doctrine
                2. Reproof — rebuking false doctrine (two sides of the same coin)
                3. Correction — restoring moral failures; steering back from the broad path to the narrow
                4. Training in righteousness — guiding how to walk in the narrow path

                  5. D. The proper end effect is holiness — completeness and wholeness before a holy God

                  1. Total depravity means sin reigns over every faculty of our nature
                  2. The regenerated Christian, brought before God's Word, can have every faculty directed toward holiness
                  3. God calls us to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16) and gives us the mark of His holy breath to show us how

                    4. E. The corporate dimension must not be missed

                    1. Timothy likely did not own a personal copy of the Old Testament — books were rare and expensive
                    2. Most first-century believers heard Scripture read publicly in the synagogue or gathered assembly
                    3. "The man of God" in verse 16 is singular and addressed directly to Timothy as a minister
                    4. This passage calls the minister to publicly read and proclaim God's Word to His covenant people assembled for worship
                    5. This is not primarily an individualistic passage ("just me and my Bible") but a corporate one — we are called to gather with God's people to hear His Word authoritatively proclaimed
                      6. III. The End of God's Word

                      A. 2 Timothy 3:15 — the "sacred writings" Timothy knew from infancy are the Old Testament Scriptures, a recognized Jewish idiom from rabbinic Judaism

                      B. The Old Testament makes Timothy wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus

                      1. The Old Testament is the age of preparation; the New Testament is the age of fulfillment
                      2. Timothy's childhood acquaintance with the Old Testament prepared fertile soil for the gospel
                      3. Gordon Fee: "Salvation lies not in the scriptures themselves but only as they are properly understood to point to Jesus Christ"

                        4. C. Warning against a high view of Scripture paired with a low Christology

                        1. This contradiction is increasingly visible in conservative American evangelicalism
                        2. When the Bible is wielded primarily as a weapon against cultural or political opponents, it becomes an idol
                        3. A truly high view of Scripture necessarily produces a high and mature view of Christ — His person, His work, His offices as Prophet, Priest, and King

                          4. D. Application — How do you read your Bible?

                          1. Are you mining for proof texts to settle scores or legitimize anger?
                          2. Or are you reading as the Bereans did in Acts 17 — searching for Christ?
                          3. From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 we read with a Christ-centered hermeneutic — every passage finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ
                          4. Scripture is not meant to bring us to our knees before Scripture; it is meant to bring us to our knees before the Lord of lords and King of kings — the breathed-out Word made flesh
                            5. 30 min
                          5. Church Officer Ordination
                            Order of Service
                            • Call to Worship — Nehemiah 9:5-6
                            • Prayer of Invocation
                            • Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
                            • Prayer
                            • Sermon
                            • Hymn — All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
                            • Ordination Proceedings
                              • Statement on the Nature and Importance of Church Officers
                              • Ordination Vows
                              • Laying on of Hands with Prayer
                              • Declaration of Ordination
                              • Charge to the Officers
                              • Charge to the Congregation — Hebrews 13:17
                              • Hymn — The Church's One Foundation
                              • Benediction
                                • Sermon Title: Christ the Head Feeds His Body

                                Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

                                I. Christ the Head Feeds His Body Through His Word

                                A. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, three gifts are ranked: apostles, prophets, and teachers — all concerned with the preaching and teaching of God's Word

                                1. Apostles were witnesses of the resurrected Christ commissioned to proclaim the gospel
                                2. Prophets were called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ
                                3. Teachers were gifted men for teaching God's Word

                                  4. B. The remaining gifts (miracles, healing, tongues, etc.) serve the proclamation of the Word, not the reverse

                                  1. Sinclair Ferguson: "The ministry of God's revelatory word is central to the use of all other gifts — it stabilizes and nourishes them"
                                  2. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the cornerstone — Ephesians 2:20

                                    3. C. The "higher gifts" of 1 Corinthians 12:31 are those that make the Word of God clear

                                    1. 1 Corinthians 14:5 identifies prophecy as greater than tongues because it builds up the church
                                    2. The Greek word for "greater" in 1 Corinthians 14:5 is the same word translated "higher" in 1 Corinthians 12:31
                                      3. II. Christ the Head Feeds His Body Through His Officers

                                      A. The ranked gifts (apostles, prophets, teachers) are offices, unlike the miscellaneous gifts others possess

                                      1. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 show that these offices give way after the apostolic age to elders and deacons

                                        2. B. Paul's example in Acts 14:19-23 demonstrates that apostolic work is not complete until officers are appointed in every church

                                        1. After being stoned in Lystra and surviving, Paul did not rely on the inspiration of his example alone
                                        2. He appointed elders in every church before departing

                                          3. C. Titus 1:5 — the church is put in order by appointing officers within it

                                          1. Tonight is a special occasion not only for Drew and Chuck but for the entire congregation, because Christ feeds every member through his ordained officers
                                            2. III. Christ the Head Feeds His Body Through His Members

                                            A. 1 Corinthians 12:27 — "You are the body of Christ and individually members of it"; the plural "you" is deliberate

                                            1. The Corinthian church had elevated the gift of tongues, creating a spiritual elite — the haves and have-nots
                                            2. Paul lists tongues last, directly countering the Corinthian tendency to rank it first

                                              3. B. The rhetorical questions in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30 expose the Corinthians' individualism

                                              1. They had formed sub-groups within the body, each defined by a particular gift
                                              2. Gifts are given to build up the one body, not individual groups or persons

                                                3. C. The "still more excellent way" of 1 Corinthians 12:31 flows naturally into 1 Corinthians 13 — the way of agape love

                                                1. Agape is a duty-bound, covenantal, selfless love regardless of attraction, shared interests, or feeling
                                                2. This is Christ's own love, poured into his members by his Spirit
                                                3. Through this love Christ feeds and nourishes his bride, preparing her to be presented holy and without blemish before him — Ephesians 5:25-28
                                                  4. 20 min
                                                4. October 11, 2020; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                  Scripture: Proverbs 1:8-19

                                                  Order of Service
                                                  • Call to Worship — Exodus 15:1-2, 11
                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                  • Sermon
                                                  • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                    • Sermon Title: Two Ways — Wisdom and Foolishness

                                                    Scripture: Proverbs 1:8-19

                                                    I. The Two Ways Introduced

                                                    A. The passage follows immediately from the preamble of Proverbs 1:1-7, which ends with the declaration that the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge

                                                    B. Verse 8 shows how that fear of Yahweh is realized — through the instruction of father and mother

                                                    1. The fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12) functioned in ancient Hebrew thought as a transitional commandment between the two tables of the law, linking love of God and love of neighbor
                                                    2. Obedience to parents was understood as obedience to Yahweh himself
                                                      3. C. Unlike Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Babylonian wisdom literature, Hebrew wisdom uniquely includes both father and mother as instructors in the home
                                                      D. Sunday school teachers aid parents but do not replace them; Deuteronomy 6 calls parents to be the primary instructors of their children in the fear of the Lord
                                                      E. The passage sets out two ways: the way of wisdom (Proverbs 1:8-9) and the way of the fool (Proverbs 1:10-19)
                                                      II. First Contrast — Mindfulness Versus Mindlessness

                                                      A. The wise way is characterized by mindfulness

                                                      1. The Hebrew words for "hear" and "forsake not" in verse 8 activate the student's mind, shaping it under godly instruction
                                                      2. The prize of the wise is not material gain but wisdom itself — knowledge of God, his word, and his world (cf. Calvin on the knowledge of God and knowledge of self)
                                                        3. B. The foolish way is characterized by mindlessness
                                                      3. Verse 11 describes ambushing the innocent "without cause" — the sinner does not live in concert with the cause-and-effect reality embedded in God's well-ordered creation
                                                      4. The metaphor of swallowing in verse 12 echoes the Canaanite god Mot, who swallowed his victims whole — the foolish way carries a counterfeit religious overtone, mindless religion versus the mindful religion of Yahweh
                                                      5. The effect of mindless sin is death — the sinners ultimately lie in wait for their own blood (Proverbs 1:18-19)
                                                        6. C. The materialistic prize of the foolish way is fleeting
                                                      6. C.S. Lewis: everyone in hell is getting exactly what they lived for — separation from God
                                                      7. Psalm 115:4-8 — those who make idols become like them; we become what we worship (cf. G.K. Beale, We Become What We Worship)
                                                      8. Jesus: what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Matthew 16:26)
                                                        9. III. Second Contrast — Reality Versus Counterfeit

                                                        A. The foolish way offers alluring but counterfeit enticements

                                                        1. Daniel Estes: the temptation activates legitimate desires for adventure, independence, and friendship
                                                        2. Verse 14 — "throw in your lot among us, we will have one purse" — sin offers community and camaraderie, a counterfeit to the community of the church
                                                        3. Rosaria Butterfield's testimony illustrates how counterfeit communities can appear to offer richer fellowship than the church
                                                          4. B. Evil rarely presents itself as evil outright; it twists good desires
                                                        4. Every image-bearer retains God-given longings for friendship, security, and success, though twisted by sin
                                                        5. The foolish way promises to fulfill these desires through sin
                                                          6. C. True fulfillment of good desires is found only in Yahweh, the source of all good
                                                        6. Psalm 4:6-8 — David's security, safety, and joy are found in God alone, not in material abundance
                                                          7. IV. Third Contrast — Pleasantness Versus Unpleasantness

                                                          A. The way of wisdom is pleasant

                                                          1. Verse 9 — "a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck"; the word for graceful describes someone elegant and attractive
                                                          2. The wise way shines with grace and breathes pleasantness
                                                            3. B. The way of the fool is ugly and unpleasant
                                                          3. Verses 11-16 — blood, ambush, swallowing alive, plunder, and haste to shed blood; the foolish way is attractive only through the lure of material gain
                                                            4. C. The church must not allow the ugliness of the foolish way to strip away the graceful garland
                                                          4. A counterfeit subtlety: using harsh, graceless tones while claiming to speak for Christ allows the world's ugliness to invade the pleasant way
                                                          5. Proverbs 25:21-22 quoted in Romans 12:20 — respond to enemies not with ugliness but with grace, heaping burning coals upon their heads
                                                          6. The illustration of Cinderella's forgiveness of her stepmother captures how the pleasantness of wisdom disarms and exposes the ugliness of the foolish way
                                                            7. 33 min
                                                          7. Last Days Expectations

                                                            Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-9

                                                            Order of Service
                                                            • Call to Worship — Psalm 100
                                                            • Hymn
                                                            • Prayer of Invocation
                                                            • Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism (Ten Commandments)
                                                            • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 26
                                                            • Pastoral Prayer
                                                            • Offering
                                                            • Hymn
                                                            • Sermon
                                                            • Hymn
                                                            • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                              • Sermon Title: Last Days Expectations

                                                              Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-9

                                                              I. Expect Godless Love

                                                              (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

                                                              A. The last days were inaugurated by Christ's first advent — his death, resurrection, ascension, and coronation as King

                                                              1. The writer of Hebrews confirms this: Hebrews 1:1-2 — God has spoken in these last days by his Son
                                                              2. Both Paul and Peter call the church to be prepared for godlessness to run rampant inside and outside the church — 2 Peter 3:1-3

                                                                3. B. The catalogue of vices in verses 2–4 is bookended by misguided love

                                                                1. It begins with "lovers of self" and ends with "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"
                                                                2. All the vices flow from this root: wrong love produces unrighteousness
                                                                3. Jesus summarizes the law as love for God and love for neighbor — Matthew 22:37-40 — the arrows of our love must point upward and outward, not inward

                                                                  4. C. Verse 5 describes a formal, counterfeit godliness — the appearance of godliness while denying its power

                                                                  1. Like the Pharisees: whitewashed tombs, clean on the outside but empty within
                                                                  2. J.C. Ryle: formal Christians say all the right things but show no practical godliness — neither truthful, humble, kind, nor unselfish
                                                                  3. Formal godliness is a deceptive tool of the evil one — it allows a person to feel content without true heart change
                                                                  4. Self-examination: Are the arrows of your love a boomerang? Can you look back five years and see genuine heart change?
                                                                    5. II. Expect Godless Weakness

                                                                    (2 Timothy 3:6-7)

                                                                    A. Paul describes false teachers preying on specific vulnerable women in Ephesus — this is not a general statement about all women

                                                                    1. The likely context: young widows in their private quarters, visited by false teachers who wormed their way in as tutors and live-in guests
                                                                    2. These women are burdened by sin and various passions, always learning but never arriving at a knowledge of the truth
                                                                    3. Their false teaching parallels what Paul addressed in 1 Timothy 5 — young widows susceptible to error

                                                                      4. B. Proverbs categories: the "simple" — those with a weak moral foundation, easily swayed because they lack discernment

                                                                      1. If it looks good and the right people endorse it, they follow without questioning
                                                                      2. False teachers prey on the morally weak and spiritually undiscerning

                                                                        3. C. Application: We are not called to be weak believers

                                                                        1. We must build our moral and spiritual constitution through the Word and the ordinary means of grace
                                                                        2. We must know what we believe and why we believe it, so that discernment clicks on when false teaching appears
                                                                          3. III. Expect Godless Deception

                                                                          (2 Timothy 3:8-9)

                                                                          A. Paul invokes Jannes and Jambres — the magicians of Pharaoh's court who mimicked Moses' miracle (Exodus 7)

                                                                          1. Not named in the Old Testament, but the tradition is strong enough for Paul to cite in inspired Scripture
                                                                          2. They mimicked God-like power and kept people from the truth the miracles were meant to point to

                                                                            3. B. Last-days false teachers similarly mimic godliness, God-like power, God-like truth, and God-like salvation

                                                                            1. This appears in false religions, cults, and secular institutions alike — anything that says "I am your salvation"
                                                                            2. C.S. Lewis: the most oppressive tyranny is one sincerely exercised for the good of its victims — those who torment us for our own good do so with a clear conscience
                                                                            3. Paul's instruction: avoid such people — do not dabble, distance yourself

                                                                              4. C. The encouraging word of verse 9: their folly will be plain to all

                                                                              1. Paul gives no timetable — this is last-days language, not a promise of near-term exposure
                                                                              2. False teaching is Satan's last-ditch effort to thwart the eternal plan of God that finds its Yes and Amen in Christ
                                                                              3. God has fixed the day of judgment — Acts 17 — all false teachers will be exposed and condemned
                                                                              4. The valley of Jehoshaphat — Joel 3 — God will summon all nations to the valley of decision
                                                                              5. Christ's promise stands: the gates of hell shall never prevail against his church
                                                                                6. 30 min
                                                                              6. Drew Gunn

                                                                                Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5

                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                • Call to Worship — Isaiah 55:1-3
                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                  • Sermon Title: The Eternal Home That Awaits the Christian

                                                                                  Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1

                                                                                  I. The Earthly House: Our Frail and Temporary Bodies

                                                                                  A. Paul's use of "for we know" reflects genuine shared conviction with the Corinthians, rooted in his year and a half living and working among them (Acts 18:1-11)

                                                                                  B. Paul was a tentmaker by trade, dwelling with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2-3); the tent illustration was not lost on his audience

                                                                                  C. The body as an earthly, dusty dwelling — a house of clay

                                                                                  1. Adam formed from the dust of the ground — the body is earthy and perishable
                                                                                  2. Eliphaz in Job 4:19 acknowledges humanity as creatures dwelling in "houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust"

                                                                                    3. D. The tent as a picture of the Christian life

                                                                                    1. Tents are temporary, uncomfortable, and exposed to the elements
                                                                                    2. Israel wandered through the wilderness in tents, following the pillar of cloud and fire — a picture of the pilgrim life
                                                                                    3. The Christian is an alien and stranger in a dying world, sojourning not back to Sinai but onward to Zion
                                                                                      4. II. The Building from God: The Eternal Heavenly Dwelling

                                                                                      A. Two points of relief for the Christian in 2 Corinthians 5:1

                                                                                      1. The earthly house may not be destroyed — the Christian may live to see Christ's return
                                                                                      2. If the body is destroyed, the believer immediately goes to dwell with God in the eternal heavenly house

                                                                                        3. B. The eternal dwelling is a real place prepared by Christ

                                                                                        1. John 14:1-4 — "In my Father's house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you"
                                                                                        2. Heaven is not merely a location but is bound up in the person of Christ himself — to be with Christ is heaven

                                                                                          3. C. Christ himself is the building not made with hands

                                                                                          1. John 2:18-21 — Jesus declared his body to be the true temple; destroy it and in three days he would raise it up
                                                                                          2. Mark 14:53-61 — False witnesses accused Jesus of claiming he would destroy the temple made with hands and build another without hands
                                                                                          3. By his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus did in principle destroy the temple made with hands — the curtain was torn, the sacrificial system abolished
                                                                                          4. His body was broken, his blood shed, his soul crushed under the wrath of God in the place of sinners — the fulfillment of every animal sacrifice since the fall
                                                                                            5. III. The Gospel Application: Heaven Is Where Christ Is

                                                                                            A. Heaven is heaven because God is there; heaven is heaven because Christ is there

                                                                                            B. The believer's reward is Christ himself

                                                                                            1. To know Christ is to love him, follow him, and obey him
                                                                                            2. The Christian's eternal rest is, in the deepest sense, reclining upon the chest of Jesus as the beloved disciple

                                                                                              3. C. Call to the unconverted

                                                                                              1. Christ offers salvation to all who come to him this day — he will turn away none
                                                                                              2. Christ has paid it all; there is room in his house for every man, woman, and child who turns to him in repentance and faith
                                                                                                3. 46 min
                                                                                              3. God's People Are Blessed

                                                                                                Scripture: Psalm 128

                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 117
                                                                                                • Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
                                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                • Confession of Faith — Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q. 42
                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 25:23–43
                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                • Benediction — Romans 16:25–27
                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: God's People Are Blessed

                                                                                                  Scripture: Psalm 128

                                                                                                  I. Our False Understanding of Blessedness

                                                                                                  A. The psalm's foundation: "Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord who walks in his ways" (Psalm 128:1)

                                                                                                  1. Calvin observed that very few people actually believe God's people are truly blessed in this present life
                                                                                                  2. The pandemic and this season of life have stripped away many things we thought made us happy and stable

                                                                                                    3. B. The root of our false understanding goes back to the Fall

                                                                                                    1. In Eden, Adam and Eve were given a world of blessing to cultivate and enjoy; God's covenant promised continued blessing if they walked in his ways
                                                                                                    2. The serpent tempted them to seek blessedness apart from God — to walk in their own ways rather than his
                                                                                                    3. Since the Fall, every person tends to seek fulfillment in created things (spouse, children, home, money, entertainment) rather than in God

                                                                                                      4. C. God's blessings are viewed most clearly and experienced most fully in suffering

                                                                                                      1. Even in Adam and Eve's despair after the Fall, God showed grace and promised that their descendant would crush the serpent (Genesis 3)
                                                                                                      2. God promised Abraham a multitude of children and a fruitful land — a shadow of the fuller blessings yet to come
                                                                                                      3. What truly drew Abraham and God's people was not the material blessings themselves but relationship with God — to be his people and for God to be their God
                                                                                                      4. J.I. Packer: "God doesn't allow us to stay with the idea that we are strong… My strength is made perfect in your weakness"
                                                                                                      5. The Israelites sang this very psalm of blessing even while in exile, when children were taken, labor was stolen, and long life was uncertain — showing that the blessings transcend circumstances
                                                                                                        6. II. Stepping Back into the Ways of God

                                                                                                        A. God leads his people back onto his path by his Spirit and grace

                                                                                                        1. He wants to know each one of us intimately and invites us to share our suffering with him
                                                                                                        2. Paul's testimony in Philippians 3:7–11: "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings"
                                                                                                        3. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10: "When I am weak, then I am strong" — in weakness, Christ's power rests upon us

                                                                                                          4. B. Fearing the Lord and walking in his ways is the path of blessing

                                                                                                          1. It means trusting God in suffering and being led by his Word
                                                                                                          2. It means receiving the preached Word, conversing with God in prayer, and engaging in the sacraments
                                                                                                          3. It means following Christ's example — laying down our lives for our neighbors as he laid down his life for us

                                                                                                            4. C. To fear God and walk in his ways, we must come to know God

                                                                                                            1. We know him through his Spirit as he opens his Word to us
                                                                                                            2. We are blessed by knowing that God sent his Son Jesus to die for us even before we loved him
                                                                                                            3. We receive a clean conscience before God, a hope that cannot be taken away even in death, and the assurance of Christ's presence by his Spirit in our suffering
                                                                                                            4. J.I. Packer: "There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God's favor to them in life, through death, and on forever"

                                                                                                              5. D. The benediction of the psalm (Psalm 128:5–6) is a prayer that God's people would be blessed in the fullest way possible in every area of life

                                                                                                              1. These blessings — fruitful work, strong family, prosperity, peace — are foretastes here and now of what God's people will experience in full in the new heavens and the new earth
                                                                                                              2. Even death itself will be overcome; God promises eternal life with him in resurrection bodies
                                                                                                                3. 33 min
                                                                                                              3. September 20, 2020; Sunday Morning Worship

                                                                                                                Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-28

                                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                                • Call to Worship — Psalm 113
                                                                                                                • Hymn
                                                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                • Confession of Faith — Belgic Confession, Article 1
                                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 25:1-22
                                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                • Hymn
                                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                                • Hymn
                                                                                                                • Benediction
                                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: Becoming an Honorable Vessel in God's House

                                                                                                                  Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:19-26

                                                                                                                  I. An Honorable Goal — Fleeing Youthful Passions and Pursuing Virtue

                                                                                                                  A. Context: Paul's exhortation follows his warning about false teachers such as Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:17-18), who bred quarrels and controversies in the church

                                                                                                                  B. "Youthful passions" in context refers not primarily to sexual lust but to the idealistic, argumentative zeal that breeds discord and disunity

                                                                                                                  1. Illustrated by the freshman college student who returns home and lectures parents, creating conflict at the dinner table
                                                                                                                  2. Paul warns that recent converts are especially susceptible to this — hence the qualification for elders in 1 Timothy 3

                                                                                                                    3. C. The goal of correction is not to win arguments but to win hearts and minds for Christ

                                                                                                                    1. The Lord's servant must be kind, able to teach, and patient — not merely doctrinally correct but presenting truth with maturity and gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24-25)
                                                                                                                    2. Personal illustration: early in embracing the Reformed faith, winning a debate but losing the room — "I like what you're saying, I just don't like the way you're saying it"

                                                                                                                      3. D. The purpose of gentle correction is repentance and knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25)

                                                                                                                      II. Honorable Influences — Surrounding Ourselves with Godly People

                                                                                                                      A. Paul commands Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22)

                                                                                                                      B. The company we keep shapes our character

                                                                                                                      1. 1 Corinthians 15:33 — "Bad company corrupts good character"; conversely, good company bolsters good character
                                                                                                                      2. Social media algorithms feed us more of ourselves, catering to base desires — the opposite of what the Christian life requires
                                                                                                                      3. The rise of social media has coincided with skyrocketing suicide rates, demonstrating that more of "self" is not the answer

                                                                                                                        4. C. We need the body of Christ — men and women more wise, godly, and righteous than ourselves

                                                                                                                        1. Personal illustration: a conversation with missionary Bill Schweitzer serving in England left a sense of conviction and the desire to be a more faithful servant
                                                                                                                        2. We should strive to be people who make others want to be more honorable vessels for their Master
                                                                                                                          3. III. An Honorable Perspective — Entrusting Souls to the God Who Grants Repentance

                                                                                                                          A. Repentance is a gift granted by God, not the result of human argument or persuasion (2 Timothy 2:25)

                                                                                                                          1. Ezekiel 36:26-27 — God promises to remove the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh, causing his people to walk in his statutes
                                                                                                                          2. Thomas Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance: "Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed"
                                                                                                                          3. The Westminster Confession describes repentance as an evangelical grace — God's action by his Spirit in the heart of man

                                                                                                                            4. B. The logic of Paul's exhortation: be gentle and patient because God may grant repentance to those being corrected (2 Timothy 2:25)

                                                                                                                            1. Impatience in correction stems from placing the burden of repentance on ourselves and our arguments rather than on God
                                                                                                                            2. When we do this, the unbeliever becomes an object of our pride rather than our love

                                                                                                                              3. C. Paul himself is the supreme example of God's sovereign patience in granting repentance

                                                                                                                              1. Paul persecuted and approved the murder of Christians, yet God granted him repentance
                                                                                                                              2. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 — "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost… so that in me… Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example"
                                                                                                                              3. John Newton: "I am not the man I ought to be… but by the grace of God I am not the man I used to be"

                                                                                                                                4. D. We are to practice the same long-suffering patience toward family, friends, and neighbors — entrusting them to the God of Micah 7:18, who delights in steadfast love

                                                                                                                                34 min
                                                                                                                              4. September 20, 2020; Sunday Evening Worship

                                                                                                                                Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

                                                                                                                                Order of Service
                                                                                                                                • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                • Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:1-7
                                                                                                                                • Sermon
                                                                                                                                • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                  • Sermon Title: The Fear of the Lord and the Beginning of Wisdom

                                                                                                                                  Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

                                                                                                                                  I. Wisdom Is for All People

                                                                                                                                  A. The preamble (Proverbs 1:1-7) introduces the aim and purpose of the entire book: to teach wisdom

                                                                                                                                  B. Unlike other ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, Proverbs has no specific addressee

                                                                                                                                  1. Egyptian and Babylonian wisdom texts were typically written by a king to his son and heir, addressing a specific person and vocation
                                                                                                                                  2. The absence of an addressee signals that Proverbs is a universal book of wisdom for all people
                                                                                                                                    3. C. Proverbs teaches not only personal wisdom but social and relational wisdom — how to live well with all people in community
                                                                                                                                  3. The word "justice" in verse 3 concerns treatment of others in society, especially the poor, the widow, and the downtrodden
                                                                                                                                  4. A recurring theme throughout Proverbs is the wise use of the tongue in social situations
                                                                                                                                  5. Intellectual ability without social wisdom leads to failure; a life well lived requires both
                                                                                                                                    6. II. Wisdom Is for Sinners

                                                                                                                                    A. The aim of the book (Proverbs 1:4) is to give prudence to the simple and knowledge to the youth — both categories marked by ignorance

                                                                                                                                    1. The "youth" lack wisdom through inexperience
                                                                                                                                    2. The "simple" lack a moral foundation and are easily led astray by the crowd
                                                                                                                                      3. B. Wisdom is given to those who do not naturally possess it — to sinners, not merely to the already impressive or mature
                                                                                                                                      C. The church must resist investing only in those who seem impressive and influential; we are called to move toward the weak and simple
                                                                                                                                    3. 1 Corinthians 12:21-26 — the weaker, less honorable members of the body are to receive greater honor and care
                                                                                                                                    4. Paul's model is the opposite of the church's common tendency: invest in the simple and the immature so that they may gain wisdom
                                                                                                                                      5. III. Wisdom Is for Thinkers

                                                                                                                                      A. The verb "understand" appears three times in the preamble (Proverbs 1:2, 1:5, 1:6), carrying the sense of owning a topic thoroughly — knowing it inside and out

                                                                                                                                      1. Bruce Waltke describes the Hebrew word as "acquiring and possessing the object that is being studied"
                                                                                                                                      2. This is not trivia-night knowledge but understanding that is applied to life and shapes how one lives
                                                                                                                                        3. B. Verse 6 highlights riddles as a literary vehicle for wisdom, requiring active mental engagement
                                                                                                                                      3. Proverbs 26:4-5 — "Answer not a fool…answer a fool" is a riddle designed to provoke thought, not provide an easy answer
                                                                                                                                      4. The Bible does not always give simple, direct answers; it calls us to sweat over the text
                                                                                                                                        5. C. Wisdom demands thinking Christians, in contrast to the over-pragmatic approach of much of contemporary Christianity
                                                                                                                                      5. Many churches reduce the Bible to painless, simplistic takeaways and keep people in spiritual immaturity
                                                                                                                                      6. Christ himself modeled rigorous engagement with Scripture — in Mark 12, Jesus proved the resurrection from the present tense of "I am" in the words spoken to Moses, expecting careful exegetical thought from his hearers
                                                                                                                                      7. Reformed theology stands in this tradition of careful, rigorous thinking through Scripture
                                                                                                                                        8. IV. Wisdom Is for Worshipers

                                                                                                                                        A. Proverbs 1:7 — "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction"

                                                                                                                                        1. Right knowledge flows out of right worship — not the reverse
                                                                                                                                        2. Knowledge is not a ladder climbed until one eventually arrives at God; God must be presupposed at the beginning
                                                                                                                                          3. B. The preamble to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 establishes the same principle: "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of bondage in Egypt — therefore live uprightly"
                                                                                                                                        3. Moral uprightness does not lead to God; redemption by God precedes and grounds obedience to his law
                                                                                                                                          4. C. Brilliant empirical reasoning apart from the fear of the LORD cannot arrive at true knowledge of God
                                                                                                                                        4. Philosopher and scientist David Berlinski was able to dismantle Darwinian evolution with precise scientific reasoning, yet remained a self-described agnostic
                                                                                                                                        5. According to Proverbs, all his brilliance did not constitute true wisdom, because he lacked the fear of the LORD
                                                                                                                                          6. D. All study of Scripture and the world, apart from the grace of God transforming the heart and bringing one to worship, is ultimately a fool's errand
                                                                                                                                        6. We are commanded to think deeply through Proverbs and all of Scripture
                                                                                                                                        7. But unless God's grace bows the heart in worship before him, all such study will fall short of true wisdom
                                                                                                                                          8. 28 min
                                                                                                                                        8. Introduction to Proverbs

                                                                                                                                          Scripture: Proverbs 1-9

                                                                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                            • Sermon Title: Introduction to Proverbs

                                                                                                                                            Scripture: Proverbs 1–9

                                                                                                                                            I. Why Study Proverbs 1–9 as a Distinct Unit

                                                                                                                                            A. Chapters 1–9 form a distinct literary unit, contrasting with chapters 10–31

                                                                                                                                            1. Extended discourses in chapters 1–9 vs. short, pithy sayings in chapters 10–31
                                                                                                                                            2. Chapters 1–9 are more explicitly theological and serve as an extended prologue

                                                                                                                                              3. B. Chapters 1–9 establish the theological worldview the reader carries into the rest of the book

                                                                                                                                              II. Background: Solomon, Israel, and Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom

                                                                                                                                              A. King Solomon, son of David, is the primary author of Proverbs

                                                                                                                                              B. Israel's involvement in international affairs meant exposure to Egyptian and Mesopotamian wisdom literature

                                                                                                                                              1. Parallels exist between biblical wisdom and ancient Near Eastern texts
                                                                                                                                              2. This does not threaten the inerrancy or infallibility of Scripture

                                                                                                                                                3. C. Biblical writers were not shy about incorporating truths from pagan sources

                                                                                                                                                1. Acts 17:28 — Paul quotes pagan poets (Epimenides of Crete and Aratus) and applies their true statements to the one true God
                                                                                                                                                2. Any true proposition, wherever found, is ultimately God's truth
                                                                                                                                                  3. III. Four Primary Characteristics of Proverbs 1–9

                                                                                                                                                  A. The Fear of Yahweh

                                                                                                                                                  1. Proverbs 1–9 is bookended by "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom/knowledge" — forming a Hebrew inclusio
                                                                                                                                                  2. Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10
                                                                                                                                                  3. What distinguishes Hebrew wisdom from all other wisdom: Yahweh owns and is the source of wisdom
                                                                                                                                                  4. In Egyptian wisdom, wisdom was a static, practical reality; Hebrew wisdom is fundamentally religious — tied to right worship of Yahweh
                                                                                                                                                  5. Even unbelieving image-bearers swim in God's well-ordered universe and arrive at true insights, but without bowing to Yahweh they remain fools

                                                                                                                                                    6. B. Wisdom (hokmah)

                                                                                                                                                    1. The Hebrew word hokmah means "skillful" — specifically, skill in living in accordance with the well-ordered universe Yahweh created
                                                                                                                                                    2. Wisdom is everywhere in creation, even in small creatures — e.g., the ant of Proverbs 6
                                                                                                                                                    3. Much of wisdom consists in recognizing cause-and-effect relationships within God's ordered universe and living accordingly
                                                                                                                                                    4. Proverbs 4:5–7 — "Get wisdom; get insight"
                                                                                                                                                    5. Proverbs 8:11 — wisdom is better than jewels
                                                                                                                                                    6. Wisdom is available to all people regardless of social class or ethnicity — we live in the school of God's wisdom

                                                                                                                                                      7. C. Righteousness

                                                                                                                                                      1. What distinguishes Hebrew wisdom from Egyptian and Mesopotamian wisdom is its moral dimension
                                                                                                                                                      2. The universe in Proverbs 1–9 is not merely well-ordered but morally ordered — it presupposes a Law and a Lawgiver
                                                                                                                                                      3. Wisdom is living in concert with the laws of the great Lawgiver
                                                                                                                                                      4. The bookend phrase uses "Yahweh" (the covenant God of law and statutes), not merely "Elohim" — wisdom is tied to covenant obedience

                                                                                                                                                        5. D. Teachability

                                                                                                                                                        1. Proverbs 1–9 features a recurring father-son framework: the son is the pupil, the father is the teacher
                                                                                                                                                        2. Unique to Israel: the mother is also named as teacher alongside the father — not attested in Egyptian or Babylonian parallels
                                                                                                                                                        3. Proverbs 1:8 — "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching"
                                                                                                                                                        4. Proverbs 6:20 — "keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching"
                                                                                                                                                        5. Deuteronomy 6:4–9 — the home is the primary place for passing on wisdom
                                                                                                                                                        6. Three types of people who reject instruction (Proverbs 1:22):
                                                                                                                                                          • The simple — lacking good sense, weak moral constitution
                                                                                                                                                          • The mocker — arrogantly ridicules sound teaching
                                                                                                                                                          • The fool — despises wisdom and discipline; settled in antagonism toward Yahweh's way
                                                                                                                                                          • The antithesis of wisdom: an immoral, arrogant fool who rejects sound teaching
                                                                                                                                                          • The wise person: an upright, humble individual constantly learning — from the ant on the ground to the Word of God
                                                                                                                                                            • 42 min
                                                                                                                                                          • Words Matter
                                                                                                                                                            Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                            • Call to Worship — Psalm 99
                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn — Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
                                                                                                                                                            • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                            • Confession of Sin — Psalm 51
                                                                                                                                                            • Assurance of Pardon — Psalm 51:17
                                                                                                                                                            • Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 24
                                                                                                                                                            • Sacrament of Baptism — Wyatt Johnson Gunn
                                                                                                                                                            • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn — Children of the Heavenly Father
                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                            • Hymn
                                                                                                                                                            • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                              • Sermon Title: Words Matter

                                                                                                                                                              Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-19

                                                                                                                                                              I. The Selfish Word — 2 Timothy 2:14-15

                                                                                                                                                              A. Timothy is to remind the congregation of the foundational gospel truths from 2 Timothy 2:8-13

                                                                                                                                                              1. These are old, timeless truths to be repeated — the preacher's task is to be as redundant as Scripture itself
                                                                                                                                                              2. B.B. Warfield: if preaching seems dull, the hearer must take heed how they hear

                                                                                                                                                                3. B. False teachers in Ephesus functioned like sophists — traveling speakers who wowed audiences with eloquence and novel philosophy

                                                                                                                                                                1. Their preaching sought the approval of men rather than God
                                                                                                                                                                2. The congregation bears responsibility to come prepared to be edified, not merely entertained

                                                                                                                                                                  3. C. The faithful preacher's calling is to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), not to hit home runs but to faithfully hit singles and doubles

                                                                                                                                                                  II. The Spreading Word — 2 Timothy 2:16-18

                                                                                                                                                                  A. Hymenaeus (previously excommunicated in 1 Timothy 1:20) and Philetus continue spreading false teaching despite discipline

                                                                                                                                                                  B. Their error: claiming the resurrection has already happened

                                                                                                                                                                  1. Rooted in Greek dualism — the material world is evil, the immaterial is good; the body is a prison house for the soul
                                                                                                                                                                  2. They mingled dualist philosophy with gospel language (dying and rising with Christ, living by the Spirit) to argue against a future bodily resurrection

                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. Paul's image: false teaching spreads like gangrene

                                                                                                                                                                    1. It begins small and seemingly innocent, but if left untreated it overtakes the whole body
                                                                                                                                                                    2. J. Gresham Machen: what begins as academic speculation eventually moves armies and pulls down empires
                                                                                                                                                                    3. R.C. Sproul, The Consequences of Ideas: ideas from the ivory tower inevitably reach the pews
                                                                                                                                                                    4. The church and her leaders are responsible to snuff out false teaching before it kills the body
                                                                                                                                                                      5. III. The Sanctifying Word — 2 Timothy 2:19

                                                                                                                                                                      A. Paul's encouragement to struggling Timothy: God's firm foundation stands — the Lord knows those who are his

                                                                                                                                                                      1. Timothy, like many faithful pastors, saw false teachers flourishing while faithful ministry seemed fruitless
                                                                                                                                                                      2. God told Elijah he had 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal; Christ promised the gates of hell will not prevail against the church

                                                                                                                                                                        3. B. The two quotes in verse 19 draw from Numbers 16

                                                                                                                                                                        1. First quote from Numbers 16:5: "The Lord will show who are his and who is holy"
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Second quote draws from Isaiah 26:13 and Numbers 16:26: depart from the tents of the wicked

                                                                                                                                                                          3. C. Korah's rebellion in Numbers 16 parallels the situation in 2 Timothy

                                                                                                                                                                          1. Korah challenged the God-given authority of Moses and Aaron, just as false teachers challenged the apostolic authority of Paul
                                                                                                                                                                          2. God's people in the wilderness were called to separate from false teachers and cling to true authority

                                                                                                                                                                            3. D. Application: the church is on a wilderness pilgrimage toward the kingdom of heaven

                                                                                                                                                                            1. We must not lend our ears to words that promote self or spread false teaching like gangrene
                                                                                                                                                                            2. We are to depart from such words and cling to the sanctifying word of God as rightly handled by faithful, duly ordained preachers and teachers
                                                                                                                                                                              3. 33 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.