Northpointe PCA Sermons

Northpointe PCA Sermons

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Northpointe PCA Sermons episodes

  • Advent in Isaiah: A Child Is Born

    Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

    Order of Service
    • Call to Worship — Luke 2:13-20
    • Hymn — Angels from the Realms of Glory
    • Prayer of Invocation
    • Prayer of Confession — from Psalm 38:1-4, 18, 21-22
    • Assurance of Pardon — Ephesians 1:7
    • Confession of Faith — Colossians 1:15-20
    • Scripture Reading — Luke 2:1-7
    • Pastoral Prayer
    • Offering
    • Prayer of Dedication
    • Hymn — O Come, All Ye Faithful
    • Sermon
    • Lord's Supper
    • Hymn — When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
    • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
      • Sermon Title: A Child Is Born — The Hope of Advent

      Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7

      I. Who the Child Is

      • A. The passage centers on the child himself — all emphasis in Isaiah 9:6 falls on his person before his work.

      • B. "A child is born" declares his full humanity.

        1. Born of a woman like any other baby — conceived, nourished in the womb, born in weakness.
        2. He must be fully human to fulfill Genesis 3:15 — the seed of the woman who crushes the serpent's head.
        3. He must share our nature to be a true "me too" — one who has experienced all the infirmities of fallen human life alongside us.

        4. C. "A son is given" declares his full deity.

          1. The term son carries the weight of Israel as God's son, the Davidic son whose kingdom is everlasting, the Messiah of Psalm 2, and the Son of Man of Daniel 7.
          2. The child born is the second person of the Trinity — very God of very God, of one substance with the Father.
          3. The incarnation means Emmanuel, God with us — do not let familiarity rob you of wonder at this truth.

          4. D. Together the two lines form the beginning of the doctrine of the incarnation: fully God and fully man.

            5. II. Who the Child Is For

            • A. The phrase "to us" appears twice in Isaiah 9:6, front-loading the identity of the recipients.

            • B. The gospel must be proclaimed to all people without distinction — Christ must be preached freely, lavishly, and generously to all.

            • C. Yet Christ is given to a definite people — his elect.

              1. If Christ were given for all without distinction, he would be secured for none; the burden of salvation would rest entirely on the sinner.
              2. John 1:12-13 — recipients are those who believe, born not of human will but of God.
              3. God set his eternal love on a people from the foundation of the world, gives them Christ, grants them new spiritual life, and calls them to faith.

              4. D. The personal application: Have you believed on Jesus? Are you trusting in the finished work of this child born to be Savior of sinners?

                5. III. What the Child Has Brought

                • A. The government shall be upon his shoulder — Christ the child is king, come to reign in the hearts of his people (Isaiah 9:6-7).

                • B. He is Wonderful.

                  1. This word stands alone as a noun heading the list of names, rousing attention to all that follows.
                  2. John Calvin notes Isaiah does not speak of Christ's mysterious essence but of his excellencies perceived by faith.
                  3. Do you find Christ wonderful — not merely a good moral teacher, but the altogether lovely, gentle, strong, and perfect one?

                  4. C. He is Counselor.

                    1. He is absolute, perfect wisdom, always knowing what to do, putting his wisdom to use for his people.
                    2. As prophet, he teaches and leads his people in the way of the Lord.
                    3. Will you go to him and his word for counsel in the many hardships and trials you face?

                    4. D. He is Everlasting Father.

                      1. This name does not confuse the persons of the Trinity; it speaks of Christ's relationship to his people, not his divine essence.
                      2. He is the fountainhead and author of his people's new life — a source that never runs dry.
                      3. Calvin: "When new terrors spring up suddenly, let us rely on that eternity of which he is with good reason called the Father."

                      4. E. He is Prince of Peace.

                        1. Sin makes us children of wrath, at odds with God — Christ comes to establish peace.
                        2. Romans 5:1 — justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
                        3. Because he is a mighty prince, this peace is never in question: "of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7).
                        4. Do not seek peace in self, success, good works, or another person — lasting peace with God is found in Christ alone.
                          5. 38 min
                        5. The Obedience of Faith Part Two

                          Scripture: Daniel 3:19-30

                          Order of Service
                          • Call to Worship — Isaiah 6:1-7
                          • Hymn — Holy, Holy, Holy
                          • Prayer of Invocation
                          • Confession of Sin
                          • Assurance of Pardon — Micah 7:18-19
                          • Scripture Reading — Luke 1:57-80
                          • Hymn — Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord
                          • Pastoral Prayer
                          • Offering
                          • Hymn — How Firm a Foundation
                          • Sermon
                          • Hymn — I Need Thee Every Hour
                          • Benediction
                          • Doxology
                            • Sermon Title: The Obedience of Faith Part Two

                            Scripture: Daniel 3:19-30

                            I. The Rage Against the Obedience of Faith

                            A. Nebuchadnezzar's fury is displayed in his response to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's refusal to bow

                            1. The Hebrew word for "expression" (image) in v. 19 echoes the theme of "image" running through Daniel 2 and Daniel 3 — from the dream-image, to the golden statue, now to Nebuchadnezzar's own changing face
                            2. The mutability of earthly kings contrasted with the immutable God whose kingdom cannot be destroyed

                              3. B. The furnace is heated seven times hotter; the executioners themselves are killed by the flames

                              1. This displays the self-destructive nature of prideful rage against God's people
                              2. Satan's fury at the cross is the supreme example: in crushing Christ, he crushed himself — the cross is Satan's suicide

                                3. C. The pattern of death-threat followed by vindication appears throughout Daniel

                                1. Daniel 1 — refusing the king's food leads to honor in the king's court
                                2. Daniel 2 — threat of death leads to Daniel's promotion after God reveals the dream
                                3. Faithful servants of the heavenly King prove to be the best citizens in the kingdoms of men
                                  4. II. The Resolve of the Obedience of Faith

                                  A. The silence of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego throughout their ordeal is instructive

                                  1. They speak only once — to make their stand before the king; everything else is resolute silence
                                  2. They do not cry out for mercy even as the executioners are killed before their eyes

                                    3. B. Resolve in faith means girding up for suffering, not merely hoping to avoid it

                                    1. 1 Peter 1:13 — "Gird up the loins of your mind" as you face suffering
                                    2. Abraham's three-day journey to Mount Moriah (Genesis 22) illustrates a long, resolute obedience — the writer of Hebrews notes he believed God could raise Isaac from the dead

                                      3. C. The foundation of their resolve is stated in v. 17: "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us"

                                      1. Bishop John Hooper, condemned under Mary Tudor, refused a pardon: "The death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet"
                                      2. John Bunyan, imprisoned for preaching the gospel, wrote Pilgrim's Progress in jail, likening separation from family to having bones pulled from flesh — yet resolved in faith

                                        3. D. The promise of Isaiah 43:2 belongs to those who pass through and walk through — not those who skirt around — the waters and fire

                                        1. The fourth man does not deliver them from outside the furnace; he is with them in it
                                        2. Matthew 16:25 — "Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"
                                          3. III. The Reward for the Obedience of Faith

                                          A. Nebuchadnezzar looks through the furnace window and sees not three men but four, the fourth like "a son of the gods"

                                          1. This is a pagan idiom but points to something supernatural and divine
                                          2. Most scholars throughout church history identify this figure as the pre-incarnate Son of God

                                            3. B. The case for the pre-incarnate Christ

                                            1. The description echoes Daniel 7:13 — "one like a son of man" coming with the clouds of heaven, who is the little stone of Daniel 2 that crushes all kingdoms
                                            2. The furnace likely used to forge Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue — now through that same window he sees not his image but the Son of God and his servants, unharmed
                                            3. Like the burning bush of Exodus 3, they burn but are not consumed — the unchangeable one and his servants unchanged, unscathed, without even the smell of smoke

                                              4. C. Nebuchadnezzar moves from executioner to confessor, calling their God "Most High"

                                              1. Parallels the centurion at the foot of the cross — Matthew 27:54 — who witnesses Christ's obedience in death and declares, "Truly this was the Son of God"
                                              2. The centurion sees the inverse: not a servant unharmed, but the Son of God bearing the full fire of God's wrath in our place

                                                3. D. The resurrection is God's concrete assurance that he will deliver his people through every fire

                                                1. The Son of God was consumed in the furnace of the Father's wrath so that his people never will be
                                                2. Those who in obedient faith walk through the fires become witnesses before the watching world that they are servants of God Most High
                                                  3. 32 min
                                                3. Obedience Under Fire

                                                  Scripture: Daniel 3:1-18

                                                  Order of Service
                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 138
                                                  • Hymn — Now Thank We All Our God
                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                  • Confession of Faith — Nicene Creed
                                                  • Scripture Reading — Luke 1:39–56
                                                  • Hymn — Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                  • Offering
                                                  • Hymn — Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
                                                  • Sermon
                                                  • Hymn — Trust and Obey
                                                  • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                  • Doxology
                                                    • Sermon Title: Obedience Under Fire

                                                    Scripture: Daniel 3:1–18

                                                    I. The Obedience of Faith Seen Through Reverent Worship

                                                    A. Nebuchadnezzar erects a golden image — 90 feet tall, 9 feet wide — on the plain of Dura, commanding all peoples to bow down or be cast into a burning fiery furnace

                                                    1. The image likely represents the Babylonian state/empire, echoing the head of gold from Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2
                                                    2. The verb "worship" appears 11 times and "serve" 5 times, driving home the central question: whom will you worship?

                                                      3. B. The mechanism of compliance is fear, not persuasion

                                                      1. The crowds bow not from theological conviction but from fear of death and loss
                                                      2. Satan's tactic in every age is the art of fear, not the art of persuasion

                                                        3. C. The governing principle: you become what you fear

                                                        1. What you fear dictates what you love and what you think — cf. Proverbs 1:7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
                                                        2. Matthew 10:28 — "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell"
                                                        3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could stand courageously because they had spent their days loving, praying to, and fearing the Lord — as Jesus himself modeled (Isaiah 11:3)
                                                        4. Faithfulness in small, daily things prepares us to stand before the Nebuchadnezzars of the world
                                                          5. II. The Obedience of Faith in the Face of Reasonable Worldliness

                                                          A. The temptation to accommodate is strong — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego held high positions in Babylon and had much to lose

                                                          1. Nebuchadnezzar's implicit appeal: be reasonable — just bend the knee; you don't even have to mean it
                                                          2. The classic politician's move: official position vs. personal position — "It's just business, not personal"

                                                            3. B. Common rationalizations Christians use to justify compromise

                                                            1. "God knows my heart" — treating public denial of God as inconsequential to private devotion
                                                            2. Illustration: a husband who speaks ill of his wife in private cannot credibly claim to love her; God sees how we treat his name in public
                                                            3. The notion of a "secret deal" with God — that he winks at our public unfaithfulness — contradicts the covenant he has made with us in the blood of his Son

                                                              4. C. James 4:4 — "Friendship with the world is enmity with God"

                                                              1. The cross teaches the converse: friendship with God is enmity with the world
                                                              2. Covenant fidelity looks unreasonable to the world, but it is the path to glory and where our salvation rests
                                                              3. We are called to stand for the One who has redeemed us, consistently displaying unreasonable faithfulness to a watching world
                                                                4. III. The Obedience of Faith to the Revealed Will of God

                                                                A. The "but if not" confession — Daniel 3:17–18

                                                                1. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… but if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods"
                                                                2. Historical parallel: at Dunkirk (1940), a British naval officer cabled London with just the three words but if not, signaling they would fight on but never surrender

                                                                  3. B. The distinction between God's hidden will and his revealed will

                                                                  1. Deuteronomy 29:29 — "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law"
                                                                  2. Whether God would physically deliver the three men was hidden; that they must not bow to idols was revealed
                                                                  3. James 2:18 and 2:26 — living faith is evidenced by works of obedience; faith apart from works is dead

                                                                    4. C. Two kinds of Christians: only if vs. but if not

                                                                    1. The only if Christian serves God conditionally — illustrated by Ted Turner, who abandoned faith when God did not answer his prayers for his dying sister
                                                                    2. Jesus in Gethsemane models the but if not posture — not "only if this cup passes" but "your revealed will be done"
                                                                    3. Our salvation depends on a but if not Savior; may we be but if not servants of the King
                                                                      4. 31 min
                                                                    4. Watch Your Tongue

                                                                      Scripture: James 3:1-12

                                                                      Order of Service
                                                                      • Call to Worship — Revelation 5:13
                                                                      • Hymn — Hallelujah, Praise the Lord (#113A)
                                                                      • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                      • Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 35 (Questions 96–98)
                                                                      • Hymn — The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended (#161)
                                                                      • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                      • Sermon
                                                                      • Hymn — O God, My Faithful God (#523)
                                                                      • Benediction
                                                                        • Sermon Title: Watch Your Tongue

                                                                        Scripture: James 3:1-12

                                                                        I. The Powerful Tongue

                                                                        A. James addresses teachers first because teaching is an act of sustained speech — those who speak much are more susceptible to sins of the tongue

                                                                        1. James 3:1 — not many should become teachers, for teachers face stricter judgment
                                                                        2. Proverbs 10:19 — when words are many, transgression is not lacking
                                                                        3. The current epidemic of spiritual abuse in evangelical churches illustrates the danger of the powerful tongue misused by those in authority

                                                                          4. B. The metaphors of the horse's bit and the ship's rudder (James 3:3-4) illustrate that a small instrument controls massive things

                                                                          C. Speech is a gift uniquely given to God's image-bearers

                                                                          1. God created the cosmos through the word of his power
                                                                          2. Adam's first demonstration of dominion over creation was naming the animals — an act of speech
                                                                          3. Proverbs 16:24 — gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body
                                                                          4. Matthew 12:36-37 — people will give account for every careless word on the day of judgment

                                                                            5. D. Our tongues have been redeemed by Christ and anointed by the Spirit; they are to be used for gracious, tender, loving speech

                                                                            II. The Uncontrollable Tongue

                                                                            A. James likens the tongue to a forest fire ignited by a small spark (James 3:5-6)

                                                                            1. The fire is "set on fire by hell" — the word gehenna, originally the Valley of Hinnom, a perpetually burning garbage dump outside Jerusalem, became shorthand for hell
                                                                            2. The devil, the liar from the beginning (John 8), is the spark that ignites the tongue of fallen man
                                                                            3. When the serpent deceived Adam and Eve with his tongue, he ignited the tongue of fallen mankind, unleashing a "world of unrighteousness"

                                                                              4. B. James 3:2 — the one who does not stumble in speech is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body

                                                                              1. Guarding the tongue — the smallest yet most powerful member — is the key to guarding the whole person
                                                                              2. If asked where to begin in pursuing godliness, James's answer is: start with the tongue

                                                                                3. C. James is not teaching perfectionism or works-righteousness, but showing that speech reveals the state of the heart

                                                                                1. Matthew 12:34 — out of the heart the mouth speaks
                                                                                2. The way a person speaks in public is a window into who they are in private
                                                                                  3. III. The Double Tongue

                                                                                  A. The double tongue flows out of a double heart and a double mind (cf. James 1:8; James 4)

                                                                                  1. Psalm 12:2 — everyone utters lies with flattering lips and a double heart
                                                                                  2. James's audience was Jewish Christians familiar with the berachot (blessings) — the 18 benedictions recited daily, including the phrase "the Holy One, blessed is he"
                                                                                  3. The "cursing" in view is not profanity but invoking destruction on another — wishing them dead

                                                                                    4. B. The stark contradiction: blessing God while cursing those made in the likeness of God (James 3:9-10)

                                                                                    1. These two things cannot coexist — James says they ought not to be so

                                                                                      2. C. Three illustrations from nature show that nature begets like nature (James 3:11-12)

                                                                                      1. A spring does not pour forth both fresh and bitter water
                                                                                      2. A fig tree does not bear olives; a grapevine does not produce figs
                                                                                      3. A salt pond does not yield fresh water
                                                                                      4. Cf. Matthew 7:18 — a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a diseased tree good fruit

                                                                                        5. D. The remedy for the wayward tongue is union with Christ the vine

                                                                                        1. John 15:5 — apart from Christ we can do nothing; abiding in him produces fruit
                                                                                        2. When we sin with the tongue, the first response should not be self-resolve but renewed confession and renewed abiding in Christ
                                                                                        3. William Bridge: the greatest remedy for a wayward tongue is to be in the company of Christ
                                                                                        4. Isaiah 9:6 — Christ is the Wonderful Counselor whose speech is beautiful and sweet; proximity to him shapes our speech to resemble his
                                                                                          5. 29 min
                                                                                        5. The Sovereign Lord of History

                                                                                          Scripture: Daniel 2:31-49

                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                          • Hymn — O Worship the King (#1)
                                                                                          • Call to Worship — 1 Peter 1:3-5
                                                                                          • Hymn — O Worship the King
                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                          • Confession of Sin
                                                                                          • Assurance of Pardon — 1 Peter 2:24
                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — Luke 1:26-38
                                                                                          • Hymn — Hallelujah, What a Savior
                                                                                          • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                          • Offering
                                                                                          • Hymn — God the Lord a King Remaineth
                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                          • Hymn — The Church's One Foundation
                                                                                          • Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21
                                                                                          • Gloria Patri
                                                                                            • Sermon Title: The Sovereign Lord of History

                                                                                            Scripture: Daniel 2:31-49

                                                                                            I. The Sovereign Lord and the Decline of Natural History

                                                                                            A. The four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar's dream represent a downward gradation

                                                                                            1. Gold = Babylon; Silver = Medo-Persia; Bronze = Greece; Iron = Rome
                                                                                            2. The progression moves from best to worst — not worst to best
                                                                                            3. Daniel 2:39 — each successive kingdom is described as inferior; the fourth is marked by division and internal strife

                                                                                              4. B. This vision is completely counter to the modern post-Enlightenment view of history (teleology)

                                                                                              1. Teleology teaches that history is on a steady incline of progress toward a utopian future (e.g., Marxism)
                                                                                              2. Scripture's view is degression, not progression — from gold to iron mixed with clay

                                                                                                3. C. The degression Scripture describes is primarily moral and ethical, not technological

                                                                                                1. Genesis 4 — in the wicked line of Cain, technological advancement (cities, arts, metallurgy) coincides with moral decay (Lamech glorying in murder)
                                                                                                2. Genesis 11 — the Tower of Babel combines massive industrial innovation with rebellion against God
                                                                                                3. Image-bearing qualities used as weapons of self-destruction; kingdoms come and go in this cycle
                                                                                                  4. II. The Sovereign Lord and the Incline of Supernatural History

                                                                                                  A. The fifth kingdom — the stone cut by no human hand — is entirely the work of God

                                                                                                  1. Daniel 2:34 — the stone is cut out without human hands
                                                                                                  2. Daniel 2:44 — God sets up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed
                                                                                                  3. This kingdom enters history through the virgin birth of Christ — supernatural intervention, not natural descent (Luke 1:26-38)

                                                                                                    4. B. God's kingdom begins small but grows to fill the earth

                                                                                                    1. Contrast: natural kingdoms decline from gold to iron and clay; God's kingdom grows from a small stone to a great mountain (Daniel 2:35)
                                                                                                    2. It begins as a mustard seed and blossoms into a fully grown tree
                                                                                                    3. Kingdom inaugurated during the fourth kingdom's reign (Rome) — Christ dies, resurrects, ascends, and is declared Lord (Acts 2; Matthew 28:18)

                                                                                                      4. C. The authority of all earthly rulers is derived from God alone

                                                                                                      1. Daniel 2:36-38 — Nebuchadnezzar's power was given to him by the God of heaven
                                                                                                      2. Jesus to Pilate: "You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11)
                                                                                                      3. Romans 13:1 — there is no authority except from God

                                                                                                        4. D. The carpenter's son, not the great Babylonian king, ends up on top

                                                                                                        1. Story of Julian the Apostate — the Christian's reply: the maker of the world is making a coffin for your emperor
                                                                                                        2. Dale Ralph Davis: "Jesus has a coffin for every empire and emperor"
                                                                                                          3. III. The Sovereign Lord and the Security of Church History

                                                                                                          A. Two contrasting perspectives on the dream: Nebuchadnezzar's and the Jewish exiles'

                                                                                                          1. Nebuchadnezzar was relieved and content — he was the head of gold; he asked no further questions about God or the future (Baldwin)
                                                                                                          2. The Jewish exiles in Babylon learned the Messiah's kingdom would not come for many generations — many would die in exile without seeing it fulfilled

                                                                                                            3. B. The security of citizens in the kingdom of this world vs. the kingdom of God

                                                                                                            1. Citizens of earthly kingdoms are secured by present comfort and power — "you had me at head of gold"
                                                                                                            2. Citizens of God's kingdom are secured by the sure word of God, not present circumstances

                                                                                                              3. C. The saints died in faith without receiving the promises

                                                                                                              1. Hebrews 11:13 — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all died in faith, seeing the promises from afar, acknowledging they were strangers and exiles on the earth
                                                                                                              2. Following Christ does not guarantee earthly comfort or survival — but it guarantees citizenship in the kingdom that lasts forever

                                                                                                                3. D. Call to surrender all for the kingdom of the carpenter's son

                                                                                                                1. Luke 23:43 — the dying thief on the cross: "Today you will be with me in paradise"
                                                                                                                2. Mark 8:36 — what does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?
                                                                                                                3. In the end, the stone the builders rejected wins
                                                                                                                  4. 36 min
                                                                                                                4. Who Knows?

                                                                                                                  Scripture: Daniel 2:1-30

                                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                                  • Hymn — O Bless Our God with One Accord (based on Psalm 134)
                                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Luke 1:68-75
                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                  • Confession of Faith (Scots Confession)
                                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Luke 1:5-25
                                                                                                                  • Hymn — How Deep the Father's Love for Us
                                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                  • Offering
                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Preparation
                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Soldiers of Christ, Arise
                                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Thee We Adore, Eternal Lord
                                                                                                                  • Benediction
                                                                                                                  • Doxology
                                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: Who Knows

                                                                                                                    Scripture: Daniel 2:1-30

                                                                                                                    I. Pagan Knowledge

                                                                                                                    A. Nebuchadnezzar's dream troubles him deeply and he summons his wise men — not merely for interpretation, but to tell him the dream itself

                                                                                                                    1. Ancient Near Eastern rulers were suspicious of dream interpreters who could fabricate meanings
                                                                                                                    2. The Chaldeans confess in Daniel 2:11 that only the gods can know such things — but those gods do not dwell with flesh

                                                                                                                      3. B. The gods of Babylon know but cannot reveal — they do not dwell with flesh

                                                                                                                      1. Contrast with the God of Israel, who reveals mysteries through fleshly mouthpieces — an incarnational knowledge
                                                                                                                      2. As Hebrews 1:1-2 states, God spoke through prophets and finally through his Son — the prophets are a prototypological incarnational revelation leading to the Word made flesh
                                                                                                                      3. The Greek word mysterion denotes that which was hidden in the mind of God and is now revealed through the incarnate Son

                                                                                                                        4. C. All religions outside of Christianity can only manipulate and distort what has already been revealed — they cannot disclose what is truly hidden in the mind of God

                                                                                                                        II. Faith Knowledge

                                                                                                                        A. Daniel responds with prudence and discretion when faced with the death decree (Daniel 2:14)

                                                                                                                        1. He does not panic or retaliate; he calmly and respectfully inquires of Arioch
                                                                                                                        2. The man of faith never stops treating those in authority with respect and deference, even when delivering a hard word
                                                                                                                        3. This composure is only possible for one whose feet are on the solid rock of a sovereign Lord

                                                                                                                          4. B. Daniel's calm mirrors God's own posture toward rebellious sinners in Isaiah 1:18 — "Come, let us reason together"

                                                                                                                          1. In a world of loud, panicked, obnoxious voices, the world needs the prudent voice of faith

                                                                                                                            2. C. Faith knowledge does not know all the details but trusts the God who does

                                                                                                                            1. Daniel 2:22 — "He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with him"
                                                                                                                            2. Psalm 139 — the darkness is not dark to God
                                                                                                                            3. Even when we cannot understand our dark circumstances, we take comfort that the one who dwells in unapproachable light does know and cares for us

                                                                                                                              4. D. Faith knowledge is manifested through prayer — Daniel 2:17-18

                                                                                                                              1. Unlike the Chaldeans who declare all is lost because their gods cannot be reached, Daniel and his friends seek the God of heaven for mercy
                                                                                                                              2. The God of the Hebrews is a God who can be sought — he condescends to his people
                                                                                                                              3. Isaiah 55:6-9 — "Seek the Lord while he may be found... for my thoughts are not your thoughts"
                                                                                                                              4. Challenge: Are you a Christian pagan — claiming the name of Christ but never seeking him in prayer, treating him as distant and merciless? Or do you storm the throne of grace as Daniel did?
                                                                                                                                5. III. God's Knowledge

                                                                                                                                A. After receiving the revelation, Daniel pauses to praise God before running to the king — Daniel 2:20-23

                                                                                                                                1. The temptation is to treat God as a side character who supplies the answer while the human hero rides off into the sunset
                                                                                                                                2. Daniel refuses this man-centered pragmatism — his religion is theocentric and Christocentric through and through

                                                                                                                                  3. B. Daniel has not received a magic trick — he has been invited into the divine mind of God, and this fills him with awe

                                                                                                                                  1. He deflects all credit entirely: the God who reveals mysteries must receive all glory
                                                                                                                                  2. Colossians 2:2-3 — in Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"; Daniel points forward to Christ from a redemptive-historical distance

                                                                                                                                    3. C. What Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:30 anticipates the Son of Man of Daniel 7 — the Ancient of Days, the Lord of glory, in whom all wisdom and knowledge is found

                                                                                                                                    1. The biblical religion is Christ-centered — those who belong to Christ, whether on death's doorstep or in the prime of life, cannot help but praise him
                                                                                                                                    2. On the Lord's Day we pause, rest from our restless weekly lives, and do what Daniel did — praise the triune God regardless of what the watching world thinks
                                                                                                                                      3. 37 min
                                                                                                                                    3. The Fruit of Justification

                                                                                                                                      Scripture: James 2:14-26

                                                                                                                                      Order of Service
                                                                                                                                      • Call to Worship — Psalm 116:5-9, 17-19
                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — I Love the Lord (116A, stanzas 1–4)
                                                                                                                                      • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                      • Heidelberg Catechism — Lord's Day 34, Questions 92–95
                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — The Day You Gave Us, Lord, Is Ended (#161)
                                                                                                                                      • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                      • Scripture Reading — James 2:14-26
                                                                                                                                      • Prayer before Sermon
                                                                                                                                      • Sermon
                                                                                                                                      • Prayer of Application
                                                                                                                                      • Hymn — The God of Abraham Praise (#234)
                                                                                                                                      • Benediction
                                                                                                                                        • Sermon Title: The Fruit of Justification

                                                                                                                                        Scripture: James 2:14-26

                                                                                                                                        I. The Falsehood of Faith Without Works

                                                                                                                                        A. James opens with a pressing pastoral question in James 2:14: "Can that faith save him?" — aimed at the danger of antinomianism, not legalism

                                                                                                                                        1. The Reformation rallying cry: justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Galatians 2:16)
                                                                                                                                        2. The opposite danger — thinking that what we do after professing faith does not matter; "easy believism"

                                                                                                                                          3. B. The illustration of James 2:15-17: a poorly clothed, hungry person dismissed with mere words

                                                                                                                                          1. "Go in peace, be warmed and filled" — words with no cost, no action
                                                                                                                                          2. Contrast with Jesus in Mark 5: Jesus stopped everything, loved the woman at her lowest, and his words carried the power to accomplish what he said
                                                                                                                                          3. The imaginary person treats the poor as an inconvenient obstacle; pious-sounding words mask a loveless heart

                                                                                                                                            4. C. Faith that produces no works is dead faith — false faith, no faith at all (James 2:17)

                                                                                                                                            II. The Foolishness of Faith Apart from Works

                                                                                                                                            A. An imaginary debater in James 2:18 proposes separating faith and works: one person has works, another has faith — it is all the same to God

                                                                                                                                            1. James challenges: "Show me your faith apart from your works" — faith is invisible without works to demonstrate it

                                                                                                                                              2. B. The surprising illustration of James 2:19: the demons

                                                                                                                                              1. Demons believe God is one — they can articulate the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4
                                                                                                                                              2. This knowledge produces at minimum a shuddering, trembling fear
                                                                                                                                              3. The person who professes faith but shows no works falls short of even the doomed demons

                                                                                                                                                4. C. True saving faith in Christ, by its very nature, includes works that follow from it

                                                                                                                                                1. As C. L. Mitton writes: "It is a good thing to possess an accurate theology, but it is unsatisfactory unless that good theology also possesses us."
                                                                                                                                                2. Faith and works are in vital union — one necessarily follows from the other
                                                                                                                                                  3. III. The Fruit of Faith That Justifies

                                                                                                                                                  A. James's central answer in James 2:24: "A person is justified by works and not by faith alone"

                                                                                                                                                  1. This is not a contradiction of Paul but a complementary angle on the same gospel
                                                                                                                                                  2. Paul (Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16) emphasizes the root of justification — faith alone
                                                                                                                                                  3. James emphasizes the fruit of justification — works that necessarily flow from living faith

                                                                                                                                                    4. B. The trump card illustration: Abraham (James 2:21-23)

                                                                                                                                                    1. Genesis 15:6 — "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness"; he was already declared righteous by faith
                                                                                                                                                    2. Genesis 22 — Abraham's willingness to offer Isaac was the fruit and maturation of that prior faith, not the ground of it
                                                                                                                                                    3. Faith and works operated together (James 2:22): his works completed (matured) his faith, just as trials produce completeness (James 1:4)
                                                                                                                                                    4. The work of Genesis 22 demonstrated the fruit of the Genesis 15 faith — dead faith would have failed the test
                                                                                                                                                    5. Abraham manifested by his works the faith by which he was already justified

                                                                                                                                                      6. C. The same principle applies to Rahab (James 2:25) — her works evidenced her living faith

                                                                                                                                                      D. Paul and James are not opposed; Paul himself confirms in Ephesians 2:10: "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them"

                                                                                                                                                      1. When faith takes hold of Christ, Christ manifests his own life within his people
                                                                                                                                                      2. Martin Luther: "Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith… it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly"

                                                                                                                                                        3. E. Application: Take care that your faith is not dead faith, not merely Sunday faith

                                                                                                                                                        1. The faith alone that justifies works
                                                                                                                                                          2. 37 min
                                                                                                                                                        2. Rags, Riches, and the Royal Law

                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: James 2:1-13

                                                                                                                                                          Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn of Praise — Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (#239)
                                                                                                                                                          • Call to Worship — Deuteronomy 10:12-14
                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn of Praise — Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (#239)
                                                                                                                                                          • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                          • Confession of Faith — Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 33 (Q&A 88–91)
                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — O Trinity of Blessed Light (#161)
                                                                                                                                                          • Prayer
                                                                                                                                                          • Scripture Reading — James 2:1-13
                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                          • Hymn — Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor (#324)
                                                                                                                                                          • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                                                            • Sermon Title: Rags, Riches, and the Royal Law

                                                                                                                                                            Scripture: James 2:1-13

                                                                                                                                                            I. The Sin of Partiality Introduced

                                                                                                                                                            A. James opens with a direct command: show no partiality — do not practice favoritism

                                                                                                                                                            B. The word for partiality means making judgments about people based on external appearance
                                                                                                                                                            C. The illustrative scene: a well-dressed, wealthy man welcomed warmly; a poor, shabby woman shown to an overflow room
                                                                                                                                                            D. James declares this practice sinful: making such distinctions is to become "judges with evil thoughts" (James 2:4)
                                                                                                                                                            E. This is an old and chronic problem

                                                                                                                                                            1. Samuel judged by outward appearance when sent to anoint Israel's king (1 Samuel 16:7) — "the Lord looks on the heart"
                                                                                                                                                            2. The story of Mrs. Lane Adams: ignored anonymously, fawned over once her identity was known
                                                                                                                                                              3. II. Flee Partiality Because of God's Choice (James 2:5-7)

                                                                                                                                                              A. God in his sovereignty has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom

                                                                                                                                                              1. Election is entirely by God's grace — no goodness or foreseen response in the person chosen
                                                                                                                                                              2. Paul: predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11)
                                                                                                                                                                3. B. James is not teaching liberation theology — poverty is not automatically a ground of God's favor
                                                                                                                                                              3. He is observing that the materially poor more readily feel their need for God
                                                                                                                                                              4. Jesus: it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom (Matthew 19:24)
                                                                                                                                                              5. The rich are tempted to self-sufficiency; "new money" soil can be the hardest for gospel ministry
                                                                                                                                                                6. C. The rich in verses 6–7 are those who oppress the church and blaspheme the honorable name of Christ — yet some Christians foolishly fawn over them
                                                                                                                                                                D. The spiritually poor — humble, meek, knowing their need — are those who find Christ because he has chosen them
                                                                                                                                                              6. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3)
                                                                                                                                                              7. God uses the foolish to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27)
                                                                                                                                                                8. E. Many materially wealthy are also chosen — Abraham, David — riches do not disqualify
                                                                                                                                                              8. The warning: let the materially blessed guard their hearts and remember their true need
                                                                                                                                                                9. F. Illustration: Strider/Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings — dressed as a beggar, revealed as king
                                                                                                                                                              9. Application: Christ himself was poor in the world, had no place to lay his head, yet was King all along (2 Corinthians 8:9)
                                                                                                                                                              10. Christ's people are more than they appear — chosen to be glorified with him
                                                                                                                                                              11. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free… you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)
                                                                                                                                                                12. III. Flee Partiality Because of God's Law (James 2:8-13)

                                                                                                                                                                A. The Royal Law: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"

                                                                                                                                                                1. Quoted from Leviticus 19:18 and from Jesus in Matthew 22:39
                                                                                                                                                                2. It is the summary of the second table of the moral law (commandments 5–10)
                                                                                                                                                                  3. B. The law functions as a mirror — look into it and see partiality as the failure to love one's neighbor
                                                                                                                                                                3. James says plainly: "If you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:9)
                                                                                                                                                                  4. C. The law is one fabric — breaking it in one point means breaking all of it (James 2:10-11)
                                                                                                                                                                4. Illustration: being convicted of every traffic violation for breaking one
                                                                                                                                                                5. Partiality makes one a transgressor of the whole law — it is no small thing
                                                                                                                                                                  6. D. The exhortation of verses 12–13: keep on speaking and acting consistently with faith
                                                                                                                                                                6. The verbs are present active — ongoing, habitual obedience required
                                                                                                                                                                7. For the believer, the law is now the "law of liberty" — freed from the law as a means of salvation, freed with power by the Spirit to keep it
                                                                                                                                                                8. The law is the "implanted word" (James 1:21) written on the heart
                                                                                                                                                                  9. E. Warning: "Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13)
                                                                                                                                                                9. Jesus: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matthew 5:7) — here reversed as warning
                                                                                                                                                                10. Those who have received the overabundance of mercy in Christ will show mercy to others
                                                                                                                                                                  11. F. Closing appeal: Christ, though rich, put on rags and became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9) — live with one another in a manner consistent with what you have received in him
                                                                                                                                                                  32 min
                                                                                                                                                                11. Godly Success

                                                                                                                                                                  Scripture: Daniel 1:8-21

                                                                                                                                                                  Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                  • Call to Worship — Psalm 65:1-5
                                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — Come, Christians, Join to Sing
                                                                                                                                                                  • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                  • Reading of the Law — Deuteronomy 6:4-9
                                                                                                                                                                  • Confession of Sin
                                                                                                                                                                  • Assurance of Pardon — 1 Peter 2:24
                                                                                                                                                                  • Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
                                                                                                                                                                  • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                  • Offering
                                                                                                                                                                  • Hymn — All the Way My Savior Leads Me
                                                                                                                                                                  • Scripture Reading — Daniel 1:8-21
                                                                                                                                                                  • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                  • Lord's Supper — Hymn — Behold the Lamb
                                                                                                                                                                  • Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14
                                                                                                                                                                  • Gloria Patri
                                                                                                                                                                    • Sermon Title: Godly Success in a Godless World

                                                                                                                                                                    Scripture: Daniel 1:8-21

                                                                                                                                                                    I. Godly Success Requires Personal Holiness

                                                                                                                                                                    A. Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king's food or wine (Daniel 1:8)

                                                                                                                                                                    1. The Hebrew verb "to set or place" appears in both v. 7 (the chief eunuch renaming Daniel) and v. 8 (Daniel setting his heart) — the contrast is deliberate and emphatic
                                                                                                                                                                    2. The Babylonians sought to fully assimilate Daniel through renaming and diet; Daniel purposely set himself apart

                                                                                                                                                                      3. B. Possible reasons for refusing the king's food

                                                                                                                                                                      1. Mosaic food purity laws (Leviticus)
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Food offered to idols — eating would be partaking in idol worship (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20)
                                                                                                                                                                      3. The deeper issue: refusing to be enslaved by the luxuries of Babylon (1 Corinthians 6:12)

                                                                                                                                                                        4. C. Satan loves general Christianity — vague profession without purposeful commitment

                                                                                                                                                                        1. C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters: the demon Screwtape advises Wormwood to keep his subject from openly acknowledging the conflict between his faith and his new worldly friends; through shame and social pressure, the subject gradually becomes what he was merely pretending to be
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Commentator Veldkamp: "The devil is an even greater danger in the world's dining room than in the den of lions."

                                                                                                                                                                          3. D. Application: Identify specifically what is creeping up to assimilate you into the culture; purposely set your heart against it — do not rely on vague, general Christianity

                                                                                                                                                                          II. Godly Success Is Dependent on God's Grace

                                                                                                                                                                          A. God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief eunuch (Daniel 1:9)

                                                                                                                                                                          1. When an enemy is kind to you, it is the grace of God in action
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Daniel would not have experienced this grace had he not first committed his way to the Lord

                                                                                                                                                                            3. B. Daniel is a pursuer of grace, not merely a passive recipient

                                                                                                                                                                            1. When the chief eunuch refused, Daniel did not give up; he sought another avenue through the steward
                                                                                                                                                                            2. God miraculously made Daniel and his friends healthier and better nourished than those eating from the king's table
                                                                                                                                                                            3. Making your calling and election sure through holy endeavors (2 Peter 1:10)

                                                                                                                                                                              4. C. Two competing "graces": the favor of Babylon vs. the favor of God

                                                                                                                                                                              1. Daniel had to starve himself of the world's favor in order to be fattened by God's favor
                                                                                                                                                                              2. Illustration: At a Brazilian steakhouse you must fast all day to fully enjoy the feast — so too, fasting from the world's delights opens us to enjoy God's abundant grace
                                                                                                                                                                              3. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: God's power is made perfect in weakness; his grace is sufficient

                                                                                                                                                                                4. D. Application: If you are not experiencing God's grace, consider whether you are too full of the world to receive it; begin fasting from the culture's delights

                                                                                                                                                                                III. Godly Success Experiences Ultimate Victory

                                                                                                                                                                                A. God gave the four youths learning, skill, and wisdom; Daniel received understanding in visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17)

                                                                                                                                                                                1. Parallel to Joseph: rise from exile to right-hand man through interpreting dreams (Genesis 37-50)
                                                                                                                                                                                2. Parallel to Mordecai and Esther: tables turned, the people of God vindicated
                                                                                                                                                                                3. Daniel's rise is compressed into a single chapter — the brevity is instructive: God's power over the greatest empire is displayed swiftly

                                                                                                                                                                                  4. B. The final verse seals the victory: "Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus" (Daniel 1:21)

                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Cyrus (539 BC) destroys Babylon and issues the edict restoring Israel to the land
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Cyrus is called "the LORD's anointed" — the Messiah — in Isaiah 45:1
                                                                                                                                                                                  3. In one chapter: exile → faithfulness → victory → restoration through the anointed one

                                                                                                                                                                                    4. C. Matthew 1 is the compact New Testament complement to Daniel 1

                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Matthew 1:17: from Abraham to David, 14 generations; David to the Babylonian exile, 14 generations; exile to the Messiah, 14 generations
                                                                                                                                                                                    2. From exile to restoration through Messiah — Christ wins

                                                                                                                                                                                      3. D. Application: Jonathan Edwards resolved to live every moment as though judgment were imminent; Daniel 1 asks whether you want to be on the winning side of history

                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Commit your way to holiness; consecrate yourself from the world
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Empty yourself of the world's pleasures to be fattened by God's grace
                                                                                                                                                                                      3. Revel in the victory of Messiah — crucified, resurrected, exalted, and coming again
                                                                                                                                                                                        4. 33 min
                                                                                                                                                                                      4. True Religion — Tongue, Obedience, and Merciful Giving

                                                                                                                                                                                        Scripture: James 1:19

                                                                                                                                                                                        Order of Service
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun (#417)
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Call to Worship — Psalm 72
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Prayer of Invocation
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Heidelberg Catechism Reading — Questions 86 & 87
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — In Christ There Is No East or West (#414)
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Pastoral Prayer
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Scripture Reading — James 1:19-27
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Sermon
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Hymn — Take My Life and Let It Be (#538)
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Benediction — Numbers 6:24-26
                                                                                                                                                                                          • Sermon Title: True Religion — Tongue, Obedience, and Merciful Giving

                                                                                                                                                                                          Scripture: James 1:19-27

                                                                                                                                                                                          I. True Religion Consists in a Watchful Tongue

                                                                                                                                                                                          A. James, the "wisdom book" of the New Testament, emphasizes the danger of the unbridled tongue, echoing themes throughout Proverbs

                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Proverbs 17:27 — "Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding"
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. A hot-tempered, quick-tongued person mistakes angry speech for righteous zeal

                                                                                                                                                                                            3. B. James 1:19-20 — "Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God"

                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Angry speech is fear coupled with laziness — lashing out rather than listening and responding constructively
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. In James's Jewish-Christian context, sectarian rivalry (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes) produced hateful speech mistaken for zeal; a similar dynamic appears in 1 Corinthians 1

                                                                                                                                                                                              3. C. James 1:26 — The unbridled tongue makes one's religion worthless, deceiving one's own heart

                                                                                                                                                                                              D. James 1:27 — Christians are to keep themselves unstained from the world's culture of ugly, coarse speech

                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Fellow believers should never feel they are walking on eggshells; grace-filled speech invites even disagreement
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. We shine as those whose words are pure, filled with the grace, mercy, and love of Christ
                                                                                                                                                                                                3. II. True Religion Consists in an Implanted Obedience

                                                                                                                                                                                                A. James 1:21 — "Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls"

                                                                                                                                                                                                1. The "therefore" draws back especially to James 1:18 — the new birth by the Spirit
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. The new birth converts and justifies, but it also convicts and sanctifies through active obedience

                                                                                                                                                                                                  3. B. James 1:22-25 — Be doers of the word, not hearers only

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. The mirror illustration: a mere hearer glances and forgets; a true doer looks intently into the perfect law and perseveres in obeying it
                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Calvin: "Obedience is the mother of true knowledge of God"

                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. C. James calls it "the law of liberty" — the law fulfilled in Christ, now written on believers' hearts by the Spirit

                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. New covenant promise: Jeremiah 31:31-34 — "I will write my law on their hearts"
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Illustration: a freed prisoner is not condemned by the law but is now free to live in obedience to it; returning to lawlessness would bring back the chains
                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. The Reformed tradition (Calvin vs. Luther) — the "third use of the law": after justification, the law guides the believer in grateful obedience, as reflected in the Heidelberg Catechism's section on gratitude

                                                                                                                                                                                                      4. D. The law is conducive to human flourishing as image-bearers; Christ redeems us so we may thrive in the obedience for which we were created

                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Psalm 119 models the love and thirst for God's perfect law
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. If the new birth is not both converting/justifying and convicting/sanctifying, we have grounds to question whether we have truly received it
                                                                                                                                                                                                        3. III. True Religion Consists in Merciful Giving

                                                                                                                                                                                                        A. James 1:27 — "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world"

                                                                                                                                                                                                        B. Psalm 68:5 — "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation"

                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. True religion reflects on earth what God does in his holy habitation — the Lord's Prayer: "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"

                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. C. "Orphans and widows" is scriptural shorthand for all the helpless and afflicted, not a narrow category

                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Care for the afflicted must be perseverant and continual, not a one-time gesture — like the Good Samaritan who follows up on the one he placed in the inn (Luke 10:25-37)
                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. It is not condolences at a funeral only, but a phone call weeks later

                                                                                                                                                                                                            3. D. The liberty of the law frees us from waiting on our fluctuating emotions to act

                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. True religion is obedient to the command regardless of feelings; our care does not wax and wane with empathy or cultural trends
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Psalm 84 — the righteous make the valley of Baca (the valley of tears) a spring
                                                                                                                                                                                                            3. Our obedience to Christ — who "though he was rich became poor" for us (2 Corinthians 8:9) — is itself a comfort and testimony to those we serve
                                                                                                                                                                                                              4. 31 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.