Ordination on SermonAudio

The sermon centres on the urgent distinction between spiritual life and death, asserting that this division is more profound than any earthly categorization and determines eternal destiny. It argues that true life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ, who is the sole key to salvation, rather than in religious ordinances, good works, or intellectual knowledge of Scripture. The text highlights the tragedy of those who, despite having ample opportunity and witness to Christ's works, refuse to come to Him, thereby remaining dead in their sins. The tone is convicting and pastoral, challenging the listener to examine their own spiritual state and accept Christ's offer of life before it is too late. The message concludes with a call to immediate repentance, warning against the folly of prioritizing temporal wisdom over eternal security.

For our glorious calling, Christians have been given a grace as big as Jesus, which He applies through His ordinances, including the ministry, especially of the Word.

For our glorious calling, Christians have been given a grace as big as Jesus, which He applies through His ordinances, including the ministry, especially of the Word.

This sermon examines the theological significance and historical development of baptism, distinguishing it as a primary issue when it is viewed as a means of salvation rather than a symbol of faith. The teaching traces the practice from intertestamental proselytizing and John the Baptist's call to repentance to the Great Commission in Matthew 28, where Jesus commands the making of disciples through baptism and teaching. It clarifies that Christian baptism is a one-time act symbolizing the believer's union with Christ's death and resurrection, rather than a repeated ritual for spiritual renewal. The sermon emphasizes that while baptism does not save, it serves as a visible sign of the covenant and the reception of the Holy Spirit, contrasting this with the Old Testament understanding of the Spirit's work. The tone is instructional and pastoral, aiming to provide clarity on the mode, meaning, and authority of the ordinance within the context of the Great Commission.

The sermon examines the Reformed theological doctrine of the certain application of redemption, arguing that Christ's death secures salvation for a specific elect people rather than merely making it possible. By analyzing John 6:37, the text highlights key doctrines such as election, effectual calling, and perseverance, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit enables the dead to respond to the gospel through regeneration. The discussion extends to the sacraments, distinguishing baptism as a passive sign and seal of the covenant from the Lord's Supper, which requires an active, credible profession of faith. The preacher warns against sacerdotal views that treat sacraments as magical, while affirming that grace is truly conferred by the Spirit to those who belong to Christ. The tone is instructional and pastoral, aiming to provide confidence in the certainty of salvation while encouraging worthy participation in church ordinances.

Every believer is a priest to God called to "offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). The Holy Spirit, who was given in special measure to Old Testament priests (Num. 11:25) has been poured out on all believers to make them "wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him." But while all Christians are priests, not all are ministers. The Lord still sets apart some of his men for vocational ministry. And it is beneficial for all of us to know how that happens.

Gathering with the local church is more than attending a weekly religious event. It is one of God's appointed means of strengthening, encouraging, and sanctifying His people. Dave Jenkins explains why the preaching of God's Word stands at the center of the church gathering, how baptism and the Lord's Supper visibly proclaim the gospel, and why physical presence cannot be fully replaced by a livestream. He also considers how corporate worship moves Christians from being consumers to active participants in the life of Christ's body. The gathered church is not another obligation on the Christian's spiritual checklist. It is a gracious gift through which believers worship God, encourage one another, and grow together in Christ. For more from Equipping You in Grace, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/equipping-you-in-grace-2/

Grab your Bible and join us from the Savannah Mission Bible Training Center. We are commanded in the third commandment to not take the name of the Lord our God in vain. This study breaks down that commandment and we discover that the Third Commandment requires the holy and reverent use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.