Reformed & Expository Preaching

The Christian life is often seen as one where believers coast carelessly in Christ's finished work, secure in their righteousness through Him being completely indifferent to morality. However, the gospel calls for a responsive life, marked by tenderness and sensitivity to Christ's leading, driven by new desires as the Holy Spirit works in Christ’s servants. Though Christ's sovereignty assures us that He will take care of our needs, the gospel challenges us not to be passive, but to actively serve Him as living sacrifices while awaiting His return. We are called to live in light of the kingdom, anticipating the fullness of Christ’s blessings when He comes again, while diligently serving in the present. This includes staying vigilant and prepared, like the servants waiting for their master’s return, with lamps burning and hearts ready to welcome Him.

Christ’s parables exhort us that we live consciously in light of Christ’s provision, not relying on earthly storehouses but trusting in God's care. Jesus instructs His followers to be prepared, living as if His return could come at any moment. The parables of the faithful and wise servant highlight the importance of serving diligently, even in the master’s absence, and being alert to His return. The kingdom's radical nature is revealed when the master, instead of merely commanding service, invites the servants to dine with Him and even serves them. This reversal of roles underscores the sacrificial love of Christ and the grace extended to His people, who are called to wait with readiness, faithfulness, and joy rather than complacency.

The kingdom challenge calls for believers to live with an awareness of Christ's return, not to take His delay as an excuse for complacency or indulgence. Jesus warns that those who fail to live faithfully, abusing their position, will face judgment. The severity of this judgment varies, depending on the knowledge and responsibility each servant has been given. While the passage warns against neglecting the master's commands, it also encourages a life lived before the Lord's face (Coram Deo), seeking to glorify Him (Solo Deo Gloria) in all things. Christians are reminded that their actions matter and that God holds them accountable. Still, they are also empowered by Christ’s finished work and the Holy Spirit to live with wisdom, humility, and reliance on God's guidance. Ultimately, we are called to live in light of our physical reunion with our savior while we walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The resurrection of Christ is a profound doctrine that assures us of our redemption and transformation in Christ. While it might seem straightforward—Christ lived, died, took our sin, and was raised to life—the challenge lies in understanding its full implications for us today. Some may believe that Christ’s resurrection means we have already reached the end, experiencing the fullness of glory right now. However, Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15 reveals that while we are secured in Christ, but we still wait to sing the final victory hymn. The resurrection assures us that we have moved from death to life, yet we still experience the struggles of this broken world, awaiting the full realization of our redemption. The Heidelberg Catechism emphasizes that Christ’s resurrection not only declares Him as the Son of God but also grants us righteousness, regeneration, and the hope of eternal life.

Death, as portrayed in Scripture, is more than the end of physical life; it represents the brokenness of this age and the tragic consequence of sin. The first man, Adam, was formed from the dust and given life by God, but his rebellion led to a fallen existence. In contrast, Christ, the last Adam, is from heaven.  He is the life-giving Spirit securing our life, redemption, and physical resurrection. Despite the resurrection being a historical reality witnessed by many, even the early Corinthian church struggled with doubts about its reality. Paul’s teaching makes clear that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then we have no true life, no real spiritual power, and no lasting future in glory.

The resurrection life is ours now, but not yet in its fullness. Christ’s resurrection power works in us through the Holy Spirit, ensuring our ultimate glorification while calling us to walk faithfully in this present age. We experience the victory of Christ as we walk in the Holy Spirit, united to Christ, and progressively transformed day by day into His image. Paul encourages us to remain steadfast, knowing that Christ has secured our future resurrection, and we are called to live in anticipation of that final triumph. Currently, we walk in the power and confidence of Christ’s work, living as thanksgiving offerings, not adding to Christ, work, and seeking to glorify God in all aspects of life while waiting for the full physical glory.

The passage explores Christ’s teaching on material wealth and priorities through the lens of a parable about a man seeking his inheritance. Initially, the issue is framed around a personal dispute where one brother demands his share, revealing a heart of covetousness rather than a concern for family legacy or honoring God’s wisdom. Christ rebukes the man’s perspective, highlighting the deeper problem of placing too much value on earthly wealth rather than seeking eternal security in God. The passage reminds us that life under the sun is fleeting and that true security is found in trusting Christ’s provision, not in material accumulation.

Christ then presents a parable of a rich man who plans for his future by building bigger storehouses for his crops, focusing entirely on himself without regard for God or others. The parable does not condemn business or private property but rather exposes the man’s self-reliant attitude and failure to recognize God as the provider. The rich fool’s error lies in his misplaced security in self reliance rather than in God’s protection. Scripture supports wise planning and stewardship, but Christ warns against the idolatry of self reliance and encourages his followers to seek heavenly priorities, understanding that earthly gains cannot secure eternal life.

Finally, Christ addresses the anxiety that often accompanies concerns about material needs. He assures his followers that God, who cares for the unclean birds and temporary flowers, surely loves his people more. Christ’s exhortation is not to reject work or planning but to entrust our lives to God’s care, living with a heart that prioritizes the kingdom of God over temporary security. True faith means living in the confidence of God’s sovereignty and provision, living with confidence in his promises, and seeking to please him rather than striving for earthly status. Ultimately, we rest in the assurance that our legacy is in Christ, finding our worth and success in his finished work and future return.  He is our Shield and Defender!

Christ enters history as the suffering servant to overcome the problem of sin. Sin’s problem is deeper than we can imagine. Sin’s depth and severity demand a redemption only Christ provides and overcomes.  The problem of sin is a hellish problem.

Christ’s being fully God and fully man enables him to endure the eternal punishment of hell in a way we will never grasp. In Christ’s divine nature he is outside time and space; as man, he fully receives the full wrath of God as the offending creature. His cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” declares that is a moment of time he endured hell as the sin cursed creature.  Christ committing his spirit into the father’s hand tells us that the two natures are still distinct as we are assured that Christ is really dead because his body is laid in a grave.

Christ living to make intercession means he is not left in the grave as a failed servant.  This ongoing intercession emphasizes our dependence on Christ and the assurance that his work is complete, freeing us from attempting to earn redemption through our own efforts.  However, even as redeemed Christians we are prone to wander. Praise be to God our perfect priest continues to intercede on our behalf and sustain us through this age.

In Luke 12:1-12, Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, warning his disciples to beware of the “leaven of the Pharisees.” This is the fermented product from the old loaf that is put in the new loaf. He exposes the dangers of living for outward appearance rather than living by faith in the Holy Spirit. True piety is living before the face of God rather than pleasing the community.  Grace liberates us from living up to the community’s expectations, trying to earn God’s favor, and failing the human standard.  Christ calls us to live with integrity, knowing we are only made worthy in Christ, and will only conform as we are joined to our savior.

Jesus then reassures his disciples that God’s cares for his people. If God notices even the minor details of sparrows being sold and counts the hairs on our heads, how much more does he value us. When we know our worth is secure in God’s love, we are freed to obey him from a heart of gratitude rather than a spirit of fear. This shifts our motivation from self-justification to worship, cultivating a life that manifests God’s character.  We are not living out of fear of judgment, but living as living sacrifices joined to Christ before the Lord’s face.

Finally, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as the source of courage and guidance in times of trial. True piety flows not from our strength but from God’s Spirit, who sustains and equips us even in our most vulnerable moments. Jesus warns that we will face persecution and we might not always know how to respond.  However, Christ’s redemption continues to be at work in us in His Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will sustain and give us the words to say in our intense times of trial.

In Galatians 3:10-14, Paul makes clear that we are not going to remove the sting of death by our works.  The law demands perfect obedience, and no one can meet its standard. This reveals the depth of human sin and the impossibility of earning God’s favor through self-effort. Paul underscores that righteousness comes not through the law but by faith, quoting Habakkuk 2:4: “The righteous will live by faith.” This is a gospel moment—our standing before God depends on His grace, not our performance.

Paul then highlights the redemptive work of Christ, who became a curse for us by dying on the cross, fulfilling Deuteronomy 21:23. Jesus took the curse we deserved so that we could receive the blessing promised to Abraham that only comes by faith in the Spirit’s power. This exchange is the heart of the gospel: Christ bore our penalty, and we receive His righteousness. The cross is not just an act of forgiveness but a complete reversal of the curse, securing our freedom and reconciliation with God.

Finally, Paul connects this truth to God’s promise to Abraham, showing that the gospel has always been about faith. Through Christ, the blessing of Abraham extends to the Gentiles, breaking down all barriers of ethnicity, culture, and works-based religion. Paul reminds us that salvation is a gift of grace, received by faith alone, ensuring that no one can boast. This passage calls us to abandon self-reliance and trust entirely in Christ’s finished work.

What do we make of the statement, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Does this mean that Christ is a sinner? If that is the case then we are in a horrible predicament. What does Paul mean?

Paul is describing the heart of the Gospel and the ministry of reconciliation. He explains that the purpose of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is to reconcile sinners to God. There is a double transaction that must occur. Our sins get credited to Christ. He is so holy that our sin does not contaminate him. He does not know sin in the sense that he is a sinner. Jesus in his perfection is treated as the sinner.

The other side of this is that Christ’s perfect work is given to us. We are credited as faithful sons. Jesus was treated and received what we deserve. He was treated as a sinner who never sinned. This was done so that we can receive the righteousness of God.

But notice, this isn’t just about our individual salvation. In the context of 2 Corinthians 5, Paul is calling the Corinthians to live out this reconciliation. If Christ has reconciled us to God, how can we not live as agents of reconciliation in the world? To know that Jesus became sin for us is to know a love so radical that it reorients everything about how we relate to God, to ourselves, and to others.

This transaction shows us the depth of sin. It shows what it takes for sin to be eradicated and removed from us. It shows us what needs to be done in order for us to come into the Lord’s presence. The beauty of this verse is that it does not just show the hope of the gospel, but it assures us that the gospel is not theoretical, but actual as we are joined to Christ we receive his distinct blessings. We are called to live out the life-giving union that is ours in Christ Jesus.

Christ’s birth turns the world values upside down. Ceasar established world peace, but the story communicates that Ceasar can only maintain peace through power. This is contrasted to the true king born in a peasant’s home God is showing us something profound: His kingdom doesn’t operate according to the world’s priorities of wealth, power, and status.  His kingdom is established only his power and not in his intimidation.

The story does not get better.  Shepherds, a vocation that many rabbis would forbid are out in the field.  These are men who could not testify in court.  These are not credible witnesses.  However, they are the first in Luke’s gospel to be entrusted with the message of Christ’s birth. They also see the angelic army assembled before them.

The shepherds testify that the Lord’s blessing does not go to the worthy.  The Lord’s blessings and good news do not come to the religious.  Rather, this is a message for all.  This is for the elite centurions right down to the outcasted shepherds.  All need to bow the knees to the messiah and find their life in him.

Jesus fulfills the Lord’s will by coming to save the sinner and not the righteous.  The righteous do not need a savior, but it is the sinner who has the cross-like posture before the Lord’s throne.  The angels in heaven do not engage in war.  They know that war only comes through the success of Christ’s humiliation in the incarnation, his humiliation in obedience, and his humiliation in death, and this results in his glorification.

As we conclude our Christmas series let us marvel at the humble victory that our Lord accomplishes in his son.  He could have sent his angels to establish world peace, but our Lord saw the bigger picture and the need to eradicate sin!

We can misunderstand redemption. We can make redemption something that is sentimental and miss the deeper implications of redemption. Israel is enslaved for 400 years. We can think of their redemption through the Red Sea, but miss the point that they deserve to be cast down and held in bondage.

We also see that we are redeemed because Christ is the true Son of God. He is eternal, having the same nature as the Father. However, we are only adopted by the Father because of Christ's perfect work. He is the faithful son who lays down his life so the unfaithful children can have life. This new birth and life is because of Christ’s merits and applied by the Spirit.

Our inheritance and life are only by the work of the Spirit, initiated by God, and not by our effort. Sure, we walk in the Spirit and orient our affections to heaven. We are called to consciously live this life under the domain of the Spirit. This is why Godliness is a mystery. Our security is only in Christ.

Ultimately, we have our adoption and inheritance by the grace and mercy of our God. We consciously live as people identified and secured in a new family. We walk in the power of the Lord's Spirit.

Christ enters history through a scandalous line calling into question his credibility. However, God defies human expectations. We expect the Lord to fail, but he succeeds. The Lord shows that he can take broken and sinful people and use them to secure his victory. He is bigger and stronger than his people. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba display that the Lord will not use conventional people to establish his promise through the Messiah. Joseph suspects that Mary was unfaithful to him and in love with another man. The genealogy could certainly lead one to easily draw that conclusion. However, by the Angel’s intervention, he learns that there is a bigger plan. Just like the story in Genesis when the seed of the woman dies or is hampered in some way it appears the serpent seed has won. The Lord shows that his purpose, his power, and is plan is not what human beings expect. The Lord wants his people to see that he has established his promise. Humans are used, and genealogy shows us that it is not always the cream of the crop. Yes, God’s people fail. However, by the grace of God, their overall trajectory is that the Lord’s strength is shown in the midst of human weakness. The Lord has been with his people in the high times of their history as well as their low times. Ultimately, Christ is the seventh seven. Christ establishes the kingdom, using a broken people, and slaying the serpent. Matthew captures the tension about whether or not God can establish his kingdom. The answer is yes! Against all hope, the Lord is always faithful. He secures, redeems, and makes his people alive to live unto him out of gratitude.