Reformed & Expository Preaching

Drawing from Devoted to God and Hebrews 12:1–2, this message calls Christians to persevere in the lifelong pursuit of holiness. The Christian life is described as a race. This is a marathon that requires endurance, focus, and continual dependence on Christ.

Believers face two primary obstacles: weights and sin. Weights are not necessarily sinful, but they distract and slow spiritual progress.

Sin, on the other hand, clings closely and must be actively resisted. True growth in sanctification involves laying aside both issues. We are called to remove distractions and fight sin. We might think we do this in our own strenth. This is not true. Rather we do this while continually “putting on” Christ.

The key to perseverance is fixing our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. He not only provides the ultimate example of endurance but also the power and grace we need to live out the Gospel. Through His finished work and ongoing priestly care, we are strengthened to press on in him. We are not stepping out to do, but we are walking in Christ. He has stepped out and He has done.

God also provides means to help us endure:

Community that encourages and guards against spiritual drift

Memory of God’s Word and promises to anchor our faith

Church leadership and fellowship to guide and support growth

Trials and discipline, which God uses to shape us into Christlikeness

Surrounded by a “cloud of witnesses” and supported by the body of Christ, believers are called to run the Christ race with resolve. We are called to pursue holiness while encouraging others to do the same.

In the end, perseverance is not about self-effort alone, but about holding fast to Christ, trusting His work, and continuing forward in faith until the race is finished.

(I realize that I said Assyria several times in the sermon rather than Persia. I confess I was still fighting some brain fog from a cold. I mispoke, and the story takes place in Persia.)

Introduction

The gospel has two sides: the joy of salvation for those who come under Christ's yoke today. The other side is the sobering reality of judgment for those who do not bow the knee to Christ today. When Christ comes again, all will bow the knee. There are some who will see this as a joyful reunion, and others will be terrified.

The book of Esther brings both into view. Esther is more than just a historic story of Persia. Esther is projecting a cosmic battle between God's decree and the decrees of the earthly empire. The real issue: whose word will stand?

Holy War in Susa

The day Haman's lot was designated for the Jews' destruction becomes the day of their feasting celebration. The Jews' victory is summarized by killing 500 men and Haman's 10 sons. The language used in the passage deliberately echoes Joshua's conquest language. One example is the repeated detail that they took no plunder. This is cherem warfare: complete devotion to God.

The picture is one of tragedy. The greatest tragedy is a king who is indifferent to the loss of life in his empire. We see the pragmatism of this age. However, the Lord is projecting the final Har-Meggdon (Armageddon), which is the mountain of judgment. The Lord shows that not only will his people be protected, but they will be vindicated.

The Cursed Hanged on the Tree

Esther's request to impale Haman's sons publicly draws on both Persian custom and Deuteronomy 21. It was back in Deuteronomy that the covenant breaker was hanged on a tree. Yes, this is a practice in Persia to put the kings on display after conquering an enemy. However, there is more to the story.

The ten sons have hung upon a tree. However, it is not just the ten sons, but the fourfold repetition of "the ten sons" signals total completion: the Amalekite line, ancient enemy of God's people, is finished. God's ancient promise is fulfilled. The serpent seed that sought to destroy the Lord’s covenant line is officially on display for all to see that they are cursed by God.

The Consummation Feast

The Jews' celebration is described as rest from their enemies. This communicates to us the deliberate rest, which is language pointing to the heavenly banquet. The empire's opening feast displayed hollow glory; this feast displays genuine victory. It is a picture of the Feast of the Lamb, the Gog and Magog battle resolved, and God's people enjoying true shalom in their Redeemer. This is where we see the joy of taking on the yoke of Christ. It is the true rest and peace from our enemies, including our own sin.

The book began with the feast that celebrated the empire’s splendor, but we see that this empire will not stand. The book ends with a glimpse of the final rest: the heavenly banquet. However, we still see that this life is not all roses and puppy dogs. The empire is still very pragmatic, and not a principled kingdom seeking to truly promote the Lord’s shalom. Where is Persia in all its glory today? Clearly, as a wilderness people, we are reminded that Joshua did not give the Lord’s people rest. We long for the day of ultimate victory. Yes, we taste the victory today in Christ. He has been raised, and we are seated with him in glory. The Spirit empowers us to conform to him, but we still long for the fullness of our benefits.

Conclusion

Purim is the feast that is named after Haman's lots. He desired that the day would be his victory day. However, he ironically revealed Persia’s judgment. Ironically, the day he thought “the gods” would hand him victory became the day when the true God published his own victory. The message for us is the same publication Peter delivers: Christ will return. People may ask when Christ will come, but we need to remember that Christ will come like a thief in the night. The flood, the Exodus, and even Purim teach that our Lord’s intention is to physically commune with his people. Christ is coming. All knees will bow. Let us be a people who bow the knee to Christ today and take his gracious yoke upon us.

If we're saved by grace and sanctified by the Spirit, what's the role of God's law? Romans 8:4 points us to the answer: Christ came so "the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk according to the Spirit."

In this session we explore Chapter 8 of Sinclair Ferguson's Devoted to God, unpacking how law and grace work together. These are not ncessarily competing concepts in the Christian life. However, we need to be careful as we define this.

Love and Law Aren't Opposites

Some accused Paul of rejecting God's law (Acts 21:21), but Paul consistently upheld it (Romans 3:31). Love motivates obedience; the law directs love. As Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

Three Ways Jesus Fulfills the Law

Drawing from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17), Ferguson identifies three dimensions of how Christ fulfills the law for our sanctification:

Permanent Significance — The law, especially the Ten Commandments, reflects God's own character and his original design for humanity. Its principles endure, shaping us as image bearers being renewed in Christ (Colossians 3:10).

Obedience in Teaching — Jesus lived the law perfectly, not grudgingly but with delight. He also revealed its depth: adultery begins in the heart, murder with a word (Matthew 5:21–28). True righteousness flows from a Spirit-transformed heart, not external performance.

Fulfilling All Dimensions — Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law through his once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1–4) and the civil law by building a global, multi-ethnic church. The moral law remains, now written on our hearts by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33).

Married to Christ, Not the Law

Christians are not under the law as a system of condemnation, but under "the law of Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:21) — united to him as a bride to a husband (Romans 7:4). The Spirit empowers what the law directs. As Ralph Erskine beautifully put it: "The gospel gives me feet and hands... it bids me fly, and gives me wings."

This harmony transforms duty into delight.

Takeaway

God's law is not a burden. We need to see it as a guide reflecting his holy character. Our catechism states it well when the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that the law is our guide for grateful living after being redeemed from our sin and misery. we are empowered to live it out through Christ and his Spirit. It is true that we will never achieve perfection in this age, however, we are undergoing a progressive transformation, metamorphosis, toward the heavenly calling God has placed on our lives.

The sermon reminds us that "the end of all things is at hand.” This might cause fear, but it should not. Rather, it should be a joyful declaration of the new reality we live in since Christ's ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We are born again, brought into Christ's kingdom by grace alone, and called to live as pilgrims with one eye on the world around us and one on the glory to come.

In light of this reality, the Apostle Peter urges believers to cultivate relationships within the church that glorify God. The message highlights four key imperatives for how we are to relate to one another:

Be sober-minded for the sake of your prayers, which is a clear mind that frees us from sin's fog, enabling us to see the needs and dangers around us, rely on God, and intercede effectively for our brothers and sisters.

Love one another earnestly, which means a constant, enduring love that forgives repeatedly ("70 times 7"), covering a multitude of sins through mutual forgiveness rather than alienation.

Showing hospitality without grumbling is challenging because this is a genuine, open-hearted involvement in others' lives. We are called to share joys and sorrows, imparting wisdom and energy, and welcoming without expectation of return or hidden complaints.

Serve one another with God's gifts. Every believer has received gifts from God's varied grace. We identify and use them not by self-focused assessments, but by looking to the needs of others—speaking God's words and serving in deeds as faithful stewards.

Though we fall short daily, God is still glorified in our relationships through Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s perfect work, ongoing intercession, sanctifying Spirit, and example of sacrificial love. Our imperfect church community foreshadows the eternal fellowship awaiting us when Christ returns.

We are called to live out our new identity in Christ, drawing us closer to our Savior and one another.

Introduction:

When faced with a problem, our instinct is to solve it. This does not mean we fully understand the problem. We can rush to judgment, minimize the problem, and then come up with the wrong solution. This is a not a great way to problem solve.

The same temptation applies to the problem of sin. We reach for strategies. We can minimize the depth of sin through antinomianism. We can claim that the problem of sin is outside of us so we try to escape it through monasticism where we hide away. The most common way is to just have more gfit and manage it through better personal discipline. But none of these approaches touch the root of the issue. As Luther reportedly said of his time in the monastery, "I went to escape the rascal, only to find that the rascal followed me there." The point: the problem is not outside of us, but it is deep within us. We are sinful creatures because of the fall.

So the catechism presses the question: how much trouble are we really in?

We Robbed Ourselves of Glory

God created humanity with the full capacity to obey him. Man was not lacking anything nor did man need an extra gift to obey. Man had everything that he needed to obey God. Yet through his own willful disobedience, instigated by the devil Adam and Eve freely rebelled against God by deciding for themselves what was right. They forfeited the good gifts of their creation. They had goodness, peace, and communion with God, but immediately after the tree death meant losing these gifts. Satan may have sparked the rebellion, but Adam and Eve stoked the fire.

The consequence of that choice is tragic. Christ's words in Matthew 25 are not easy ones: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (v. 41). The image of Gehenna, Jerusalem's ever-burning garbage heap, is the metaphor for the unquenchable fire. It never stops burning. We have chosen for ourselves a very horrible fate.

We Are Called to Bear the Fruits of Christ

God is holy, and he cannot look away from sin. He is angry with the sin we inherit from our representative Adam. We are also responsible for the sin we commit. God will punish sin. That's a sobering reality. But the catechism doesn't leave us there; it turns to the question of what faithfulness actually looks like in the life of someone who is in Christ.

The picture Christ paints in Matthew 25 is a shepherd separating sheep from goats. The sheep are those who fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the vulnerable, and visited the sick and imprisoned. It is important that thgey did not even know that they were going to receive any recognition. Most of all they never thought of this as a doing this for Christ. It was simply the natural outflow of a heart shaped by him.

The goats, by contrast, saw no benefit in caring for those who couldn't return the favor. The emphasis is on the least of these. Christ's point is clear: the ones in Christ have a radically different value system. The sheep care for those who will not give them mutual benefits. The sheep and the goats bear fruit of their eternal destiny.

There Are Eternal Consequences

The catechism teaches that we begin to taste the fruit of what we sow in this life. We might say that this is a health and wealth type of message. However, there is another way to think about this. Those who tear others down find themselves isolated; those who exploit others will find few willing partners. When Christ says that you reap what you sow there is a call to do some self reflection. If life is not going the direction we want then we might consider what seed we are sowing.

But the stakes don't end here. The warning is also going out to the eternal consequences. There is the language of the worm that never dies (Isaiah 66), John the Baptist speaks of the unquenchable fire (Matthew 3), the eternal fire (Matthew 25), the smoke that rises forever (Revelation 14). These are not casual metaphors. They are intended to be sobering because they communicate that a life outside of Christ in his age ends with eternal torment. This is not something that we should take lightly.

When we take hold of Christ by faith we are assured that the same Christ who describes the eternal fire is the one who walked through it on our behalf. The cross was Christ enduring the eternal consequence of sin in our place, so that when he returns as the glorious Son of Man he returns to gather his sheep to himself. The goats are cast away, but the sheep will live in him because they are in Christ.

Conclusion: Only Christ Can Solve This

We are in a great deal of trouble if we stay the course after the fall. This is not a problem we can solve in our own strategy or strength. No technique, no strategy, no monastery will solve sin’s deep rooted problem. Even those who have walked with Christ for decades still feel the weight of sin at the end of their lives. If we struggle that much in the Spirit, how could we possibly overcome this on our own?

The catechism's answer is not a program. It's a person. God knew the problem, God solved the problem, and God meets us with a call to life which is the call of the Gospel. So let us not minimize the fall with creative human solutions. Let us cling to our Savior who issues his gracious call. Let us find our life in him. And let us do the ordinary things of the Christian life to glorify our savior. Let us be a people who honor him.

Introduction

The book of Esther shows that God’s word is the only word and decree that stands. His word cannot be overturned. This is true even when it appears that evil has seized the upper hand. Throughout Esther’s story, it seems as though Satan has declared “checkmate” against God’s people. Haman’s decree threatens the destruction of the Jews. If his decree stays in effect, then his decree overrules God’s decree. We see from Esther that God is sovereign over history. The book of Esther assures us that His B team is more powerful than Satan’s A Team.

The Transfer of Power

The first development in Esther 8 is the transfer of power from Haman to Esther and Mordecai. Haman has been executed. His estate and authority are given to Esther and Mordecai. This is deeply ironic. The man who sought to destroy the Jews loses everything, and his wealth and position are handed to the very people he tried to annihilate. This is done despite the decree that “no woman should rise above a man.” Esther’s rise in status shows us that the decrees may be uttered, but they are only as weak as the men who made them.

This reversal reminds us that God’s promises will prevail. Though the enemy boasts victory, we see that God quietly overturns their victory. God demonstrates that He controls history and that the seed of the woman will triumph over the seed of the serpent. Esther and Mordecai are God’s chosen instruments that he uses to publish his victory.

Transferring the Decree

Despite Haman’s fall, a serious problem remains: the original Persian decree to destroy the Jews cannot be revoked. This is why the king cannot take Vashti back to the palace. Daniel confirms this truth by telling us that the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be overturned (Dan. 6:8). The Jews are to be exterminated, and the royal decree cannot be annulled. This means that one villain is removed from the story, but his villainy still stands.

Esther pleads with the king for a solution. The king hears her plea. He gives the signet ring to Mordecai to issue a new decree. This new decree allows the Jews to defend themselves against those who would attack them. God works within the limitations of the Persian legal system to preserve His people. The danger is real, but God provides a means of deliverance. Even when circumstances seem impossible, God preserves His people and protects His people while working out His redemptive plan. God’s word and his decrees stand in him.

The Truncated Reversal

The first decree is never cancelled, repealed, or annulled. The Jews are allowed to fight against those who would attack them. The solution is not a true resolution. There are two opposing decrees existing side by side. This situation exposes the absurdity of human kingdoms that claim to bring a worldly utopia.

The Persian Empire cannot resolve its own contradictions. It cannot create the perfect world it promises. This reminds us that true shalom or peace will not come in this age. Human kingdoms cannot establish the final utopia; only Christ’s consummated kingdom will bring lasting shalom.

Conclusion

The story of Esther reminds us that God’s decree will always stand above the decrees of earthly powers. When it seems that evil has won and God’s promises have failed, God is already working behind the scenes to build his eternal kingdom.

For believers today, this story teaches us how to live in the present age. We do not expect this world to become our ultimate utopia. Instead, we live faithfully. We discern what is pleasing to our Lord, seeking to walk humbly before his face. No, we are not in glory, but we taste its power as we walk by the Holy Spirit.

Just as God preserved His people in Esther’s day, He continues to do so today. Our hope rests in the Lord who has conquered sin, death, and hell in Christ. We do not walk humbly as a defeated people, but a people whose victory is secured in the king who was cut off. The king who passed through hell, and the king who has prevailed.

Are you ready to fight sin with gospel hope? In this powerful message on sanctification, we explore Chapter 7 of Sinclair Ferguson's "Devoted to God" titled "In for the Kill"—learning how to actively put sin to death through the Spirit's power.

Romans 8:13 declares: "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Sanctification is a battle, but it's rooted in our union with Christ and fought with His strength, not ours.

Introduction

The moment has finally arrived. After weeks of tension, Esther and Mordecai find themselves trapped in a kingdom where royal decrees cannot be overturned. A decree looms over their heads: the jews are to be annihilated. The clock is ticking, and the 11-month timeframe continues to get closer. Esther is dragging her feet by engaging in two banquets. Is this another Marie Antoinette who has an attitude, let them eat cake? What is more, when she lists her requests, she speaks first of her inconvenience. What about the horror of ethnic cleansing? What about the horror of people trying to destroy God’s plan by slaughtering his promised people?

Esther's Answer

Esther has not been characterized as very wise. In fact, she has just been led around and told what to do. She does not seem self-willed or competent. We learn that Esther is very savvy.

Rather than making her request at the first banquet, she waits, which tests the king's sincerity. When the moment comes, she begins with a personal appeal: let my life be spared, and the life of my people. We might think that she is selfish. Rather, she is starting with one that the king loves. Then, with one bold declaration, she identifies herself publicly as a Jew, aligning herself with God's covenant people at great personal risk. Her restraint, her timing, and her courage together expose Haman for exactly what he is: the enemy of God’s people. She is the queen of her people.

Haman's Fall

From the moment the king leaves the room in anger, Haman's fate is sealed. The man who boldly celebrated the annihilation of an entire people is now on his knees, begging for his life from a woman. The irony runs deep. This is a kingdom that ruled that no woman would have authority over a man. Now determines what happens to Haman’s fate. Saul caved, and Samuel finished the job. This man repeats the story only to find that history repeats itself.

Haman does not cry out, but only begs for mercy. He wants to live again to tyrannize some more. He is not asking God for mercy, but begging the queen to extend his selfishly ambitious life. It is in his personal ambition he loses his life.

The king walks in and sees him on the couch with Esther. His persistent clinging and begging for his life is what brings him down. The king is furious, and Haman leaves the scene. The king will not tolerate anyone attempting to assault the queen. Esther remains silent, allowing the king to make his hasty judgment.

Tragically, the words ring true. You will fall (certainly fall in English), and he had fallen before Esther.

Haman Exalted

In a final twist of dark irony, Haman is "exalted.” He wanted to be exalted, and he got his wish. He is impaled on the pole that he built for Mordecai. Satan tried to triumph over God in Eden, but his fate was, is, and will be publicly declared. Haman is the reminder: God’s purpose stands. The towering structure, visible across the entire city of Susa, was meant to display Mordecai's shame. Instead, it displays Haman's.

The deeper meaning is that anyone who is hung on a tree is a covenant breaker. (Dt. 21:21, Gaol 3:13). The Lord's decree that Amalek would not stand is fulfilled, and the king's wrath is appeased the moment it is done. Haman, who schemed to destroy God's gospel community, ends on a tree he never intended for himself. And in that picture, we see the shadow of Christ. One is hung on a tree, and the king’s wrath subsides. Christ did this not as a sinner, but as our Redeemer-Lord. Haman symbolizes the other side of this. The serpent seed will not rise and be victorious.

Conclusion

The book of Esther is a story about the "B team,” which is flawed, unlikely, and outmatched by smarter, more powerful people. However, God’s humor shines through in his sovereign purpose for his people. God does not take the easy way out, but God preserves his people so that they have life in the Lord. Esther could have stayed silent and saved herself. Mordecai could have bowed. Instead, God worked through their faithfulness to protect his people and establish his purpose.

We must not grow too self-righteous. In fact, this story reminds us that Haman deserved what he received. We must remember that all of us are hamans. We all deserve to be hung upon a tree. The mercy of the gospel is that Christ went to that tree in our place, so that we don't have to. If God could protect his people through the B team in Persia, how much more can he do so in Christ? That is our hope, our confidence, and our motivation as we press forward in this age. Let us cling to our redeemer. Let us live for him. Let us live in him.

In chapter 6 of Sinclair Ferguson's "Devoted to God," we explore sanctification not as a burden of self-effort, but as learning a new rhythm. This is living in the rhythm of heaven itself. Like Russian dolls fitting perfectly together, the Christian life reveals layers that all point to the same truth: God's grace comes first, and our obedience flows from what He has already done.

Through Colossians 3:1-17, Ferguson shows us that grace doesn't just rescue us from sin's penalty; it retrains our hearts. We're not merely forgiven. We need to see that we're being recreated from the inside out. This is the Spirit teaching us to dance to a new beat, transforming us through our union with Christ.

The new rhythm involves both putting off and putting on. We shed the old wardrobe of anger, lust, greed, and pride. We are not doing this for moral improvement, but because those clothes no longer fit. We are new creatures in Christ. Instead, we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. These aren't abstract virtues; they are reflections of Jesus himself.

Sanctification begins with a change of identity before it ever becomes a change of behavior. This rhythm isn't frantic or forced, but it's peaceful. The music of the gospel is not a mundane march, but more like a heartbeat.

The Heidelberg Catechism teaches that the law of God reveals our sin and misery. This becomes even more disheartening when we see that by nature we hate God and our neighbor. This raises an honest and uncomfortable question: if God's law only exposes how badly we fall short, why would anyone want to study it? And how can Psalm 19 celebrate the law as life-giving when it seems to do nothing but condemn us?

At first glance, the law of God seems like a setup for failure. The standard is total love for God and neighbor. This means we are not allowed a single distracting thought. There is a bar set that none of us consistently meet. Yet Psalm 19 describes the law as perfect, right, and pure, with benefits including a revived soul, wisdom for the simple, joy in the heart, and enlightened eyes. How do we hold both realities together?

The key is understanding that the law here is not simply a list of commandments designed to expose our inadequacy. The Hebrew word Torah carries a broader meaning. Think of Torah as the Lord's instruction for life. When we study God's instruction, we are not just measuring ourselves against an impossible standard. Ironically, we are instructed in how to live.

Life is not found in our obedience, but in Christ’s obedience. We live in the power and grace of God. The commands do reveal to us how we ought to live, but we must remember that we live in his promises rather than our perfect obedience. The celebration of the Torah is the celebration that we get to live for Christ, and in Christ. It is Christ who secures us. We have the joy of living as living sacrifices out of thanksgiving for him.

The phrase "fear of the Lord" can easily be misread as cowering before a tyrannical God who delights in punishing his people. But that misreads both the psalm and God’s character. The fear of the Lord is not a call to be terrified of God. Rather, it is honoring him, humbling oneself, and a right ordering of our relationship with God as Creator and Redeemer.

God is not a distant sovereign looking for reasons to strike us down. Scripture consistently shows a God who warns before he acts. He is a God who is bigger than his people. His people cannot annul his purpose. He is not confined to a single land or place. We see this because He communes with his people and protects them even in exile. Christ weeps over Jerusalem. To fear God rightly is to recognize who he is and who we are: We are his creatures who have been redeemed. He is our God and redeemer. We revere his name accordingly.

Psalm 19 closes not with confidence in our own faithfulness, but with a prayer of dependence. The Psalmist raises the question, “Who can discern his errors?" The question highlights the problem that we have. We are unable to clearly see all our sins. In fact, the prayer is the request that the Lord keep us back from willingly and joyfully rushing into sin. We do not want to be presumptuous and rush into sin.

Discerning the truth means coming before God honestly. We are continually asking him to search us, convict us, and keep us from the sins that would have dominion over us. The psalm ends not with a pledge of personal grin-and-bear-it resolve, but with a cry: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Discernment flows from dependence. The goal is not moral self-improvement but a life continually oriented toward the God who has redeemed us.

The catechism is correct to say that the law shows us our sin and misery. But it does not leave us in misery. Psalm 19 invites us to see the law as a gift from a God who loves us enough to give us his instruction. He is gracious enough to keep us even when we fail to keep his law. We must remember our need for our redeemer. We must also remember we are called to live for our redeemer. It is by God’s grace, his power, and mercy that we will prevail in him.