~~~~~~~ No 26 in the series - The Epistles of Peter. ~~~~~~~ **Considering 2 Peter 1:12-15** Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always **in remembrance** of these things, ......... to stir you up by putting you **in remembrance;** ........ Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always **in remembrance.** *1/ A reminder of God's use of aids to remembrance in his Word, the Bible. 2/ "These things" Peter wants us to have **always** in remembrance, and what is not stopping him from reminding us. 3/ The blessing of rememberance.* **Sermon summary:** The sermon explores the critical spiritual discipline of remembering God's truths, drawing primarily from 2 Peter 1:12-15 where the Apostle Peter urges believers to constantly recall essential doctrines. The preacher highlights various biblical aids for remembrance, such as the rainbow, the Passover, and the Lord's Supper, which serve as tangible reminders of God's covenants and redemptive work. Emphasizing that even established Christians are prone to forgetfulness, the message argues that repeated exposure to Scripture is necessary to maintain faith and prevent spiritual complacency. The Holy Spirit acts as the ultimate Remembrancer, bringing past blessings and scriptural truths to light at divinely appointed times for encouragement and correction. Ultimately, the sermon calls the congregation to actively engage with God's Word so as to have the assurance of their calling and therefore election until Christ's return.

Music is not morally neutral, but has a powerful influence on the heart, mind, body, emotions, and character of those who hear it. According to Ephesians 5:10-11 believers must prove what is acceptable unto the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, especially in the music used for worship. Godly music should be marked by order, melody, harmony, reverence, and spiritual purpose, while fleshly and worldly music appeals to the body, stirs carnal passions, and will lead the church away from holiness and truth. It is critical, in this late hour, to exercise careful discernment, especially in the house of God, so that music offered in worship honors the Lord rather than conforming to the spirit and appetites of the world.

The sermon examines the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus to demonstrate that religious credentials and moral effort are insufficient for salvation. It emphasizes that entrance into God's kingdom requires a supernatural regeneration initiated solely by the Holy Spirit, which no human can produce or earn. By referencing the bronze serpent in the wilderness, the message illustrates that eternal life is granted through faith in the lifted-up Son of Man rather than personal merit. The central argument asserts that salvation is entirely God's sovereign work, removing the burden of self-justification from the believer. Ultimately, the text calls listeners to abandon reliance on their own righteousness and look to Christ in faith for eternal life.

How can an infant—devoid of cognitive reasoning, language, or the ability to process the preached Gospel—be born again? Across centuries of church history, Puritans, Particular Baptists, and Reformed giants like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield wrestled with this profound theological enigma. Rejecting both the error of baptismal regeneration by infant baptism, and the myth of natural innocence, these theologians pointed to something far more awe-inspiring: a sovereign, unmediated work of the Holy Spirit who transforms the soul beyond the reach of human intellect. Join us in this episode as we journey through the 1689 London Baptist Confession, historical debates, and the mechanics of divine grace to discover how God secretly regenerates the most vulnerable among us, proving that salvation is, from first to last, entirely of the Lord.

This sermon concludes the book of Revelation by highlighting the final blessing, invitation, warning, and promise found in chapter 22. The preacher emphasizes that Jesus removes the curse of sin through His sacrifice, offering righteousness and peace to those who believe by grace rather than works of the law. The Holy Spirit and the Church issue a universal call for all to come to Christ freely, underscoring the urgency of responding to this invitation while there is still time. The message warns against altering Scripture and assures believers of Christ's imminent return, urging them to live in eager anticipation and share the gospel with others. Ultimately, the sermon calls listeners to accept salvation through faith in Jesus alone before it is too late.

In John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Christian's burden is a vivid theological analogy representing the conscious, crushing weight of guilt and terror of divine judgment that presses upon an awakened sinner when enlightened by God's Law. To the Puritans, this burden is not sin in the abstract, but the painful realization of one's own total depravity, heart-sins, and complete inability to satisfy God's unyielding justice through moral reform or religious duties. Driven by this "law work," the sinner is systematically stripped of self-righteousness, legalism, and mercenary self-trust—such as Christian's terrifying detour under Mount Sinai—until they are emptied of self-sufficiency. Though Christian is truly regenerated and justified upon entering the Wicket Gate, his burden remains until he arrives at the Cross, illustrating the historic Reformed principle (reflected in WLC Q.81 and Owen's exposition of Psalm 130) that a soul may be in a state of grace for some time before the Holy Spirit grants the conscious, liberating sense of pardon and full assurance.

Real joy and deep peace are not found in circumstances, possessions, or personality. Instead, they flow from trusting in Christ. Paul prayed that "the God of hope" will fill believers "with all joy and peace in believing." As we rest our complete confidence in the finished work of Christ, God Himself will pour joy into troubled hearts and peace into anxious minds. Faith is the channel, not the cause; God is the source, Christ is the ground, and the Holy Spirit the One who makes these blessings real in our experience, enabling us to "abound in hope" even in hard times.

Theme: The Spirit Who Assures 1. The Spirit leads to a new life v12,13 2. The Spirit gives the heart of a child. V14,15 3. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit. v16,17 Psalter 204:1-4 Reading of Romans 8:1-17. Text: verses 12-17. Lord's Day 20 Psalter 227:1,3 Psalter 241:1,2 Psalter 248:1,3,4 Doxology

Christians have joy. We rejoice in the hope of God's glory in us. We rejoice even in our sufferings knowing they work a good work in us. Finally we are joyful because our hope does not leave us ashamed, it leaves us with the Holy Spirit!

The sermon examines Philippians 3:12-16 to warn against the dual dangers of moral superiority and spiritual complacency in the Christian life. It contrasts the false hope of sinless perfectionism with the reality of an ongoing internal battle between the flesh and the Spirit, emphasizing that grace acts as a stimulant for holiness rather than a sedative. Using the metaphor of a race, the text urges believers to forget past failures and press forward with focused determination toward the prize of eternal life. The message highlights that true spiritual maturity involves continuous growth and an increasing awareness of one's need for Christ's righteousness. Ultimately, it calls for persistent effort and reliance on God's sustaining grace to complete the good work He has begun.