Sermon Podcast

In our second week of our summer series “What Does the Bible Say?”, Ernest Stellingwerff from our Elder Team brings us a message from Genesis 2 with four key words from the whole counsel of God: “Creation: You Were Created to Work”; “Fall: The Curse Affected Our Job Description”; “Redemption: The Gospel Redeems Work”; and “Restoration: Work in Eternity”. Work is not a curse; it’s part of God’s original design. Therefore, remember: 1) you were created for work (Gen. 1:28; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thes. 3:10-13); 2) your talents, passions and skills are intentional (Eph. 2:10); 3) work for God’s glory, expressing His image (Col. 3:17); and 4) serve others through your work. Christ is returning to make all things new—including our work!

Taking a break before Romans 12-16 this fall, Pastor Brent kicks off a topical summer sermon series entitled “What Does the Bible Say?” This week focuses on Genesis 1: “God is Creator”; “Humanity as Image Bearers” (not an ability, but the gift to be living representatives of God); “Effects of Sin” (alienated relationship with God; foolish rationality; self-centered role); and “Through Christ” (we are restored to right relationship with God, created in Christ Jesus to do good works). God designed creation as complementary from the beginning (e.g., light and darkness, sea and land, sun and moon), and Day 6 culminated with complementary image bearers: male and female. “Image-bearing is expressed in humanity together, male and female (vv. 26-27), making fruitful God’s creation (v. 28) through cultivation and protection (2:15) for the glory of God and the multiplying of His goodness, beauty, and majesty across the earth!”

Concluding Romans 11 before a topical summer series, Pastor Brent opens with an example of an elaborate mystery devised in 1861 to thwart an assassination attempt on newly elected President Lincoln. The word “mystery” is used 28 times in the NT (21 by Paul) meaning “unclear things become clear.” He then opens Rom. 11 and unfolds the “Mystery” (vv. 25-27); “Reversal” (vv. 28-32); and “Doxology” (vv. 33-36). Keys to remember: 1) Humility, gratitude, and joy should mark all believers, whether natural branches or ingrafted branches; 2) the Jewish rejection of Jesus was the catalyst by which the nations are now hearing the gospel and are invited (ingrafted) into the family of God! Paul himself went from a hardened zealot of the law to a humble recipient of God’s grace, resulting in the doxology we read in vv. 33-36.

Continuing our three-part series in Romans 11, Pastor Paul opens by tying in Pentecost Sunday with Christianity’s roots in Judaism. He uses an illustration from the art and science of tree grafting to reflect the spiritual truths of this chapter: “Gentile Salvation Should Lead to Jewish Salvation” (vv. 11-16); “Faith is Always Humble, Never Arrogant” (vv. 17-21); and “Consider God’s Kindness, Severity, and Ability” (vv. 22-24). In addition to his penchant for many biblical cross-references, Pastor Paul offers several personal illustrations such as learning from Messianic Jewish Singer Marty Goetz; working with many Jewish families in the Twin Cities since 1992; and the 140-year legacy of four generations of the ten Boom family in Holland whose faith as Christian Gentiles led them to pray for, serve, hide, and suffer for Jews for the glory of God.

The word “remnant” occurs 60 times in the Bible. In mid-20th century Germany, Hitler expelled Christians from “The Reich Church” but pastors such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer helped to keep true Christianity alive, and today Germany has a flourishing movement of Evangelical churches. In this first of three sermons on Romans 11, Pastor Brent brings us both “Encouragement” (vv. 1-6) and “Warning” (vv. 7-10) about the remnant of believers among ethnic Israel and grafted-in Gentiles. He asserts that both religious and irreligious people need saving from their self-salvation projects, and he explains the difference between a “general call” (invitation to trust Christ through evangelism and missions) and an “effectual call” (the special prompting of the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart that leads to responding in repentance and faith).

We’ve come to the great Chapter 10 in the great book of Romans. Whereas the theme of Ch. 9 is God’s sovereignty in salvation, the theme of Ch. 10 is the call to trust in Jesus. Pastor Brent unfolds this by explaining “What Do We Receive?” (9:30-10:4); “How Do We Receive It?” (10:5-10); and “Who Can Receive It?” (10:11-21). We must avoid the grave error of substituting zeal for the law of God for soft-hearted love of God. We must believe in the Person and in the work of Jesus Christ, a surprising reversal from false religions of works righteousness. Those who are saved respond by hearing the gospel. We then go and speak in order that more may listen and accept the eternal truths of salvation in Christ alone through faith alone.

Pastor Brent tackles one of the most challenging chapters in the Bible, Romans 9. He directly faces an age-old question: “Why doesn’t God save everyone?” The Apostle Paul himself expressed his anguish and sorrow for unbelievers among his fellow kinsmen according to the flesh (vv. 2-5). Pastor Brent first examines this passage with “Zoom In: What to Do with Israel?” He outlines “God’s Promise” (vv. 6-13); “God’s Prerogative” (vv. 14-18); and “God’s Purpose” (vv. 19-29). He then applies the passage with “Zoom Out: What Does This Say About God and Our Response?” The answer for the redeemed in Christ is our Heart (it should break for people who are lost), our Head (we should truly believe that God is good), and our Hands (call people to Christ!).

Pastor Brent opens with a timely thank-you to the dozens who showed up for our April 25 Work Day and a save-the-date for a May 17 Groundbreaking Ceremony in advance of our new classroom wing construction. In this 4th and final sermon on Romans 8 in our year-long series in this Pauline masterpiece, Pastor Brent outlined “The Work of God For Us” (vv. 31-34) and “The Love of God For Us” (vv. 35-39). Paul’s three legal challenges in the first section lead to five loving conclusions in the second section. For you who are in Christ Jesus (v. 1), the last verses of Rom. 8 teach that God lovingly: knew you; made a plan for you; called you unto salvation; justified you in Christ; and will usher you into His glory! This means we conquer (lit. “super-triumph”) over the trials of this life. “God is FOR you; He has SAVED you; He will PRESERVE you!”

Pastor Brent opens with a praise and call to prayer for our growing Youth Group, many of whom attended District Blitz in Duluth. He then dives into another passage in our walk through Rom. 8, encouraging the church that “You Are Not Alone” (vv. 26-27); “Your Life Has a Purpose” (vv. 28-29); and “Your Future is Secure” (v. 30). Two lies that we are tempted to believe are that Christians don’t suffer and no one understands our suffering. Similar (but not identical) to our own desperation, when all we can pray may be, “Please, Lord”, “…the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (v. 26, NIV 2011). As our good Father, God cares for our character more than our comfort. As John Newton wrote, “He tests and prunes you, for He is working for your good” (see v. 28). In addition to deeply focusing on the words of this text (such as the five completed action verbs in v. 30), Pastor Brent uses figures from church history to explain and apply this passage, including Charles Spurgeon, John Owen, and St. Patrick and his famous prayer as missionary to Ireland.

Pastor Paul continues our series in Rom. 8 with a six-month update on his increase in groaning—and joy—since being commissioned as associate pastor. After an opening illustration of creation groaning from the true-story film “Only the Brave” (2017), Pastor Paul outlines this passage as “Suffering vs. Glory” (vv. 18-19); “Slavery vs. Freedom” (vv. 19-22); and “Adoption and Hope” (vv. 23-25). A personal illustration of the animal kingdom groaning can be seen through the Arnebergs’ cat, Chip; Paul asserts that at least indirectly, the groaning of the environment, animals, and all creation is our fault. But just as creation was cursed in Gen. 3 due to Adam’s sin, creation itself will be resurrected (v. 21) once the redeemed children of God are finally resurrected through the power of Jesus’ resurrection! Christ was raised; Christians (and O.T. saints) will be raised; then Creation will be raised! A closing admonishment is to grieve more over our sin than the groaning of creation, and long more for the Lord Himself than for merely relief from pain and suffering. Supporting Scriptures include 2 Cor. 4:16-17; Eph. 1:13-14; Col. 3:3-4; Heb. 11:1; 2 Pet. 3:10-13; and 1 John 3:2.