Spirits on SermonAudio

This sermon examines the theological significance of Jesus' death and the subsequent tearing of the temple veil as recorded in Matthew 27. It highlights the voluntary nature of Christ's sacrifice, emphasizing that He yielded up His spirit only after completing the work of atonement. The exposition connects this event to the Old Testament tabernacle, explaining that the veil represented the separation caused by sin and the danger of approaching a holy God without atonement. By tearing the veil from top to bottom, God demonstrates that the barrier between humanity and His presence has been permanently removed through the superior sacrifice of Jesus. The message concludes with an invitation to trust in Christ for salvation and to approach God with boldness, knowing that access to His presence is now open to all believers.

Walk as Children of Light A wrong thing can become familiar enough that we stop resisting it and begin making excuses for it. Ephesians 5:6-14 calls us to remember the change Christ has made, seek the fruit of His Spirit in our choices, and wake up wherever we have grown careless. This message brings the question of light and darkness into the life we actually live. Christ gives us reason to face sin honestly and help to walk in obedience to Him. Scripture References: Ephesians 5:6-14 John 8:12

What was the first thing Noah did when he came out of the ark (Genesis 8:20)? Read the verse and ask whether God told him to build that altar, or whether he went to it of his own heart. Then ask why God had told him to take the clean beasts "by sevens" (Genesis 7:2), long before the flood came. "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (Genesis 8:20)

This sermon on John 3:1-16 expounds the necessity of sovereign regeneration. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Sanhedrin member, approaches Jesus privately by night, acknowledging His divine signs yet treating Him as a mere teacher. Still spiritually blind, he cannot see the kingdom on his own terms. Jesus insists that unless one is born again of water and the Spirit (Ezekiel 36), he cannot enter God's kingdom. Flesh produces only flesh; the natural man is dead in sin, hostile to God, and unable to please Him (Romans 8). The new birth is monergistic—cleansing, transforming, and empowering—entirely the sovereign work of the Spirit, who blows where He wills. When Nicodemus remains confused, Jesus points to the bronze serpent in Numbers: as the Israelites looked to the lifted-up serpent for healing, so the Son of Man must be lifted up that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. Salvation comes by looking in faith to the crucified Christ alone, by whom the poison of sin is removed. The gospel is all of grace; God alone raises the dead and draws sinners to Himself.

Reading the Bible is one of the best things to do. God has revealed His will to us and strengthens us as we understand and practice what He says. However, there are times when something in the Bible seems to be very difficult to understand. What do you do when you come across a difficult passage. Paul told Timothy to study to show himself approved to God (2 Tim. 2:15). Studying the Bible means more than reading a few verses and then moving on. It requires reading, meditating, and praying. But even after spending a good amount of time doing that, you may have difficulty understanding a passage. The next step is to consult someone you trust. It could be your pastor, an experienced student of the Bible, or a trusted Bible commentary. With their help and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, you can gain an understanding of what the Bible is saying. One of those difficult passages in the Bible is found in John 6. Do you remember the time when Jesus lost many of His disciples because of what He said? He told them that they needed to eat His body and drink His blood. This was too much for many of them, but the twelve remained because they had come to believe that Jesus was the Christ and the Son of God. However, we are still left with a question about what that passage means. What does it mean?

Biblical discernment calls Christians to stand firmly on God's Word with humility, courage, and love. Drawing from Philippians 1:9–10 and Ephesians 4:15, Dave Jenkins explains how a teachable spirit, biblical conviction, and devotion to Christ shape faithful discernment. Learn why discernment seeks to protect others from spiritual harm and point them to Christ, and consider four practical ways to exercise it faithfully. For more from Contending for the Word Q&A, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/contending-for-the-word-qa/

Pastor Rockhill opens the first four verses of Acts 13, where the gospel's advance from Jerusalem reaches the thriving church at Antioch. His central burden is to show how God calls, confirms, and sends laborers into His harvest, and how this pattern establishes the ordered, accountable life of Christ's church. Pastor Rockhill walks through the leaders gathered at Antioch—Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Menaen, and Saul—noting that the gospel was now crossing geographical, ethnic, and social barriers in fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. He stresses that Antioch was no independent congregation but was organically and doctrinally connected to Jerusalem, the seed of what would become Presbyterian government and the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. The key doctrine concerns the call to office. As the leaders ministered to the Lord in worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul. Pastor Rockhill distinguishes the inward sense of call from the outward call of the church, which tests and confirms it, and he explains the laying on of hands as consecration, delegation of Christ's authority, and public accountability. By way of application, he commends fasting as a fitting means of seeking the Lord, warns against self-appointed ministry, and urges believers to value the God-ordained structures that guard both the flock and its officers. Through these appointed means the gospel still spreads and the church is built, all to the praise of God's glory alone.

Reading of God's Word: James 4:7-10 Sermon: The Baptized Life Sermon Text: Luke 6:20-26 1. Be Mournful in Spirit 2. Be Serious in Life