Spirits on SermonAudio

This sermon examines Ephesians 4, shifting focus from the unity of the Spirit to the diversity of gifts within the body of Christ. The central argument identifies the risen and ascended Jesus as the sole giver of New Testament church offices, grounding this authority in His victory over death and His fulfillment of Psalm 68. The exposition defines the specific word-based offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, distinguishing them from non-word-based roles like deacon. It further argues that the extraordinary offices of apostle, prophet, and evangelist ceased with the close of the apostolic age and the completion of the canon, leaving pastor and teacher as the enduring means of grace. The tone is instructional and Reformed, emphasizing the sufficiency of Scripture and the sovereign grace of God in equipping His people for service.

John urges believers not to accept every spiritual claim. We must first test the spirits by whether they confess Jesus Christ truly came in the flesh. False teachers reject apostolic truth about Christ. Those who belong to God listen to the apostles' teaching. We consider 5 tests that John gives to help Christians discern truth from error. We are assured the Spirit of God is greater than the spirit of error, and truth can be recognized when hearing God's Word.

Sermon Notes "When the Crowd Turns" Acts 21:27-36 I. The enemies of the gospel distort the truth (27-29) II. The rage of the crowd reveals the cost of faithful witness (30-31) III. The providence of God limits the violence of men (32-36)

This sermon examines the characteristics of the early church in Acts 4, highlighting their obedience, consistency, prayer, generosity, and unity as the foundation for spiritual power. The message contrasts the threatening Sanhedrin with the trusting saints who, despite persecution, responded with boldness and a prayer that acknowledged God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His counsel. Key theological points include the distinction between the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit, the necessity of surrendering temporal possessions to God, and the resulting common purpose and power among believers. The preacher emphasizes that this unity and reliance on God, rather than human strength or material security, enables the church to witness effectively and experience divine grace. The tone is pastoral and encouraging, urging the congregation to emulate the early church's attitude of shared sacrifice and collective dependence on the Spirit.

This sermon explores the distinction between earthly wisdom and the wisdom from above as presented in James 3. It defines true wisdom as the skill of godly living, requiring the application of moral truth with a meek spirit rather than mere intellectual knowledge. The text contrasts the destructive nature of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, which lead to disorder, with the fruit of the Spirit, including purity, peace, gentleness, and sincerity. The message emphasizes that these qualities are not achieved through human effort but are the result of yielding to the Holy Spirit over time. Ultimately, the sermon points to Jesus Christ as the embodiment of divine wisdom, whose self-sacrificial love on the cross provides the righteousness and reconciliation that human striving cannot attain.

This sermon explores the nature of true worship by examining Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, emphasizing that God is a spirit who cannot be contained by geography or human imagination. It argues that genuine worship requires sincerity and alignment with biblical truth, moving beyond mere outward attendance or ritualistic performance. The message highlights the grace of God, who seeks out sinners not to condemn them but to reveal their need for redemption through Jesus Christ. By contrasting the woman's attempt to change the subject with Jesus' deep engagement with her conscience, the sermon calls listeners to stop hiding their sin and to embrace the gospel. It concludes with an urgent appeal for believers to restore the joy of salvation and for seekers to trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

This sermon examines the conversion of the penitent thief at Calvary, presenting it as a fulfillment of Old Testament typology found in Genesis 40 and Isaiah 53. The central message emphasizes that this transformation was solely the work of the Holy Spirit, who convicted the sinner of his guilt and revealed the sovereignty of God as Creator, Judge, and Savior. The preacher highlights the thief's recognition of Christ's impeccable sinlessness and substitutionary death, arguing that only a sinless Savior can atone for the sins of the ungodly. The tone is urgent and pastoral, calling listeners to fear God, acknowledge their own condemnation, and cry out to Jesus for mercy before it is too late.

Matthew 25:6 "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." This sermon examines the state of the visible kingdom of God at the time of Christ's second coming, drawing primarily from the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. The message highlights that the Bridegroom will find a mixture of sleeping saints and slothful sinners, emphasising the spiritual lethargy and compromise often present in the modern church. It asserts that upon His return, Christ will immediately execute a definitive separation between true believers, who possess the oil of the Holy Spirit, and those with empty professions, a judgment carried out by angels under His direct command. The sermon concludes with the joyous prospect of the marriage supper of the Lamb, where the redeemed will celebrate their eternal union with Christ and their final victory over all enemies.

PM sermons are preceded by a Confessional, Catechism, Historic Creed lesson, or a lesson from the NT (Usually 5 minutes or so) Heidelberg Catechism Q86 Since we have been delivered from our misery by grace through Christ without any merit of our own, why then should we do good works? A. Because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, is also restoring us by his Spirit into his image, so that with our whole lives we may show that we are thankful to God for his benefits, so that he may be praised through us, so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits, and so that by our godly living our neighbors may be won over to Christ. Q91 What are good works? A. Only those which are done out of true faith, conform to God's law, and are done for God's glory; and not those based on our own opinion or human tradition.