Trinity Presbyterian Church North Bay — Sermons & Sunday School

Sermon preached on Hebrews 3:1-6 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/29/2018 in Novato, CA.

Sermon manuscript

Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.

Hebrews 3:1-6

4/29/18

“Faithful to Him Who Appointed Him”

Ever since the coming of Christ and the enactment of the new covenant, God’s people have had to learn how to relate this new covenant with the old. This fact hits us very plainly every time we open our Bibles. We have an Old Testament and a New Testament in our Bibles. Different groups down through the centuries have tried to address this in wrong ways. It started as early as the Judaizers during the time when the New Testament was still even being recorded. Then many new Jewish Christians thought that the Gentile followers of Christ needed to start following all the rituals and ceremonies that Moses have given under the old covenant. The church considered that and rejected that; see the church council in Acts 15. Others, went the opposite extreme. For example, less than a century later, someone named Marcion denounced and rejected the Old Testament, saying it was incompatible with faith in Jesus. Yet again, the Church disagreed, and excommunicated Marcion. Then, there was the middle ages, where the Roman Catholic church developed into what it is today. Arguably, the emphasis they place on the externals in their worship style has become influenced partly by the precedence set by the old covenant; yet during the Reformation the reformers argued that was not fitting now under the new covenant. More recently, there has been the rise of dispensationalism which at its core sees two peoples of God, Israel versus the Gentile church, an error which also stems from a challenge in relating the old covenant with the new. These are just a few examples of this challenge that the church has had with relating the old with the new. Yet, the New Testament tells us so much about how to properly understand this relationship. Hebrews especially guides us in this regard. There are similarities and differences between the old and the new. We will need to learn where certain things have found fulfillment in Christ and therefore are no longer to be practiced (like animal sacrifices or kosher food laws). Yet, the old and new covenants are not so fundamentally different that we have no use for such Scripture any more. In fact, we see quite the opposite. Despite the differences, there is much connection and unity we have with those saints under the old covenant. And so, Hebrews gives us this great balanced response: there is both connection and difference with the saints of old under the old covenant. Today’s passage contributes to our understanding on this, as it relates Jesus with Moses, who are the mediators of the two covenants.

So then, let’s begin in our first point by considering Moses, mediator of the old covenant. Verse 1 tells us to “consider” Jesus and then relates him to Moses. So, let’s first “consider” Moses. What do we learn about Moses here? In verse 5, we see that he was a servant; a servant of God. Not only that, but we see that he was a faithful servant. Moses’ faithfulness is asserted in both verses 3 and 5. Here Hebrews surely has in mind the Old Testament passage of Numbers 12:7. There God calls Moses his servant and says of Moses that is “He is faithful in all My house.” Numbers there also says what this passage Hebrews says; it’s God’s house, not Moses’ house. And so, Moses was a servant and he was faithful. He worked for God as God was building his house. And notice that nothing is said here in Hebrews about the failings of Moses. True, we know from Scripture that he sinned in different ways, especially in striking the rock when God told him to speak to the rock. That sin kept Moses from entering the earthly Promised Land. But none of that is mentioned here. This is surely written to people who held Moses in the highest regard [...]

Adult Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/29/2018 in Novato, CA. This week we continued a series on public worship, studying chapter II of the OPC Directory for the Public Worship of God, specifically on the topic of the preaching of God’s Word.

Sermon preached on Hebrews 2:10-18 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/22/2018 in Novato, CA.

Sermon manuscript

Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.

Hebrews 2:10-18

4/22/18

“Merciful and Faithful High Priest”

It is a well known and accepted truth among Christians that Jesus is our high priest. What you might not know, is that teaching in the New Testament is only explicitly stated in the book of Hebrews. Yes, other New Testament books portray Jesus as a priest. The concept is there, throughout the New Testament. But only Hebrews explicitly states it. And not only does Hebrews state it, it repeatedly states it and it spends a lot of time developing the doctrine. What a wonderful treasure we have here in the book of Hebrews. And here is the first place in Hebrews that it explicitly states it (though it’s also mentioned conceptually from the start in 1:3). Verse 17, Jesus is a merciful and faithful High Priest.

Yet this too, was something the Old Testament promised. If you recall back to 1 and 2 Samuel, the people were having trouble finding good leadership. We often think of those books as how God brings a king in King David and promises through David’s line to raise up the Messiah. But long before, at the very start of 1 Samuel, God first promised to raise up a faithful priest. 1 Samuel 2:35, God says, “Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before my anointed forever.” That promise was given in light of the fact that the current priest Eli had failed in his job as priest. Eli’s sons were perverting the office of priest, and God called Eli to account because of it. And so, it was in light of the failure of the priesthood of Eli’s house in those days that God promised to one day raise up a faithful priest that would serve as priest forever. Here then, in Hebrews, Scripture boldly declares to us that the promise has been kept in Jesus. He is the promised high priest. He is the merciful and faithful priest whose priestly service will endure forever.

Let us begin then today thinking about this high priest by considering the incarnation. Our first point will be to see how this passage relates the incarnation to Jesus’ priesthood. In short, this passage says that in order to be a priest for God’s people, he would need to be human. When we think of a priest being a mediator, we can think of the value of him being able to represent both parties. Last chapter already emphasized Jesus’ divine nature from eternity. But here we see his effectiveness as a priest tied to the fact that this eternal one also became human at the incarnation. That uniquely qualifies him as the God-man to be a priest between God and man. Today’s passage focuses on his becoming man in the incarnation.

We see this, for example, in verse 17. Jesus had to be made like his brethren in all things. There it goes on to connect the necessity in order to be our priest. But it’s important to understand that language of “all things”. This is a topic of Christology and the early church had to spend some time wrestling with this in light of heretical views that some people were trying to introduce into the church. For example, in trying to deal with Jesus’ divinity in comparison to his humanity, there were some people that tried to reconcile those at the expense of either his humanity or his divinity. For example, the Docetists said Jesus only appeared human. Later, the Eutychians also denied that Jesus was fully human, claiming that the divine nature absorbed his human nature so that he wasn’t human like the rest of us. Many other wrong views also were advocated. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD produced the definitive statement on this matter, clarifying that the Bible taught that Jesus had both a fully divine nature and a fully human nature, but those two [...]

Adult Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/22/2018 in Novato, CA. This week we continued a series on public worship, studying chapter II of the OPC Directory for the Public Worship of God, specifically on the topic of the preaching of God’s Word.

Adult Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/15/2018 in Novato, CA. This week we continued a series on public worship, studying chapter II of the OPC Directory for the Public Worship of God, specifically on the topic of the public reading of God’s Word.

Sermon preached on Hebrews 2:5-9 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/15/2018 in Novato, CA.

Sermon manuscript

Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.

Hebrews 2:5-9

4/15/18

“A Little Lower Than the Angels”

In a sense, the world is not what it should be, or at least not what it could have been. This world is full of problems, full of sorrows, full of things outside of our control. Mankind has tried many different solutions to the problems of this world. Yet, many problems still exist. As Christians, we know that the root of all these issues is mankind’s fall into sin. We also know the solution is Jesus. So far, our study through Hebrews has certainly be exalting Jesus Christ as our glorious and exalted savior. Yet the skeptic asks, if Jesus is the solution, then why do we still have all these problems? Has the Bible claimed a victory that doesn’t fit with reality? Well the answer is, “No.” Rather, the Bible very much describes all this, our current reality. The Book of Hebrews describes this. Our passage for today describe this, with the help of Psalm 8.

Let’s begin there today, with Psalm 8. This is the passage quoted in verses 6-8. It’s Psalm 8:4-6. This excerpt from Psalm 8 is good snapshot of the whole psalm. The psalm is a psalm of praise, giving God glory for how he created mankind. The psalm begins by considering the glorious heavens, and by extension how great God is who created the heavens. The psalm then expresses awe and appreciation that such a glorious and exalted God would have any regard for man. As we see here in verse 6, the psalm asks, “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?” The psalmist expresses what every human should express: why would this great God take notice of me?

The psalm goes on to clarify what it specifically has in mind. Look at verse 7 here, “You have made him a little lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” This is talking about mankind and the created order. In terms of created things, God is over all. But then in one sense, angels are next. Then you have humans. Then you have all the other creatures on earth. In terms of the position of angels, the Song of Moses, according to the LXX and Dead Sea Scrolls says in Deuteronomy 32:8, that when God first divided up the nations, he did it according to the angels of God. That seems to describe angels in some sort of oversight role over humans. That complements what we see in Daniel 10 when three angels are mentioned as princes over nations; one as a prince of Persia, one as a prince of Greece, and one as a prince of Judah. Similarly, we see both angels and demons described in Ephesians as rulers and principalities. So, at a bare minimum, we can think of angels being over us humans in terms of authority or hierarchy. We could probably consider some ways in which angels are greater than humans as beings, them living as glorious spirits in heaven, we living here on earth both body and spirit, with various bodily limitations. But I digress. The point is we can think of ways in which Psalm 8 is correct in stating the humans were made a little lower than the angels.

Yet, that description was not meant as derogatory. The Psalm goes on to talk of how exalted in fact humans are. We are just below angels, but stand in glory and dominion over all the rest of creation. For this, we must remember back to Genesis. In the beginning, when God made the creatures of this world, he made us humans last. And he made us different and special. He made us in God’s own image, with a knowledge, righteousness, and holiness that the other creatures were not capable to possess. And not only that, he issued that cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28, endowing man with the authority and responsibility to exercise d[...]

Sermon preached on 1 Timothy 5:17-18 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/9/2017 in Novato, CA.

Sermon manuscript

Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.

1 Timothy 5:17-18

4/9/17

“Counted Worthy”

This is one of those passages that as a pastor you think would be nice to have a guest preacher handle instead of yourself. The last few weeks we’ve been talking about honoring widows. Given that I’m not a widow nor will I ever be, there’s certainly no conflict of interest there. But today’s passage is about the honor the church is to show elders and especially pastors. And not only that, it even talks about pastoral compensation. So, certainly there is a very personal interest that I as a pastor have in this topic. That being said, it is my duty to preach to you the whole word of God, which includes this passage. God’s people need to know how God would have us to treat our elders and pastors. So, then, I will in humility walk us through these verses today as we consider the double honor that we are called to give elders and pastors.

So, let’s begin todays sermon by thinking briefly about the office of elder. This is a subject we covered a lot back in chapter 3 when we saw the qualifications for bishops or overseers. I explained there how the office of bishop or overseer is, according to the Bible, the same office as the office of elder. They are two different labels to describe the same thing. Well, chapter 3 focused on the qualifications of that office. Today’s passage speaks a little bit about what work that office entails, and also the way church members ought to relate to those who hold such office.

And so, the first thing we see about this office of elder is that is a position of authority and governance. Verse 17 speaks of elders as those who “rule”. The word for “rule” is about being set as a head or authority over others. Elders are the ones in the church endowed with that authority to govern and make decisions in the church. Scripture shows us that this includes decisions of various sorts, though it often includes judicial matters within the church. What we also see in the Bible is that the authority is collective. In the Bible, time and again you see people going to the elders (plural), not to an elder (singular). Elders are not kings. They are not individually governors. They operate collectively. Like in Acts 15 when they gather to decide a big doctrinal issue, even the apostles there join with the elders to make a decision as a group and then collectively submit to that decision. This is somewhat similar to how many organizations today work who have boards of directors. For example, I serve on the board for our kid’s Christian school. Individually as a member of that board I have no authority. It is only as the board comes together and make decisions as a group that it provides governance to the school. That is similar to how our authority as elders work; we rule collectively. I think there is a great wisdom there to not have popes or human kings in the church. There is one head and king of the church with complete authority and power; that’s Jesus, and that’s the way it should be!

So that is one thing we learn about the office of elder in this passage. The other main thing we learn about the nature of this office is that there are some elders who particularly labor in the word and doctrine. That’s the last part of verse 17.

Presbyterians have had some variation in the terminology that we use to describe what we see here in verse 17. Some like to use the language of a teaching elder versus a ruling elder. The problem with that language is that teaching elders still rule, and ruling elders also still teach. But, the labels aren’t that bad as they do help to describe what those different kinds of elders focus on. Some focus more on the ruling, some focus more on the teaching. Other Presbyterians like to use the labels of elde[...]

Adult Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/09/2017 in Novato, CA. This week we continued a series on prayer, continuing to discuss the motivation for why a Christian prays.

Sermon preached on 1 Timothy 5:9-16 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/02/2017 in Novato, CA.

Sermon manuscript

Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.

1 Timothy 5:9-16

4/2/17

“I Would Have the Younger Widows Marry”

We continue for our third week to think about widows. Today will be our last week on this passage. Next week we’ll move on to the next passage. Let me remind you the ground we’ve covered on this topic of widows. The first week we looked at verses 3-8 and thought in general about the church’s care for widows. Last week we looked at verses 9-16 and thought more specifically about this list of widows that Paul wrote about. We said that this list was likely more than just a list of who to support, but seemed to represent enrolling such widows into some official number of order in which they’d also be involved in some sort of ministry capacity within the church. And so, last week we discussed the nature of this list or number of widows. But then when we also looked at the qualifications required to be on this list. They involved qualifications concerning spiritual maturity, which made sense if this list of widows would involve some kind of ministry capacity in the church.

But the qualifications also included an age requirement. Only widows 60 years or older could be enrolled in this number. We talked a little bit the reasoning for that last week. But then today, I want us to continue to discuss these younger widows. Last week we talked about how the younger widows would be more inclined to remarry. Paul said that is why it wouldn’t make sense for them to be enrolled into some order of widows that was pledging to remain single in order to serve the Lord in their retirement years. But today, we’ll see the other concern Paul has for these young widows. He sees certain temptations that would come for them if they were on such a list in their younger years. Then we’ll look at what Paul instead desires for these younger widows to do. And so, stepping back then, this age requirement tells us something very important. To be on this list, is not really some full-time job. It’s really more of a retirement ministry. For those who are not at that point in life to retire, Paul calls them to be working; to be involved in an ordinary and typical vocation. That’s what we’ll be thinking about today.

So then, that brings us to our starting point for today. Let’s observe the temptations Paul says would come to a young widow if they were to enter this widows list with the older widows. He starts in verse 13 with the concern of idleness. He says that if these young able-bodied women are put on the honor roll list with the older widows, they could end up learning idleness. Let me explain about idleness. The word idle here means to be in a chronic state of not working. In general, idleness is a sin. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Paul says we need to admonish the idle. In 2 Thessalonians 3, we see Paul going into much more detail about this – likely his first letter to the Thessalonians didn’t solve their problem of idleness. And so there in 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul reminded them about his example among them. Paul says that while he was there, he didn’t eat anyone’s bread without paying for it. Instead, Paul says that he worked night and day in order to provide for his needs while also doing his gospel ministry. Interestingly, Paul says there that as an apostle, he could have rightly received financial support from them as a gospel worker. But Paul chose not to take that benefit, so he could show them the value of hard work. And so, Paul gave them a rule in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” Now of course, Paul’s not addressing here people who can’t work and earn their keep, like the young, or the elderly, or the disabled. But to those who can work, they ought to work. Again, this doesn’t mean you[...]

Adult Sunday School class led by Rev. W. Reid Hankins at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 4/02/2017 in Novato, CA. This week we continued a series on prayer, continuing to define what is prayer not, this time talking about how prayer is not a way to manipulate God. We also began to discuss the motivation for why a Christian prays.