To have glanced down, you’ll see that first word, and you might ask, what’s the therefore? Therefore. It’s always a good question when you see that word in a passage, and ours begins with that word today. Before we read our text this morning, let’s take a quick peek at the back story. Throughout, indeed, our whole series, we have seen both the fait…

Heart and a brightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules. Then I’ll establish your royal throne of Israel forever, as I promised David, your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my Command…

The sleepiness this morning. So Holy spirit, we ask that you would quicken our souls, lead us to still waters and the righteous paths of your son through his word. In the name of the Father, Son, Holy spirit. Amen. Passage this morning is 2 Samuel 7: 1-17, the word of the Lord. Now, when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest f…

We’ve been tracing the major events of the Bible to show God’s faithfulness to different generations of his people. For some of you, if that’s new to you, some of the accounts and the stories as we’re connecting the dots of a single story, that’s okay. If you’re missing a couple of dots, just know that the other ones you’ll know and connect, and th…

We pray for the preaching of God’s word. Lord, the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord stands forever. Amen. What an incredible scene. Pharaoh this year, the second in command of all of Egypt, has taken time to meet with these eleven sons of Israel. And as our text opens, we see Joseph is so completely overcome with emotion…

We’ll be looking at the life of Jacob and God’s faithfulness this morning as we prepare for the reading of God’s word. If you please join with me in prayer. Bless a Triune Lord in your great and kind providence. All holy scriptures were written and preserved for our instruction. We ask that you give us grace to hear them proclaim this day, that you…

16 and 21. But we’re going to be looking at the life of Abraham, God’s calling on him as we look at God’s faithfulness in his life. We look through the reading of God’s word if you would join with me in prayer. Well, Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light upon us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we may come into the true …

Doing our series on God’s generational faithfulness. And so far we’ve looked at the generations of Adam. Despite Adam’s rebellion, God remains faithful. Despite Cain’s murder of his brother, God remains faithful. But it doesn’t get better. We’re going to look how it gets worse in this first passage we’re going to read. You follow with me. This is G…

Hear God’s word read. Let me pray for this, the reading of his word. This will flow from Psalm 119, the section entitled Zion. Let us pray. Lord, remember your word to your servant in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law…

As we see, of course, the Bible is one continuous story, but we’re going to be looking at the major moments of transition and the unfolding of the covenant of redemption. And today we’re starting with the fall. God’s good creation turns bad as we look through the reading of God’s word. If you’d please join with me in prayer. Our Father, majesty and…

Proverbs 4, the last of the summer psalms and Proverbs, we finish out our look at living a life in wisdom directed by the Proverbs. As we look to the reading of God’s word, though, if you please join with me in prayer. Father of all mercies, let us stand in awe of you this day. We ask that you’d help us by your spirit put your words into our hearts…

Please speak peace to our anxious hearts. We incline our ears to hear your words of truth. Amen. Well, since I am the new youth guy, I figured that I would preach a sermon on generational wisdom. Every generation has its new idiosynchrosies, its new little things. I like to show how they’re different from those who’ve come before. And so often ther…

We’re looking at the value of being told no, that no is good for our souls. I’m very aware of the yeah, but nature of this message. Yeah, but what about this circumstance? Well, you don’t understand. Yeah, but this is different. I would just simply want to encourage you, listen first, and then not to let your objections keep you in the way of heari…

Amid fiery beast, the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exaltet, oh God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth. They set a net for my steps. My soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Say, La. My heart is steadfast, O God. My heart…

And the wisdom that God gives to us through it. We look to the redeemed God’s word, though, if you would please join with me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask that you set our hearts on fire with love through your word. Lord, that in it we would love you with all of our heart, with all of our mind, with all of our strength, and our neighbor as ours…

The lens of God’s character. What we saw is that knowing is relational. This morning in the next couple of weeks, we’re going to look at Proverbs expanding on that understanding of wisdom is relational. If we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join with me in prayer. Bless are you, O God, the Father of all mercy. You have elected us. …

The underlying truths of the psalm, how that informs our considerations as we look to the reading of God’s Word. If you join with me in prayer, Father, we do thank you and bless you that you have given us your word preserved from one generation to the next. And Father, as we come before you today with questions of our generation, we ask then that y…

As we prepare to hear God’s word read, I encourage you to take your Bibles in hand and open up to Psalm 56. If you didn’t bring your Bible with you, you can find it in the pew on page 476. But in anticipation of the reading and the hearing of God’s word, let me pray. This will flow from Psalm 119, the section entitled Vab. Let us pray. Father, we a…

After a couple of weeks in Proverbs, we shifted over to a psalm today. It’s a beautiful morning with joyful music that we’ve just sung in a very difficult psalm. Some directional help as we go forward. We are going to start by plunging down as it were a massive dark wave, and then we will ride it back up to join to the top, the daylight of the grea…

The last couple of weeks in Proverbs, we have looked at what it means to have a peaceful heart in conflict, as well as in giving and receiving correction. And this morning, we looked at God’s wisdom in our anger. It was all dovetailed together. So we looked at the reading of God’s word, though, if you please join with me in prayer. Our blessed Triu…

Remember of Psalms and Proverbs, and we are looking at a medley of text starting with Proverbs 27. We consider the wisdom in both giving and receiving instruction or correction. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join with me in prayer. Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light upon us by being rid of the darkness of our heart…

Proverbs 15, Summer Psal. Proverbs are back for a limited time, and we are ready to jump right in with this Book of Proverbs, looking at how our relationship to Jesus transforms conflict in our other relationships. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join with me in prayer. Oh God, we do ask that you would guide us by your word a…

Let’s pray as we prepare to hear God’s word. This prayer flows from Psalm 119, the section entitled KAAF. Let’s pray. Father, we, our souls, long for your salvation. And we long to hope in your word. Our eyes long for your promise. And yet at times we find we ask, When will you comfort us? For we have become like a wine skin in the smoke, and yet w…

Today, we celebrate the birth of the church, Universal. The Holy spirit launches the message of Christ into the world through a newly empowered people. It has been the case through the early church, the two greatest celebrations, first being Easter, the second being Pentecost, which may surprise some, has somewhat become culturally invisible, at le…

We finish our series this morning on the discipleship in the gospel of Mark. For us is the call of Jesus in crossbearing. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join with me in prayer. Father, indeed, we thank you that you have given to us your words, that you have had them written down for our learning. And we ask Lord God, that …

What does it mean for followers of Christ to live for him with one eye on the future horizon and the other upon our present suffering? We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Father, of all mercy in your word, your endless glory shine forth. And we ask them that you would reveal them to us this day, all through t…

I bring the word this morning, and before I do, let’s pray for the reading of this word. This will flow from Psalm 119, a section called Hey. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we ask this morning that you would teach us, O Lord, the way of your statutes, that we would keep them to the end, that you would give us understanding, that we may keep your law…

He sat down and called the twelve, and he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and a servant of all. ‘ And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and take him in the arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. ‘ ‘Whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me. Mar…

Mark, starting in Mark 10. We’re looking at what it means to walk by faith. What is a disciple’s faith? We use that word all of the time. There’s at least six aspects of faith that theologians discuss with several subpoints below each of these in the broader topic. But what does it mean to have faith? How is our faith exercised? That’s what we’re l…

Father, at times in our lives we recognize that our soul clings to the dust. And so we would ask that you would give us life according to your word, Lord. When you told. In your word, Lord. When we. When rather our ways were told to you, you answered them. And so we ask that you would teach us your statutes. That you would make us understand the wa…

We’ve been working our way through the gospel of Mark in a series on discipleship, and we pause that rightly for Easter Sunday, and we’re going to be switching over to the gospel of Matthew, Matthew 28, as we consider the resurrection story of Jesus. We look to the ream God’s word, though, if you would please join with me in prayer. Holy God, bless…

Celebrations. In the spring, there were two, the Passover, and then the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, and then in the autumn, the Feast of Booth. Here, Jesus is coming to Jerusalem during the time of the Passover. We look to the reading God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Oh, Lord, indeed, the grass withers and the flower fades, but your word…

Text this morning, Matthew 15: 10. Earlier, Jesus had sent out his disciples to minister in his name, and now we see those ministering in Jesus’ name wanting to send others away from Jesus. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Living God, we ask you to help us to hear your Holy word this day, that we may truly unde…

Let’s pray for the reading of God’s word. This prayer will flow out of some Psalm 119, the section called Sade. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we recognize that you are righteous. Oh, Lord, right are your rules, and you have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Lord, we desire that our zeal would consume us. Lord, tha…

A real mission and a training mission all rolled into one. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you would please join with me in prayer. Bless are you, O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And you, Father, are all mercy and all goodness. You have elected us, you have called us, you justified us, you have sanctified and glorified us all th…

Mark Chapter 4. We continue working our way through the gospel of Mark with an eye to discipleship. Today, we step into the boat with the disciples with the great storm, Galilee. Maybe you’ll recall the wonderful painting by Rembrandt depicting this very picture of Jesus being woken up by terrified disciples as the boat is tossing and pitching in t…

As we continue walking through the gospel, marked with that question in mind, we come to Jesus speaking in parables. What are we to make of that? We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our heavenly Father, in you alone dwells all the fullness of light and wisdom. We ask them that you would enlighte…

That your Commandments would make us wiser than our enemies, for they would be ever with us. That we might have more understanding than our teachers. That your testimonies would be our meditations. That you would give us wisdom among the agent, that we would keep your precepts, that you would, by your word, hold us back, hold our feet from every ev…

Consider fasting in the life of a believer. So you look to the reading of God’s word. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? We continue looking at discipleship in the gospel of Mark, and today we consider fasting in the life of a believer. So you look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Blesser to you, Holy God, is…

Mark Chapter 2. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? We continue looking at discipleship in the gospel of Mark. We look to the reading of God’s word. Please join me in prayer. Living God, we do ask that you would help us to hear your Holy word that we would truly understand. And Lord, that in understanding we may believe, and in believing w…

Amen. Mark 1, beginning in verse 14. Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. ‘ Passing alongside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they …

I’ve quoted this before, but from rabbi Jacob Milner in his commentary on Leviticus, Words fall from our lips like the dead leaves of autumn, but rituals endure with repetition. They are visual and participatory. They embed themselves in memory at a young age, reinforced with each enactment. When a ritual fails because it either lacks content or is…

The Eucharist, which is simply the Greek word for giving thanks, the breaking of bread, love feast. All these have been names used for this central Christian sacrament. And yet with such lofty names, it seems so strange that within the Christian church, it is so divisive at so many levels. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me…

It’s a delight to bring God’s word to you this morning. In preparation of reading his word, let us pray for this. This comes out of Psalm 119, the section titled Lamed. Let us pray. Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens, and your faithfulness endures to all generations. You have established the earth, and it stands fast. Lord, b…

Quest. I had many more questions about baptism, and I thought it would be wise to address them in another sermon. And generally, don’t say this, but it would be worth your while to listen to the first one. We’re going to cover a new ground this morning, and that one I gave the Old Testament underpinnings the baptism as well as a discussion of infan…

Fultz kinds of sermon. I recognize one sermon will not cover all of your questions. If you look around, we are a congregation from newborns to 90 with people of all kinds of church backgrounds. Some have thought about these issues in a deep and serious way, and others, this may be brand new. So all I have to say, extend charity, not just to me, to …

Join me as we pray for the reading of God’s word. Father, we give you all thanks and praise for you have brought us through this advent season in which while we were preparing for your first coming, your incarnation, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Lord, we were also to be training our thoughts on your second coming. And Lord, we thank yo…

Last week, we looked at the Messiah’s message pronounced in Isaiah 61. And today, we are considering the temptations Jesus endured as part of his preparation for his Ministry of Redemption. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Living God, we ask that you would help us to hear your Holy word that we truly under…

Look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Father God, indeed, you are the source of all light, and by your word, you give light to our souls. We ask then that you would pour out upon us a spirit of wisdom and understanding. That being taught by you in holy scriptures, our hearts, minds will be open to know all that pertain…

We’re given to us in Genesis 3:15, all the way to the birth of John the Baptist. And today we’re going to see the Messiah is the King in the line of David, as well as the Messiah is the Prophet like Moses. The shadows of the Old find the reality in the light of Christ. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Father of…