Sermon Series: Face to Face

Listen in to our latest Sunday series: Face to Face ... a look, in the gospel of John, at several personal encounters that various New Testament individuals were privileged to have with Jesus of Nazareth:

John 3:1-21 - Face to face with ... a Pharisee - mp3
John 4:1-26 - Face to face with ... a Sinner - mp3
John 11:17-27 - Face to face with ... the Bereaved - mp3
John 12:1-8 - Face to face with ... a Worshipper - mp3
John 18:28-19:16 - Face to face with ... a Pragmatist - mp3
John 20:24-31 - Face to face with ... a Doubter - mp3
John 21:15-22 - Face to face with ... a Stumbler - mp3

2 Timothy Sermons

We recently completed a series of sermons from the book of 2 Timothy.  Listen in, benefit, and enjoy!

2 Timothy 1:1-4:22 - Endurance in Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 1:3-12 - Courage in Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 1:13-2:7 - The Work of Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 2:8-13 - The Heart of Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 2:14-3:9 - Pitfalls in Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 3:10-14 - Examples in Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 - The Tools of Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 4:6-8 - The Finish Line of Ministry - mp3
2 Timothy 4:9-22 - Fellowship in Ministry - mp3

Sermons from Zephaniah

We recently completed a four week study of Zephaniah.  Listen in:

Zephaniah 1:1-2:3 - "Near is the great day of the LORD" - mp3
Zephaniah 2:4-3:7 - "He will starve all the gods of the earth" - mp3
Zephaniah 3:8-13 - "My worshippers" - mp3
Zephaniah 3:14-20 - "He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy" - mp3

Sermons from Psalms 145-150

We recently completed our lenghty and periodic journey through the book of Psalms.  Here are the final six sermons in the series:

Psalm 145 - "Every day I will bless you" - mp3

Psalm 146 - "Do not trust in princes" - mp3

Psalm 147 - A Psalm of Thanksgiving - mp3

Psalm 148 - All Creatures of Our God and King* - mp3

Psalm 149 - A Song and a ... Sword? - mp3

Psalm 150 - "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD" - mp3

Some (though not all) of the sermons from prior psalms are available here.  May the listener be helped and encouraged, and may the Lord be praised as we hear from this marvelous book of the Bible!

____________

*The sermon title for Psalm 148 was taken from the hymn of the same title by Francis of Assisi, paraphrased in English by William Draper.

Sermons from Psalms 135-144

As we press on in our studies through the Psalter, here is the latest collection of audio:

Psalm 135 - Hallelujah! - mp3

Psalm 137 - “Above my chief joy” - mp3

Psalm 138 - “I will give You thanks with all my heart” - mp3

Psalm 140 - Prayer in Persecution - mp3

Psalm 142 - “To You, O LORD” - mp3

Psalm 143 - “Hear my prayer, O LORD” - mp3

Psalm 144 - A Final Setback Psalm - mp3

Psalms 136, 139, and 141 were preached at earlier dates.  136 and 141 are available in our sermon archive.

Sermons from Psalms 120-134, the Songs of Ascent

Listen in to the latest handful of Psalm sermons:

Psalm 120 - Among Pagans - mp3
Psalm 121 - "The LORD is your keeper" - mp3
Psalm 122 - "The house of the LORD" - mp3
Psalm 123 - "To You I lift up my eyes" - mp3
Psalm 124 - "Had it not been the LORD who was on our side" - mp3
Psalm 126 - A History of Joy - mp3
Psalm 128 - The Blessed Life - mp3
Psalm 129 - Persecution - mp3
Psalm 132 - David's Vow ... and the Lord's - mp3
Psalm 134 - Minister and People - mp3

Psalms 125, 127, 130, 131, and 133 are not available.

Sermons from Galatians

Listen in to our latest series of sermons from Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Gal 1:1-5 - “To the churches of Galatia” - mp3
Gal 1:6-9 - “A different gospel” - mp3
Gal 1:10-2:10 - “Not according to man” - mp3
Gal 2:11-16 - “Justified by faith” - mp3
Gal 2:15-21 - “Crucified with Christ” - mp3
Gal 3:1-18 - “The righteous man shall live by faith” - mp3
Gal 3:19-24 - “Why the Law then?” - mp3
Gal 3:25-4:11 - “Sons of God through faith in Christ” - mp3
Gal 4:11-20 - “My children, with whom I am again …” - mp3
Gal 4:21-5:12 - “Do not be subject again to a yoke …” - mp3
Gal 5:13-26 - “Walk by the Spirit” - mp3
Gal 6:1-10 - “Fulfill the law of Christ” - mp3
Gal 6:11-18 - “May it never be that I would boast ...” - mp3

Don't Waste Your Vacation

Several years back, John Piper wrote a wonderful little book entitled Don’t Waste Your Life (highly recommended!). And then, I suppose because there are so many aspects of this life that we ought not waste, both Piper and others have spun off that title, urging readers: ‘Don’t Waste Your Cancer’, ‘Don’t Waste Your Sports’, ‘Don’t Waste Your _______.’ Well, allow me to fill in one of those blanks, at the outset of this summer season, by urging you not to waste your vacation.

Vacation is a wonderful privilege we have in this modern, western world. It is a blessing that many of us are able to get away from the grind of work, and shopping, and laundry, and the lawnmower for a handful of days … and just relax. But I know from experience that there is a relaxation in which I am resting in God; and there is also a relaxation (sadly) in which mostly rest from Him – forgetting about Him, to the shriveling of my soul. And the latter is dangerous!

Not that vacation has to be a mission trip, or an intensive Bible study sabbatical (although it could be, sometimes). But even while we rest, let us make sure that we are resting in God and with God, instead of taking a break from Him, even while we break from all the other stuff of everyday life!

How can we do so? A few brief suggestions:

Bring along a good Christian book. Maybe something you’ve been wanting to read, or on a subject you’ve been wanting to consider. Maybe a collection of Spurgeon’s sermons, which are wonderfully readable and warm. Maybe, if you’re like me, a warm and devotional Christian biography would be just what the doctor ordered. But whatever it is, bring along a book or two that will feed your soul, and don’t waste your vacation.

Suggested resources:

 Don’t Waste Your Life (Piper)

 Discipling (Dever)

 The Gospel for Real Life (Bridges)

 The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (Spurgeon)

 Amy Carmichael (Murray)

 Also, for further reading suggestions, see Tim Challies’ post (which inspired this article) “What Type of Vacation Reader Are You?”

Listen while you drive. We live in an era in which hearing the word of God (and other good Christian material) is easier than ever. So while you’re burning up the highway, plug in your audio Bible app, or a few sermons, or a solid Christian book on CD, or a handful of Christian biographical messages. Listen while you drive (or fly), and don’t waste your vacation.

Suggested resources:

 YouVersion (Bible app available on Android and iPhone)

 Sermons by Kenneth Stewart, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, and Alistair Begg

 The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God (book and audio CD)

 Biographical Messages by Michael Haykin, Nick Needham, and William Hughes

Attend a solid gospel church. Our time away ought never be a vacation from the Lord’s house, and the Lord’s word, and the Lord’s people. So do a little research in advance, find a solid church, and make your way there on Sunday morning. Listen as intently as you would at your home church. And linger, too. Meet a few people … so that you are reminded of the breadth of God’s gospel plan, and the richness of God’s family. Find a church when you’re out of town, and don’t waste your vacation.

How to find a church:

 9marks.org/church-search/

 churches.thegospelcoalition.org/

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The fourth commandment doesn’t go on vacation when we do! And neither does it consist only of attending Sunday service … but of a whole day set apart from our normal toils and diversions (Isaiah 58:13-14), and to the Lord. And so, while the other days of vacation may be filled with theme parks, golf outings, restaurants, ballgames, and the like … let your Sundays, even on vacation, be quiet days of rest, worship, reading, prayer, quiet walks in God’s creation, and family times that enable you to exhale rather than exhaust. So “remember the sabbath day,” even while you are away, and don’t waste your vacation.

So just a few suggestions – not to make your vacation a spiritual boot camp, but to help you rest in a way that is profitable, rather than soul-numbing. Put them into practice this summer, and don’t waste your vacation.

"Show me Your glory" - Sermons on Exodus 33-34

Listen in as we try and cultivate the lofty view of God that is presented to us in Exodus 33-34:

Part 1: "Show me Your glory" - mp3
Part 2: "No man can see Me and live" - mp3
Part 3: "The cleft of the rock" - mp3
Part 4: "Moses made haste to bow low" - mp3

Sermons from Nahum

Listen in to our recent series from the book of Nahum:

Nahum 1:1-8 - The LORD! - mp3
Nahum 1:8-3:19 - "Woe to the bloody city" - mp3
Nahum 1:15, 2:2 - "Good news" - mp3

Sermons from Psalms 111-120

Here is another batch of sermons from the book of Psalms:

Psalm 111 - Praise the Lord! - mp3
Psalm 112 - Fear the Lord! - mp3
Psalm 113 - Praise the Lord! (Reprise) - mp3
Psalm 114 - God in the Wilderness - mp3
Psalm 115 - " Not to us" - mp3
Psalm 116 - "The LORD has dealt bountifully with you" - mp3
Psalm 117 - "Laud Him, all peoples" - mp3
Psalm 118 - Victory Song - mp3
Psalm 119 - "O how I love Your law" - mp3
Psalm 120 - Among pagans - mp3

Sermons on the Beatitudes

We just finished a series of sermons working our way through each of the eight Beatitudes.  Listen in.

Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit" - mp3
Matthew 5:4 - "Blessed are those who mourn" - mp3
Matthew 5:5 - "Blessed are the gentle" - mp3
Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" - mp3
Matthew 5:7 - "Blessed are the merciful" - mp3
Matthew 5:8 - "Blessed are the pure in heart" - mp3
Matthew 5:9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers" - mp3
Matthew 5:10-12 - "Blessed are those who have been persecuted
                                    for the sake of righteousness" - mp3

Sermons from the Book of Joshua

We just completed a fairly brief study of the book of Joshua.  Listen in.

Joshua 1 - "Be strong and courageous" - mp3
Joshua 2 - An Unlikely Candidate - mp3
Joshua 3-4 - Crossing the Jordan - mp3
Joshua 5 - Lessons from Gilgal - mp3
Joshua 6 - The Importance of Words - mp3
Joshua 7-8 - Sin in the Camp - mp3
Joshua 9:1-10:15 - Lesson from Gibeon - mp3
Joshua 10:16-12:24 - "He left nothing undone" - mp3
Joshua 13-19 - Every Tribe in Place - mp3
Joshua 20-22 - Special Cities, and a Special Altar - mp3
Joshua 23-24 - "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve" - mp3

Sermons from 1 Timothy

We've just finished a series of sermons working our way through the book of 1 Timothy.  Listen in:

1 Timothy 1:1-2 - "To Timothy" - mp3

1 Timothy 1:3-11 - "The goal of our instruction" - mp3

1 Timothy 1:12-17 - Paul's Testimony - mp3

1 Timothy 1:18-20 - "Fight the good fight" - mp3

1 Timothy 2:1-7 - "Who desires all men to be saved" - mp3

1 Timothy 2:1-15 - Instructions for the Life of the Church - mp3

1 Timothy 3:1-7 - "The office of overseer" - mp3

1 Timothy 3:8-13 - "Deacons likewise" - mp3

1 Timothy 3:14-16 - "The pillar and support of the truth" - mp3

1 Timothy 4:1-7a - "Doctrines of demons" - mp3

1 Timothy 4:6-16 - "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching" - mp3

1 Timothy 4:10,16 - The Why's of Gospel Ministry - mp3

1 Timothy 5:1-8 - Widows, Family, and the Family of God - mp3

1 Timothy 5:9-16 - Widows, Workers, and Women's Roles - mp3

1 Timothy 5:17-25 - Managing the Team of Elders - mp3

1 Timothy 6:1-5 - The Primacy of Doctrine - mp3

1 Timothy 6:5-10, 17-19 - Money, Contentment, and True Riches - mp3

1 Timothy 6:11-16, 20-21 - "Fight the good fight" and guard the good news - mp3

Sermons on Isaiah 55

We've just completed a brief series through one of the great chapters of the Old Testament.  Listen in:

Isaiah 55:1-2 - The Free Offer of the Gospel - mp3

Isaiah 55:3-4 - The Gospel of the King - mp3

Isaiah 55:4-5 - The Expanse of the Gospel - mp3

Isaiah 55:6-9 - The Gospel of Repentance and Pardon - mp3

Isaiah 55:10-11 - The Word of the Gospel - mp3

Isaiah 55:12-13 - The Gospel of Joy - mp3

Sermon on the Law of God (with some thoughts on the Sabbath)

I've written at several points, through the years, on the Law of God (and particularly as it is embodied in the Ten Commandments).  Yesterday I gathered many of those thoughts together and summarized them in a single sermon.  Listen in here.

One thought that may be helpful to repeat in written format relates to the connection between the abiding relevance of the Sabbath to the modern debate over the biblical teaching on marriage.

The Sabbath command is the one in ten that many Christians balk at most quickly … perhaps mainly because we are Americans, and we idolize activity.  But there are also a few people who don’t believe the 4th commandment is still binding on us because, they say, it is a part of the Old Testament ceremonial or civil law (neither of which are incumbent upon us, any longer, as a way of life).

Well, it’s true that there were civil accouterments attached to the Sabbath commandment … such as the penalty of stoning for those who broke it.  And we are no longer bound by those civil penalties.  But you would be hard pressed, as Alistair Begg has pointed out, to count the Sabbath principle as a civil or ceremonial law … placed as it is, right in the middle of 9 other obviously moral commandments!  Commandment 3 is obviously a moral law.  And so is commandment 5.  And we don't write them off as being merely civil or ceremonial requirements which died away with the close of the Old Covenant.  So why do we assume that we should do so with the commandment that comes right between the two?

Furthermore, we should note that the Israelites, in Exodus 16, were expected to know about and keep the Sabbath even before God gave them the 10 commandments in ch.20; even before Moses gave them the Old Covenant, in other words, with all its ceremonies and civil institutions!

The Sabbath principle predates the OT ceremonial and civil laws!

And not just by four chapters in the book of Exodus!  But we find in Genesis 2 that God sanctified one day in seven as what we call a creation ordinance!  The Sabbath was given, in other words, not at the inauguration of the Jewish nation, but at the inauguration of the entire human race.  It was given to mankind in general, not simply to the Old Covenant Jews.  Go back and read the account for yourself in Genesis 2:1-3.

The Sabbath, like marriage, was instituted in the Garden of Eden … not in the Law of Moses!

And that’s where this becomes an interesting case study  … in these days where Christians are keen to defend the biblical definition of marriage!  We don’t say that marriage was only for the Jews, because there is a command in the Mosaic law about adultery!  Nor do we say that marriage is only for Christians, because it’s addressed in the New Testament epistles!  No!  We say that there is one definition of marriage for the entire human race, because God declared it to be so in the garden!

And I submit to you that, to use any other reasoning on the principle of the Sabbath - which God also instituted in the garden - comes across, to me, like theological picking and choosing!

You cannot say that one man, one woman marriage is for all mankind (and not just for Jews and Christians), unless you are also willing to say that the Sabbath is also a creation ordinance … intended for the blessing, and the obedience, of all mankind!

And so what is the principle in Exodus 20:8-11?  All mankind is to take one day in seven - the Lord’s Day - and refrain, not only from working himself, but also from making other people work for him.  And not only this, but Isaiah 58 says that we should also refrain from distracting recreations so that we can give ourselves, on the Lord’s Day, to the things of God!

Now, there are some exceptions to this which Jesus makes clear … namely that works of necessity (like caring for your animals) and works of mercy (like healing the sick) are lawful on the Lord’s Day.  But by and large, the idea is that we don’t work, and that we don’t ask others to do unnecessary work for us ... cashiers, waitresses, ticket-takers, athletes, and so on.  And we don’t dilly-dally the day away on recreations that take us away from God.  But rather we use the day to rest both body and soul, and to delight in the Lord!

And I hope that you will take these things just as seriously, as you take the other nine commandments, and as you take the necessary Christian stand for the biblical definition of marriage!

Sermons from Psalms 101-110

We've just completed another installment of sermons from the Psalms - this time from Psalms 101-110.  Listen in, be encouraged, and enjoy the Lord!

Psalm 101 - Fit for a King - mp3

Psalm 102 - "A Prayer of the Afflicted" - mp3

Psalm 104 - God's Glory in Creation and Providence - mp3

Psalm 105 - "He has remembered His covenant" - mp3

Psalm 106 - "Save us, O LORD our God" - mp3

Psalm 107 - Redeemed - mp3

Psalm 108 - A Medley for the Journey home - mp3

Psalm 109 - A Prayer for David, for Ourselves, and for Jesus - mp3

Psalm 110 - Our Priest and King - mp3

Note: Psalm 103 is omitted above because it was preached on a prior occasion, and not included in this latest go-round.

Recommended Reading

As a pastor, one of my hopes is to see my people reading more. More Bible, of course, should always be paramount. But there are other books which help us flesh out and understand and apply the Bible to our own lives – and these can be quite helpful, too. Let me mention just a few fairly brief reads that you might consider picking up from a bookstore or online, and having a look. All but the last are available at cvbbs.com.

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson. Carson is one of the leading New Testament scholars of our day, and a brilliant academic. But this down-to-earth little book is not an effort in great New Testament scholarship, but a recounting of how the author’s dad – not a leading scholar or brilliant academic, but an ordinary pastor – put the principles of the New Testament into practice as an averagely gifted pastor serving all his life in small churches. Even if you are not a pastor, your heart will be encouraged by the story of this man who was. And you’ll probably get a little more insight into what a pastor’s life is like, and be helped to pray for your own. 

Amy Carmichael: Beauty for Ashes by Iain Murray. Everything that Iain Murray writes is well worth whatever time and money you will spend on it. This book (which I am currently reading) is no exception. Murray’s easy style, coupled with the life of one of the most remarkable Christian women of the 20th century, makes for an encouraging read. I’m finding myself challenged already by Amy’s disciplined life of service to Christ and to the at-risk children of India whom she so loved.

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit by Charles Spurgeon. If you enjoy sitting down and reading sermons (and you probably should!), there is no better collection than those of Charles Spurgeon, the greatest English language preacher of the 19th century. Simple yet profound, Christ-centered, and marvelously illustrated … you cannot but be blessed by delving into the preaching of Spurgeon. The sermons are available in 63 large volumes. Just pick up one volume and work your way through it on Sunday evenings. You’ll be blessed.

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. This is not a Christian book, but is immensely helpful to Christians nonetheless. Postman gives incredible insight into how the media through which we receive information greatly affect the way we take in, think about, and apply that information. The television, for instance, has greatly affected our present-day capacities for listening comprehension; which, in turn, greatly (and adversely) affects how deeply we are able to think about important subjects. Compare the depth of modern political debates with those of Lincoln and Douglas, says Postman. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Written in the era when TV was the primary multimedia device, Postman’s insights are all the more valuable in our era of multiplying media access. I highly recommend it as a good look in the mirror of your own technology habits … and what effect they have on the way you think. 

So there you have just a few books that might be encouraging to you. Pick one of them up (or some other volume of good theology or church history), and you will be blessed by becoming a reader.

Behold your (Incarnate) God!

A little over two weeks ago, I echoed the prophet Isaiah’s call to “Behold your God” (Isaiah 40.9, ESV) … particularly in His incomparability (vv.12-31). I hope the vision of God that we saw in that sermon is still rattling around in some hearts and minds … and doing good! But as I prepared for the opportunity I had to preach (and further expand upon) Isaiah 40 this past weekend at First Baptist Church, Huber Heights … I was reminded that, for us New Testament believers, one of the chief ways in which we must behold our God is in the face of His Son! Jesus is “the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father” and who has “explained Him [God] to us” (John 1.18). “In these last days” God “has spoken to us in His Son” (Hebrews 1.1, emphasis added).

This is one of the most profound truths in the Bible – the incarnation of Christ! God becoming fully man without leaving behind any of His deity! And this man, Jesus, being fully God without sacrificing anything that is essential to human nature!

And so, even as we read an Old Testament passage like Isaiah 40, we cannot adequately behold our God without beholding Him in His incarnate Son! For instance, the incarnation is what makes final perfect sense out of the forgiveness of sins that is announced in verse 2. How can a just God take away the sins of death-deserving sinners? “The blood of bulls and goats” was no final solution, says Hebrews 10! But if God has become man, and has been “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4) … well then He, the God-man, can be our substitute! He can be our lamb – “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1.29, emphasis added). It is the incarnation that makes it so!

Furthermore, the incarnation also brought to full and final fruition the coming of the Lord to redeem His people, which is described in Isaiah 40.3-5! It is through the coming of Jesus that “the glory of the LORD” was fully and finally revealed!

And the incarnation is all the more amazing to us when we consider, in Isaiah 40.6-8, that “all flesh is grass” which withers and dies! And by taking on our humanity, and eventually bearing our sins in it, this is the flesh which Jesus took upon Himself! In His humanity, Christ became a member of those nations that are “like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales” (v.15). In His humanity Jesus became one of those inhabitants of earth who are “like grasshoppers” in comparison to the scale of His own deity!

And finally, brothers and sisters, it is the incarnation that gives full and final shape to the encouragement to “wait for the Lord” in Isaiah 40.31! We wait for His various deliverances here and now, of course! But ultimately, we are waiting for His bodily return from heaven! “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1.7) … because when He returns, “this Jesus … will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1.11). He will return – just as He left – as one of us!

Here is the incarnation of Christ! Fully divine … yet fully human; and with nail-prints in His hands and feet! And, brothers and sisters, this is the most fantastic thing in the world!

We said a couple of Sundays ago that, because “God is spirit”, He does not have a body; and that we cannot rightly describe Him, even, as having a certain size, or taking up a certain space! In His divine essence, God is so utterly different from us! But when He comes “with the clouds” we will “see His face” (Revelation 22.4). His face? How? Because “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1.14); because Jesus was “made like His brethren in all things” (Hebrews 2.17); because “in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2.9)!

And so, brothers and sisters, I say to you in closing: fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12.2). “Consider Jesus” (Hebrews 3.1). Gaze upon Jesus. Get to know Jesus. Understand Jesus. Be amazed at Jesus.  Behold Jesus … and behold your God!

Sermons from Jeremiah

We recently completed a brief series of sermons from select passages in the book of Jeremiah.  Listen in!

Jeremiah 1.1-10 - "I have put My words in your mouth" - mp3
Jeremiah 2.13 - "Living waters" and "broken cisterns" - mp3
Jeremiah 18.1-12 - "Like the clay in the potter's hand" - mp3
Jeremiah 29.1-14 - Life in Exile - mp3
Jeremiah 31.27-34 - The New Covenant - mp3