“The Lord’s Prayer” (Luke 11:1-4)
The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) Read Luke 11:1-4 Why don’t we pray more? Why are prayer meetings so poorly attended, not only here but at most churches? It does not seem to be due to a lack of information. Many who are very comfortable reading and applying Scripture are still terrified to pray out loud. There is an unnecessary intimidation involved. Part of what I am hoping to do by slowing down in our series in Luke is to help…
“The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (Revelation 6:1-8)
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Rev. 6:1-8) In his book, The Great Awakening, Joseph Tracy highlights the context of New England in early eighteenth century. Unbelievers were allowed to participate in the Lord’s Supper as long as they had been baptized. There was little to no regard for theological and moral examination. Eventually, even the pulpits were filled with unconverted men. When Jonathan Edwards began preaching a series on “Justification By Faith,” he attacked the notion that any could…
“What Is Prayer?” (Various Scriptures)
What is prayer? WLC 178 Answer: Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God1, in the name of Christ2, by the help of his Spirit3; with confession of our sins4, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies5.
“Worthy Is the Lamb” (Revelation 5:8-14)
Worthy Is the Lamb (Rev. 5:8-14) We talk about coming before God in worship with reverence and awe. He is holy, majestic, and worthy to receive our praise. But, we are sinful, defiled, and unworthy in and of ourselves. The first thing we need is the cleansing blood of Christ to make us worthy. Then we need the enabling work of the Spirit to empower our worship. And when you have both, you will engage in worship with your whole…
“Martha and Mary” (Luke 10:38-42)
Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) As we continue to make our way through Luke, it is helpful to keep in mind his stated purpose. He is writing to Theophilus, and Christians like him, to provide assurance about the things they had been taught about Jesus (1:1-4). As a doctor, he was educated and understood the importance of providing “an orderly account”. Jesus just told the parable of the Good Samaritan to the crowd in answer to the self-righteous lawyer. It…
“The Lamb Is Worthy” (Revelation 5:1-7)
The Lamb Is Worthy (Rev. 5:1-7) John’s vision in chapters one through three begins with the son of man in the midst of the lampstands. He shepherds his flock by sending letters to the seven churches, which includes both promised blessings as well as warnings to repent of a growing indifference and wickedness that threatens to destroy the church from within. If their rebellion persists, Christ will remove the lampstand of their church. In chapter four, John is brought up…
“The Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37)
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) In 1973 two professors from Princeton published the results of an experiment they titled “From Jerusalem to Jericho” based upon the parable of the Good Samaritan. They assigned seminary students to prepare to teach for 3-5 minutes about being a minister. Some were also asked to incorporate the parable of the Good Samaritan into their talk. In addition to the assignment, they were also informed whether they had some time before the talk (no hurry),…
“The Joy of Salvation” (Luke 10:21-24)
The Joy of Salvation (Luke 10:21-24) It is an unfortunate reality that the doctrine of God’s Unconditional Election often results in pride rather than joy. The Caged Stage is real. However, Jesus had every intention of this doctrine filling us with joy, as we will see from this passage. The past three sermons have considered how Jesus appointed seventy-two “other” disciples to bring a message of peace into the surrounding cities. The disciples were rebuked for rejoicing in the subjection…
“Holy, Holy, Holy” (Revelation 4:6b-11)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Rev. 4:6b-11) We have transitioned from the first section which included letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor (1:1-3:22), to the second section which includes the opening of seven seals (4:1-8:1). Upon ascending into heaven in his vision, John sees the throne of God—a throne of glory, grace, and judgment. The principle is that our worship must be God-centered. In the rest of chapter four John continues his description of what he sees, including the worship…