The Gospel for a Weary Pastor on Monday Morning

Yesterday, you preached God’s Word to God’s people – His Law and His Gospel.  You administered the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ.  You ministered in prayer.  And this morning, you feel like a failure.  Empty.  Like a Monday morning agnostic – not knowing whether your efforts were all in vain.  Feeling like …

The Fourth Word: The Lord’s Day – duty & delight

The Westminster Larger Catechism has a lot to say about this commandment, from Scripture.  And what they have to say will likely make us squirm.  First, Westminster gives us an overview of what the Fourth Commandment requires of us.  Q&A 116:  The fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God …

The Third Word: Scripture twisting is blasphemy

The Third Commandment:  “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”  The Westminster Larger Catechism gives a biblical exposition of the sins forbidden in the Third Commandment.  Let’s consider one of the phrases found in answer 113:  “The sins forbidden… are …misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or …

True, Living Faith Justified by Works

An Exposition of James 2:14-26 (a sermon preached at Christ Our Hope PCA) We’re going to do something unusual this morning.  We’re going to parachute into James chapter 2, for just one sermon.  (We usually preach through books of the Bible.  Next week, God willing, we’ll start a new series through the Gospel of Luke.)  …

The Third Word: God’s Name, our blasphemy, and the Word made flesh (1)

A homily on the Third Commandment:  “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”  We’re continuing to use the Westminster Larger Catechism’s exposition of the Ten  Commandments.  That exposition is always biblical, thorough, and convicting. Q. 112. What is required in the third commandment? A. The third commandment requires, that …

The Second Commandment: our failure, Christ’s fulfillment (4)

A fourth and final homily on the Second Commandment:  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – nor bow down to them nor serve them.”  That’s an abbreviated version of the Second Commandment.  In Exodus 20, the LORD our God gives us the reason for this commandment in these words:  “For I, the …

The Second Commandment: our failure, Christ’s fulfillment (3)

Homily #3 on The Second Commandment:  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – nor bow down to them nor serve them.” So we’re continuing to use the Westminster Larger Catechism, and its biblical exposition of the Ten Commandments.  This morning, let’s consider some of the sins forbidden in the Second Commandment. [A. …

The Second Commandment: our failure, Christ’s fulfillment (part 2)

Another homily on The Second Commandment:  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – nor bow down to them nor serve them.” We’re continuing to use the Westminster Larger Catechism’s thorough and biblical exposition of the Ten Commandments – to show us our sin, that we would repent and flee to our gracious …

The Second Commandment: our failure, Christ’s fulfillment (part 1)

A homily on the Second Commandment:  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – nor bow down to them nor serve them.” We’re continuing in the Westminster Larger Catechism’s biblical exposition of the Ten Commandments.  The psalmist says that God’s commandment is exceedingly broad (Ps 119:96) – meaning perfectly comprehensive.  And Westminster does …

One more First Commandment FAIL: legalism and the deification of man

A homily on the First Commandment:  You shall have no other gods before Me… The Westminster Larger Catechism gives an extensive explanation of the sins forbidden in the First Commandment, and this will be our last week on this commandment.  One of the ways in which we can violate this commandment, according to Westminster, is …