The Call of Wisdom and the Call of Christ

Many people think of Proverbs as a very practical “how to” book, but don’t see it as a book which contains much theology or gospel. This Sunday we will consider how the earnest call of Wisdom in Proverbs points to Christ.

In Whom Do You Trust?

Have you ever felt that you were drying up emotionally and spiritually? Do you ever think that if only certain people treated you differently your life would flourish? This week we will consider a classic text (Jeremiah 17:5-8) which teaches us to turn from putting our ultimate trust in men as we learn to put our sole hope in God.

Below are several questions to consider as you listen to this week’s sermon:

• How was Judah guilty of trusting in men rather than God?
• How is our nation guilty of putting their hope in men instead of God?
• How is the church tempted to trust men rather than God?
• How are you tempted to hope in other people when you should put your trust in God?
• What are the consequences of trusting in men rather than God?
• How, in practical terms, can you express your trust in God?
• What are the benefits of trusting God?

Comforted by the Glorified Christ

Many of us have low views of Christ and think lightly of our sin. When John was in the presence of Deity he became completely undone. Our sin and frailty come to the surface when we see something of the majestic holiness of Christ. In this week’s sermon we will consider the condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus in comforting John. In addition, we will see how John’s description of Jesus in this passage relates to the work He accomplished in His life, death, and resurrection.

The Attributes of God: God’s Glory

Here are a few questions to consider before listening to today’s sermon.

• What is God’s glory?
• In what sense is God beautiful?
• How can we glorify God if He is already infinitely glorious?
• How can our understanding of God’s glory help us to overcome sin and despair?

Consecrated to God

This week I am diverting from our studies in 2 Samuel and will be expounding Romans 12:1-2.

I plan, on certain Sundays over the next few months, to preach through Romans 12 with a special emphasis on our love and devotion for one another in the body of Christ.

Because our love for one another springs from our devotion to the Lord, Paul starts Romans 12 by exhorting us to be living sacrifices who are not to be conformed to the world.

Of course the foundation of our devotion to the Lord is the sovereign mercy which He has shown us in Christ — which was the subject of the first 11 chapters of Romans and forms the basis of Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:1.

Portrait of a Godless Culture: An Appeal to Repent of Sinful Boasting

We will be doing a fairly rapid overview of the first nine chapters and then drawing some application from near the end of chapter nine, where Jeremiah writes, “Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” (9:23-24).

Jeremiah’s theme leading to these texts is that of judgment: A judgment precipitated by the sinful lifestyle and arrogant living of the kingdom of Judah. The modern day parallels to our own day are truly amazing: Truly there is “nothing new under the sun.”