Sermon: What Christ Has Done

“What Christ Has Done” Colossians 2:11-15 May 1, 2016 Author and publisher Leonard Woolf (husband of Virginia Woolf) lamented near the end of his life, “I see clearly that I have achieved practically nothing. In the world today and the history of the human anthill during the past five to seven years would have been […]

A remarkable help to believers

This Sunday we will partake of the ordinance of communion. As the word “communion” suggests, it is a time of fellowship. But the fellowship anticipated by the word is not communion with one another, but communion with Christ. It is an intimate reflection on and remembrance of the death and resurrection of Christ. And as […]

Another thought about redemption

Still a few more leftovers from Sunday’s sermon on redemption: while it is always good to speak of the truth of God’s work for us on the cross, how might we stimulate our hearts to gratitude and joy in that work, and transformation by that work? Here are three suggestions for what you might do […]

Christ’s work of redemption

In his book, Scandalous, D. A. Carson has a helpful discussion of the concept of redemption and its use in the ancient world — In our world a word like redemption belongs to God-talk. In other words you normally do not talk fluently about redemption in everyday life. Redemption is something religious people talk about. […]

Sermon: Redemption

“The Message of the Cross: Redemption” Ephesians 1:7-8 October 25, 2015 Sometimes communion feels like an afterthought to a worship service: “it’s our monthly duty and we just squeeze it into an already full morning of worship.” But because the work of Christ is central to our salvation, communion should never feel like an after […]

Sermon: The Message of the Cross – Grace

The Message of the Cross: Grace John 1:14-17 January 25, 2015 The story (I assume it’s apocryphal, but who knows…) is told about a woman who went to a photographer to get a portrait done. She was anticipating the day when he would call her back to see the result of his work on her […]

It was wonderful that Christ would die for us

Wednesdays with Watson is a weekly reading taken from my favorite Puritan writer, Thomas Watson. This week’s selection is taken from The Lord’s Supper, Chapter 4: “Christ’s Love Displayed in the Sacrament.” Behold the amazing love of Christ. His body was broken. The cross, says St Augustine, was a pulpit in which Christ preached his […]

Preparing for communion

In tomorrow morning’s worship service we will remember the death and resurrection of Christ through communion. Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers (1 Cor. 11:23-34) to examine themselves before taking the elements so that they do not take them in an unworthy manner and in so doing, invite the judgment of God on themselves. So self-examination […]

Communion and the work of Christ’s blood

This morning we will remember the death of Christ through communion. There can be a ritualistic sameness to this ordinance — a small piece of cracker eaten and a small cup of juice drunk in a brief conclusion to a morning worship service. The same words recited from 1 Corinthians 11 and the same kinds […]

Sermon: Christ in Us

The Message of the Cross: Christ in Us Galatians 2:20-21 October 27, 2013 (Communion Sunday) There are many ways to talk about the cross of Christ. Over the years I’ve not only preached the crucifixion passages, but I’ve also preached many other sermons relating to the effects and accomplishments of the cross. We’ve seen how […]

Preparing for communion

This Sunday morning we will practice the ordinance of communion. The apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers to examine themselves prior to taking the elements of the Lord’s Supper so that they might not take them in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-32). This is a principle that applies to every believer — thorough self-examination […]

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin

When it comes to blood, I am squeamish. On two separate occasions I’ve almost fainted while making a pastoral hospital visit. When a hospital scene comes up in a television show, I always avert my eyes. When someone wants to show off a scar or wound, I ask not to be shown. Yet there is […]

Communion an occasion of gratitude

To continue to prepare my heart for communion tomorrow morning, I read another chapter this evening from The Puritans on the Lord’s Supper. The chapter, “The Renewal of Our Christian Vows” by Edmund Calamy concludes with these paragraphs: Take care that the deepest thankfulness is a constant concomitant of all your renewed vows [in communion]. […]

The value of communion

At least once per month, most churches practice the ordinance of communion. Some partake of the bread and the cup weekly. For older believers who have been faithful in church participation, it is likely that they have taken communion hundreds of times, if not into the thousands. It might be tempting to wonder, “what’s the […]

The significance of communion

What is so important about communion? Or is it important? Every month we take time to eat a little piece of bread and drink a tiny cup of juice, and we say that it is an important and significant act of worship. Is it? We know that not only do the gospel writers provide accounts […]