How can you identify an unbeliever?

Last Sunday we examined Ephesians 2:1-3, where Paul’s reminder to the Ephesian readers is of all that they were prior to Christ — dead in sin — and how their depravity left them unable to please God in any way. The passage is also a means to identifying unbelievers. How can one determine if one […]

Sunday Leftovers (7/19/09)

The depravity of man is not a subject that is often widely embraced or enjoyed. “Thanks, Pastor, for telling me what a terrible sinner and how awful my condition is,” is not a typical response to the topic of sin and depravity. Yet two truths must be acknowledged — Scripture is unrelenting in its affirmation […]

Sunday Leftovers (7/12/09)

Though we would rarely verbalize it this way, at times our actions and attitudes reflect a doubt that God is able to sanctify and change us: “That’s just the way I am — I’ve always been that way, and I always will be that way.” Such an attitude reflects a doubt in the wisdom of […]

Sunday Leftovers (7/5/09)

When I was a child, growing up in my parent’s home, it was not uncommon for Dad to ask me to pray for something in the evening, and often it might be for missionaries. To my recollection, my prayers would invariably be something like this —”Dear God, please bless all the missionaries (in the whole […]

Sunday Leftovers (6/28/09)

It is human nature to break promises. Governments make and break promises. Advertisers and politicians make and break promises. Employers and employees, preachers and church members, parents and children, husbands and wives, and friends and relatives all make promises to each other which often are broken. Some are made with the best of intentions, and […]

Sunday Leftovers (6/7/09)

After a sweet morning of worship in the renovated sanctuary, two ideas continue to roll around in my mind — the cruciality of entrusting the gospel to others (discipleship) and the means of suffering to accomplish discipleship. As was said Sunday, too often we tend to think of discipleship as the responsibility of someone else, […]

Sunday Leftovers (5/31/09)

The mystery revealed by God is the gospel and its effects. The mystery that was not known in the Old Testament and has now been revealed by the Holy Spirit through the apostles and the prophets. Specifically, this mystery is the working of the gospel to include the Gentiles into the plan of salvation, according […]

Sunday Leftovers (5/24/09)

Preaching from Ephesians 1:7, John Calvin said, God puts our sins out of his remembrance and drowns them in the depths of the sea, and, moreover, receives the payment that was offered him in the person of his only Son. This is the gift of redemption that comes from God through the God-Man Jesus Christ. […]

Sunday Leftovers (5/3/09)

For all the questions that may be raised about the doctrine of divine, unconditional election, what is particularly striking about Ephesians 1:4 is its clarity and simplicity. That God was the one doing the choosing is unmistakable. That man is incapable of offering anything meritorious for his salvation, is also clear. God chose before the […]

Sunday Leftovers (4/26/09)

In preparation for yesterday’s message on Ephesians 1:4 (and the one or two that will follow it), I have not only done a fair bit of reading, but have also listened to a number of sermons that have benefited me. The ones I have linked below have been the greatest help to me. [Aside: I […]

Sunday Leftovers (4/19/09)

To bless God (Eph. 1:3) does not mean that we contribute anything to the person of God; He is God whether we bless Him, honor Him, acknowledge Him or not. To bless Him means to give thanks and to pronounce Him as being ever worthy of our praise and worship. To bless God is to […]

Sunday Leftovers (4/5/09)

When I was four or five years old, it was not uncommon for me to ask my mother if I could use a table knife for a few minutes. I would take the knife to my bedroom, grab my green ceramic piggy bank, hop on my bed and carefully use the knife to extract the […]

Sunday Leftovers, 3/22/09

It is good to maintain doctrinal purity in the church. It’s not only good — it’s the reason the church exists (1 Tim. 3:15) and is our calling and responsibility (2 Tim. 1:13ff). But there is no benefit to maintaining a doctrinal purity and clarity without devotion; nor is their benefit in keeping devotion without […]

After a conference

I typically attend two or more conferences each year. I usually travel to at least one — sometimes two — and usually attend to one or more locally. The benefit of attending conferences is being focused for a particular time on a given topic and interacting on those topics with like-minded people without the distraction […]

Taking a risk

I had been looking forward to David’s sermon Sunday since he told me several weeks ago what he was planning on preaching. I’ve listened to several sermons on the same theme and found myself provoked, but was particularly wanting to hear how David processed his thoughts, having lived through several “risks” that are uncommon for […]