From our Wednesday look at the psalms…

O give thanks to the Lord (Ps 106:1-48)

Our Psalm this week, like Ps 105, surveys the history of Israel, but in this psalm the perspective is not God’s great intervention on Israel’s behalf, but man’s consistent failure in spite of God’s great faithfulness. Yet the great assurance of the psalm is that the covenant keeping God will answer the pleas of his people. That’s grace!

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One Act Plays (Rm 5:18-19)

We now get to the heart of Paul’s proof that Christ is able to transfer the many benefits of salvation to his many followers by the power of his one act of obedience. Christ’s ability to do this very great thing is shown by mere Adam’s power to transfer his sentence and his state to his many descendents as a result of his one act of sin. Christ’s one act of submission is profound in its power and overwhelming in its ability to transfer many blessings to many people, as many as will receive him.

A few thoughts concerning Baptism (Mt 28:18-20, Rm 6:3-5)

A brief message reviewing the essentials of the meaning and place of baptism, preached prior to a baptismal service.

And Last, on Vows (Lev 27:1-34)

Our last look at Leviticus covers a chapter that seems oddly out of place in the context of the book. The subject, however, is one which God takes seriously, the uttering of vows. Vows are costly and breaking them are costlier. We then look at a vow God took and how certain the performance of that vow makes us of our ultimate salvation in God’s firstborn, the One he dedicated to the ban, his firstfruits of a mighty inheritance.

Hallelujah! God Never Fails (Ps 105:1-45)

Two key concepts dominate this psalm: Remember! and God acts. Throughout the psalm, Israel is called to remember God’s great works in establishing the nation. None of Israel’s misdeeds are mentioned (they await Ps 106). The entire focus is on God working, directly and indirectly, to make a nation for himself. As NT Christian believers, we can be assured in our faith in the same God and are reminded to remember God’s works on our behalf as well.

The Sunday Messages:

Sin and Grace (Rm 5:12-21)

In this message we are surveying the whole of the passage we have been in, Rm 5.12-21. Today we are concentrating on the two major ideas or sets of terms in the passage. On the one hand, Paul uses five different terms for sin and on the other he uses four different terms for grace (or gift). The remarkable contrast between these terms heightens in our minds the magnitude of God’s great grace and condescension towards us in saving us from our sins.

Towards an Understanding of Worldliness (4)

In this lesson we finish discussing the cross references to the terms in Titus 2.12.

(Our recording cuts off a bit of the end of the lesson.)

Blessings and Cursings (Lev 26:1-46)

The next to last chapter of Leviticus seems like a conclusion – in it God gives to his people the promise of blessing if they obey the law and disciplinary cursing if they disobey. He also reaffirms his covenant with the patriarchs. We take warning and guidance from these words as NT believers, and we also rejoice to know that part of the promised blessings are already ours by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit based on the work of Christ on our behalf.

Bless the Lord, O my Soul (2) (Ps 104:1-35)

This psalm, a companion and meditation on Ps 103, speaks to us of our ordered world, set in place by our majestic and glorious God to sustain us and keep us alive so that we might praise him. What folly it is for a sinner to ignore God’s daily doings on his behalf! May we join with the psalmist in his commitment to sing to the Lord.

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Today’s messages:

Abundant Grace, Abundant Righteousness, Abundant LIFE (Rm 5:17)

As we see the unfolding contrasts between the act of Adam and the work of Christ, we come at last to the notion of ‘reigning in life’. The ones who have received the abundant grace of v. 15 and the abundant righteousness of v. 16 receive also the power of grace in life that means not only a future reign, but a present reign in this life through Jesus Christ – a reign over the presence and power of sin as we yield ourselves to the Spirit and grow in grace.

Towards an Understanding of Worldliness (3)

In this lesson we are data gathering in order to get an understanding of Titus 2.12 and the meaning of ‘worldly desires’ in that verse. We are considerning the synonyms and antonyms as they are used in the Scripture to help clarify our understanding about what makes a desire ‘worldly’.

Women, Keep Silent (1 Tim 2:11-14)

In this message, we address a subject that is controversial in our culture, but not controversial in the Bible. The issue is the place of women in the church. The Bible clearly teaches that women are not to teach or take any leadership position over men in the church. The reasons for this order are rooted in the Creation and in the Fall. The spiritually minded gladly receive this word from the Lord and follows it faithfully.

Bless the Lord, O my Soul (1) (Ps 103:1-22)

This is the second and last of the psalms named "A Psalm of David" in Book 4 of the psalms. It reflects the thoughts of a mature David, admonishing his own soul in a time of discipline with his knowledge of the Lord’s past benefits and the Lord’s everlasting goodness. David’s thoughts become a hymn for our admonition as well.

Today’s Sermons:

Grace Magnified (Rm 5:16)

Today the contrast between Adam and Christ highlights the incredible magnitude of Christ’s gracious gift. The act of Adam plunged all men into sin – we all sinned in Adam. But we didn’t stop sinning with that one sin. Our lives are filled with sin. The gift of God in Jesus Christ answers every one of those human sins – working out of the many sins it pronounces the sentence: "Just before God". Hallelujah!

Towards an Understanding of Worldliness (2)

Today we make an attempt at defining the term ‘worldly’ and begin to look at a key passage for understanding worldliness, Titus 2.11-12.

Women’s Adorning (1 Tim 2:9-10)

Our message today looks at the topic of women’s dress, especially in the context of public worship. The way a woman dresses should flow from a godly inner testimony, but it does reflect itself in an appropriate, sober, modest style of dress.

Hear My Prayer, O Lord (Ps 102:1-28)

Our psalm looks at a comparison between a man’s days and the Lord’s days. The Psalm has a Messianic flavour that is made definite by Heb 1.10-12. This puts a whole new construction on the psalm, but is in keeping with prophetic themes often seen in the psalms.

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The 4.11.10 messages:

The Abounding Plus (Rm 5:15)

Paul is working toward a comparison of the work of Adam and the work of Christ, but first he must point out ways in which the works contrast rather than compare. The first contrast is this: although Adam’s sin plunged humanity into futility and death, Christ’s work is not simply a reversal of Adam’s sin. Christ’s work is much much more, abundantly more, it is "The Abounding Plus"!

Towards an Understanding of Worldliness

We are working on definitions. Our last lessons brought us to a definition of godliness. Now we are attempting to define worldliness. The first step is to define the term ‘worldly’, since ‘worldliness’ itself is not a Bible term. If we understand ‘worldly’, we will gain some insight into what ‘worldliness’ is. This lesson works through various passages where we find the term ‘worldly’.

Holiness Applied Distinctly (1 Tim 2:8-10)

Today we see that public prayer is ordained by the apostle for the men. The woman’s role in public prayer is supportive. Both men and women are called to every day holiness as their place in the effectiveness of public prayers and worship.

For our Easter message, we consider the way in which Adam is a type of Christ and how Adam’s type-setting image had to be impressed into Christ for Christ to become the type-setter by which we can be rescued from Adam’s impression on us.

The Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:1-55)

Our communion sermon looks at the OT law of the Year of Jubilee and compares it to the Lord Jesus proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord in his earthly ministry of releasing captives from sin.

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We had no study time today, having a baptismal service with singing and testimonies instead. Praise the Lord for the testimony of his grace in the life of the one being baptized.

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Our Wednesday 3.31.10 psalm

Good Intentions (Ps 101:1-8)

Our psalm represents David’s core values, values he ultimately failed to perfectly maintain. Human weakness in keeping even our own standards ought to impel us to the grace of God, for none of us can stand even by the law of self. And our psalm has a forward look to the perfect King, David’s son, Jesus Christ, who will one day establish a kingdom of perfect integrity.

Sin our King (Rm 5:12)

We start a new series of studies with lesson somewhat related to the theme of Godliness-Worldliness:

Preaching and Preachers

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Our Psalm study from last Wednesday night:

Sing to the Lord a New Song (Ps 98:1-9)

By One Man Sin Entered (Rm 5:12)

Our Basic Theology lesson:

The Pre-Incarnate Christ

Our monthly communion message from Leviticus:

Ordinary Religion (Lev 24:1-23)

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Our Psalm from the previous Wednesday (3.3.10)

The Lord reigns – Let the Earth Rejoice (Ps 97:1-12)

A Song for the Sabbath (Ps 92:1-15)

The Lord Reigns (Ps 93:1-5)

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Today’s Messages:

Back to Romans, we look at the present and future ministry of salvation to us by our Living Lord:

Saved by His Life (Rm 5:10)

We finish up our look at Tyndale’s Introduction to Romans:

Tyndale on Romans (6)

And we continue our communion series in Leviticus with a look at the festivals of Israel:

God’s Calendar (Lev 23:1-44)

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Dwelling in the Shelter of the Almighty (Ps 91.1-16)

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We continue with our look at Tyndale’s Prologue to Romans, 5th part, covering mostly his summary of Romans 7.

Tyndale on Romans (5)

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Our afternoon service was occupied with our annual business meeting. We thank the Lord for a good year past and look forward to a good year coming. The Lord is doing some good things among us.