In a blog post entitled “My Biggest Sin,” McKay Caston writes:
You couldn’t help it, could you? This is gonna be juicy, right? Could be. Okay, let’s get to it. What is my biggest sin? Of course, most of us probably think of the Top 10 list in Exodus. “Thou Shall Not…” But we’ve all broken every one of those. No surprise there. So what is my biggest sin? Here goes: Not believing that I have been fully forgiven, totally accepted, and am dearly loved by the Father. Sorry …

David Murray has an incredibly helpful post in which he gives 10 short points of instruction on what ministers should avoid in the introduction of a sermon. If you are anything like me, you find the introduction to be one of the most useful elements of the message. It will either draw your hearers in, or turn them off, from the outset. One of my professors at seminary likened the introduction to the front porch of the house. When you begin a sermon you are bringing your hearers up on …

We recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. R. Scott Clark with regard to the life  and theology of Casper Olevianus. One of the compilers of the Heidelberg Catechism, Olevianus made significant contributions to the covenant concept in Reformed theology. Reformation Heritage books has most recently published Lyle Bierma’s translation of Olevianus’ Exposition of the Apostle’s Creed. This short work is extremely profitable for anyone seeking a substantive explanation of the Creed. It is full of Scriptural proofs and theological depth. You can listen to our interview with Clark here. …

Chad VanDixhoorn’s diligent labors on the Westminster Assembly Project will greatly benefit the church.  Vandixhoorn, together with John Bower, has agreed to publish several important documents/books from the Westminster Assembly with Reformation Heritage Books. The publications will include:
Principal Documents of the Westminster Assembly. This series will produce the six chief works authored by the Assembly for covenanted uniformity of religion in England: the Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, Shorter Catechism, Directory for Public Worship, Directory for Church Government, and The Psalter. Each volume will contain a historical introduction, a critical text, …

Sinclair Ferguson gave a powerful talk on 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 at the Ligonier Ministries‘ 2009 Ministry Leadership Conference. The title of the message was “Thy Word is Truth.”  When men do not want to hear the word of God the remedy is to preach the word of God. This was a richly instructive message. You can watch and listen to it here.

Here is the video from the latest sermon preached at New Covenant Presbyterian Church. The text was John 7:28-53.

No One Spoke Like Him (John 7:28-53) from Nicholas T. Batzig on Vimeo.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
It is great for the believer to know that they serve a Christ who has no beginning and will have no end. Boasting in this Christ gives the believer certainty and surety that their Savior is supreme over all things.
Christ was before all things. This is hard for the finite mind to understand because it only knows life with a beginning and an end. For Christ, however, this is not the case. Jesus Christ …

The Aquilla Report has recently posted a brief description of the very serious issues going on in the Siouxlands Presbytery. You can read it here. Please pray that the Lord will intervene and give the men of that Presbytery wisdom and forthrightness to deal with those found guilty, at the committee level, of teaching doctrines contrary to the doctrinal standards of the PCA. Pray that the truth will be upheld and defended so that God will be glorified in His church. You can read more here.

The Feast of Tabernacles was that final feast of the year for Israel–six months after they Passover–in which they were to commemorate Israel’s dwelling in tents in the wilderness after their redemption from Egypt. They were to remember God’s faithfulness in providing for them during the days of their pilgrimage in the desert. Every year until Christ’s death, Israel was to celebrate the feast in the manner prescribed by God in Numbers 29:12-40. Note the particular instructions concerning the sacrificial system during that eight day period:
‘On the fifteenth day of …

We recently interviewed Dr. Joel Beeke, President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, on Christ the Center with regard to his book Meet the Puritans. You can listen to the interview here. There is a special offer around 30 minutes into the interview.

Jerry Bilkes, Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, made the observation that Abraham and Rahab are singled out in James 2–as example of those who have saving faith,–for at least two reasons. First, Abraham was a man and Rahab was a woman. In Christ Jesus, there is neither male nor female. Second, Abraham was a Jew and Rahab was a Gentile. There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in Christ. But, Bilkes also observes that both Abraham and Rahab were tested before a …

John Owen wrote:
I confess I would rather, much rather, spend all my time and days in making up and healing the breaches and schisms that are amongst Christians than one hour in justifying our divisions even therein wherein, on the one side, they are capable of a fair defense. But who is sufficient for such an attempt? The closing of differences amongst Christians is like opening the book in the Revelation, – there is none able or worthy to do it, in heaven or in earth, but the Lamb: when …

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The believer can boast in the fact that the character of Christ is truth; not simply that He speaks truth and does truth – but that He Himself is the …

Martin Bucer wrote these passionate words about the great satisfaction that is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ alone:
” . . . Christ our Lord alone is the One who is, gives, and performs for us everything which we can desire for our true advantage, happiness, and honour.”
” . . . all gain, all enjoyment, all honour apart from Christ is poison and death, but . . . in Christ all loss is true and eternal gain, joy, and honour . . . .”
” . . . through …

Ligonier Winter Conference (January 22-23, 2010)
Desiring God Pastors Conference (February 1-3, 2010)
The Nature and Sufficiency of Scripture (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary – March 9-11)
Ligonier West Coast Conference (March 26-27, 2010)
Together for the Gospel (April 13-15, 2010)
Scottish Reformed Conference (May 8, 2010)
Banner of Truth Minister’s Conference (May 25-27, 2010)
Ligonier National Conference (June 17-19, 2010)
The Beauty and Glory of Christ (Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary – August 26-28, 2010)
These Last Days (Philadelphia Conference of Reformed Theology  – Various Dates & Locations)
Updated List

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Colossians 1:13-17 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image …

Every now and then I have to post something culturally humorous. Thanks to my good friend Michael Dewalt for pointing this out. This is really, really funny. For everyone who was ever confounded by the droopy drawers trend, this is for you:

The following is the most recent update on our Reformed Presbyterian missionaries in Haiti, with specific ways to pray for them:
Short-Term Team

The short-term mission team made it out of Haiti and are safely home in Savannha, GA. They took a C-130 out of P-a-P to Homestead Airforce Base, and then a private jet to Savannah. They are tired and emotionally drained, but thankful to be home. All structures on the PMH campus were preserved from any damage. This is a testimony to God’s kindness through Bill Dejong (Mission to Haiti …

Over at the Reformed Forum, Jeff, Camden and Jim discuss the subject of whether pastoral ministry consists more of learning or doing. It is always nice when I am not on the show and can sit back and learn from my colleagues on Christ the Center. You can listen here.

Presbyterian Mission in Haiti (PMI) is asking that financial support for the relief of our churches in Haiti be sent to Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church. If you find yourself wanting to help in some way but do not want to simply send money to an organization you know nothing about, know that PHM and the pastors there need help now more than ever. In the wake of this massive catastophe, our pastors need all the support they can get to minister the Gospel. This is Haiti’s greatest need. PMH is …

In his sermon “The Believing Thief,” C.H. Spurgeon pointed out the remarkable way that the dying thief, who rebuked the other thief on the cross and asked Jesus to remember him, used the one thing he could to glorify Christ. The man had no use of his hands or feet. He could not response with anything but his tongue. Spurgeon explained, “He had no member that was free except his tongue, and he used that member wisely to rebuke his brother malefactor, and defend his Lord.”
It is also interesting …

The account of Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is a wonderful revelation of the sovereign grace of Christ in the salvation of sinners. In the context Jesus has told his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He demonstrates the impossibility (i.e. human impossibility) by the account of the rich, young ruler. He then turns around, almost immediately, and shows that with God all things are possible,” by seeking and saving Zaccheus. Some have suggested that Zacchaeus plays a part in his …

Last May, Kevin DeYoung (Senior Minister of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI) and Lynn McClurg (Vice President of Covenant Eyes) gave a series of lectures on Sexual Sanity at Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church. You can listen to them below:
Sexual Sanity (session 1) – Kevin DeYoung
Sexual Sanity (session 2) – Lynn McClurg
Sexual Sanity (session 3) – Kevin DeYoung

John Piper recently engaged some of the prisoners at Angola Prison in LA  in a Question and Answer time. You can listen to the audio here. You can watch the video here.

Our friends at Crossway Books have published two new books worthy of our attention.  The first is John Piper’s A Sweet & Bitter Providence:  Sex, Race, and The Sovereignty of God which is available here.  This book stems from Piper’s regular preaching ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Specifically, Piper exposits these issues as they arise in the book of Ruth.
The second title I would like to draw to your attention to is British blogger, medical doctor, and preacher Adrian Warnock’s Raised with Christ:  How the Resurrection Changes …

Dr. David Murray, Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, has a blog called Head, Heart, Hand. Dr. Murray is a godly and thoughtful man, who has some edifying and interesting thoughts. You can watch several videos of Dr. Murray speaking on various subjects here.

Faith Comes By Hearing has compiled their Audio Roundup: Top Audio of 2009 list.  A few Christ the Center episodes made the list. We are thankful for all those who have faithfully listened to our shows.

It is a rare thing in 21st Century America to hear an anchorman, from a major network news channel, urge someone to turn to Christ. This is precisely what Brit Hume did on this show. Hume went on the O’Reilly Factor to explain his initial comments. I wonder whether Hume is Roman Catholic or Protestant. He definitely professes faith in Christ in this interview. From the nature of his comments, and some of his allusions, my guess is that he is Protestant. Do any of you know more about his religious …

This past Lord’s Day, I preached a sermon on John 7:1-30. The title of the message was “The Heavenly Scholar.” Here is the Audio and Video:
Audio

The Heavenly Scholar (John 7:1-30) from Nicholas T. Batzig on Vimeo.