To Die Is Gain (Acts 7:54-8:5)
The newest sermon audio from New Covenant Presbyterian Church is now online. The text was Acts 7:54-8:5 and the title, "To Die is Gain." You can listen to and download it here....
Keep Reading
The Counsel and Care of the Elderly
Deep down in our hearts, we all like to convince ourselves that we are more knowledgeable and wiser than we actually are. This is why Scripture raises the warning about being "wise in your own eyes" (Prov. 3:7). Pride manifests itself in a thousand subtle ways in our hearts. Add to this the fact that we live at a time of remarkable societal pride. Society feeds the pride of young men and women by telling them that they can change the world--regardless of God-given giftings, intellect, upbringing, associations, providential encounters, guidance, or hard work. Society tells us that the elderly are a burden to progress. While there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9), ours is an increasingly narcissistic culture. This is nowhere more evident than in our disdain and disregard of the elderly....
The Path to True Greatness
If, instead of seeking a “seat at the table” or seeking to control “power structures,” we stooped low in order to serve others for God’s glory and their good we would find the true greatness after which we ought to be seeking. The kingdom of God is countercultural, and the way of the kingdom is the way of the cross; it is the way of service to the King and to those in His kingdom; it is wanting to see others use their gifts and advance. It is wanting to see God work powerfully through all of His servants, rather than seeking to simply advance our own selfish agendas and pursue our own self-interested goals. ...
Preaching that Lasts
As the people of God, we don't need preaching that touches a momentary itch...
My Kinsman Redeemer Lives
The canonical setting of the book of Job and the relationship it sustains to Genesis 3:15 encourages a Christological understanding of Job's declaration. To strip it of the canonical context would be to empty it of its meaning. Job, like the rest of the Old Testament, is a revelation of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:27). When we understand the redemptive historical connection, we can sing with joy filled hearts: "I know that my Redeemer lives, glory, hallelujah! What comfort this sweet sentence gives, glory, hallelujah! Shout on, pray on, we’re gaining ground, glory, hallelujah! The dead’s alive and the lost is found, glory, hallelujah!"...
The Book of Job in Redemptive History
Many have struggled to understand the book of Job. What is this mysterious book teaching about this righteous sufferer who was afflicted by the devil, discouraged by his wife, and falsely accused by his friends? Why did God sovereignly arrange the circumstances of his being tested and tried? These are questions that have led Christians to embrace the wide array of biblical teaching on the justice and goodness of our sovereign God; as well as to the example of how to perserve under affliction and suffering at the hands of Satan and men. However, other questions need to be answered when approaching the book of Job--namely, what place does this book hold in redemptive history? How does it relate to the fulfillment of all things in Christ? ...
Justice, Mercy, and the Gospel
There was one nation in human history that had perfect laws--Old Covenant theocratic Israel; and yet, generation after generation were just as wicked--or more wicked--than the nations around them. So bad were the injustices in Israel that the prophet Habakkuk cried out, "the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth" (Hab. 1:4). The problem persisted to the exile and then into the coming of Christ into the world. The law could never produce righteous and merciful men and women. There had to be a better way....
Confessional Discipleship
The Westminster Standards address many of the significant theological and practical matters for Christian discipleship better than we could on our own. If we are to equip congregants to be sound in the faith, fruitful in every good word and work, and to be prepared for potentially difficult days ahead, we should consider using the Westminster Standards as a guide in Christian discipleship....
A Call for Spirit-Wrought Unity
The angst and vitriol of believers or either side of current cultural debates cuts across the clear teaching of Scripture. Instead of fueling and fostering such angst and animous, we should be praying for a spirit of unity that is rooted in the truth of Christ and the precious doctrines of Scripture. We should be seeking for God to give us a Christian spirit that is diffused with the sweet fruit of the Holy Spirit. What witness the Christian church would have in the world, if it modeled Spirit-wrought unity and love in the face of a world of division, strife, and hatred. May our one God the Father answer the prayer of our Savior in granting His people a spirit of true spiritual unity at such a time as this. ...
When Things Look Bleak...
When we are tempted to trust in some particular peson or political party to provide deliverance and security, they we have a vain hope. The God who made heaven, and earth, the sea and all that is in them, is the One who provides deliverence and security for His people. This God has secured a city that has foundations--a lasting city--for His people (Heb. 11:10, 16: 13:14). He has, through His own death on the cross, secured victory over our enemies--the world, the flesh, and the devil. He alone provides salvation. He alone atones for our sins. He alone sets the prisoner free. He alone raises us from death to life. He alone is the One in whom we should find our help....
Quality Scripture Reading in 2021
As we approach the New Year, many believers are considering Bible reading plans. This is good and right, since God calls His people to be men and women, boys and girls of His word. However, many believers feel the failure of their Bible reading over the past year and sometimes mistakenly think they can somehow make up for the deficiencies of the past year through quantitative Bible reading. It is important for us to remember that in studying Scripture, quality is actually more important than quantity. In light of this, it will do us good to shift gears to focus on putting into practice some principles by which we can benefit the most from our Bible reading in the New Year. ...
2020 Year in Review
Since 2012, I have made it my practice to compile a list of all I write, teach, and preach throughout the year. Though this year has been a particularly taxing year for everyone--and a challenging one so far as productivity goes--here are some resources from 2020....
Learning from the Magi
As we consider anew the divine activity in the lives of the wisemen, we are met with the reality of God's sovereign grace to those who were once far off from God. We are reminded of the way in which God chooses and calls pagans to trust in His Son. We are warned that we can have a deep knowledge of the Scriptures yet no grace in our hearts. We are motivated to believe in Christ despite any visible miracles or outward displays of glory. We are taught to trust in Jesus even when others around us show deep disinterest. And we are encouraged to give of our time, possessions, and persons to the King of Kings and the advancement of His kingdom--especially when the work of His kingdom seems to be lacking in outward impressiveness. ...
Meant to be Astonished
As we reflect anew on the mystery of the incarnate Son of God in the womb of the virgin Mary, may God grant us a newfound sense of wonder and astonishment. In the same way, as we reflect on His providential works in the world and His redemptive work in our lives, may we humble ourselves before His majestic throne--praising Him for all that He has done and is doing safe from the prying eyes of men. After all, we are meant to be astonished. ...
In Praise of the Pastor's Wife
If 2020 has been challenging for pastors, consider the toll that it has taken on the pastor's wife. She is one of the unsung heroes of the church. The pastor's wife sacrifices unmeasurable and unrecognized time and energy to support the ministry to which her husband has been called--often without the support she needs. In many instances, she is indispensable to the ministry, since her husband's ministry will rarely outlast her support....
The Anchor of the Unchangeable
The Christian can have the strongest possible confidence that God cannot and will not change. He cannot and will not lie. This means that even when I feel most unstable in my ever changing affections, God and His promise does not change. This gives us the greatest possible encouragement to go to Him, casting ourselves and our burdens upon Him--knowing that He will always undertake for those who come to Him in faith (1 Pet. 5:7). After all, the covenant keeping Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ...
Multidirectional, Participatory Worship
In my first foray into public ministry, I was met with what I deemed to be a highly unusual request. One of the elders of the church in which I was serving asked me to refer to the printed order of worship as a "playbill" rather than as a bulletin. This struck me as strange for a number of reasons--not least of which is that I couldn’t wrap my mind around how doing such would appeal to those visiting. However, a deeper concern revolved around my suspicion that this man considered worship to be a spectator sport--a baptized version of the theatre. Though our elements of worship were reflective of a historic Reformed liturgy, the telos of what we were doing in worship was not as clearly defined....
The Most Thankful Person Who Ever Lived
Believers often meditate on the love, the joy, and the peace of Jesus. However, most of us probably do not give enough attention to the thanksgiving of Jesus. One of the things that we can be certain of--concerning all of the sinless perfections of incarnate Son of God--is that Jesus expressed full and unceasing gratitude to His Father for every provision, every kindness, every protection, every soul-strengthening support and every miraculous act that the Father worked through Him during His earthly ministry. Without doubt, Jesus is the most thankful person who ever lived. ...
Satan, Sin, and Biblical Proportion
The more we understand the relationship between Satan and sin--keeping them in biblical perspective and viewing them in light of the person and work of Christ--the better equipped we will be to put sin to death and to avoid the temptations that so easily ensnare us. ...
Improving in Preaching
Since the preaching of the gospel is the primary means by which God saves His people, ministers of the gospel should concern themselves with pursuing growth in their ability to skilfully communicate the truth of Scripture. Pastors should avail themselves of all the means of growth that are at their disposal. In so doing, we may never become the best preachers in the world, but we will--by God's grace--become more skillful in making known "the unsearchable riches of Christ." ...
Discernment Without and Within
With the potential for the entire world to stream into our minds and hearts by means of the internet, it is safe to conclude that there has never been a time when Christians needed discernment so much as at present....
When Satan is in the Church...
I sometimes fear that there is a willful naïveté in the church with regard to the presence and power of Satan. One doesn't have to look far into the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, or the New Testament Epistles to discover the reality of the spiritual forces of darkness and to develop a theology of the assault tactics of the evil one. But it might surprise some to see what exactly these tactics are in their more subtle forms. ...
The Shoulders of Giants, the Counsel of the Wise
If the church is to be rooted in the timeless truths of God’s word, it needs leaders who are standing on the shoulders of giants in whom the Spirit of God was at work. If pastors are to navigate the overwhelming challenges of an increasingly secular and antagonistic society–not to mention the internal attacks from strong willed and self-seeking individuals within the church–they need to counsel of older and wiser saints. ...
Cancelling the Weapons of "Cancel Culture"
In recent years, our society has rapidly embraced what has come to be known as the "cancel culture." If someone has said or done something--at any point in his or her life--that cuts across the grain of the suppose moral rectitude of society, he or she is swiftly excoriated to the point of irremediable social ostracization. An immediate sentence is determined by the masses and pronounced on social media in order to ensure its execution. There is no mercy, no call to repentance, and no hope of restoration...The rashness and widespread nature of the execution is, in part, the thing that makes cancel culture so brutal. The bitter and self-righteous speech of those pronouncing judgment gives the unremitting banter a veneer of justice. This is what makes cancel culture such a powerful weapon; yet, I suggest, a weapon to be avoided by Christians. ...
The Rarest Commodity
When we come to Christ, we learn to live in a way that is pleasing to God. We seek after His instruction and walk in His ways. Jesus is the rarest commodity–the eternal wisdom of God and sole source of righteousness and life. It is Him we must seek, find, and acquire more than any other commodities we may come to possess in life....
Singing Down the Blessing of God
There is a clear pattern in Scripture of the way in which God uses the praises of His people for their future deliverances and the evangelization of the nations. May we enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, knowing that our God is enthroned on the praises of His people. We need His deliverance and the watching nations need His salvation....
The Self-Concealment and Self-Revelation of the Son of Man
By restraining wrong opinions about His person and work...
Australia's Sons of Korah
My wife and I love the music of the Sons of Korah, the Australian band which has set many of the Psalms to modern tunes. What do they sound like? Think of an Australian version of Shane Shane with more lyrics, more harmonization and more of a 70's rock influence. You can listen to some of their music here and here. I especially like the album Redemption Songs. The band ha...
Keep ReadingEric Alexander on Stephen's Martyrdom
In his 1981 address at Urbana, Eric Alexander made the following observations about Stephen's martyrdom and the fruit it bore: We see that Stephen's death was for the glory of God. There are clearly two sides to the fact of Stephen's death. There is on the one hand the wrath and hatred of the people as they gnashed their teeth against him (v. 54). That, I suppose,...
Keep ReadingD.A. Carson's Advice to Pastors on Marriage Situations
Back in December, the Gospel Coalition posted a helpful summary of D.A. Carson's advice to church planters with regard to difficult questions about marriage. You can read it here....
Keep ReadingHow to Enjoy the The Virgin-Born Christ
Matthew 1:23 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). Luke 1:27 To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. Christ was born of a virgin mother. This is unique in that He was the only human conceived in this manner; and it is differe...
Keep ReadingA Biblical Stategy for Church Growth
One of my mentors and friends, Rev. Roland Barnes, has written a very helpful pamphlet for the Savannah River Presbytery (PCA) on biblical church growth. I would encourage every minister and seminarian to read it. You can download it here. Roland notes the two indispensable keys to growing churches: There are two major or fundamental elements of ministry upon which the Ch...
Keep ReadingHerman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics: The Bear
When looking for the origin of emotion, William James asked, ‘do we run from the bear because we are afraid’ or is it the other way around? For James the bear was not the source of fear but the physical response to the situation was the cause of the emotion. While it’s not exactly ‘case closed’ for James one thing is sure: human beings resp...
Keep ReadingPhil Ryken's Final Series at Tenth
As the time approaches for Phil Ryken to close one chapter of his life and start another, our readers might want to download the audio from his final sermon series preached at Tenth Presbyterian Church. What more fitting way to end a fruitful pastorate than by preaching on one of the most spiritually rich chapters in the Bible--Romans 8? These sermons will only be availabl...
Keep ReadingA Defense To Die For (Acts 7:1-60)
The latest audio and video from New Covenant Presbyterian Church is now online. The sermon text was Acts 7:1-30 and the title was "A Defense to Die For." You can find the audio here. You can watch the video below.
The Continuing Acts of Jesus
The audio and video for the first six chapters of New Covenant Presbyterian Church's sermon series "The Continuing Acts of Jesus" are online....
Keep ReadingTheocratic Case Laws and the New Covenant Era
The issue of theonomy and the application of theocratic case laws in the New Covenant era has recently come up in several discussions I have had, so I thought I would make some resources available to those interested in learning more about a redemptive-historical approach to understanding the role of the theocratic sanctions given to Old Covenant Israel. The follow books g...
Keep ReadingGospel Lessons from Jonah
Tullian Tchividjian, grandson of Billy Graham and pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, brings us lessons of grace from the book of Jonah. Having just completed a Sunday School series on Jonah, it would have been great to have had this to use in my preparation. Alas, better late than never. Tchividjian draws out the gracious gos...
Keep ReadingEnjoying The Incarnation of Christ
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1 John 4:2-3 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antic...
Keep ReadingThe Apostolic Hermenuetic: Preaching Christ From All The Scriptures
I am becoming more and more convinced that Dennis Johnson's book Him We Proclaim ought to be required reading in every seminary, bible school and elder training program. Whether it is understanding the preservation of the covenantal line, the principle of typology or the redemptive-historical purpose of the ceremonial and civil laws, there is no single volume that gives m...
Keep ReadingBritain's First Pro-Abortion Television Ad
Here is an excellent article by Ed West, a journalist for the Telegraph, offering a critique of Britain's first pro-abortion television advertisement. HT: Martin Downes...
Keep ReadingBeck, Lillback, Mohler and DeYoung on Social Justice
I am not a huge fan of melodramatic, Mormon political analysts talking about God and country. But I was interested to see that yesterday Peter Lillback, President of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, was on Glen Beck to talk about the difference between the Gospel and the implications of the Gospel in light of current discussions on social justice. You can ...
Keep ReadingOctavius Winslow Book Giveaway
Matthew Blair, over at the Octavius Winslow website, is giveaway a copy of Winslow's Heaven Opened.. You can learn more here....
Keep ReadingWhy Did God Live in a Tent?
This is a particularly thought provoking sermon, by David Murray, on the significance of God's dwelling in the tabernacle. The Lord dwelt in the tent of meeting because His people dwelt in tents. He had promised to be their God. He had promised to dwell with His people. In order to do this, God became like His people. Israel dwelt in tents, so God dwelt in a tent. This is,...
Keep ReadingA Day in the Life of an Extraordinary Man
The audio and video from the most recent sermon preached at New Covenant Presbyterian Church is now online. The text was Acts 6:8-15 and the title was "A Day in the Life of an Extraordinary Man." You can find the audio here. You can watch the video below:
R.C. Sproul on the Importance of Tithing
Here is an outstanding article on the biblical mandate for tithing by R.C. Sproul. I wish every Christian would read this....
Keep ReadingTim Keller on Contentment
A much needed reminder from Tim Keller on contentment. We desperately need to be reminded, time and time again, of the words of David from Psalm 131, and the theology of contentment: My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child w...
Keep ReadingJim Elliot Sermons
Because I had planned on opening my sermon tomorrow morning with a brief recount of the life, ministry and death of Jim Elliot, I decided to review the historical accounts of Elliot's missionary endeavors up to the point when his life was taken by the Auca Indians to whom he was laboring to bring the Gospel. I was somewhat surprised to find two sermons that Elliot preached...
Keep ReadingPipa Lecture on William Perkins
Some time ago I posted a link to the interview we had with Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, on Christ the Center, regarding the preaching of William Perkins. You can listen to it here. Dr. Pipa wrote his doctoral dissertation on the preaching of Perkins. He recently gave a lecture on the life of Perkins at the 2010 Whiteabbey Congregational Church Puritan Conference. You can listen to ...
Keep ReadingGodly Men: The Divine Methodology
E.M. Bounds, in his book The Power of Prayer, made the astute observation that humanly devised methods can never replace the working of God in the man of God. He wrote: God's plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else, because men are God's method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. The Holy Ghost ...
Keep ReadingOn Earth As It Is In Heaven - Tullian Tchividjian's Blog
I have really been enjoying Tullian Tchividjian's blog over at the Gospel Coalition website. If you have not visited it, I would heartily recommend it to you as a worthwhile resource for Gospel-centered and theological insights....
Keep ReadingR.C. Sproul and the Ligonier Teaching Fellows
Here is an interesting panel discussion with Dr. R.C. Sproul and the four Ligonier Academy Teaching Fellows. Dr. Ferguson's opening remarks are sobering for any pastor. The people who sit under preaching will inevitably read their Bibles in the manner in which they are taught the Bible....
Keep ReadingAcceptance and Persecution
Growing up, I spent my time and energy seeking acceptance. No one wants to be left out. C.S. Lewis, in his masterful lecture, The Inner Ring, explained the nature of this futile desire to be on the inside. This deep seated, sinful desire was what led me to seek acceptance by means of sports in High School. When I wasn't able to fulfill my desires there, I turned to sex...
Keep ReadingR.C. Sproul's Successor(s)
One of the big questions floating around the Reformed world has been, "Who will replace R.C. Sproul when he retires from his leadership role at Ligonier Ministries?" Sproul has been the face of Ligonier for nearly 40 years (since 1971). On account of the fact that Dr. Sproul is one of the brightest and most articulate men of our times, finding one individual to carry on th...
Keep ReadingHerman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics: Lost & Found
There’s a TV show with a highly fantastic plot relevant to Bavinck’s formulation of God’s independence. On this show, survivors of a plane crash form tribes and collectives to solve problems and battle wits with other tribes and collectives on a supernatural island. The island itself is a character exerting powerful forces on the other players, challen...
Keep ReadingChoosing Seven Servants (Acts 6:1-7)
The most recent audio and video from New Covenant Presbyterian Church is now online. You can listen to and download the audio here. You can watch the video below:
Michael Reeves on Adam and Eve
Here is a phenomenal article by Mike Reeves on the necessity of the historicity of Adam and Eve. It it taken from the forthcoming book Should Christians Embrace Evolution? edited by Norman Nevin (IVP-UK, PR). I have not read a theological defense as good as this that actually interacts with the more nuanced expressions of theistic evolution....
Keep ReadingOn Not Being Good Enough for the Gospel
Erol Bortucene posted a great quote in which Martyn Lloyd-Jones explained that when people say they are not good enough for the Gospel, they are actually denying the Gospel: To make it quite practical I have a very simple test. After I have explained the way of Christ to somebody I say “Now, are you ready to say that you are a Christian?†And they hesitate. And t...
Keep ReadingDiscrimination and the Seven Servants
William Still, in his sermon on Acts 6:1-7, mentioned that the problem of the discrimination against the Greek speaking Jewish widows by the Hebrew speaking Jewish widows was met by the choosing of the seven wise men, all of whom had names with Greek etymological derivations. He made the fascinating observation: The seven may have been the most spiritual men in the fellows...
Keep ReadingThe Imperative of the Indicative: Preaching Christ from the Gospels
It may seem strange to hear someone say that ministers need to learn how to preach Christ from the Gospels; but in light of the failure, in this regard, of so many when dealing with the commands of Christ (case in point), there is perhaps no greater need for minsters of the Gospel at present than to learn this principle and etch it into their minds and hearts. I had a frie...
Keep ReadingSeparated at Birth?
Every time I see a picture of Robert Gibbs, the current White House Press Secretary, I wonder if he and Phil Ryken were somehow separated at birth. I at least think the comparison is as good as some of the ones you will find here. ...
Keep ReadingAdvice on Reading Noteworthy Theological Chapters, Articles and Sermons
If you are anything like me, you know that having multiple interests makes reading books--cover to cover--an extremely difficult task. There was a time when I was determined to read through each and every book I started. Needless to say, this inevitably proved to be a hopeless effort. I do read entire books when I am teaching a particular subject, writing a review or wanti...
Keep ReadingThe Family Tree of Reformed Biblical Theology
All I can say is, "this book looks amazing!" If only it were written by a Presbyterian! ...
Keep ReadingWhat Made You Who You Are?
For the last two, maybe three years, I've listened to Montgomery Gentry's song titled, "Long Line of Losers." I always loved it, and still do, however, it was not till about a week ago that something hit me while I sat in the library studying and listening to the song. Something so simple, and yet so glorious in the Gospel that I had over looked in the words of this son...
Keep ReadingHerman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics: Smash and Grab
We’ve been sifting through some of the high points of Bavinck’s doctrine of God, offering up small, somewhat uncritical summaries of his thought. In volume two Bavinck has an almost throw-away statement that carries a cautionary tone and is even little haunting: “there is no guarantee of a better job, preferment or worldly gain that comes with the knowl...
Keep ReadingAbove All Earthly Powers
The most recent sermon audio and video from New Covenant Presbyterian Church is online. The text from this past Sunday morning was Acts 5:12-42 and the title was "Above All Earthly Powers." And, yes, the title was ripped off from a sermon by Phil Ryken, who borrowed the words from Luther's hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God. You can listen to Phil's sermon here. It was prea...
Keep ReadingEnjoying The Deity of Christ
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 20:27-28 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and plac...
Keep Reading