Christ: Divine Righteousness and Treasure [Family Worship lesson in Matthew 19:16–30]

What must we have to enter heaven, and what do we obtain in heaven? Matthew 19:16–30 prepares us for the sermon in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fifteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christ is both what we must have to enter heaven and the heavenliness that we obtain. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The LORD Who Builds His House and Yours [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 127]

How can we be happy and secure? Psalm 127 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that only the Lord gives happiness and security. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Loving God in Real Life [Westminster Shorter Catechism 63—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 63—especially explaining the connection between the proper worship of God and a life of genuine honor and obedience, which begins with honoring our parents.

Q63. Which is the fifth commandment? The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

What 'Thy Will Be Done' Means [Children's Catechism 115—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 115—especially explaining how submission to God’s will includes submission both to His providence and to His commandments.

Q115. What do we pray for in the third petition? That men on earth may serve God as the angels do in heaven.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Believers' Use of God's Law [2024.09.29 Sabbath School in WCF 19.6—Hopewell 101]

We learn from Scripture what WCF 19.6 teaches: doing what God's law commands, and refraining from what it forbids, is not an evidence of being under the law, but would be a right response to its great usefulness in believers' lives.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Identifying True Christians [2024.08.04 Evening Sermon in 1John 3:24–4:6]

The Spirit identifies true Christians by their Christ-like character, by their beliefs about Christ, and by their recognition of Christ's Word

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Learning What to Obey and How [Westminster Shorter Catechism 39—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 39—especially explaining how our duty includes not only obedience to God’s law but attendance upon Him in the means of His grace in order to keep His law.

Q39. What is the duty which God requireth of man? The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to His revealed will.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Knowing that We Know Him [Family Worship lesson in 1John 2:3–11]

What does walking in the light look like? 1John 2:3–11 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that walking in the light looks like loving the brethren.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Hearing the Law from Jesus’s Mouth [2024.01.14 Morning Sermon in Matthew 5:21–26]

Jesus is not only the Lord Who thundered the law at Sinai, but the King Who has kept the law for us and is conforming us to it, and the Judge Who will make sure that only those who find His kingdom a heaven may at last enter.

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Saving Faith “Works” Because Jesus Makes a Difference [Family Worship lesson in James 2:14–26]

What if a “believer” does not care to obey God’s commandments? James 2:14–26 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that anyone who claims to believe in Christ but remains unchanged does not actually believe in the actual Christ.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How Jesus Completes Us [2024.01.07 Morning Sermon in Matthew 5:17–20]

Jesus, the great Fulfiller of all Scripture, makes to whom the kingdom already belongs fit for entrance to the kingdom of heaven by completing His sanctifying work in them.

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Partiality in the Church? [Family Worship lesson in James 2:1–13]

Why must believers be kind to all other believers? James 2:1–13 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers must learn to treat each other according to Christ’s own treatment of us and them.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

What Should We Say to Election? [2023.12.13 Midweek Sermon in Romans 9:30–33]

We should respond to the reality of God's mercy by believing upon Him.

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Responding Rightly to Election [Family Worship lesson in Romans 9:30–33]

How should we respond to Israel’s partial hardening? Romans 9:30–33 prepares us for the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should respond to the realities of spiritual hardening and saving mercy by focusing primarily upon the mercy, while taking from the hardening a serious warning against works-ism. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Living in God's World as Those Who Belong to God [2023.08.13 Morning Sermon in Acts 27:1–28:10]

Those who belong to and worship God live as those who are protected by God, heard by God, and employed by God.

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How Faith Sees God, Trouble, and Neighbors [Family Worship lesson in Acts 27:1–28:10]

What do Christians do for their unbelieving neighbors? Acts 27:1–28:10 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fifty-four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that with their neighbors, Christians act as those who belong to God, praying and laboring for their neighbors’ earthly and eternal good. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Great Danger of the Last Days [Family Worship lesson in 2Timothy 3:1–5]

What makes for dangerous times and dangerous people? 2Timothy 3:1–5 looks forward to the second serial reading of in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the great danger of the last days is the danger of Jesus's Name on our lips without Jesus's life or power in our heart. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Not Under Law But Under Grace: a Doctrine That Sustains Sanctification [2023.05.10 Midweek Sermon in Romans 6:14]

As the believer seeks to reject sin and obey God, his obedience depends upon his new reality, and is facilitated by his embracing that new reality.

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Weaponizing Our Whole Self in Service of Our True King [Midweek Sermon in Romans 6:12–13]

Christians must give their whole self, for this whole life, entirely to God for righteousness.

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Who Can Perfectly Keep God's Commandments [Shorter Catechism Q82 Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 82—especially explaining and applying how Adam could have kept God’s commandments but didn’t, the last Adam did perfectly keep them in His people’s stead, and the last Adam’s people genuinely but imperfectly keep them now, and will perfectly keep them forever.

Q82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God? No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word and deed.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)