Living as God’s Child [2024.09.18 Midweek Sermon in Proverbs 3:1–12]

God's wisdom brings sinners into the fullness of their sonship to Him

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Love and Labor from Christ for God [Family Worship lesson in 3John v5–8]

Why should we help ministers and missionaries? 3John v5–8 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that funding the work of missionaries and ministers is an act of love to which we are called by God. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Christ's Fruit in His Church [Family Worship lesson in Romans 15:23–28]

Why does Paul want to come to Rome? Romans 15:23–28 is an important passage for our current cultural moment. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Paul wants to go to Rome in order to bear spiritual fruit. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

True Love, Truly Expressed, Truly Assures [Family Worship lesson in 1John 3:16–23]

How important is sacrificial love? 1John 3:16–23 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that sacrificial love in our hearts is used by God to assure us, even before Him.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Extraordinary Vows and Redemptions [Family Worship lesson in Leviticus 27]

If God has prescribed His public worship, how can a believer respond to special providence or moments of inflamed love and thankfulness? Leviticus 27 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these thirty-four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers may vow unto God to devote themselves to His service, but they must take these vows very seriously. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Valuation of Elders' Ministry [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #52, 2023.10.01 Sabbath School]

Congregational spending on elders and ministers is an integral part of how Scripture says they are to value the ministry of the Word.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Reasons and Procedures for Corporate Giving [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #43, 2023.07.23 Sabbath School]

Some Christian giving must be done corporately, as a body or through the body. In this case, individuals lay aside what is then entrusted to the hands of certified men for disbursement and delivery. One focus of corporate giving is that those whose life's labor is preaching the gospel can get their living by preaching the gospel.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Corporately Giving by Grace, What We Have by Grace, to the Glory of Grace [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #42, 2023.07.16 Sabbath School]

In the context of calling them to corporate giving, Paul taught the Corinthians that it's not just our possessions that we have by grace but the cheerfulness and diligence to give also comes by God's grace.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Church-to-Church Diaconal Ministry (1) [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #41, 2023.07.09 Sabbath School]

In addition to overseeing person to person ministry in material things, deacons administer that temporal ministry that must be done corporately, including church-to-church ministry.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Spiritual Men to Lead a Spiritual People in Service to the Soul and Body [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #40, 2023.07.02 Sabbath School]

By virtue of other believers' union with Christ, they ought to be the special objects of our love and service—especially in helping their weaknesses, since we have missed our opportunity to reciprocate Christ's love to Him in His human weakness. Service to one another in soul requires corresponding service to one another in body. And both require that the work of the Spirit in us be expressed in the manner in which we help one another. To lead us in this service, the Lord has given us ordained servants over both the spiritual service of the body and the material service of the body.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Counting the Cost of Truly Divine Worship [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 38:21–31]

What does the Spirit teach us by the numbering out of the gold, silver, and bronze for the tabernacle construction? Exodus 38:21–31 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God provides resources, responsibility, and reliability for the earthly carrying out of the work and worship of His church.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Lord's Generous Provision for His People's Eagerly Providing for Public Worship [2023.05.21 Evening Sermon in Exodus 35:1–36:7]

The Lord provides all that is necessary for His people to participate in His giving the gift of His favorable presence in our worship. The greater story is the generosity of God, not that of the people

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The Lord Provides the Privilege of Participation in His Presence [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 35:1–36:7]

How does the Lord’s provision show how intent He is upon dwelling with His people in favor? Exodus 35:1–36:7 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these forty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord demonstrated His favorable intent in dwelling among His people by giving generously to them in every way. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How to Have Wealth Without Sorrow [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 10:22]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to have wealth without sorrow.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Generous Christians Are a Sign and Wonder [2023.05.07 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #33]

Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #33: Believers know God's overarching plan to destroy all opposition to God and His Christ, but first to redeem those who will kiss the Son and trust in Him. They rejoice when the effect of the Lord's redemption is seen in turning back not only sin but also misery as a consequence of His gracious work in the saints.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Diaconal Impact of the Spirit-Given Priorities of the Church [2023.04.30 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #32]

Biblical Theology of the Diaconate (#32): the pouring out of the Spirit and the gathering of believers into Christ produced a worship-obsessed people who lived worship-transformed lives in what they did with their time, wealth, and homes.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Biblical Theology of the Diaconate (25): Diaconal Failure to Prioritize Worship after the Exile [2023.03.12 Sabbath School lesson]

Even after the return from the exile, the people still failed to prioritize the prescribed worship of God by what they did with their wealth. What Christians do with their earthly wealth should show that Christ has transformed them to have Him as their eternal treasure.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Biblical Theology of the Diaconate (12): Diaconal Service Is Designed to Display God's Gracious Work in the Heart [2022.11.27 Sabbath School]

At the outset of Israel as a church, the Lord made a great contrast between what Israel was like in the flesh, and the generosity that He is able to work in the heart. This was a great emphasis of the Spirit's in His account of the collection and construction for the tabernacle. Diaconal service is designed to display this contrast, unto the praise of the heart-changing Redeemer.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Work of the Deacons: Oversee Earthly Things Needful for the Worship, Discipleship, and Evangelism of the Church (2022.04.24 Morning Sermon in Acts 5:42–6:7)

The Lord has attended, in part, to our earthly needs by giving us Spiritual men to oversee our ministry to one another in those needs. Deacons labor to address these needs so that inconvenience or inconsistency do not become obstacles to spiritual growth.

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The Danger of Lying to the Spirit (Family Worship lesson in Acts 4:36–5:11)

Why did Ananias and Sapphira die that day? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Acts 4:36–5:11 prepares us for the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that when God the Holy Spirit is working savingly and fruitfully in the church, we are in danger of trying to fake His work for the eyes of men, rather than seeking Him to produce fruit in us that brings Him praise. But, He Himself is a sure help in the face of this danger.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)