Category: Weekly Thoughts

The sermon is from Romans 11:33-36- “Sola Deo Gloria”.  “How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” -Romans 11:33

Someone in the 16th Century asked the Protestant Reformer, John Calvin, “What was God doing before he created the world?” To which Calvin replied, “He was preparing hell for the curious.” Now, Calvin wasn’t discouraging scientific inquiry, but he was admonishing us to exercise caution in our study of Scripture and not to go beyond what God has revealed in his Word. Moses provides perspective for the humble study of God’s Word, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law.” (Deut. 29:29)

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 11:25-32 – “Israel’s Future Salvation”.  “… in this way all Israel will be saved, …” – Romans 11:26

In Romans Chapters 9, 10, and 11, Paul explains a great conundrum in the First Century. Israel’s promised Messiah came to earth and the nation en masse rejected him. He came to his “own” and his own did not receive him (John 1:11). How can one explain this tragedy? Well, Paul, in 3 chapters demonstrates that this turn of events was a part of God’s sovereign plan in human and redemptive history; and he also predicts a day when Israel’s fortunes will be reversed. Listen to Romans 11:26, when, “The Deliverer comes from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; ….” Let us long for that day.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 11:17-24 – “Lessons from the Olive Tree”. “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: …” – Romans 11:22

Christians, if they are not careful, can drift to extremes in their considerations of the attributes of God. We can focus entirely upon his love and ignore his wrath; we can focus entirely upon his wrath and ignore his love. We can emphasize his justice and exclude his mercy; we can so stress mercy that we lose sight of his justice. Romans 11:22 stresses both God’s kindness and severity. Our Triune God is kind in his dealings with us, but he can also respond with severity when we sin repeatedly in an area. He may even cut us off from his covenant people if we slip into apostasy and deny the faith (Rom. 11:17-24). So, as Paul states, let us not, “become proud, but stand in awe” before the God we love and serve.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from John 11:17-44 – “Life After Resurrection”. “… they were broken off because of their unbelief, …” – Romans 11:20

Ethnic Israel eventually violated the terms of the Old Covenant and suffered the curses of that covenant in 1st Century A.D. (See Deuteronomy Chapters 27-30). They were “cut off” or “broken off” from the blessings of being known as God’s covenant people (See 2 Cor. 3:7-11; Heb. 8:6-13). So, what is Israel’s hope since the infliction of these curses in the 1st Century? How can they have covenant status as the people of God and experience once again inclusion in the visible church on earth? They must turn to Jesus of Nazareth; they must embrace the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone and “be grafted in” to the visible church under the New Covenant (Rom. 11:23-24). Christ is their (and our) only hope in life and death.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 11:11-16 – “Being Jealous Unto Salvation”.  “… through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, …” – Romans 11:11

Often as Christians, we take for granted certain Bible doctrines and fail to realize the magnitude and wonder of the truth we confess to believe. Newton’s famous song reminds us of our short-sighted tendencies; he did not say, “grace, how sweet the sound,” he said, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!” Likewise, we fail to realize the magnitude of Paul’s reference to the Gentiles in Romans 11:11. Previous to the coming of Christ, God’s visible church on earth was confined to one nation, the nation Israel. To them, he poured out tremendous religious privilege and blessing (Romans 9:4-5). Now, the visible church is composed of Jew and Gentile and it extends to the ends of the earth. Now, “his blessings flow far as the curse is found.”

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 11:7-10 – “Israel’s Failure; the Elect’s Success”.  “… if my people …” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Many contemporary Christians bemoan the moral degeneracy in our nation and in our world. Such concerns, of course, are legitimate. Paul, in Athens, “was provoked within … as he saw that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16). But Paul’s provocation led to action; we see that he immediately, “… reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons … every day …” (Acts 17:17). Do our cultural concerns lead us to action? Do we, as Christians, humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways? Do we share the Gospel with the lost? Could the degeneracy in our culture be due to degeneracy in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 11:1-6 – “Elijah – The One Man Left Standing”.  “… I alone am left, and they seek my life.” – Romans 11:3

After Elijah’s courageous witness for the God of Israel in 1 Kings 18, we find him in 1 Kings 19 fearful and running from Jezebel’s death threats. It is salutary for us to remember that they were death threats. Some Bible teachers have made sport of Elijah’s despair and depression. I wonder if such teachers have ever been threatened with death themselves. Nevertheless, Elijah’s flight in Chapter 19 stands in stark contrast to his fearlessness in Chapter 18. A wise person has stated, “The best of men are men at best.” The sins and weaknesses of Old Testament saints point us to One who was sinless and strong. He was called “the friend of sinners;” and his name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Elijah needed his forgiveness and so do we.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Matthew 19:16-26 – “Who Then Can Be Saved?”  “God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.” – Romans 11:2

Theologians call Romans 8:29-30 “The Golden Chain of Salvation.” Notice the great actions of God himself in the salvation of his people – foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. In Chapter 11 of Romans, Paul reminds his readers once again that God is accomplishing his purposes in human history, even when he saves only a “remnant” (Romans 11:5). If we are trusting Christ alone through faith alone and by grace alone, we are included in this remnant and have been loved by God before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-4). “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, ….”

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Psalm 23 – “My Shepherd”.    “… to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge …” – Ephesians 3:19

Samuel Rutherford penned these famous lines, “O Christ, he is the fountain, the deep sweet well of love! The streams on earth I’ve tasted; more deep I’ll drink above: there to an ocean fulness his mercy doth expand, and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel’s land.” In heaven, God will lavish his mercy and love upon his people for all of eternity. But, even in this fallen world, Christians may taste “the streams.” As they read God’s Word and worship with God’s people, they may experience “the Spirit bearing witness with their spirit that they are the children of God” (Romans 8:16).

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA

The sermon is from Romans 10:18-21 – “When God’s People Turn a Deaf Ear.”   “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” – Romans 10:21

In Romans 10:21, Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:2. This Old Testament verse teaches us about God’s mercy and patience to the nation Israel. To some, this grace of God toward his rebellious people comes as a surprise. Some go so far as to say erroneously that the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath; then, they say that the New Testament God is a God of love. But the God of Scripture cannot change (Malachi 3:6). He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable (Numbers 23:19). He is holy; he must punish sin. He is gracious; he forgave his ancient people when they turned to him in faith. He will forgive you if respond in faith to his outstretched hands.

Sunday Service Streamed Live at 11:00 AM – YouTube.com – Hickory Withe PCA