Category: Weekly Thoughts

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

The sermon is from Romans 10:14-17 – “The Message →The Messenger→The Means→Manumission”. “And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” – Romans 10:14

George Strait sings, “Preachers preach, farmers plow ….” And unknowingly, Mr. Strait highlights one of the most important means God uses for the salvation of his people. God, of course, also uses Christians as they share Christ with friends and family. But Christ and the Apostles place a special emphasis upon the importance of preachers in God’s saving purposes (Mark 1:38; Acts 5:42; 1 Corinthians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:1-2). A famous catechism asks, “How is the Word made effectual to salvation?” And then, it gives the answer, “The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.” So, pray for preachers; support and encourage them; and heed the word of the Gospel as they faithfully declare it week after week.

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

The sermon is from Romans 10:5-13 – “The Romans Road”. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart …”  – Romans 10:8

Where can a person find Christ in the 21st Century? He is no longer present on earth physically. The Bible teaches that presently he is seated at God’s right hand (Acts 2:32-33; 5:30-32; Ephesians 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:1-4; 10:12). The Bible also teaches that he speaks to his people by his Spirit when the Word of God is opened, read, and preached (Romans 10:14-17). So, on the Lord’s Day, when your pastor opens God’s Word, reads it, explains it, and applies it, Christ is present by his Spirit speaking to his church on earth. Little wonder we read such a passage as Hebrews 10:24-25 which admonishes us to attend church on the Lord’s Day. Here, we learn to believe even though we have not seen him (John 20:29); here, we learn to hear Christ’s word, do it (Luke 8:19-21), and know of a relationship within the family of God. Who knows what might happen when one is “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day?” (Rev. 1:10)

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

The sermon is from Romans 10:1-4 – “How to Stumble Over the Stumbling Stone”. “… they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” – Romans 10:2

Sincerity and zeal in religious matters is in some ways commendable, but in other ways, it can be tragic. One need only to think of the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11th, 2001 or Jim Jones, The Peoples Temple, Jonestown, Guyana, and November 18th, 1978 to see the devastating consequences of false religions. Proverbs 19:2 states, “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” Sincerity in religion that is not based upon the truth of God’s Word causes one to miss knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and knowing “the righteousness of God based on faith.” (Romans 10:6). One can be sincere in one’s religion and yet sincerely wrong. Paul’s Letter to the Romans explains the “gospel of God” (Romans 1:1). One is wise to understand its teachings and in view of God’s mercies offer oneself to him as a “living sacrifice.” (Romans 12:1)

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

The sermon is from Romans 9:30 -33 – “The Stone of Stumbling and the Rock of Offense”.  “They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, ….” – Romans 9:32

Have you ever ‘stumbled’ over something before? Many of us have tripped over objects in a dark room – maybe a chair, an ottoman, a box, or a shoe. Often the object is small, so we avoid a fall and the stumbling is inconsequential. Other times, however, when we stumble, we fall to the floor and the consequences are significant. We may even end up in an emergency room with bruises, lacerations, and broken bones. Paul uses this metaphor in Romans 9:32-33. In the 1st Century, Christ was a ‘stone of stumbling and rock of offense’ for many. Many refused his Messianic claims and suffered the consequences (Hebrews 10:26-31). The same dynamics are at work in the 21st Century. Many, unfortunately, “stumble over the stumbling stone.” They ignore Christ’s Messianic claims and his calls for them to repent and believe. But, to others, the stone is ‘precious’ (1 Peter 2:6); for them, he is the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45). Is Christ ‘precious’ to you? Or is he a ‘stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense?’

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

The sermon is from Romans 9:25-29 -“Re-hitching” the Old and New Testaments. “… they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” – Romans 9:26

The Old Testament prophets predicted a world-wide expansion of the kingdom God through Israel’s coming King and Messiah (Isaiah 54:1-3; Hosea 1:10-11; Joel 2:28-32). The book of Acts records the fulfillment of this prediction in the 1st Century A.D. Chapter one of Acts contains Christ’s memorable promise in verse 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Christ has kept his promise; his kingdom currently extends to the ends of the earth; it includes both Jews and Gentiles. And amazingly, he calls citizens of his eternal kingdom “sons of the living God.” Are you a citizen of this kingdom? Are you a member of the family of God? Christ is a merciful king and receives all who come to him by faith.

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

The sermon is from Romans 9:19-24 – “God in the Dock?” “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” – Romans 9:20

God in the Dock is a collection of essays and speeches by the 20th Century British Christian apologist, C. S. Lewis. Someone has said that Lewis’s premise in a number of these writings is “… that modern human beings, rather than seeing themselves as standing before God in judgment, prefer to place God on trial while acting as his judge.” Mr. Lewis also wrote about “Aslan” the lion in his children’s series The Chronicles of Narnia. He said, in one of these books that “Aslan is not a tame lion.” The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, is not a “tame lion” either. Let us place ourselves in the dock (Romans 3:19) and from that position of humiliation, see our desperate need of this Lion’s forgiveness and mercy.

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

The sermon is from Romans 9:14-18 – “Have We Truly Understood the Mercy of God?”  “Is there injustice on God’s part?” – Romans 9:14

Christians respond to the above question with clarity and conviction, “Perish the thought!” Abraham certainly responded in a similar way in Genesis 18:25, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” But the doctrine of election is often called “unfair” or “unjust” by foes and friends of the Bible. Paul knows this, of course; he is anticipating the accusation and he is providing his answer in Romans 9:14-24. Let me encourage you to set to the side for a moment any arguments you have with the Biblical doctrine of election; read, meditate, pray, and ask God for understanding. Paul also teaches this doctrine in Ephesians 1:3-14; this passage is one continuous, paean of praise. My prayer for you is that you would join with Paul and rejoice in God’s unsearchable riches in Christ.

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

The sermon is from Romans 9:10-13 – “Set Apart Before I was Born”. “… though they were not yet born and had done anything either good or bad …” – Romans 9:11

Christians have squabbled for centuries over the Bible’s teaching on election. It is a Biblical word; it is found in the pages of Scripture. If one is going to be a “Bible-believing” Christian, he must believe something about the teaching. One camp says, “God chooses those who choose him. God knows all things that will occur in human history. He, therefore, ‘looks down through the tunnel of time’ and sees who will choose him. And, then, he chooses those who choose him.” The other camp says, “God chooses those who would never choose him.” Based on Romans 9:11, which of these two views would the Apostle Paul approve?

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

The sermon is from Psalm 69:13-17 – “Magnificent Mercy”.  “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” – Romans 11:33

In Romans Chapter 11, verses 33-36, Paul concludes his three-chapter treatment related to God’s sovereign purposes in world history and in redemptive history. He brings this section to a close with adoration, worship, and praise. He has imparted to his readers “… a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7) God’s redemptive purposes in Christ cannot be hindered or thwarted. And this is great reason for praise, exultation, and heart-felt worship for God’s people. God in grace has scripted us into his grand designs. If we know Christ, we are recipients of an eternal inheritance “… that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us ….” (1 Peter 1:4)

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