Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church

The sermon on Sunday, May 18, 2025, will be from Romans 15:22-29 “I Never Been to Spain”.  “… I will leave for Spain by way of you.” – Romans 15:28

Bible teachers and pastors often unearth ‘nuggets’ of truth tucked away in otherwise overlooked verses of Scripture. Such is the case in Romans 15, verses 24 and 28. We tend to say, “Neat, Paul wanted to take the gospel to Spain.” But look at verses 19 and 22. He had already planted churches north from Jerusalem and west to the eastern border of Italy. That comprises the entire northeastern region of the 1st Century Mediterranean world. Now, with his sights on Spain, he has plans to cover the northwestern region of the Mediterranean world. If successful in this plan, he would have established the Christian church in the entire northern Mediterranean coastal regions in 15-20 short years. Do we have an “as I go to Spain” vision for our church?

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

The sermon on Sunday, May 11, 2025, will be from Psalm 121:1-8,  “A Mother’s Psalm”. “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:2

Americans love ‘rags-to-riches’ stories and ‘self-made’ men and women. Granted, one must admire those who are born into poverty, who receive an education or acquire job skills and who do well for themselves. But how many such people stop to think of who gave them minds, breath, and opportunities for advancement? How many of them realize that it is God who protects them from illness and injury thereby enabling them to do well? How many of them ponder Psalm 49:17, 20 – “For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him … Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.” Therefore, only help from the Lord will ransom one from the power of death (Psalm 49:20).

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

The sermon on Sunday, May 4, 2025, will be from Romans 15:14-21 – Tying Up Loose Ends: Let’s Preach Christ to Those Who Have Never Heard.  “… from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry …” – Romans 15:19

In less than 20 years, the Apostle Paul, through God’s enablement, had spread the Gospel and planted churches from Jerusalem, to Asia Minor, to Greece, and to Italy. And, as we see in Romans 15:24, he planned to pass through Rome “… on my journey to Spain, …”. What explains these astounding accomplishments? First, he had seen the risen Lord on the road to Damacus and received a commission from him. Second, he really believed that human beings were lost apart from knowing Christ. Third, he believed that Christ was the only Mediator between God and man. And, fourth, he believed that Christ could return at any time, therefore he took his message to the Gentiles with urgency. Do we believe these things ourselves? Last Sunday was Easter; this Lord’s Day is “Go Tell” Sunday!

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

The sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025, will be from Psalm 67 – “The Great Commission from the Psalms”. “… from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry …” – Romans 15:19

In less than 20 years, the Apostle Paul, through God’s enablement, had spread the Gospel and planted churches from Jerusalem, to Asia Minor, to Greece, and to Italy. And, as we see in Romans 15:24, he planned to pass through Rome “… on my journey to Spain, …”. What explains these astounding accomplishments? First, he had seen the risen Lord on the road to Damacus and received a commission from him. Second, he really believed that human beings were lost apart from knowing Christ. Third, he believed that Christ was the only Mediator between God and man. And, fourth, he believed that Christ could return at any time, therefore he took his message to the Gentiles with urgency. Do we believe these things ourselves? Last Sunday was Easter; this Lord’s Day is “Go Tell” Sunday!

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

The sermon on April 20, 2025, will be from 2 Corinthians 11:22-33 – “What Made Paul Tick?”  “And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’” – Acts 9:5

What made the Apostle Paul tick? What explains his perseverance through all the excruciating trials he faced as an Apostle and a human being? (See 2 Cor. 11:22-33). The answer to these two questions is simple, and yet stunning – he saw the resurrected, living Christ on the Damascus Road. This is the life-changing message from the angel at Christ’s tomb on the First Easter – “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6)

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

The sermon on April 13, 2025, will be from Zephaniah 2- “The End of Pride and the Hope of the Gospel”. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” – Matthew 21:9

Jesus was born “in the fulness of time” according to the Apostle Paul (Gal. 4:4). His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and second coming were all predicted in the Old Testament. Some of the predictions are very specific as we see in Matthew 21:1-11. Jesus was descended from David and the heir of an eternal kingdom. But he came to his enthronement in humility riding on a donkey’s back and “… becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:8).

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

The sermon on April 6, 2025, will be from Romans 15:8-13- Tying Up Loose Ends: Living in Gospel Hope. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, …” – Romans 15:13

Most modern Americans hear the word ‘hope’ and they believe that it means ‘I hope so.’ That is, “I am not entirely convinced such-and-such will happen.” However, the Greek word in the New Testament for ‘hope’ means ‘confident expectation.’ The Second Coming or the return of Christ at the end of human history is called “… our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ….” So, may I pray for you the prayer Paul prayed for these 1st Century Roman Christians? “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

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

The sermon on March 23, 2025, will be from Romans 14:20-23 – The Guiding Principles of Christian Liberty.  “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.” – Romans 14:20

How can food destroy the work of God? What is Paul talking about? Well, Christians in 1st Century Rome were at odds with one another over dietary practices. Note, they were quarreling (14:1); they were despising each other (14:3); and, they were harshly judging one another (14:4). So, disputes over “food” were disrupting the peace of the church at Rome and fracturing the fellowship. Don’t we do the same in the 21st Century? How many of your disputes with other Christians were due to essential Christian doctrines or behaviors addressed in the 10 Commandments? How many were due to trivial matters? May God help us to “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (14:19)

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

The sermon on March 16, 2025, will be from Romans 14:13-19 – “The Kingdom of God is …”. “For the kingdom of God is ….”  -Romans 14:17

In Christian circles, debate swirls around the Bible’s teaching on the kingdom of God. Has it already arrived? Or, is it yet to come? Is it an earthly kingdom? Or, is it a spiritual kingdom? Isn’t it nice to have a verse that clarifies these questions? One Christian writer asserted that “the kingdom of God is a party.” It seems like Paul agrees in Romans 14:17. The kingdom of God has arrived; it is matter “of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Are you a citizen of this kingdom? Are you living “the kingdom life in a fallen world?”

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

The sermon on March 9, 2025, will be from Romans 14:10-12– “Standing Before the Judgment Seat”.    “So, then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:12

If seriously considered, nothing is more humbling than to realize that we will stand before God one day to be judged. Christ and the Apostles affirmed this truth throughout their ministries. When that day arrives, we will either stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ, or clothed in our own perceived righteousness which will not meet the standard of God’s perfect holiness and justice. Edward Mote wrote of our only hope for deliverance, “When he [Jesus Christ] shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found; dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

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