This Judges 2 is a bonus sermon today...the Fifth Sunday service at First Presbyterian of Pikeville, Kentucky. The sermon is a farewell message for Scott and a challenge to the congregation to be faithful to Jesus and to continue to teach the next generation all that Jesus has commanded us to observe and all that Jesus has done for us and them. The challenge is to keep attending to the means of grace (in particular, the word, sacraments and corporate prayer in Sunday worship). The message focuses on the difference between the situation of Judges and the present because of the coming of Christ the Shepherd and the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. I should explain as background the motorcycle comment -- Scott drives a motorcycle and likes to say that Jesus will return on a Harley because shepherds in New Zealand drive motorcycles to keep their sheep.

Click here or title to listen.

Labels: christ, David, judges, Saul, shepherd, spirit, Sunday worship

Matthew 22:15-46 is a war of words over the Word of God. We all have questions about the Word of God that we would like Jesus to answer but the Pharisees and Sadducees had much more sinister intentions. Ultimately the Scriptures are about the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus in answer to the controversy over paying the tax of the denarius the point is that Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and His work is one of renewing His people in the image of God. And in the encounter with the Sadducees, the point is that Jesus is the bride-groom of the church and His work is one of purifying her to be His virgin bride. And in the final contest with the Pharisees, Jesus is the Lord of David because Jesus is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and if David was the man after God's own heart how much more so was this the case for Jesus who died for His neighbors' sins. Jesus is the King who conquers hearts. These three themes are all connected because they are all about total devotion to God. Rendering ourselves to God because we are being renewed in His image. Loving Jesus as our only husband. And loving the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind and your neighbor as yourself. TOTAL devotion.

Click here or the title to listen.

Labels: bride, christ, David, heart, image of God, marriage, Matthew, Pharisees, Sadducees, shema

Matthew 22:15-46 is a war of words over the Word of God. We all have questions about the Word of God that we would like Jesus to answer but the Pharisees and Sadducees had much more sinister intentions. Ultimately the Scriptures are about the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus in answer to the controversy over paying the tax of the denarius the point is that Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and His work is one of renewing His people in the image of God. And in the encounter with the Sadducees, the point is that Jesus is the bride-groom of the church and His work is one of purifying her to be His virgin bride. And in the final contest with the Pharisees, Jesus is the Lord of David because Jesus is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and if David was the man after God's own heart how much more so was this the case for Jesus who died for His neighbors' sins. Jesus is the King who conquers hearts. These three themes are all connected because they are all about total devotion to God. Rendering ourselves to God because we are being renewed in His image. Loving Jesus as our only husband. And loving the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind and your neighbor as yourself. TOTAL devotion.


Click title or here to listen.

Labels: bride, christ, David, heart, image of God, Matthew, Pharisees, Sadducees, shema