Feeding the Sheep the Word: Read and Proclaim

Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Spirit-Filled Home (Eph 5:15-6:9)

Ephesians 5:15-6:9 is a third installment of lessons in the school of Christ. We see what the Spirit-filled household looks (or better yet, sounds) like. In one, the people are (1) addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all their heart, (2) giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and (3) submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Thus we get to hear what submitting to one another in our music sounds like and how we should give thanks for one another rather than complain about our preferences not being met.

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posted by revmarple @ 6:12 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, November 1, 2009

A Purpose for Preaching and Praying (Eph 3:1-21)

Ephesians 3 says that Paul has a reason for preaching that you (those who believe) have the Spirit and praying that you would be filled with the Spirit. The reason for doing so is found in the previous section of Ephesians: that Christ is our peace, has made peace between us and God and between Jews and Gentiles, and has preached peace through the apostles. That you have the Spirit is the content of much of my preaching and that you would be filled with the Spirit is the content of much of my praying. My purpose in preaching Ephesians first is that it is all about the church and it briefly hits on most of the major themes of faithful preaching and prayer.

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posted by revmarple @ 5:04 AM 0 Comments

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Spirit-Filled Service (Niagara)

Acts 6:1-7 is the beginning of a division of labor in the leadership of the church. Later there would be an even further division of labor among elders between the ruling elders and the teaching elders. Elders provide servant leadership with respect to word gifts and deacons provide servant leadership with respect to deed gifts. And most members major in one or the other: word or deed. What we must all realize is that serving with your hands (deed) can be Spirit-filled service just as prayer and the service of the Word. And we should all appreciate that just as serving with your hands can be hard work, so too is prayer and the service of the Word. And when everyone is contributing their gifts, we have the right conditions for growth.


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posted by revmarple @ 9:55 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, August 9, 2009

A Midnight Prayer (Shepard Memorial)

Luke 11:1-13 shows us what to pray for, when to pray, and how to pray. Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray by giving them an example approaching God as Father (meaning the approach is within an intimate relationship, with honor and respect), an attitude of forgiveness toward others, and with balance (not all requests for necessities and health). He shows them that it is not disrespectful to pray at midnight (or any other time) but instead that we can pray at any time. And ultimately prayer should be asking for the Holy Spirit -- this is the primary content of prayer.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:17 PM 0 Comments

A Midnight Prayer (Peter Creek)

Luke 11:1-13 shows us what to pray for, when to pray, and how to pray. Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray by giving them an example approaching God as Father (meaning the approach is within an intimate relationship, with honor and respect), an attitude of forgiveness toward others, and with balance (not all requests for necessities and health). He shows them that it is not disrespectful to pray at midnight (or any other time) but instead that we can pray at any time. And ultimately prayer should be asking for the Holy Spirit -- this is the primary content of prayer.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:45 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Unity in the Spirit (Shepard Memorial)

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 is about unity in the Spirit. I approached this text by observing that there are three kinds of food that may be in our diet. The first kind is junk food. It is "the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age" and leaves one unsatisfied. But whenever Christians are being fed Christ crucified and are going hungry it is either because they are being fed solid food and throwing it up or infant's milk when they need more. We need to mature to the solid food and get the junk food out of our diet. This will allow us to reflect deeply on verses like 1 Cor 1:31. But those who throw up solid food do so because they are still eating too much junk food and can only stomach a little milk. We know this was the case at Corinth because of the jealousy and strife in their congregation. Let us crave the body and blood of Christ and hunger and thirst for righteousness.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:08 PM 0 Comments

Unity in the Spirit (Peter Creek)

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 is about unity in the Spirit. I approached this text by observing that there are three kinds of food that may be in our diet. The first kind is junk food. It is "the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age" and leaves one unsatisfied. But whenever Christians are being fed Christ crucified and are going hungry it is either because they are being fed solid food and throwing it up or infant's milk when they need more. We need to mature to the solid food and get the junk food out of our diet. This will allow us to reflect deeply on verses like 1 Cor 1:31. But those who throw up solid food do so because they are still eating too much junk food and can only stomach a little milk. We know this was the case at Corinth because of the jealousy and strife in their congregation. Let us crave the body and blood of Christ and hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:50 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, June 21, 2009

One King, One God, One Nation (Shepard Memorial)

Ezekiel 37:15-28 adds one new emphasis to what Ezekiel has been saying: unity. The restoration from exile would not restore two kingdoms but one (like in the days of King David), with one God. These verses point us to the work of Jesus Christ who is Lord and King over one people (not just over the Jewish people of the southern and northern kingdoms, but even over the Gentiles) because of His greater exile on the cross and His greater restoration from exile in the resurrection. And Jesus has poured out the Spirit on His people so that we can be with the one God as one nation. This nation knows no national boundaries, but consists of Christians throughout the world whose citizenship is in heaven. Unity is impossible with those who do not have the Spirit, those who have not experienced an initial sanctification by the Spirit, those who are not united to Christ. But salvation is the restoration of communion with God through union with Christ by the Spirit in our hearts.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:15 PM 0 Comments

One King, One God, One Nation (Peter Creek)

Ezekiel 37:15-28 adds one new emphasis to what Ezekiel has been saying: unity. The restoration from exile would not restore two kingdoms but one (like in the days of King David), with one God. These verses point us to the work of Jesus Christ who is Lord and King over one people (not just over the Jewish people of the southern and northern kingdoms, but even over the Gentiles) because of His greater exile on the cross and His greater restoration from exile in the resurrection. And Jesus has poured out the Spirit on His people so that we can be with the one God as one nation. This nation knows no national boundaries, but consists of Christians throughout the world whose citizenship is in heaven. Unity is impossible with those who do not have the Spirit, those who have not experienced an initial sanctification by the Spirit, those who are not united to Christ. But salvation is the restoration of communion with God through union with Christ by the Spirit in our hearts.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:45 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, June 14, 2009

From Dry Bones to Life in the Spirit (Shepard Memorial)

Ezekiel 37:1-14, the famous passage about the dry bones, describes Israel as a deserted desert full of bones that are weak and dry. This is a picture of the cross without the resurrection. But with the resurrection picture of return from exile we can begin to see the hope that we have in Christ. Thus we remember that hope, see that we need to live with that hope as people who are alive, and promote that message of hope. Here we look at pessimism and optimism in light of the death and resurrection of Christ and His giving of the Spirit and see that pessimistic thought and attitudes are inconsistent with our identity as Christians. And here the text should encourage empathy for the unbeliever without hope and encourage evangelism as the answer to their exile from God.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:04 PM 0 Comments

From Dry Bones to Life in the Spirit (Peter Creek)

Ezekiel 37:1-14, the famous passage about the dry bones, describes Israel as a deserted desert full of bones that are weak and dry. This is a picture of the cross without the resurrection. But with the resurrection picture of return from exile we can begin to see the hope that we have in Christ. Thus we remember that hope, see that we need to live with that hope as people who are alive, and promote that message of hope. Here we look at pessimism and optimism in light of the death and resurrection of Christ and His giving of the Spirit and see that pessimistic thought and attitudes are inconsistent with our identity as Christians. And here the text should encourage empathy for the unbeliever without hope and encourage evangelism as the answer to their exile from God.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:48 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, June 7, 2009

For the Reputation of God (Shepard Memorial)

Ezekiel 36:16-38 shows that God will act for the people of Israel not because of the people but because of His concern for His own name and reputation. After looking at the catechisms on the ninth commandment and mentioning current events (Jon & Kate Plus Eight), we looked at three ways this text comforts the people without causing us to think too highly of ourselves. The first way was by looking at the contrast between your character and God's character -- knowing yourself apart from the grace of God, knowing yourself in Christ, and knowing God. Secondly, in how the text points us to the death and resurrection of Christ. And third primarily looking at the giving of the Spirit on Pentecost. All three points provide comfort without being puffed up with conceit.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:30 PM 0 Comments

For the Reputation of God (Peter Creek)

Ezekiel 36:16-38 shows that God will act for the people of Israel not because of the people but because of His concern for His own name and reputation. After looking at the catechisms on the ninth commandment and mentioning current events (Jon & Kate Plus Eight), we looked at three ways this text comforts the people without causing us to think too highly of ourselves. The first way was by looking at the contrast between your character and God's character -- knowing yourself apart from the grace of God, knowing yourself in Christ, and knowing God. Secondly, in how the text points us to the death and resurrection of Christ. And third primarily looking at the giving of the Spirit on Pentecost. All three points provide comfort without being puffed up with conceit.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:13 PM 0 Comments

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Shepherd & The Spirit (Fifth Sunday at Pikeville)

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.

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posted by revmarple @ 6:27 PM 0 Comments

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Welcoming Truth Workers (Shepard Memorial)

3 John shows us the apostle John like a grandfather/father figure to Gaius. Walking in the Spirit is here described as walking in the truth. And Gaius demonstrates that he is walking in the truth through his loving provision for missionaries. By way of contrast, Diotrephes does not welcome the message or messengers of God. The third person mentioned, Demetrius, is commended for walking in the truth. John knows that for Gaius that "it goes well with your soul" (3 John 1:2). Do you have the assurance that comes through walking in the truth?

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posted by revmarple @ 12:04 PM 0 Comments

Welcoming Truth Workers (Peter Creek)

3 John shows us the apostle John like a grandfather/father figure to Gaius. Walking in the Spirit is here described as walking in the truth. And Gaius demonstrates that he is walking in the truth through his loving provision for missionaries. By way of contrast, Diotrephes does not welcome the message or messengers of God. The third person mentioned, Demetrius, is commended for walking in the truth. John knows that for Gaius that "it goes well with your soul" (3 John 1:2). Do you have the assurance that comes through walking in the truth?

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:53 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Trick Questions on Divorce (Shepard Memorial)

Matthew 19:1-12 includes the two trick questions the Pharisees ask Jesus about divorce. These are trick questions because they want Jesus to denounce the marriage of Herod and Herodias. Instead, Jesus challenged the Pharisees who interpreted the law in order to empty it of all meaning and replace it with their own commandments and traditions. The Pharisees, like you, need Jesus. Christ was single (a figurative eunuch for the sake of the kingdom) during this life because the resurrection began His wedding feast. Jesus sent the Spirit to purify you, the church, as His spotless bride. Now we can begin to discuss marriage, divorce, and singleness.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 12:10 PM 0 Comments

Trick Questions on Divorce (Peter Creek)

Matthew 19:1-12 includes the two trick questions the Pharisees ask Jesus about divorce. These are trick questions because they want Jesus to denounce the marriage of Herod and Herodias. Instead, Jesus challenged the Pharisees who interpreted the law in order to empty it of all meaning and replace it with their own commandments and traditions. The Pharisees, like you, need Jesus. Christ was single (a figurative eunuch for the sake of the kingdom) during this life because the resurrection began His wedding feast. Jesus sent the Spirit to purify you, the church, as His spotless bride. Now we can begin to discuss marriage, divorce, and singleness.

Click here or the title to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:42 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Worship & the Next Six Days (Shepard Memorial)


The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

Click here or the title to listen to this sermon.

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posted by revmarple @ 2:22 PM 0 Comments

Worship & the Next Six Days (Peter Creek)


The Joshua 24:29-33 burial notices for Joshua, Joseph's bones, and Eleazar, mark the fulfillment of the reign of Ephraim and means the transition can begin to the reign of Judah. The prophet greater than Moses, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, was buried and is resurrected and has poured out His Spirit on His people as a down-payment on the inheritance of the whole earth. We saw the difference it makes if our final destination is heaven or the new creation for how we live today. We saw that our innermost being is already a part of the new creation and can bear visible "new creation" fruit. And we saw that everything we do to serve the Lord Christ (at home, school, work, in our hobbies, etc.) can demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is making all things new. May all of the glory go to God.

Click here or the title to listen to this sermon.

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posted by revmarple @ 11:58 AM 0 Comments

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Worship the True God in Wholeness & Truth (Shepard Memorial)

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

Click the title or here to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 8:01 PM 0 Comments

Worship the True God in Wholeness & Truth (Peter Creek)

Joshua 24:1-28 again challenges and encourages the people of God to follow the LORD God in wholeness (with all of your heart and soul, or in spirit, or in Spirit) and in truth. The most quoted passage in Joshua, "Choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15) is not directed to people out there (evangelism) but to the people of God. The passage reminds us on this side of the cross of God's story that is our story in Christ and that we are able to serve the LORD wholeheartedly because we have the Holy Spirit He poured out on Pentecost. Able to choose not to sin because of the Spirit, Christians live a lifestyle of putting off idols of the heart. The challenge of the message is to identify and attack your idols one by one. May you grow in grace as you hear the proclamation of the word. Amen.

Click the title or here to listen.

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posted by revmarple @ 7:33 PM 0 Comments