Tension slowly continues to build as we follow Paul on his journey back to Jerusalem where he will ultimately be arrested. Though his companions urge him to abandon the trip, Paul is determined: he insists “I am ready,” and they respond, “Let the will of the Lord be done” (Acts 20:13-14). I can imagine Paul…
Henry Haffner
Reading this morning’s sermon text in preparation for the service, it seemed as if Paul was giving the Ephesian believers a farewell address and a set of final instructions. The apostle states plainly that he is departing permanently (Acts 20:25) and urges the church to “stay the course” and to be on guard against false…
Resurrection. Victory over the grave. This central theme of Christianity appears throughout the service this morning. In our sermon text we find the story of Eutychus, the unfortunate man who fell to his death out of a window and had to be resurrected during an especially long sermon of Paul’s. Pastor Jamie chose to pair…
This Sunday marks the annual observance of Reformation Sunday, when we remember with thanksgiving God’s hand of providence in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, the German monk who launched the Reformation by posting 95 theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, had a prolific engagement with music and poetry. Hymnals…
Though this morning’s sermon text contains some rather intriguing elements (miraculous handkerchiefs, traveling demon hunters, and wisecracking evil spirits), one theme is clearly threaded throughout both the passage and this morning’s service: God’s greatness. We will hear twice from 1 John that “He who is in you is greater than he that is in the…
John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. —Luke 3:16
Many of the hymns we sing this morning take a cue from…
“Kingdomtide” is a liturgical season observed primarily by Presbyterians and Methodists since the early 20th century, with a focus on personal spiritual growth and the growth of the Kingdom of God. During this season, which continues up until Advent, special emphasis is placed on acts of service, teaching, and evangelism within our communities. You’ll notice…
In his discourse with the philosophers of Athens, the Apostle Paul draws a contrast between the gods of the Greeks and the true and living God: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by…
The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined … can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
—Westminster Confession of Faith, 1.10
The passages and hymns chosen for this morning’s service all revolve around a fairly obvious theme: the centrality of the Scriptures to…
There are several parallels between today’s sermon text from the book of Acts and the elements chosen for this morning’s service. Just as Paul and Silas are freed from their unjust imprisonment, we will sing of God’s willingness to set prisoners free—from the metaphorical chains of sin and misery as much a literal bondage (Hallelujah,…