In 1 Corinthians 4:6, Paul gives the Corinthian Christians a warning “not to go beyond what is written.” As Pastor Brian preached last week, their foundation was laid on things other than the Word of God. By contrast, every element in this morning’s service drives us back to the Scriptures. Passages from Matthew 4, Psalm 19, Isaiah 40, and Psalm…
Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways, From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise… —Matthew Bridges Amid a long season of intense social, cultural, and political division, it isn’t uncommon to hear repeated calls to put differences aside for the sake of unity. I’ll confess that this sometimes strikes…
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth …” —John 14:16-17 This morning’s service will place particular emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit as our helper and teacher. Take a look through the bulletin, and notice how many times in our hymns we ask…
The Scripture passages which open this morning’s service set forth two important declarations: that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10), and that this wisdom is greater than the wisdom of the world (1 John 4:4). This contrast between heavenly and worldly knowledge is at the heart of Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 1 and can…
The hymns we sing this morning come in pairs, each responding to a different aspect of Paul’s call for unity in the church in 1 Corinthians 1. We begin the service with a vision of the name of Jesus compelling “every heart and tongue” to “join the sacred song” (To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name), and close with a declaration that…
In the opening of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the idea of “calling”: he identifies himself as “called by the will of God” (vs. 1) and refers to his readers as those who are “called to be saints together” (vs. 2). This reminder of our identity in Christ, a powerful appeal for Christians to “remember who they…
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. —1 John 1:5 Light has been a consistent motive found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children re-enact the visit of the Magi while singing hymns,…
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. —Matthew 2:16 December 28 (or in our case,…
One of the joyous difficulties of the Advent season is finding a way to include in the service all the wonderful hymns and carols that we only get to sing during this time of year—an impossible task, for sure. Today, we will get to sing one of the more obscure members of the Christmas carol tradition. Come All You Worthy…
Marvel now, O Heaven and Earth That the Lord chose such a birth. Last week, we heard from Psalm 24:1-2 about Christ as the mighty creator of the universe. Next week, we’ll celebrate Him as the coming “King of Glory” (Psalm 24:7-10). But this Sunday, many of the Advent hymns we’ll be singing focus on the incarnation of Christ as…