This Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent, a traditional time of prayer, fasting, and repentance observed by Christians since the days of the early church. Several elements of the service have been adjusted to fit the character of this season. We will begin each Sunday by singing What Wondrous Love Is This (meditating on the sacrifice of Christ on…
As we come to the close of our time in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, I have been reflecting on some of the common themes of the two books. Over and over, Paul gives words of comfort (“may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way,” 2 Thessalonians 2:16) and encouragement (“do not grow…
By your toil you shall be prospered and be happy all your days. —Psalm 128:2, The Psalter 1912 Though today is a day of rest, the Scriptures we read and the hymns we sing this morning have a whole lot to say about work. This morning’s passage from 2 Thessalonians contains an encouragement to “not grow weary in doing good”…
Have you noticed that many of the pieces we are singing this morning deal with the same themes as last Sunday— themes of security, surety, and faithfulness? For example, we have sung the word “steadfast” quite a few times over the last two weeks. But where last week’s hymns were primarily calling us to remain steadfast in the face of…
This morning we will hear the Apostle Paul encourage us to “stand firm” on God’s Word, both in the sermon text from 2 Thessalonians as well as the “whole armor of God” passage from Ephesians (which includes the “sword of spirit which is the Word of God”). Quite a few times, the hymns and psalms we sing this morning mention…
This is my Father’s world: O let me ne’er forget, That though the wrong seem oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. Throughout Christian history, commentators have been puzzled about the meaning of 2 Thessalonians 2. Who is the “man of lawlessness” mentioned in verse three? Intense focus on whether this passage refers to the Emperor Nero, a sixteenth…
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word, Just to rest upon His promise, just to know “Thus saith the Lord.” The title of Pastor Grant’s sermon for this morning, Justice and Mercy, really captures the duality of this section of 2 Thessalonians. The Apostle Paul writes about Christ’s final judgement of the earth…
After a six week break, we return to our study of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians this morning. Once again we find Paul commending the fledgling church for their growing faith in the midst of persecution (2 Thessalonians 1:4)— persecution that had apparently not diminished since his first letter. The themes of patience while enduring trials and the hope in…
The feast of Epiphany (literally “appearance,” or “manifestation”) is a festival which commemorates the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus, and more broadly the revelation of Christ to the gentiles as a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:6; 60:3). Light is a consistent theme in traditional celebrations of Epiphany, and you’ll find that this morning’s service follows…
Often called Childermas, Kindermord, or the Feast of the Holy Innocents, this day solemnizes the slaughter of the children of Judea by Herod the Great following the birth of Christ. It has always been the focus of the Christian’s commitment to protect and preserve the sanctity of human life—thus serving as a prophetic warning against the practitioners of abandonment and…