The sermon text this morning from Psalm 26 takes us on a journey—from desperate cries for deliverance to confident hope in the Lord’s provision. Many of the elements chosen for today’s service, both the Scriptures we read and the hymns we sing, have similar themes. We’ll hear from 2 Timothy 3 that “all who desire…
I’d like to draw your attention to three seasonal changes in our worship service this week, some of which will continue throughout the summer months. First, June 1 is Ascension Sunday, one of the “five evangelical feasts” which are celebrated in most Christian traditions (along with Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, and Pentecost). This day commemorates…
In this morning’s service, we’ll celebrate the wonderful works that God has done for His people: forgiving their sins, healing their wounds, and bringing them into His house, even when they were far off. We’ll read several times from Isaiah, in which the prophet declares that “All flesh shall know that [He is] the Lord”…
In staff meeting this past Monday, I asked Pastor Brian if he had any particular insights on this passage from Acts 13 that he would be preaching through this morning. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Well … it’s straight gospel.” Given an audience in the Antioch synagogue, Paul immediately takes his listeners to the…
Whenever the gospel goes forth, it will face opposition—as Jesus warned His disciples upon first sending them out, “you will be hated by all for My name's sake” (Matthew 10:22). Paul and Barnabas experience fierce opposition from false prophets in Cyprus in Acts 13, just as we saw the church facing persecution from the Jewish…
It says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God.—James 4:6-7
Acts 12 presents us with two contrasting scenes: the chapter begins with Peter’s persecution, imprisonment, and miraculous rescue at the hands of an angel, and ends with Herod meeting a swift and violent end after attempting to claim God’s glory…
After a short foray into the psalms for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, this morning we’ll return to our sermon series in Acts. The second half of Acts 11 presents the church spreading throughout the entire Levant, to the city of Antioch where “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Many of…
With this Sunday marking the first worship service in Clovercroft Hall, I think it would be fair to say that this will be a Palm Sunday like no other in the history of Parish Presbyterian Church! In addition to our traditional Palm Sunday elements (hymns like Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates, All Glory,…
References to “mountains” and “hills” abound in the psalter. Psalms 15 and 24 ask the question “who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?” Hills and mountains are commanded to praise their creator in Psalms 98 and 148. A mountain is built up in Psalm 65, while mountains and hills are thrown down and made…
In this morning’s sermon text from Acts, we return to the story of Cornelius which Pastor Jamie began walking through two weeks ago. Here we find Peter breaking Jewish custom by visiting the house of a gentile and the Holy Spirit falling on those who heard his preaching. You’ll notice many references to these themes…