The Word.

Sermon preached on Baptism Sunday.

Isaiah goes naked for three years to demonstrate the bankruptcy of the worldly powers that tempt the church. The most prophetic thing the church can do today is to emulate the prophet by NOT trusting in the schemes of man, but relying solely on our Father in heaven and his ordinary means of grace.

Isaiah uses the northern kingdom of Israel as an example for us, a warning about how easy it is to forget the God of your salvation, and to drift away from the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. Too often, we forget how Old Testament Israel serves as a negative example for us.

This Sunday the catechism turns to the third piece of knowledge necessary for Gospel comfort: How we are to show gratitude for God's saving work in us. The motivation for good works -- and the necessity of good works -- is crucial to growth and rest in gospel comfort.

The oracles concerning the nations are a warning to Judah to listen to the Lord and put their trust in him alone. Though the world promises security, it is false, and they will be judged for the rebellion. Yet Isaiah also offers the hope that a remnant will be saved even from the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 13-27 contains a series of oracles for the nations. Isaiah is reminding God's people that the Lord reigns over all creation -- not just his people -- and that history is in his hand. He alone is to be trusted for deliverance.

The keys of the kingdom concludes the catechism's teaching on God's grace toward us. The preaching and discipling / disciplining ministries are gifts given to the church for our blessing.

Paul clearly declares that the Kingdom of God is only inherited by resurrected human. It is a resurrection kingdom.

Our catechism clearly warns about two fatal flaws around the Roman Catholic church's understanding of the mass. This warning is accurate, and should be heeded.

The water of baptism represents the cleansing power of the blood of Christ.

The Holy Spirit works through means. By the power of the preached word, he creates faith in sinful hearts; by the sacraments he confirms and strengthens this faith. We look to word and sacrament as the divinely appointed means of the Spirit's grace.

The catechism is very precise in teaching the protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone. Christ's merits are the foundation of the forgiveness of our sins and the not guilty verdict. Our good works merit nothing.

God's word is full of promises that form the foundation of a confident life of prayer. Psalm 119 shows how the psalmist has learned to pray in his time of need from the pages of God's word.

Psalm 119 celebrates God's righteousness by showing us how the righteous word in Scripture manifests the heart and character of a righteous God.

The Reformed tradition was profoundly shaped by its 16th century debates with Anabaptist. Our view of Scripture and the covenants of God was sharpened by our understanding of circumcision as the Old Testament sacramental analogue to baptism. The ten arguments presented in this sermon show how broadly we understand the baptism of infants to be rooted in the teaching of the whole Bible.

Galatians 2:15-21 and Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 23 Why Faith “Alone”? || LD 23 Brian Lee

Psalm 119 blesses the one who keeps his "way" blameless through the word of God. In the Samekh and Ayin stanzas, we see that those who choose the false way will on the last day face judgment, and be discarded like dross (or chaff). The word of good proves its value by keeping us safe on the day of judgment.

Psalm 119 M-N reminds us why we love God's law, because it lights our path. It gives wisdom and understanding. The love of the law is an acquired taste, as it proves its value in our lives we engage in a virtuous cycle.

Q.How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you? A.Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God eternally.

At the center of Psalm 119 is the intersection between time and eternity. Our experience of trials and persecution on our pilgrimage is contrasted with the eternal promises of God's word. With the psalmist, we hope in God's word.

Psalm 119 teaches us that affliction is God's good school for his people, and that he uses trials to deepen our trust and reliance upon his word and promises.

Psalm 119 celebrates the written word of God, and the Zayin stanza (vss. 49-56) emphasize how God's word comes to us as a covenantal promise. This stanza is key to understanding how Psalm 119 -- like the scriptures as a whole -- are not primarily law, but Gospel, gracious promises fulfilled in Christ.

The Spirit infuses the entirety of the catechism, even if its treatment here is covered in a handful of Lord's Days. It is best to see the Spirit covered through the section on the church and the means of grace, as he applies the work of Christ to his people through the church.

The risen and ascended Christ rules and governs his church. Understanding the ascension and all its ramifications is thus tremendously practical.

Psalm 119 celebrates the word of God, and it has a clear understanding that this word should be rightly divided between law and gospel, command and promise.