CTK Lord's Day Worship

God gives more grace to the humble. In James 4:6–10, we’re called to lay down our pride, draw near to God, and trust the Son of David who humbled Himself for us—and who lifts up all who come to Him in faith. ⁠ Title: The Gospel According to James Series: Wisdom for Pilgrims (The General Epistle of James) Main Passage: James 4:6–10 Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: October 11, 2026 For more informatio...

The Sixth Commandment calls us not only to reject murder, but to turn from anger, hatred, and words that harm—and to actively protect and love our neighbors. Where we have failed, Christ has kept this command perfectly and laid down His life so that we might have life. Title: Humanizing Life Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: October 11, 2026 For more information about Christ the...

We often give our sins respectable names, but James calls friendship with the world what it is: covenant unfaithfulness. God has planted and cared for His vineyard, and He seeks the fruit of faithful obedience—not just the appearance of religion. Our hope is not in our own harvest, but in Jesus Christ, the true Vine and faithful Bridegroom, who calls us to forsake His rivals and come home.⁠⁠ Title...

God gives authority not so that we may be served, but so that we may serve. The Fifth Commandment calls husbands, fathers, and all who lead to protect, provide, instruct, and bless—not only demand respect. Look to Christ: true leadership is marked by sacrificial love, tender strength, and a readiness to repent.⁠ Title: On the Patriarchy Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: October 4...

Where do our conflicts come from? James 4:1–3 exposes the desires warring within us and calls us to stop grasping, start asking, and bring our hearts under the gracious rule of Christ. In Him, enemies can become brothers and conflict can become an occasion for repentance and peace. Title: The War in Your Members Series: Wisdom for Pilgrims (The General Epistle of James) Main Passage: James 4:1–3 P...

What does true wisdom look like? In James 3:13–18, we see that wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, teachable, merciful, impartial, and sincere—not merely impressive in argument, but evident in the way we live. Through Christ, God makes us wise peacemakers who patiently sow the fruit of righteousness. Title: True Wisdom Descends Series: Wisdom for Pilgrims (The General Epistle of James) M...

The Third Commandment calls us not only to avoid careless speech about God’s Name, but to bear the name “Christian” truthfully in our worship, words, and lives. We have all carried His Name lightly, but Jesus Christ perfectly honored the Father’s Name and bore the guilt of sinners like us. In Him, we are forgiven and called to live so that God’s Name is hallowed through us. ⁠ Title: Bearing God’s...

James 3 reminds us that the tongue may be small, but it can steer a life, set a fire, and reveal the condition of the heart. Christ alone is the perfect Man whose words were always true and holy, and by His grace He forgives our sinful speech and renews our mouths to bless God and build up our neighbor. Title: The Tongue Boasts Great Things Series: Wisdom for Pilgrims (The General Epistle of James...

The Second Commandment teaches us that worshiping the true God in a false manner is still sin. We must not replace God with images, innovations, or even our preferred forms of obedience, but continually return to worshiping Him as He has commanded—with humble, joyful hearts fixed on Him. Title: The Audience of One Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: September 13, 2026 For more info...

James teaches that saving faith is never a lifeless profession. Rahab heard what the Lord had done, believed His Word, cast her lot with His people, and acted when obedience was costly. We are not saved by our works, but the faith that receives Christ is made alive by Him and begins to love the neighbor God has placed in front of us. Title: Living Faith is a Friend of Man Series: Wisdom for Pilgri...

The First Commandment does not merely forbid bowing before obvious idols; it also confronts our proud desire to pry into God’s hidden counsel. The Lord has given us what we need for faith and obedience, and He calls us to receive what He has revealed and rest where He has been silent. Let God be God, and let us be His worshippers. Title: The Secret Things Belong to God Series: Law Homilies Preache...

James does not present Abraham as a museum exhibit to admire from a distance, but as a living example of faith that obeys when obedience is costly. True faith is not mere talk, private opinion, or theological vocabulary—it moves, sacrifices, reconciles, gives mercy, and trusts that the God who provided the ram will keep every promise. Title: Living Faith is a Friend of God Series: Wisdom for Pilgr...

The Tenth Commandment exposes more than outward sin—it reveals the heart’s disordered hunger for what God has not given. But the aim of God’s law is love: charity from a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned anchored in the sufficiency of Christ. Title: Coveting and the Aim of Love Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: August 30, 2026 For more information about Christ th...

James warns us that true faith is more than orthodox confession and emotional fear: even the demons believe true things about God and tremble. Saving faith receives and rests upon Christ, and because it is alive, it bears the fruit of repentance, obedience, mercy, and love. Title: Demonic Faith: Truth Without Surrender Series: Wisdom for Pilgrims (The General Epistle of James) Main Passage: James...

The Ninth Commandment calls us not only to refuse lies, slander, and gossip, but to become people who gladly tell the truth about God’s grace in others. When we withhold honest encouragement out of envy, competition, or pride, we bear false witness against both our neighbor and the Giver of every good gift. Title: Acknowledging Freely Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: August 23,...

Baptism is not a thin religious symbol or a sentimental ceremony. It is the covenant sign appointed by the risen Christ — God’s visible word of cleansing, union, burial, resurrection, and new creation life. Circumcision pointed forward to the promised Seed. Baptism announces that the promised Seed has come, has died, has risen, and now claims His people in the Triune name. Because Christ rose on t...

In this Law Homily, we explore how "Thou shalt not steal" extends far beyond taking another's property—to how we steward the resources, time, wealth, and even the lives God has entrusted to our care. From our households to our national inheritance, we are "life tenants" accountable to God for managing His gifts faithfully. Whether as children, spouses, young adults, or grandparents, each season of...

Dead faith can wear Sunday clothes. It can know the right words, admire the right doctrines, and say “be warmed and filled” while keeping its hands closed. But saving faith is never alone. We are justified by faith alone — not by our works, not by our résumé, not by our moral performance. But the faith that receives Christ is a living faith, and living faith works by love. Christ did not look upon...

The Seventh Commandment is not God stealing joy from His people. It is God fencing in something precious. Marriage is honorable. The marriage bed is undefiled. And Christian holiness means guarding not only the body, but the heart, the imagination, the eyes, the speech, and the whole pattern of life. Title: Guarding Sexuality Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor Date: August 9, 2026 For m...

James declares that “mercy rejoiceth against judgment,” but that mercy is not sentimental or unjust — it triumphs because Christ has satisfied judgment for His people. Those who have received mercy in Christ must become merciful themselves, letting mercy shape their speech, relationships, parenting, discipline, conflict, and life together in the church. Title: Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment Series:...

The Sixth Commandment forbids more than murder; it calls us to preserve life in our hearts, words, habits, and care for our neighbors. In Christ, we repent of anger, contempt, cruelty, neglect, and self-destruction, and receive mercy from the One who was killed for murderers so that we might become a people who choose life. Title: Do Not Despise Life Series: Law Homilies Preacher: Derrick Taylor D...

James 2:10–13 will not let us hide behind selective obedience. We cannot keep parts of God’s law and bargain with Him over the places we refuse to yield. The law is one because God is one—and when it exposes us, it exposes us as transgressors. But the same God who exposes sin also shows mercy in Christ. Because Jesus kept the whole law and bore the curse for lawbreakers, we do not have to hide, co...

“Honour thy father and thy mother” is not only a command for children—it is a word for the whole household. Children are called to receive parental instruction with humility and honor. Parents are called to exercise authority as stewards, not owners—shepherding immortal souls through the Word, prayer, discipline, repentance, and faith. And where our homes fall short, we go to Christ: the perfect S...

James 2 confronts us with a hard truth: partiality is not merely bad manners—it is sin. The church cannot confess Jesus Christ as the Lord of glory while treating wealth, status, polish, or usefulness as competing glories. In Christ, the ground is level. No one earns the “good seat,” because all of us are welcomed by grace. The gospel frees us from calculating people’s worth and teaches us to love...

Christ does not abolish the Sabbath by giving us rest; He teaches us how to receive it. The Lord’s Day is not a burden for earning acceptance, but a gift for those already accepted in Christ. It is a weekly mercy for households, the church, and even the civil realm—a reminder that we are creatures, not machines, and that we belong to Christ, not Mammon. Because Christ has finished His work, we are...