Wilderness Wanderings

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.   I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to d...

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.   The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false mo...

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. (Philippia...

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)   Just as Paul gave two words of thanks, so he gives two petitions at the end...

An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings as we welcome guest preacher, Peter Kranenburg.  The text is Matthew 28:16-20 from the New International Version of the Bible.   Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worsh...

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:7-8)   Does Paul feel that he needs to defend his joyful, thankful attitude in prayer for the Philippians?   This n...

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-6)   Three interesting tidbits of church life spill out in this second item Paul gives thanks to God for in his prayers for the Ph...

I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3)   This first little sentence of the letter is worth lifting up all on its own. On the one hand, we know that Paul did not begin all of his letters this way (for example, see: Galatians 1:6).   But Paul did begin many of them this way—with thanks to God for the church he was writing to. Gratitude is not always—perhaps not even very often—o...

" Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:1-2). Today, we begin a new series on Wilderness Wanderings. Pastor Anthony and I have decided to work through the book of Philippians with you. We will likely hit ever verse...

An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 24:13-35 from the New International Version of the Bible.   Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelministri...

The Good Friday 2023 edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Leviticus 23:26-32 from the New International Version of the Bible.

" These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). There is an old story of a talented and...

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃ וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ Shema yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai echad.   Ve'ahavta et Adonai eloheykha bekhol-levavkha u'vekhol nafshekha u'vekhol me'odekha. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul a...

" The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!... Then Moses said, "So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the ri...

These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me. When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me. And...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Leviticus 23:33-44 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelministries.ca...

" You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Deuteronomy 5:21). This tenth covenant word is different from the rest. The others concern things that we do which can be witnessed. The tenth is about our thoughts, our desires. It helpful to simplify...

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Deuteronomy 5:20)   This word honours and guards the integrity of all words by keeping honesty and integrity at the forefront of our dealings with one another, particularly in a court of law.   We are not to falsely use the name of God: the same applies to the name of our neighbour—it ought not be falsely dragged through the mud.   By ext...

" You shall not steal " (Deuteronomy 5:18). It was a Tuesday evening; my dad had brought several of his children to the church building for the weekly Catechism Classes. Because we had classes at different times, we needed to wait for each other. The intend was that we would complete our homework while not in class. On this night, my friend enticed me to join him on a trip to the local variety sto...

"You shall not commit adultery. " (Deuteronomy 5:18)   These five words are ground zero of the culture war over human sexuality in the CRC.   Synod's decision to make a list of sins confessional was attached to it via the Heidelberg Catechism's use of the word "unchastity" to describe what this word prohibits.   We're not going to dwell much on that today because the questions that really animate...

" You shall not murder " (Deuteronomy 5:17). Offering this reflection, the Heidelberg Catechism helps us mine the depth of this covenant word, "I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor--not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds--and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or r...

An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Leviticus 23:15-22 from the New International Version of the Bible.   Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelmin...

"Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)   Both the Word on Sabbath and this Word on the honouring of father and mother are transitional words.   They stand in the middle of the Ten moving us outward from loving, relational commitment to God...

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male...

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. " (Deuteronomy 5:11)   The third Word of the Covenant is grounded once again, in a relationship with God.   As such, it's helpful to think of it in relational terms.   The question being: how do you talk about someone that you know and love? Take a marriage, for instance.   When a...