From The Pulpit - sermons by Pastor Aaron

1 Samuel chapter 21 tells a short story of a time David should have been killed. He went to the city of Gath in enemy Philistine territory, was immediately recognized and apprehended. David pretends to be insane in order to be released. The story shows how God's salvation plan prevails in spite of us and our foolishness. September 10, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church This...

Acts chapter 16 has a slave girl who makes money for her owners, a jailer who has nothing left to live for, and Paul & Silas voluntarily suffering for the sake of the gospel message and the church. People today similarly are caught up in bondage and hopelessness. They need to know about salvation in Jesus Christ because they matter. September 10, 2023 AM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed...

1 Samuel chapter 21 tells of David fleeing to the tabernacle and being given bread to eat that only priests were permitted to eat. Jesus mentions this event to demonstrate how some things are more important than strictly following legal codes. David at the tabernacle is a picture of what happens to believers when gathered as the church. September 3, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reform...

Martha wanted her sister Mary to help with serving the guests instead of listening to Jesus. Jesus told Martha that Mary has chosen rightly. Considering what the rest of the Bible says, no, Jesus is not putting down service. It does not mean Mary is superior to Martha. It does mean that however important our work might be, Jesus has priority. September 3, 2023 AM sermon at North Blendon Christian...

1 Samuel chapter 20 tells of how Jonathan finds out just how determined is his father to kill David. King Saul even hurls a spear at Jonathan out of rage. Jonathan dishonors his father and the king's wishes to protect David. Jonathan is set to lose the kingdom to David but trusts God's plan for David to gain the throne. Jonathan is a picture of what it means to follow Christ. Our loyalty and servi...

Jesus commanded his followers not to judge, but this cannot mean suspend all moral judgments of all kinds. Jesus elsewhere tells us to confront someone who sins against us. The Bible speaks highly of rebuke and correction. Biblically, there is a difference between concern for someone's soul and pointing out their faults. Podcast version August 27, 2023 AM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed...

1 Samuel chapter 19 has King Saul going to extreme lengths to kill David while Saul's own children actively protect David. The whole episode shows how God's plans and purposes will prevail no matter how much kings might try to make their own future. August 20, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church Video version This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with ot...

Jesus gives a bunch of cataclysmic prophesies, mentioning his Second Coming, and then says, "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." Some have used this to predict when Jesus will return. Skeptics say this proves Jesus was wrong. Much of what Jesus prophesied was fulfilled in the book of Acts and with the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in AD 70....

1 Samuel chapter 18 is about King Saul's jealousy of David and how David was successful at every turn, not because David was so skillful or brilliant but simply because God was with him. August 6, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aaronvriesman.substack....

In John chapter 6, Jesus said, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life..." How are we supposed to understand these jolting words? August 6, 2023 AM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church Video This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers...

1 Samuel chapter 17 is the familiar story of David defeating Goliath. However, the story is not simply an inspiring story of a victorious underdog. David is not the hero of the story, God is. This is not about us facing our giants. It's about Jesus who slayed the greatest giant. Sermon begins at 9:53 July 30, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church Video version This is a public...

Jesus said, "whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." Does mean we should add this word to the list of unsayable four-letter words? Not quite. Jesus in this passage is targeting the anger we so easily get in our hearts for others that erupts into insults. Sin is ultimately a heart condition and shows that we all need Jesus for our salvation. July 30, 2023 AM sermon at North B...

1 Samuel chapter 16 has Samuel anointing David to be king. Samuel at first thinks he will be anointing the tall and strong son of Jesse until God says not to look at outward appearance. God looks at the heart. Nobody expected David would be chosen, but David was anointed in front of his other brothers. Samuel is grieved because his desires were not aligned with God's. Saul seeks artificial solutio...

1 Samuel chapter 15 is disturbing for what God commands here. (For a sermon just on this difficulty, see this sermon (below) But this chapter presents another difficulty: If God is all-knowing, does he have regret? In verse 11, God says he has regret over making Saul the king. In verse 29, Samuel says God does not regret. Does the Bible contradict itself here, or is there something bigger going on...

Jesus said, "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ." Are we sinning if we call our human dads "father"? Can we not call our schoolteachers or professors "instructors"? Since Jesus uses "father" for human dads, this is one of those statements we are not meant to take strictly. He is talking...

In 1 Samuel chapter 14, King Saul lays an oath on himself and all his troops to not eat until he is avenged. As a result, the troops become faint and devour food without following the Law. Worse, Saul's son Jonathan was unaware of the oath and had tasted some honey. Jonathan admits to eating honey and is willing to die for it. Saul is about to hand out the typical death sentence to his son when th...

July 2, 2023 PM sermon at North Blendon Christian Reformed Church This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aaronvriesman.substack.com

Whenever someone questions or challenges our romantic partners, our fighting side comes out. John the Baptist lost his head for challenging the morality of King Herod's marriage. In this passage, Jesus lays claim on our romantic partners in speaking on #marriage and #divorce. His disciples were so shocked at Jesus' teaching that they thought it would be better to not marry at all. Is Jesus saying...

In 1 Samuel chapter 13, King Saul begins his descent into faithlessness and failure while his son Jonathan would shine. Here Saul moves ahead with the sacrifice without Samuel. When confronted, Saul's pride and unbelief come pouring out in his words. He is a picture of what we look like when we think we can earn our goodness before God and achieve salvation by works instead of trusting God's grace...

Jesus said the amount of forgiveness God extends to us is incredible. What we must forgive is no comparison to what God forgives, and there is hell to pay "if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Considering how heinous people can treat one another, how can we forgive "from your heart" the terrible acts by others? Forgiveness is not what we might think. July 9, 2023 AM sermon at North...

Jesus tells us to "not resist" a bad person. Instead, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give to those who ask and love your enemies. It might seem like Jesus commands us to never defend ourselves. However, the command to love our enemies changes things. Jesus wants us to see is that while the rest of the world thinks only of this life, believers have an eternity of time, a heavenly inherita...

In 1 Samuel chapter 12, Saul is now king and Samuel is about to give his retirement speech to the people. God's requirements are not rocket science. They are actually quite simple. Serve God and things will be good; rebel against him and things will be bad. Living life saved by grace is much the same: Obey God and his goodness will sustain you; disobey and the rough lessons will come. May 28, 2023...

In 1 Samuel chapter 11, King Saul is at his best. A terrible threat to the nation arises. Saul uses his position to muster an army, promises he will fight for them, and delivers on his promise. The result is a resounding victory, which King Saul receives with humility, a humility that we all need exemplify when we ourselves succeed. In this story, King Saul is a Christ figure. May 21, 2023 PM serm...

Forgiveness for sins is a major teaching of the Bible, but once Jesus mentions a sin that will not be forgiven: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. This is variously known as the eternal sin, unforgivable sin, unpardonable sin or ultimate sin. Looking at the context of Jesus' words, a number of specifications need to be met for someone to have committed this sin. In short, if you feel troubled about pos...

In 1 Samuel chapter 10, Saul is anointed king and begins to show signs of his future leadership failures. God gave Israel the sort of king that people seek - tall and handsome. Ultimately, Saul as king would make them long for another king. All of our rulers will fail us, some more than others. All our rulers are so we would long to be led by the King of kings, Jesus Christ. May 7, 2023 PM sermon...