Madison Reformed Church

Having just begun the practice of weekly Communion, we pause to consider some of the most important teachings about the Lord's Supper and how best to prepare for it.

Deut. 32:34–38  Dan. 7:9–14  Matt. 25:31–46  2 Cor. 5:1–10   In this final message on the doctrines of the Belgic Confession, we focus on the difficult topic of the Final Judgment—what it is and how unbelievers and believers will experience it differently. The Bible's surprising teaching is that Christians can and should find great comfort as we long for the day of judgment to arrive.

Genesis 15:1-6  Ezekiel 36:22-27  Luke 18:9-14  Philippians 3:1-11 Rev. Chuck Tedrick (associate minister of Christ Reformed Church in Santee, CA ) encourages us in the great doctrine of justification in this message from Philippians 3:1–11.

The end of Peter's first letter to the exiled congregations of Asia Minor. He tells us that the major emphasis of his letter was "the true grace of God" and to "stand firm" in that grace. In this message, we pull back the veil to see that grace, and discover two ways in which we stand in it as Christian sojourners.

Two postures and actions are essential in the life of a Christian: humility expressed in casting our anxieties on God, and resistance expressed in militant prayer against the devil. In this message, we learn the wonderful gospel promises for weary Christians—that Christ will exalt the humble and give victory to those engaged in resistance.

Num. 10:1–10  Zech. 14:3–9  Matt. 24:29–36  1 Thess. 4:13–18  Will Jesus' return be partial and known only to the raptured few? Or will He come once in glory to judge and raise us up? In this message, learn the importance of setting our expectations well concerning the Second Coming of Jesus.

Sojourners need something stable to help them along in their travels. Christian sojourners have the gift of elders. Christ calls and equips these men to be Shepherd His own flock, the church. This message was preached on the occasion of ordaining our first elder at Madison Reformed Church.

Gen. 20:1–13  Psalm 82  Matt. 8:5–13  Acts 12:20–24   In this 4th and final message focusing on Belgic Confession article 36, we examine the vision that Psalm 82 has for earthly rulers, and God requires justice and wisdom in those whom He endows with civil authority.

Persecution is like a "fiery trial," and according to the Apostle Peter, we should rejoice when it comes. Why and how? In this message, learn three corrections to our natural reactions to suffering: to not be surprised, but rejoice; to not suffer as a sinner, but as a Christian; and to not confuse our judgment with the judgment of the wicked.

Exod. 1:15–22  Dan. 3:8–18  Matt. 5:38–42  Rev. 13:1–10   Should Christians only ever obey civil authorities, or are there times when we must disobey? Scripture gives us very useful categories for understanding when we must or may disobey the governing authorities. In this message, and with the help of the Protestant tradition, we explore the biblical conditions and reasoning for engaging in civil...

When Jesus brings us into a union with Himself, He also breaks our union with Christ. That means that we have to be willing to the patterns and habits of sin behind us, even if it means facing the ridicule of whose who don't believe. In this message, we learn the void that saying no to sin creates in our lives, and how to fill it with the gifts God has given to us—namely, vibrant life in the...

Gen. 47:1–12  Ezra 7:21–27  John 18:33–36  Acts 26:19–32   The basic responsibilities of civil government are to punish law-breakers and protect the innocent. But what is its relationship to the Church? Although there's room for difference of opinion, Scripture guides us to a handful of common elements.

A down payment of course is when you make a first large payment on some big item like a house or property, paying the rest when the time comes. This idea is here in 2 Corinthians 5:5, except that God is the buyer, and the Holy Spirit is His down payment. In this Pentecost message, we look into one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit secured for us on that great day. It is the gift of a guarantee . Chr...

Gen. 9:1–7  1 Sam. 8:10–18  Matt. 22:15–22  Rom. 13:1–7  Although Christians are free to have a variety of views about politics and policies, the Bible's basic teaching on the role of civil government is clear. In this message, we discover two of the most important functions our governing authorities have, and what the response of Christian citizens should be.

What does Christ's suffering, the Holy Spirit, Noah's ark, the flood, spirits in prison, and baptism have to do with us? In this message from 1 Peter 3, we explore these various topics and how they relate to Peter's bigger goal to help Christians persevere when they're suffering unjustly.

Isa. 1:12–20  1 Cor. 11:17–34  What is self-examination? Some Christians are so unfamiliar with it that they never do it. Others feel they've only done it if they feel spiritually discouraged. But self-examination is an  aid  to assurance, not a weapon to destroy it. In this message, we explore the call to self-examination and how it prepares us to receive Christ's body and blood.

Deut. 8:1–10  Ezek. 45:13–17  John 6:52–59  1 Cor. 11:17–34  Sacred meals are all over Scripture. God invites His people to eat in His presence. In the Lord's Supper, we have a sacred meal in which Christ Himself is offered to those who receive Him by faith. In this message, we explore the past, present, and future benefits of this wonderful sacrament.

“No good deed goes unpunished.” That old saying rings true because most people have had the experience of doing something kind only to have it backfire. In our passage today, Peter has in mind not just bad responses to particular good deeds here and there, but when Christians are targeted for living righteously. Peter teaches us that Christ’s own suffering has transformed our suffering into an opp...

Deut. 11:1–12  Ezek. 36:22–29a  Matt. 8:28–34  Col. 2:8–15   In holy baptism, the Lord has given us a gift that connects us back to the great cleansing events of the Old Testament, like the parting of the Red Sea. But it doesn't end there. Baptism is useful each day, powerfully delivering the good news to us that Christ's blood is our Red Sea, and that He has delivered us from the tyrann...

Peter now applies the identity of "sojourner" to our marriages, calling on Christian wives to submit themselves to their husbands (even if they're unbelievers) and Christian husbands to understand their wives in a couple crucial ways. In both these callings, we see the character of Christ working in men and women, a grace that is sufficient to the call.

Gen. 3:20–24  Ezek. 20:5–8a  Matt. 6:25–34  1 Cor. 10:1–8  In this message on the sacraments, we reflect upon the worries we deal with as Christians, how we tend to make ourselves feel better through idolatry, and how in the sacraments God targets these destructive tendencies and gives us the healing we need.

Christians are sojourners and exiles in this life, and one way or the other, we will suffer injustice. Peter addresses this universal experience by appealing to the household slaves of the congregations to whom he wrote. He shows them, and us, that our calling to endure unjust suffering is anchored to Christ Himself—the Suffering Servant of God, our Savior in whose footsteps we must learn to walk.

Exod. 26:26–30  1 Chron. 16:1–7  Luke 4:16–22  Heb. 8:1–7  Christ is the true worship leader. As our mediator and high priest, He leads the worship of His people and summons them up to heaven with Him. In this message, we explore the glories of New Covenant worship done not according to passing trends, but according to the Word.

For 2,000 years, Christians have had to wrestle with their identities as sojourners and exiles under wildly different political situations. Peter describes the conduct of sojourners and applies it our relationship to the governing authorities. In this message, we remember that in His redemptive work for us, Christ subjected Himself to wicked governing authorities. He calls us now to respond with g...

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, the risen Christ asked Mary Magdalene a question. It is posed to us today as well: "Whom are you seeking?" In this Easter message, we learn that the answer must be the risen Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection is the answer to death, to spiritual ignorance, to grief, to fear, and to doubt.