New Covenant OPC Sermon Podcast

In part 2 on justification pastor Grasso explains that the nature of justification has two elements: the forgiveness of sins and a positive declaration of righteousness.

Pastor Grasso explains what the Bible says about the church's worship, showing the connection between the regulative principle of worship and Sola Scriptura.

In Matthew 10:34 -42 Christ says that he has not come to bring peace but a sword.  How can this be?  Though there are many ways in which Christ does come to bring peace, one of the effects of his coming is that people come divided against each other.  This is because Christ demands absolute devotion and obedience.  There is to be nothing in life that challenges this, even one’s...

In Hebrews 2:10 -18, the author continues to discuss the incarnation.  Why did Christ become man? Ultimately to die.  Far from this proving that he is not a ruler, his death is actually his “crowning with glory and honor” because by his death he has defeated the devil and made atonement for sin.  Christ, the Son of God, became man for this reason.

In Hebrews 2:5-9 the author to the Hebrews shows that all things have been put in subjection to Christ, the Son of God, who became man for our salvation.  This is true even if it looks like the world is far too strong for the church.  Christ has become man for our sakes and, though he is made a little lower than the angels in his manhood, yet all things have been subjected to him by his...

In Matthew 10:24-33 Christ continues to warn the disciples of coming persecution.  One of the great challenges in persecution is fear.  How can a Christian face persecution without fear? Christ tells the disciples not to fear men, rather fear God. His judgments are worse than anything man can do. He is sovereign. And he cares for you.

Pastor Grasso explains the significance of the doctrine of the church.  Many have thought about the doctrine of salvation but few have thought about the doctrine of the church.  Pastor Grasso explains the importance of this doctrine and shows its relationship to sola Scriptura and other crucial doctrines.

In part 1 on justification pastor Grasso explains the nature of justification, particularly that it is a judicial sentence of righteousness.

In Matthew 10:16-23 Christ tells the disciples that they will be persecuted as they bring the message of the gospel to the Jews. As it was then, so it is now. The church has been given the task of making known the gospel to the ends of the earth, but it will not come without persecution. Christians must be willing to suffer as they hold out the word of life to a lost world.

In Hebrews 1:5-14 the author of Hebrews quotes from a number of Old Testament passages to show that Christ is superior to the angels in every way. He is superior because he is the Son of God. He is superior because he is God by nature, not a ministering spirit like the angels. He is superior because he is the king, not a servant. The Arians of the 4th century and the Jehovah’s Witnesses today clai...

In Matthew 10:1-15 Christ calls the twelve and gives them instructions for the preaching of the gospel to the Jews. At this point, the message of the gospel is to go to the Jews only because they were the people of God. This mission given while Christ was on earth parallels the mission given to the church after his resurrection, which is expanded beyond the Jews to the whole earth. What should the...

Pastor Grasso explains the short comings of universalism in its various forms. God’s judgment is real and rather than deny the implications of its reality by asserting that every person will be saved, one ought to turn to Christ.

In Hebrews 1:1-4 the author contrasts two ways God communicates: through the prophets of the OT and through his Son.  The revelation is far superior to the old method of communication because of the surpassingly great glory of the Son.  He is the heir of all things, the creator of  all, the brightness of the glory of the Father, who upholds all things. He is the one who made purific...

In Matthew 9:35-38, having completed a number of miracles that proved his authority, Christ now turns his attention to the propagation of the message of the kingdom.  In this context he says that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers few.  Though many will reject the message, Christ maintains that the harvest is plentiful.  There will be many who believe.  The propagation o...

In Hebrews 1:1-4 the author contrasts God’s former way of speaking with the perfect and complete revelation found in Christ in these last days. Whereas God’s former speech was done in many parts over time and in various ways, the fullness and culmination of everything God has spoken is manifested in His Son, who is infinitely glorious.  The question is, if Christ is this glorious, if he...

In Matthew 9:32-34 Christ gives speech to a mute demoniac.  This again shows Christ’s authority over all of creation as the eternal Son of God.  Matthew here, however, begins to highlight a new theme that will be developed in the coming chapters: how people respond to Christ.  That Christ has done something amazing and is doing amazing things today cannot be denied.

In Matthew 9:27-31 Christ gives sight to two blind men.  This healing is done in private for these two who believe in him.  Christ's giving sight to the blind shows that he is God, who alone has such power, and that he is bringing in the last age.  His ability to give sight to the blind shows that he is able to grant faith sovereignly to whomever he wills.  The blind men can se...

In Luke 1:26-38 the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and explains to her what is about to happen with the birth of Christ.  Christ will be born of Mary even though she is a virgin.  This proves that Christ is the Son of the Most High and that as such he will inherit the throne of David.

In Luke 2:1-7 Luke records the birth of Christ.  Luke situates this birth in its historical context.  It was in the days of Caesar Augustus during a census that was overseen by Quirinius, while Herod ruled over Judea.  The Christian faith is not only about believing correct doctrines.  It also demands faith in the historicity of the events that undergird those doctrines.  ...

Christ's two names in Matthew 1:18-25 tell us who he is and what he has come to do.  As "Immanuel" he is God with us.  As "Jesus" he comes to save his people from their sins.  The only way to make sense of the incarnation is to seek to understand it in light of the mission of Christ.  Anything less than the salvation of his people from sin makes the incarnation incomprehensible...

In Deuteronomy 34 the greatest OT prophet dies.  There would not be another prophet like Moses until the Lord Jesus Christ.  Moses, however, in his death, as great as he was, shows that he was unable to bring the people of God into the promised land because of his sin.  The prophet like Moses, but who far surpasses him, is able to bring all of God’s people into the la...

What are the last words of the greatest OT prophet? In Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Moses ends his recorded words before dying by pronouncing a blessing on his people. Because God is great, his people must be blessed. There is no one like God, and therefore there is no people blessed like the people of God. Do you recognize the blessings you have in Christ?

In Matthew 9:14-17 Christ shows that the entire Christian life must center on him. John's disciples wondered why Christ's disciples did not fast like they and the Pharisees did. Rather than conforming to the traditions of the Pharisees, Christ shows that all fasting must conform to the reality of his coming. This affects every area of life. Christ has not come to be the patch on the old garment of...

In Deuteronomy 32 Moses teaches the people the Song of Moses, meant to be a witness against the people when they sin.  God is always good.  All of heaven and earth testifies to this.  There is never any excuse for sin.  Even as we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

In Matthew 9:9-13 Christ calls Matthew who, seeing that his sins can be forgiven by following Christ, immediately leaves his life of tax collecting to follow Jesus.  The Pharisees, believing themselves to be righteous, have not concept of the forgiveness of sins.  Christ shows that he has come for people like Matthew, who recognize their sins, rather than for people like the Pharisees wh...