St Petersburg Presbyterian Church

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead demonstrates that he is the Son of God and, therefore, worthy of all our worship, honor, and obedience. Matthew’s account of Jesus’ resurrection is intended to lead us to that conclusion by showing us Jesus’ unlimited authority, immeasurable mercy, and unstoppable purpose.

If Jesus has redeemed us (set us free) from the curse of the law by his death on the cross, then do we have to obey the law of God? What is the relationship between the law of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ? How does the law function in the Christian life? These are some of the important questions Paul deals with in this passage. He does so by explaining the permanence of God’s promise to Abra...

In Galatians 3:10-14, we have one of the clearest, life-changing teachings on the cross of Christ anywhere in the Bible. Here, Paul shows us why the cross was necessary, what it means, and what it accomplished.

In a gospel partnership, “giving and receiving” in the cause of global mission is an investment in Kingdom growth and an act of Kingdom worship, as we respond to God’s call to pray and give and go into the fields that are white unto harvest!

When we know who has called us, who we are in Christ, and what he will do for us, we live our lives with grace, strength, and confidence.

Abraham and Isaac: A critical test, a crucial question, and a cleansing provision.

The Big Idea: In Galatians 1 and 2, Paul clearly shows that we are saved (declared righteous before God) when we stop trusting in our moral efforts or the law (we die to it) and trust in the finished work of Christ (we live to God). As chapter 3 begins, Paul makes the surprising claim that we are not only justified by faith in Jesus, but we are also sanctified by faith in Jesus. In other words, we...

This section of Galatians, especially 2:15-21, gets at the very heart of the Christian gospel. Paul declares his message of justification by faith in Christ: No human being will be justified (declared righteous in God’s sight) by works of the law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ (15-16). Then, in verses 17-21, Paul explains why this is true. First, no one can be justified before God by work...

In this section Paul is confronting Peter publicly, before the whole church in Antioch. But why? Because Peter was not ‘walking in step with’ the truth of the gospel (v14). Of all people, Peter should know better. But, so should the rest of us who trust in Jesus Christ. This passage reminds us how easy it is to get “out of step” with the gospel, why we do it, what happens when we do, and the remed...

Paul’s message of forgiveness of sins and acceptance with God based upon faith alone in Jesus Christ, and not due to any human effort at all, was under constant attack from within the church, and continues to be so today. In this passage, Paul is defending and preserving the truth of the gospel from any “additives”, not only for the Galatians, but for us and future generations. Because of that mee...

Often we fall to the temptation of wanting something more than the gospel. In our text, the Galatians believe they need something more than the gospel, that salvation equals Jesus plus following the Mosaic law. Paul responds by telling them that the gospel is not only for the beginning of the Christian life, but the whole of the Christian life. And to be a Christian, we must remember that the gosp...

Instead of his usual greeting of thanksgiving and prayer for his readers, Paul goes right to the point of his letter. He is astonished that the believers in the Galatian churches are so quickly deserting the saving gospel of Christ and turning to an entirely different gospel, which was no gospel at all. He points to the strategy of false teachers and gives one of the most severe warnings in all of...

In his letter to the Galatian churches, the apostle Paul forcefully declares and defends the gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. The churches Paul planted in the region of Galatia had been infiltrated with false teachers. They were dismissing Paul’s authority as an apostle of Jesus and were undermining his message of God’s grace t...

There is in every human heart a longing for deep and lasting happiness which transcends our circumstances. This longing is, in reality, the soul’s quest for God, who made us to find our happiness in him. Psalm 1, which is the gateway into the whole Psalter, shows us the pathway to satisfying that longing is a life spent delighting in and meditating on the Word of God.

To appreciate Christmas more fully, it helps to understand the promises in the Old Testament that led up to it. When we examine one such promise, 2 Samuel 7, we capture the wonder of Christmas and find plenty of reason to be merry. For in 2 Samuel 7, we find a God who condescends to His people, provides for His people, and stays faithful to His people.

The Big Idea: God, in the deep wisdom of His own Being make a way for the requirements of His justice to be satisfied, and for His deeper heart of love to be fully experienced even by rebellious children.

Matthew’s point is to show us that Jesus Christ is the King whom God had always promised to send to redeem his people, and that our response to him must be one of joyful, humble, sacrificial worship.

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good; if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country. — C.S. Lewis

The letter to the Hebrews was written to a people whose life circumstances were dire, yet their purpose remained the same. In this closing benediction of our letter, we find a purpose to carry us through all seasons of life: to glorify God. And, as our passage shows, the way in which we glorify God is to know Him and obey Him.

Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we must follow the leaders he has given us; we must never depart from his gospel of grace; and we must offer him a life of worship.

In Hebrews 1-12, the author has unfolded for us the glorious riches of the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest and Mediator of a new covenant. He has shown us again and again why Jesus is infinitely better than anything or anyone, and therefore, why we should trust him above all else. Now, in this final chapter of the letter, Hebrews 13, the emphasis is on how we sho...

Hebrews 12:18–29 is the 5th and final ‘warming passage” of this letter. It also carries on the contrast the author has been making from the beginning between the old and new covenants, between the law and the gospel. These warnings and contrasts are given for the purpose of motivating and empowering a life of grateful obedience and reverent worship to our God, who is a consuming fire.

The Lord Jesus Christ has gifted his church with leaders. He has called and equipped them to serve his people in a particular manner and with a particular motive in view. Peter shows us what this kind of leadership looks like and why it’s so crucial for the church to cultivate such leaders among them.

October 8, 2023 - “For the Life of the World” - John 10:1-18

With the knowledge of God as our Heavenly Father, we can trust that He is working all things for our good. With this knowledge, our scripture calls us to submit to the Lord through the hardships of life as discipline. We can do this by knowing hardships come from His Fatherly hand, trusting His purposes, and living according to His purposes.