St. Stephen Reformed Church

The sermon unfolds Micah's prophetic vision of the remnant of Jacob as both a life-giving blessing and a conquering force in the nations, portrayed through the dual images of dew and lion—symbols of divine blessing and righteous judgment that reflect the dual nature of Christ's kingdom. It emphasizes that the messianic age is not a purely spiritual or heavenly reality, but a present, earthly calli...

This sermon unpacks the parable of the prodigal sons in Luke 15, emphasizing that both the younger son who squandered his inheritance and the older son who remained obedient yet resentful are equally lost—neither can earn the father's love. While the younger son's rebellion is evident, the older son's self-righteousness, bitterness, and refusal to rejoice reveal a heart estranged by performance-ba...

In the midst of Jerusalem's impending siege by Assyria, the prophet Micah delivers a message of profound hope rooted in God's sovereign plan, pointing beyond present suffering to a future restoration where the lame are made strong and the outcast become a mighty nation. Though the people face terror, exile, and the mocking of surrounding nations, Micah calls them to wrestle honestly with their pai...

This sermon presents the parable of the prodigal son as a profound revelation of God's lavish, initiating, and unconditional love, emphasizing that divine grace precedes human repentance. Centered in Luke 15, the story unfolds through three scenes—first, the younger son's willful rebellion and descent into destitution; second, the father's self-humbling, compassionate pursuit of his lost son; and...

The sermon unfolds a powerful contrast between divine judgment and redemptive hope, rooted in Micah's prophetic indictment of corrupt leaders who perverted justice, built Jerusalem on bloodshed, and falsely presumed God's protection. Though their sin has rendered the city desolate—Zion plowed like a field—the prophecy shifts dramatically to a future where the mountain of the Lord is exalted above...

The sermon centers on Jesus' parable of the great banquet in Luke 14:15–24, using the context of a Sabbath dinner with Pharisees to confront religious pride, self-righteousness, and spiritual complacency. Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of those who assume their religious heritage guarantees salvation, illustrating through the parable that God's invitation to His kingdom is extended to the marginalize...

The sermon, drawn from Luke 12:35–48, centers on the urgent call to spiritual readiness for Christ's unexpected return, framing vigilance and faithfulness as the marks of a true disciple. Rooted in the context of Jesus' warnings against greed and anxiety, the parable of the watchful servants emphasizes that believers must live in constant preparedness—dressed for action and with lamps burning—not...

The sermon delivers a powerful indictment of spiritual and moral corruption among Israel's leaders and prophets, exposing how those entrusted with justice and divine revelation instead exploited the vulnerable, feasted on injustice, and proclaimed false peace for personal gain. Through the vivid imagery of cannibalism and prophetic silence, it reveals that God's judgment falls not only on the powe...

This sermon, delivered on Reformation Sunday, centers on the transformative power of persistent, bold prayer as modeled by Jesus in Luke 11:5–13, emphasizing that true spiritual vitality arises not from mere religious routine but from a deep, ongoing communion with God. Drawing from the Lord's Prayer and the parable of the friend at midnight, it teaches that prayer is not a transactional request b...

Micah 2 delivers a powerful prophetic indictment of Judah's spiritual and moral decay, exposing how the nation's leaders schemed in secret to seize land and oppress the vulnerable, thereby committing spiritual treason against God's covenant. The sermon reveals that sin against God inevitably manifests as injustice toward neighbor, as the wealthy exploited the poor and false prophets silenced truth...

The sermon concludes 1 John by affirming that believers can have confident assurance of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the true God and eternal life, grounded not in feelings or performance but in the objective testimony of Scripture and the internal marks of genuine faith. It emphasizes that this assurance enables a bold and confident prayer life, rooted in the promise that God hears...

Micah's prophetic lament, rooted in divine grief over Judah's spiritual decay, reveals a God who mourns sin not with detached judgment but with holy sorrow, mirroring Christ's weeping over Jerusalem. Though the nation faces inevitable judgment—symbolized by a funeral procession through doomed cities—Micah's raw mourning, echoing David's grief over Saul, models covenant love: lamenting not in gloat...

The parable of the Good Samaritan, far from being merely a call to social compassion, functions as a divine mirror exposing the impossibility of earning eternal life through human effort. Centered on a lawyer's attempt to justify himself by defining 'neighbor,' Jesus reveals that true neighborliness is not determined by identity or proximity, but by sacrificial mercy toward any person in need—espe...

The Lord's Supper is a sacred covenant meal that proclaims the past, present, and future work of Christ, rooted in the Passover and fulfilled in His death and resurrection. Far from being a mere memorial or emotional exercise, it is a living proclamation of the gospel—where believers, by faith and through the Holy Spirit, spiritually feast on Christ's body and blood, receiving forgiveness, communi...

The sermon centers on the prophetic message of Micah, emphasizing that God's judgment, though directed at both Samaria and Jerusalem, ultimately calls all people—especially God's people—to repentance and faith. Rooted in the historical context of the divided monarchy and the looming threat of Assyria, Micah's words reveal how God uses cosmic imagery not merely to threaten destruction, but to expos...

The sermon centers on the final words of Jacob and Joseph, revealing a profound theology of hope rooted in God's faithfulness and sovereignty. Through their deathbed declarations, both men affirm their belief in God's promise to bring His people into the land of Canaan, with Jacob emphasizing burial in the ancestral tomb and Joseph entrusting his bones to future generations as a sign of the coming...

The sermon centers on Jacob's final blessings upon Joseph and his sons in Genesis 48, portraying a profound moment of faith and divine sovereignty at the close of Jacob's life. Through the symbolic adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh—favoring the younger over the elder—Jacob exemplifies God's elective grace, echoing the biblical truth that salvation is not based on human merit but on divine choice, a...

This sermon compares Joseph's total control during Egypt's famine to divine salvation, emphasizing that his authority was divinely sanctioned, not tyranny, and highlighting the contrast with Christ's sacrificial redemptive work. Both involve surrender, but Christ's sacrifice is the ultimate gift of grace. The sermon urges believers to embrace suffering and surrender to Christ for true spiritual gr...

The sermon centers on the divine providence of God as revealed in Joseph's reunion with his father Jacob and the subsequent settlement of Israel's family in Egypt, illustrating how God orchestrates even broken human relationships and painful histories into a beautiful, redemptive plan. Through the metaphor of a tapestry, it emphasizes that while life often appears chaotic and painful from a limite...

The sermon unfolds the covenantal trajectory of Scripture, revealing that God's redemptive plan is not merely about past forgiveness or present community, but ultimately about the future consummation of all things in the new heavens and new earth—a reality already inaugurated in Christ but not yet fully realized. Centered on Hebrews 2:5–10, it emphasizes that humanity, created in God's image and d...

The sermon centers on the assurance of faith, arguing that confidence in Jesus Christ stems from the threefold testimony of God: water (Christ's baptism), blood (His sacrifice), and the Spirit. It emphasizes that these divine witnesses converge on the truth of Jesus as the Son of God, offering eternal life to those who believe, while warning against the consequence of rejecting this testimony. Ult...

The sermon explores the significance of baptism within the context of the new covenant, drawing from Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 to illuminate its profound meaning beyond a mere ritual. It argues that baptism functions as a visible sign and seal of covenant grace, representing engrafting into Christ, participation in the benefits of salvation—forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spi...

The sermon explores Jacob's journey to Egypt, highlighting his conditioned expectation of hardship and doubt stemming from past experiences with deception and loss. Despite these anxieties, Jacob demonstrates remarkable faith in responding to God's assurance, ultimately relinquishing his desires and trusting in divine providence to guide him and his family. The message underscores that true peace...

The sermon explores themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and divine providence through the narrative of Joseph's reunion with his brothers and father. It highlights God's sovereign plan, demonstrated by Joseph's ability to forgive and the subsequent invitation from Pharaoh, ultimately leading to the family's relocation to Egypt. Drawing parallels with Jesus' ministry after the resurrection, the...

The sermon explores the profound significance of the Lord's Supper as the central act of the new covenant, tracing its roots through the covenants of the Old Testament and culminating in Christ's institution of the meal during the Passover. It emphasizes the Supper not merely as a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, but as a tangible participation in His body and blood, a renewal of covenant bonds,...