The Semper Reformata Podcast

Catechism Class, LD13B Q33, Adopted! The Bible says we have not received the Spirit of Fear. Instead, Christians have "The Spirit of Adoption." The indwelling Holy Spirit drives away all fear by replacing the fearful, terrifying sense of our hopeless fatherlessness in this world, our orphanhood and lostness, with the comforting reality of God’s fatherhood! Read the NOTES HERE . And - at the end of...

Acts-In-Replay: Adding to the Gospel? Read: Acts 15:1-6 Sometimes people are so different, and there are inevitable disagreements, but it’s important to remember that Christ is building his church, not us!  Matthew 16:18. This part of chapter 15 is set in Antioch where Paul and Barnabas are based, Here, there are Christians who have come from a Jewish background, and Christians who have come...

Catechism Class: Lord’s Day 13A Q33 God’s Only Begotten Son Read: John 3:16 Lord’s Day 13, Q33, Why is He called God’s “only begotten Son,” since we also are the children of God? A: Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God, but we are children of God by adoption, through grace, for His sake. How can you explain the eternal Sonship of Christ in a way that a child can understand? Actu...

Ethics and History and The Murder of Abp. Sharp I don't know whether this is an ethics podcast or a history podcast - or a bit of both!  It's asking whether it is ever right for Christians to retaliate, even when under severe circumstances.  It examines the conditions surrounding the heinous murder of Archbishop James Sharp, near Ceres, Fife, in 1679.  It was a crime committed by su...

Acts-In-Replay: The First Missionary Journey Ends – Acts 14:19-27 We may not agree with John Wesley’s theology, but you have to admire the courage that characterised the early Methodist preachers.  When the mob stoned the early Methodists as they preached in the open air, it was nothing new.  While Paul was preaching at Lystra a group of Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and they beg...

Catechism Class: Why Are You Called a ‘Christian?’ In this lesson we will be looking at Lord’s Day 12, Q32, which asks, Why are you called a Christian? Because I am a member of Christ by faith and thus share in his anointing, so that I may as prophet confess his name, as priest present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to him, and as king fight with a free and good conscience against sin a...

The PRISM: The Quran v The Bible - What's the Difference? In this episode of THE PRISM we are looking at a seemingly common misconception in modern society, where many people seem to think that all religions are, ultimately the same.  A while back, on a popular radio programme on BBC Radio Ulster, a member of the public phoned in to declare that he had read the Qu'ran, and that it is ‘exactly...

Acts-In-Replay: “Pagans and the Gospel” Years ago we used to hear stories about ‘darkest Africa.’  The darkness has spread, and we are living in dark days, in darkest Ulster.  ( Ephesians 2:12 ).  There is a good illustration of this awful darkness in Acts 14:8-18, where we see Paul and Barnabas… 1 Confronting the Pagans . V8-10 2 Contending With the Pagans . V11-13 3 Convincing the...

Lord's Day 12A, Q31 - Why is He Called Christ? Lord’s Day 12, Q31, which asks, Why is He  (Jesus) called “Christ,” that is, Anointed?  And the answer we must give is Because He is ordained of God the Father and anointed with the Holy Ghost to be our chief Prophet and Teacher, who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption; and our only High Prie...

Ignatius of Antioch - Christian, Pastor and Martyr . Welcome to this special history podcast. It not a podcast for everyone!  It will be difficult to follow in parts, because it is history - hopefully theological history, yet history with a pastoral perspective. It’s not purely an academic history essay though, for I have included some observations and comments, and even some anecdotes, to ma...

Acts-In-Replay: "The Call to Mission." Acts 13:1-12 Barnabas and Saul had been commissioned by the church at Antioch (Acts 12:25-13:3), for a new work, and the elders there had laid hands upon them and prayed for them. It is Paul’s First Missionary Journey, and it begins with a gospel outreach on the island of Cyprus.  Let’s get a missionary report of the Lord’s Work in those areas… Read the...

Catechism Class: LD11B Q30 "One Way!"In this podcast, we are looking at Lord’s Day 11, question 30. The Catechist is teaching us about what we MUST believe in order to be saved,In question 30, he challenges us with this question, Do those who seek their salvation or well-being in saints, in themselves, or anywhere else, also believe in the only Saviour Jesus? Now, that’s a very important question...

Acts-In-Replay "Herod's Horrible History." Acts 12:18-25 Sin always has consequences.   Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord . God does not tolerate sin, and the Lord always vindicates his church and his people, and He does not tolerate Herod’s disgraceful behaviour against his flock...

Catechism Class: Lord's Day 11A Q29, Jesus the Saviour In this lesson we are looking at Lord’s Day 11, Q29, where the catechist is teaching us about the second clause in the Apostles’ Creed - “I believe… in Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son … Our Lord.” He asks us, “ Why is the Son of God called Jesus, that is, Saviour? ” The answer we must give is, “ Because he saves us from all our sins, and because...

Acts-In-Replay: "Amazed by Grace!" Acts 12:11-19 After his unjust imprisonment and God's supernatural intervention, Peter is now on the dark street, and he has time to think.  He ‘considered the thing.’ Peter thought about this and his conclusion was that he should go to the church.  It was his very first instinct. When we are in times of trouble or we need support or help, we ought...

The Prism - Covid, Fear and the Biblical Remedy Fear not... but we ARE afraid.  We have been deliberately imprisoned in a government induced state of terror.  A fear of illness and death, even a fear of our fellow human beings.  How did this happen?  Is there a biblical precedent for confronting and dealing with fear and uncertainty? Listen to the PODCAST – share it with others...

Acts-In-Replay: Supernatural Interventions . Peter, in a humanly impossible situation, is about to be delivered, – not by any human intervention, by a powerful sovereign work of God.  God, in his mercy, the God who is Almighty, hears the prayers of the church, and sends an angel, and sets Peter free from his imprisonment. It’s an exciting and amazing story, the Lord himself reaching down into...

The Great Siege The second Saturday in August is ‘Derry Day’ - we meet to commemorate an historical event - a siege. Actually, a very important event in our cultural and political history. The siege occurred in 1689, around a year after William of Orange had landed at Torbay, and ‘the glorious revolution’ was effectively ending almost a century of rule by the Stuart dynasty, a period that had brou...

Acts-In-Replay "God's Providence in Evangelism" Paul’s mission to the Gentile world has begun.  He has already been blessed, for hearing the word of God, the proconsul of Cyprus, Sergius Paulus believed in the Lord Jesus and was converted!  What a great start to a life of missionary service!  You might say that Paul was in exactly the right place at the right time!   Here’s som...

The Name of Shame ! Acts 11:26 Have you noticed that the name ‘Christian’ has almost become a pejorative term – like a bad word of recent days Maybe not just in recent days too. Some people will actually hate you just for being a Christian – for following Jesus!  No surprise there of course.   So in our text, Acts 11:26 we have the very first instance of the followers of Jesus being refe...

The Prism: "Men and Women and the Olympics - The Myth of Transgenderism " It's August - and Bob doesn't do any podcasts in August - that went well, until a man competes in a women's competition at the Tokyo Olympics!  What a mess.  That needs a response!  What's 'Transgenderism' and how will it affect YOU?  What does the Bible say, and what should be the Christian's response? R...

Acts-In-Replay "The Church at Antioch" In this old sermon, preached in July 2020 at Templepatrick Reformed Church, we look at the Church at Antioch, in many ways a model church, in the midst of a totally pagan environment, yet faithful to God and with fervent missionary zeal.  Antioch was the least likely place to find a leading Christian fellowship. Antioch’s citizens had gained a reputation...

TableTalk: “The Only Head of the Church” Savoy: There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; Who is the head of the church? As non-conformists, can we accept that the pope or anyone else on this earth is the head of the church? When we read the Bible we discover that the head of the church is CHRIST! Anyone else is an imposter. Let’s look at what the Bible says about this matter...

Acts-In-Replay "Barnabas - The Great Encourager." It was to Antioch that some of the persecuted Christians had fled after the persecution at Jerusalem, and as always the gospel message had travelled with them. Many were converted, a great number turned to the Lord, because the hand of the Lord was upon them.  So it is at Antioch that we first encounter Barnabas. To read the NOTES Click this L...

The Prism: The Issue of Bodily Integrity.  Welcome to The Prism - a monthly look at contemporary ethics and events through a Biblical prism. This month we are looking at the issue of bodily integrity. Who actually owns your body? In this modern society, the government seems to want you to know that in fact THEY own your body.  You may think that you have bodily autonomy, that your body b...