Madison Reformed Church

Deut. 4:32–40  Isa. 42:5–9  John 10:22–30  Heb. 9:11–14  Many have wondered if the doctrine of the Trinity is really all the useful or practical. The moment you begin to go just a little deeper with it, you feel like you’re drowning. But the truth is that because we’re Christians, we also have to get used the feeling of being out of our depth. God is God, and He has revealed Himself. In this messa...

The jealousy of Joseph's brothers is a powerful picture of jealousy in the life of the Church. And in Joseph's story, we have one of the most extended and amazing pre-figurings of Jesus Christ in the whole Old Testament. Through Joseph, Genesis 37 highlights the humiliation of Jesus Christ, who alone can bring jealous sinners to their knees in repentance.

Deut. 12:32–13:5  Ps. 119:169–176  Mark 7:1–13  2 Tim. 3:14–4:5 People ask the question, “What is God’s will?” all the time. Here’s what our Confession delivers to us: “We believe that the Holy Scripture contains the will of God completely…” In this message, we learn that Scripture is enough to show us God’s will for salvation, for worshiping Him, and for spotting imposters.

"These are the generations of Esau." Why does  Esau of all people get a genealogy to himself? In this message, we learn through Esau's kingdom, Edom, the vital spiritual lesson that no earthly kingdom or king will survive the ups and downs of life in this world or, in the end, the judgment of Christ the King. Since Christ’s Kingdom is the only eternal Kingdom, won for us by His sacr...

Deut. 31:24–29  Ps. 147:12–20  Matt. 11:7–15  Rom. 3:1–4  But through Christian history, there have been questions raised about whether or not other books and writings belong in the canon of Scripture. The Belgic confession speaks of making a distinction between the “holy books” (Scripture) and the “apocryphal books.” in this message, we learn what the Apocryphal books are and why we do not receiv...

Christians aren't just cleansed at the beginning of their walk with Christ, but need renewal throughout it. In this section from Jacob's life, we learn that God renews His gracious covenant with us every time we gather for worship, giving us his cleansing and protecting grace.

Deut. 6:10–19  2 Kgs. 22:1–13  Matt. 4:1–11  Eph. 2:17–22  God is revealed in Creation and in Scripture, but what is Scripture and why do we take it to be authoritative? In this message, we begin to answer that question with the help of Belgic Confession article 5, which shows us how God's Word alone is the final authority for faith and practice.

God has included passages like Genesis 34 in His Word because the Bible records real history, and because the hope of the gospel reaches down into the most wretched parts of human life. The story of Dinah's defiling and the aftermath  paints a picture of the outrageous things that people are driven to do when they do not have self-control. But to these problems, the gospel has an answer. Jesu...

In this message from 1 Corinthians, pastoral intern Matt Walkenhorst ( Ascension Reformed Church ) explains how the gospel frees us from the place where sin so often starts—focus on the self—so that we might become imitators of God in serving others.

Exodus 19:1–10  Jeremiah 23:23–24  John 14:1–7  Romans 8:31–35 Matt Walkenhorst (pastoral intern from Ascension Reformed Church ) opens up the doctrine of Christ's ascension into heaven.

"He is not here. He has risen, like He said. Come, see the place where He lay." This message of the angel on the day of Christ's resurrection gives hope to those who believe. In this Easter message, we learn of the dawning of the new creation, the hope of the empty tomb, and the greeting of Jesus that brings us to worship.

Deut. 18:15–20  Ps. 19:1–14  John 5:36–47  Rom. 1:18–23  We have learned about the attributes of God. Now we ask, " How has God communicated to us?" The answer is revelation, which comes in two forms or "books." The book of creation and the book of God's Holy Word. In this message, we learn how these two “books” are distinct, and how they work together.

Exodus 10:21–11:10 & Matthew 27:24–66 The Word of the Cross is a Word that tells us that Jesus Christ descended into the darkness for us. In this Good Friday message, we rest in Christ again, by whose sacrifice, we are forgiven.

Exod. 33:19; 34:1–9  Ps. 119:65–72  Mark 10:17–22  1 John 4:13–21 Lord, "you are good and do good” (Ps. 119:67). In this final message on the attributes of God, we focus our hearts on the goodness of God and its various expressions—grace, mercy, love, patience, and faithfulness—in order to know this God and worship Him with greater joy.

When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Passover holiday in His so-called “Triumphal Entry,” He was coming to a city marked by years and years of expectations building up. What was it going to be like when the King finally returned to the city of God? What would this King be like? Jesus’ arrival confronted them and it confronts us: When our king comes to us, will we accept Him as He is, or will our e...

Christians sometimes feel like they're having travel delay. We know that the Lord has a plan for our lives and a destination we’re aimed at. But it seems like we’re never going to get there — to the home God has promised. In Genesis 28 & 33, we see Jacob being sent away and then returning to Canaan. And his journey teaches us that through the grace of Christ, we are not only forgiven for...

Gen. 18:16–26  Zeph. 3:1–5  Luke 18:1–8  Rom. 3:21–26  We have meter inside of us that measures whether or not we’ve been treated fairly. Scripture teaches us that true justice is in God. We turn to that attribute of God today in our series in the attributes of God. And we’re going to see what that justice is, how we see it, and how we relate to it, since it’s one of God’s characteristics what hum...

It's been 20 years since Jacob was in Canaan. Now, as he returns, he comes to his biggest challenge yet—a wrestling match with God Himself. In this we have illustrated what Christ has done for us by His suffering and His cross. He has gone into combat, been wounded for the sake of His people, and been risen up in ultimate blessing. In this message we learn that believers sometimes wrestle wit...

Deut. 4:1–8  Isa. 28:23–29  Mark 7:31–37  1 Cor. 18–25  When we say that God and man share any attribute—like wisdom—we recognize that God’s wisdom is divine wisdom. Ours is created wisdom, given to us by the Creator. Once that’s clear, then it becomes exciting for us to learn how we are like God. We are called to have open eyes to the characteristics we share with Him and, by His grace, become mo...

What do we do when we face paralyzing fear? In Jacob’s time of fear, he prayed. That’s the mark of spiritual transformation. Jacob came to Laban's territory prayerless, but now he departs in holy prayer. This passage shows us what it looks like to lean on Christ in times of fear, and through prayer to carve out a different path by honestly remembering how good the Lord has already been to us,...

Gen. 49:22–26  Job 37:14–24  Mark 4:35­–41  Rev. 15:1–8 In this message on the attributes of God, our reflections are on the Almighty God. This is one that the  Church has really emphasized in our creeds and liturgies. It’s the only attribute of God that appears in all three of the ancient creeds we use: the Apostles’ and Nicene both begin, “I believe in God the Father Almighty .” The Athanasian C...

*This audio begins midway through the Scripture reading.*   Almost sounding like it was written specifically about Genesis 30–31, Psalm 85:1 says, “Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.” In the end, the true restoration we’re all looking for is in the future: one day when Christ descends, and gives to us what was taken, restores what we were cheated out of, and...

Gen. 14:17–24  2 Chron. 6:12–21  Matt. 11:25–27  Acts 7:44–50  Confessing that God is infinite means acknowledging that He is not and cannot be contained. In this message, we explore how the Bible reveals this attribute of God, and how both believers and unbelievers respond.

At the beginning of creation, God told humankind to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it. But in redemption, God has taken that command and turned it into a blessing: “God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you , that you may become a company of peoples ” (Gen. 28:3). The birth of Jacob’s children is that blessing. These sons become the twelve tribes of Isra...

Exod. 3:1–15  Mal. 3:5–7  John 5:25–29  Jas. 1:16–18  The attribute of immutability or unchangeability teaches us that God does not and cannot change. In this message, we ask and answer three questions: [1] What does it mean for God to be unchangeable? [2] Doesn't the Bible show that God does change? [3] What the use of believing & confessing this doctrine?