Sermons from Christ Presbyterian Church in Burke, VA

This past Resurrection Sunday, Pastor Harlow preached “The Empty Cell” from Acts 5:12–42, drawing a vivid parallel between the empty tomb and the empty prison the risen Christ left behind him. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead sent an angel to open locked doors and return the apostles to the temple courts, […]

On Maundy Thursday, Pastor Harlow preached from 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, returning the congregation to what Paul called “of first importance”: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for sinners. These two verses are not a starting point to move past but the message the church must keep coming back to, the very foundation on which […]

On Palm Sunday, Pastor Harlow preached from Acts 4:23–31 on the prayer of the early church following Peter and John’s release by the Jewish authorities. The congregation gathered, reported what had happened, and lifted their voices together to the Sovereign Lord, their prayer shaped at every point by the words of Psalm 146, Psalm 2, […]

This Lord’s Day, missionary Tom Mirabella, serving in Chiba, Japan with Mission to the World, preached from John 21:1–21 on failure, hope, and the restoring grace of the risen Christ. The disciples had returned to their boats — back to what they knew — and caught nothing, until the voice on the shore directed their […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached from Acts 3:1–26 on the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate and the proclamation that followed. The miracle was not accomplished through Peter’s own power or piety, but through faith in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Author of life whom God raised […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Hasler opened Acts 2:42–47 to examine what the life of the early church actually looked like. Luke’s snapshot of the Jerusalem believers reveals a community shaped by the apostles’ teaching, bound together in fellowship, sustained by the Lord’s Table and prayer, and marked by a generosity that flowed from genuine faith. […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow opened Acts 2 to show how God’s ancient promises find their fulfillment in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What the prophets foretold and Israel waited centuries to see, God delivers on that morning in Jerusalem, just as He said He would. Peter’s sermon, anchored in the […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached from Acts 1:9–26 on the ascension of Christ and what it means to wait for His return. After Jesus was taken up into heaven, the angels’ message was clear: this same Jesus will come back, and that promise shapes everything about how His people are to live in […]

This Lord’s Day, we started a new series on Acts. Pastor Harlow preached on Christ’s ascension and the kingdom He establishes through His people. In Acts 1:1-11, Jesus spends forty days with His disciples after the resurrection, preparing them for their mission and promising the power of the Holy Spirit. Rather than restoring an earthly […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached on Psalm 62, where David calls God’s people to find their rest, refuge, and salvation in God alone. In a world that tempts us to trust in power, wealth, and the approval of others, this psalm points us to the only secure foundation for our souls. David reminds us […]

Due to inclement weather, Pastor Harlow prepared a special devotional on Psalm 127 for home or private worship, exploring the difference between flourishing and frustration. The psalm teaches that without the Lord’s blessing, all our building, watching, and working amounts to anxious toil. Through four spheres of life – temple, city, workplace, and home – […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Hasler preached on the call to worship found in Psalm 103. David’s hymn of praise reminds us of God’s many benefits: He forgives our iniquities, redeems our lives, and crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. As we remember who God is and what He has done, we are compelled […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached from the closing verses of Luke’s Gospel on how believers are called to respond to the risen Christ. In Luke 24:44-53, Jesus opens his disciples’ minds to understand how all Scripture points to him and commissions them to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. Before ascending to heaven, […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached on the physical reality of Christ’s resurrection in Luke 24:36-43. As we begin a new year, we can be anxious about what lies ahead, and like the disciples, we struggle with unbelief. Yet Jesus graciously condescends to our doubts, showing His hands and feet, inviting touch, even eating […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached on the encounter between the risen Christ and two disciples walking to Emmaus. In Luke 24:13-35, we meet discouraged followers who couldn’t recognize Jesus even as He walked beside them, their hopes crushed by the crucifixion they had witnessed. Jesus opens their eyes by opening the Scriptures, showing […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Hasler preached on the resurrection of Jesus from Luke 24:1–12, exploring what lies at the very heart of the Christian faith. When the women arrived at the tomb that first Easter morning, they found the stone rolled away and heard the angels declare, “He is not here, but has risen.” This […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow continued our Advent series by examining Christ’s crucifixion in Luke 23:26–56. Even as darkness covered the earth and the sun’s light failed, Jesus demonstrated His love for the women who mourned Him, for those who crucified Him, and for the criminal beside Him. The sermon explores how Christ, born […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached on the trial of Jesus before Pilate and Herod from Luke 23:1-25. Though Jesus faced false accusations of misleading the nation and claiming kingship, Pilate and Herod both declared him innocent. Yet religious leaders, the crowds, and even Pilate himself rejected the sinless Son of God. In a stunning […]

This Lord’s Day, Bob Eickelberg preaches on Matthew 2:1-23, tracing the events surrounding Christ’s birth from the visit of the wise men to the flight into Egypt. Through Herod’s schemes and the hardships of the holy family, we see how God’s sovereign plan unfolds despite human opposition and uncertainty. As we begin Advent, this passage […]

This Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preaches from Luke 22:63-71, where Jesus stands before the religious leaders who mock Him, beat Him, and demand answers. While His tormentors seek to humiliate the Messiah through violence and scorn, Jesus points them to the truth they refuse to see: the Son of Man will be seated at the […]

Pastor Harlow brings us to the Mount of Olives where Jesus, in the garden, faces the weight of the cup he must drink. Luke 22:39-47 shows us Christ in agony, sweating drops like blood as he prays for the Father’s will to be done rather than his own. An angel appears to strengthen him for […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Porter Harlow preached on Peter’s denial of Christ and the intercession that sustained him through his darkest moment. In Luke 22:31-38, 47-62, we see Jesus warning Peter that Satan sought to sift him like wheat, yet Christ prayed that Peter’s faith would not ultimately fail. The passage shows us Peter’s […]

Pastor Hasler preached on the nature of true greatness in God’s kingdom from Luke 22:24-30. When the disciples argued about who was greatest, Jesus redefined greatness as servanthood rather than worldly power. He positioned himself as the ultimate example, the one who serves at the table. The passage reveals three truths: greatness is tied to […]

This past Lord’s Day, on Reformation Sunday, Pastor Harlow preached from Luke 22:7-22, where Jesus gathers with His disciples to celebrate the Passover and institute the Lord’s Supper. At the heart of this moment, we see Jesus’ deep desire for feasting and fellowship with His people, even as betrayal looms. Pastor Harlow explores how the […]

This past Lord’s Day, Pastor Harlow preached from Luke 22:1-6, examining the tragic moment when Satan entered Judas and he made the fateful decision to betray Jesus. The passage reveals both the religious leaders’ fear of the people and Judas’s shocking willingness to conspire with them for money. Yet even in this dark moment of […]