Sermons on Means of Grace
Isaiah 29:9–14
How a person responds to the Word of God reveals the condition of the heart. In Isaiah 29, the people of Judah still professed to worship God, but their hearts were far from him. Rather than submitting to God’s Word, they had replaced it with the commandments and traditions of men. As a result, the Word that should have brought life became like a sealed book—present before them, yet impossible for them to understand. This sermon explores Isaiah’s warning about…
Isaiah 28:7–13
Why do some people hear the Word of God as life and glory, while others hear it only as meaningless noise? In Isaiah 28:7–13, Isaiah describes the spiritual condition of Judah’s leaders as drunken, blind, and incapable of understanding the Word of God. To them, divine truth sounds like nothing more than “precept upon precept, line upon line.” The problem is not with God’s Word—it is with the hearts of those who hear it. This sermon examines: Isaiah warns that…
Galatians 1:11–24
The Apostle Paul makes a staggering claim in Galatians 1:11–12: “The gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” In this sermon, we consider the uniqueness of Paul’s call and the divine authority of his message. Paul was not merely persuaded by other apostles, nor did he invent a gospel of his own. He received it…
Genesis 22:1-19 (Part 3)
In Genesis 22:1-19, and particularly verses 15-19, we see the confirmation of the climactic promise made to Abraham: the blessing of the nations. Here at the end of the Abrahamic narrative, at the climactic point of the climactic narrative we are told that the nations will be blessed, but with one new addition: it will be in Abraham’s singular seed that this will happen. This singular seed is Christ, the Savior of the world, in whom all the nations of…
Colossians 2:20-23
Fasting is not done much today, and because of this, it is not always properly understood. Many think that the purpose of fasting is to chasten the appetites of the body so as to make us less likely to indulge in sin. This, however, is a form of asceticism condemned by Paul in Colossians 2:20-23. It is of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. The true purpose of fasting is actually to humble ourselves before God in…
Genesis 18:16-19
In Genesis 18:16-19, God asks whether or not he should hide from Abraham what he is about to do in light of the promises he has received. In 18:19 we are told that Abraham has been chosen that he might instruct his children so that the promises might come to pass. Genesis 18:19 highlights the necessity we have of teaching our children the Word of God. It is the normal means God uses to bring our children to faith.
Genesis 17:9-14, 23-27
In Genesis 17:9-14, 23-27 the sign of the covenant, circumcision, is given to Abraham. Circumcision symbolizes regeneration and God giving the new heart to His people. Like a wedding ring, it is the sign that shows that a person is in covenant with God. Hence it is not optional. In the NT, baptism has replaced circumcision as the sign of the covenant.
Genesis 15:7-21
In Genesis 15:7-21 God gives Abram a vision foreshadowing the future redemption of the Exodus to give Abram confidence about the promises of God. God does this as an act of grace that he might be encouraged in the midst of the trials of life. Though these kinds of visions are not given today, God still acts to give His people confidence in the promises He has made. The prophecies of the OT still function this way, giving us confidence…
Matthew 9:14-15
In Matthew 9:14-15 the disciples of the Pharisees and John ask Jesus why his disciples do not fast. Christ’s answer teaches us something important about fasting: it is done to mourn Christ’s absence from us. Our fasting, therefore, ought to be part of the plea of our hearts for Jesus to come quickly.
Isaiah 66:1-6
In Isaiah 66:1-6 Isaiah distinguishes between two kinds of people. On the one hand there are those who have truly received the grace of God and will thus enter into the New Heavens and the New Earth, while on the other hand there are those who will not. What is the difference? Disposition towards the Word of God. Some receive it humbly. Others rely on external ritual rather than the Bible.
Isaiah 63:7-14
Many argue against God’s existence or against God in general by arguing that He is not good. Isaiah, however, remembers God’s goodness in his prayer for the restoration of the people of God. Remembering God’s goodness even when we sin provides a basis for godly prayers. We remember what God did in His grace in the past and ask that God would do the same in the present according to His mercy and grace and for the sake of His…