The Son Like a Man in Every Respect

November 28, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchexaltation, Hebrews 2, humiliation, Philippians 2, Psalm 110, Psalm 8, two natures of Christ

Psalm 8:4-6; Hebrews 2:5-18 (text); Heidelberg Catechism 14 & 35 November 20, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: Today, we look forward to gathering with our families on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving Day is probably our most treasured holiday, even more than Christmas Eve or Christmas Day itself. But many people today only look forward to all the drinking and eating, turkey and football, ignorant of what Thanksgiving Day is supposed to be: a day to give thanks to Providence for the bounty he has given to…

Hebrews Sermons

Christ is Better Than the Angels

November 13, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchangels, Christ is Better, Hebrews 1, Hebrews 2, Psalm 110

Scripture Readings: Psalm 110:1-7; Hebrews 1:1-2:4 November 13, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: Before we get to our text, let us first examine the background of the Book of Hebrews. We will not understand this book correctly without knowing the basics: author, audience, date of writing, and purpose and occasion. First of all, who wrote this book? Unlike the letters of Paul and other New Testament writers, the author of Hebrews does not mention his name. From the earliest days, the names suggested include Paul,…

Church Blog Hebrews Sermons

Sermon Series on the Epistle to the Hebrews

November 9, 2016October 12, 2021 bigspringschurchChrist is Better, Hebrews, sermons

This Sunday, November 13, we will be starting a new sermon series based on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Hebrews was written to Jewish converts to Christianity who were most likely living in Rome under persecution. It was written to encourage them to persevere and not go back to the old covenant institutions in the midst of persecution. The main theme of the letter is that Christ is greater than all: angels, prophets, and old covenant temple, priesthood and ceremonies. Therefore, Christ has fulfilled all Old Testament institutions which were…

Judges Sermons

The Verdict: “In Those Days There Was No King in Israel; Everyone Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes”

November 6, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchBenjamites, everyone did what was right in his own eyes, Isaiah 9, Judges 19-21, presidential election 2016, Psalm 146

Scripture Readings: Judges 19-21; Daniel 2:20-21; Romans 1:18-32 November 6, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: We now come to the last sermon on the Book of Judges. There are two concluding sections after the account of the 12 judges of Israel, ending with the story of Samson. The first concluding section is in Chapters 17 and 18, which we studied last week. This was the story of Micah and his Levite priest and the false religion of Israel, which mixed the worship of God with…

Ezekiel Sermons

Watchmen Trumpeting the Gospel of the Reformation

November 1, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchEzekiel 33, Feast of Trumpets, Reformation, Romans 10, trumpet sound, watchman

Ezekiel 33:1-9 (text); Leviticus 23:23-25; Romans 10:8-17 © October 30, 2016 (BSCC) • Download this sermon (PDF) Beloved congregation of Christ: Today, Reformed churches worldwide commemorate Reformation Sunday. Let us recount the events that occurred in Europe on October 31, 1517. No, I’m not referring to the Halloween celebration 499 years ago. Halloween was a festival celebrated by ancient pagan Druids in the British Isles, and didn’t come to America until about 1900. Germans in 1517 didn’t know anything about Halloween and its wandering spirits of the dead and trick or…

Judges Sermons

Israel’s False Religion

October 23, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchcontemporary worship, false worship, idolatry, John 4, Judges 17, Judges 18, regulative principle of worship

Judges 17-18; John 4:19-25 October 23, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: We come now to the last two sermons on the Book of Judges. In Chapters 1 and 2, the book opens with an introduction to how Israel went spiraling down into idolatry and unbelief after Joshua died. The second major part of the book, Chapters 3 through 16, tells the stories of the twelve judges appointed by God for Israel, and how even the behavior of these judges also went into a downward spiral. After…

Judges Sermons

Samson Part 4: “Let Me Die With the Philistines”

October 17, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchDelilah, Judges 16, Nazirite, Philistines, Proverbs 6, Samson

Judges 16:1-31; Prov 6:20-26; Col 3:1-7 October 16, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: Those of us who were raised in Christian homes and churches remember a few things about Samson. And these are mostly the “good” things about him: his God-given strength, his victories over the Philistines, and his prayer to God at the end to kill the Philistines in their own pagan temple. The not-so-good thing is his affair with the Philistine woman Delilah. Those of you who remember the music of the 60s may…

Judges Sermons

Samson Part 3: Vengeance at Firefox Field and Jawbone Hill

October 10, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurch1 Corinthians 10, 300 foxes, Exodus 17, Isaiah 53, jawbone hill, Judges 15, living water, Philistines, precious blood, Samson

Exod 17:1-7; Judges 15:1-20; 1 Cor 10:1-5 October 9, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: I’m not sure if they still teach World History in high school these days, but do you know that there was a Thirty Years’ War in Europe from 1618-48? This war was also known as the religious wars. It began when Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II of Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) suppressed the religious freedom of Protestants. The Protestants then appealed to other Protestant states of England, Netherlands and Denmark for help.…

“Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me”

October 9, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchExodus 17, Exodus 33, Isaiah 53, John 4, living water, Moses, precious blood, rock of ages, toplady

Today, we sang “Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me” written by the Reformed hymnwriter Augustus Toplady in 1776. I want to focus on why Toplady prays to Christ as the “Rock of Ages” who was “cleft” for him. The original first stanza was: Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee! Let the Water and the Blood, From thy riven Side which flow’d, Be of Sin the double Cure, Cleanse me from its Guilt and Pow’r. The word “cleft” as a noun means a split or…

Judges Sermons

Samson Part 2: “She is Right in My Eyes”

October 2, 2016September 25, 2019 bigspringschurchActs 2, Judges 14, Nazirite, Samson, Timnah

Scripture Readings: Judges 14:1-20; Acts 2:22-24; 3:17-21 October 2, 2016 • Download this sermon (PDF) Congregation of Christ: In our last study in Judges Chapter 13, the writer introduces Samson, his father Manoah and his mother, and the announcement of his birth by the Angel of the Lord. The Messenger revealed to his parents that they will have a son, but God has ordained him to be a Nazirite from conception. A Nazirite has three vows: to abstain from wine or any produce from the vine; stay away from dead…