Always Reforming

Grace I.                    Introduction a.      Taking time off from Titus b.      Why are we gathered here today?                                                        i.       Grace—baptism                                                     ii.       Grace—because God has saved u...

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?  Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's your God, the earth also, with all that therein is.  Only the LORD had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.  Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked.  For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regards not persons, nor takes reward:  He does execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loves the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.  Love you therefore the stranger: for you were strangers in the la...

"For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.     This verse from Romans helps us to understand the nature of the covenant signs in the Bible--circumcision and baptism--as well as the sacramental meals.  There are two extremes to which people gravitate when it comes to signs in the Bible.  Some downplay them, ignore them, and neglect them.  This is usually a reaction to the other extreme.  On the other side of the spectrum are those who idolize the signs.  They invest saving power into the signs that God never intended the signs to carry.       Signs are exactly that--signs.  Their very nature is to point to something greater.  Too often we look at baptism and we think that the very act of placing water on a person (or dunking them, if that floats your boat) mystically does something.  Some people believe it removes sin.  Some believe ...

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”     I'm going to take an approach to this verse somewhat different than the one I normally do.  Normally I would harp on the lordship of Christ over all of life, especially politics (a most-worthy topic), but today I want to discuss another side of what this lordship really means.     Jesus tells his disciples that He has been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth.  I think we commonly focus on only one of these two factors.  Some people don't recognize the significance of Jesus's authority on Earth.  Some people overlook the impact of Christ's impact authority over He...