I didn't want to distract from Rich's thoughtful post on the sermon he heard today about the humility of Christ's work, so I thought I'd start this general thread on sermons from today.

Our sermon was the first in a new series on I & II Samuel, which will focus mainly on the life of David. Tonight's sermon was on 1 Samuel 1:4-11, and 2:6-10, concentrating on Hannah and God's promise of sending David. There were 4 main points:

1. Hannah's tears
A. The Old Testament always presents polygamy in a negative light,
underscoring the perfect plan of 1 woman/1 man marriage.
B. Hannah was sorrowful and tormented by a desire to conform to cultural
pressures of childbearing. Though childbearing isn't typically a cultural
pressure today, we are afflicated by our own cultural pressures of
success, education, romance, etc.
2. Hannah's turn
A. Hannah resolutely ignored the "other wife's" taunts, and her own
husband's misplaced advice to get her satisfaction in him. She ignored
them and turned to God.
B. Hannah was freed from her burden when she didn't desire childbearing
for herself, but for God. Instead of desiring a child for selfish reasons,
she now desired a child to glorify God, as evidenced by her vow to take
the Nazirite vow. It should be noted that Hannah was not making a deal
with God.
3. Hannah's song
A. Pattern - God shows strength through weakness, inclusion through
exclusion, wealth through poverty, etc. This is echoed in Mary's song,
and illustrated that God's salvific pattern of the OT was fulfilled in
Christ.
B. Person - Christ was poor in order to make us wealthy in terms of
righteousness, was defeated to have ultimate victory. God doesn't work
according to worldly standards and doesn't need our help in
accomplishes his salvation. Hannah prophesied King David, but Jesus
was the ultimate Messiah (2:10).
4. Practical applications
A. Our hope and rest must be in Christ alone, in cultural standards or a
desire for conformity. Only in Christ can we find peace as Hannah did.
B. We may never know why we suffer, but we know that God has an
ultimate purpose in all things - even if we don't know what that purpose
is.

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Mason
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA)
New York, NY

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

The first sermon was on Amos. But what I would rather relate is the second sermon (we broke for a meal at noon, then resumed worship at 1:45 after a meal). The second sermon was on the Lord's table and discerning the body of Christ. One of the things that was mentioned is that the exhortation/admonition of Paul in discerning the body was that we are to not focus on ourselves, but the body of Christ ... the church! The immediate application given was to those in the congregation around us, but it also applies to the whole of the body. We should be in prayer not just for ourselves in the service, but also for all others.

As some have read in the prayer thread, I have been greatly troubled over the visible church not honoring Christ appropriately. Discerning the body of Christ means I should be concerned over the spiritual well-being of the entire body of Christ (as well as my own). It is my prayer every day that God will be merciful to his church here in Leesburg, throughout Virginia, the United States, and to the ends of the earth.

The sermon for the Lord's table is not often the one I remember and am moved by the most. But this was excellent and very timely (we celebrated the sacrament immediately after the second sermon).

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Brian Withnell
Deacon, OPC
Leesburg, Virginia

You cannot train for war in the midst of a battle. Prepare before the battle starts; if the battle is long and hard, you will wish you had.

Today was my fifth, and last (for a while), sermon on parenting. Into was on Aleister Crowly and I tied his connection with Kaballah as an early gnostic heresy of Judaism along with the Christian upbringing that he enjoyed. But it wasn't long after his father died that he was "provoked to wrath" and grew to hate anything "Christian." After teaching on godly discipline for a bit I closed with David, Amnon, Tamar and Absolom and the whole mess that resulted from David's example as an adulterer, murderer, failure in upholding the law and fearer of men. The result was a son who raped a daughter, was considered above the law, was murdered by another son, who was then considered above the law as well and later organized a coup before being struck down by a loyal, if less than godly, general. David had undermined his country, his military command and his family during his lifetime, and it came back to haunt him. If a man after God's own heart could fail so mightily how much more must we be vigorous in our walks and pursuit of raising a generation with an eternal vision for the glory of God?

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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org

I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS

Our Sermon was on 1 Cor 7:28-31...

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

This morning, I preached on Mark 7:24-30, "Jesus gives bread to the children and the dogs."

This afternoon it was Lord's Day 23 of the Heidelberg Catechism: "God justifies the ungodly: a real-life courtroom drama." I always love preaching on justification!

This evening, Mark 13:24-27, "Be watchful for the Lord is coming as a judge with glory and power."

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Wes Bredenhof
Pastor, Providence Canadian Reformed Church
Hamilton, Ontario
www.bredenhof.ca
Gospel Talk Radio Program

Scripture Reading: Genesis 30:22-43; Romans 6
Sermon: Romans 6:1-6

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Rev. Andy Eppard
Associate Minister
First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Springfield, MO

Ruth 2:1-13, 20ff. The Grace of God, as seen in Ruth.

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soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

[Catechism: Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 35–36]

Morning Sermon: "A Tabernacle in the Wilderness" (Exodus 25:8–9)

Evening Sermon: "Is God One or Is He Three?" (Matt. 28:16–20, Westminster Larger Catechism, Q&A 9–10)

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Rev. Daniel R. Hyde
Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church, Carlsbad/Oceanside, California
Th.M. candidate, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

I preached on Isaiah 40:1-5 -- "Comfort from the Lord"

__________________
Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
My Blog: Gairney Bridge
My Facebook/My Avatar

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

James 5: 1-6, "Why our economy failed"

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

My loving husband didn't mention that this sermon -- discerning the "body" in our brothers and sisters around us during communion -- was particularly poignant because it was the first time our oldest son participated along with another dear young man.

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JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

1 Thes 1:1-6 Are we imatators?

__________________
Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25