Christian Mercy and the Gospel (Acts 11:19-30)
Discover the true mission of the church. Explore how keeping Christ at the center fuels both the proclamation of the gospel and genuine acts of Christian mercy.
The Keys of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:13-20; LD 31)
The keys of the kingdom, entrusted to the church by Christ, are exercised through the preaching of the gospel and church discipline. The gospel calls sinners to repentance and nourishes the faith of believers, while church discipline aims to restore those in unrepentant sin. The church’s actions on earth have eternal consequences, binding or loosing in heaven.
Do Gentiles Really Receive the Messiah? (Acts 11:1-18)
When God disrupts our comfortable traditions, how do we respond? Explore Acts 11 and the profound moment when the early church learned that the gospel's reach extends to all people. They think this is radical, but it is the realization of the Lord’s ancient promise.
Christian Introspection (LD 30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
Approaching the Lord’s Table can often bring confusion between holy reverence and personal unworthiness. Discover how to engage in honest Christian self-examination without falling into morbid despair or self-righteous pride. Grounded in the finished work of Jesus Christ and the teachings of 1 Corinthians and the Heidelberg Catechism, learn how believers are invited to commune with confidence, repent of sin, and be nourished by God's grace.
Can Outsiders be Insiders? (Acts 10:34-48)
In this message on Acts 10, we explore how God shattered cultural barriers by bringing Gentiles into the covenant community. Discover what Peter’s vision teaches us about the universal call of the Gospel, the power of Christ's resurrection, and finding our true worth in Him alone.
Feasting as One People (LD 39; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17)
The sacraments are visible signs and seals of God’s gospel promises. Explore how Baptism and the Lord’s Supper assure believers of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, nourish the soul by the Holy Spirit, and call the covenant community to humble, united fellowship in Christ.
Peter's Shocking Revelation (Acts 10:1-33)
In Acts 10, Peter’s vision breaks down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Discover how God’s grace dismantles our cultural assumptions and invites all nations into unified table fellowship in Christ.
The New Covenant in My Blood (Luke 22:14-23; LD 28)
Is the Lord’s Supper merely a sentimental memorial? In this Heidelberg Catechism (LD 28) sermon on Luke 22:14–23, Pastor Paul Lindemulder explores how Christ spiritually nourishes our faith through the New Covenant in His blood, confirming His once-for-all sacrifice.
Peter’s Preparation (Acts 9:32-43)
The stories of Aeneas and Tabitha might seem like brief transitional narratives in the book of Acts, but Luke records them with divine purpose. Far from filler, these miracles testify to Peter’s authority as a restored apostle, establish his credibility as a messenger, and demonstrate that Christ continues to care for His church. Beyond the signs, Luke hints at the gospel breaking down clean/unclean barriers to reach all nations.
Hope in God! (Psalm 43; HC 26, 28)
Psalm 43 speaks to weary Christians facing suffering, injustice, and seasons when God seems distant. David calls us to hope in God, our salvation and our God. The psalm ultimately points us to Jesus Christ, the true light and truth, who gives his people unshakable hope and promises to be with us forever.
Presence in Peril (Genesis 39)
God is faithful and sovereign even when his purposes are hidden. Genesis 39 follows Joseph through blessing, temptation, injustice, and imprisonment, showing that God is with his people in every circumstance. Joseph's story ultimately points us to Jesus Christ, the better Joseph, who is with his people by his Spirit.
Christ and Christ Alone (Philippians 3:1-9; WLC 70)
Paul warns the Philippians not to place their confidence in their heritage, accomplishments, obedience, or religious credentials. Instead, he counts everything as loss compared with the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Our righteousness is not found in what we do, but in Christ and Christ alone.
Love - A Fitting Response (Luke 7:36-50)
Jesus teaches that those who understand the depth of their forgiveness will love him deeply. In Luke 7, a sinful woman responds to Christ with humble worship, while Simon the Pharisee fails to recognize his own need for grace.
Clean or Unclean Children? (1 Corinthians 7:14; LD 27)
Baptism does not ultimately point us to water or to ourselves. It points us to Christ and the promises of his covenant. In this message, we consider infant baptism, 1 Corinthians 7:14, the place of children in the covenant community, and the comfort and warning found in the sacrament.
Saul’s Mission (Acts 9:19-31)
How can the church trust someone who once sought to destroy it? In Acts 9:19–31, Saul goes from persecutor to preacher, hunter to hunted, and feared enemy to a brother eventually embraced by the church. His credibility, however, is not found in his personality, intelligence, or gifts, but in Christ who called him and the gospel he faithfully proclaims.
Washed in Christ(Titus 3:5; LD 26)
Baptism is more than a mere symbol, but it is not a magical act that automatically regenerates everyone who receives it. As the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us, baptism visibly communicates and confirms the promises of the gospel. Through the sign of water, we are pointed to the cleansing found in Christ’s blood and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism calls us to remember who we are in Christ. We have passed from death to life, have been set apart as his people, and are called to walk in the new life he has given us. We do not pursue holiness to prove ourselves worthy of Christ. We pursue holiness because Christ has redeemed us, made us his own, and continues to work in us by his Spirit.
God's Prisoner of War (Acts 9:1-19)
Saul traveled toward Damascus breathing threats and murder against the church, convinced that Jesus was a failed Messiah and determined to destroy his followers. But Christ had another plan. On the road to Damascus, the persecutor was captured by the risen Lord, confronted with the reality that in persecuting the church he was persecuting Christ himself. Acts 9 reveals the sovereign grace of God, the presence of Christ with his suffering people, and the remarkable transformation of an enemy of the gospel into a servant and messenger of Christ.
Finding our Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-26; LD 25
How does the gospel advance? It advances not only as people come to faith, but as the church grows together as the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that we have been joined together by one Spirit, called to serve rather than compete, and to find our worth not in our gifts or accomplishments but in Christ alone. Through the preaching of the gospel and the visible testimony of the sacraments, our eyes are continually directed back to our Redeemer as we grow in gratitude and are increasingly conformed to him.
The Gospel Advances: Embracing the Ordinary (Acts 8:26-40)
We are easily tempted to measure God's presence by visible success, large crowds, and obvious strategy. Yet in Acts 8, the Holy Spirit redirects Philip away from a thriving ministry in Samaria to an isolated desert road to meet a single seeker. This message shows how God uses unlikely places, ordinary preaching, and faithful obedience to accomplish His extraordinary redemptive purposes.
Pursuing God's Reward (2 Timothy 4:6-8; LD 24)
If salvation is by grace and our good works cannot earn our redemption, what motivates us to live faithfully for Christ? Scripture speaks about rewards and crowns, but these rewards are not wages earned through human merit. They are gifts of grace. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul shows us what this looks like: because Christ has redeemed us and God is preserving us, we are called to fight the good fight of faith, finish the race, and keep the faith.