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.
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.
What Benefit is This Knowledge? (LD 23; Romans 3:21-26)
Is doctrine really helpful for your daily walk with God, or is it just head knowledge? Many Christians struggle with a disconnect between what they believe and how they live. Exploring Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 23 reveals why justification by faith is far more than a theological idea—it is the very truth that diagnoses our deepest need and provides the assurance, freedom, and strength we could never earn on our own.
The Unhealthy and Unwealthy Gospel (3) (Acts 7:53-8:3)
When Stephen stands before the mob in Acts 7, his faithfulness is met not with earthly reward, but with opposition and martyrdom. In a world that constantly pressures believers to soften the truth, Stephen’s trial forces us to confront a vital question: Is Jesus truly essential, or is He optional when following Him becomes difficult?
Discover how Stephen's vision of the risen Christ standing at the right hand of God shifts our perspective—reminding us that earthly suffering does not mean abandonment, and that Jesus actively reigns even in the midst of our deepest trials.
God's Gracious Shepherding (Philippians 3:12-20; LD 22)
If God only shepherded us through our earthly journey, death would continue to threaten us—but Christ’s resurrection changes everything. Christ redeems the whole person, body and soul. Because He has secured our future and made us His own, we are empowered to press forward today not to earn God’s favor, but because His favor is already won.
The Unhealthy Unwealthy Gospel (2) (Acts 7:1-52)
When Stephen stood falsely accused before the ruling council in Acts 7, he didn't offer a traditional self-defense. Instead, he took his accusers on a journey through redemptive history—from Abraham in Mesopotamia to Moses in the wilderness. Stephen showed that God’s presence cannot be trapped within a physical building or geographical border, and that human nature consistently resists God's true deliverers. Discover how Stephen's final message points directly to Jesus as the greater Moses and calls us to a humble, tender-hearted faith.
God's Protected Community (Romans 8:15, 28–39; LD 21)
In Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 21 and Romans 8, we confess that Jesus Christ is actively gathering, preserving, and defending His church through His Word and Spirit. Christianity is not merely an individual relationship with God but participation in Christ's covenant community. We are the communion of saints.
This sermon explores the biblical meaning of the holy catholic church, the unity believers share in Christ, and the comfort of knowing that nothing can separate God's people from His love. Even in suffering, God continues His work of conforming His children to Christ until the day of glorification. Because Christ gathers His people, unites them as one body, and faithfully guards His church, believers are called to encourage and serve one another with confidence in His unfailing promises.
Guarded by Our Shield and Defender (1 Peter 1:1-9; LD 20)
Peter writes to Christians living as exiles in a hostile world, reminding them that exile does not mean abandonment. The Father has chosen His people, the Son has redeemed them, and the Holy Spirit is sanctifying and preserving them. Though believers endure trials, the Triune God faithfully guards both His people and their eternal inheritance until they safely arrive home. Learn how our Lord’s “double guarding” guarantees our eternal inheritance.
Realizing Christ’s Promised Reign (LD 19; Psalm 110)
What difference does Christ's ascension make for believers today? Psalm 110 answers by revealing that Jesus' ascension was His enthronement, not His departure. Seated at the Father's right hand, Christ reigns as our victorious King, continually intercedes as our eternal High Priest, and will one day return as the righteous Judge. Though the church continues to face opposition and suffering, Christ rules in the midst of His enemies, preserving His people and advancing His kingdom according to His perfect wisdom. Because His sacrifice is complete and His priesthood is everlasting, believers can rest in the assurance that He continually represents them before the Father. The same Lord who now reigns invisibly will one day return in glory, bringing the Day of the Lord to its fulfillment, judging evil, renewing creation, and welcoming His people into their eternal rest. Until that day, Christ strengthens His church by His Spirit, sustaining His people as they persevere in faith and drink deeply from the river of life.
Can Piety Oppose the Gospel? (Acts 5:12-42)
Be careful of the pious ones." My dad's warning never made sense to me — until I noticed who Christ saved his sharpest words for. In Acts 5, the apostles walk out of a locked prison, a jealous council can't stop a movement it can't even contain, and we're left asking: how do we know if we're pursuing the real thing, or just performing it?
Better to Have an Ascended Priest? (LD 18; Hebrews 9:24)
Why is it better to have a priest we cannot see than one we could visit in person? The author of Hebrews answers a real struggle: we want a tangible religion, a priest behind a door we can knock on. But Christ's ascension means something far superior. It is superior because he is a priest who never grows weary, never dies, and is not confined to a single hour or place. Because his human nature is bodily seated in heaven, our own glorification is secured; because his divine nature fills heaven and earth, he is never distant from us, interceding even when we don't know what to pray. Christ is not absent — he is the pioneer already leading us to the reality that the old covenant could only picture.
Is God Greedy? (Acts 4:32-5:11)
Acts 4:32–5:11 isn't really a text about whether Christians may own private property. We can see that Scripture defends both generosity and ownership. The real issue is where we locate our significance. The early Jerusalem church, having just prayed for boldness, gave freely and quietly to meet real needs among them, submitting their resources to the apostles as an act of worship rather than self-promotion. Ananias and Sapphira, by contrast, staged a performance of sacrifice. They wanted the community to think they gave everything and gave generously. However, they actively conspired to keep back part of the offering for themselves. Their sin wasn't withholding money but lying to the Holy Spirit in pursuit of the community’s praise. The severity of their judgment is a sober warning against using the church's generosity as a platform for our own significance, and a call instead to imitate Christ, who emptied himself of all significance so that we, having nothing to prove, might freely bear one another's burdens.
Christ’s Necessary Glory (Romans 4:23-25; LD 17)
Why must Christ be raised from the dead? Romans 4:25 teaches that Christ was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. His resurrection vindicates His finished work, secures our standing before God, guarantees our future glorification, and assures believers that salvation rests not on the strength of our faith but on the objective, historical work of God in raising Jesus from the dead
Why Gospel Preaching?
When Peter and John were commanded to stop preaching Christ, the early church did not pray for safety or comfort. No, they prayed for boldness. Acts 4 reminds us that God's sovereign purposes cannot be frustrated by human opposition and that the church's calling remains unchanged: to proclaim the Gospel faithfully. In a culture filled with distraction, division, and pressure to dilute biblical truth, believers are called to stand firm, trusting the One who rules over all things and empowers His people to live and speak for His glory.
“Why Such Suffering?” (2) (Hebrews 2:9-18 (LD 16)
In times of suffering, many believers ask, "Where is God?" Hebrews 2:9-18 provides a powerful answer by pointing us to Jesus Christ, our merciful High Priest and Pioneer. Lord's Day 16 reminds us that Christ's death was not optional but necessary to satisfy God's justice and secure our salvation. By becoming lower than the angels, suffering in our place, and triumphing through His resurrection, Christ entered our broken world to deliver us from slavery to sin, fear, and death. Because He endured temptation and suffering, He is able to help His people in every trial. This sermon explores how Christ's humiliation leads to His exaltation, how His death secures our redemption, and why believers can find comfort and hope in the midst of suffering. Through Christ, God does not abandon His people to chaos but leads them into everlasting communion with Himself.
Why Preach Christ? (Acts 4:1-22)
Peter and John, ordinary fishermen with no formal rabbinic training, stand before the most powerful religious leaders in Jerusalem and boldly proclaim the risen Christ. Acts 4 reminds us that God delights in using weak and unlikely people to accomplish his purposes. The leaders who thought they had silenced Jesus now face the undeniable evidence of his resurrection power. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter declares that salvation is found in Christ alone, the rejected stone who has become the cornerstone.