There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. In this morning’s sermon text from 1 Corinthians, Paul pulls no punches regarding the “unrighteous” who will not inherit the Kingdom. He very clearly names these unrighteous behaviors and lifestyles, even pointing out that some of these had…
Last week, all of the snow shoveling I had to do gave me ample time to catch up on some podcasts. I was listening to a discussion on worship, in which one of the guests was critiquing certain hymns and songs for excessive use of the first- person perspective. He argued that too many instances of words like “I” and…
This Sunday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, which is traditionally a time of prayer, fasting, and repentance leading up to Easter, observed by Christians since the days of the early church. Several elements of the service have been adjusted to fit the character of this season. We will begin each Sunday by singing What Wondrous Love Is This…
In 1 Corinthians 4:6, Paul gives the Corinthian Christians a warning “not to go beyond what is written.” As Pastor Brian preached last week, their foundation was laid on things other than the Word of God. By contrast, every element in this morning’s service drives us back to the Scriptures. Passages from Matthew 4, Psalm 19, Isaiah 40, and Psalm…
Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways, From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise… —Matthew Bridges Amid a long season of intense social, cultural, and political division, it isn’t uncommon to hear repeated calls to put differences aside for the sake of unity. I’ll confess that this sometimes strikes…
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth …” —John 14:16-17 This morning’s service will place particular emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit as our helper and teacher. Take a look through the bulletin, and notice how many times in our hymns we ask…
The Scripture passages which open this morning’s service set forth two important declarations: that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Psalm 111:10), and that this wisdom is greater than the wisdom of the world (1 John 4:4). This contrast between heavenly and worldly knowledge is at the heart of Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 1 and can…
The hymns we sing this morning come in pairs, each responding to a different aspect of Paul’s call for unity in the church in 1 Corinthians 1. We begin the service with a vision of the name of Jesus compelling “every heart and tongue” to “join the sacred song” (To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name), and close with a declaration that…
In the opening of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the idea of “calling”: he identifies himself as “called by the will of God” (vs. 1) and refers to his readers as those who are “called to be saints together” (vs. 2). This reminder of our identity in Christ, a powerful appeal for Christians to “remember who they…
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. —1 John 1:5 Light has been a consistent motive found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children re-enact the visit of the Magi while singing hymns,…