An exposition of Psalm 5:8.
David directs his thoughts entirely to God in this Psalm, making it an excellent model of a powerful prayer. Upon a careful reading of the Psalm, four aspects of prayer are highlighted: Its character, object, certainty and benefit. This study considers the character of prayer by examining the nature of David’s request to the Lord as he walked a dark path. He did not ask the Lord to deliver him from the enemy, but rather that the Lord would direct him as he faced the enemy. Three lessons are gathered from David’s petition: (1) we need the Lord to give us light; (2) we need the Lord to make us right; (3) we need the Lord to manage our fight. These lessons may provide a suffering saint not only with the assurance that God is right in directing his path, but also with the knowledge that he too must be right when walking that path.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 4
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This fourth study is one of two parts which offers two reasons why the church is modeled after the family unit: (1) The family unit is the blueprint for all social institutions, especially the religious societies sanctioned by God; (2) The family unit is the backbone for social planning, as each organization (including the church) exists as an independent, intra-dependent and interdependent entity. Eldership within the early church cannot be rightly apprehended unless it be seen through the framework of eldership within a single house-hold.
A lecture on church discipline.
Upon instructing Timothy on how pastors and deacons are to conduct themselves as servants of Christ, the apostle Paul adds, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:14,15) Every disciple of Christ should know how to behave himself in the house of God. Maintaining good order in the church of the living God is called discipline.
This is the fifth study on the subject of church discipline. The term church is first used by Jesus Christ and recorded in Matthew 16 and 18. Its reference in 18:15-20 relates to the subject of church discipline. However, the larger context begins with 17:24 and runs through 18:35. Therein we discover six sections, each dealing with the issue of ‘offenses’. How these six sections are tied together is the focus of this fifth study. In particular, special attention is given to two of the six sections, dealing with the subject of the Christian’s impartiality towards his brethren.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
The following comparison is an overview of the exposition:
An exposition of Psalm 5:3b.
David directs his thoughts entirely to God in this Psalm, making it an excellent model of a powerful prayer. Upon a careful reading of the Psalm, four aspects of prayer are highlighted: Its character, object, certainty and benefit. This study examines the process through which David learned how to place his full confidence in the Lord: (1) Learning to live in day-tight compartments; (2) Making a personal commitment; (3) formulating a two-fold plan—first, reordering an undisciplined lifestyle; second, climbing to a higher altitude in order to gain perspective.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 3
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This third study seeks to trace the origin of the elders. If the Christian Church has not been modeled after the Jewish Synagogue, as we have contended, then from whence did eldership arise? In answer to this question, the First Mention Principle is used to ascertain preliminary conclusions based on the first references of eldership in the Old Testament. Certain liberties of application are exercised towards the end of the study in order to demonstrate the absurdity of argument often advanced by the Reformed Baptists.
A lecture on church discipline.
Upon instructing Timothy on how pastors and deacons are to conduct themselves as servants of Christ, the apostle Paul adds, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:14,15) Every disciple of Christ should know how to behave himself in the house of God. Maintaining good order in the church of the living God is called discipline.
This is the fourth study on the subject of church discipline. The term church is first used by Jesus Christ and recorded in Matthew 16 and 18. Its reference in 18:15-20 relates to the subject of church discipline. However, the larger context begins with 17:24 and runs through 18:35. Therein we discover six sections, each dealing with the issue of ‘offenses’. How these six sections are tied together is the focus of this fourth study. In particular, special attention is given to two of the six sections, dealing with the subject of the Christian’s sensitivity towards his brethren.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
The following comparison is an overview of the exposition:
An exposition of Psalm 5:1,2a.
David directs his thoughts entirely to God in this Psalm, making it an excellent model of a powerful prayer. Upon a careful reading of the Psalm, four aspects of prayer are highlighted: Its character, object, certainty and benefit. This study explores the Psalmist’s approach to God in prayer, appealing not for the Lord to deliver from trouble, but rather for Him to simply regard his plea for help. Special notice is given to three sets of triplets used by David in this appeal: (1) Give ear, consider, hearken; (2) My words, my meditation, the voice of my cry; (3) O LORD, my King, my God. The combination of these triplets provide a helpful guide in teaching the petitioner how his prayer may be heard by the Lord.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
A lecture on Elder Plurality: Part 2
The Reformed Baptist Movement has given rise to a new form of church leadership not practiced by Baptist churches prior to the 1950′s. The majority of modern books and articles almost invariably assert that each church should be overseen by a plurality of elders. While many churches have conformed to the new trend, others staunchly cling to their traditional practice of having a single pastor assisted by a group of deacons. It is unwise to follow a trend, or support a tradition, without knowing the Scriptural, historic and practical reasons undergirding the practice.
This second study seeks to identify the elders (1) in the New Testament, (2) in the Jewish Synagogue and (3) in the Old Testament. Based on the explication of the terms and the implications of their usage, preliminary conclusions are drawn and a final challenge prepared.
A lecture on church discipline.
Upon instructing Timothy on how pastors and deacons are to conduct themselves as servants of Christ, the apostle Paul adds, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:14,15) Every disciple of Christ should know how to behave himself in the house of God. Maintaining good order in the church of the living God is called discipline.
This is the third study on the subject of church discipline. The term church is first used by Jesus Christ and recorded in Matthew 16 and 18. It is never used again in the Gospel records. The next time we find the term is in Acts 2. It is interesting that Jesus first uses the term, and if traced out in the general context of the passage, we are given the essential truth related to the doctrine of the church. It does not surprise us, therefore, to discover the subject of church discipline explained by our Lord when first referencing the term ‘church’. Prior to examining our Lord’s guidelines on discipline, it is important to first highlight the broad truths related to Jesus Himself. The following overview of the text provides a glimpse of the material covered in this study.
The following structure is an overview of the exposition:
An exposition of Matthew 27:55-28:20.
There are three movements in the story of Matthew’s account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (1) The Historical Event; (2) The Desperate Conspirators; (3) The Devoted Disciples. If these three ‘movements’ were asked what they think of Christ’s resurrection, history would affirm it, the ungodly would deny it and the disciples would embrace it. Each of these responses are examined in this study, with a special emphasis on the devotion of a believer.