Show Some Faith

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 16th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I read the first 20 verses from the 15th chapter of the Apostle Matthew’s Gospel account, where Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for putting their traditions and man-made commandments ahead of God.  In that passage, He also left us with some things to think about, especially as regards how we should live as Christians.

This morning I’m going to pick up from where I left off, as Jesus gives us a little lesson on faith.  Please listen and follow along as I continue in chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, with verses 21 through 28, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

23 But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

--Matthew 15:21-28 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You have given us this wonderful gift of faith, but it is up to us to choose how to use it.  We can exercise it and keep it strong, or we can let the trials of our times fill us with doubts and questions, eroding our faith.  Father, please help us to stay strong and vigilant in our faith.  Help us to place all our trust in You, rather than in our own knowledge or abilities.  Help us to show and share our faith with others.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how important our faith is to us, how a strong faith can lift our spirits even during the most trying times and the darkest of days.  Help us keep our faith ever strong through the storms of this life.  And please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Let me quote a few people much more famous than I on matters of faith:

From St. Augustine:  "God does not expect us to submit our faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity."

New Testament scholar J. G. Machen said, "The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust Him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more childlike will be our faith."

One of the "founders" of the Reformed Church, John Calvin, shared this comforting thought:  "Faith is not a distant view but a warm embrace of Christ."

Thomas Carlyle wrote, "A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things."

And finally, evangelist George Muller adds, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends."


“Faith begins where man's power ends."  Mankind has come a long way in the last 2000 years in what we can do.  We’ve extended life with medical wonders.  Our scientific investigation of God’s creation has provided much benefit to all of humanity, and much grief as well.  We’ve walked on the moon, and destroyed whole cities.

Yet with all we can do now, we do not even come close to the power God can wield.  In fact, with all our advancements, there is still so little man can do.  And that is why we need God, that is why we constantly seek His help, that is why we must keep our faith vital and strong.


At the end of chapter 14 and into the first half of chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus is in Gennesaret, a town not far from Capernaum on the coast of the Sea of Galilee.  But then in verse 21, the start of our scripture reading this morning, we see that Jesus has gone from there to the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon.

Two things are notable here.  The first is that this was not a short trip.  This region is along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, about 50 miles east of Galilee.  And remember that Jesus and His followers traveled mostly on foot.

But the point more pertinent to today’s message is that the area is in Syria, a Roman province in that day.  Both Tyre and Sidon were prosperous port cities and both were filled with pagan temples and shrines.  This was Gentile country, and the woman Matthew referred to as being “of Canaan” would have been a Gentile.  Which is why Jesus responded to her somewhat coldly, saying that He was sent only to save the lost sheep of Israel.

But this woman was not your usual pagan worshiper.  She cried out earnestly to Jesus, acknowledging Him as being from the house of David, from which the Jews knew the Messiah would come.  Matthew points out that she worshiped Jesus and called Him “Lord”, each time she spoke to Him, pleading with Him for mercy.  It was not for herself that she sought help, but for her daughter, who was severely demon-possessed.

Jesus seems to be testing the woman, prodding her.  His second response to her persistent pleas seems equally cold: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  In this, Jesus is saying that His mission is to offer salvation and help to the children of Israel.  To do this for a pagan, who did not believe in the one true God, would be like taking the bread out of the children’s mouths and throwing it to the dogs.

But the woman shows that she knows who she is asking help of, that she recognizes and understands that Jesus is sent from God.  She responds that the bread need not be taken from the children, for the dogs will lick up the merest crumbs that fall from their master’s table.

Still she persisted, even though she had just effectively been called a dog.  Someone filled with pride would not have stood for such an insult, yet this humble woman simply stated that Jesus need not take anything away from the Jews.  She knew that she was not deserving of the blessing promised to Israel in scripture.  She is only asking for any overflow of His mercy and blessings on them that she might receive for her daughter.

Jesus saw how great her faith truly was, and granted her request, healing her daughter.


Matthew recorded another incident I’d like to mention, of Jesus healing someone based on faith.  Jesus had just healed the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and raised a ruler’s daughter back to life.  Then He is approached by two blind men.

Listen to how Matthew described this in chapter 9 of his Gospel account, verse 27 through the first part of verse 30…

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened.

--Matthew 9:27-30a (NKJV)

What is different here?  Rather than saying something like, “Your faith has made you whole” or “by your faith you are healed”, like He often did, Jesus told these men that they would be healed according to their faith.  The amount and effectiveness of their healing would be measured by the strength of their faith!  No faith – no healing; great faith – great healing.  Obviously both had great faith, for both were healed and their eyes opened.


All this points to our need to show some faith.  We don’t want to let all the troubles and worries of this time lessen our trust in our heavenly Father.  God has given us the faith to believe that Jesus is His Son and our Lord.  And He rewards our holding on to that faith with adoption into His family and life eternal in paradise.  In his 31st Psalm, verses 23 and 24, King David tells us…

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

--Psalm 31:23-24 (NKJV)

God preserves the faithful – He keeps us as His own.  And He fully repays the proud, doling out justice to those who would bring harm to the faithful.

So we should be of good courage and not fret and worry so much, for God will strengthen our hearts.  Let us put all our hope and trust in the Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Master, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our gift of faith.  Through this we may believe in Your Son Jesus and obey His voice, and be granted eternal life in heaven.  Thank You for loving us this much.  Help us, please Father, to exercise our faith and keep it strong.  Help us to trust in Your word and Your promises.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let them overwhelm us and fill us with doubts.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, so many times during Your ministry on earth, You granted healing to people because of their great faith.  And that healing was based on their faith, the measure of their faith.  Forgive us, Jesus, for those times when our faith is weak.  We seem under constant assault these days from Satan and his forces.  Help us, please, to be remain strong in our faith.  Give us Your strength and help us through these times of uncertainty.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Watch Your Mouth!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 9th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Washington Irving once noted that, "A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use."  James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that, "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

Our words can indeed be powerful tools.  Once given voice, they can linger for days, weeks, years.  Once spoken, they can never be unsaid.  So we should be careful what we say, and how we say it.

Jesus had a little chat one day with some Pharisees, His disciples, and some folks who listened in.  He cautioned about the words people speak, and the things people do, and the impact they can have.  Listen and follow along to this discussion as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 15th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20, and I’ll be reading this from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

--Matthew 15:1-20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You gave us the ability to communicate with one another, and the emotions that we might feel what others feel.  Too often, Lord, we communicate without feeling.  Too often, especially when we are hurting, we strike out fully intending to hurt others.  Father, please help us to stop and think before speaking.  Help us to understand the impact our words may have on others.  Help us to temper our emotions with love.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how much an impact our words can have, and how to use them to lift people up rather than put anyone down.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  And Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


There once was a minister who took his little child to a circus.  The clowns there were particularly good and the last one of them was a little fellow wearing a very wonderful high hat.  While he was bowing elaborately to a dignified woman, his hat fell off and an elephant sat on it before he could retrieve it.

The clown gestured wildly at the elephant, but the beast sat still.  He waved and shouted again and again, but the elephant never budged.  Angrily the clown stepped behind the elephant and kicked with all his strength… and hopped away with a sore foot in his hands but no hat.

Then, frantic with anger, the little clown turned back to the elephant and tried to lift him off the hat.  Defeated and in complete despair, the clown sat down and started to eat peanuts.  The elephant, quite interested in peanuts, got up, ambled over, and begged for one!

This was a powerful illustration for that minister.  He realized that he'd just witnessed a spiritual object lesson: You can't accomplish anything for God by crabbing and kicking at the world (or your spouse, child, neighbor or co-worker!).  Try motivating with kindness rather than anger.


There’s an old saying that goes well with that little tale.  You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  We need to invest more in sugar and honey so we can sweeten our actions and our words.  We will attain far better results in our endeavors by being polite and respectful than by being bitter and hateful in our dealings with others.


When I was a boy, too often I'd let my mouth run wild before engaging my brain and my mother would say, "You'd better watch your mouth, young man!"  And that is exactly what popped into my head when the title for this message came to me.  “Watch your mouth!”  Trouble is, I’d already said something bad, something hurtful, and I could only apologize - I couldn’t take it back.

But this message from our Bible is about more than watching what we say, or what we do, for that matter.  It’s also about why we say and do those things, where the impetus comes from.  The source of all we do is our heart, and that’s what sometimes needs to be fixed.


The Pharisees were complaining to Jesus about the habits of His followers, not observing Jewish religious rituals and ceremony.  Jesus shot back that their ritualistic traditions were pulling them away from God!  He quoted Isaiah that the people were merely giving lip service to God and not really honoring Him.  What was in their hearts was not God, but only concern for their man-made doctrines and commandments.

They complained that the disciples did not follow the hand-washing ritual (which did not really clean hands).  Jesus responded that it isn’t what goes into a person through their mouth that makes them a sinner in God’s eyes, whether their hands are “clean” or not.  It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes the person filthy.

And what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart, the epicenter of our emotions.  From our hearts, our emotions, come lusts, evil thoughts, contemplations of murder and mayhem, lies.  From our hearts come the actions and words that define us, that show who we truly are.


The Apostle Paul, having received special insight from Jesus, gives us the same warning – to watch what we do and say.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul describes how Christians should live.  In chapter 4, verses 1 through 3 and 25 through 32 of his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes…

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

--Ephesians 4:1-3; 25-32 (NLT)

Now as we read this, we’re probably all thinking, “I’m not a liar, I’m not a thief.”  But don’t we sometimes stretch the truth a little, especially if the harsh truth might hurt someone we love?  Or maybe we don’t speak out when we should, which is really a lie of omission.  And how often have we stolen from God when we spend time on other pursuits rather than giving it to Him?

Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of our calling as children of God, worthy of being followers of Christ Jesus.  We should be humble and gentle, patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults.  Get rid of all anger and bitterness and hatred and rage.

If we follow Paul’s instructions, we won’t have to worry about what may come out of our mouth.  Our love for one another, when true, will drive nothing but good words and actions from our hearts out of our mouths and through our hands.


Love one another.  Care about one another.  Try to feel what the other person is feeling, to understand what they are going through.

The words we choose to say can make a huge difference in how the listener will react.  Our words and our actions can make a huge difference in another person’s life.  Let’s do all we can to make that a very, very positive difference.  Let’s watch our mouth.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the words of encouragement and instruction You left for us in our Bibles.  Thank You for breathing Your inspiration and insight into them, that they might edify us and give us pause to reflect upon how we are living.  Help us, please Father, to better feel what those we interact with may be feeling.  Help us to stop and think about the impact our words might have before we give them voice.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  When we truly love someone, we want to lift them up, to help them out, to encourage them.  But too often, Father, our words do more damage than good.  Too often we let bitterness spill out of our hearts, filling our words, which pour out of our mouths like a raging torrent.  Forgive us, Jesus, for our weaknesses.  Help us, please, to be a positive influence in the life of another.  Give us the wisdom and mercy to make an impact for good, rather than for harm.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

It's Time to Confess

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 2nd of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

In my opinion, it would be difficult to find anyone who proclaimed that Jesus is Lord and the Son of God any more than did the Apostle Paul.  Nor can I easily think of anyone who suffered more for his service to the Gospel.  Last week I mentioned just some of the ordeals, trials, beatings, and hardships he endured.  But no matter what happened to him, Paul never failed to confess that Jesus is Lord.  He loudly proclaimed the Gospel everywhere he went and to everyone he encountered.

Such was certainly the case when it came to the church in Rome.  It is unlikely that Paul actually founded the church in Rome, but he had every intention of going there and visiting the brethren of that widely known church.  And he did indeed finally make it to Rome, but only as a prisoner.

While in Corinth, Paul wrote a letter to those Romans, partly as a form of introduction ahead of his planned visit, and in which he explained justification by faith.  Listen and follow along to what Paul wrote about confession in the 10th chapter of his letter to the Romans, verses 1 through 13, and I’ll be reading this from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
    it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

--Romans 10:1-13 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son to Your chosen people of Israel, to offer them salvation first.  And Jesus sent Paul first to the Jews, to tell them the Good News and try to get them to believe.  But so many refused to accept Jesus as Your Son, the Messiah.  Many of the Gentiles did believe, though, and we are blessed to be counted among them.  Father, please help us to always proclaim Jesus as Lord, just like Paul did.  Help us to be fearless in our confession of faith.  Grant us Your strength and the courage to let the world know just what Your Son means to us.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how to let others know about our Lord Jesus.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Four preachers met for a friendly meal.  During conversation one preacher said, "Our people come to us and pour out their hearts, confessing certain sins and needs to us.  Let's do the same.  Confession is good for the soul."  In due time all agreed.  One confessed he liked to go to movies and would sneak off when away from his church.  The second confessed to a fondness for smoking cigars and the third one confessed that he liked to play cards.   When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn't open up.  The others pressed, him saying, "Come now, we confessed ours.  What is your secret or vice?"  Finally he answered, "My vice is gossiping, and I can hardly wait to get out of here."


Confession is good for the soul.  I bet you’ve all heard that somewhere along the line.  It usually implies admitting to a sin or some other wrongful act.  And indeed, that’s part of the dictionary definition for the verb “confess”.  But another part is simply to admit something as true, to own up to the truth.  When we confess to doing something wrong, we admit to the truth of our deed.

That word “confession” often brings two images to mind.  One is the repentant person in the confession booth of a Catholic church seeking absolution of their sin from the priest.  And the other is the person arrested for a crime, finally admitting to their guilt, with the detective saying, “OK, it’s time to ‘fess up”.  Our little story had elements of both.  But there is another act of confession I’d like to look at this morning that also deals with admitting the truth.


God knows everything we’ve ever done and will ever do, so our confession of wrongdoing is not for His benefit, but for ours, so that we will realize and acknowledge that we’ve done something He does not approve of.  This type of confession does not of itself save our eternal soul, but it does show that we believe in God and are trying to be better in His eyes.  Which leads to the confession I’m talking about.

Paul explains it quite clearly, I think, in verses 9, 10, and 13 of our scripture reading:  “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  By admitting the truth, by openly confessing that Jesus is Lord, we are assured of our salvation.


One synonym for “to confess” is “to profess”.  You may have heard our Apostles’ Creed referred to as our profession of faith.  When we profess our faith, we openly declare it, affirm it, acknowledge it for anyone to hear.  This is the confession Paul writes of, and not only to the Romans, but also to his young protégé.  In his 1st letter to Timothy, chapter 6, verses 11 through 14, Paul writes…

1 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing...

--1 Timothy 6:11-14 (NKJV)

So you see, even Jesus confessed the Gospel.  He would not answer any of Pilate’s questions or accusations, but He did admit to the truth, the truth of who He was and why He was here.  Paul said that Jesus witnessed the good confession.  When we confess that Jesus is Lord, believing it in our hearts and professing it for others to hear, we are witnessing to Jesus and what He means in our lives.


Paul said that our heartfelt confession of Jesus assures our salvation.  Jesus confirms this and takes it a bit further.  In chapter 10 of his Gospel account, verses 32 and 33, the Apostle Matthew records Jesus saying...

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

--Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

When we admit the truth of Jesus to our fellow man, affirm and profess our belief in Him as the Son of God and our Lord, He will put in a good word for us to God.  But if we deny Jesus in front of others, He will disavow us to God.

Sadly, too many people fall in that second category, denying Jesus in their actions and words, refusing to accept Him in their hearts and in their spoken words.  And this is why we need to openly confess our belief, so that they might somehow listen and give the Holy Spirit an opening to show them the truth.


Remember that Paul said we must truly believe in our hearts that which we confess about Jesus.  It isn’t enough just to give lip service.  We must truly believe what we are confessing.  And we must hold tight to that belief, that confession, no matter what we may be facing.  After all, Jesus knows what we are going through.  He endured much of the same, and so much more, during His time on earth as one of us.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews put it like this, in chapter 4, verses 14 through 16...

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

--Hebrews 4:14-16 (NKJV)

Jesus is our great High Priest who suffered on our behalf, who can sympathize with our weaknesses because He shared them for a span.  So let us openly declare our belief in Jesus as our Lord, the Son of the one true God.  Let us boldly profess our love for Him and our constant need of His love and mercy.  Let us hold fast to that confession, even as we call upon the name of our Lord.  For by this we are saved, and by God’s grace, others may be saved also, just by seeing the strength of our conviction.  Now, perhaps more than ever before, it’s time to confess.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to us as one of us, so that He could better sympathize with our own human frailties and weaknesses.  Thank You for allowing us to believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord.  Thank You for the faith You give us.  Help us, please Father, to not only hold fast to our faith, but to also profess before others, with the prayer that they too may be led to believe.  Help us be strong and courageous in our confession and our witness to Jesus as Christ.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  One way we show our love is in helping others to find their way to You, in making disciples.  And one way we can make disciples is by confessing You as our Lord.  Our public profession can make a huge difference in the eternal life of another.  Help us, please Lord, to boldly proclaim that You are the Son of God, and to let others know that You are our Master and our Savior.  Give us courage and strength in our confession no matter our circumstance.  And Lord Jesus, please stop the conflicts in our society.  Heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

In All Things

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 26th of July, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

We’re going through a lot of hardship these days, aren’t we.  Well, before we think we have it too tough, let’s remember the Apostle Paul, and all that he endured.  In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, he noted that he had been whipped by the Jews five times, receiving 39 lashes each time.  He was beaten with rods three times and stoned once.  Three times he was shipwrecked and spent a day and a night in the deeps.  He adds, "in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness...", besides the other things that came upon him daily.

But through it all, Paul never lost his faith in the Lord, never wavered in his trust of God.  Like the psalmist, Paul knew where his help and strength came from.

Listen and follow along to what Paul wrote to his beloved church in Philippi, the good folk who provided him with financial support while he was in prison.  This is from the 4th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, verses 4 through 13, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things. 9 Do those things which you have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me. Regarding this, you did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 I do not speak because I have need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. 12 I know both how to face humble circumstances and how to have abundance. Everywhere and in all things I have learned the secret, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things because of Christ who strengthens me.

--Philippians 4:4-13 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, we rejoice in You, in knowing You and in knowing Your love.  Sometimes though, Father, this life just throws so much at us that we become overwhelmed by it all.  Father, please help us see Your hand at work in our lives no matter what our situation.  Help us know contentment with what You provide, not being covetous of what others may have.  Grant us You peace, oh God.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day, that it strengthen and steel us for the days ahead.  Help us take guidance and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Here's a little poem about how the stresses and pressures of life can affect us.  Sadly, the author's name has been lost through time.

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
Pressed so intensely, it seems beyond strength;
Pressed in the body, and pressed in the soul;
Pressed in the mind, till the dark surges roll.
Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends,
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod.
Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
Pressed into faith for impossible things.
Pressed into tasting the joy of the Lord;
Pressed into loving a Christlife outpoured.

As near as I can tell, we’re all feeling pressure these days.  The pressure caused by the pandemic and all the rules and regulations put in place because of it.  The pressure from social unrest across the land and in our own community.  Even the pressure of not being able to enjoy watching TV anymore.

Well, our unknown poet tells us that we can put that pressure to better use.  We can let all that’s going on press us closer to our Lord, and into being more like Him, more Christ-like in our daily walk.  We are going to continue to be under pressure, but we can turn that into a closer relationship with God, our only true Helper.


When Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he was under house arrest, which meant he still had to pay for his home there.  The church in Philippi loved Paul so much that they helped him financially, helped him pay his rent, helped him pay for his food and supplies.  And Paul thanked them often for seeing to his needs.

To assure the good brothers and sisters there, he told them he was doing well through all his trials.  He let them know he was content with what he had, that he had known good times and bad, feast and famine, thick and thin.  And through it all, no matter what the world threw at him, he could rejoice.

In joy and in sorrow, he could always find something to be thankful for, just like receiving help from the Philippians even though their own resources were limited and humble.  He could rejoice because he knew a secret: he could endure anything because his strength came from the Lord.


Paul also shared this message of being thankful and rejoicing in all situations with the Thessalonians.  Listen to what he wrote to them in his 1st letter, chapter 5, verses 16 through 22…

16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good. 22 Abstain from all appearances of evil.

--1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (MEV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.  We don’t have to thank God for the bad stuff, nor do nothing but pray.  But we need to look for the good, even in the worst of situations, and thank God by praying to Him.  This is what He wants of us, this is His will for us.


Now Paul was originally a Pharisee, well versed in the Jewish scripture.  Perhaps he had a song of King David in mind when he penned these letters I’ve read from.  When the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the tent prepared for it, the faithful celebrated and King David composed a psalm and handed it to Asaph and his brothers, a psalm that held these words, from 1st Chronicles chapter 16, verses 8 and 34...

8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples.

34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His mercy endures forever.

--1 Chronicles 16:8, 34 (MEV)

God is good… all the time.  He sees to our needs, He helps us through the worst of circumstances, He still works miracles both great and small.  And His love and His mercy endure forever.  Give Him thanks, and let others know just how great He truly is, how much He means to us.


We are assailed from all sides by disease, unrest, disorder, division.  Many people are afraid to leave their homes.  It seems like some are just looking for a reason to find fault, to argue, to start a fight.  Misinformation abounds.  Confusion turns to concern, concern turns to doubt, questions arise, and sometimes angers flare.

When will this all be over?  When will things return to normal?  How are we going to get through this mess?  Where is God in all this?!?


In all things, give thanks.  In all things, take strength from the Lord.  In all things, be not anxious, but be encouraged.  For we can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us.  In the blessed name of Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for providing for our needs and then giving even more so that we can take some measure of enjoyment from this life.  Thank You for being with us through all the turmoil.  Help us, please Father, to be always mindful of just how good You are, even as we walk under the shadow of death.  Help us be ever thankful for all Your blessings.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You strengthen us.  Through all the hardships of this life on earth, we can take our strength from You.  No matter what we face, You will help us through it.  Thank You, Christ Jesus!  But Lord, we so desperately need Your help and strength right now.  We feel so overwhelmed, so helpless, sometimes even hopeless.  Help us, please, to stay strong.  Reassure us that even this will pass.  Help us remember that You strengthen us and God’s Holy Spirit empowers us.  And Lord Jesus, please stop the conflicts in our society.  Heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  And please, Lord, be ever with us as we walk through these troubling times.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through it all, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Our House

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 19th of July, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  We were not able to stream the service this morning, but our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

It doesn’t take much searching through our Bible to see the “house of the Lord” discussed.  I mentioned a couple such instances earlier, where King David sang of the house of the Lord in psalms.  But these passages are not referring to a physical structure.  They’re not talking about an actual house or building.  The biblical references to the house of the Lord are to a spiritual construct.  It’s something we humans can more easily understand as a concept, even without divinely inspired insight.

Let me read to you one prophet’s take on the house of the Lord, one man who was indeed inspired by and spoke for God.  Please listen and follow along to God’s word as spoken and recorded by the prophet Micah, from the 4th chapter of the book bearing his name, verses 1 through 5, and I’ll be reading this from the New American Standard Bible…

1 And it will come about in the last days
That the mountain of the house of the Lord
Will be established as the chief of the mountains.
It will be raised above the hills,
And the peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will come and say,
“Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord
And to the house of the God of Jacob,
That He may teach us about His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For from Zion will go forth the law,
Even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 And He will judge between many peoples
And render decisions for mighty, distant nations.
Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
And never again will they train for war.
4 Each of them will sit under his vine
And under his fig tree,
With no one to make them afraid,
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 Though all the peoples walk
Each in the name of his god,
As for us, we will walk
In the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. 

--Micah 4:1-5 (NASB)

Let us pray…  Father God, we long for those days of peace Your prophet Micah describes.  A time when war is forgotten and people can be at ease, not afraid of harm from other men or even disease.  We who accept Your Son as our Lord know that this will only come to pass when we enter Your house in heaven.  Father, please help us get to that point.  Help us get through this life with our faith and belief intact when Your Son returns.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and what is going on in the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through the trying days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day, that it may stay with us through the days ahead.  Help us take guidance and strength from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


From a national survey of strong families, conducted by the Human Development and Family Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1983, comes this profile of a strong family:

Appreciation:  "Family members gave one another compliments and sincere demonstrations of approval.  They tried to make the others feel appreciated and good about themselves."

Ability to Deal with Crises in a Positive Manner:  "They were willing to take a bad situation, see something positive in it and focus on that."

Time Together:  "In all areas of their lives - meals, work, recreation - they structured their schedules to spend time together."

High Degree of Commitment:  "Families promoted each person's happiness and welfare, invested time and energy in each other and made family their number one priority."

Good Communication Patterns:  "These families spent time talking with each other. They also listened well, which shows respect."

High Degree of Religious Orientation:  "Not all belonged to an organized church, but they considered themselves highly religious."

These are attributes that make for strong family cohesion.  Sometimes a family unit can be a highly caustic, even explosive environment.  Especially, it seems, if it includes a teenager.

But how much better would it be if all families put these traits into practice?  How much stronger and close-knit could we be if we worked hard to make each other feel appreciated, feel good about ourselves?  If we were willing to see something good and positive in even the worst situation?  If we spent more time together in all aspects of our lives, even if we had to schedule that time in?  If we invested time and energy in each other’s happiness and spiritual well-being?  If we just really listened to each other?

We – Pilgrim Church – we are a strong family.  But how much stronger could we be?


God chooses to speak through certain people that we call prophets, both major and minor.  Through Micah, God tells us of the time when His peace shall reign.  Now understand that this only comes after Jesus returns and sets the world aright.  In the last days, Micah says, God will finally be exalted and people will come to Him, will obey Him, and He will judge everyone, great and small.  We're not there yet, but we are getting closer.

We're not there yet as a people.  Rather than turning our swords into plowshares, we're sharpening them.  Rather than never again training for war, we're preparing for battle, abroad and even at home, including within this, our house - the house of our family of God.  We believers must continue to walk this life in the name of the Lord our God, no matter what comes next.


Jesus gives us signs of what to expect as the time of His return nears.  He warns of brother rising up against brother, of families being torn apart.  Listen to the words of our Savior as recorded by the Apostle Mark in chapter 13 of his Gospel account, verses 7 and 8 and 12 and 13…

7 "But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

12 "Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

--Mark 13:7-8; 12-13 (NKJV)

Tell me…  Have any on you seen evidence of this type of behavior lately?  “Nation rising against nation”…  In our Bible, when we see the word “nation”, it generally refers to people, not countries like we know of them today.  The next part, “kingdom against kingdom”, is more of what we are used to, with countries at war with one another.  And we’re seeing both, right now.

In our country, at this very time, we see people rising up against one another over issues of social injustice, or how to protect ourselves from the spread of disease.  Brothers are fighting with brothers, sisters with sisters, children with their parents.   The Middle East is rife with conflict, China is making veiled threats against Taiwan, North Korea threatens everyone.

Earthquakes, famines, troubles…  we’re seeing all kinds of natural disasters as well as the man-made variety.  It doesn’t get much more troubling than the coronavirus and how it has impacted the entire world.  And we believers are being hated, more and more, just because of our profession of faith.

The church, the body of Christ, is seeing persecution from more sources now, including the government.  Yes, I truly believe we’re getting closer to the time Micah tells us about.


Jesus also warns that a house divided against itself cannot stand.  Again turning to Mark’s Gospel account, back to chapter 3 and verses 24 and 25, Jesus says…

24 "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand."

--Mark 3:24-25 (NKJV)

The Pharisees accused Jesus of being able to drive evil spirits out of people by the authority of Satan, but Jesus reasoned that Satan would not allow for his own servants to be vanquished, otherwise his “kingdom”, his “house”, would fall.  And what He said goes for any organized body, including the family.  A family that fights against itself cannot stay intact.

The church is the body of Jesus, the family of God.  The church of Jesus our Christ will stand, will survive.  But individual church families may not, if divisions within them cannot be healed.


Everything seems to be working against us right now.  We have this terrible disease sweeping the globe, and somewhat arbitrary reactions to it.  The economy is suffering, people are out of work, those still working are having to do everything differently.  Arguments arise over whether to wear masks or not, whether to start up all businesses or wait a while longer, whether to have students return to the classroom or continue trying to learn from home.

And through it all, we’ve forgotten how to treat each other.  We’ve forgotten to love - first and foremost, above all else, to love one another.  And all this unrest and distrust and frustration and outright hatred has bored down even to the family level, even into the church family.


Brothers and sisters, this isn’t the Lord’s house.  This is our house!  We are the Lord’s people.  This is the place we come together to worship our Lord.  This is where we gather before going out into the community to do the Lord’s work.

This is our house and we are our Lord’s people.  Let’s distance ourselves from the world, put our personal feelings aside and renew our love for one another.  Let’s patch up the divisions and reunite this family to the service of Jesus and the worship of God.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for speaking to us through Your prophets, giving us insight into what we can expect in the future.  Thank You for the promise of hope Your word provides.  Please help us get through all this mess each day.  Help us survive with our faith intact and vital.  Help us remember that You are still in control and working Your plan for the redemption of the world.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, some beautiful day You will return to call Your church home and You will right all the wrong in this world.  Then we will know true peace.  But until that time comes, we will continue to see the world sink further and further into chaos.  We’ll see wars and pestilence and disease increase.  Greater chasms will open up between peoples, even within families.  Jesus, help us, please, to survive all this.  Help us to get through each day that lies ahead.  Help us to not fall victim to Satan’s attempts and temptations that pull us away from You.  Please heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another, to treat each other with respect, to seek justice, to have mercy.  And please, Lord, be ever with us as we walk through these troubling times.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through it all, concerned more with our church family as a whole and with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

We Are the Church

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 12th of July, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

The church of our Lord Jesus once again finds itself suffering through a time of great trial.  The events of the past half-year are unprecedented, in our nation and at least in our lifetime.

Sure, the church has experienced similar incidents throughout US history, but those have been isolated and rare, not widespread and common throughout the country.  But now, services have been canceled all over.  People have been constrained from gathering together for worship.  Some have been arrested on their own church grounds for trying new ways to worship together.  And now I’ve seen in the news where some churches have been told not to sing or join in congregational readings or recitations, even though they are allowed to come together in their sanctuaries.

The early church knew all about suffering and persecution.  They met in homes and the back rooms of stores, often times having to stay hidden to avoid arrest.  But the church survived, and will always survive, because it was built by Jesus upon a rock.  And part of the church’s survival is thanks to its make-up, its composition.

Please listen and follow along to how the Apostle Paul describes the church, in the 12th chapter of his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, and I’ll be reading this from the English Standard Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way. 

--1 Corinthians 12 (ESV)

Let us pray…  Father God, by the works and sacrifice of Your Son Jesus, and by our acceptance of Him as our Master and Savior, we have Your Holy Spirit within us and can freely say that Jesus is Lord!  Through Your Spirit You have given each of us believers a gift, a spiritual gift, some special talent or ability.  And You have fashioned us into one body, one family by adoption.  Father, please help us use our gifts to serve You.  Help us to put our special abilities to use and to be of one mind so that the whole body of Christ can function smoothly, to the benefit of all.  Help us to love as Jesus loved, to see others through His eyes, to use our gifts in service to You by serving them.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and what is going on in the world today.  Please keep us strong in our faith, unified in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day, that it may stay with us through every day.  Speak to us of serving You by serving others using the gifts You have given us.  Help us take guidance and strength from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Religious author Gregory P. Elder once wrote:

"Growing up on the Atlantic Coast, I spent long hours working on intricate sand castles; whole cities would appear beneath my hands.  One year, for several days in a row, I was accosted by bullies who smashed my creations.  Finally I tried an experiment: I placed cinder blocks, rocks, and chunks of concrete in the base of my castles.  Then I built the sand kingdoms on top of the rocks.  When the local toughs appeared (and I disappeared), their bare feet suddenly met their match.  Many people see the church in grave peril from a variety of dangers: secularism, politics, heresies, or plain old sin.  They forget that the church is built upon a Rock, over which the gates of hell itself shall not prevail."

I just love that imagery of the bullies kicking the sandcastle and hitting the hidden rocks and chunks of concrete.  But you know, the greatest bully of all is Satan.  He’s been trying to kick over the church for almost 2000 years now.  But he just keeps stubbing his toes.  And that’s because the church is built on a rock, the Rock of our salvation, against which the gates of hell itself cannot prevail.  We are the church, and Jesus is our Rock.


There was a time when Jesus had a talk with His disciples.  Jesus asked them who the people said He was.  The answers were varied, just as the level of understanding of the people varied.  And then Jesus asked His followers who did they themselves say He was.

Simon replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus assured him that that knowledge had been revealed to him by God.  The Apostle Matthew recorded the next thing Jesus said to Simon, in chapter 16 verse 18 of his Gospel account…

18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

--Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)

Now you may hear different interpretations of that verse, with some saying that Simon Peter himself is the foundation of the church.  After all, Jesus gave Simon the name Peter which in the Greek means “rock”.  But many, myself included, believe that Jesus was referring to what Peter had just said, not to Peter himself.  Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah, and the true Son of the living God.  That confession of faith is the rock, the foundation, upon which Jesus built His church.

Notice that Jesus is the Builder, not the foundation.  Jesus is our Rock, upon which we stand, but the church itself is built upon our professions of faith, our confessions from our mouths and from our hearts, that Jesus is Christ our Lord, the true Son of God.


So, we are the church.  We, the people who confess Jesus as Lord, not the building but the folks who congregate here… we are the church!  And in our scripture reading, Paul describes us.

We have each been given some gift, or gifts, from God because of our belief in Jesus His Son.  While we’ve all been blessed in so many ways, I’m talking about spiritual gifts here.  Gifts that we should put to use in serving God.  The gifts are varied, just as we, the members of the church, are varied.

The church is the body of Christ left on earth to carry on His work, and each of us are members of that body.  Just as each member of our physical body has a function, a purpose, each of us has a function, a purpose to fulfill within the body of Christ.  And we were given a gift to help fulfill that function.

Paul tells us each gift is a manifestation of the Spirit Himself, given for the common good – not just for our own good, but for the good of all.  And while each of us is different and has a different gift or talent, we are still each part of the larger whole, each a part of the entire body.  Even this church family of Pilgrim is one member of the greater body of Christ, the Church with a capital “C”.

Our individual physical body does not consist of just one member, nor does the church.  We all have a role to play, and we have been given some special ability to help us in that task.


Then Paul gets to a message that I think every member of every church and every church of the body of Christ needs to better understand.  Each part of this body is important.  No one part is more important than another.  Even the weakest part is still indispensable.

God has so composed the body that there be no division within the body, but that its members may have the same care for one another!  And that goes for whether we’re talking about our individual physical body, the body that is Pilgrim Church, or the full body of Christ left on earth.

We are the church, members of the body of Christ, and God intended that there not be any division among us!  We are to have the same care for one another, not choosing favorites, not considering some to be less worthy, not putting ourselves ahead of anyone else.  Because, as a body, if one of us suffers, we all suffer.  If one of us hurts, we all hurt.  If one of us is honored, we should all rejoice.  This is how a body works.

Think about it this way…  if your feet hurt or your back hurts or your head aches, how tough is it to get anything done, or even to just get through the day?  Well family, sometimes we give each other headaches.


Jesus founded His church upon the confessions of all believers that He is the Christ, the Son of God.  He gave us a couple really easy, simple tasks.  We are to love one another as we love ourselves, as He loves us.  And we are the witness to Him, confess our faith in Him so that others can hear and see it, and by our love and belief, we can enable them to follow Him also.

But sometimes we can’t even manage to love one another here within the family of God, the body of Christ.  Divisions open among us.  We let our pride get in our way.

We are the church.  Let’s remember to act like it.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You first and most of all for calling us to faith and belief in Jesus as Your Son, sent to redeem us of our sin.  Thank You for the special gifts and abilities You give us, empowered by Your Holy Spirit.  Please help us put those gifts to better use in serving You by serving others, even those within the body of Christ.  Help us to truly be the body You intended, one without division, one that cares earnestly for one another.  And help us be more faithful, more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You built Your church upon the rock that is composed of our confessions of You as our Lord.  We recognize You as the true Son of God, the Christ sent to free us from our sin, the Messiah upon whom we can place all our hope and trust.  Jesus, help us, please, to fulfil our role within Your church.  Help us to be good, active members of Your body.  Please heal the divisions that creep in and separate us.  Help us to love, to serve, to do no harm.  And please, Lord, be ever with us as we walk through these troubling times.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through it all, concerned more with the mission of the church and the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Freedom to Serve

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 5th of July, 2020, July 4th weekend, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Back on Mother’s Day, I mentioned that one of the women who stayed by Jesus to the end was the mother of James and John.  She loved her sons so much that she stayed with them all the way to the cross.  She had even dared to approach Jesus shortly before then to ask a special favor of Him for her boys.  Her request upset the other disciples when they heard about it.  What Jesus told them is something we all need to hear, and to take heed of.

Please listen and follow along to the conversation as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in chapter 20, verses 20 through 28 of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” He asked.

She replied, “In Your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to You, one on Your right and the other on Your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from My bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on My right or My left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones He has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

--Matthew 20:20-28 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, by Your word in our Bible, You remind us that we will not be spared suffering in this world.  Even Your own Son Jesus had to drink from the bitter cup of betrayal, injustice, brutality, and pain.  As believers, we can expect no less.  But just as did Jesus, we must look past the bitterness and see the great opportunity You give us to serve.  By our service to others, we serve You.  By our Lord’s sacrifice and blood, we have been set free from slavery to Satan and sin and given the chance to please You by our service to others.  Please help us as we strive to serve.  Help us to love unconditionally as Jesus loved, to see others for what is in their heart and not their physical appearance.  Help us to be more worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and what is going on in the world today.  Please keep us strong in our faith, unified in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day and for every day.  Speak to us of serving You by serving others.  Help us take guidance and strength from the words in our Bible and from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Peter Marshall was born in Scotland, came to America with his family, and became a pastor.  In 1947, he was appointed as Chaplain of the US Senate, where he served until his sudden death of a heart attack two years later.  During that time, Rev. Marshall lifted this prayer:

"Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right."

Liberty is not only to be loved, but to be lived.  It does not give us the right to do as we please, but the chance to do what is right.  We who believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord have seen the truth, the truth of Jesus, and have been set free.  And that freedom gives us the chance to choose, whether to return to the bonds of slavery to Satan and sin, or to become servants of our Lord.  Celebrate liberty by living it, and live it by serving God.


And yes, once we have been freed by Jesus, we do have a choice whether to faithfully follow Him or to return to a life of sin, of disobeying God and serving the devil’s agenda.  There are some who say that if a person returns to sin, they were never truly saved in the first place.  But I think that someone can hear and believe in the Gospel, can accept Jesus, yet still go astray.  I believe Jesus Himself addresses this in His parable of the sower, and the seed that falls on stony ground, where the plant sprouts but there is not enough good soil for it to fully take root.

And I also think we can all see how hard it can be to stay sinless in this world, to not be disobedient to God in all things.  Little hatreds and distrusts creep into our thoughts and out of our mouths.  We become more concerned about what we see being done to us than about what we are doing for others.

The Apostle Paul cautions us about returning to our old, sinful ways.  Please listen to what he wrote to the church in Rome in chapter 6 verses 12 through 23 of that letter…

12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

--Romans 6:12-23 (NLT)

19th century American pastor Phillips Brooks may be better known as the person who wrote the lyrics for that wonderful Christmas hymn, "O Little Town of Bethlehem".  But Pastor Brooks also echoed Paul's words when he said, "No man in this world attains to freedom from any slavery except by entrance into some higher servitude.  There is no such thing as an entirely free man conceivable."

We have a choice of who or what we will serve.  Do we want to help Satan in his efforts to hurt Jesus and destroy the church?  Or do we want to help God advance His kingdom as He works out His great plan?

Those are our choices:  serve Satan or serve God.  Jesus said we are either working for Him or against Him.  There is no middle ground, no riding the fence, no standing on the sidelines watching the game.  We have a choice – choose wisely!


One last point I’d like to bring up regarding our freedom and liberty.  As a nation, a united people, we fought to gain our independence and we have continued to fight to maintain our freedoms.  And as a nation, a united people, we instituted our liberty by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

But family, as a people freed by Jesus, our only true right, the only one that matters, is to serve God.  Just as Jesus came to us not to be served but to serve, let us make serving others our priority.  We have been set free, and now we are free to serve our Lord.

Let us not be self-serving, nor serve the devil and his agenda.  Love God and love others.  Serve God by serving others.  And in all things, do no harm.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for allowing us to see the Truth that is Your Son Jesus.  Through Him we are washed clean and set free from Satan’s grasp.  Please help us remain free.  Help us to make the right choice when faced with any decision life puts in our path.  Help us serve You by serving others, just as Jesus served.  And help us be more faithful, more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted in our daily dealings with all we encounter.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You came down from heaven to earth, and as God, You could have demanded anything You wanted of us.  But instead, You came to serve us, to offer us salvation and eternal life, to wash us clean in God’s eyes.  Jesus, help us, please, to stay clean, to do the right things.  Help us to make the right choice to serve You and our Father God by serving others like You served.  Help us to love and to do no harm.  And please, Lord, be ever with us as we walk through these troubling times.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through it all, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.