The reputation of King Saul precedes him. He was the first king of Israel and although they had high expectations for him, he failed. Looking back, it seemed like he couldn’t do anything right, but he did do one thing right; Saul forbade witchcraft, he outlawed it. We know from Leviticus 20 that witchcraft was supposed to be outlawed so Saul outlawing witchcraft was a good thing. In other words, witchcraft was the only sin Saul hated enough to prosecute.

But again, Saul turned out to be a huge disappointment because only a short time after taking a stand against witchcraft, he fell into the one sin he hated most. In 1 Sam 28 Saul goes and participates in witchcraft with the witch of endor. If you had told Saul just a short time earlier that he was going to end up committing the sin of witchcraft you probably would’ve lost your head. But now, Saul had become what he hated. 

The lesson here isn’t that you can’t hate sin. Or that if you hate sin you will inevitably become that sin. No, hating sin is good, Psalm 119:104 says “I hate every evil way.” We are supposed to hate sin.

But your hatred of sin is to be mixed with gratitude. When you are provoked by corrupt politicians, bad parents, disobedient children, recognize that if it weren’t for the Holy Spirit preserving and persevering you, that would be you. This is what drives us to pray with David “Lord take not your Holy Spirit from me.” We see clearly that before Saul could sink to the depths of witchcraft scripture says that the Spirit of God departed from him.

So does your hatred of sin drive you into a fit of gratitude that He has given you the Holy Spirit and has promised to persevere you to the end, or does it just leave you seething and angry? You have been given the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit so let your frustrations with the world drive you to be dependent on Him; and to be dependent on Him is to be in the Word, be always in prayer, and confess your sins.

Jeremiah Jasso – October 15, 2023

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Proverbs 23:23 instructs us to “Buy the truth, and do not sell it.”

This is not a verse that just says, “Read your bible” in a more poetic fashion. Rather, it refers to the maelstrom of opinions and theories and “facts” that are being thrown at you as you try to navigate the big scary world. As you are living your life, you are building and furnishing a house and it will either be founded on Christ’s work and commands or on shifting relativism and arbitrary convictions: rock or sand. It can either be filled with treasures that will bless you and your family for generations, or it can be outfitted from Walmart.

You will only know which truth to buy if you have spent a lot of time with truths and truth tellers and truth lovers. So do that. Meditate on the word and find people who love the word and try to be like them. Study the feel and weight of truth in your metaphorical hand, and then take that knowledge and experience with you everywhere you go. And when someone peddling particleboard as quartersawn white oak tries to snooker you, you can just chuckle and keep walking. 

And as you begin to learn to recognize truth in its various settings, you will then need to acquire them. This means reading widely and consistently. It means securing education for your children. It means applying the truths you have encountered, wearing them so that they fit your hand. It means diligently submitting to the preached word on the Lord’s Day. Unless you are grounded and submissive to the unerring word of God, your house will wash away and your goods will tarnish and crumble.

You will be pressured constantly to sell the truth or to let it get lost in the mix of facts and opinions. So hold fast to it. Don’t move with the times. Refuse to compromise the truth for the sake of ease or convenience. Here’s a really practical example: tell the truth to your children and to your wife. We are often too lazy to be truthful in our explanations and discipline. Do not sell the truth in exchange for ease.

Joshua Edgren – October 15, 2023

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Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one, jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-20

Christians need to stop apologizing for God’s law. There is only one standard of morality, and that is the standard set down in Scripture. This standard is not arbitrary, but instead reflects the nature and character of God. The moral standards given at Mount Sinai were not modified and softened in the New Testament. Many Christians give in to this sort of thinking and spend their time back pedaling and making excuses when our modern world calls God’s requirements harsh or antiquated. They give into a lie rather than standing on God’s truth. 

Jesus clearly states that the law will never pass away. That is because the law is not list of rules that God thought up. No, it is consistent with the person and nature of God, the one with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Therefore, His moral precepts which flow from His being cannot change. In the sermon on the Mount Jesus will walk through the ten commandments one by one teaching how they not only still apply, but they apply much deeper than outward actions alone, they apply all the way down to the heart. 

The law teaches us how we are to love God and how to love our neighbor. But more than that it shows us how we fall short, it shows us the sin in our lives, and it drives us to the only place where sin can be removed, Christ. A weak view of the law will lead to a weak view of Christ’s sacrifice. And when you do not appeal to the law when encouraging your brother, or your coworker, or your enemy, you are avoiding the very tool that God gave to bring us all down to our knees before Christ. So, give your neighbor the law, defend the law in the public square, teach law to your children, meditate on it in your heart like the psalmist. For the law is not only good, it is glorious for it turns our eyes to Christ. 

Zach Browning – October 15, 2023

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Your duty as parents is to teach your children to delight in the things of the Lord. The goal is not just well-behaved children who have no delight in the Lord; but children who are obedient & self-controlled because they delight in the Lord.

A large part of this duty is done by training your children how to worship the Lord here each Sunday. It’s a glory to have a congregation full of little ones. They truly are a blessing, even when they might be a little more vocal or squirmy than they should be. Parents, and dads especially, should vigilantly work to teach your children how good & pleasant it is to worship the living God. Don’t get ruffled & flustered if Jr. needs ten trips to the discipline room to get his attitude squared away. After all, our Heavenly Father has been exceedingly patient to teach us the same lessons repeatedly.

The best way to prepare your children to worship rightly here at church is by showering them with attentive love at home. This means consistent discipline. Focused attention. Speech that’s both gentle & stern, without a note of irritation & annoyance. Turn your hearts to your children, so that they might turn their hearts to the Father.

Now, a word to the whole congregation. As families are laboring–and it is a labor–to train their little ones, be exceedingly gracious & helpful. This may look like lending a helping hand to a mom when the dad is taking Jr. out. Refrain from giving glares or unsolicited advice. Perhaps ask beforehand if you can help get them the wine during communion, since their hands are full of babies.

The sum is this: while children are most welcome here, we are welcoming them into the delight of God’s presence, not into the narcissist self-absorption of our culture.

Ben Zornes – October 8, 2023

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In Galatians 6 we read these words of the Apostle Paul: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” 

It could be said that in the Christian life there are two kinds of burdens that will be experienced. 

The first, which Paul is speaking most immediately of, is that of the burden of sin. He says that when a brother or sister is struggling in sin, we are to restore them in a spirit of gentleness (Gal. 6:1). We must not leave them to drown in the destructive pit of guilt and shame, but carry them to the light of Christ’s forgiveness. 

The second kind of burden would be that of various weaknesses – whether it be bodily sickness, providential afflictions, grief, depression, relational or financial strains, or any other heavy thing.

If the church is one Body, which it is, then the various burdens present in this room right now are all of ours to bear, in order that we may fulfill the law of Christ, which is love. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, if one member suffers, all the members suffer – for when one part of the body hurts, the whole body is affected (1 Cor. 12:26). Likewise Scripture tells us to remember those in chains, as though we were in chains with them (Heb. 13:3). Why? Again – because we are all members of one Body. 

Now given all of this, consider the common phrase that we have all heard or even thought ourselves in our own hearts – “I just don’t want to be a burden.” 

While it is certainly a good to desire to stand on your own two feet by the grace of God, the fact is if you have a significant and heavy burden, you must not bear it alone. You must not be too proud to let others help. For it is not just the duty of the church to care for one another – but it ought to be our strong desire and delight.

If you are in genuine need, if the Lord has worked a weakness in your life, if you feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water in this season – you need the church. It is through many tribulations that we enter the kingdom of God. But we must never go through them alone.

Shawn Paterson – October 8, 2023

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