Arkansas Reformation Fellowship

This sermon was preached by Tim Keller at St. George’s-tron church in Glasgow, Scotland. Pastor Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, NY in 1989 after serving nine years as pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia. In this sermon, we are challenged to consider the context of the parable and its implications. Also, we are challenged to think about this passage in more than a sentimental way and to peer into the depths of its truth. 

 

 Tim Keller - The Prodigal Sons [45:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This article is from Corey Pelton, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church - Hot Springs. Corey gives us an exhortation to consider the focus of worship and offers some guidance for how to glorify the Lord in our worship.

We more often than not leave a Sunday worship service expressing what we got out of the service rather than what we put into the service. The former is selfish, the latter self-less. Do you see the difference? If we are selfish in the way we worship we are either satisfied or dissatisfied with worship for what we did or did not learn or what we did or did not feel or experience. When we express “worship was excellent today,” what do we mean? Often we mean the music was good (my preferences were met in song selection, there were a lot of people singing loudly and fervently, there were no babies crying, etc.). Or, we mean, I was not offended by the preaching (the preacher said good things and didn’t challenge me on ways that I need to change). Or, I got sufficient sleep so stayed awake longer that particular morning!

When we worship self-lessly we become less concerned about our experience. What others are wearing, whether the ambiance is just right, what technical hiccups occur during the service, what the song selection might be; these things dim in light of the One worshipped. We engage not as an individual coming in private to God, but as a body worshipping our God together, understanding that what we may like or dislike in regard to form and preference is not as important as worshiping the God who has called us His people by the blood of His Son.

Need help putting this into concrete expression? Try this: Saturday evening, before you lay your head on your pillow, ask God to prepare your heart for worship. Meditate in prayer in what ways you can contribute to worship so that, not only your heart is prepared, but also other’s hearts are prepared. Get a good nights rest. Wake early providing time to read through the bulletin (if provided online), or reading the Scripture for the sermon, soaking in the depth of the hymns to be sung and prayers to be prayed or confessions to be offered. Ask God to help your spirit to be right in you and that truth be printed upon your heart. Then, at the close of the service, ask “Did I contribute well to the worship of God today?”

“Christianity is not the move from vice to virtue, but rather the move from virtue to grace.”
-Gerhard Forde (1927-2005)

Our new featured sermon was preached by Don Erwin, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian (Russellville, AR), and contains an exposition of Matthew 5:6 –

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (NKJV)

“The quickened soul calls for constant meals of righteousness, grace to do the work of every day in its day, as duly as the living body calls for food. Those who hunger and thirst will labour for supplies; so we must not only desire spiritual blessings, but take pains for them in the use of the appointed means.” — Matthew Henry (1662-1714)

 

 Don Erwin - Spiritual Appetites [25:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“What is it that tasteth how sweet the Lord is? It is the mind working, meditating, and acting faith upon him. Faith is the soul’s taster; faith is the mouth of the soul, which not only tasteth but cheweth the promises and manifestations of God to his people, and so makes meat of them; meditation turns the promises into marrow. “My soul,” saith David, “shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches;” Ps. lxiii. 5, 6. As there is all manner of riches, so all manner of dainties in the believing meditations of God; every promise is a dish, and all the promises are a royal feast to faith.” –Joseph Caryl (1602-1673)