Fairview Presbyterian Church (PCA) Sermons

What do we do when we are severely discouraged or even depressed? Psalm 42 is here to help urging us to remember God and to hope in God.

In Chapter 7, Solomon uses a number of better than statements to urge us to consider what is really important in life under the sun. Give a listen and be blessed by the reading and preaching of God’s Word.

Ecclesiastes proceeds with another vanity, that of wealth. Specifically Solomon helps us see that the love of money is the problem; it simply will not satisfy. Rather than clinging to wealth, let us cling to Jesus, who promises far more than this life has to offer. And unlike our wealth, life in Christ is eternal.

In the fifth chapter of Ecclesiastes, Solomon addresses worship. As you listen, also consider the words of Hebrews 10:28: “Let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe.”

Continuing in our sermon series through Ecclesiastes, we look at a section about relationships. In a fallen world, we need wisdom in relating to one another, and God supplies such wisdom to those who will listen to the Teacher. Give a listen and be blessed by the reading and preaching of God’s Word.

When Joshua took over leadership of Israel after Moses, God knew just what Joshua would need to hear - be strong and courageous. How can we have such courage? Joshua 1:1-9 calls us to remember 4 things: God’s promises, power, presence, and precepts. Give a listen and be strengthened by God’s Word.

Moving forward in Ecclesiastes, we see the Teacher covering some challenging topics. In this particular sermon we hear his observations regarding injustice and death. We should be reminded that Jesus suffered injustice on our behalf and because of his atoning work and the grace of God to work faith into our hearts, we are promised not everlasting death, but everlasting life.

Pressing on through Ecclesiastes, we arrive at a section that’s all about time. What we should understand about God from this section is that he is sovereign over every moment of our lives. And in those moments, we learn how we are to live, fearing him with complete reverence and awe.

Ecclesiastes presents life as it really is - the good, the bad, and the ugly. For this reason, many have found the book to be a difficult read. But at the end of chapter 2, we see that this book speaks of joy, too. Give a listen and let the joy of the Lord be your strength.

On this resurrection Sunday, we turn our attention to the angel’s words to the women at the tomb - “He was raised; he is not here!” The good news of the resurrection is that Jesus was not where the women or the disciples expected. He was raised from the dead, just as he promised.

As Jesus is being arrested, he has compassion on his disciples but also his enemies. This is seen so clearly in that when Peter attacks the servant of the high priest, Jesus heals his wound. It’s just like Jesus said in John 13 - we are to love one another as Christ has loved us. Let us be doers of the word and not merely hearers. Give a listen to our Maundy Thursday sermon and let people know that you are a disciple of Jesus by your love.

The triumphal entry by Jesus into Jerusalem is a well-known story told in each of the four Gospels. What is not as well-known is that the event happens just as God said it would through the prophet Zechariah. Give a listen today and trust that all of the promises of God find their “yes” and “Amen” in Jesus.

The prescription for anxiety is found in the God of Peace when we draw near to him in prayer. Give a listen as we spend time in Philippians 4 during our latest evening worship service.

Continuing in our sermon series through Ecclesiastes, we see the Teacher returning to consider wisdom and also work, as he tries to make sense of a fleeting world. Give a listen and be blessed by the reading and preaching of God's word.

After Solomon’s pursuit of meaning by wisdom, he turns to self indulgence but quickly says it, too, is vanity. As Christians, we would do well to remember Jesus’ words of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Continuing our sermon series through Ecclesiastes, we join Solomon in his search for meaning by wisdom and we recognize that there are limits to what wisdom can do in a fallen world. There are, however, no limits to what Christ can do, who is called the wisdom of God in 1 Corinthians 1. Christ is the wisdom that we need. Give a listen and be blessed by the reading and Preaching of God's word.

On this fourth Sunday in February, we start a new sermon series called Shepherding Sermons. Each month, we'll study a problem, a sin, a struggle that we all encounter and look to bring God's grace to bear in these issues. We're calling these sermons shepherding sermons, and first up is the problem of anger. As our intern Dalton Vetter says, "Anger is a radical sin, that requires radical repentance."

Beginning a new sermon series on Ecclesiastes we explore some themes of the book and seek to answer the question, “What is Vanity?” Give a listen and subscribe so you can hear each sermon in this series.

On this Sunday, Dr. Richard Winston from Erskine Theological Seminary preaches a familiar passage from John 3, But he invites us to hear it afresh. Give a listen and be blessed by the reading and the preaching of God's word.

Continuing our sermon series through some of the miracles of Jesus, we look at the raising of Lazarus, a miracle that will prepare us for Jesus' own resurrection.

Continuing in our sermon series through some of the miracles of Jesus, we look at the time when Jesus paid the temple tax for himself and for Peter. There is more going on though, than meets the eye. Jesus is showing who He is and teaching us, as children of God, who we ought to be in the process. Give a listen and be blessed by God’s Word today.

When the disciples see the man born blind, they ask a question of Jesus that sounds like it was lifted from the book of Job. They ask, “Who sinned? This man or his parents?” Jesus shows us that it was not this man or his parents. Instead, Jesus, in providing sight to the blind man, is displaying the works of God. Give a listen and be assured that in our suffering, God is still at work.

In the middle of the storms of life we sometimes wonder, “Where are you God?” When the disciples were in the middle of the sea with a storm raging around them, Jesus came to their rescue. This scripture shows us that God uses the storms of life to increase our faith.

When Jesus multiplied the fish and the loaves, he did more than feed the stomachs of his followers. He told his followers to look to him, that as God fed the Israelites with manna in the wilderness after the Exodus, so Jesus is the true bread from heaven.

Mark 9:14-29 is a text for those who struggle with unbelief. But the text doesn’t simply present the problem; it provides the solution - prayer. Give a listen and have your faith strengthened by the reading and the preaching of God’s Word.

On Christmas Eve, we consider Jesus’ own words for his birth, for when He appears before Pilate, Jesus says in John 18:37, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Previously we looked at the miracle of the virgin birth; on this particular Sunday we stay with the theme of Jesus' birth to consider what we might call the miracle of Immanuel. Give a listen and know that in Christ, God is with you.

Continuing our sermon series through Jesus’ miracles, we take time to consider the miracle of Jesus - the virgin birth. Give a listen and be blessed in the reading and preaching of God’s Word.

With Jesus’ raising of the widow’s son back to life in Luke 7, we see Jesus do the unexpected - his first resurrection miracle. Give a listen as we continue our sermon series through some of the miracles of Jesus.

The book of Mark jumps right into the action of Jesus’ ministry, and we see that as He teaches, heals, and drives out demons, he does so not as other religious rulers, but with the authority of God. Give a listen as we continue in our sermon series through the miracles of Jesus.

In a life of pain and sorrow sometimes it’s a challenge to see beyond our circumstances. How then shall we live? We must maintain thanksgiving even when our praises are mixed with tears. Give a listen and give thanks to God from whom all blessings flow.

The miracles of Jesus are intended so that we may believe in him. We see this clearly when Jesus heals the nobleman’s son. Give a listen and trust that Jesus is the Christ.

Beginning a new sermon series we turn our attention to Jesus’ first miracle, turning the water to wine. Give a listen and know that Jesus is the promised and powerful Messiah.

On this Sunday, we take time to turn to the parable of the rich fool to see how we ought to be rich towards God, lay up our treasures in heaven, and guard our hearts against covetousness.

The fourth chapter of the book of Jonah reveals why the prophet did not want to go to Nineveh - he knew God would relent of the promised disaster if the people would repent. Jonah did not believe Nineveh should have such mercy. Christians must remember that we are saved in Christ because of God’s mercy. We do not deserve salvation. God simply showers us with grace upon grace because He is a "gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love".

Jonah 3 proves correct that statement that runs as a refrain throughout scripture: God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” God works through the prophet Jonah to produce repentance throughout the city of Nineveh.

Thus far in the book of Jonah we have seen others pray, but not the prophet. In the "belly of Sheol," when Jonah finally prays in Chapter 2, we see that the Lord hears him. God hears us when we call on Him in faith in Jesus.

Luke 10:25-37

Looking at Jonah 1:17, we pull in Jesus’ words from Matthew 12:38-42 to consider what Jesus meant by the sign of Jonah and how this authenticates the story of Jonah and the fish.

For this fourth Sunday evening worship service, we jump into Jeremiah and John 6 to understand what is meant by free will and that our salvation is all of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. As the Westminster Confession of Faith puts in chapter 9: “When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he frees him from his natural bondage under sin; and, by his grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good…”

“When we began Jonah, we saw that the prophet was unwilling to preach repentance to Nineveh. He instead fled in the opposite direction and boarded a ship for Tarshish. The Lord, in His sovereignty, uses Jonah’s disobedience to show mercy to the mariners on board the ship.”

“Beginning a new sermon series on Jonah, we take the first three verses to see God’s command to Jonah and the prophet’s response. What we’ll see throughout this book is that our God is relentless in His mercy.”

Concluding our sermon series through 1 Thessalonians, we look at Paul's prayer for the church and the certainty of sanctification.

Paul begins the conclusion of his letter to the Thesalonains speaking to their responsibility towards church leadership, towards each other, and towards God in worship.

Paul encourages believers to be prepared for the return of Christ, not by trying to calculate the times, but by living in faith, love, and hope.

Continuing our sermon series, we look at two purposes behind Paul's composition of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He wrote to clarify and comfort. Let us be comforted! Christ will return.

Preaching for our fourth Sunday evening worship service and installation of our pastor, Kenneth Maple, Dr. Cathcart reminds us all that scripture is our only rule for faith and practice, and a pastor's job is to feed his flock with the whole counsel of God.

Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35), and Paul in 1 Thessalonians shows us this. We are to love one another in the church and by our work show Jesus to those outside of the church.

Josh Grimm, RUF Campus Minister at Queens University in Charlotte, NC, shares with us a sermon from the Beatitudes on how to mourn, telling us that Jesus invites us to grieve with Him in the sure hope of His comfort.

1 Thessalonians 4 begins a very practical section that also helps answer the question: "What is the will of God for my life?" And it answers, "your sanctification." Give a listen as we consider that God has called us not to impurity but to holiness.