Church of the Good Shepherd Sermons

Matthew 26:27-28  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: The Lord's Supper< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Jeremiah 31:31-34  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: The Lord's Supper< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Exodus 12:1-28  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: The Lord's Supper< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 3:9-17  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Acts 13:38 |  Alex DiPrima   <Easter Sunday< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >  

1 Peter 3:8  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 3:7  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 PeterI. The Call To Husbands II. The Incentives For The Call< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 3:3-6  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 PeterI. Outer BeautyII. Inner Beauty< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 3:1-2  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 PeterI. The Submission RequiredII. The Goal Given< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:24-25  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: 1 PeterI. The Meaning of the CrossII. The Purpose of the CrossIII. The Christ of the Cross< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:18-23  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:13-17  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:11-12  |  John Aiello   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:10  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:9-10  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 2:4-8  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Hebrews  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: Advent 2025< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · > 

Luke 2:8-14  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: Advent 2025< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · > 

Luke 1:57-80  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: Advent 2025< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · > 

Luke 1:39-56  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: Advent 2025I. God's Power and Mercy Toward MaryII. God's Power and Mercy Toward the HumbleIII. God's Power and Mercy Toward Israel< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · > 

Luke 1:5-38  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: Advent 2025I. Gabriel's Announcement to ZechariahII. Gabriel's Announcement to MaryIII. Lessons for Us< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · > 

John 3:11-15  |  Zack DiPrima  <I. The Authority of the Son of ManII. The Sacrifice of the Son of Man< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 1:22-2:3  |  Jonathan Harris     <Series: 1 PeterIntroduction 01:56 | The text brings forth fundamental realities of the Christian life. 02:29 | Peter is writing to elect exiles undergoing intense trial and persecution, reminding them of the most basic things. 02:48 | This text provides clarity on what holiness in God's household (the church) looks like. 03:05 | The sermon outline is shaped by two main imperatives or commands.I. 03:13 | An Earnest Love for God's Children (1 Peter 1:22–25)03:39 | A. The Ground of the Call to Love 04:18 | Rooted in Regeneration: The command to love is rooted in the reality that believers have been born again (new birth). 04:33 | These commands are what Christians do precisely because they are Christians, not what they do in order to become Christians. 05:05 | Achieved Through the Word of God: God made believers born again through the living and abiding word of God. 05:16 | This word more particularly refers to the gospel. 05:54 | The Bible and its message (the Gospel) are living and enduring because God is living and enduring. 06:24 | This reflects the doctrine of inspiration: the scriptures are God breathed and carry the very authority of God. 07:30 | Rooted in who we are: Christians are brought into a new and near relation to one another, becoming spiritual family by their new birth. 08:02 | The new birth creates a picture of a family or household; outsiders should see that we are a family that loves one another. 09:12 | B. The Call to Love: Earnestly from a Pure Heart 10:09 | Peter reiterates this command multiple times throughout his epistle, emphasizing that we are to love one another earnestly. 10:50 | Fervency of Love: The word for earnestly (fervently) is a strong word. 12:16 | Imitation of Christ: This fervent love should have a zeal, constancy, and power that is unparalleled. We should love in imitation of Christ, who loved his own "to the end". 15:10 | The Priority of Love: Scripture has no category for the attitude "I love Jesus, but not the church." 16:41 | C. What True Love Looks Like (Three Observations) 16:57 | 1. True love is grounded in and tethered to the scriptures. 17:10 | Love is not a merely subjective feeling; God objectively defines what is loving in the word of God, specifically through the moral law. 20:56 | When accused of being unloving, Christians must go back "to the law and to the testimony" (the scriptures) to ask, "What does God say?". 22:42 | 2. True love earnestly and sincerely desires what is good for the beloved. 23:07 | This desire includes temporal, earthly, spiritual, and ultimately eternal good, as defined by God. 23:58 | Love is an action and commitment that takes up the whole person (mind, heart, and will)—a resolution to do good to others, even when one does not feel like it. 24:36 | 3. True love puts away sin. 24:56 | Integral to loving one another is mortifying specific sins that are antithetical to love: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. 28:09 | Love requires calling out sin in a brother or sister's life out of concern for their soul. Proverbs states, "faithful are the wounds of a friend". II. 30:46 | An Eager Longing for God's Word (1 Peter 2:2–3)31:05 | A. The Command and the Metaphor 31:05 | Peter calls believers to long for the pure spiritual milk (the Word of God). 31:38 | This longing should be like a newborn infant's desperate, dependent, and insatiable desire for its mother's milk.32:27 | B. The Purpose of the Longing 32:27 | Long for the Word so that by it, you may grow up into salvation. 33:18 | This growth is sanctification: the gradual process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. 33:47 | The Gospel message, which brought about new spiritual life, is the very thing that sustains and nourishes that life until the end. 34:20 | Christians need the scriptures and the Gospel every day.35:42 | C. The Encouragement: "If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good" 35:42 | The effect of Peter's words is to draw believers' attention to their past experience of the Lord's goodness and loving kindness. 36:14 | The ultimate and essential aim of reading the Bible daily is to "taste and see that the Lord is good"—to pursue personal, living, vital communion with God. 37:59 | The scriptures have been given so that Jesus Christ may come to believers and that they may go to him and have life.38:42 | D. Implications of Longing for the Word 38:51 | 1. God commands our affections (emotions). 39:18 | Christians can, by the grace of God, change their desires and shape their affections; they are not enslaved to their emotions. 39:52 | Part of the fight of faith is bringing our emotions, affections, feelings, and thoughts into conformity to God's word and truth. 41:58 | 2. The way to growth is persistent abiding in the word of God. 42:12 | We need to be in the Bible itself; reading books about the word or listening to sermons are not a substitute for being in the word. 43:00 | Time with God must not be moved around because it is essential to the rest of the day. 43:57 | 3. Practical application: Meditate on the word of God. 44:27 | The blessed man delights and meditates on the Lord's law day and night. 45:04 | To meditate means to reread passages, pray through them, ask questions of the text, and discuss them with loved ones.Conclusion 45:26 | The basics of the Christian life are to be a people who are lovers of God, lovers of each other, and lovers of the word. 45:53 | Let us love one another earnestly from a pure heart and long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word of God so that believers may get more of God and grow up into salvation.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 1:13-21  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 PeterI. 09:39 | Set Your Hope Fully on the Grace of God (Verse 13)11:08 | A. Preparing Your Minds for Action 11:12 | This literally means "gird up the loins of your mind," like rolling up sleeves to get ready for strenuous work. 12:06 | It involves taking oneself in hand, disciplining, conditioning, and bringing one's mind into order. 12:40 | Peter assumes that our minds can be brought under control.14:38 | B. Being Sober Minded 14:44 | While it includes not being impaired by substances, the larger meaning is to have a mind conditioned by reality. 15:11 | A sober mind sees things clearly and is regulated by the truth of God's word, not by emotion, anxieties, fears, or passions.17:31 | C. Set Your Hope Fully on the Grace That Will Be Brought to You at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 17:40 | We are to direct our minds, thoughts, hope, and faith on the coming day, the salvation that is coming. 18:14 | This coming grace (glory, new world, incorruptible inheritance) should regulate life, inform relationships, and determine how we spend time, money, and ambition. 18:59 | This is an act of the will; we must choose to set our hope on what is to come, living for eternity.II. 20:57 | Be Holy in All Your Conduct (Verses 14–16)21:28 | A. Live as Obedient Children 21:28 | Peter reminds believers of their identity: "obedient children". 21:52 | As children of God, we should reflect the character, discipline, and training of our heavenly Father.23:29 | B. Do Not Be Conformed to the Passions of Your Former Ignorance 23:39 | The sinful pattern of the former life is "πρότερον"—it is past, over, and ceased. 24:46 | We must recognize that the old identity is dead, and we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. 25:40 | Though past, these former passions can still reach out, ensnare, and entice. 26:15 | We must discipline ourselves, develop new habits, and starve the old lusts.27:45 | C. You Also Be Holy in All Your Conduct, Since It Is Written, "You Shall Be Holy, For I Am Holy" 28:12 | We are called to obey God's commandments, follow his law, and pursue virtues that conform to his will. 28:47 | Holiness must extend to all our conduct; we cannot keep certain corners of sin or "darling sin" from the Lord. 29:32 | Holiness consists in thinking as God thinks and willing as God wills. 32:08 | The greatest incentive for holiness is that God himself is holy. Our passion for holiness is an act of worship because we love God's pure and perfect moral character. 38:43 | The witness of the church is made compelling by its radiant holiness, showing the world the transformative power of God's grace.III. 39:51 | Conduct Yourselves with Fear (Verse 17)40:53 | A. Remember God is Both Father and Judge 41:45 | The true Christian reasons: "I will not sin, for my Father is my Judge. But for my frailties, I will hope for mercy, for my Judge is my Father".43:22 | We must not think that adoption (God as Father) is a pretext for a licentious life. 44:36 | B. God Judges Each One According to Their Deeds 45:01 | We are saved purely and only by the blood and righteousness of Christ (not on the basis of our deeds). 45:37 | God's judgment of us will be in accord with the works that proceed from true saving faith.47:07 | True saving faith invariably bears the fruit of good works. 49:47 | C. What does it mean to conduct yourselves with fear?49:55 | This "fear" is not cowering dread. 50:16 | The fear of God is a holy and reverential response to God in all his glorious perfections that leads us away from sin and towards Him in trembling awe and wonder.50:59 | This is the fear of offending such a holy God and fracturing our communion with him.51:46 | D. Knowing the Preciousness of Your Ransom 51:54 | We were not bought with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish or spot. 52:35 | Knowing the value of our ransom should motivate us to leave off sin and live for Christ.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 1:10-12  |  Lance Hartman   <Series: 1 PeterIntroduction02:36 | Verses 10 to 12 are an aside that Peter interjects into the flow of thought between verse 9 and verse 13. 03:28 | Peter inserted these verses to emphasize the unequaled place of honor that is ours in Christ, causing even angels to marvel. I. 05:34 | What the Prophets Did05:38 | Peter has in mind the Old Testament prophets, those who had not yet received the final revelation of Jesus Christ. 06:19 | They made careful searches and inquiries into things, seeking to understand the scriptures. 06:34 | Their inspiration by the Spirit did not exclude prayer and meditation. 06:42 | They were both God's mouthpieces and students of his word. 06:50 | They were straining to understand the extraordinary things being opened to them for a future generation.II. 07:15 | What the Prophets Learned07:53 | They were shown glimpses of a surpassing grace for a latter time—a time of fulfillment when grace would be mediated through the God-man, Christ. 08:17 | They could not know clearly what would be revealed only by Jesus' coming, death, resurrection, and ascension, and the giving of his Spirit. 09:04 | God's grace is more than unmerited favor. It is favor to those who have a full account of demerit.Seven brief points on grace: 09:45 | All is of grace. 10:10 | Grace indicates a relationship of creature with Creator and at his initiative. 10:32 | Grace suggests we are under obligation to God for every aspect of our lives. 10:42 | Grace means we are not left to ourselves; it does what we cannot do. 11:08 | This grace is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 11:54 | Grace is an irresistible, intoxicating gift that liberates us. 12:13 | Grace loves the unlovely and chooses those who are not choice.13:16 | The prophets sought to understand the promise of soul salvation (salvation of the whole person). 15:34 | They saw that sin in the soul, not foreign bondage (like Babylonian captivity), was the great problem. 17:08 | They were inspired by the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) in their searches. 18:21 | They saw the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow (e.g., Isaiah 53). The time and exact circumstances were unclear to them.Three points of theology are highlighted: 21:44 | Preexistence of Christ: Christ, by his spirit, was the agent of revelation to the prophets. 23:10 | Unity of the Gospel: The gospel of Jesus Christ is one with the message of the Old Testament, focusing on Christ as the center of God's purpose. 26:51 | Destined to (εις): The prophets saw that grace was destined to us through sufferings that were destined to Christ. Christ must suffer if believers are to be graced.28:05 | The prophets learned that they were not serving themselves, but a future generation ("you"). 29:32 | Their messages had meaning and application far beyond the Israelites' immediate situation, embracing the consummation of God's grand plan of salvation. 32:51 | The message of the prophets was announced to the New Testament believers through those who preach the gospel by the Holy Spirit. 33:00 | This shows a Spirit-inspired unity in the testimony of the Old Testament prophets (foretelling) and the New Testament apostles (preaching fulfillment).III. 34:24 | What the Angels Are Doing34:39 | The angels long to look into these things. 34:54 | Their interest emphasizes the believers' unparalleled status in God's plan of redemption. 35:18 | The angels do not fully understand what God is doing with Christians. 36:22 | Salvation is unique because angels never experienced salvation. 36:42 | They know nothing about the sufferings of Christ, the new birth, or the blood-bought inheritance. 37:28 | Angels are ministering spirits sent out to render service for those who inherit salvation, but they only know in part. 38:18 | This interest and limitation also apply to Satan and the demons (fallen angels). 38:44 | They are creatures and are not omniscient or omnipotent.39:16 | Conclusion: Peter interjected these verses to encourage believers during persecution. Believers have what the prophets could only inquire into and what the angels can only watch unfold.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 1:6-9  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 Peter I. 06:10 | The Reality of Trials06:52 | Trials are inevitable. Every Christian will meet with various kinds of trials.07:07 | The trials referred to are broad, including difficulties of all kinds, suffering, tribulation, persecution, and difficulties related to attachment to Jesus Christ. Peter is realistic about the present Christian experience, noting that life is difficult and marked by trials, even though glory is coming.11:15 | Christian trials are a feature, not a bug, in the system; they are normal Christian experience.12:14 | Trials are expected to grieve believers, and it is acceptable to sorrow or be in heaviness.14:53 | The Contrast: Glory vs. TrialThe coming inheritance (glory) is described as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.Current trials are described as being "for a little while". When basking in coming glory, present trials will seem light, momentary, fleeting, and ephemeral, like "mist that vanishes at dawn".19:54 | Trials are NecessaryThe phrase "if necessary" means that trials are deemed necessary by God for Christians.No Christian ever suffers without a need be; trials are not accidental or random, but determined by the "all good, all seeing, all sovereign God".If the believer knew all that God knew, they would ask for the trial, seeing it as necessary.II. 24:26 | The Reason for Trials24:33 | The reason for trials is introduced by the Greek word ἵνα ("so that," "in order that").25:32 | Purpose: Why these trials? So that the believer's faith may be refined and proven, resulting in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.26:31 | This testing is not designed to expose believers as false, but is a refining process that makes the faith "more pure".26:56 | Refining is compared to refining gold by fire, burning away the dross to prove the authenticity and value of what is already good and true.27:52 | Trials are sent to grow, mature, and refine faith, leading to greater maturity and a richer, deeper faith.29:11 | Tested faith (which is genuine faith) is proven faith, and it will result in praise and honor and glory.29:36 | The result—praise, honor, and glory—may refer to the reward given to the saints (e.g., a crown of life), or it may refer to the glory belonging to Christ. Tested and proven faith brings glory to Christ by showing him to be superlatively valuable.III. 33:19 | Our Rejoicing in Trials33:41 | Rejoicing is a present experience ("You rejoice now").34:42 | Joy may exist simultaneously alongside grief and sorrow ("sorrowful, yet always rejoicing").36:03 | The Source of Joy ("In this, you rejoice"): The cause for rejoicing is that the believer is saved, born again to a living hope, has an imperishable inheritance, and that God is theirs.37:57 | This results in a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.40:29 | Believers love and believe in Jesus even though they do not now see him. This living, vital, and active relationship enables perseverance and magnifies joy.41:32 | Obtaining Salvation: By persevering through trial and trusting in Christ, believers are obtaining the outcome of their faith, the salvation of their souls. This is viewed as a present process of saving that is happening as they trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >  

1 Peter 1:3-5  |  John Aiello   <Series: 1 PeterIn God's great mercy, he has caused us to be born again, giving us a living hope, a heavenly inheritance, and a powerful guarding until we reach our eternal home.00:27 | Introduction and Context00:27 | Review of 1 Peter 1:1-2: Our identity as elect exiles is wrapped up in the salvation provided by the Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit).01:01 | The opening section (verses 3-12) contains rich Trinitarian theology, focusing on the Father's work in verses 3-5, the Son in verses 6-9, and the Holy Spirit in verses 10-12.02:27 | The Father's life-giving work in causing us to be born again (verses 3–5) serves as the foundation for our faithfulness in suffering.03:25 | Big Idea of the Text: In God's great mercy, he has caused us to be born again, giving us a living hope, a heavenly inheritance, and a powerful guarding until we reach our eternal home.I. 03:41 | God's Merciful Work in the New Birth04:03 | The blessings that follow are founded upon the fact that God causes us to be born again.04:45 | Defining the New Birth: Outside of Christ, we are 100% spiritually dead (Ephesians 2) and spiritually bankrupt. We are like Lazarus in the tomb—we need spiritual resurrection, not just moral reformation or new information.06:47 | The New Birth is to be given spiritual life by the divine summons and powerful call of God, moving from spiritual death to life by the Holy Spirit, mercy, and power of God.07:15 | Crucial Theological Truth: No one comes to Christ apart from the sovereign initiative of God the Father, who regenerates the sinner by the Spirit and draws the sinner to the Son through the word. The new birth is entirely God's mercy.Application Points from the New Birth:09:25 | 1. The religion of human achievement is eliminated. We cannot contribute anything to our salvation; the only thing we contribute is the sin that made it necessary.11:24 | 2. All pride should be eradicated. The only difference between a Christian and an unbeliever is the mercy, pity, and compassion of God, leading to humility.II. 13:53 | God's Heavenly Blessings in the New BirthThis new life leads to three blessings.14:04 | 1. A Living Hope14:04 | When God causes us to come to life, we move from having no hope (Ephesians 2:12) to having a living hope.15:06 | The Christian hope is not uncertain or wishful thinking; it is a future reality that is certain, but not yet fully realized, and gives confident expectation in the present.16:54 | This hope is "living" because it is rooted "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead". Jesus Christ is the living hope.20:09 | Application: Do not fix your hope on futile, vain earthly things (career, popularity, achievements), which will be taken away. Aim for the living hope, Jesus Christ.23:00 | 2. An Eternal Inheritance24:57 | Descriptions of the Inheritance: Imperishable: Untouched by death; cannot decay or be destroyed.Undefiled: Unstained by sin; morally pure; untouched by corruption.Unfading: Untouched by time or decay; remains eternally vibrant.27:15 | The Supreme Blessing: Not chiefly that we receive the entire cosmos, but that we receive God Himself as our very great reward.28:24 | The inheritance is secure because it is "kept in heaven for you" by God.29:01 | 3. A Powerful Guarding29:01 | God provides a powerful guarding for the recipients of the inheritance.30:45 | This provides a double guarantee: God keeps the inheritance, and God promises to keep us until we receive that inheritance, illustrating the glorious doctrine of divine preservation (Philippians 1:6).32:58 | We are guarded through faith, meaning that while God preserves, believers are called to persevere by clinging to the Savior. We will one day reach our celestial city, and salvation will be revealed in its fullness.35:24 | Conclusion and Applications35:33 | Application 1: Be heavenly minded in all things. We must maintain a loose grip on this world and a tight grip on the world to come. Those who are most heavenly minded are the most "earthly good," driven to do all things with excellence for the glory of God.37:47 | Application 2: Be heavenly resilient in the context of suffering. Because Christians have a living hope and an eternal inheritance that death cannot take away, we can walk through any trial with confidence and boldness, knowing that death has lost its sting.43:24 | Our hope is alive, our inheritance is secure, and our God is faithful to bring us home. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

1 Peter 1:1-2  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: 1 PeterOutline:I. The AuthorPeter's Biography and BackgroundWaiting for the Messiah: Peter was introduced as an Orthodox Jew, reared in Judaism, familiar with the Law of Moses, covenants, Psalms, and prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.Following Jesus: He was called by Jesus (and named Cephas/Peter) after being identified as the Messiah by his brother Andrew. He followed Christ devotedly for three to three and a half years.Witness and Listener: He witnessed Jesus' many miracles (e.g., healing, walking on water, Transfiguration) and heard his extraordinary teaching (e.g., Sermon on the Mount, Olivet discourse).Portrait of Peter in the Gospel Accounts (Two Emphases)His Zealous Faith: Peter was passionate, devoted, "all in" with Jesus, and often in the vanguard of professing faith (e.g., John 6:66-68, Matthew 16). His zeal, however, sometimes made him impulsive or rash.His Failures: Peter's imperfections are visible; he often needed rebuke, showed a lack of understanding/faith, and failed the Lord finally by denying him three times.Peter's Restoration and Apostolic FaithfulnessPeter was restored after the resurrection; Jesus singled him out ("Tell Peter, I'm risen") and recommissioned him in John 21 by asking "Do you love me?" three times.In the Book of Acts, Peter stands out as an impressively bold and courageous apostle, willing to suffer greatly (beaten, threatened, imprisoned) for Christ.Christian tradition confirms he was finally martyred for the faith, as alluded to by Jesus (John 21) and Peter himself (2 Peter).Aspects of Peter's Biography Illuminating the LetterPeter's conviction that he had found the Messiah; he was utterly captivated by Jesus Christ.Peter's Jewish background; he viewed global, multiethnic Christianity as the true fulfillment of Judaism and the covenants.Peter's familiarity with the teaching and moral example of Jesus; 1 Peter is highly concerned with ethics and life ("imperatival," with one imperative for every three verses).Peter's familiarity with suffering and the need for faithfulness under trial; his experience of failure and restoration makes him a reliable guide for those navigating difficulty.II. The Audience (Elect Exiles)Defining the Designation "Elect Exiles"This designation refers to every Christian and defines our life orientation.Exile: The Greek word means alien, foreigner, stranger, or pilgrim.An exile is a citizen of another country living in foreign, unfamiliar, and potentially dangerous territory, outside social structures that provide safety and belonging.The term is used metaphorically, emphasizing the Christian's heavenly country rather than their earthly one (like Abraham, who looked for a heavenly city).The concept draws on major biblical themes of exile (Adam and Eve from Eden, Israelites in Egypt/Babylon).Practical Ideas Communicated by "Elect Exiles"This world is not our home: Christians should not live as though all their good things are in this life; the world is foreign territory, leading to feelings of profound longing or loneliness.We should expect that we will be the objects of the world's hostility: Following Christ faithfully means courting opposition, as "friendship with the world is enmity with God". Embracing Christian doctrines and ethics (e.g., concerning sexuality, the unborn) will lead to being considered "antisocial and a bigot".We are citizens of heaven and ought to live like it: Christians are called to live distinctive, holy, set-apart lives, marching to the beat of a different drum. The church functions as an embassy of the kingdom of heaven, where believers nurture the culture of their homeland.Believers must keep alive the desire for their true country and press on toward it, helping others do the same.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Acts 2  |  Robert Fisher

Psalm 37:1-11  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: PsalmsIntroduction00:26 | Reading of Psalm 37:1–11.02:07 | The Psalms are a treasured book because they reveal the dynamics of the Christian life, including praise, sorrow, disappointments, and disillusion, portraying this experience realistically.03:13 | The specific lesson this wisdom hymn teaches is what Christians are to do when wickedness is prospering, even against them.03:54 | The Christian life is not one of uninterrupted peace and happiness; it is also filled with strife and disappointments.04:16 | The basic answer to responding to abounding sin and evil is to put off fretting, and to put on meekness.I. 04:34 | Put Off Fretting and Envy04:49 | The Problem: Wickedness, evildoers, and wrongdoers who carry out evil devices, plot against the righteous, seek their death, borrow but do not pay back, and are called ruthless and transgressors.06:13 | The Command: Fret not yourself, nor be envious (Psalm 37:1).06:13 | Fretting is described as getting hot, or "glowing with anger."06:31 | Envy is hating someone for having something you do not have.06:37 | Fretting and envy illustrate someone who is out of control and ruled by their passions.06:58 | Reasons Not to Fret and Envy:07:07 | It Tends Only to Evil (Psalm 37:8). 07:22 | It is not wrong to be angry at sin, but we are warned to be slow to anger, because the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20).08:00 | This behavior, rooted in bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.08:25 | The greatest problem is that the saints tragically sin because they are enraged at others' sin.08:59 | Fretting is fundamentally unbelief, a desire to be God and control the situation, or a temptation to grumble against God.10:21 | We have no excuse to sin against God, nor should we respond to someone else's sin with our own sin.10:42 | The Wicked's Time is Coming (Psalm 37:2). 10:58 | The wicked will soon "fade like the grass and wither like the green herb".11:23 | Wisdom calls us to play the long game and consider the end of wickedness.11:46 | The evildoers shall be cut off, be no more, their arms shall be broken, and they will perish, vanishing like smoke.13:25 | The prosperity of the wicked is light and momentary and cannot be compared to the condemnation awaiting them.13:39 | Application to Unbelievers: Sin is suicidal and destructive, leading to eternal death; the only escape is turning to Jesus Christ, who is meek and gentle.II. 16:36 | Put On Meekness17:02 | The believer is identified in verse 11 as "the meek"; the character traits listed (vv. 1–10) describe meekness.17:17 | The Behaviors of the Meek:17:17 | The Meek Trust the Lord (Psalm 37:3, 5). 17:36 | Meekness is fundamentally faith in the Triune God; one must be a Christian to be truly meek.18:02 | The meek person trusts what the Lord says over what they feel or what appears to be true.19:05 | They commit their way to the Lord, trusting "he will act" (Psalm 37:5). If we keep a good conscience, we may leave it to God to care for our good name.20:41 | The meek person is not a "weak, passive wimp," but has a spine, courage, stability, and is steady because of their God (like Mount Zion).21:26 | The Meek Do Good (Psalm 37:3). 21:58 | Anxiety and fury are schemes Satan uses to make Christians unfruitful and ineffective.22:39 | Instead of cynicism, the meek devote themselves to good works and overcome evil with good (Romans 12).23:02 | The Meek are Faithful in Every Station of Their Lives (Psalm 37:3, 5). 23:18 | They are commanded to "befriend faithfulness"—to be true to God and true to one's word.24:05 | They do the next right thing without panic or fretting, casting anxieties on the Lord.24:55 | The Meek Find Their Supreme Happiness in God (Psalm 37:4). 25:14 | They are commanded to "delight yourself in the Lord"; delight is a command, not a suggestion.25:51 | What is needed most when wickedness abounds is to behold God and thus delight in Him.26:44 | Beholding God in Christ by faith is an antidote to anxiety and fretfulness.27:20 | Christians must stir themselves up and tell themselves the truth (like the psalmist in Psalm 42). If we have God, we have everything.29:01 | The Meek Wait Upon the Lord (Psalm 37:7). 29:13 | They are commanded to "be still" or "rest" and "wait patiently for him".29:36 | Faith trusts that God will perform His promise, no matter how long it takes, because God cannot lie.30:35 | The meek person conforms their soul to God's will and resigns everything to the care of their heavenly Father.31:00 | Summary Definition of Meekness: Matthew Henry defines the meek:The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to His Word, and to His rod; who follow His directions and comply with His designs, and are gentle towards all men. They bear provocation without being inflamed by it. They can be cool when others are hot, and in their patience, keep possession of their own souls. They are meek who are rarely and only with difficulty provoked, but quickly and easily pacified, and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than avenge one, having the rule of their own spirits. 32:39 | The Lord's Preservation of the Meek: The Lord preserves the meek forever, holds them fast, and will not forsake them. We make it to the end because God is strong and mighty and holds us fast.35:52 | The Supreme Example of Meekness: Jesus Christ.36:31 | We can only be meek because Christ died for our sins of fretting, envy, and unbelief, and rose again. We must behold Him who is gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11).37:05 | The Prize of the Meek:37:29 | They shall inherit the land/earth (Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5:5). This inheritance means inheriting the universe and a restored earth and heavens.39:12 | The fleeting pleasure of the wicked (50–70 years in a cursed world) is a joke compared to eternity in a perfected world.40:47 | We will inherit God Himself (Revelation 22:4).41:45 | Vindication (Psalm 37:6): God will bring forth the righteousness of the meek as light and their justice as the noonday.43:01 | The meek do not fight for vindication now but wait upon God to do it. This calls the Christian to play the long game.44:17 | The challenge is whether it is enough that God knows and sees our uprightness, even if others do not. The Judge of all the earth will do what is right.45:08 | Conclusion and Final Exhortation45:08 | We must take care to hear the Lord's voice in Psalm 37.45:40 | Do not fret or be envious, but trust in the Lord, do good, befriend faithfulness, commit your way to him, and wait patiently for ...

Psalm 100  |  John Aiello   <Series: PsalmsBy meditating upon who God is and what He has done for us, we can experience never-ending joy and delight in Him, living a life characterized by worship, service, and gratitude both as individuals and as a church.I. 03:56 | The Call to Joyful Worship and Service (Psalm 100:1–2) The Psalmist provides three commands (imperatives) and specifies the manner in which they are to be obeyed.04:27 | Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth (or "shout joyfully"): God desires the entire earth to be full of joy by praising Him. 05:42 | Serve the Lord with gladness: Serving God is not burdensome slavery, but rather the affection of joy found in fulfilling our created and redeemed purpose. 07:38 | Come into His presence with singing: God, the source of all delight, calls us to come to Him and experience everlasting happiness.II. 10:24 | The Foundation of Joyful Worship and Service is Found in Knowing God (Psalm 100:3) Truth is the basis, foundation, and driver of delightful worship and service, stirring the deepest springs of emotion into the "rapture of holy love and joy."10:51 | Know God as your Creator: "It is he who made us and we are his". The fact that the Lord is God and created us should cause us to praise His wonderful name. 14:25 | Know God as your Redeemer Shepherd: We belong to God by redemption, not just creation, knowing Him as our Redeemer Shepherd who came to redeem His people. 17:33 | Know God as your Father (Adoption): The fullness of belonging is found in adoption, allowing us to know God as our Father, moving us from enemies to joint heirs with Christ.III. 20:21 | The Invitation to Grateful Praise (Psalm 100:4) This section calls for a specific kind of worship: grateful praise.21:09 | Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise / Give thanks to Him, bless His name: Because Christians are united to Jesus Christ, we have access to the heavenly temple and can give thanks and bless God's name in His very presence at any time. When God redeems us, we move from having hearts of ingratitude to hearts that can give thanks in every circumstance.IV. 24:06 | The Foundation of Grateful Praise: The Very Character of God (Psalm 100:5) Worship flows from truth, and truth fuels worship, creating a continual cycle of joy and reflection. This grateful praise is grounded in God's unchanging character.25:47 | The Lord is good: God is goodness itself, possessing perfect purity and righteousness without flaw or corruption. Because He is infinite in His goodness, we will never run out of reasons to thank Him, despite changing circumstances or affliction. 29:49 | His steadfast love endures forever: This refers to chesed, God's unchanging covenant commitment (or loyalty) to bless His people, supremely displayed in sending Jesus Christ to accomplish our salvation. This love is not transient and continues eternally. 34:21 | His faithfulness to all generations: To say that God is faithful means whatever He promises, He will bring to pass. Unlike human beings, God's faithfulness is perfect, unwavering, and eternal, ensuring His relation to us as a tender shepherd and father will never change.42:48 | Application: Corporate Worship on the Lord's Day43:01 | The Purpose of Worship: We exist with the express purpose of worshiping God. 43:30 | The Priority of Corporate Worship: Corporate worship must be the climax and highlight of our week, requiring us to build our lives around Sunday. 44:25 | The Posture of Worship: Corporate worship should be marked by joy, thanksgiving, expectation, and anticipation that God Himself will meet with His people. 45:02 | The Pillar of Worship: Our worship and service must rest on the character and acts of God himself, not on changing circumstances or emotions or passing blessings.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Psalm 40  |  Alex DiPrima   <Series: PsalmsOutline:David recounts a period of intense personal difficulty and distress and God's glorious deliverance (Verses 1–10)David's difficulty and distress summarizedDavid's waiting on the LORDGod's deliverance of DavidThe fruit of God's deliverance in David's lifeHe sings about itHe proclaims God's deliverance to othersHe embraces total self commitment to the LORDDavid finds himself again in a place of difficulty and distress (Verses 11 and following)David anticipates and seeks God's deliverance again< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Psalm 16  |  Lance Hartman   <Series: PsalmsIntroduction: The Theme of Satisfaction in God 00:59 | Psalm 16 shows the satisfaction that every believer should have, regardless of circumstances. 01:31 | Our greatest joy, honor, and satisfaction is to worship and glorify the one true God through Christ Jesus. 01:45 | David's highest satisfaction is in God, along with others who find satisfaction in God, leading him to renounce everything idolatrous. 02:17 | Psalm 16 celebrates the temporal and eternal benefits of trusting in and being loyal to the one true God. 03:42 | David was a profoundly satisfied man, satisfied in God. 04:05 | "He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only" — C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory.I. 04:46 | Four Marks of One Who Believes in God (Verses 1-4)06:01 | 1. Trusting in Him: God as Safe Refuge (Verse 1) 06:18 | David regularly sought refuge in the one and only place to be found: in God. 06:57 | The prayer for preservation is not based on vague hope, but because David knows to whom he is praying—the only true God in whom there is shelter. 07:27 | A life belonging to our God never goes unsheltered, is never vulnerable to chance events, and is always safe in Christ. 08:26 | No created thing can separate believers from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8). 08:49 | 2. Finding all sufficiency in Him: The Dual Confession (Verse 2) 09:03 | The Hebrew text uses three words for God: El (Almighty One), Yahweh (personal covenant one), and Adonai (the master). 09:53 | God is My Lord. David bowed his knee and his soul to God in the present. 10:23 | Each believer can say, "Jesus, you are my Lord"10:41 | No Good Besides You. 11:19 | David appears to understand that all that we call good in this world amounts to nothing before the only good and source of good who is our God. 11:44 | God designed humans with longings and cravings intended to be directed toward God alone for joy and His glory. 13:04 | Believers are now free to bring their longings and cravings under the control of the indwelling Spirit. 14:40 | The very best this world can offer is nothing without Jesus and adds nothing to Jesus. 15:51 | John Piper is quoted: "God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him." 16:27 | 3. Delighting in Fellow Believers (Verse 3)16:52 | David calls them majestic or excellent ones, and he delights in them. 17:26 | 4. Renouncing Idolatry (Verse 4) 17:44 | David is likely speaking of unbelieving Israelites, rejecting divided loyalties. 19:27 | In our day, this represents anything in which people put their trust apart from Christ. 19:44 | The love of God will supplant the love of lesser things in the world (1 John 2:15). 20:12 | Summary of Verses 1-4: Four Marks of One Who Believes in God. Trust in him. Finding all sufficiency in him. Delighting in fellow believers. Turning from all that is opposed to him.II. 20:33 | Full Satisfaction in God as Portion and Heritage (Verses 5-6)20:53 | Using language from the gift of Canaan to Israel, David extols God's goodness to him in this life, seeing God as the one who causes all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28). 21:21 | 1. God as Portion and Cup: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup". 21:27 | God being the portion of inheritance recalls the Levites; believers are the Levites of the New Covenant, being a royal priesthood. 21:56 | Habakkuk’s example shows rejoicing in the Lord even when all material comforts fail. 23:58 | The Lord is the David's cup, meaning that in sorrow and joy, God is the overriding reality of life. 24:28 | We should rejoice in the Lord in it all because it comes from Him. 25:05 | 2. Reality Exceeds Expectations: "The lines have fallen out for me in pleasant places." Believers have a reality that exceeds expectations. 25:15 | God is able to do "exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). 25:56 | Our cup runs over, and the Lord our God Himself is our heritage.III. God's Guidance and Presence (Verses 7-8)26:24 | David saw beyond the material to the very presence of the Lord with him, in his thoughts and serenity. 27:00 | Three invaluable benefits of commitment to the Lord are: Thinking God's thoughtsFollowing HimResting serenely in His constant presence27:28 | 1. Blessing the Lord (Verse 7) 28:21 | When we bless God, we say of Him what we could say of no other. 28:45 | Blessing God involves adoration, thanksgiving, praise, and acknowledgment of His wonder. 29:32 | David gives the Lord his mind to fill, his life to lead, and his worries to carry. 30:29 | We bless God by presenting ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). 31:20 | We should cultivate the discipline of blessing God by presenting ourselves to Him through the Spirit at all times. 31:43 | 2. Setting the Lord Continually Before Me (Verse 8) 32:05 | This requires intentionality; we must consciously prioritize the unseen eternal things over the temporal. 32:41 | David had God always before him as his guide and goal. 33:12 | 3. Unshaken Rest: David sensed God was beside him in everything ("at my right hand"). 33:26 | God has the power to take the shake out of life. 33:45 | Only in Christ’s strength can we stand firm, steadfast, and unshaken.IV. 33:56 | Joy and Hope (Verses 9-11)33:56 | Verses 9-11 end the psalm on notes of joy and hope. 34:02 | David uses the word my three times: my heart, my glory, my flesh. 34:24 | 1. Present Joy and Security (Verse 9) 35:23 | His inner person (my heart, my glory/tongue) was filled with gladness and joy because he knew of God's presence. 36:21 | His physical life (my flesh) dwells securely, as he depended on God’s divine protection. 36:51 | Those in Christ should know a blessedness immeasurably greater through the indwelling Spirit. 37:13 | 2. Future Hope (Verse 10)37:55 | David’s confident hope was that God would not abandon his soul to Sheol, expecting to go there but not to remain there.39:12 | This passage is interpreted in the New Testament (Acts 2, 13) as looking forward to the resurrection fulfilled by Jesus, the promised Messiah. 40:50 | Believers know that death and Sheol have b...

John 11  |  Alex DiPrima  

Romans 3:9-25  |  John Aiello

Romans 8:28  |  Alex DiPrima

Topical  |  Lance Hartman

Jude 1b  |  Alex DiPrima   <This is a continuation of Called, Loved, Kept.< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >  

Jude 1b  |  Alex DiPrima   <Continuation: Kept For Jesus Christ< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 6:10-18  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 6:05-09  |  John Aiello   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Hebrews 11:13-16  |  Alex DiPrima  <Scripture Reading:These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV)< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 6:1-4  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 5:22-33  |  Lance Hartman   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 5:15-21  |  John Aiello   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 5:01-14  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 4:25 - 5:02  |  Jonathan Harris   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 4:17-24  |  Johnson Waterer   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 4:11-16  |  Lance Hartman   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >

Ephesians 4:07-12  |  John Aiello   <Series: Ephesians< · ──── ·𖥸· ──── · >