Mission to Babylon

Christ Church DC
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A podcast of Christ Church DC. Hear CREC Pastors exposit on God’s Holy Word. Subscribe to hear Doug Wilson, Jared Longshore, Ben Merkle, Toby Sumpter, Joe Rigney, Adam McIntosh, Ben Zornes, Brooks Potteiger, Garrett Craw, C. R. Wiley and many more. Hear their weekly exhortation and sermon. Like what you hear? Join Christ Church DC live on Sundays at 10:30am in Washington, DC.

Episodes

  1. Aug 9

    Brooks Potteiger, Cultural Trusses Part 3

    Summary In the sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of a robust, covenantal vision for life, building on the biblical foundations found in Job and Colossians. He discusses the chaos that ensues from Adam’s transgression of God’s covenants, highlighting the redemptive work of Jesus as the last Adam, who restores all aspects of life, including marriage, family, church, and nations. The sermon specifically addresses heads of households, urging them to take responsibility for their families’ spiritual and physical well-being, citing Job’s example of sacrificial leadership. The preacher encourages future heads of homes to embrace their roles with a clean heart, practice collective language when addressing family issues, and eliminate grumbling, framing leadership as bearing burdens. Additionally, he calls on the entire church community to uphold their covenant bonds by practicing forgiveness and reconciliation, likening the church to Roman concrete, which strengthens over time through challenges, rather than succumbing to division. Ultimately, the message is a call for resilient, covenantal relationships rooted in Christ’s love, which can withstand conflicts and demonstrate the gospel’s transformative power to the world. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more Our first reading comes from Job chapter 1 verses 4 through 5. And then from Colossians chapter 3 verses 13 through 14. The word of the Lord. Our Lord and our God, we do thank you for your word. Holy Spirit, the very God who inspired these words, we pray that you would place them where they are most needful in each one of us. It is in the strong name of Christ that we pray these things. And amen. As we establish some foundational, load-bearing, biblical truths that structure our life together at Christ Church DC. And today is a continuation on the trust, on the theme from last week. Namely, on the need to recover a robust, covenantal vision of life. We saw last week how God created a world with covenant structures when he first created it. Of marriage and family. Of church. And of the civil realm. But most importantly, he made a covenant between himself and humanity. With Adam as humanity’s federal head. But Adam transgressed that covenant. He broke the covenants. And very quickly, all the other covenants started to come apart at the seams within one chapter, throwing the world into chaos. Because that is what sin does. It is a corrosive. It brings disconnection, disunity, and ultimately despair. However, God in his loving kindness did not leave us in this chaotic disconnection that we inherited from Adam. Rather, he so loved the world that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, on a cosmic rescue mission to redeem the world and the entirety of it. Jesus came not as the divine savior of disconnected mass of human individuals. He came as the last Adam, as 1 Corinthians 15 says, the new covenant head of a new humanity to bring us back into covenant with God and to go to work redeeming and restoring all the structures within the world. The family, Genesis 12, 3, or 2, 9, you, the church are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. And he came to redeem nations as nations. Revelation 21, 4, by the light of the lamb will the nations walk and the kings of earth will bring their nation’s glory into it. So yes, Jesus saves us as individuals, but he is not individualistic. He is making all things new, the structures that God built into the world. And part of our work then as ministers of reconciliation sent by Christ into the world is to strengthen and repair on purpose these structures as well for the glory of God and for the joy of our great grandchildren. So that’s all review for our time today. I want to get more practical, pull it down to earth. What does it look like for us as a church community? To continue growing into a sturdy, healthy, joyful covenant community together on purpose in this city. And I’m really going to narrow my focus to two specific angles today. Two specific exhortations. First, a word to heads of home or soon to be heads of home. Second, a word to every one of us in the church as the church. First, heads of home. A church is fundamentally made up of households. And so a healthy, covenantally minded church means having healthy, covenantally minded households. And that means heads of home who gladly and sacrificially start taking responsibility for the state of their entire household. Protection, their physical provision, but also for their spiritual protection, their spiritual provision. And of course, he takes his cues from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Jesus took full responsibility for us as God’s people in our provision on the cross, in our protection through his Holy Spirit. In that text, verse 4 of chapter 1 of Job, we’re told that his children had a sort of feasting tradition around their cul-de-sac, as it were, where the sons would take turns hosting feasts. They would invite their sisters over as well. And we’re not told if they would invite their servants or friends over. We could probably assume that. But apparently, it was a festive affair of eating and drinking. And then we were told in verse 5, that afterwards, Job would send and consecrate them afresh, likely some sort of ceremonial washing. And then he would go and he would offer sacrifices on their behalf, just in case they had done anything at all that offended God during their feasting. This is a picture of a covenant head taking responsibility before God, for those God has placed under their care, just as Christ does for his people. Job does not say, well, I wasn’t there. I didn’t make the party. So I have no idea what happened. Therefore, how can I possibly be responsible for any of that? None of this. If something happened, it’s not my problem. That is decidedly what he does not do. Rather, he stands before God. For forgiveness, should there even be any, which we’re not told that there even was. And Job stands as an example for us of having a spiritual pulse on our people, of taking initiative to protect and provide for them. But husbands and fathers, taking this kind of responsibility, if we are honest, does not come naturally. As sons of Adam, our instinct in our flesh is abdication, and blame shifting. By nature, we don’t like taking responsibility for our own sins, let alone sins of other people or cares of other people. And this is why we need to pursue this together on purpose. Because God has called us to it. He has sent us as sentinels for the souls in our household. So a few thoughts on embracing your responsibility and future head of home. Because if you aren’t a husband or father yet, you likely will be. And now’s the time to start preparing. One, you must live with a clean heart before your God. You must live with a clean heart before your God. Which means you must deal with your own sin quickly and thoroughly. As head of home, if you are constantly bogged down with guilt. You cannot take responsibility for the souls of others. If you are gunked up with undealt with shame in your own hearts. Unconfessed sin will sap your spiritual strength. And it will leave your people without a covering. Unconfessed sin will sap your own spiritual strength. Unintended. This is something King David recognized. A covenant head who knew great sin in his own life. When his own heart was not clean before his God. He says in Psalm 32.4. Day and night your hand was heavy upon me. And my strength was dried up. As by the heat of summer. And he goes on in the Psalm 32 to talk about how he confessed. And there was this great lifting. This great strengthening. He goes on to exhort people to seek God while they may be found. Undealt with personal sin will sap your strength and make it impossible for you to lead well. In this generation, there are many fathers who simply will not address things in their home that do need addressing. Because they feel hypocritical. They feel disqualified. They feel inadequate. They won’t confront a son when they suspect a pornography issue. Because they struggled in the past. They won’t instruct or correct their wives, but will rather fall into a low hum of passive aggression. Because they’re sick of the constant fighting because they won’t address anything. They won’t lead in family prayer now, though they really do want to. Because the first one will be awkward when the kids ask, why are we just starting this now? If that’s you, the first thing you need to do is go back two weeks ago and listen to that sermon on the podcast, on the gospel. How God chose Paul for the purpose of showing the world he draws straight with crooked lines. This is the freedom of the apostle Paul in his ministry, not because he was a perfect man, far from it, but because he had repented and received forgiveness of sins and was free to do his ministry then. You do that, so far as the east is from the west, so far I’ve removed your transgressions and then turn afresh. And embrace with faith the office God has called you to. He chose you of your head of home. And that is an objective fact. So it doesn’t really matter how you feel about it. Just embrace the responsibility confidently and cheerfully. And know this, other than Christ, there’s no such thing as a sinless head of home. Other than Christ, there’s no such thing as a perfect head of home. That’s not possible, but it is possible to be a faithful head of home. And that’s a really important distinction. It’s not possible to be a sinless head of home. It is possible to be a faithful head of home. And that requires having a clean heart before God and your family so that you’re not bogged down and sidelined with sin and shame. Now, suppose some thing

  2. Aug 2

    Brooks Potteiger, Cultural Trusses Part 2

    Summary In today’s sermon at Christ Church DC, the focus is on the importance of recovering covenantal thinking as a foundational truth for community life, contrasting it with the pervasive radical individualism that has broken down covenant structures in society. The sermon highlights biblical texts, particularly Psalm 103:17-18 and Romans 12:4-5, to underscore that God’s steadfast love is tied to covenant faithfulness, which is essential for generational flourishing. The speaker argues that the covenant, established by God and distinct from mere contracts, entails solemn obligations with blessings for faithfulness and consequences for unfaithfulness. The breakdown of covenant, as seen from the fall of Adam and subsequent biblical narratives, has led to chaos in family, church, and civil life. The advent of Christ represents a redemptive plan that restores these structures through the gospel, emphasizing that the essence of community is found in covenant relationships, which stand in opposition to the divisive nature of individualism. The sermon concludes with a call to embrace and nourish these covenant obligations, positioning the church as a witness to God’s renewing work in the world. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more show less

  3. Jul 26

    Brooks Potteiger, Cultural Trusses: Astonishingly Good News

    Summary In today’s sermon from 1 Timothy 1:15-17, the pastor emphasizes the core message of the gospel: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, highlighting the personal testimony of Paul, who identifies himself as the foremost sinner. The sermon introduces Paul as a key figure and mentor to Timothy, framing the letter as a manual on church leadership and gospel proclamation amidst challenges. The pastor outlines three central questions regarding salvation: how Christ saves through His life, death, and resurrection; why He saves to showcase His grace and patience; and why this message is particularly relevant for Washington, D.C., where self-righteousness and shame are prevalent. The pastor calls on the church to live in the freedom that comes from this gospel, which is vital for being a transformative presence in the city, encouraging believers to fully embrace their identity in Christ despite their pasts. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more Our scripture today for the sermon time comes from the epistle to Timothy the first one chapter 1 verses 15 through 17. Give careful attention to the reading of God’s holy and inspired word. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost. But I receive mercy for this reason. That in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, God only wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Word of the Lord. Amen. Well, after having had one foot in two states over the last few months, I am grateful to be securely in the saddle here in Christ Church, D.C. And you don’t need me to tell you because if you have eyes in your head, you can see. God has been extraordinarily gracious to this young church. Aslan is truly on the move in our time, and I am so humbled and grateful to be a part of it. And though expository preaching will be our bread and butter on the Lord’s Day, just line by line, precept upon precept, going through books of the Bible, I do want to take the first several weeks of my pastorate here to hit on some foundational themes. To reinforce what we might call some cultural trusses, truths that undergird, truths that shape our life together at Christchurch DC. We’ll consider four or five of them over the coming weeks. But for today, what we’re going to consider is not so much one of the trusses, to stick to the metaphor, but it is the foundation itself. It is the pillow that we lay our head on at night and find rest. Though there are many things that DC needs to hear, it is the primary message Christ Church DC exists to proclaim. And it is this, of course. The astonishingly good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The astonishingly good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what gospel means. It is a declaration from heaven to earth of good news. That’s what I want to do in our time today. To see it again with greater clarity. I want you, I want us to be re-enchanted with just how good the news is. A savior Christ is and why it is especially good news for a city like Washington, D.C. Because what’s true, and the enemy knows it, that’s why there’s such resistance. What’s true is there is no more potent redemptive force in the world than a church who lives free. Gloriously free from guilt, from shame, from condemnation, from the shackles of human sin that have afflicted us from the moment of our first fall. That is the most potent redemptive force in the world is a church who lives free from all of that. That’s what I’m arguing. Many texts we can choose from to get a rich summation of the gospel, John 3.16, Romans 6.23 come to mind, Timothy today. Because here the apostles’ words show, with intensely personal effect, the freeing power of the gospel. Why the news is such good news. Paul knew it intensely, personally. With that, let’s turn to the text. Quick background. So this is from the first of two letters that Paul penned to Timothy. It was his protege. His successor in ministry, he would leave Timothy at Ephesus to help pastor the Ephesian church. And so these letters are full of practical advice. They are a sort of church planters inspired manual about combating false teaching, about how to raise up more leaders and so on. But near the beginning of this first letter, Paul gives Timothy a brief biographical sketch of his call to his apostleship. And he reminds Timothy that his calling, his appointment, his being raised up, as it were, was a sovereign act of God’s mercy towards him. And it’s in verse 15 where he distills it all down. And he fixes Timothy’s eyes here near the beginning on the glory of the gospel. He says this again, verse 15, this saying. So it is a saying for Paul. It is an anthem. This saying is trustworthy and it’s deserving of full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I, Paul, am the worst, am the foremost. This is the one thing Timothy must never get over. This is the one truth Timothy must always hold out, must keep front and center, proclaim and declare with a soaring and fervent urgency that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Despite the many things Timothy will be called to teach and exhort the church in, and there are many, this is the one thing he must never get over. This is the one thing all those other exhortations must be seen through. He lets his mentee know that he himself, the one who is now being used by Jesus to take the gospel to the Gentiles and to the western hemisphere of the world, him, he was the worst of sinners. He was the most unworthy, unlikely one to be called an apostle. He wants Timothy to know this. This is no self-deprecation with a spiritual veneer, which we’re all so good at. No, Paul in his previous life, he was formerly the church’s most vicious persecutor and prosecutor. He was the protester, not just with a silly bullhorn. He had the badge and the baton, and the apostle Paul levied physical assaults on the church of Christ as the gospel was going out. Acts 8.3. Saul was ravaging the church, ravaging the church, going from house to house, dragging out men and women, and then committing them to prison. This is Paul. Acts 9.1. He breathed out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. This is laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. That was Paul. So this is in Paul’s rearview mirror. All the days of his life, all his apostleship, this is part of his story. So when he declares Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost, this is not a false humility on Paul’s part. Formerly the church’s most belligerent opponent. And that is why, this is what he wants Timothy to see, that is why he relished so much in the gospel. It was not theory for him. It was not the bubble he penciled in on the spiritual scantron. What religion do you believe? Christian. It was not that for Paul. This was experiential for the apostle Paul. And I want us as Christ’s church to have the same wonder, to have the same marveling, to have the same confidence in the power of the gospel that Paul had. Paul wants that. That’s what he’s telling Timothy. I am a trophy of grace so that the church will see that and say, if God can do that with him, what in the world could he not do anywhere with anyone? That’s the point Paul’s making with this text. And so to that end, in the remainder of our time, I want to answer three questions to help us get more clarity on this. One, how did Christ Jesus save sinners? Two, why did Christ Jesus save sinners? And three, why is this especially good news for a place like Washington, D.C.? First one, how? How did Christ Jesus save sinners? Paul tells Timothy, came into the world to save sinners, whom he’s the foremost. My question, what did he do when he came into the world that brought about our salvation? The answer to this most important of questions can be summed up in three words. Life, death, resurrection. Life, death, resurrection. If you’re wondering, what about ascension, pastor? That’s a pretty important part. This is an entire sermon. We’ll get there in two to three weeks, so just be patient. Give me a minute. Today I want to focus on what Christ came, what he came to the earth to do to save sinners, which Paul is talking about. In the most basic terms, he saved sinners through his life, death, and resurrection. First, his life. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world, born of a woman, fully God, fully man. And as a man, he experienced everything categorically that you have experienced, that I have experienced. He knew joy. He knew sorrow. He knew calluses on his feet, indigestion, laughter, tears, family drama, and great temptations. He was made just like his brothers. However, there was one way Jesus was unlike us. He never sinned. Jesus Christ, the man, fully God, fully man, never sinned. Where the first Adam failed through his disobedience to the Father and fell into judgment, the second Adam succeeded through his perfect obedience to his Father. Every thought, every word, every deed of his life, he perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law. He was the only image bearer who ever bore the image of God. Accurate. Perfectly. Jesus Christ saved sinners through his life. Next, death. Even though he never died, Christ willingly, obediently, even joyfully, according to Hebrews 12, died a horrific sinner’s death on a cross. And he did so to absorb the full fury, That’s what he was doing. This is why in John 1.29, when John the Baptist sees him, he cries out, Behold the La

  4. Jul 19

    Joe Rigney, Installation of Pastor Brooks

    Summary In this sermon, based on 1 Peter 5:1-7, the speaker addresses the responsibilities of church elders, particularly highlighting the recent installation of Brooks Pottinger as assistant pastor of Christchurch, D.C. Key themes include the call for elders to shepherd willingly and eagerly, without greed or domineering behavior, exemplifying humility as they guide the congregation. It emphasizes the critical role of both church leaders and members in fostering a spirit of humility and submission to authority for the benefit of the community. The speaker draws parallels between pastoral responsibility and the biblical narrative of suffering leading to glory, urging prayer for the pastor and the church. The overview encourages congregants to act with eagerness in their faith and to continue seeking God’s guidance, underscoring the power of collective prayer and divine assistance in fulfilling their mission. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more Scripture reading for this morning’s message comes from the book of 1 Peter, chapter 5, verses 1 to 7. These are the words of God. So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Our Father in God, we thank you for this word. We pray that you would bless it and help us to apply it to our lives today. We ask it in Jesus’ name, and amen. You may be seated. Well, when we set out to launch this service, that’s about 18 months ago, can you believe that? 18 months ago, a couple of us had a crazy idea from Moscow, Idaho, to plant a church in our nation’s capital. And we thought, well, normally when you plant a church, you identify a minister, a pastor, church planter, and you say, hey, we want you to go here and we want you to gather a group of people and kind of a smaller group and you build up from there and eventually launch services. That’s the way it’s typically done. And we said, we don’t have that. So Geronimo, amen. We wanted to establish this service without a minister. And our aim was to launch this effort, which we affectionately referred to as the mission to Babylon. And we decided to use ministers of the 52nd Airborne, named after Isaiah’s words in chapter 52. And our prayer from the beginning was that God would do two things through that initial effort. It would be to gather a people and provide a minister. And he answered that first prayer very quickly. Last year, beginning a year ago, July 14th, he established a consistent congregation that has been meeting now for a year. And then in September of last year, we held the Christ or Chaos Conference over in Arlington. And at that conference, I preached from Ezra Nehemiah about the call to build and fight and to renew Christendom in the face of the sabotage that we knew would come. And the first element that I highlighted in resisting that sabotage and laboring and fighting to advance God’s kingdom was the need to look for and rely upon God’s favor and blessing, and this is a completed theme in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah. Listen to these passages. When Ezra was sent to teach the people, the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. When he arrived in Jerusalem on time, we’re told the good hand of his God was on him. At one point, Ezra asks for particular needs, and he says, I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. He recognized they needed protection from enemies, and they said, the hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and they prayed for protection, and God answered that prayer. Nehemiah later asked the king for help in rebuilding the walls, and we’re told, and the king granted me what I asked for, for the good hand of my God was upon me. And when Nehemiah finally arrives and seeks to encourage the saints to do the work, he says, But notably, in that sermon, I highlighted this particular verse from Ezra 18, when the people realized they have no Levites to minister at the temple. And so they begin to look for ministers for the house of God. And after a search, we’re told this, In September, that was a prayer. Today, that prayer is formally answered with the installation of Brooks Pottinger as assistant pastor for Christchurch, D.C. Remarkable. In the long run, we envision Christchurch, D.C. as an independent CREC congregation. It will remain a service of Christchurch Moscow under the authority of Christchurch Secession of Elders. Brooks will be serving alongside of us in leading and overseeing the service here and shepherding this portion of our flock. And we’re very grateful for the good hand of our God upon us. Which brings me to the passage before us. It gives instructions for elders and for congregations. And I want to focus on the three main exhortations in the passage that are addressed to three different groups. To elders, shepherd God’s flock. To young people, or as they say in the South, youngins, be subject to the elders. And to everyone, be humble. Now this word builds on the previous passage in 1 Peter. We know this because the first word there is so or therefore. And that previous passage had explored Peter’s vision of the Christian life, which is frequently marked by suffering. Suffering, he says, is a refining fire. It separates the gold from the dross. And that separation and that judgment begins with the household of God. And so it’s no surprise that having declared that the judgment begins with the household of God, Peter turns to address the household of God. And 1 Peter 5, if you notice in that passage we just read how Peter refers to himself, fellow elder, witness of the sufferings of Christ, partaker of the glory to come. And he draws attention to these three aspects of his life. And it always reminds me, there’s a scene in the movie Cool Runnings, classic, in which Sanca demands that he get to be the driver of the bobsled because he is the greatest push cart driver in all of Jamaica. And he says to Coach Irv, you dig where I’m coming from? And Irv responds, yeah, I dig where you’re coming from. Now dig where I’m coming from. I’m coming from two gold medals. I’m coming from nine world records in both the two and four man events. I’m coming from 10 years of intense competition with the best athletes in the world. Sanca says, that’s a heck of a place to be coming from. In this passage, Peter’s doing something similar. Let me tell you where I’m coming from. First, he says, I’m an elder too. I’m not, in calling elders to this task, he’s saying, I’m not calling you to a responsibility that I don’t have. I get the burdens of pastoral ministry because I’m a fellow elder. Then he goes on, he says, I’m a witness of Christ’s sufferings. I saw Jesus suffer and die with my own eyes. It’s a heck of a place to be coming from. And finally, he says, I’m a partaker in the glory to be revealed. That’s where Peter’s coming from. There’s the pattern. In chapter 4, Christians share in Christ’s sufferings. In chapter 5, Peter calls himself a partaker, a sharer in the coming glory. That’s the pattern in the Bible. Suffering to glory, cross to crown. There is no other way. And so Peter, as an elder in God’s church, and as a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and as one who will share in the coming glory and grace when Christ returns, he has an exhortation for the leaders in the household of God and for the members of the household of God. And so I want to explore that exhortation, especially to the minister, especially with Brooks in mind, in terms of the what, the how, and the why. What’s the exhortation? How is it to be done? Why is it to be done? So first, what’s the task? And this is, you might think, why aren’t you just telling Brooks this? Pull him aside. Give him his job description. Okay? You need to know what to expect from a pastor. You need to know what you should be looking to him for and how it should be done so that you can know whether he’s doing it properly and faithfully to God’s standards. So here’s the fundamental task. The fundamental task is shepherd the flock of God. Elders are called to pastor. That’s why we often use those terms interchangeably. What does it mean to shepherd? Well, shepherds care for the sheep. Shepherds lead the flock and they feed the flock. They lead it to green pastures and besides still waters, and they guard and protect the flock from bears and wolves and lions. Shepherds are attentive to the health and safety of their sheep. If the sheep begin to look sickly, shepherds examine the diet. Shepherds bring medicine to heal. If a sheep falls in a crack in the earth, a shepherd pulls him out and sets him back on the path until he jumps back in again, and then you pull him out again, and you jump back in, right? You’ve seen that video probably going around. One of the problems, our Bible understanding has been deeply damaged by the fact that too few of us hang out with sheep. We don

  5. Jul 12

    Jackson Waters (Mark 16)

    Summary In Mark 16, the resurrection of Jesus is narrated, beginning with Mary Magdalene and others discovering the empty tomb and trembling in fear, leading to their initial silence. Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons cast from her; however, the disciples do not believe her report of his resurrection. Subsequently, Jesus appears to two disciples and then to the eleven apostles, rebuking them for their disbelief. He commissions them to preach the Gospel globally, promising salvation to believers and signs accompanying them. The sermon reflects on the chaotic nature of the Gospel’s ending and the historical doctrines of inerrancy and canonicity, prioritizing the authority of Scriptures over academic debates. The preacher emphasizes the transformative power of Jesus’ presence in overcoming fear and doubt, urging believers to remember God’s works and to recognize that Christ precedes them in their missions, asserting that He prepares a way in every situation they encounter. The sermon concludes with a prayer for guidance and protection as they grow in faith. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more A reading from the Gospel of Mark, the 16th chapter, beginning in verse 1. And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre. For they trembled and were amazed. Neither said they anything to any man, for they were afraid. Now when Jesus was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that he had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her, believed not. And after that, he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and went unto the country. And they went and told unto the residue, neither believed they them. Afterward, Jesus appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them for their unbelief and their hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Please pray with me. Blessed Lord, you’ve caused all the Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant us so to hear them, to read them, to mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast that blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus. Amen. I’m a native Alexandrian, just across the river. I currently reside up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Trinity Anglican Seminary. And I say that in advance because I think it’s a very hazardous undertaking for me as an Anglican to be preaching to a Presbyterian congregation. There’s a famous incident with Jenny Geddes, as many of you probably know, where that feisty Presbyterian struck her pastor in the head with a stool. That was a poor Anglican clergyman, of course. Who was simply doing as he was told and brought the prayer book into the church. His bishop, Walter Whitford, was not amused. And so when the riots persisted across Scotland, he ascended his Scottish pulpit with two loaded pistols and put them on either side of the pulpit. The muzzle sticking out was very clear that he would use them if necessary. So in that vein, I said I’d make a deal. You keep your chairs on all four legs on the floor. I’ll keep my arms and my belt and we’ll call it good. Mark chapter 16 is a very strange text. For centuries, it has made scholars and pastors alike pull out their hair, and for good reason. One, it gives a sequence of events in a very chaotic order that’s not very clear, always even who is talking and who’s being received. And then it also has three different endings that all come down to us from the earliest days of the church. The very earliest full manuscripts we have, the entire book, end the gospel at verse 8, disobeying the young man, and then not telling the apostles anything. And the book ends. But a few manuscripts in Egypt and Ethiopia from the end of the first century, as far as we can tell, tack a verse right after 8, directly contradicting verse 8, and saying the women did then go tell the apostles, and they believed, and went about preaching with power and authority. A quick circuit to the good ending of the story. That one has not been widely received anywhere, for whatever it’s worth. But most manuscripts we possess, and very early, and then a lot of complete text later, give us what’s called the long ending. And that’s what we just read, and has been in most Western Bibles since the Roman Empire. And that ending slips in, Jesus appearing to Mary in a garden, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and then rushes straight to the Ascension and the Great Commission. It’s also very funny, the very next page of your Bible, Luke chapter 1, opens to Theophilus by promising an orderly account of what has taken place. And you’d be far from the first if you thought the doctor Mark’s hasty construction in mind. So what do we do with an ending like this? And I’ll jump into that and then we’ll get into the meat of the sermon from here. And historically, Christians faithfully have answered this in two ways that complement. The first is the doctrine of inerrancy. So John Stott, the great Anglican partner of Billy Graham, put it simply, Scripture is without error in the original manuscripts, though copies and transmissions can carry scribal mistakes. This view pushes us back towards the earliest manuscripts that we can find, and it stays open to new evidence. But the weakness is it can’t actually tell us a certainty where Mark’s Gospel actually ends. And to be clear, this is one of very few instances. There’s about, there’s this, there’s one chapter, one story in the Gospel of John, one verse in 1 John, and other than that, it’s occasionally a sentence or a fragment of a sentence that’s added in some manuscripts. These are very rare for what it’s worth, but an interesting question for us. They can’t tell us where Mark’s gospel ends, and so its leaders in the church that rely solely on this usually end up relying on the latest academic research, listening to the latest archaeologists, whether or not the end of Mark can be preached that year or not. And the second doctrine which helps protect against that by itself is called canonicity. This is prized by many of the English reformers, and it says the church receives the Bible as one unified whole document. It’s handed down across generations. It’s not opposed to inerrancy in the slightest, but it isn’t threatened per se at slight manuscript variance either. If a verse or a phrase entered the text as early as the 100s AD, and maybe was written by Mark, and the churches read it for nearly 2,000 years, then cutting it out without the consent of the churches would actually do far more harm than it would good. Ancient Roman roads, as they were constructed, lasted so long because their limestone would actually re-fuse together when it cracked. And the doctrine of canonicity works the same way. So long as a scripture stays faithful to itself, it can absorb a small variant without losing one ounce of its clarity or authority. Inerrancy emphasizes the divinely inspired deposit of scripture. Canonicity, so to speak, emphasizes the unbroken witness of the Holy Spirit using his scriptures through the centuries. So whatever modern scholars theorize, they can’t take away the Bible we’ve inherited from the pulpits of the church. They don’t have the authority to remove the words there. This book, the scriptures, is our inheritance. It is our posterity. And the academy serves the church. The church does not serve the academy. So with that long preface, let’s jump into the text. Mark’s account opens with three women keeping the fourth commandment and out of an instinctive zeal and boldness, coming to where Jesus was laid and guarded by soldiers. The women don’t even seem to consider the practical difficulties of getting to the body of Jesus until they’re almost at the tomb. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came into the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? The whole account has a tenor of Abraham and Isaac’s story as well. Where is the sacrifice, Father? The sacrifice. Abraham believed in the resurrection of the dead, Hebrews tells us. And these women seemed to hope in such a resurrection now, despite themselves almost. Mary Magdalene saw her brother Lazarus walk out of a tomb less than two weeks earlier. And Genesis 22 says that Abraham lifted up his eyes, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And just like that, his youthful son is received back from the dead. And the scene that women now inhabit is not unfamiliar. And when the women looked, behold, they saw that the stone was rolled away. Even now, as the women lift their eyes to the hills to behold that insurmountable stone, they see instead a resurrection scene, complete with a young man. The only other young man i

  6. Jun 28

    Jared Longshore (Mark 14)

    Summary In Mark 14, a profound mystery encapsulates the final steps of Christ toward the cross, marked by betrayal, denial, and condemnation from his own disciples. During Passover, despite seeking Jesus’ death, the chief priests hesitate due to public opinion. In Bethany, Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, anoints Jesus with expensive spikenard, symbolizing deep devotion, while Judas, motivated by greed, betrays Him. Jesus shares the Lord’s Supper, foretelling his disciples’ desertion, ultimately leading to Peter’s thrice denial. This passage highlights humanity’s tendency to rely on self-sufficiency, contrasting faithfulness with betrayal, seen in Mary’s generous devotion versus Judas’ opportunism. The sermon emphasizes that true discipleship requires following Christ to the cross, acknowledging that salvation cannot be achieved through human effort, but solely through Christ’s sacrifice. Ultimately, it calls believers to immerse themselves in God’s Word and cultivate a consistent devotion to Christ. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more show less

  7. Jun 21

    Kameron Edenfield (Mark 13)

    Summary In this sermon based on Mark 13, Jesus predicts the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, foretelling that “there will not be left here one stone upon another” (v. 2). His disciples inquire about the timing and signs of this event, prompting Jesus to warn them against false prophets and reassure them that the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations (v. 10). Jesus describes upcoming tribulations, including persecution and natural disasters, as the “beginning of the birth pains” (v. 8). He emphasizes that the destruction will occur within their generation (v. 30) as a judgment on Israel’s unfaithfulness, culminating in 70 A.D. The sermon challenges modern interpretations that stray into predictions of apocalyptic events, instead focusing on the imminent fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy. It underscores trust in Christ’s words as “trustworthy and true” (v. 31) and serves as both a warning against complacency and a reassurance of his reign and the vindication of his followers. The speaker concludes that while the text was not directly written to the audience, it carries valuable lessons for believers today. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, look, teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. And Jesus said to him, do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished? And Jesus began to say to them, see that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name saying, I am he, and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. But be on your guard, for they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my name’s sake to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child. And children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be, let the reader understand. And for those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house to take anything out. And let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas, for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days, pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or look, there he is, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard. I have told you all things beforehand. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. From the fig tree learn its lesson. As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things, you know that he is near at the very gates. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey when he leaves home and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight or when the rooster crows or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you, I say to all, stay awake. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let’s pray together. Amen. You may be seated. Well, greetings from Birmingham, Alabama. I’m one of the pastors at Trinity Presbyterian Church. You had Pastor Lusk here two weeks ago, I believe. He’s the senior pastor at our church. I’m the associate pastor there. It’s a great privilege to be with you all. This morning we’ve been praying for you all, very excited about what the Lord is doing here in D.C. Also very excited about Pastor Brooks Pottinger. He’s in our presbytery, very fond of Brooks, a great and godly man. So thankful the Lord has heard our prayers and y’all’s prayers. Mark 13, when will these things be? When will these things be? That’s the question the disciples ask in this text. Mark 13 records one of the most misunderstood speeches that Jesus ever gave. One of the most misunderstood speeches. It’s a prophetic speech about a momentous event in history, but many have missed the event. Many have just missed it, and as a result, many have misunderstood what Jesus is saying. Many modern interpreters have thought this speech to be about something that’s in our future, something that is yet to happen, the final return of Jesus Christ. And without any context, that’s what it sounds like. It sounds like Jesus is predicting the apocalypse, the apocalypse in the popular sense of that term, this cataclysmic disaster that marks the end of the world, a time in the future when things are going to get really bad. And when you read it this way, it’s usually assumed that this great tribulation will come in our future with wars and famines and earthquakes, the Antichrist, eventually the collapse of the physical world itself. Things are just going to get worse from here on out. That’s the kind of mindset that that reading leads us to. It inculcates a pessimistic mindset. Some have also imagined that this passage teaches a secret rapture. After all, we hear of the coming of the Son of Man, where Jesus will come and snatch up all the Christians from the earth, leaving all the unbelievers left behind, left behind on this cosmic sinking ship. Again, a very pessimistic understanding of where history is headed. Historically speaking, this way of reading Jesus’ words, this way of reading this text known as the Olivet Discourse, it’s recorded here in Mark 13, Matthew 24, Luke 21. This way of reading the text was not really widespread until the 19th and 20th century dispensationalism. I won’t go into all the details of dispensationalism, but I’ll just say that that whole movement gave rise to an entire end times industry, including best-selling fiction series, many books, movies, ministries that are devoted to calculating the return of Jesus based on the sign of the times. Think of Hal Lindsey’s book, 88 Reasons that Jesus is coming back in 1988. Those kind of books. That way of reading Jesus’s words, though, is fundamentally mistaken. It misunderstands what Jesus is doing here. This morning, as we consider Jesus’s words in this passage, I want to show why older interpreters before the 19th and 20th century were closer to the truth than these modern misunderstandings. This moment was something that Jesus was preparing them for, a moment that was coming very soon, an event for their generation. As you read through the rest of the New Testament, maybe you’ve noticed that there are places quite frequently throughout the letters and in the Gospels and Acts where there’s a sense of urgency. About an event that could happen at any moment. This looming, impending event that’s just on the horizon. A major turning point that will mark judgment for some and salvation for others. The New Testament writers use language like, these things must take place very soon. The end of all things is at hand. This is the last hour. All of this sounds like the world could just fall apart. At any moment. Furthermore, this is connected to the New Testament’s teaching that Jesus is coming soon. Revelation 22 ends with Jesus saying three times, behold, I am coming soon. Jesus adds there that when he comes, he’s going to bring recompense with him to repay each one for what he has done. The book of Revelation has several of these kind of statements. The book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It’s the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written, for the time is near. It’s coming soon. It’s near. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will perceive him. Even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the land will wail on account of him. The book of Revelation is describing the same imminent event that Jesus is predicting in Ma

  8. Jun 14

    Zach Wilke (Mark 12)

    Summary In this sermon from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, Pastor Zach Wilkie discusses Jesus’ authority as He confronts various religious leaders—including chief priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, and a scribe—who challenge Him on different grounds but ultimately reveal their hypocrisy and rejection of His authority. Jesus uses the parable of the vineyard to illustrate the consequences of rejecting Him as the Son of God, predicting judgment on Israel’s leaders. He teaches that while civil authorities are legitimate, ultimate allegiance belongs to God, and warns against the hypocrisy and cowardice displayed by His challengers. He concludes by emphasizing that true loyalty requires submitting fully to Christ’s authority, which is vital for genuine faith. Wilkie stresses the importance of recognizing and embracing Christ’s authority in every aspect of life to avoid walking the path of the rivals who opposed Him. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more The sermon text this morning comes from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, the whole chapter. These are the words of the living God. Then he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage time he sent a servant to the vine dressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vine dressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty handed. Again he sent them another servant and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another and him they killed and many others beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them at last saying, they will respect my son. This is the heir. Come let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours. So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine dressers and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture? The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. They knew he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away. Then they sent him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to catch him in his words. When they had come, they said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true and care about no one. For you do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why do you test me? And he said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? And they said to him, Caesar’s. And Jesus answered and said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him. Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him. And they asked him, saying, And so the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as a wife. Jesus answered and said to them, Do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken. Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. And so the scribes said to him, Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. But after that, no one dared question him. Then Jesus answered and said, Then he said to them in his teaching, beware of the scribes who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation. Let’s pray. We ask that you would search our hearts now and reveal to us any areas of our lives where we are failing to submit to your authority. And we ask this all in Jesus’ name, and amen. You may be seated. Well, well, greetings to you all from King’s Cross Church in Moscow, Idaho. My name is Zach Wilkie. I’m an associate pastor at King’s Cross. I was here back in the fall. I feel like I met a number of you, but it’s good to see that you’ve changed rooms, a much nicer room since then. And it’s good to see a lot of new faces as well. I mean, what a blessing it is to see what the Lord is doing here in D.C. We’re thankful. We’re always praying for you guys over in Moscow. We’re happy, enthusiastic to be supporting you. And it is a real joy to be with you all this morning. Well, for any preacher, it’s really quite the task to preach an entire chapter of Scripture. So I appreciate your patience. First of all, as each of the men who have gathered here, or each of the men who have preached for you has read almost an entire chapter of the Bible, that takes a lot. I’m proud of you. And there’s also the task of trying to cover an entire chapter in a sermon, which can be a rather challenging thing as well. So I hope that you all bear with me. Well, throughout Mark’s gospel, Mark has been progressively revealing more and more about who Jesus is. He is slowly pulling the veil back to reveal his true identity. He identifies him as Jesus of Nazareth in chapter 1. You know, that guy, the carpenter’s son, the average Joe. And this Jesus is then baptized by John the Baptist, just like many other people were at the time. And he starts an itinerant preaching ministry, just like a lot of other people did in the first century as well. And throughout the narrative, Mark gives us piece after piece of the puzzle so that we might come to see who Jesus truly and entirely is. And one could easily argue that the culminating point of Mark’s whole gospel comes in chapter 15. After his preaching ministry, after all of his healings, after his teaching his disciples about who he is, finally someone gets it. A Roman centurion, seeing that Jesus of Nazareth, hanging bloodied on a cross, confesses the words, truly, this man was the Son of God. That’s who Jesus is. That’s who Mark is progressively revealing him to be. Now in our passage, chapter 12, we’re not quite there, but it’s where we’re headed. The puzzle is about three quarters of the way done or so, and Mark is filling in some of the final pieces for us. Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when He reveals that He is the true Son of David, the true King of the Jews, coming to restore the kingdom and the glory of Israel. But it’s not just political glory that He’s after. As the coming King, Jesus is also a judge, bringing wrath and punishment on Israel’s religious leaders for their covenant unfaithfulness to God. Now, as to be expected, when someone comes to town claiming to be a king and a judge, those in power want to know, where does this authority come from? Who made you king? Who are you to judge us? Who do you think you are? Which is exactly what the chief priests and scribes and elders ask right before our passage in chapter 11, verses 27 to 28. Authority. That is what they’re concerned with. And that is what will remain, the topic amid this onslaught of questions and challenges from the rivals of Christ’s authority in chapter 12. Mark presents us with four episodes or four snapshots regarding four sets of rivals that Christ encounters and that he overcomes. First, we see the chief priests and scribes and elders. They’re introduced in chapter 11, verse 12. Then we see in verse 13 to 17, the Pharisees and the Herodians. Verses 18 to 27, we see the Sadducees enter in. And finally, we see this single scribe coming after Jesus in verses 28 to 37. Now, if there’s one thing we need to learn from how Jesus handles these rivals, it is that we do not want to be like them. Who deceive themselves by means of their false religiosity and piety. Cowards who lack the nerve and manly fortitude to bring their accusations directly for fear of the people and instead seek to plot and scheme and manipulate. And finally, the chief reason why we must not be like these rivals to Christ is that in their pride and arrogance, they reject His authority. How does Christ handle such people? He utterly humiliates them. He brings immediate judgment upon them, even as they are building up iniquity, awaiting their greater judgment to come for rejecting Him. We must learn a thing or two from these rivals, lest we too become hypocrites and cowards, and we must instead humble ourselves before our great King and Judge, acknowledging and receiving His authority with gratitude in our hearts. And so with the rest of our time, we’re going to be working through this passage, each of these episodes, observing how each of these rivals com

  9. Jun 7

    Rich Lusk (Mark 11)

    Summary In his sermon based on Mark 11, the speaker discusses Jesus’ symbolic actions surrounding his entry into Jerusalem, highlighting the event’s significance in reshaping expectations about His role as the Messiah. After Jesus curses a barren fig tree—symbolizing judgment against the temple—He cleanses the temple of vendors and money changers, declaring it a “den of thieves” instead of a “house of prayer for all nations.” This act demonstrates Jesus’ mission not to reform the temple but to fulfill its purpose as the ultimate temple through His sacrificial death and resurrection. The sermon emphasizes that the old covenant structures are rendered obsolete with Christ’s coming, as He becomes the true means of accessing God and establishes the church as His living temple. The speaker warns that just as Jesus judged the temple, He inspects the church for genuine faith and fruitfulness, urging believers to receive God’s blessings actively and with faith, lest they face similar judgment. Ultimately, the sermon encapsulates the transformative nature of Jesus’ ministry and His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, encouraging reliance on Him as the ultimate Savior. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more Our reading this morning comes from Mark chapter 11. I will begin in verse 12. Now the next day when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find something on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response, Jesus said to it, let no one eat fruit from you ever again. And his disciples heard it. So they came to Jerusalem. And he began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And he would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then he taught, saying to them, is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of thieves. And Peter, remembering, said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree which you cursed has withered away. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen. You may be seated. I bring you greetings from Trinity Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. It is a great honor to bring God’s word to you this day, to declare the gospel of our Savior and King, the Lord Jesus, in your midst. That’s my great privilege today. We are very grateful for this church plant in our nation’s capital. We are grateful to minister alongside of you in the CREC and to see what God is doing in our denomination. And we rejoice in what God is doing here in your congregation, planting the flag of Christ’s kingdom here. It’s a wonderful thing. I also want to add you’ve got a wonderful welcoming committee. I’ve never felt so safe walking into church as I did this morning. So your hospitality is wonderful. Also, I know your future pastor, Brooks. He’s a good friend of mine. He has my utmost respect. He is going to be a tremendous blessing to you when he comes. So certainly we join in giving you thanks for that. Well, let’s turn our attention to our passage from Mark chapter 11. We realize our expectations were all wrong. That’s really what Mark chapter 11 is about. The chapter opens with Jesus making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Expectations are high as Jesus rides in on a colt. He is greeted by crowds who are throwing a parade for him. There is psalm singing. There are palm branches waving. It’s a great celebration. There is all kinds of pageantry as Jesus processes into the city. His disciples have already confessed him as Messiah, as the Christ. And now it seems that the crowds in Jerusalem are getting on board the Jesus train. They’re hailing him as Messiah. Messianic fervor grips the city as Jesus rides in. The deliverer is finally here at last. Of course, they are right. They are wrong in their understanding of what that means. And what we’re going to begin to see in this chapter, and it really carries through the next several chapters of Mark’s gospel that cover the events of this week, culminating with his crucifixion, is this. This is what we see. Jesus has to dash their hopes in order to fulfill them. He will crush their expectations and then exceed them. The crowds are using all the right words to celebrate Jesus’ entrance into the city. Hosanna, they cry out. The Lord saves. Salvation is here. But again, they’re filling those words with the wrong content. They’re expecting the wrong kind of savior and the wrong kind of salvation. And so Jesus has to transform their own. Their understanding of what messiahship is all about. Jesus is Messiah, but that doesn’t mean what they think it means. They were right to have great expectations, but their expectations were still all wrong. Again, those expectations would be crushed by the end of the week when Jesus is crucified. Of course, that’s Good Friday. But then on Sunday morning, something will happen that will go far and above even their wildest expectations. When Jesus is raised from the dead. So Jesus has his triumphal entry. Of course, that is Palm Sunday. The next day, this is where our passage picks up this morning. The next day, he sees a fig tree and he expects it for fruit. So he does a little inspection of the fig tree. He does not find any fruit. And so he curses it and he says, may no one ever eat fruit from you again. The cursing of the fig tree is interesting. The only miracle Jesus performed that brought death rather than life. It is clearly a parable of judgment. Jesus performs a miracle of destruction rather than restoration as he usually does. He performs a miracle that brings curse rather than blessing. Now we’re going to come back to the fig tree in just a few minutes because the story of the fig tree is wrapped around the story of Jesus’ action. And Mark often does this. He’ll insert one story inside of another. So he starts a story, he breaks off and tells another story, and then he picks up with the story he had been telling. And when that happens in Mark’s gospel, that structure allows you to use the outside story to interpret the inside story and the inside story to interpret the outside story. So here the story of the cursing of the fig tree is wrapped around the story of his action in the temple. And so obviously they go together. The fig tree is dealt with in verses 12 to 14 and again in verses 20 to 25. The temple cleansing is dealt with in between in verses 15 to 19. So obviously the cursing of the fig tree is supposed to help us understand what happens in the temple, what Jesus is up to when he goes into the temple. Let’s ask that question. What happens when Jesus enters the temple? What does he do and why does he do it? Now this is usually referred to as the temple cleansing. It has headings for different sections. It probably says Jesus cleansing the temple, something like that. And the idea of this seems to be that it’s as if Jesus came to reform the temple, to deal with its corrupt leadership and its corrupt worship and clean things up. And that’s really what Jesus wanted, was a well-running, properly functioning temple. Now I will say that’s part of it. You can certainly say that’s part of it, but it’s not all of it or even the main point of it. Back in Leviticus 14, in the Torah, in the law, in Leviticus 14, God gave rules about leprous houses. Now we don’t know exactly what it meant for a house to have leprosy. That’s kind of an odd sounding thing, but under the law, houses could get leprosy. That’s the language of Leviticus 14. Now it’s interesting, in John’s gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple at the beginning of his ministry. John chapter 2, right at the beginning of John’s gospel. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, inspection, the temple cleansing, comes towards the end of his earthly ministry, that last week, right before his death. And so some have wondered, when did this happen? Is John right? Did it happen at the beginning? And the other gospel writers just put it out of order? Or are the other gospels right? And is it John who puts it out of chronological order? Well, actually, all of the gospel writers are right. Jesus inspected the temple twice, just like the priest inspecting the leprous in Leviticus 14. He does it at the beginning of his ministry and again at the end of his ministry. And after this second inspection, finding the house corrupted, finding the house spiritually leprous, he announces in Mark 13, so later this week in Mark 13, not one stone is going to be left upon another. He condemns the house, he condemns the temple, and he says not one stone is going to be left upon another. Jesus’ action in the temple shows the temple is a leprous house, spiritually leprous, and must be condemned. Note this as well. When he goes into the temple, he sees the money changers there, and he casts them out. It’s the exact same word used when Jesus performs exorcisms and casts out demons. He’s been casting out demons, now he casts out the money changers. It’s as if to us as the reader. The temple has become infested with demons. The temple itself needs an exorcism. The house is not only leprous, it is demonic. And there’s no doubt all kinds of sinful things were going on in the temple. There’s no doubt there was economic exploitation going on with the money changers who had a monopoly on currency exchange in the temple. Jesus quotes from Jeremiah and accuses them of turning the temple into a den of thieves. A hiding place for robbers. In the next chapter of Mark, we get a glimpse of this when the widow puts her last two mites into the te

  10. May 31

    Gene Liechty (Mark 10)

    Summary In today’s sermon on Mark chapter 10, the preacher highlights key themes of spiritual blindness and the nature of true discipleship through various encounters of Jesus. Jesus teaches about divorce, emphasizing God’s original intent for marriage based on Genesis, countering the Pharisees’ legalistic interpretations. He welcomes children, illustrating humility as essential for receiving the kingdom, and addresses a rich young ruler who struggles to abandon his possessions for eternal life, symbolizing the difficulty of wealth in faith. The sermon culminates with Jesus’ call to servanthood, contrasting worldly notions of greatness with true greatness in God’s eyes, emphasizing that service and humility define true leadership in the kingdom. As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he prepares his disciples for his impending death and resurrection, reinforcing the theme of following Him through suffering before glory. Transcription Choose show more to view the transcription. Transcriptions are AI generated and MAY be incorrect. Rely on the spoken word heard in the audio file. show more Our sermon for today comes from Mark chapter 10, all of chapter 10. That’s a lot of verses. And when I preach through the gospel of Mark, I don’t know how many years ago it was now, maybe eight years ago, but I divided Mark chapter 10 into four sermons. And I asked the elders here, the leadership here, if it’d be okay if I do about a two-hour sermon. We’re here, so anyway, buckle up. We’re going to move through this passage fairly fast. I’m going to read all 52 verses, and then we’re going to jump in, and we’re going to make some application, and God’s name be praised. Here we go. Then he arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan, and multitudes gathered to him again. And as he was accustomed, he taught them again. The Pharisees came and asked him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife, testing him? Did Moses command you? They said, Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her. And Jesus answered and said to them, because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate. So then they brought the little children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased and said to them, Now, as he was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before him, and asked him, So Jesus said to him, And he answered and said to Jesus, But this man was sad at the word and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How hard it is, how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, Children, how hard it is for those who have trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God. It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, With men it’s impossible, but not with God. For with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say to him, See, we have left all and followed you. So Jesus answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brother or sister or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first. Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was going before them and they were amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid. Then he took the 12 aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to him. Behold, we’re going up to Jerusalem and the son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and scourge him and spit on him and kill him. And the third day he will rise again. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him saying, teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask. And Jesus said to them, what do you want me to do for you? And they said to him, grant us that we may sit one on your right and the other on your left in your glory. But Jesus said to them, you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism that I’m baptized with? They said to him, we are able. So Jesus said to them, you will indeed drink the cup that I drink. And with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared. And it is for those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. Now they came to Jericho, and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples in a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, stood by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Then many warned him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, son of David, have mercy on me. So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, be of good cheer, rise, he is calling you. And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, what do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabboni, that I may receive my sight. Then Jesus said to him, go your way, your faith has made you well. And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. Let’s pray together. Father God, as we approach your holy scriptures, deliver us from coldness of heart and wandering of mind that with steadfast thought and kindled affection, we might seek you where you may be found, right here in your holy scriptures, here in Mark 10. It’s in Christ we pray. Amen. Verse 52, really quickly this morning, but we see that Jesus and his disciples, they’re also on the move. They’ve been up near the Sea of Galilee at Peter and Andrew’s home. This is where they’ve been. This is where they were largely where we left them last in chapter 9. And Jesus now begins, he sets his eyes on Jerusalem. He sets his eyes on his death and he swings toward Jerusalem together with the disciples. Jesus is about to lead a great exodus. Just like Moses did. He just met, Jesus just met on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah. They led exoduses, but nothing compared to this exodus that Jesus is about to lead out of the bondage of sin and death for all people, for all time. So as Jesus leaves the Sea of Galilee, as he leaves Capernaum, and he heads toward Jerusalem, scripture tells us that he swung east, the Transjordan. The East side of the Jordan, that’s where we find him today, largely where we find him today. And it’s interesting, as we just talked about Moses, this is the very place where Moses preached his last sermons, the book of Deuteronomy. I don’t know why that’s hard to say this morning. The book of Deuteronomy is largely comprised of three sermons that Moses gave to the people before he went up on Mount Nebo and was taken up into heaven. So the two men that Jesus just met with on the Mount of Transfiguration, it’s interesting, there are all these little details that really enrich the text, but this is where Jesus is at this point. This is also the place where John the Baptist conducted his ministry, and that becomes significant here in the next verses, especially in light of the fact that there’s a question that the Pharisees bring that will take us right back to John. So verse 1 tells us that the crowds gathered to him, the multitudes gathered to him. This is the end of Jesus’ three-year earthly ministry. Everybody’s heard of him. If they haven’t seen him, they’ve heard of his teaching. They’ve heard of his miracles. The crowds gather, and Jesus does what he always does when the crowds gather. He takes advantage of the opportunity. He begins to preach. So the crowds gather, and the Pharisees come. Pharisees come, probably pretty excited that they didn’t have to travel 45 miles north to ask their trick question. Jesus sort of came to them, or at least a lot closer to them, with the question that they pretended to have. They ask, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? And you need, again, to understand that the Pharisees don’t come honestly. They’re not actually seeking an answer here. They’re not seeking understanding. As I was trying to find a common theme to tie all 52, all four of my sermons together, you know, all 52 verses together, I came up with spiritual blindness. You’ll see the title of the sermon in the bulletin. It’s amazing how all the people that Jesus encounters here in most of these verses are suffering from spiritual blindness. The Pharisees are. They didn’t come in the way that they expected, right? So the Pharisees are blind. This rich young ruler is blinded by the lust of the earth and the things of this world. He couldn’t see or he couldn’t give up. The disciples themsel

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