Reformed & Expository Preaching

Christ concludes with a call to maintain a perspective rooted in hope and perseverance, even in the face of suffering or discouragement. We see through history tha Christians face persecution.  We can think of postwar Europe and the commitment required of Christians under threat.  He highlights the continual need to evaluate priorities and find strength not in oneself but in the risen Christ. We might be tempted to give in to fear or pessimism, but believers are urged to pray, trust, and remember that their ultimate victory is in Christ, who has triumphed and secured new life for his people. The final exhortation is to cling to the Savior in humility, recognizing that lasting strength comes from him and not from human effort or institutions. May we be a discerning people who are not deceived by the false teachers and prophets in our day.  Let us be a discerning people who seek to pursue our Lord as we walk in his wisdom.

Understanding Our Heavenly Father At first, the idea of calling God our Father can feel strange. This is because He seems distant or absent from us, being all the way in heaven. Yet Scripture and the catechism remind us that God’s fatherhood is not about abandonment, but about his personal majesty and personal care. Our desire to pray to Him as our Father reflects the truth that he has secured us in Christ, making him not only our Creator but also our Redeemer. Earthly Fathers and God’s Image Human experiences with fathers shape how we perceive God. Psychological research shows that children without present fathers often struggle with impulse control, moral development, and independence. Likewise, some of the top Atheist thinkers who criticize Christianity grew up without Fathers. Paul Vitz’s “Faith of the Fatherless” is a good study to read for further reflection. The point of this shows us that earthly fathers influence our perception of God. Psalm 103 counters distorted views, revealing a Father who is merciful, compassionate, and full of steadfast mercy. God’s Compassion and Steadfast Love Though God’s throne is in heaven, He is not distant or indifferent. Psalm 103 emphasizes His mercy, grace, and the complete removal of our sins “as far as the east is from the west.” Fear of God, properly understood, is reverence, not terror. God knows our fragility; he knows that we are dust, and he upholds us. This shows his love, inviting us to draw near and live in confidence of His care and redemption. Living as Children of a Redeeming Father Recognizing God as our heavenly Father transforms how we live and relate to Him. His steadfast love and mercy encourage gratitude, reverence, and obedience. We should not do this out of terror, but out of trust and devotion. As Psalm 103 teaches, God’s care is constant, His throne is established forever, and His children are never abandoned. We are called to bless, praise, and find joy in being His redeemed children. Let us see our God as the Father who has revealed himself in his word, and not the false views we impose on him.

What Is Profession of Faith? In the Reformed tradition, profession of faith is a significant milestone. It’s the moment when a covenant child publicly declares, “This faith is my faith.” It is the declaration where they are moving beyond their parents’ profession and stating that they embrace Christ.  This is the process that welcomes a covenant child to full communion in Christ’s church.   Baptism marks them as members of Christ’s covenant, but the profession of faith is where those promises are personally embraced. Beyond a One-Time Event Too often, profession of faith is seen as a “one-and-done” ceremony. We might think that we profess our faith, and so there is no more tension in our Christian life, and the struggle is finished. However, the author of Hebrews reminds us that the Christian life is not completed at confession, because the Christian confession is a lifelong calling. Faith is not only professed once; it is confessed daily in the struggles, trials, and joys of walking with Christ. It is the child simply growing up and saying that the promises communicated in baptism are their promises.  They have stood in the midst of the many witnesses making this profession. Christ Our Apostle and High Priest Hebrews gives us the assurance we need to persevere by pointing us to Christ as both Apostle and High Priest. As the Apostle, He is sent by the Father with full authority to act on our behalf. He is the definitive word and action of the Old Testament prophets.  He confirms their word as a faithful representative.  As High Priest, He offers not the blood of animals, but His own life, once for all, opening the way into God’s presence. This dual role shows us that Jesus is both the messenger of God’s promises and the mediator who secures God’s promise so we can draw near. Holding Fast to Our Confession So, our profession of faith is not just about standing before a congregation stating that we believe the Lord’s promise, but it’s about holding fast to Christ every day. In Him we find a high priest who never fails, a Redeemer who never leaves us, and a confession that leads us into the joy of God’s presence in the most holy place. Our call is to cling to Him, continue in Him, and walk in the confidence that He has done all that is necessary for us to draw near.

The Transition from Law to Prayer The law of God is an invitation to examine the heart, and prayer is the heart turning to God. We need to see that prayer is our heart’s alignment with God, not simply outward behaviors, and the continuity of biblical teaching from law to intimate, honest prayer. The story of Abraham’s intercession for Sodom becomes a model, highlighting both compassionate concern for one’s neighbor and hopeful expectation when coming before the Lord. Heavenly Membership and Divine Invitation The beauty of our identity in the kingdom is that through redemption, believers share in a heavenly membership like Abraham, who was chosen and invited into God’s intimate counsel. Prayer is not rendered pointless by God’s sovereignty; rather, God's ordaining of all things includes the sincere, heartfelt prayers of his people. The catechism’s high view of prayer resists the caricature of Calvinism as passive, affirming that prayers are both real and ordained, and expressing that believers are privileged recipients of grace, chosen, heard, and loved by God. We are members of God’s family and part of the heavenly community. The Humble Approach and Assurance The catechism and Abraham’s example stress that prayer must be humble and heartfelt, not mechanical or entitled. The narrative underlines that approaching God—recognizing one’s unworthiness and God’s mercy—is central to true prayer. Abraham’s repeated, respectful pleas for Sodom illustrate persistence, humility, and a deep trust that God’s character is both just and merciful. The overall assurance to believers is that God hears and answers prayers in accordance with his good and sovereign will, and his timing, which can require patience and persistent faith. Real Alignment and the Purpose of Prayer True prayer, as the preacher concludes, realigns the believer’s heart and purposes with the will of God, encompassing both spiritual and physical needs. Scriptural examples—Abraham's intercession, Isaiah’s vision, and the psalms—highlight that humanity’s ultimate desire is communion with God and living in accordance with his plan. The catechism urges prayers that reflect gratitude, humility, patience, and a willingness to be shaped by God’s wisdom. Ultimately, prayer is a gift through which God provides, sanctifies, and draws believers into a deeper relationship with Himself.

Test the Teachers Now it is Christ’s turn to ask a question of the leaders. He wants them to solve a riddle from Psalm 110. How is David a father and also a worshipper of his son at the same time? Christ is challenging the scribes and chief priests by questioning their understanding of the Messiah. He uses Psalm 110 to highlight the distinction between David and the Messiah, emphasizing that the Messiah’s eternal priesthood and kingship are established through his sacrificial death, not through earthly power. Christ then exposes the scribes’ hypocrisy and exploitation, particularly their exploitation of widows, as he observes them in the temple treasury. Some of the leaders are not following Christ as Lord. Expose the Fruits Jesus highlights the visible signs of unhealthy spiritual leadership: performative piety, pursuit of honor, and exploitation of the vulnerable, calling the community to judge leaders by their true impact, not by their status or presentation. Christ warns against a group of scribes who prioritize their own significance and exploit the weak, particularly widows and orphans. They seek prestige through outward displays like long robes, greetings in marketplaces, and seeking the best seats in synagogues and feasts. This behavior is exemplified by their exploitation of the poor, as seen in the story of the widow’s offering in Luke 21. The fruits of toxic leadership are exposed. It is the fruit of self-promotion rather than Gospel promotion. It is self-priority at the expense of gospel-prioioty. Evidence of Exploitation The widow’s offering is contrasted with public displays of generosity. She serves to expose how the toxic system prioritizes self-advancement and neglects those in genuine need. Christ observes a widow giving all she has to the temple, contrasting her sincere worship with the self-serving actions of religious leaders. This highlights the importance of aligning with God’s purposes, recognizing Christ’s priorities and values while seeking to live in light of Christ’s redemptive work. True leadership prioritizes God’s will over self-advancement, avoids exploiting others, and embodies genuine piety and humility that is cultivated for God’s glory rather than personal advancement. Hope in Humble Obedience Despite abuses, Christ encourages humility, self-denial, and patient faithfulness; even in flawed systems, God honors sincere devotion, reminding believers their ultimate hope and value are found in Christ the Redeemer, not in human institutions or leaders. The true joy of the Christian life is finding joy in dying to one’s sinful desires while cultivating to life Christ’s kingdom values. May our Lord grant us wisdom to discern what is pleasing to him. Let us do this not only individually, but corporately seeking to the church culture Christ would have us build.