Reformed & Expository Preaching

Is Holiness Up to You? The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification Explained

Confused about sanctification? You're not alone. For centuries, Christians have wrestled with what it really means to grow in holiness. Even 175 years after the Reformation, Walter Marshall had to write The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification because believers were still struggling with this fundamental question. The problem is our deep tendency toward self-reliance instead of resting in God's provision and power. We swing between two dangerous extremes: either we treat holiness as something we achieve through sheer effort.  This turns the gospel into Christian self-help. The other problem is that we work so hard that we get discouraged.  We are tempted to give up, and we say,  "I'm already righteous in Christ, so why bother trying?" Neither view captures the biblical picture. The Heidelberg Catechism (Q&A 114) reminds us that even the holiest person in this life has only a small beginning of obedience. Yet with earnest purpose, we begin to live not only a few commands, but all the commands.  When we understand that we are united to Christ, then we press on. We need to remember that we'll never reach perfection in this life.  However, we do not give up, but we press forward in humble dependence on the Lord who sanctifies us. Here's the truth many have lost sight of: sanctification is a mystery. It's God's work in us by His Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16). Our obedience begins with faith.  We are told in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith, it's impossible to please God. Faith is the instrument that takes hold of Christ and His benefits. Even our good desires are His gift. When we pursue holiness apart from Christ, it becomes a project of the flesh rather than the joy of communion with our Savior.  Sanctification is the byproduct of that union. Sanctification does involve self-denial, but with joy. We deny what harms us so we can delight in what is good and ultimately enjoy God Himself. Like the psalmist in Psalm 139, we should pray, "Search me, O God, and know my heart," welcoming His refining hand. In this series, we'll walk through Sinclair Ferguson's Devoted to God, exploring the biblical mystery of how God transforms His people. Join us as we rediscover what it means to grow in holiness.  This is not by our grinning and bearing it, but in the joy of humble dependence on the God who sanctifies us.

Called to Persevere (Psalm 32; COD Head 5 Arts 1-8)

Introduction We can hear the slogan“Once Saved Always Saved!” as a summary of the Christian life.  This sounds like you go through life on easy cruis control as a mindless muppet.  The Canons of Dort, Reformed Theology, clarifies that believers can fall into serious sin, and God may allow us to experience the consequences. However, the assurance remains that God will ultimately bring His people out of darkness. We consider Psalm 32.  This is David’s reflection of his falling into sin.  David fell, was restored, and now he teaches us the wisdom of perseverance. The Joy of Forgiveness (Psalm 32:1-5) David begins with a celebration of God’s forgiveness.  There is blessing in knowing our sins are forgiven and covered by God. Yet he also describes the agony of unconfessed sin: bones wasting away, groaning all day long, feeling God's heavy hand pressing upon him.  David is describing the soul rot of unconfessed sin before the Lord. When David finally acknowledges his sin comprehensively, then he sees the joy that God forgives immediately. The lesson is clear: trying to hide sin or thinking it will bring satisfaction only leads to misery. The Spirit continues pressing on believers even in their darkest moments, pushing sin to the surface. True relief comes through confession and finding mercy in Christ. The Only Hope (Psalm 32:6-7) David shifts to instruction for the godly.  We might feel like the waters will destroy us.  However, as we continue to offer prayers to God we see that God is our hiding place.  , He is our shelter in the darkest valleys. Even when believers feel abandoned or alone, God remains present.  He hears our prayers and is our shield and defender. The Canons of Dort remind us of the church's vital role here: through the preaching of the gospel, the Spirit renews believers to repentance. We never outgrow our need for the gospel message. Each week, we need to hear again that we are new creatures in Christ, that our Savior is at work, and that not all is lost. God works in His timing through His Word, accomplishing His purposes even in those we might consider "lost causes." The Lasting Lesson (Psalm 32:8-9) David instructs believers not to be like horses or mules.  These are stubborn animals that need bits and bridles to control them. The warning is against testing the boundaries of God's grace. Christian liberty means understanding biblical boundaries and, in wisdom, sometimes setting additional boundaries for our own protection and God's glory. The example of Eve in the Garden shows both the danger of adding to God's commands.  She puts words in God’s mouth that he never said.  She should have said they had the wisdom not to touch the tree.  We need to remember that God does not deny us good things.  True wisdom calls us to see that God is calling us to good.  We do not just die in our sanctification, but we live in the Spirit.    God does not call us to fasting, but to the eternal feast of the Lamb. Conclusion David's instruction flows from lived experience: he pursued sin thinking it would bring joy, and tried to cover it up by his silence.  He suffered miserably under God's discipline.  He confessed his sin to God and found restoration. Now, on the other side, he teaches others the wise path.  He learned the wisdom to live within God’s boundaries and not test grace's boundaries.   The beauty of the Canons of Dort is its pastoral realism: believers may fall into serious sin and experience dark seasons, but God remains faithful. He will not forsake His people. Through the ongoing preaching of the gospel and the work of the Spirit, God renews, restores, and preserves those who are His until they reach their eternal home. Let us not be a people who seek to be the dumb animals who need constant restraint.  Let us live by the Spirit for Christ’s glory.  Let us persevere in God’s preserving power.

Intro to Esther: King of Kings? Or King Headache? (Esther 1:1-22)

INTRODUCTION The Book of Esther is often misread as a heroic tale, but it's better understood as divine satire. The heroes in the story would be similar to the story of Samson in Judges. He is the judge that Israel deserves. He is the judge that Israel receives when they fail to cry out to God. Samson delivers Israel, but his commitment is on par with where Israel is spiritually at the time of the Judges. Esther reveals "God's B-team": pragmatic people living in exile who have lost their clear focus on God. Daniel, Joseph, or others conduct themselves in foreign places/exile with an unwavering orientation toward God, regardless of consequences. We see the characters in Esther are marked by compromise and pragmatism. Yet despite this, God remains faithful to His promises, demonstrating His providence even through imperfect people. The book teaches us that God is bigger than His people's failures, and His faithfulness prevails even when His people are teetering. THE PRESTIGIOUS KINGDOM (ESTHER 1:1-9) King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) is on the center stage. His name Xerxes means "king of kings" and "lord of lords.” He takes titles that belong to God alone. His name in Hebrew sounds like "headache," revealing the book's satirical tone from the start. He sees himself as a worthy warrior against God, but at best, he is merely a (Aha-sh-wer-osh/Ya Rosh sound similar) headache or an inconvenience. Xerxes is not a worthy opponent against God. God can defeat him using his B or C team. King Headache rules over 127 provinces. This communicates a certain completion and sabbath. This man rules the entire world. He has brought in the sabbath rest. So, he hosts a 180-day banquet to consolidate power before warring with Greece. This is the banquet that is a jubilee that is sabbath plus one. This man will save the world, as the book opens. The opening verses deliberately emphasize the king's wealth, power, and glory to intimidate readers into thinking God's promises have fallen flat. However, subtle humor throughout reveals this emperor has no clothes. Despite all his pomp and circumstance, King Headache cannot control his own impulses, remember his own decrees, or even manage his household. The text invites us to see the irony: this is the best Satan can do to oppose God? A king so consumed with ego that he needs advisors to tell him what to think? The "prestigious kingdom" is actually a house of cards, setting the stage for God's sovereignty to shine through human weakness. The serpent seed will not prevail against the seed of the woman. THE OUTLANDISH REQUEST (ESTHER 1:10-12) In his drunken state, King head ache commands seven eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti (empty beauty/beautiful drinker are just some puns) before all the intoxicated men. The request is for her to parade her beauty. It is an appalling request, and it would seem that with the show of force, she would comply. You would think that 7 officers of the herem coming to escort you to the king would break your spirit. Clearly, this king is able to control and triumph over the woman. Her response is remarkably simple: she said no. This single act of refusal exposes the king's impotence despite all his claims to absolute power. The irony is profound. This is the king of kings, but he cannot control one woman in his own household. One woman can show that the emperor has not clothes. Vashti's refusal echoes back to Genesis and the fallen dynamic between men and women, where power struggles replace unity. Even this seemingly "empty" queen demonstrates more principle than the mighty king. Her defiance enrages Xerxes, revealing him as someone ruled by his emotions rather than wisdom. The text mocks the king's pretensions: he's identified himself as lord of lords, yet he cannot rule himself, let alone his wife. This man is not just preparing to make war with Greece, but he is making war with God. He will not dominate the seed of the woman. The Lord will be victorious through his champion seed. The Lord will overpower this man demonstrating that the woman’s seed will rise. THE ETHICAL DILEMMA (ESTHER 1:13-22) Rather than sobering up and quietly handling the embarrassing situation, the king calls his advisors together to address this urgent crises. If women learn they can refuse their husbands, chaos will ensue! The comedy intensifies as these men, who should be focused on the impending war with Greece, instead obsess over maintaining male authority in households. The king of kings who cannot enforce his word is going to really carry out his will. Their solution reveals their foolishness. The king’s word in Susa has been disobeyed. Now, they think that if they issue a royal decree they'll issue a royal decree all roayl provinces, own language to written in the people’s language. The absurdity reaches its peak when they broadcast this domestic squabble throughout the entire empire in every language and dialect. What should have remained a private matter in the capital of Susa becomes publicized across all provinces, ensuring everyone knows about the king's humiliation. This perfectly illustrates how to turn a small problem into an enormous public relations disaster. The irony is complete: a decree meant to demonstrate male authority actually advertises the king's weakness and loss of control. The scene demonstrates that no amount of human posturing can establish true authority. No human will over rule God’s decree that the seed of the woman will triumph. CONCLUSION The Book of Esther reveals that the true hero is not Esther, not Mordecai, and certainly not King Xerxes, but the true hero is God Himself. God is working silently but sovereignly behind the scenes. Even when God's name is never mentioned in the text, His providence orchestrates events from potential genocide to the celebration of deliverance in the Feast of Purim. The book demonstrates that God can be just as powerful in His silence as Moses was dramatic in the Exodus. Despite His people placing themselves in problematic situations through compromise and pragmatism, the Lord remains their shield and defender. The Lord promised Abraham that the Lord will lead and protect. Esther makes clear that the Lord is leading them through this dark season despite themselves. We are called to trust and cling to our sovereign God, finding confidence not in human heroes or our own faithfulness, but in His unchanging character and His faithful rule over all history. He is our shield and defender.

Called to Willingly Obey (Philippians 2:12-18; COD Head 3, 4 RE 6-9)

Introduction Human beings love simplicity. The instinct to “keep it simple” can be helpful, but when applied too rigidly to theology, it can flatten realities that Scripture itself presents with depth and tension. This is especially true when thinking about salvation, grace, and the human will. The Canons of Dort push us to look beneath the surface.  We are invited to ask not only what happens in salvation, but how and why it happens. Using Philippians 2:12–13 as a guide, we explore how grace works, how obedience functions, and how God works.  We work in God’s power.  We move forward by God’s grae. Consciously Obeying in My Absence The fundamental distinction between a Reformed understanding of salvation and an Arminian one is not whether grace exists or whether humans possess a will.  The reality is God created human beings with a will. The key difference lies in what grace does. In the Arminian framework, grace persuades the will.  The Arminian believes that grace enables, but does not interefere with the human will.  Our choice for Christ is left to the action of the human choice. In the Reformed view articulated by the Canons of Dort, grace does something far deeper: it renovates and regenerates the heart itself.  Man will never come to Christ with some assistence.  The fall radically impacts man.  Man is not given grace to enable him to turn to Christ.  Sure, God does restrain sin in this age for a time.  However, his restraint keeps man from being as evil as man can be. It does not give the grace to assist. When God regenerates man then man has new desires.  This is why Paul exhorts us the church to obey in his absence.  It is becasue the will has a new bent, new desires, and new affections. Without this internal renewal, no one would truly want Christ. The gospel message may be intellectually understood, but not embraced.  Regeneration transforms Christ from “someone we can talk about” into my Savior and Lord. Thus, the will still acts (obey in my absence), but it acts out of new affections given by God’s grace. Working out Our Salvation Philippians 2:12 is often misunderstood as teaching that salvation depends on human effort. Paul’s exhortation to “work out your salvation” does not contradict election or sovereign grace. Instead, it assumes them. Paul never apologizes for God’s eternal choosing (Ephesians 1), and he holds that truth seamlessly alongside the call to obedience. Paul writes Philippians under the shadow of possible death. He may never see the church again. His concern is not outward performance in his presence but sincere obedience before Christ.  He is our Savior and our Lord.  The call to obedience is not about earning salvation but about living consistently with who believers already are in Christ. This obedience is conscious, reflective, and active. It involves evaluating one’s life.  It challenges us to reject grumbling against God and distrust. We are challenged to respond to God’s providence with reverence rather than resentment. Obedience flows from assurance, not anxiety of wondering if we really have Christ. God’s people obey the call of the savior. This is not because a pastor is watching.  They obey because their Lord is alive and working in us by His Spirit.  We are joined to our savior. Work Because God is Working A critical error addressed by the Canons of Dort is the idea of “concurrent action.”  This means that God does His part and humans do theirs in parallel. Scripture does not describe salvation or sanctification this way. God’s work is not one force working alongside another.  We are not working in parallel with God.  Rather, God’s power is the source and power behind all genuine obedience.  We obey because God is at work in us. Philippians 2:13 makes this explicit: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Our obedience is real.  However, our growth is the fruit of the life at work in us.   We act in Christ, by the Spirit, and through grace. This understanding guards against both hyper-Calvinism (passivity and doubt about election) and moralism (self-driven effort). Rather than asking endlessly, “Am I really elect?” Scripture directs believers to ask, “How do I honor Christ?” Desire for Christ itself is evidence of God’s work. Christian liberty functions within the boundaries of God’s law, not as a license to push boundaries.  Christ liberty is the freedom to work out our salvation before the Lord.  We are called to live wisely and joyfully as members of God’s family. Sanctification involves struggle and suffering.  We should see the dying to self giving way for us living to Christ. Conclusion At its heart, we are called to live confidently and actively in God’s grace. Grace does not merely invite; it transforms. God does not co-labor with us as equals; He works in us so that we can truly work out our salvation in this age. Obedience is not dreadful obligation but joyful response. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is neither self-salvation nor spiritual inertia. God finishes what He starts. In seasons of discouragement, believers rest in that promise. Our calling is to live for Christ, but more importantly in Christ. God regenerates. God sustains. God completes.  So let us live for him in joy, and not dread.

God's Family: Consecrated in Perfection (Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22)

Introduction We conclude our series of God’s family.  We focus on Christ’s baptism as presented in Luke and Matthew. While critics often point to differences between the Gospel accounts as contradictions, Scripture itself treats multiple witnesses as a strength, not a weakness. Each evangelist emphasizes different aspects of the same event to reveal deeper theological meaning. Luke and Matthew are not competing narrators; they are complementary witnesses. Luke highlights humility, reversal, and inclusion, while Matthew emphasizes fulfillment, covenant faithfulness, and judgment. Together, they teach us not only who Christ is, but what it means to belong to God’s family.  Jesus is the great equalizer.  Luke’s Report of Christ’s Debut Luke carefully crafts a narrative in which social expectations are overturned. He introduces John the Baptist through the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  Remember that this is an elite, priestly family. The controversy is that they are barren.  This carries cultural shame.  Though Luke assures us they were righteous, their childlessness would have been interpreted by society as divine displeasure.  Their exalted place in their genealogy is taken away.  They are humbled.  However, the Lord exalts them in his timing.  John’s birth removes that reproach. His birth restores their honorable place.  There is a parallel story of Mary.  She is a peasant woman. We do not know her genealogy.  She is young and should be praising Elizabeth.   Astonishingly, when Mary visits Elizabeth, it is Elizabeth who humbles herself, recognizing Mary as the more significant figure.  The unborn John leaps in the womb, and Mary responds with the Magnificat.  Mary does not exalt herself, but celebrates that God lifts up the humble.  He also humbles the exalted. These stories form the backdrop for Christ’s baptism.  Luke summarizes Christ’s baptism, but he does so after John goes to prison.  This kingdom is established by the humble being exalted.  Christ will submit to death to be raised to life.  The baptism communciates Christ’s movement.  The heavens open and the Spirit descends like a dove.  We would expect judgment like in the flood or echoes in Isaiah.  Luke wants us to see that Christ secures the lowly to exalt them in the new family.  Matthew’s Report of Christ’s Debut Matthew introduces John the Baptist abruptly.  There is no backstory for John.  He appears, and he is preaching.  John arrives as a prophetic firebrand proclaiming judgment. His harshest words are aimed not at moral outcasts but at the religious elite. Matthew wants Israel to understand that covenant membership alone does not equal righteousness. Joseph’s role reinforces this theme. Matthew gives Joseph a voice to emphasize that Christ really is in David’s line (2 Sam. 7 [https://www.esv.org/2+Samuel+7/]).  Matthew shows that Jesus does not merely erase Adam’s sin.  Christ’s mission is to relieve and fulfill Israel’s story.  He is Israel’s messiah who cleanses his people and secures the nations.  This framework climaxes in Christ’s baptism. John recognizes the theological tension: the Messiah does not need cleansing.  John needs his cleansing from Christ. Yet Jesus insists that baptism is necessary “to fulfill all righteousness.”  Christ is submitting to judgment.  The first judgment with heaven opening.  He bears the judgment Israel deserved and consecrates Himself to cleanse His people. Matthew emphasizes that God’s promises move from prophetic assertion to historical fulfillment in Christ alone. What is Baptism? Luke and Matthew do not contradict one another; they emphasize different facets of the same redemptive reality. Luke highlights that the humble  are welcomed into God’s family.  The outsiders and the unworthy people need their exaltation in Christ.  Matthew highlights how redemption is accomplished through Christ reliving Israel’s history.  The elite bear testimony showing that Christ really is king.  Luke shows Christ forming a new international family where identity is grounded in grace, not status. Matthew shows Christ as the covenantal redeemer who submits to divine judgment so His people may live. Together, they proclaim that Christ is both the humble King and the righteous Judge, the one who humbles the proud and raises the lowly by first humbling Himself unto death. The family of God, therefore, is neither a refuge for self-righteous elites nor a consolation prize for the weak.  We must see ourselves as members of a redeemed community united under one Messiah who has borne judgment and secured peace. We are not a worthy people, but a people who have been made worthy.  Conclusion Both Luke and Matthew testify that true shalom is found only in Christ. This is not a shallow peace of tolerance or coexistence, but a restored communion with God. Christ does not merely endure us; He redeems us. He enters judgment, fulfills righteousness, and rises triumphant so that heaven’s verdict of death is overturned. Whether we are tempted to trust in our prestige or despair over our brokenness, the call is the same: find your identity in Christ alone. He is the great equalizer.  We note that the exalted must kneel, the humble are raised, and all who come find life in Him. As we move forward, we are reminded that our entire existence is situated in Christ. As the saying attributed to Luther puts it: Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose today, and is coming again tomorrow. This is not a life of terror, but of confidence. The Redeemer has overcome. Our consecration, our joy, and our power are found in Him alone. Let us live before his face as we walk in HIs power, seeking to conform to Him.