Category Archives: Christianity

Isaiah 6 — A Sermon Multi-Pack

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s morning worship service was cancelled due to a winter snow storm in our area. This preacher is ‘comping at the bit’ (as they say) to speak from Isaiah 6 — the next chapter in our series of expositions.  It’ll just have to keep simmering in my soul for a little longer!  This chapter is well known by Christians, and has been the source of many sermons, with various angles.  

  • One might preach this text to cover the prophet’s call to ministry — in the midst of hard and changing times (king had died), God summons a new servant, who first must face his own sin, receive a pardon, then willingly take up his commission.
  • Another sermon could generalize this passage to speak on the conversion of a sinner — before a holy God he grasps his woeful state, yet the Lord exercises mercy and grace, and (by means of His messenger) sends good news
  • While yet another might take this text to exposit on the nature and function of the seraphim, those special heavenly beings [mentioned only here] surrounding, serving and worshipping the Lord

Yet the primary thrust of this portion of the Word of God is explicitly about the LORD Himself!  He is holy, holy, holy and …the whole earth is full of His glory.  It is the prophet’s vision of who and what God is that is the maim message for the readers of the Word here.  (This is where my Isaiah 6 sermon for this morning was going…).  Isaiah 6, and the glory of our holy God, is a perfect meditation for this advent season! Let us take it up, even as Isaiah 60 appears to exhort us:

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.   

 O come, let us adore Him!

Church Discipline neglected because…

Posted on by
Reply

Just today Pastor and author Sam Storms posts an article online that addresses why church discipline is so neglected in our day.  After an introduction on a key passage of Scripture, he begins to ask and answer some simple questions. Here’s part of the first of his Q&A’s….

First, why is church discipline so neglected, if not ignored altogether, in our day? Among the many reasons that could be cited, here are a few. Perhaps the principal cause is a pervasive ignorance of biblical teaching on the subject (many believe that it is infrequently mentioned in Scripture and therefore unimportant; others are ignorant of the purpose of discipline and see it only as destroying the person).

Another factor is calloused, insensitivity toward sin; a failure to take seriously the offense of sin and a tendency toward unsanctified mercy in our treatment of the unrepentant. Undoubtedly the spirit of individualism also plays a role. We have lost the sense of community and mutual responsibility one for another. How often has it been said, as a way of justifying our passivity toward sin, “Well, it’s not really any of my business, is it?” Discipline is costly because my brother’s/sister’s business now becomes mine.

I encourage you to read it. I encourage us, together, to do better.