This morning, Heritage celebrates the glorious promise of our Lord Jesus.  On the first Sunday of each month, we partake together in the Lord’s table.  Jesus commanded us to observe this until His return.  We also have a carry-in dinner following the services, giving us opportunity to reflect and “discern the Body”.  It is a precious time, and it brings me great joy to think of it.  It is fitting that I will be teaching on peace today. Consider 2 Peter 3:13-14:

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…

Our hope in Christ compels us to diligence in this life.  May God grant His Church the power of the Holy Spirit, bring forth the fruit of peace and righteousness for the eternal praise of Christ the King!  Amen.

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Tags | The Lord's Supper, Worship Service

This Sunday, we plan to continue to study in Acts 13.  Please read through this chapter in preparation.  Our focus will be to look at the primacy of the resurrection as seen in Acts 13:30-39.

The King is installed on Zion! (Acts 13:33, Psalm 2:6-7)

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As we travel through the book of Acts together, we now come this Sunday to chapter 13, verses 13-52.  In order to understand Luke’s inclusion of Paul’s sermon in this account, we find wonderful guidance in a literary framing of the passage (a literary framing device is when the text itself contains verbal clues as to the beginning of the thought and the conclusion of what is stated).  Notice the way 26 verses (from verse 15 through 41) are enclosed by a single thought:

(verse 15) After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” …

…(verses 40-41) Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’

They read that Law and the Prophets and ask for Paul to give encouragement from it.  Paul’s point is to say that though they are reading it…they have missed the entire point of it!  Paul is proclaiming that they ought to see that Jesus is the Davidic Messiah, as promised through the Law and the Prophets, but as the prophets warned: many may still not believe.

Let us look forward to our time together this Sunday as we look to see the promise of the Messiah fulfilled in Jesus.

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Tags | Acts, Acts 13

This Sunday, August 30th, Heritage will be meeting at the Manhatten Room at John Knox Village.  If you have any questions or need directions, please contact us via our contact page.  Thanks!

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This past Sunday, we began a new study on the place of love in the Christian life.  As an introduction, we looked at a list of verses in which the Scriptures look to analyze the well-being of the churches by their testimony of love.  Here is that list for your reference and meditation:

Ephesians 1:15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints.

Colossians 1:3-9 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

1 Thessalonians 3:5-6 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;

Philemon 4-7 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

1 Peter 1:20-22 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

3 John 1-6 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

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Tags | Love, The Body of Christ

This Sunday, we intend to return to our exposition of the book of Acts.  Usually in my sermons, I start with the broad picture and work into the details, but this Sunday, I hope to address one detail of the passage on Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus in Acts 9.

Therefore, in preparation I ask those at Heritage to consider the ninth chapter of Acts.  However, let me ask you to ponder the following.  In this chapter, there is a dramatic event in which the Lord Jesus speaks to Saul.  It is often called “The conversion of Saul”…and rightly so.  There is clearly a conversion from his Old Covenant beliefs to his embracing of the New Covenant (The Gospel).  I would also suggest, and intend to preach at some point in the future that this is not only a conversion, but it is also a commission (think Isaiah or Ezekiel).  But I digress; let us look at one part of chapter 9 in particular.

Consider the words that the Lord Jesus speaks to Saul.

What did Jesus say to Saul?  Of all the things that could have been said and recorded about this incredible event, what is the significance of the Lord Jesus’ words in verses 4-5?  Are these words merely a statement of conviction, proving the guilt of Saul and showing his need for repentance?  Or do these words fit into the larger storyline of the book of Acts?  Are these words meant to convey a message to the Church in the same, or greater, degree that they convey something to Saul?

My friends, there is power in the Word of God.  Please join me in praying that we will seek and see this revealed wisdom of God and that we will act accordingly.  I am looking forward to our studies together!

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Tags | Acts, Acts 9

At our men’s fellowship last Sunday evening, we approached the throne of our risen Lord in prayer.  I am grateful to the Lord and to my brothers in Christ that we shared that time together.  The following is from Spurgeon’s sermon on Psalm 116.1, and I hope it stirs us on to seek these times more and more - as individuals and corporately in the Body of Christ.

Let us note again THE FREQUENCY OF HIS ANSWERS TO OUR FREQUENT PRAYERS.

If a beggar comes to your house, and you give him alms, you will be greatly annoyed if within a month he shall come again; and if you then discover that he has made it a rule to wait upon you monthly for a contribution, you will say to him, “I gave you something once, but I did not mean to establish it as a rule.” Suppose, however, that the beggar should be so impudent and impertinent that he should say, “But I intend sir to wait upon you every morning and every evening:” then you would say, “I intend to keep my gate locked that you shall not trouble me.” And suppose he should then look you in the face and add still more, “Sir, I intend waiting upon you every hour, nor can I promise that I won’t come to you sixty times in an hour; but I just vow and declare that as often as I want anything so often will I come to you: if I only have a wish I will come and tell it to you; the least thing and the greatest thing shall drive me to you; I will always be at the post of your door.” You would soon be tired of such importunity as that, and wish the beggar anywhere, rather than that he should come and tease you so.

Yet recollect, this is just what you have done to God, and he has never complained of you for doing it; but rather he has complained of you the other way. He has said, “Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob.” He has never murmured at the frequency of your prayers, but has complained that you have not come to him enough. Every morning when you have risen your cry has gone up to him; again with the family you have cried to the God of Jacob; at eventide you have gathered together and have prayed to him, and whenever ye have a trial, or a want, or a doubt, or a fear, ye have, if ye have done rightly, sped away swiftly to his throne and told him all.

Speak now, saint, has he once said to you “Get you gone, thou weariest me?” Has he ever said “Mine ear is heavy that it cannot hear, my arm is shortened that I cannot save?” Has he said, “Away with thee, I want not thus to be perpetually hearing thee? What is thy harsh grating voice, that I should always give mine ear to it? Am I not hearkening to the songs of angels, to the shouts of cherubim? Away with thee, tease me not. At certain seasons thou mayest come, on the Sabbath-day thou mayest pray, but I want not to hear thee in the week?”

No, no, he has sweetly embraced us every time, he has always bowed the heaven and come down to listen to our feeble cries; he has never denied a promise, never broken his word, even when we have pleaded a thousand times a day. Oh I will love the name of such a patient God as this, who bears with my prayers though they be as a cloud of hornets in the air.

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Tags | Prayer