In this sermon we look at how the Lord's Supper reminds us of Christ's cleansing by His precious blood, and how he as purchased us as His own people commissioned to serve Him as we look forward to His Coming victorious and eternal Kingdom.
Proverbs: Laziness
It is a constant daily inner battle to combat our own slothfulness. It’s natural for us to want to sleep too much, relax too much, waste too much time, spend precious time and energy on lesser things, and so on. It’s not that we want to do this — but the impulses of the body are powerful! Jesus said, “the flesh is weak.” But if we allow bodily impulses to control us, we will suffer consequences. What is needed is a clear vision of the kind of life we are called to live and a deep conviction that it is of greater worth to suffer for God’s will than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of bodily indulgence. We are called to work hard in all the areas of life God has entrusted us to steward, namely, our jobs, our houses, our families, our finances, our bodies, our time and energy, our talents, our church. The Lord places man in the garden (Gen 2) and calls him “to work it and keep it.” Being a sluggard means to be habitually lazy. Laziness is not only sin but it will negatively affect every single area of our lives.
Proverbs: God's Wisdom is a Fountain of Life
It has become typical today to consider God's wisdom as optional for a wise, good and prudent life. But we proceed without God at our own peril, and we are witnessing all around us the wreckage of our declaration of independence from God. This message exhorts us to hold to God's wisdom as essential for life and peace and human flourishing, and to trust Him as our loving and wise Father.
Proverbs: Fatherly Discipline
It is easy to misunderstand the discipline of God. He bears down on us and deals with anything in us that needs to change. He sends forth His Word to convict us. He uses pastors, friends, family members, to speak truth to us. He engineers difficult circumstances to reveal deficiencies and to stretch us further into a life of holiness. The process can be unpleasant at times, but we should never be discouraged. The Lord is at work preparing us for eternity.
Proverbs: Wisdom
This is another introductory type message and the theme will be wisdom. Wisdom isn’t merely what we know but what we do. It’s how we live. The call from God is to pursue wisdom with earnestness and not casually. We are constantly pressured by the world we live in to live foolishly. The world gives us persuasive reasons to love money, to indulge in sexual desires, to lie and cheat, to live for ourselves. But Proverbs gives reasons to live wisely that far outweigh the reasoning of this world. The good news is that we don’t need to become wise on our own. Wisdom comes from God, and He generously gives wisdom to those who seek after it.
Love Letters: Youth
Ren's Youth Director, Chris Waugh, shares a "Love Letter" to the youth of Providence.
Intro to Proverbs
Proverbs 1
This message introduces a new series on Proverbs. The Church in America lives in a cultural environment of moral confusion, which can lead to sin. Pastor Scott addresses the need for the Church to return to moral order, to root ourselves in God’s wisdom.
Love Letters: Skeptics
This letter goes out to skeptics of the Christian faith, specifically intellectual skeptics. John Michaelson addresses those who question the legitimacy of Christianity, who have been offended by the church, or who are seeking answers to their faith questions but not ready to believe. He also explains why Christians are so eager to tell the story of Jesus to nonbelievers and come off a little too strong. John wants you, a skeptic, a normal person, to know that God meets you where you are at, questions and all, all the while inviting you to be part of His story of transforming the world.
Love Letters: Addicts
This letter goes out to addicts and alcoholics. I can’t imagine any place in all of Rhode Island that has more substance abuse than the neighborhoods around our church. It is a massive problem. Many addicts have no desire to quit; they love their lifestyle. But there are others who cry themselves to sleep aching to be free. It is to the person desperate to overcome addiction that I’m speaking to. I believe there are thousands in our neighborhoods who are at this place of wits end. Some have called it “rock bottom.” It’s the place of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. There is hope for the addict. The Truth will set you free!
Love Letters: Suffering Moms
This message goes out to the many suffering moms in and around our city who struggle to make it through the day. Who I especially have in mind with this letter are single moms who feel far from God and who also have very little support from friends and family. Some moms are technically married but are raising kids alone because their husbands are in prison or never around. Some mothers live with abusive husbands which is probably the most difficult situation of all. Some are hiding in safe houses and others are at homeless shelters with their children. This letter goes out to all the moms who are feeling crushed under the weight of a heavy burden. The Lord God sees your pain and is moved with compassion when He thinks of you.