Covenant Presbyterian

The text for this sermon contains two often misunderstood teachings: the first is that we should never make oaths or vows, and the second is that we should not resist evil. These are strong statements that require us to look to other scriptures to help understand them. In doing so, we see that these statements […]

Jesus continues to reveal the original intention of the moral law, shaping not only external actions but also the heart. Here he addresses two serious moral issues with broad implications, adultery and divorce. In restating the 7th Commandment, Jesus makes the connection between the acts of the body and the heart. Lust is rooted in […]

In the previous text, Jesus set the stage for the remainder of his sermon. He has affirmed both his disciple's firm identity in himself, as well as his role to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. Now he pivots, launching into a series of teaching on the ethics of the Kingdom of God. His […]

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus tells his disciples to “let [their] light shine before others, so that [others] may see [their] good works and give glory to [our] Father who is in heaven.” These good works come from a place of positional righteousness before God – a righteousness that is not intrinsic to ourselves but rather one that is […]

Our passage this Sunday explores the identity and mission of Christians as “Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven,” grounded in Matthew 5:13-16. It begins by contrasting the perfect harmony of creation under God's rule with the present tension between Heaven and earth brought about by sin. Matthew's gospel underscores this divide between the Kingdom of […]

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known sections of the book of Matthew and contains some of Jesus's most quoted teachings. The main theme of Matthew is introduced in Matthew 3 and 4, where John the Baptist and Jesus say, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Sermon […]

The first chapter of 2 Corinthians can be justifiably reckoned as the Bible's greatest passage on comfort. The word “comfort” appears ten times in both noun and verb forms in verses 3-7, one third of all 31 occurrences in the New Testament. And what gives this focus on comfort such resonance to this day is […]

In Luke chapter 24 we are told the story of two disciples who are walking along toward Emmaus, Cleopas and his unnamed friend. As they travel on the first day of the week, they are joined by an unknown stranger who inquires of their conversation. Confusion and disbelief have clouded the disciples understanding of the […]

Chapters four and five of Revelation form a vision of the throne of God. Chapter five amplifies what is recorded in chapter four by focusing on the Lamb, the eternal Son of God. The result is a vision of God's throne which is explicitly Trinitarian and focused on God's glory in the salvation of his […]

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A major concern of the Book of Revelation is to lift the veil and show to the church in every generation the spiritual reality below the surface of world events and the conflict that energizes the persecution against God's people. This unveiling begins with a vision of God's holiness as he is seated in majesty […]

Of all seven churches addressed directly by Jesus in the Book of Revelation, there is a case to be made that Laodicea is in the worst condition. Ephesus was in danger of being snuffed out as a church if they did not recover their first love. Nevertheless, the Lord still commends them for their many […]

Philadelphia is a compound word of two Greek nouns meaning love of brother. So Philadelphia was named with an admirable goal in mind: The city of brotherly love. But the Christians there seem not to have been included in the category of the beloved. The messages to the churches in Philadelphia and Smyrna are the […]

Philadelphia is a compound word of two Greek nouns meaning love of brother. So Philadelphia was named with an admirable goal in mind: The city of brotherly love. But the Christians there seem not to have been included in the category of the beloved. The messages to the churches in Philadelphia and Smyrna are the […]

Chapter three of Revelation begins with the message to the church in Sardis, the fifth of the seven churches addressed. Of the seven churches, only those to Sardis and Laodicea contain no commendation from the Lord. Ironically, both churches have the appearance of vitality. But their actual spiritual condition puts the lie to any reputation […]

Of the seven cities in Revelation, Thyatira is the least well-known, the least impressive, and as far as cities go, the least important. And yet this is the longest of Jesus' messages to the seven churches. That said, Thyatira was an active center for certain trades and merchants including the slave trade. Thyatira is mentioned […]

Like the other messages, the church in Pergamum is addressed according to its “angel.” And Christ identifies himself in terms of the vision recorded in chapter one as “Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.” This refers to the vision of the sword (the powerful word) which comes from the mouth of the Lord. Well […]

Smyrna was a port city lying to the north of Ephesus on the Aegean Sea. Nothing is known of the founding of the church in Smyrna. Later, in the mid first century, her celebrated bishop, Polycarp was martyred for his faith. The letter to the Smyrna church follows the pattern of the other letters but […]

The opening section of Revelation sets the stage for the specific messages that Jesus instructs John to record for the seven churches. What John writes is part of the larger revelation from Jesus. The number seven, being symbolic of completeness, indicates that the Lord aims to address the church universal throughout the generations. Upon reading, […]

This passage once again affirms what John has already told us about the Book of Revelation, that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We take note of the double meaning in that statement. Jesus is both the subject of the revelation and the one who is responsible for giving the revelation. The Book of […]

Following the prologue (vv. 1-3) John greets his addressees, seven of the churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor. The number seven is of particular symbolic / theological significance […]

Oftentimes a document's opening words tell us what we are about to read. The words “once upon a time,” signal that we are about to read a fairy tale. Or […]

The Book of Revelation is perhaps the most enigmatic book of the Bible. Understandably, many Christians feel overwhelmed when reading the Book of Revelation given its seemingly opaque metaphors, symbolic […]

Once again Solomon employs the warmth of fatherly instruction to encourage the determined quest to attain wisdom. He tells his son, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and […]

Proverbs was written down as a record of wisdom to be passed on to the next generation. So very often the Bible commands us to “remember” and “not forget.” Humans […]

Biblically, wisdom is not an interior experience of detachment or inner calm (as much as we may like inner calm!). Biblically understood, wisdom always terminates on how we live, the […]

Starting this Sunday, we will spend four weeks looking at the first four chapters of Proverbs and the implications of the way of wisdom and the way of folly. Proverbs […]

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The passage before us is often referred to as The Magnificat. It is the Latin word for “magnify” which is how Mary begins her song: “My soul magnifies the Lord.” […]

What is recorded by Luke in these verses is historically referred to as the Annunciation, that is, the Announcement. It is The Announcement of all announcements! Some of the world's […]

The prophets Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries, laboring to proclaim the word of the LORD to a stubborn people. Micah is known as a prophet zealous for justice, having witnessed […]

The ministry of Isaiah the Prophet was during a time of great pressure and chaos for the people of God. The kingdom was divided. Israel to the north was being […]

Psalm two is a Psalm of David the king (Acts 4:25). Portions of this Psalm are quoted often in the New Testament particularly in reference to its high view of […]

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Most likely, Psalms one and two were composed as a sort of introduction to the entire Psalter. Psalm two is classified as a royal psalm which highlights earthly rulers' accountability […]

Jesus' words to his followers in Matthew 5, “You are the light of the world, a city set upon a hill cannot be hidden,” were brought to fulfillment in the […]

A steward is someone who takes care of another person's possessions. We may be a steward of someone's home or land or investments. A steward has great responsibility but also […]

Following his resurrection, Jesus sent the eleven disciples ahead of him to Galilee. There he met with them on a high hill to give them their commission as Apostles; a […]

Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount with a pronouncement of blessings and ethical responsibilities that belong to those who will make up his church, the citizens of his kingdom. […]

This is one of the great passages in the New Testament concerning marriage. The apostle Paul appeals to the love that Jesus has for his church as an analogue for […]

Considering the magisterial theology with which John begins his Gospel, the final words of his epilogue can seem a bit underwhelming by comparison. In fact, if we're not attentive, the […]

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These dramatic chapters draw a line under and highlight one of the most fundamental promises in all the Bible. It is also one of the simplest and most commonly repeated […]

Through Christ, God redeems sinners. That is, by the saving work of Jesus, God has forgiven sinners and made them new creations. When sinners come to Jesus in faith, they […]

Through Christ, God redeems sinners. That is, by the saving work of Jesus, God has forgiven sinners and made them new creations. When sinners come to Jesus in faith, they […]

Chapter 21 functions as an epilogue to John's Gospel. It is a kind of lens through which the message of the Gospel is applied to the church as she continues […]

Not a single one of Jesus' disciples were interested in following after myths. Once Jesus was crucified they scattered. They had no expectation that Jesus would be raised from the […]

The final two chapters of John's Gospel bring resolution to the ministry of Jesus. This portion of the narrative centers on Jesus' resurrection which John means for us to understand […]

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he […]

In the first six verses of this chapter Paul describes how he and the other apostles have faithfully presented the gospel in a hostile world. Paul began his encouragement with […]

This Sunday we'll be taking a two week detour from the book of John into 2 Corinthians 4. In this letter Paul is making a defense of his ministry against […]