Ebenezer Reformed Church

Every Christian is Christ's slave, freed from spiritual bondage to serve the Lord; from that vantage point, the individual's relationship to labor and even injustice is transformed.

Our confidence in acceptance is not because the list of our sins is insignificant, but because God is abundant in forgiveness. (Joint evening service with Grace Reformed.)

The hope of entry into the everlasting city awakes in Isaiah a strong desire for communion with God now.

Christian ethics are primarily universal in their content and obligation, distinctive in their approach, and unique in the energy to practice them. (Grace Reformed, Bakersfield)

We are complete in Christ, because we are comprehensively joined to the source of all spiritual fullness, including the death signified by circumcision and the burial and resurrection signified by baptism.

The raising of children in all its parts is a service to the Lord, undertaken properly in dependence upon his grace.

While irremediable judgment will finally fall on arrogant Moab for their proud refusal of God's remedy against condemnation, the day of judgment will usher in a communion banquet and the removal of the veil of death and sorrow for all who belong to Mount Zion.

Paul addresses children as part of the church, in worship, and with Christ as their mediator to call for obedience to parents because the relationship with the Lord is more fundamental, and because it is a right and healthy way to live.

Isaiah himself joins in the praise he has called for and predicted, rejoicing in his relationship to God by covenant, the judgment and mercy in the past, and the anticipation of conversion and judgment to come.

The mystery of marriage gives us a moving image of a reality deeper and more important still: Christ's profound union with his church.

Preaching that there is resurrection in Jesus is accurate, necessary, and beneficial, even though it comes attended with furious opposition.

Shelter from two men named Joseph marked the beginning and end of Christ's earthly life.

Christians can take comfort in God's righteous universal judgment because God will be glorified and Christ will be exalted through it.

Christ understand and supplies the needs of his church with tender affection.

God causes the many streams of individual judgments to flow into the great ocean of the universal judgment.

Although believers repeat the patterns of OT Israel, God's grace in Christ prevails.

Christ's communicative, deep, unselfish, principled love for the church is the model Christian husbands are to take.

Although God's judgment falls on a great commercial empire, all is not lost; restored wealth goes to God's servants.

The Lord casts down the arrogant pretensions of Shebna, but raises a whole family through the elevation of Eliakim--anticipating the humble and faithful work of Christ.

Out of Christ's abundant anointing, a special gift to believers is the provision for elders and deacons.

Mutual submission in the fear of God is the form a Spirit-filled life takes in reference to other believers.

The temporary Nazarite vow of enhanced dedication to the Lord reflects the Christian's desire to serve God better and anticipates Christ's perfectly willing and free self-devotion on behalf of his people.

The God of peace, a repeated title in the NT, conveys the peace of God to his people.

Isaiah included Jerusalem in the judgments against the nations, because within the people of God self-reliance had replaced trust in God, and hardhearted merrymaking drowned out the call to mourn in repentance.

The assumption of human nature enabled the eternal, natural Son of God to suffer and die for the children he was given.

The Christian walk is characterized by being filled with the Spirit in song and thanksgiving.

Isaiah's placement of oracles of judgment against minor nations highlights that there is only one hope and one way to turn.

The Lord Jesus Christ calls his church to walk in wisdom: paying attention to their own lives, taking advantage of the opportunities for learning, and applying God's word to their varying situations.

When John is carried to heaven, he first sees God on the throne, and then a heavenly worship service which includes praise for God as creator.

The English half of a bilingual sermon emphasizing the element of speech present in Ephesians 5:3-14.

Although the Lord will show the futility of trusting Egypt by its overthrow, his broader purpose is of transforming, delivering grace.

Paul contrasts the before and after of Christian identity and bases the contract of Christian and worldly conduct upon that.

When God overthrows the idols on which Egypt relies, he opens the way for them to turn to the Lord.

The idol of covetousness demands the sacrifice of God's kingdom in exchange for absolute emptiness.

The sovereign Lord rests in his own purpose and rebukes the nations in his own time.

Fornication and it concomitants are incompatible with Christian calling, Christian identity, and Christian love.

Ephraim and Syria's reliance on themselves, their alliances, and their false religion leads to disastrous judgment; but the Lord's remnant will learn through that to look to their Maker instead.

As part of his larger warning against the danger of apostasty, Paul emphasized the continuity between the Corinthian church and OT Israel, including that all Israel was baptized into Moses.

Starting from the revealed standpoint that loving parents discipline their children, the nature of rebuke as a benefit of the covenant of grace is clarified by a particular thread of special revelation.

Christian identity as God's beloved children in Christ grounds the Christian behavior of imitating God by walking in love.

Although Moab was often an enemy to God's people, Isaiah proclaimed a Gospel call that included them with heartfelt earnestness; but in pride they would not hear.

God's merciful kindness in Christ is a strong reason to lay aside all the concomitants of angry displeasure to pursue gentle usefulness and practical relief of suffering instead.

The destruction of Assyria served as proof that the predicted destruction of Babylon could also be expected, as the God of universal sovereignty continues to act to preserve his people from all their enemies.

Since preaching is an opening of the kingdom of God to believers, what does it say about our priorities in seeking first the kingdom of God when other things crowd out hearing?

The Spirit's work in us is to bring us to a good life, where we work what is good and say what is good.

God praises those whose hearts are circumcised in the Spirit.

Isaac is the blessed of the Lord, because he is in covenant with God.

God gives his people rest by humbling the insanely arrogant oppressor to the grave.

Paul applies the general pattern of laying aside, taking up, with a reason to issues of lying and anger (includes a condemnation of the popular view that you have to stay up late to settle arguments).