Author: westportexperiment

I am a minister serving Presbyterian Reformed Church of Rhode Island, with strong interest in the history, theory, and contemporary application of parochial church extension.

Vox | “Be Afraid, yet Don’t Fear”

In this passage from Luke 12:1-12, the Lord Jesus Christ deals with the subject of fear. The godless have every reason to wake up and be afraid—very afraid!—since they are living on heavily borrowed time. But even true followers of Jesus should beware of letting fear take over, because that very fear can turn God into their enemy. And yet, God’s children have no reason to be afraid of anything in this world, if they only trust Jesus and reject all fear of man.

Are you afraid? Of what—and why? Or are you content, without a care in the world when you should really be alarmed?

Join us for our afternoon service at 4:00 p.m. this Lord’s day (Sunday) when we will treat this passage at the Presbyterian Reformed Church, located at 1870 Route 50, in Tuckahoe. And please feel free to stay after for a shared supper around 5:30 p.m. We would love to have you there!

“Life Judicial”

You know, when a man receives a pardon from Government, he is said to receive his life. So it is here. This word is used in the same sense in [John 5:24], “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” In this verse, you will notice that life is opposed to condemnation, and it appears to mean justification. The same meaning may be attached to those words in the 20th chapter, 31st verse, “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through his name.” See also the first epistle of John, 5th chapter, 12th verse, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life.” In this passage, life appears to be the pardon of all sin, and admission into the favour of God. And it is said in Proverbs, “He that findeth me findeth peace.” Now, Christ, when he stood in the midst of the Jews, knew that they were all under the sentence of the broken law, and he knew that he was to die for sinners: therefore, he said to them, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” In my hand there is a pardon: “The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins:” yet ye will not come to me. This is true among yourselves: He is as much here present as he was then. He has suffered, the just for the unjust. He has died for sinners, and now he offers you pardon. Why are ye not saved? The reason is, ye will not come to him, that ye might have life.

-Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813-1843)

The Son of God, who is our Red Sea

[Our rebirth] does not happen by the physical water [of baptism] but by the sprinkling of the precious blood of the Son of God, who is our Red Sea, through which we must pass to escape the tyranny of Pharaoh, who is the devil, and to enter the spiritual land of Canaan. So ministers, as far as their work is concerned, give us the sacrament and what is visible, but our Lord gives what the sacrament signifies—namely the invisible gifts and graces; washing, purifying, and cleansing our souls of all filth and unrighteousness; renewing our hearts and filling them with all comfort; giving us true assurance of his fatherly goodness; clothing us with the “new man” and stripping off the “old,” with all its works.

Belgic Confession of Faith (1561), Article 34

Estudios sobre los Evangelios | Studies in the Gospels

Nos gustaría invitarle a un estudio bilingüe en español e inglés este día del Señor (domingo) a las 11:00 a.m. La reunión tendrá lugar en la Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada, situada en 1870 Route 50, Tuckahoe, NJ. Debería durar entre 30 y 40 minutos y estudiaremos varios pasajes del Evangelio. ¡Nos encantaría que usted y su familia se unieran a nosotros!

Cantaremos un salmo métrico en español y, después de una oración, escucharemos una lección de 15-20 minutos sobre el pasaje que estamos estudiando, seguida de un debate con preguntas y respuestas. Habrá material impreso disponible para aquellos que deseen mejorar su comprensión del inglés o del español.

También tenemos previsto retransmitir estos estudios en directo por si no puede acompañarnos en persona. Acceda aquí para ver la retransmisión en directo. Si tiene alguna pregunta u observación durante el debate, envíe un mensaje de texto a Peter Rivera al 787-800-7839.

Estrenos el día del Señor (domingo), a las 11:00 a. m.:

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Continue reading “Estudios sobre los Evangelios | Studies in the Gospels”