stephen farish

If you want to properly study what it means to be a Christian, you need to study God. As Charles Spurgeon once preached in 1855, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the Person, the work, the doings and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.” And so, in this sermon, we contemplate our great God from Exodus 3:13­–15. In this passage, we find a dialogue between Moses and God that reveals some amazing attributes about who God is and what our response should be to Him. 1) What was God trying to communicate about Himself to Moses (and us) when He described Himself as "I AM WHO I AM" and "I AM"? The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is 2) What are three implications of this massive reality that God is "I AM WHO I AM" and "I AM"? Jesus Christ is the I AM come to Earth in human flesh (John 8:58–59). Because God is the I AM, He alone has the power to save sinners from their sin and its consequences. Because God is the I AM, He alone is able to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart and soul. Takeaway: God loves you so much that he made you for the highest good in the universe: to know, worship, praise, and delight in Him, your great I AM, infinite in goodness and greatness. Exodus 3:13­–15

If you want to properly study what it means to be a Christian, you need to study God. As Charles Spurgeon once preached in 1855, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the Person, the work, the doings and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.”   And so, in this sermon, we contemplate our great God from Exodus 3:13­–15. In this passage, we find a dialogue between Moses and God that reveals some amazing attributes about who God is and what our response should be to Him.   1) What was God trying to communicate about Himself to Moses (and us) when He described Himself as "I AM WHO I AM" and "I AM"? The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is The Lord was communicating that He is   2) What are three implications of this massive reality that God is "I AM WHO I AM" and "I AM"? Jesus Christ is the I AM come to Earth in human flesh (John 8:58–59). Because God is the I AM, He alone has the power to save sinners from their sin and its consequences. Because God is the I AM, He alone is able to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart and soul.   Takeaway: God loves you so much that he made you for the highest good in the universe: to know, worship, praise, and delight in Him, your great I AM, infinite in goodness and greatness.   Exodus 3:13­–15

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus tells two short parables the church historically calls “The Parable of the Treasure Hidden in the Field” and “The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value.”   This sermon explores three questions about the parables:   1) What is the kingdom of heaven?   The Kingdom of Heaven in the same way exists everywhere God’s rule exists. In the broad sense, of course, God rules the whole universe, so in that broad sense, the whole universe is His Kingdom.  However, in the narrower sense Jesus intends in Matthew 13, God mainly rules in the hearts of those who are his people by His grace through Jesus Christ the Son. At this point in history, God’s Kingdom is mainly His sovereign rule in the hearts of his people. The Scriptures promise that one day Jesus will rule visibly on earth, but for now God’s Kingdom is His mainly invisible rule in the hearts of Jesus’ disciples.   2) Why is the kingdom of heaven of inestimable value?   The content of eternal life is not mainly living forever; the content of eternal life is knowing God, that is, seeing and knowing and enjoying God forever. Jesus meant in these two parables that God is the treasure hidden in the field; God is the pearl of great value! As the fourth-century church leader Gregory of Nyssa so wonderfully put it:   [God] is the one who distributes the inheritance, he himself is the good inheritance. He is the good portion and the giver of the portion. He is the one who makes riches and is himself the riches. He shows you the treasure and is himself your treasure.   3) Why should we give up everything to gain the kingdom of heaven?   Jesus does not mean anyone can buy his or her way into the Kingdom of Heaven. In that sense, of course, we give up nothing to gain the Kingdom, because it was Jesus who did everything necessary to give us the Kingdom.   Instead, Jesus had two things in mind. For one, giving up everything to gain the Kingdom means giving up all efforts to try and make yourself right with God by means of good works, even religious good works. Second, giving up everything means not only surrendering every effort to make myself right with God but also surrendering the rule of my life.   Takeaway: By the grace of the Holy Spirit, go hard after God, pursuing Him for all that He is for you in Jesus Christ.  Do it because God is the Treasure hidden in the field; He is the pearl of great value!   Matthew 13:44-46

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus tells two short parables the church historically calls “The Parable of the Treasure Hidden in the Field” and “The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value.” This sermon explores three questions about the parables: 1) What is the kingdom of heaven? The Kingdom of Heaven in the same way exists everywhere God’s rule exists. In the broad sense, of course, God rules the whole universe, so in that broad sense, the whole universe is His Kingdom.  However, in the narrower sense Jesus intends in Matthew 13, God mainly rules in the hearts of those who are his people by His grace through Jesus Christ the Son. At this point in history, God’s Kingdom is mainly His sovereign rule in the hearts of his people. The Scriptures promise that one day Jesus will rule visibly on earth, but for now God’s Kingdom is His mainly invisible rule in the hearts of Jesus’ disciples. 2) Why is the kingdom of heaven of inestimable value? The content of eternal life is not mainly living forever; the content of eternal life is knowing God, that is, seeing and knowing and enjoying God forever. Jesus meant in these two parables that God is the treasure hidden in the field; God is the pearl of great value! As the fourth-century church leader Gregory of Nyssa so wonderfully put it: [God] is the one who distributes the inheritance, he himself is the good inheritance. He is the good portion and the giver of the portion. He is the one who makes riches and is himself the riches. He shows you the treasure and is himself your treasure. 3) Why should we give up everything to gain the kingdom of heaven? Jesus does not mean anyone can buy his or her way into the Kingdom of Heaven. In that sense, of course, we give up nothing to gain the Kingdom, because it was Jesus who did everything necessary to give us the Kingdom. Instead, Jesus had two things in mind. For one, giving up everything to gain the Kingdom means giving up all efforts to try and make yourself right with God by means of good works, even religious good works. Second, giving up everything means not only surrendering every effort to make myself right with God but also surrendering the rule of my life. Takeaway: By the grace of the Holy Spirit, go hard after God, pursuing Him for all that He is for you in Jesus Christ.  Do it because God is the Treasure hidden in the field; He is the pearl of great value! Matthew 13:44-46

What does it look like to return to the Lord with all your heart? In this passage from Joel 2:12-17, the context is that God had sent a great famine on the people of Israel, and they were in perilous conditions. And in that context, God, in His mercy, sends His prophet with one word: Repent! This passage teaches us what it looks like to repent and turn to the Lord. The nature of true repentance (vv. 12-13a) The incentive for repentance (v. 13b) The submissiveness of repentance (v. 14) The urgency of repentance (vv. 15-17a) The reason for repentance (v. 17b)

What does it look like to return to the Lord with all your heart?   In this passage from Joel 2:12-17, the context is that God had sent a great famine on the people of Israel, and they were in perilous conditions. And in that context, God, in His mercy, sends His prophet with one word: Repent!   This passage teaches us what it looks like to repent and turn to the Lord.   The nature of true repentance (vv. 12-13a) The incentive for repentance (v. 13b) The submissiveness of repentance (v. 14) The urgency of repentance (vv. 15-17a) The reason for repentance (v. 17b)

As we enter the new year, what’s the most important thing we can fix our attention on? The highest priority of God’s people for 2022 is to passionately pursue the presence of God in our lives. In this sermon, special guest Stephen Farish focuses our attention on the beauty of God in this passage from Psalm 27. Three questions about the beauty of the Lord from verse 4: What is the beauty of the Lord, and what does it look like? Where do we see the beauty of the Lord most clearly revealed? What is the right response by human beings to the Lord’s revelation of His “beauty” in Jesus Christ? Psalm 27:1-6

As we enter the new year, what’s the most important thing we can fix our attention on? The highest priority of God’s people for 2022 is to passionately pursue the presence of God in our lives.   In this sermon, special guest Stephen Farish focuses our attention on the beauty of God in this passage from Psalm 27. Three questions about the beauty of the Lord from verse 4: What is the beauty of the Lord, and what does it look like? Where do we see the beauty of the Lord most clearly revealed? What is the right response by human beings to the Lord’s revelation of His “beauty” in Jesus Christ?   Psalm 27:1-6