“ We Are All Sinners ” There are many wonderful things to say about this message. First of all it discusses the role of sin in our lives. In many churches today the word "sin" is never heard or downplayed. Here, it is the central theme of the sermon. He asks the question: to what extent are those of us who are converted to Christ still sinners. We are told, based on Corinthians and other passages that we continue to be sinners, and we need to struggle against sin until the time we are called home. Once we are saved, we are equipped by the Lord with the "tools" to fight this good fight against sin. We are to live in constant repentance, and the knowledge that our sins are forgiven. But at the same time, we are not to whitewash our sins, but should call our sins by their real names instead of using euphemisms. Further, we do not have to be ashamed about being admonished for our sins. In fact, we want to know our sins so we may defeat them. The sermon really presents our concern to mortify our sins; yet within the context of love and forgiveness. I hope every person who reads this little blurb will listen to this sermon. It renews us because it defines our basic constitution and m.o. as Christians.
“ Christ Gets the Victory ” This sermon does not fall into the trap of trying to equate every symbol in Revelation with a place, event, or time specified in current events. Rather, Pastor Doug shows that while every form of immorality and power grabbing and ungodliness may seem to be ascendant for a period of time, in fact, these ungodly actions and the persons who promote those actions will only be ascendant for a season. Christ wins. We will eventually come to a new heaven and earth. In our troubled times, everyone needs to hear these words to strengthen the inner man or inner woman.
“ Yes Jesus Loves Me! Part II ” I listened Pastor Doug's sermon. It became so clear to me: I am a mere man. I am nothing. Christ is everything. It seemed so much clearer. It is "thy rod and thy staff" that comfort me. It is "thou" who prepares a table before me. It is YOU who anoint my head with oil. It is YOUR goodness and mercy that follow me. It is Christ who is working in and through my mundane life with its necessary but frequently petty interests. I am flesh, but He is spirit. I am weak, but He is strong.
“ Yes, Jesus Loves Me! Part I ” I returned from teaching today disturbed about certain developments in the family. At the same time, I had received an observation report from a professor assigned to evaluate me once a term, and it was highly complimentary. When I arrived home, my wife with whom I had argued before I left was placing a tree in the front yard, with lights, and was posting a sign that said "Jesus Is The Reason for the Season." We had already had our sign with the Five Solas stolen. Three years before our American flag was stolen. My wife was quietly going ahead with the project to bring a little Christmas joy to our godless block in our godless neighborhood in our godless borough of our godless city, New York. I felt sorry for my pique after breakfast. My daughter was upstairs doing her homework. She had stayed home from high school because of a sore throat and a headache. The doctor said it was a viral infection, not strep. "Just fatigue," my wife said. I went upstairs to say hi when I came in the house, and to see how she was doing. Then I went to my HP - G7 Notebook to listen to this sermon. I needed to hear from the Lord, needed AGAIN to try to make sense of my sadness, my satisfaction at the compliments of men, my worries and impatience, my compacency, my disappointment that Obama won.
“ Great Sermon! ” This sermon really brings home seven types of sins men commit in their covenantal relationship with their wife. Man is the head, and Pastor Doug calls on men who are married or who anticipate being married to begin to research and try to understand what it means to be a "head." He encourages the listener to read some of the writings of Doug Wilson on this topic. Certainly, reading Doug Wilson helped me better understand my role, but I still have many shortcomings in this area.
Pastor Doug refers to I Corinthians 16-17 as giving the father a veto over his daughter's choice of a spouse. In going back to the verses, it seemed to me that they refer to a man's choice about whether or not to marry a virgin,i.e., that it is not a sin to marry even though the man knows that he will be taken away from serving the Lord to some degree. It is difficult for me to understand where the father comes into this....
You will be strengthened in your role as husband and head by listening to this sermon, and the other sermons in this series. As Pastor Doug states, women will find the sermon useful as well because it will show them areas where they can be of help to their husbands. Blessings to all.
Jeffrey Ludwig
“ Passionate and Moving Sermon! ” The listener will be brought closer to an understanding of the glorious sacrifice that is Christ's ignominious death on the Cross. You cannot listen to this sermon without overflowing with gratitude for a loving God who saved those of us who have repented and received Salvation through Christ. We do not have to spend an eternity in hell. Pastor Doug says this straight out in the sermon, and it is a reality that has to be faced by American Christians who do not want to mention this truth in order not to offend.
“ Is God really 'in control?' ” Are we still giving God the praise and the glory even when disaster or extreme difficulties come? So, when I heard a testimony two years ago by a Christian woman that had one son go away to college and returned as a gay, and a daughter who went away to college and came home an atheist, I was inspired by the woman's faith. She was still praying for her kids and still seeing them as works in progress. I appreciated her testimony, but honestly it is not a testimony l want to have. I don't want my daughter to grow up to be a lesbian or an atheist. But Pastor Doug lays down the gauntlet to all of us. We don't know how we'll react when painful experiences occur, but if our God is truly a providential God, then we shall give Him the praise and glory in all circumstances. Amen.
“ From glory to glory! ” Do you realize that in Christ, the "veil" that hides the glory of Christ has been lifted? Do you realize you are going from glory to glory? Do you understand that those whose eyes have been blinded are going from spiritual death to eternal damnation?
As Christians we need to understand these truths. We are uniquely privileged to have these truths revealed to us. Pastor Doug in a burst of spiritual exaltation (glory to God) has been used by God to lift up our crestfallen and sinful hearts, and draw us more closely to the Creator of the universe.
“ God Wants Us To Work & Be Productive ” The beautiful thing about this sermon is its simplicity. If you work hard and make money, be thankful. If you work hard and don't make a lot of money be thankful. I know a lot of people who work hard, but at the same time are bitterly complaining about the "fat cats" or those corporate executives who are making millions. "Are they really working harder than I?" they may say. Isn't their income excessive relative to their contribution to the social weal or to the good that they do? I know a pastor who likes to speak to groups of executives and lecture them about greed. Yet, my grandfathers arrived in the U.S. and were impoverished (one only had $.25 in his pocket), yet all the grandchildren have decent jobs and middle class lifestyles. God in His Providence showed their labors were not in vain, nor are those of their grandchildren. The prosperity of some rich may be excessive, but on the other hand, in most cases it is not. God has charged such individuals with a responsibility to be generous and share, and many do! Meanwhile their riches do not result in my deprivation. Who had to become poor for Steven Jobs to become a billionaire? He began his business in a garage, not by taking anything from anyone. I recommend this sermon to you.
Also read Prof. B.Folsom.
“ Sexual sin, Part II ” One additional point to be added to Part I. I live in New York City. Here there is prurient behavior everwhere, as well as prurient visials. For example, women in the most revealing clothing are standing close to one in crowded subways, or sitting nearby. Couples are doing all sorts of "stuff" from time to time (sometimes I have changed subway cars). The advertisements within the subway cars and on the buses is often lewd and suggestive. The standard clothing, especially in the warm weather is so far from modest as to be laughable. Not only is clothing not modest, it is positively ultra-revealing and lewd.
Although there is a dress code in the high school where I teach, some of the students in the warm weather dress in a way that would make Pastor Doug and me cringe. Even sometimes male students are wearing only sleeveless undershirts. At another time of the year, the school has Pajama Day for seniors when they come to school dressed in bedroom attire. (And just to really shock you, despite my protests to the parents and school authorities, for the past few years there has been one day called "Cross Dressing Day" where many senior males come to school dressed as females and trying to look as sexy as possible.
I hope and mightily pray to Almighty God for more sermons like this.
“ Churches must preach about sexual sin! Part I ” Although I have been saved fir about 25 years, I don't recall hearing any other sermon about sexual sin. Sometimes a preacher will refer to this or that abomination in a sermon, but I don't recall hearing, even once, an entire sermon devoted to this VERY important topic. If temptation draws near are we going to flee from it like Joseph from Potiphar's wife? Or are we going to be led into immorality like Aaron who told Moses that there was all that gold and...well, soon...there was a golden calf. In short, will we fall into immorality and blame "circumstances" or will we take Biblical responsibility for our actions and avoid all compromising situations when there is even a hint (by word, thought, or deed) of potential trouble for our moral life?
I have had to flee from certain situations, and I still (even though I'm an old guy of 70) do not drive with a single female alone in my car. However, I was convicted by the sermon about my tendency to watch Dancing With the Stars with my wife sometimes. There is a lascivious element to those performances, and I shall cease from doing so even though I have heretofore considered this to be merely light and relaxing entertainment after a hard day's work.
“ There is a hierarchy created by Almighty God! ” You know folks, you need to hear about how this teenage individualism is "odd." When I heard Pastor Doug use this word, it really resonated. You see, in the midst of the culture is a norm that is not normAL. It is odd.
So if you have a teenager who is a faultfinder of his or her parents, who doesn't have an attitude of reverence and gratitude, and sees herself or himself as a mentor to his or her parents as though they are socially retarded, you have a situation that is the reverse of God's order. He lays it out. He is not fierce with anger against the dishonoring ones; but the alternative is clear. If you are to have a successful God-honoring life, it is necessary to honor thy father and thy mother, to be obedient. Otherwise, only a providential intervention to beat you down will restore one to a proper path in Christ.
“ Great Sermon! ” I had just written a list of my overwhelming sorrows in an email to a friend, and said that I was turning to Pastor Doug's sermons to seek a word from the Lord Almighty. Then, when I went to the list of recent sermons what did I find?! This sermon! Talk about God's perfect timing! If you are experiencing some serious heartaches, this sermon will not only encourage you, but restore Godly clarity to your muddled thinking about who you are and God's promise-keeping -- His perfect will and covenantal love. Also, we are reminded repeatedly that we are living in (and are contributors to) this evil age. For me, it is very helpful to hear the word "evil" used, and to know that I am contributing to this evil. Yet, because of Christ's abundant love and mercy, He is intervening and ministering to me, and I can rejoice in the abundance of His love and goodness. Amen. Please take the time to listen to this sermon and allow the Lord God Almighty to give you more than a glimpse of His love.
“ Great Sermon! ” WHAT A TREMENDOUS BLESSING TO GOD HAS ARRANGED THROUGH YOU AND YOUR CHURCH. THE TEACHING ON HABAKKUK!
WILL LISTEN TO OTHER SERIES, WHILE PUTTING PINE LABELS ETC ON CHRIST BAPTIST SEMINARY LIBRARY POLOKWANE
“ Basic Truths of Faith Revealed ” Pastor Doug reviews the basic truths of the Lord's Supper as taught to all believers in the Heidelberg Catechism.
One point he noted was that Paul says that "MANY..." are sick or asleep because they are coming to the Lord's Supper wrongly. Does one have a proper sense of himself or herself as a sinner? Does one have a real trust in the covering forgiveness of Christ?
As usual, Pastor Doug puts the purposes of Christian beliefs and practices into perspective. If you are a churchgoer, please take 34 minutes to listen to this solid teaching.
“ A Passionate, Hopeful Sermon for a Sinful World ” I have been listening to Pastor Doug's sermons for years, and this sermon must rank among the most passionate and profound that I have heard (this in no way should be taken to imply that other sermons are not profound).
You see, I have been anguished about the passage into law in New York State of the legalization of homosexual marriage. In this preaching of Psalm 2, Pastor Doug explains that the Psalm reveals that there are two worldviews: those who love God and embrace His sovereign Lordship and those who reject Him. I couldn't do justice to the sermon by reiterating the many points made that expanded on this theme of two worldviews, but I can say that I have found consolation in this sermon. I am consoled that even though I am a sinner through and through I am walking on a path of blessedness desiring to serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whereas, as Doug frequently communicates, the world LOVES THE DARKNESS. This is a deep reality that is under our sovereign God who is both severe and merciful.
If any reader of this comment is undecided about whether to take the time to listen to this sermon, I seriously recommend that you make the time, take notes, and receive the powerful truths that are expressed.
“ Importantance of Psalm-Singing, Part II! ” Should be entitled, "Singing Psalms, Hymns, Songs--Part II".
This absolutely refutes the idea that singing Psalms (as some have argued) "does not include singing about Jesus", and proves that view absolutely heretical by Jesus' own teaching. To the contrary, the Psalms magnify the true Christ, "who loved righteousness and hated iniquity" and "therefore was exalted" (Heb. 1:9) as a Prince and a Savior, and his necessary sufferings.
This sermon stands against the heretical and sentimental hymn-writer Isaac Watts, who condemned the Psalms (especially impreccatory), as "contrary to the spirit of the Gospel", blasphemously! To the contrary, singing Psalms balances God's divine attributes perfectly (due to inspiration), and defines them rightly, i.e. both Justice and Mercy, which sentimental modern hymns absolutely abuse and destroy for a Universalist, Arminian "love" and self-exalting praise, which knows nothing of the Justice of God, without which there is no true Mercy. Neither is the Hatred of God toward impenitent "workers of iniquity", idols, particular sins, consistent with the Law of God, made to shine as in Psalms which Jesus and the Gospel vindicate, as "just, holy, and good" (Romans 7), but which modern hymns hold in contempt.
1/27/13 3:05 PM
