An exposition of Ephesians 4:1-6. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, May 14, 2008.
An exposition of Jeremiah 21-22. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, May 11, 2008.
It is a dangerous, dangerous assumption, to presume upon the grace of God.
1. Understand from chapter 21, verses 1-10 that a life of stubborn independence and indifference toward God has no claim on God’s grace.
2. A life lived in pursuit of possessions and power to the neglect of spiritual insight insure a devastating end. We see this in the life of the kings in chapter 22, verses 11-30.
God announces his devastating judgment in chapter 22, verse 30.
A Mother’s-Day message from Proverbs 1:7-9. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, May 11, 2008.
Principles related to family:
- God created and ordained the family (Ephesians 5:31-33).
- God intends for the family to shape the children’s world view (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).
- God expects children to joyfully to submit to their parents’ instruction.
- God promises blessing in response to obedience. 29:25
Rejoice and give thanks if you have had a godly mother. If you are a parent, take seriously your obligation to honor God by raising your children to know God.
I stumbled across this a few days before Mother’s day. I thought it interesting how the role of the church in our lives so closely resembles the role of our physical mothers. What do you think?
But as it is now our purpose to discourse of the visible Church, let us learn, from her single title of Mother, how useful, nay, how necessary the knowledge of her is, since there is no other means of entering into life unless she conceive us in the womb and give us birth, unless she nourish us at her breasts, and, in short, keep us under her charge and government, until, divested of mortal flesh, we become like the angels (Mt. 22:30). For our weakness does not permit us to leave the school until we have spent our whole lives as scholars. Moreover, beyond the pale of the Church no forgiveness of sins, no salvation, can be hoped for, as Isaiah and Joel testify (Isa. 37:32; Joel 2:32). To their testimony Ezekiel subscribes, when he declares, “They shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel” (Ezek. 3:9); as, on the other hand, those who turn to the cultivation of true piety are said to inscribe their names among the citizens of Jerusalem. For which reason it is said in the psalm, “Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance” (Ps. 106:4, 5). By these words the paternal favour of God and the special evidence of spiritual life are confined to his peculiar people, and hence the abandonment of the Church is always fatal.
John Calvin, Institutes; 4:1:4
An exposition of Ephesians 3:14-21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, May 7, 2008.
from Acts 19:1-10, 23; 1 John 3:1-3. This message by guest preacher Rev. Joe Howard was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, May 4, 2008.
- When God’s people get serious there will be profession: vs. 1-7.
- When God’s people get serious there will be proclamation: vs. 8-9.
- When God’s people get serious there will be power: v. 6
- When God’s people get serious there will be purification: vs. 1 John 3:1-3
- When God’s people get serious there will be problems: v. 23
Conclusion: It’s time we get serious with God’s business.
An exposition of Ephesians 3:1-13. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, April 30, 2008.
An exposition of Ephesians 2:11-22. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, April 23, 2008.
[Editors note: My apologies for the lo-o-o-o-ng delay in getting this message out, but due to technical difficulties the audio had to be worked over extensively. The process involved an elaborate, multi-step process that would make most grown men break down with uncontrollable weeping. The audio is still not all that good, but hey, consider it a near miracle that you have anything at all to listen to and be thankful.]
An exposition of Jeremiah 20:1-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, April 27, 2008.
We have before us here a troubling, disturbing passage. It opens with Jeremiah strong and confident, and ends with Jeremiah bemoaning the day he was born. Is Jeremiah unbalanced, in need of psychiatric help? No, he is just being honest. He is acting exactly as we do as Christians today: ready to charge hell with a water pistol one day, and afraid of our own shadows the next.
From this passage note that genuine faith often waivers between emboldened confidence and debilitating discouragement.
- Note in verses 1-6 that Jeremiah is strong and determined in the face of hardship, and then,
- in verses 7-18 Jeremiah is frightened, confused, angry, discouraged, and yet faithful.
Why do any of us come into this world? We exist to spend our days, to give our lives to the glory of God.
An exposition of Psalm 49:1-20. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, April 27, 2008.
Today we address something important, about the meaning of life, and the key to living well. The key to this Psalm is that the righteous understand the meaning of the folly of seeking meaning in material possessions. Most measure success by three things: money, power and fame. God’s word tells the contrary, that these things are not where true satisfaction and meaning in life lie. On the other hand, poverty is not equated with blessedness. A good exercise for all of us is to ask the question “What is it that satisfies me, and brings me real joy and fulfillment?”
In Psalm 49 the psalmist reveals four things:
- See in verses 5-9 the foolishness of trusting in riches.
- See in verses 10-13 that death is inevitable.
- See in verses 14-15 that there is a great contrast between those who trust in riches, and those who trust in God.
- See in verses 16-20 that the righteous seek understanding rather than prosperity.
Life, meaning, and purpose is found in Christ, and Christ alone. All else is just a passing joy, and ultimately results in a wasted life. What is your passion, your joy, that which gives you satisfaction. Warning If your answer to that is anything other than “My God, my Savior, my Lord,” it will not last and will ultimately be your doom rather than your glory.
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