When Jesus stands before Pilate and Herod, both rulers find Him innocent, yet the crowd demands the release of Barabbas, the rebel. Their choice exposes humanity’s deep tendency to prefer earthly power over God's redemption.

Explore the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer petition, “Lead us not into temptation,” through 1 Peter 5:8 and the Heidelberg Catechism. This sermon unpacks Satan’s tactics, human weakness, and the call to stand firm in faith. Learn how spiritual clarity, prayer, and Christ’s strength enable believers to resist the devil and endure trials.

Christ’s kingdom turns the world upside down—not through power or fear, but through peace. As Peter’s failure and Christ’s silence unfold in Luke’s Gospel, we see that true strength is found not in human resolve, but in the Savior’s submission. The King who was mocked and beaten was already winning the greatest battle of all—redeeming sinners and restoring peace with God.

Forgiveness is never simple. Scripture calls us to release offenses while exercising wisdom and setting healthy boundaries. Rooted in Christ’s sacrifice, true forgiveness bears a cost—it lifts the burden of sin without ignoring justice. As we forgive others, we reflect God’s grace and live out our shared identity in Christ.

In a world that either exaggerates or ignores the devil’s influence, this message calls believers to recognize the unseen battle of spiritual warfare. True victory isn’t found in self-reliance but in humble prayer and dependence on Christ, who conquered the enemy through His suffering and resurrection.

We explore Psalm 145 and the Lord’s Prayer, revealing God as a loving provider who meets every physical and spiritual need. From feeding all creation to drawing near to His people, He satisfies abundantly and cares personally. This message calls believers to trust, gratitude, and daily praise for God’s faithful provision and nearness.

Christ tells us to be ready in this age. However, it is not with swords in our hands, but rather with faith that reaches the resurrected Christ. The real battle isn’t fought with steel, but with prayer, perseverance, and trust in the One who intercedes for us, guaranteeing that we will be preserved.

In the Lord’s Prayer, the petition “Your kingdom come” expresses both recognition of Christ’s present reign and longing for its future fulfillment. While Christ already rules spiritually from heaven, the prayer calls believers to deeper submission, sanctification, and participation in advancing His kingdom through the growth of the Church and the defeat of evil. Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15 shows that Christ’s resurrection, as the “first fruits,” guarantees our own resurrection and consecrates us as God’s people, linking the present spiritual kingdom to its ultimate consummation. Ultimately, this prayer reflects hope for Christ’s final triumph, the full defeat of sin and death, and the enjoyment of God’s glory in a renewed creation.

Throughout Scripture, God’s sovereignty is clear: even amid human failure, sin, and betrayal, His redemptive plan unfolds perfectly. From Adam and Eve to Abraham, from Israel’s deliverance from Egypt to Christ’s passion, God works through unexpected circumstances to accomplish His purpose. Though Christ faced conspiracies, betrayal, and chaos, He fulfilled His role as the Passover Lamb, submitting to the cross at the appointed time and securing redemption for His people. In Him, our sins are covered, our lives consecrated, and our identity and strength found. We need to be reminded that nothing surprises God, and all His promises are faithfully fulfilled.

Christ concludes with a call to maintain a perspective rooted in hope and perseverance, even in the face of suffering or discouragement. We see through history tha Christians face persecution. We can think of postwar Europe and the commitment required of Christians under threat. He highlights the continual need to evaluate priorities and find strength not in oneself but in the risen Christ. We might be tempted to give in to fear or pessimism, but believers are urged to pray, trust, and remember that their ultimate victory is in Christ, who has triumphed and secured new life for his people. The final exhortation is to cling to the Savior in humility, recognizing that lasting strength comes from him and not from human effort or institutions. May we be a discerning people who are not deceived by the false teachers and prophets in our day. Let us be a discerning people who seek to pursue our Lord as we walk in his wisdom.

Experience the love of our Heavenly Father in Psalm 103 and Lord’s Day 46. God’s mercy, steadfast love, and redemption through Christ invite us to draw near with trust, reverence, and gratitude.

In the Reformed tradition, profession of faith is when a covenant child declares, “This faith is my faith.” It’s more than a one-time event because it’s a lifelong calling to daily confess Christ in both struggles and joys. Hebrews points us to Jesus as both Apostle and High Priest. He is the one sent by the Father to confirm God’s promises. He is the High Priest as our mediator who secures God’s promises. Profession of faith is not only about standing before a congregation but about holding fast to Christ every day, trusting in our faithful Redeemer who is our shield and defender.

Prayer is a heart-centered alignment with God, not just outward behaviors. It is a gift that allows believers to commune with God, express gratitude, and seek His will, ultimately drawing them into a deeper relationship with Him.

Christ challenges the religious leaders’ understanding of the Messiah, exposing their hypocrisy and exploitation of the vulnerable, particularly widows. He contrasts the widow’s sincere offering with the leaders’ self-serving actions, highlighting the importance of aligning with God’s purposes and prioritizing His will over self-advancement. Despite abuses, Christ encourages humility, self-denial, and faithful obedience, reminding believers of their ultimate hope in Him.

Paul captures the paradox of the Christian life: he has not yet reached the goal (telos), but in Christ, he already shares in maturity by having the right mindset. The mature Christian recognizes the need to depend on Christ daily, forgetting past achievements or failures, and striving toward the upward call of God. This perseverance is not self-reliance but Spirit-empowered reliance on Christ’s preservation. Thus, our orientation is not toward our own accomplishments but toward being drawn closer to Christ, who is our Redeemer, our life, and our ultimate goal.

Christ remains steadfast, the Lamb of God who cannot be turned from his mission. Each test affirms his identity and authority. For us, the coin reminds us of our true citizenship in God’s kingdom, and the marriage question points to our final hope of the glorious banquet of the Lamb. His victory secures our redemption and calls us to live in the confidence of Christ’s resurrection, with hope, peace, and confidence because we walk in the power of His Spirit.

The Ninth Commandment reminds us that truth is central to Christian love and community life, warning against lying, gossip, slander, and twisting words for self-promotion. Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 13 shows that true love is humble, not boastful or arrogant, but patient and forgiving, refusing to keep a record of wrongs. Love bears with others, seeks what honors Christ rather than self, and practices wise forgiveness that encourages genuine repentance. Ultimately, love and truth are inseparably linked. We see this because love rejoices in truth, not injustice, builds trust and hope within the community, and endures trials as a reflection of God Himself, who is both love and truth. This is the heart of Christian witness, possible only through the work and merits of Christ applied in the Spirit.

Romans 6 is challenging to understand. It is in the context of contrasting Adam’s failure with Christ’s success, emphasizing our identity in one of their historic precedents. Baptism symbolizes Christ’s triumph over death and hell, signifying our new life in Christ and our community’s identity as God’s covenant people. As new creatures in Christ, we live out this reality, battling sin while empowered by God’s grace.