What is the “kingdom of heaven”? What characterizes its citizens in the age before it comes in its fullness? How do its citizens enlist other ones? Matthew 5:1-16 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Matt_5_1_16.mp3
Matthew uses the sacred Old Testament genealogical list to introduce the monumental event of Jesus, the Great and Universal King, being born into the world. [please note: I meant to say “squelch our enthusiasm” instead of “quench our enthusiasm” right near the beginning of the sermon]. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 Matthew 1:1-17 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Matt_1_1-17.mp3
This closing bookend of Book 1 of the Psalms connects clearly to Psalms 1 and 2. We must align ourselves with Jesus in His weakness, because the Lord restores, sustains, and blesses both Jesus and all who are found in Him. Psalm 41 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_PS_41.mp3
The Canaanites were wrong about who was behind the extraordinary autumn storms coming off the Mediterranean Sea. The God of Israel commands the waters under Him and they work fierce destruction, showing His power, holiness, and judgement. Yet by His same commanding voice He surprisingly speaks grace and peace to His people. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P29.mp3
This song warns us against harboring the kind of human pride and its poisonous fruit that result in the Lord’s sometimes delayed, but always severe, judgement. The song also encourages us when we fall victim to the hostility of the godless world. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P10.mp3
Psalm 28 It’s the times when we face our most severe trials that we are tempted to lose confidence in the Lord’s ability or willingness to establish us in a confident, peaceful place. In those times, the Lord gives us this Psalm so that we reflect on His faithfulness to His people, including us, across time. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P28.mp3
Because Jesus sang this song before us and for us, God Himself by His Spirit puts this song in our hearts and on our lips. We sing it and the Lord answers us by giving us joy and peace in the midst of our suffering. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P4.mp3
Psalms 1 and 2 are together the introduction to the Psalter. Right away we get music that takes us from creation to redemption, from Adam to Christ, from our struggle under the common curse to the promises of the new heavens and the new earth someday. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/P1.mp3
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Suffering_and_Glory.mp3 (44:04) The persecution against the early church again intensifies as Stephen, one of the recently appointed deacons, becomes the center of the controversy. His martrydom becomes a clear example of of our own humiliation and coming exaltation. Sermon text: Acts 6-7
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-How_to_Have_Unspeakable_Consolation.mp3 (37:21) Far from an abstract, irrelevant philosophical concept, the Bible’s teaching about the extent of God’s control is not only true but the only sure basis for any comfort in this trying life. Knowing and embracing God’s providence is the privilege and responsibility of all His creatures made in His image. Sermon text: Matthew 10:29-32 Confession text: Belgic Confession Article 13...
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-They_Kept_Right_On_Preaching_Christ.mp3 (46:36) The apostles are arrested again, and this time they come close to receiving the death penalty. But Christ stamps out this attack on the advancement of His glorious gospel through an unlikely man. Sermon text: Acts 5:14-42
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Creation.mp3 (35:07) Our magnificent God and Father created everything out of nothing as an arena to display His glorious majesty. Indeed, the King established and occupied His throne, the heavens and the earth. Sermon Text: Genesis 1:1-2 Belgic Confession Article 12
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Great_Fear_Seized_the_Church.mp3 (34:11) The Lord strikes Ananias and Sapphira dead in a terrifying, immediate act of church discipline carried out by the Lord of Glory. This is the same God we worship today, though often times we (dangerously) don’t treat Him like it. Sermon Text: Acts 4:32 – 5:14
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Confidence_Courage_Boldness.mp3 (32:42) There’s no good reason for the political-religious temple establishment to oppose the gracious power of Christ at work through the apostles. But they do, so there’s no reason why the church should expand, given the strength of its opponents. But it does, so we must conclude that Christ’s expansion of His kingdom is relentless. Sermon text: Acts 4:1-31...
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Jesus_True_Eternal_God.mp3 (27:40) As the author to the Hebrews explains, a priest who is holy and eternal is required to truly fulfill his office. If Jesus is indeed the great High Priest, then He must be holy and eternal. If He is holy and eternal, then He must be true God. Sermon text: Belgic Confession, Article 10 Support text: Hebrews 7
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Walking_Jumping.mp3 (36:21) We see ourselves as the miserable, pathetic crippled beggar and as the rebellious, covenant-breaking, apostate generation of Israelites. We see the Lord as the One who gives us the opposite of what we deserve, giving us peace and future glorification. Sermon text: Acts 3:1-26
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Portrait_Two.mp3 (32:43) The last two aspects of Luke’s prescriptive portrait of the early church regard the regular celebration of the Lord’s Supper and participation in “the prayers”. Sermon text: Acts 2:42-47
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Belgic_8_9_Trinity.mp3 (36:12) The Scripture is clear about this magnificent and in some senses incomprehensible doctrine. To reject the teaching of the Trinity is to reject God Himself. Sermon text: Belgic Confession, Articles 8-9
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-The_Sufficiency_Of_Scripture.mp3 (37:49) Please note: The last five minutes of the sermon were mistakenly deleted from this sermon. Challenges against the completeness of God’s Word arise in many different forms. A series of these challenges, including the rise of the Apocryphal books, and the unwarranted binding of the conscience by religious authorities, are addressed. Sermon text: Belgic Confession Articles 6-7 Support text: Psalm 40...
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Portrait_of_the_Church.mp3 (42:08) Luke breaks up his reporting of the dramatic, redemptive-historical events of the early part of Acts with this the first in a series of prescriptive portraits of the early church’s activity. Sermon text: Acts 2:40-47
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_The_Written_Word.mp3 The foundation of our beloved confession is that the Scripture is the very Word of God written. In fact, the foundation laid in article three is the basis for all of what the confession says about the Word in the following articles. Belgic Confession Article 3 2 Timothy 3:14-17
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Going_Forward.mp3 This sermon is part one of the 2007 “Commission-Driven Reformed Church” series preached at the Ontario United Reformed Church. We must believe and live out these six ideas in order to be faithful to our evangelistic calling. Acts 11:19-26
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Pentecost.mp3 Christ now pours out His Spirit, reversing the Babel disaster and empowering His church to be His instrument to recreate the fallen human race. Acts 2:1-21
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Why_So_Unpleasant.mp3 Doesn’t Luke know better than to start the triumphant tale of the early church’s expansion with the disheartening story of a suicidal reprobate? Apparently he knows this unpleasant story is exactly what we need to hear right at the beginning of Acts. Acts 1:12-26
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_God_Reveals_Himself.mp3 The true God reveals Himself in two ways: indirectly through the world He has made, and directly through His Word. Knowledge of God is not arbitrary but bound by His own revelation, and therefore treating His Word properly is of the utmost importance. Belgic Confession Article 2 Psalm 19
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_God.mp3 We do not believe in any given god, but only in the true God as He has revealed Himself in His Word. His glory is in one sense beyond description, so we are left with Him coming down to our level to tell us the truth about Himself; and even at that, we can only know Him insofar as our finite minds can comprehend His majesty. Belgic Confession Article 1b Isaiah 40:9-28...
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_The_Time_in_between.mp3 Jesus exercises His power and authority as He extends the multinational New Covenant church in Luke’s second volume, Acts. Christ’s instructions to the disciples prepare them and us for doing church and living life between the first coming of our Lord and the second. Acts 1:1-11
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Belgic_1a.mp3 The beginning of our series on this preeminent expression of the Bible’s basic teachings considers the meaning and implications of its first line: “We all believe with the heart and confess with the mouth. Belgic Confession Article 1 Colossians 1:9-12 and 2:1-3
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Joy_Amazement_Future.mp3 The conclusion to Luke’s first volume leaves us with Christ’s disciples amazed at what has happened. Christ has secured the glorification for them by His life, death, and resurrection. We now anticipate Christ’s continued work in history through the disciples and us as we turn to volume two, the book of Acts. Luke 24:33-53 and Acts 1:1-3...
http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Jesus_Is_Alive.mp3 The angels asked the women coming to Jesus’ grave, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”, in other words, “Why do you think and act like Jesus is dead, when He is alive?” We ask the church today the same question. (Please note: the first half-minute of the sermon is cut off the recording). Luke 23:54 – 24:32
