The Church’s Foundation

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
(Ephesians 2:19-21, ESV)

The apostles and New Testament prophets are the foundation of church. They were led by the Holy Spirit to communicate the New Testament truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now the church is being built on that foundation. We don’t need apostles or prophets anymore. The foundational work has already been done. The church is being built on the truth of the gospel recorded for us in the New Testament.

So when Paul writes to Timothy, he spends 10 chapters in two books hammering home again and again the priority of teaching and preaching God’s given Word. This is what we need. This is how the church grows.

So we must prioritize the Bible. It is through the public teaching and preaching of God’s Word, as well as personal exhortation and encouragement from the Word, as well as personal study and meditation in the Word that the church is built up.

The Bible is the measure by which we must evaluate every practice in our church and in our lives, and so we must prioritize the Bible in our church and in our lives.

The Bible’s message of the gospel is the foundation of the church. Take up and read!

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 11:29-40

On By BrianIn Hebrews HymnsLeave a comment

By faith, we are saved from all our sins
There is no longer judgment to fear
Through His death Jesus our pardon wins
Fully forgiven, we now draw near

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

By faith, we follow our Lord always
Trusting Him through the good and the bad
He is with us to help us each day
One day we’ll rise, be forever glad
(Repeat Chorus)

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Fear and Great Joy

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
(Matthw 28:8, ESV)

How should we respond to the resurrection of Jesus? The women who first visited the tomb suggest two ways:

First, fear! The woman departed quickly with fear. The soldiers earlier trembled with fear and became as dead men (v4). Fear was a common response to events of resurrection of Jesus. Here indeed is a fearful thing! An angel moves the stone to show an empty tomb and announces the resurrection. This is not the way the guards or the women expected that morning to go. It was just another assignment for the guards, just a visit to the tomb for the women, and suddenly it all goes sideways. Like if you went to a funeral, and the person in the casket suddenly got up and said “hello” and walked out. You would be afraid! Fear was a natural response to a fearful event. Our problem is that it is not our response. We don’t fear. The angel and Jesus both tell the women not to be afraid (v5, 10), but we do not need those words because we are not afraid. It has all become so familiar that we have lost sight of how earth-shattering, mind-boggling, crazy this is. The awesome power of God beyond anything we can imagine on display as He raised Jesus from dead naturally leads to fear!

Second, rejoice! The women departed with great joy! This Jesus whom they had followed, whom they had seen crucified and buried, was alive again! Imagine a beloved parent or child or sibling who has passed away suddenly alive again, and you begin to understand some of their joy. Do you love Jesus? Then His resurrection should bring you great joy! On top of that are the ramifications of His resurrection. Our sins defeated – the punishment paid, our shame and guilt removed. And death defeated – the hope of our own resurrection and the resurrection of those who have died in Christ. Here are reasons for great joy – so rejoice!

Sermon Songs: Hebrews 11:23-28

On By BrianIn Hebrews HymnsLeave a comment

Faith in God’s promises gives courage
To follow Christ in His suffering
Fleeing sin and the gods of this age
Trusting God’s presence and soon coming

Chorus
Fast, Fast, Hold fast
Hold fast to Jesus the Better One
Near, Near, Draw Near
Draw near to God through His only Son

© 2023 Brian J. Mikul

(Sing to tune of “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”)

Declaring the Glory

On By BrianIn Declaring the GloryLeave a comment

Whispy Clouds in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20

Amazed Trust

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
(Psalm 8:3-4 ESV)

God made the heavens. He made the moon and the stars. As we look up into the sky on a cloudless day or on a starry night, we see the vastness of what God has made. There are millions of stars! How does God even remember me? Why would He even care about me?

But this passage is clear that God does remember me. He is mindful of me. In fact, we are always on His mind.

And God cares for you. Not just about you, but for you in all kinds of little and big ways. He has blessed you with so many blessings throughout your life, and He continues to bless you. He is with you to strengthen you and help you in your trials and struggles. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

The vastness of His creation and His very real care for you, calls you to an amazed trust in Him. The God who powerfully spoke our world into existence, remembers and cares about you! Be amazed, and trust Him.