Tri-Annual Singing!
June 20, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Recent Articles and Sermons
Spring 2026 Meeting (Tyler Hammock)
5/2 – Pay Close Attention
5/3 9am – “I Have Sinned…”
5/3 10am – I Have been Sinned Against
5/3 11am – “One Heart and Soul”
5/4 – “An Antitype Which Now Saves Us”
5/5 – “You Did Not Learn Christ in this Way.”
5/6 – Whom do you Fear?
5/7 – Making the Most of Our TimeÂ
“We Could No Longer Endure It”
Paul uses an interesting phrase in his first letter to the Thessalonians (3:1-3). “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”
Timothy was a common companion of Paul in his travels. He was Paul’s “son in the faith” and was both a comfort and help to him in his work. One of the practices of Paul was to send Timothy to places when Paul himself was unable to come. This is what he did for the brethren in Thessalonica. Continue reading ““We Could No Longer Endure It””
Mining the Scriptures: Hebrews 7:4-10
Melchizedek is revealed to be a type of Christ, and the Hebrew writer here argues that Christ’s Priesthood is greater than that under the Old Covenant.
Here is the argument. Melchizedek was even greater than Abraham. This is seen in the fact that Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. “Beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the greater” (7). Since Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, so did Levi his descendent (so to speak). Since Levi is the patriarch of the Levitical priesthood, the priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than the Levitical priesthood of the Old Covenant.
One other note that hearkens back to a previous article. Melchizedek was also the king of Salem. Under the Old Covenant, the tribe of kings (through God’s promise to David) was to be Judah. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. Only Levites could serve as priests under that Old Law. Christ could only appropriately serve as high priest under a new covenant as He was of the tribe of kings. Melchizedek as both priest and king then serves as the type. Jesus is both king and priest, of the order of Melchizedek!
Walking on the Sea
John’s account of Jesus walking on the sea in John 6:15-21 is much more condensed than that of Matthew (14) or Mark (6). As such it does not contain information that the other passages do.
First, Jesus encouraged the disciples to go on ahead of him (Matthew 14:22). Second, John says nothing of Peter’s request for Jesus to allow him to come to the Lord on the water.
Instead, John focuses on the sign itself. One that men can not in any way replicate. Yes, illusions can fake walking on water. But, the physical reality of Jesus walking on water to the disciples in a storm is something that undeniably shows Him to be the Son of God!
Consider the response of His disciples. First, they were afraid seeing someone walking toward them on the sea in the dead of night, and not knowing it was their Master. They thought Him to be a ghost! (Mark 6:49). If you put yourself in their place on a stormy night, you can understand that fear.
Then, when Jesus revealed Himself, they joyfully received Him into their boat. John said that “immediately the boat was at the land where they were going” (21). And Matthew and Mark both reveal the wind ceased blowing when he entered the boat.
We rejoice! Signs such as these show beyond contradiction Jesus is our Savior and King!
Perverse Things
Acts 20 records a conversation that the apostle Paul had with the elders of the Ephesian church. He had sailed past Ephesus in a hurry to get to Jerusalem, and instead landed at Miletus. There he called for the elders to come to him.
Paul had a wonderful relationship with the elders. He had spent a significant amount of time in Ephesus, and no doubt had developed close relationships with these men. This was basically a farewell visit with them. At the end of their meeting after they had prayed together, we are told, “Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship” (37-38).
So, they departed from one another on good terms. These men no doubt were grateful for the work he had done among them, and appreciated his words on this occasion. They were important words. As elders, they were called to diligence in overseeing the church in Ephesus. This diligence would be greatly needed. Paul told them, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (29-30). Continue reading “Perverse Things”
Perilous Times
The apostle Paul warned Timothy, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). The phrase “last days” properly references our own time, which began on Pentecost in Acts 2, and will continue until Jesus comes again. In history there was a Patriarchal age, A Mosaical age, and then with the ascension of Christ to His throne, our own Christian age. The Bible clearly establishes the Christian age will continue until all is destroyed (cf. 2 Peter 3:1-13).
What we know from history is that perilous times have been present since Pentecost. At some points in history it has been less chaotic, and sometimes much more, but peril is always present, especially for the child of God. Thus the reason for Paul’s warning. The apostle goes further to explain the why of such dangers. He writes, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…” (2-5a). Continue reading “Perilous Times”
Mining the Scriptures: Hebrews 7:1-3
The Hebrew writer establishes Christ as High Priest by using a Type/Antitype analogy. Remember, this writer is inspired of God. The man Melchizedek is revealed in scripture precisely to establish God’s intent in raising Jesus up as our great high priest!
The text he uses is the only text where Melchizedek in mentioned in the Old Testament, Genesis 14:18-20. After Abraham’s battle to rescue his nephew Lot who had been taken during a battle between 9 different kings in the valley of Siddim, Melchizedek met him.
Melchizedek (“king of righteousness”) was both a king (of Salem, the ancient name of Jerusalem), and a “priest of the Most High God.” When he and Abraham met, Abraham gave tithes to the king/priest, and the king/priest blessed Abraham.
Note: We know nothing more about Melchizedek. As the writer notes, he was “without father, without mother, without geneaology.” Like the Son of God, he “remains a priest continually.” More on this next week.
Sermon: Fair is Fair!
A Discussion of Judges 1:1-7. We discuss the principle of Lex Talionis. The Role of God and the Government in Vengeance. The individual responsibility of the Christian to respond to evil with good, exercising love in our spiritual walk.
Audio
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YouTube Video of Sermon
Preparing for Judgment
The need for preparation for the judgment day is well described in Jesus’ parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, related in Matthew 25.
While the bridegroom tarried, the five virgins who had not sufficiently prepared ran out of oil to fuel their lamps. They had to leave to get more oil, and when they were away, the bridegroom came, and they were locked out of the wedding feast (1-12). Jesus’ application is given in the 13th verse, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
The idea of watching is seen in preparation. It is important for us to prepare ourselves for eternity because it is of the greatest importance. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:26-27). Continue reading “Preparing for Judgment”
The Times and the Seasons
Paul gave an encouraging message to the Thessalonians in his first letter to them, in chapter 5. He refers to the “times and the seasons” (1), referencing the second coming of Jesus.
Teaching concerning Christ’s coming in judgment had been given by the Lord Himself. He said, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:43-44). Paul uses the same language here in referencing Christ’s final return, noting this was a truth with which they were familiar. “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night” (2). Continue reading “The Times and the Seasons”
Mining the Scriptures: Hebrews 6:19-20
In the previous section, the Hebrew writer showed the inviolability of the hope that is ours in Christ. It exists because of God’s righteousness, and the oath He made to us that a faithful life would be rewarded.
Here we have a discussion of the nature of this promised hope. It is the anchor of our faith. The metaphor is used only here in scripture, though it was a common illustration in the Greek language. Our hope is what gives us calmness and assurance during the storms of life. The mental picture we have of a spiritual reward at the end of our lives sustains us during all times good and bad.
The second metaphor, “which enters the Presence behind the veil” is sometimes not understood.” Personally I love Dan King’s short explanation of the phrase: “The point is that the Christian’s anchor of hope is not dropped into an earthly sea, but passes beyond the curtain of mystery to the heavenly realms. There it moors us to the very throne of God.”
This is the same place where our Savior resides, exalted forever as our High Priest on His throne in Heaven by the Father (cf. Philippians 2:9-11).
Better Things Concerning You
A simple examination of the book of Hebrews shows it to be a comparison and contrast between what went before, and what is now present in the kingdom of Christ. A simple way to think about the book is that it is about the better things in Jesus. A better covenant, a better Lawgiver, a better rest, a better High Priest, a better Sacrifice, a better sanctuary.
The book was written to a Jewish group that was faltering in their faith in Christ. They were pulled by the past to embrace their previous relationship to God through the old law, and were questioning their commitment to Jesus. This was in part because they had not grown as Christians, and needed “someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (5:12).
They had faltered in their growth disappointing the writer, but he had not lost all his trust in them. After his admonition he said, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation” (9). Here we have an important truth revealed. Since what Jesus has brought is better, better things are required of us as well! “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, what at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (2:3).
Sermon: The Beatitudes
The beginning of our Lord’s sermon on the mount gives us great insight as to how to maintain our happiness in His kingdom, despite the pressures of the world around us.
Audio
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YouTube Video of Sermon
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Sermon: A Primer on Giving
Our lesson discusses the requirement of God that His children give back a portion our prosperity back to Him. Paul’s writings to Corinth are used to establish the truth on this matter.
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