While the prophets are often characterized by their messages of judgment and woe, there are few places in Scripture where the light of salvation and hope shines so brightly. When the world speaks of ‘hope,’ it usually means nothing more than wishful thinking. But for the believer, our hope is...
Over the years, ever since our church’s first worship service held on August 18, 1944, God has shown himself faithful to the assembly of his saints gathered here at ECC. He has continued to lead his children along every step of the way by his sovereign grace. And as we...
Ever since the Fall and the entrance of sin into the world, pride has characterized the heart of man. We refuse to submit to God’s rule and continue to believe the lie that we must exalt ourselves to find true joy and fulfillment in life. The prophets were sent to...
Though the name ‘Zion’ is often used in Scripture to refer to the capital city of Jerusalem and the mount where the temple was located, it becomes a rich symbol for the dwelling place of God and his holy people from every nation. Ultimately, it refers to the new Jerusalem—God’s...
One of the central issues addressed by Isaiah and the rest of the prophets is that of justice—faithfully living according to the standard of what is right in our relationships with others. It’s only as we do justice, as we live righteously, that we will flourish as a society under...
To worship God is to give him all honor and glory for who he is and what he has done. Yet this worship must be offered rightly, since God alone defines what worship is acceptable to him. Today, however, many understand worship to be nothing more than performance based on...
* The audio for this sermon is unavailable due to a technical difficulty with the recording. The following is Mitch Bedzyk’s sermon manuscript: This morning we are beginning a new sermon series through the book of Isaiah. It is the most quoted and alluded to book in NT along with...
The true people of God have always been persecuted by those who oppose God. But, as the Bible tells us, “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). As we consider the death of...
Jesus said that if the world hated him, then it would hate those who follow him (John 15:18-21). It wasn’t long before the early church found this to be true. In Acts 7, we find Stephen’s response to the false accusations brought against him—that he had spoken against Moses and...