Two thousand years ago, before Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, he promised his disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Though the […]
When Paul and Barnabas first came to Antioch in Pisidia, they entered the synagogue and were invited to share a word of encouragement with those in attendance. It’s here that Luke provides a summary of a typical sermon preached by the apostle Paul to Jews and God-fearers. He begins with an overview of Israel’s history, […]
The idea of “waiting” is incredibly counter-cultural in our fast-paced, on-demand world. And yet, waiting is what the Christian life is all about. In this message, Mitch Bedzyk encourages us to wait with patience and joy, knowing that God will provide us with perfect peace and rest. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 […]
Psalm 121 is a song that the church needs to hear and sing in every season, but especially seasons of distress, doubt, and fear. For here we are reminded that the triune God is our good and gracious Keeper. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our Lord’s Day worship services were […]
God’s people were constantly tempted to either fear the surrounding nations, or to trust them for security and prosperity. Ultimately, they were tempted to forget the Lord. For this reason, God gave messages through his prophets to reveal the judgment in store for these godless nations. In this section of Isaiah (chaps. 13-27), he takes […]
The very first words spoken to mankind recorded in Scripture are well-known: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). From Genesis to Revelation, this theme of increasing and multiplying appears over and over again. Why? Because God is intent on creating a people for himself, for his glory. He is pleased to make the glories of […]
Today, ministry ‘success’ is often defined by visible, tangible, quantifiable, and impressive results. But God’s Word is clear that “results” are up to God alone. We can plant the seed and water the soil, “but God gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6). So, if God alone is responsible for results (conversions, numerical growth, revival, etc.), […]
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 look towards the future, our […]
Psalm 86 is a prayer of David, the anointed king and judge of God’s chosen people, whose life was being threatened by the enemies of Israel (Ps. 86:14). In these final verses, he cries out to be delivered from the hands of the ungodly men who, by opposing him, stand opposed to the God of […]
David’s prayer in Psalm 86, like the prayers throughout the Psalter, is highly instructive and illuminating for our times of communion with God. He makes a total of fifteen requests, yet he is essentially he is calling upon the name of the Lord his God for one thing: grace. In the first seven verses, David focuses […]
The Olivet Discourse comes at the end of a section of Luke’s gospel that began with Jesus entering Jerusalem and pronouncing judgment on the temple (Luke 19:41-44). In this teaching, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples primarily about the the future fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. He calls them to […]
The Olivet Discourse comes at the end of a section of Luke’s gospel that began with Jesus entering Jerusalem and pronouncing judgment on the temple (Luke 19:41-44). In the final week of his earthly ministry, before his crucifixion, he had cleansed the temple, challenged the authority of the temple leadership, pronounced woes against the scribes and […]
What should leadership in the local church look like? For many, this question is answered with modern business principles and leadership strategies; God’s word is deemed irrelevant and outdated. But how are God’s people to grow in their knowledge of the truth and godliness? How is the church protected from the dangers of false teaching […]
Jesus told the parable of the ten minas to the crowds, Luke explains, “because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11). As we have seen throughout the Gospel of Luke, the person and work of Jesus himself was the sign that the […]
While the second coming of Jesus Christ is clearly taught in Scripture (Luke 12:40; 1 Thess. 5:2-4; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 16:15), many in the church today are either consumed with making fanciful predictions about his return or simply neglect this doctrine out of frustration and confusion. For a disciple of Jesus, however, neither of […]
