ministry


23
Oct 2017

Summary – The Gospel in Genesis 1-50 and in the City Genesis has introduced us to the Creator-Redeemer God who graciously gives mankind a garden-temple in which to serve God and from which to extend the worship of God throughout the earth. In Adam all mankind rebels against God and is banished from the temple-garden. Prior to banishment from the temple-garden, a promise is given of a second Adam, who would not succumb to Satan’s temptation and would finally defeat Satan. After the progression of sin and rebellion, mankind and the earth......

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16
Oct 2017

Reunion and restoration to Canaan (47:28-50:26) As the story of Genesis winds down, we are wondering about the outcome of the Abrahamic promise that God’s people would bring blessing to the nations. Ironically, the people of God are in exile from their promised land; yet while living as strangers in the midst of a powerful nation, they have opportunity to be the bearers of blessing. Not only do they have opportunity while in exile to bless the nations, but here they receive the blessing of their father, who speaks to each of......

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13
Feb 2017

In chapter 35, the Lord instructs Jacob to return to the place where Abraham had built and altar and where he had made a vow to the Lord after he had been assured by the Lord that the promise to Abraham belonged to him and his descendants.  Jacob returns with a serious commitment to shun idolatry and to worship the Lord. He is keeping the vow he made at Bethel that if the Lord brought him back in peace, then the Lord would be his God and he would honor Him as......

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23
Jan 2017

Genesis 34 is one of those sad chapters in the history of redemption.  Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, is raped, humiliated, and then treated like a commodity to be traded for mutual benefits. Jacob appears ready to make the exchange of his daughter for the benefit of prospering in the land – the land already promised to him by the Lord. When Dinah’s brothers hear of the atrocity they first object because the Hivite’s do not bear the covenant sign of circumcision. It appears already that the covenant itself has become less significant than......

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12
Dec 2016

Genesis 25:12-27:46 reminds us that God is faithful to fulfill his covenant promises despite human unfaithfulness.  Isaac shows a similar failure of faith, as did his father. He lies about Rebecca being his wife and instead of blessing the nations, he arouses disdain from them. Yet, despite Isaac’s unfaithfulness, the Lord blesses him and causes him to prosper. He recovers numerous wells that his father had dug and digs new ones, making his mark as he sojourns in the land of promise. In the land of promise he builds an altar and......

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15
Nov 2016

In Genesis 21-22 Abraham’s faith that God would bless the nations through his offspring is now tested. Isaac, the son through whom the promise will be fulfilled, has become for Abraham the visible evidence of that promise. The underlying question of Genesis 22 is this:  Is Abraham’s faith still dependent on the Word of God or is it now placed in the physical presence of Isaac? Is Abraham walking by faith or is he walking by sight? Abraham is ordered to offer the son of promise as a sacrifice. Abraham, in obedience......

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31
Oct 2016

The promise of God to Abraham to create a new humanity through whom the nations would be blessed comes to fruition with the birth of Isaac.  In the midst of that joyous birth, the presence of Hagar and Ishmael appears to be a threat to Sarah who understands rightly that the promise of blessing to the nations comes through Isaac, not Ishmael. Under God’s direction, Abraham sends Hagar and her son away. God provides for them and promises that, as the seed of Abraham, the line of Ishmael would also become a......

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25
Oct 2016

In Genesis 20 the promise of God to bless the nations through the seed of Abraham appears to be threatened due to the chicanery of Abraham and Sarah. In a faithless effort to preserve his life by hiding his marriage and telling a half-truth about Sarah his step-sister/wife, Abraham supposed he was preventing his death at the hands of a pagan king whom he assumed would have killed him for his wife. Behind the scenes, the God of promise is faithfully at work bringing His promise to fruition. God is already at......

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24
Aug 2011

A Gospel-Centered Way Beyond Fundamentalism and New Evangelicalism At Grace Church of Philly, we long for Christian fellowship with other believers that is based upon gospel essentials. By gospel essentials, we mean those teachings of Scripture which are necessary for one to truly be called a Christian. Those gospel essentials would at least include a belief in the authority and reliability of Scripture, the Trinity, the exclusiveness and sufficiency of the redemptive work of Christ, and the depravity and inability of mankind. Also, included in those gospel essentials would be credible evidence......

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03
Jan 2011

INTRODUCTION: Today I want to look at the servant’s Gospel-cause. What or Whom will I serve? Will I serve the cause of Patriotism, the cause of Justice, the cause of Success, the cause of Money, the cause of self-preservation, or the cause of the gospel  Listen to our text today:  Philippians 1:27-30   27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one......

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