Providence Community Church

John chapter 20 records a series of resurrection revelations.  John & Peter realized Jesus was risen only upon touring the empty tomb and witnessing the carefully folded grave clothes of our Lord (3-8). Next, Mary Magdalene remains distraught despite witnessing the empty tomb and angels until Jesus Himself speaks to her from the garden (11-18).  Jesus then visits a meeting of disciples cowering behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. He shows them his crucifixion wounds and speaks a blessing of peace restoring their joy (19-23). Finally, eight days later, the doubts of Thomas are assuaged only when Christ appears to him in the flesh and the disciple touches his pierced hands and side (224-28). Verse 9 of this chapter explains why these face to face encounters were necessary…”for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”  This would not always be the case however, shortly after these events and the Pentecost advent of the Holy Spirit, Peter began to proclaim the Gosp

In consideration of our text this week, I recalled a sermon series I preached years ago which traced the prominence and location of the Ark of the Covenant as it related to the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel… the plight of the Ark as the touchstone of divine habitation & favor corresponded with the heart condition of the people. As spiritual reforms progressed under the rule of David, the red carpet was rolled out for the presence of God to take up residence once again in the midst of the people.  Just as the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem would be paved with praises, palm fronds, and cloaks… so it was centuries before, the people made preparations for the Ark of the Covenant to arrive in Jerusalem.  This event was marked by covenant renewal, worship, and sacrifice.

Our passage today is all about self-discipline. In light of the last section of Proverbs 16 specifically addressed to kings, one might be inclined to ask if these verses are directed toward civil rulers as well? And if so, how do they apply to those wielding authority?  Astute philosophers through the ages have recognized the importance of self-government as a precondition of responsibility.  In a recent interview, Canadian politician: Pierre Poilievre spoke to his own philosophy of leadership by citing Confucius who said: "How will he who does not know how to govern himself know how to govern others?" Before Poilievre there was Confucius, and before Confucius there was Solomon who influenced great kings as the testimony of his wisdom spread far and wide 1000 years before Christ. I Kings 4:29-34 documents the reach and influence of Solomon’s wisdom and renown. Timeless principles outlined in this chapter may well have spanned the inhabited world and endured for centuries, perhaps inspiring generations of lead

The more authority someone wields, the more fear of the Lord is required to rule responsibly.  ‘Fear of the Lord’ defined in context of chapter 16: ‘Taking God as seriously as His sovereignty demands’.  Each of the five references to the king in verses 10-15 imply the ideal, that is the perfect example of dominion.  You could place the word ‘perfect’ or ‘ideal’ before each mention of ‘king’ in this section to help clarify the sense of Solomon’s instruction. In addition, it is helpful to remember the wisdom literature device of ‘citing the maximal case’.  This way of speaking commends the application of these principles not exclusively to kings, but furthermore to all lesser dominion agents. Consider Prov 16 in light of the (Gen 1:28) original cultural mandate for all humanity. Given this dynamic, the reader may substitute ‘dominion agent’ for each reference to ‘king’ to clarify the scope of application.

We have reached the penultimate song in the world’s greatest hymnal! The theme of worship and its central importance to the livelihood of the people is expounded.  Worship is a matter of identity, unity, and national security. Last I checked ‘The high praises of God” had not made the list of strategic resources that we believe are in our country’s vital interest. This is a tragic oversight. When true worship thrives so does a society.  Let us explore the great blessings attending those who worship the One True Sovereign in Spirit & in truth.

After addressing the occasion of public worship, expounding references from the greater context of scripture, and laying out practical guidelines, the apostle summarizes his house keeping instructions for the Corinthian church in one sentence at the close of this chapter:" "... All things should be done decently and in order." (40). The standards for decency and order according to the calling of the local church are the subject of our text today. Central to our passage, verses 24 & 25 outline aims for Gospel ministry in the church age. This summary, is a literary structure, is fractal (a concise version of a broader pattern). We can use these categories to outline surrounding verses fro1n (20-40), we'll cover 2 points through verse 26 in this message.

Proverbs 16 reads like a finishing school exam for civil rulers. The author's calling and experience provide the background context occasioning this passage. Nevertheless while Solomon's office as king of Israel explains the instrumental cause of blessing in the land, the chapter itself proclaims the sovereignty of God as the formal cause. Applications of this chapter extend to us as Solomon is citing the maximal case here. The implication being, if the greatest of earthly kings is subject & accountable to the law of God & if he rules merely as an instrument of God's divine decree...the same is certainly true for everyone else. Similar to chapter 15, several verses placed strategically throughout the passage pronounce the theme. These key proverbs are verse 1, 9, and 33 all of which highlight the royal preeminence of YAHWEH the ultimate sovereign, human agency

Working with the “melodic line” theme of the fear of the Lord, and our summary definition of the same: “taking Him as seriously, as His glory demands“… we with our exposition of proverbs 15. Our passage today reads like the wisdom literature version of Jesus words in (Mat 6:33) “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
   Limiting our outline to two major points today will allow us to explore more passages like this from the teachings of Christ that further illuminate and apply the wisdom of Solomon in this chapter.

Today’s title denotes the structure of Psalm 148. In clarity and symmetry, our author addresses two realms in which the praises of the Lord are to resound: the heavens and the earth. Each call to worship is followed by reasons for praise.... One of my study Bibles takes the occasion of certain prominent passages in scripture to expound a point of systematic theology.  Psalm 148 was the text chosen to highlight the nature of God as CREATOR.  It makes sense given that this chapter so powerfully & beautifully extols Yahweh as the one true sovereign over both the genesis of all things in the first place and the new creation of redemption for His people and the world sin has corrupted. Psalm 148 is a call for us to join all creation in praising the Lord of heaven and earth.

Paul writes this chapter to the church in Corinth for the purpose of Spiritual “housekeeping”.  He equips the reader to steward the house of God in directing the ministry in Corinth to best serve the mutual upbuilding of the people of God. The benefits of prophecy listed in verse 3 serve to summarize the priorities of Christian worship and assembly with reference to fellow congregants. These ordering principles provide the main points of our outline today, expounding the first half of I Cor 14.  As a church and as members of the Body of Christ, may we heed the admonition to grow in the upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation of each other for the glory of God and the health of the church.

Proverbs 15 provides applications for those who fear the Lord. We’ve considered more sophisticated definitions of the fear of God in past messages. Today I’m proposing a simple summary considering the context of Proverbs 15. To fear the Lord is: to take Him as seriously as His gory demands. Those who seek to live appropriately in His universal presence will heed Solomon’s admonitions.  It stands to reason that if the hearts of the children of man lie open before the Lord, those who bring their hearts to him willingly for review and instruction will fare better in this life and the next one.  Let us fear the Lord in heeding these words today

Our title today comprises two categories: 1st) The character of God & 2nd) Our posture in light of His glory. Because God sees all, because His presence is universal, we ought to fear him. This is a theme resurfacing throughout Proverbs chapter 15 like the base line melody of a movie score. Note verses 3 & 11 expounding the nature of God while verses 16 & 33 exhort us to respond accordingly.  Solomon advocates living in light of the omniscience God and Proverbs chapter 15 provides practical ways to do this. Wisdom realizes that the scope of human liberty, ability, virtue and understanding is delimited by an infinitely wise and sovereign God and the precepts outlining the fear of Him are found in His Word.

The poetry of Psalm 147 captures the significance & joy accompanying the rebuilding of the temple and return of exiles under Ezra & Nehemiah to Jerusalem. When the people rose to worship for a quarter of the day under the direction of the Levites, it's easy to imagine this Psalm in their song list. Verses 2, 12, 19 contain references to Jerusalem or Zion. These key verses are a call to worship specifically directed to the people of God. The author will go on to support his call to worship & claim that it is fitting with the rest of his song. The occasion of temple rebuilding is worthy of praise in God's particular grace. In addition, the seasons declare the nature & glory of God. Verses 7-9 associate His care and kindness with the fruitfulness of the growing season while verses 15-18 feature His awesome power to intervene in Judgment demonstrated by harsh winter conditions.

This beloved chapter in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is often appropriated without much regard to the context. While standing alone the chapter reads like a poetic excursus on the beauty of human affection suitable for wedding vows, the first application pertains to relationships between church members.  Paul insists that love is the necessary precondition for the exercise of Spiritual gifts.  This emphasis was not novel. Paul is expounding applications of Jesus’ words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  According to Paul and Jesus, gospel-grounded mutual love is basic to the identity and calling of the Christian church. The central message of the so called “love chapter” is a call to order our affections according to the hierarchy of Christian priorities as the Body of Christ. Given the occasion of the first Lord’s Day of 2026, our text provides opportunity to inspire meaningful New Year’s resolutions.

Today is a second message beholding the majesty of Christmas from the vantage point of Daniel’s prophetic record.  Last week we considered the interpretation of the king’s composite statue vision as a countdown to Christmas.  Today we turn over a chapter to another incident illuminating the glories of the incarnation.  This time from a ‘before and after’ perspective, we compare the fiery furnace ordeal survived by Daniel’s three friends, with the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew’s gospel.  What difference does Christmas make in world history and the destiny of believers?  The scriptures gloriously answer in their particular instruction and their big picture perspective.  It is primarily from this second point of view that we behold the glories of Christ incarnate in our sermon today.

In faith Daniel preached the crown rights of Yahweh in the courts of emperors. His wisdom and prophecy arrested the attention of kings whose greatness was not eclipsed until the fulfillment of his prophecy on Christmas Day in a Bethlehem manger. The events surrounding his ministry foreshadowed the incarnation, coronation, and ascension of the King of Kings Jesus Christ. Early in his tenure as a court official for Nebuchadnezzar, God gave the king and Daniel the same dream and he gave Daniel the interpretation. The composite statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay represented a series of kingdoms counting down to Christmas when a kingdom would overpower them all and reign forever. Taking Daniel’s ‘song’ of pre-incarnation worship in verses 20-23 of chapter 2 as our outline, we find this occasion confirming his confession of God’s grace & greatness in its prophetic revelation and the response of a earthly king.

The last 5 songs in the Psalter beginning with our text today, all open and close with the refrain & adjuration: “Praise the Lord!”.  If the entire book were one great song, these last five chapters could be the chorus.  All the notes of remembrance, lament, repentance, consolation, victory, wisdom, providence, redemption, judgement, prophecy, revelation, and more reach a crescendo in this final set of hymns in history’s preeminent song book. As the author(s) reprise themes recurring throughout the Psalms, they find their resolution in the proclamation of Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty.  The shape of the book proclaims to all humanity in audience the majesty and authority the one true God even as it assures the sincere singer of his unbreakable covenant bonds with that same Lord of all.  The book of Psalms is a universal call to worship and the response to this call will resound for all of history and eternity on the lips and in the hearts of the redeemed…
    NOTE context & application: Psalm 146 doub

Paul understood that the various issues and problems present in the Corinthian church ultimately shared the same root. After addressing several situations case by case, he focuses his attention in these chapters on the essence of the church, the source of its vitality, and the kingdom expanding potential of the body of Christ. Understanding our connection to one another in and through Jesus Christ, is key to a functional and fruitful church. Our next chapter will proceed expounding and endorsing ‘love’ as the cardinal virtue of the Christian life. With this framework and this foundation, the church of Jesus Christ will survive & thrive unto His return.

Proverbs 14:24 says: “the crown of the wise is their wealth”. Our working definition of a crown in this sense is: ‘an adorning confirmation of dignity, rank, ability, and reputation’. This conceptual understanding of royal authority helps to clarify the context of our text in this chapter. Solomon’s teaching is universal in this sense. Would you sacrifice your better judgment, integrity, or reputation for riches…? Those who do so wear a fool’s crown. Mortgaging virtue in the quest for fortune, power, or position will crown you with folly. A parallel text might be: Prov 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Consider the example of Solomon at the height of his powers and splendor visited regularly by royal entourages of surrounding nations. His crown at this time was resplendent, polished by wisdom. As an example of folly’s crown remember the demise of king Herod eaten by worms in Acts 12:20-24. This passage also draws a stark contrast as verse 24