Text: Matthew 1:18-25 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: At the center of God's plan of redemption is the birth of His eternally begotten Son, of the virgin Mary. Yet, in Matthew's gospel, he tells the story from Joseph's point of view. Joseph receives the news of Mary's pregnancy, and assuming her to have been unfaithful (really, what other conceivable possibility could there be?), he plans to divorce her. That was his plan, but God had a different one. He had planned all of this to fulfill the promise of Immanuel—God with us. Therefore, He tells Joseph to take Mary as his wife and to name this child Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.
This lecture covers Book 3, chapters 10 of Calvin's Institutes, which corresponds to the fifth and final chapter of his little book On the Christian Life. In this chapter, Calvin discusses how we can properly use the good gifts that God gives us in this present life, without overindulging in them on the one hand or despising them on the other.
Text: Matthew 1:1-17 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: Is there a more boring way to start a book than with a list of names no one knows? That's how Matthew begins his account of the gospel of Jesus. But if we skip over these names, we miss vital truths about who Jesus is and what his ministry accomplished. That's why Matthew begins here, because he wants us to see that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promised offspring of Abraham, as well as the true Son of David who sits on the throne. Therefore, he is able to deliver his people from an even greater enemy than Babylon—sin and death.
This lecture covers Book 3, chapter 9 of Calvin's Institutes, which corresponds to the fourth chapter of his book On the Christian Life. This chapter is a continuation of the same subject of the previous chapter on self-denial. In this chapter, Calvin discusses the importance of meditating on the life to come. Our present lives are filled with trials and sufferings of all kinds. These ought to lead us to remember that this world is not our home, but we belong with Christ our Savior. Only when he returns and makes all things new, will we have the perfect joy and peace that we desire.
Text: Ezra 9:1-10:44 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: The final two chapters of Ezra contain a shocking story of covenant unfaithfulness and difficult decisions. Ezra finds out that many men in the community have broken God's law by marrying foreign, pagan wives. Ezra then weeps, pleads for God's forgiveness, and then leads the people through true and full repentance, including the process of sending away all the foreign wives. From this passage we see that true repentance requires action—it is a way of life.
This lecture covers Book 3, chapter 8 of Calvin's Institutes, which corresponds to the third chapter of his book On the Christian Life. This chapter is a continuation of the same subject of the previous chapter on self-denial. In this chapter, Calvin describes how we are each called to bear our own cross as part of denying ourselves and following Jesus. As he bore his cross, so do we bear the sufferings, trials, and hardships of life. But God promises to use all of these for our good to bring about our salvation.
Text: Ezra 8:1-36 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: As Ezra is about to lead the second return from exile, he takes inventory and notices a problem: there are no Levites returning with him. Thankfully, God provides them, as well as the finances they need to support the Temple work. Even more than that, God protects the people across their entire journey home. He does this by his powerful, providential hand. We too, can rest in his hands, knowing that he will always provide for us.
This lecture covers Book 3, Chapter 7 of Calvin's Institutes, which corresponds to the second chapter in his treatise on the Christian Life. In this chapter, Calvin discusses the outward call of the Christian life which is to deny oneself. Only through self-denial can the Christian fulfill the law, to love God and love neighbor.
Text: Ezra 7:1-28 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: At the middle point of the book we finally meet Ezra himself. He is a priestly descendant of Aaron and a Scribe trained in the law of Moses, and he leads a second wave of exiles back to Jerusalem. Through this journey back, we see Ezra's motivation, which is his heart dedicated to God and his Word.
This is the first lecture in a series on Calvin's book On the Christian Life. This short book contains five chapters from the Institutes (Book 3, chapters 6-10), in which Calvin discusses what it means to be a Christian. The first chapter contains the scriptural mandate for living a holy and righteous life, and the remaining chapters discuss the outward means of accomplishing this calling. On the Christian Life is a wonderful introduction to Calvin's pastoral heart and his Institutes as a whole.
Text: Ezra 5:1-6:22 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: The returned exiles were suffering defeat for over a decade and all construction on the Temple ceased. Then God sent his prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to stir up the people once again. Through the preaching of God's word, the people were empowered to finish the building project, and they prospered under God's watchful care. All of this was possible through faith in the promise that God had not forgotten them, and they still had a glorious future ahead of them.
Text: Ezra 4:1-24 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: Things go from bad to worse for the exile returnees. In this passage, they are met with fierce opposition from the people around them, first through temptation to compromise, and then through outright political oppression. From this passage we learn the sobering truth that the world has an unceasing hatred for God's people and will always seek to destroy us. Thankfully, we have a Savior who has conquered the world, and we have our refuge in Him.
Text: Ezra 3:1-13 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: Too often we can think that following Christ is a promise that nothing bad can ever happen to us. So, what do we do when deep disappointment occurs in our life like it did for the Jewish people returning from exile who wept at the lackluster temple foundation? We must remember that we were created to worship, and worship will keep our disappointment from breeding discouragement.
Text: Ezra 1:1-2:70 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: God's people have been in exile for years, but that does not mean they are forgotten. As Persia becomes the world power, God stirs up the heart of the king to fulfill his promise to return his people home. As we begin this study of Ezra and Nehemiah, we start with a new exodus—God delivers his people out of slavery and brings them into the promised land once again. From this we learn two important things: that God always keeps his promises, and that the promise for an even greater exodus remains for those who put their faith in Christ.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians with a reminder to keep the main thing the main thing—that God has called them to be established in holiness for eternity. This is God's will and calling for all his people. Thankfully, in the end, our growth in holiness is not left to our own strength, but God who calls us to holiness is himself faithful and he will surely accomplish that work in us.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: As Paul begins to wrap up his letter he lists several reminders of what it looks like to live the Christian life. Constant and unending joy, prayer, and thanksgiving are all marks of God's work in the believer. And these are possible when the work of the Spirit is not quenched, but sought after through God's Word that leads us to do his will.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: Before he concludes his letter, Paul gives the Thessalonians one final imperative to love one another. This comes as an answer to Paul's earlier prayer, that the Lord would cause "to increase and abound your love for one another and for all" (3:12). In this passage, we see that love is the standard in the church, and we are called to display that love toward our church leaders, toward one another, and toward all.
Text: 1 Kings 8:22-30 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: As the Temple was completed, Solomon dedicated the new building in prayer. In his prayer, he asked God for two things: That he would remember the covenant with David, his father, to always have a son on the throne, and that he would dwell among this people in the Temple. But will God really keep his covenant with David when all he descendants break it? And how can God dwell in the midst of sinful and wicked people? God's singular answer to both of Solomon's prayers is found in David's greater son -- Jesus Christ.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: We know that Jesus will return and make all things new, but when will this be? How can we be prepared for his second coming? Paul addresses this question in our passage on Sunday. He reminds the Thessalonians that no one knows the day of Christ's return. It will come like a thief in the night (v. 2). But we can be prepared, since we know that we already belong to Christ who died for us. Therefore, we will always live with him.