Resurrection Presbyterian Church

Date: 4/21/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Philippians 2:5-13

Date: 4/7/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Romans 5:1-8

Date: 4/14/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Romans 5: 6-11

Date: 2/4/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Romans 4:1-8

Date: 1/28/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 23 Outline: I. Because the LORD is our wise, strong, and good Shepherd, He prepares table-lands of good pasture for you, even in the presence of your soul’s enemies [v5a] A. The LORD prepares table-lands for His sheep (mountain plateau pastures) B. The LORD prepares table-lands in the looking/lurking presence of our enemies II. Because the LORD is your wise, strong, and good Shepherd, He anoints your head with the oil of the Spirit and causes the cup of your life to overflow [v5b] A. The LORD anoints His sheep’s heads with the Spirit’s oil for their protection B. The LORD thus causes the cup of His sheep’s lives to overflow with the Spirit For sheepish sheep • Are you staying close to your Shepherd’s eyes/voice? Or eating toxic junk or wandering off? • Are you feeding/drinking in Your Shepherd’s prepared table-land, seeking sustenance from the living-spiritual word(s) of life, and asking for the daily anointing of the Spirit’s presence with peace and power upon your life so that your cup will overflow with good things/fruit of the Spirit, with satisfied serenity in Christ even during times of sanctifying suffering? For under-sheepherds (sheep entrusted to lead other sheep for the Good Shepherd) • Are you preparing & leading your young sheep to table-lands of good pasture, waters in a hostile, wicked world (family devotions/prayer)? • Are you daily anointing their heads (minds/hearts) with the oil of the Spirit in prayer with/for them, with a view to their lives overflowing with the word, ways of Christ?

Date: 1/21/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 23 Outline: I. Because your wise & good Shepherd is always with you, He would have you fear no evil or calamity [v4a] A. Our Shepherd wisely leads us to the best place – moving to higher, better pastures B. Our Shepherd wisely leads us by the best path – through some deep/steep valleys C. Our Shepherd wisely leads us with full preparation – for any evil/calamity II. Because your wise & good Shepherd wields His rod & staff, He would have you fear no evil or calamity [v4b] A. Our Shepherd comforts our souls and curbs our fears with His rod B. Our Shepherd comforts our souls and curbs our fears with His staff Questions for under-sheepherds (sheep entrusted to lead other sheep for the Good Shepherd) • Are you imitating Christ’s motive? Deep love & care for the lives and flourishing of His flock • Are you imitating Christ’s manner? Wisdom in seeking out spiritual sustenance, leading to it • Are you imitating Christ’s means? Comforting sheep with your presence & power for their good

Date: 1/14/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 23

Date: 1/7/24 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 23

Date: 12/24/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: 2 Corinthians 8:9 Outline: I. Jesus’s motive – “the grace (charity/compassion) of our Lord Jesus Christ” II. Jesus’s method – “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor” III. Jesus’s mark – “that you through His poverty might become rich” • GRAB Jesus’s cross (Gal 2:20; Gal 6:14; Matt 16:24-27; Rom 12:1) • GET Jesus’s life/riches (Eph 1:3; 1 Cor 3:21-23; Matt 7:7-12, Luke 11:5-13) • GIVE yourself and your riches away in Jesus’s service/kingdom (2 Cor 8:1-9, 9:6-15) • GAIN enduring fruit and eternal life/glory/joy (Col 1:10, John 15:1-16, Heb 12:2)

Date: 12/17/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Luke 2:8-20 Outline: I. Don’t Fear People or Circumstances! The God of Glory, Peace, Comfort is with/for us. A. The good news is for people like shepherds – humble, hungry, hurt/harassed, hopeful B. The good news is about a lowly Shepherd Savior from sins & miseries – “a Savior” C. The good news is about a glorious King/Kingdom – “Christ the Lord” (“the kingdom of God/heaven is at hand”) D. The good news imparts great joy that transforms fear into faith, hope, and fruit E. The good news is “to/for all the people” of God F. The good news is about the seeing and savoring the glory of God in the highest heavens (and on earth) G. The good news is about bringing peace on earth (as it is in heaven) between God and men because of God’s goodwill toward men. II. Trust and Enjoy God! Walk in the Glory, Peace, Comfort of God with/for us in Christ. A. Prove the good news – Come and see B. Proclaim the good news – Go and share

Date: 12/10/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 22:21b-31 Outline: I. Glorious worship of the LORD among Jesus’ brethren (Church) {22-26] A. Proclaim the name of the LORD in the Presence of Christ and His brethren (22) B. Praise the LORD in the Presence of Christ and His brethren (23) C. Pray to the LORD in the Presence of Christ and His brethren (11, 19-21, 24) D. Pay (y)our vows to the LORD in the Presence of Christ and His brethren (25) E. Partake of the LORD’s table/supper in the Presence of Christ and His brethren (26) II. Glorious worship of the LORD among all peoples/nations (Kingdom) [27-31] A. Geography – All the ends of the world will worship the LORD (27a) B. Gentiles – All the families of the nations will worship the LORD (27b-28) C. Groups – All the groups among the peoples will worship the LORD (29) D. Generations – All the generations of the peoples will worship the LORD (30-31)

Date: 12/3/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Psalm 22:21b-31 Outline: I. The Father raised the Son in order to give Him the rule over and the glory in the worldwide kingdom He promised to Him (v21b; Heb 1:2, Jn 3:35, 5:22-23, Matt 11:27, 28:18-20) A. Jesus’s prayer was heard and answered B. Two-stage answer to Jesus’s prayer – death/dying/descent  resurrection/ righteousness/reigning (dominion and much abiding fruit with great glory and joy) C. Resurrection = vindication, turning point, beginning of incremental fruitful harvest II. The Son reigns for the Father in order to give Him back the rule over and the glory in the renewed worldwide kingdom He received from Him (v22-31; 1 Cor 15:20-28) A. Reigning and rejoicing in/with the midst of the Jewish ‘assembly’ (v22-24)

Date: 11/19/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Joshua 4:1-24 Outline: I. Memorials call for past-remembering gratitude for God’s covenant faithfulness and present-evaluating covenant visitation by God’s Word/Spirit. A. Memorials call upon God and His people to remember God’s previous works of covenant righteousness, especially in saving His unfaithful, unrighteous people. B. Memorials call God’s people to meet with God, to trust in God’s continuing covenant faithfulness, and to be judged by God’s Word/Spirit. II. Memorials call for future-looking covenant obedience by faith in God’s righteousness (future grace) A. Memorials are signs that point the way forward from the new exodus (open hearts, open door) in obedient, active/living faith for conquest and righteous dominion with/by God’s blessing (v19-23) B. Memorials are signs that point to the success of God’s covenant purposes and promises to judge and save the world for His glory and His people’s blessing (v24)

Date: 11/12/23 By: Elder Steven Morris Text: Romans 3:31 Outline: I. The gospel establishes God’s righteous law rather than making void God’s law. A. Defining key terms: “law”, “make void”, “establish” B. The gospel does not “make void” the law as a means of justification because God’s law has neither the aim nor ability to justify anyone in His sight. C. The gospel does “establish” the ongoing authority & applicability of God’s law because one key goal of redemption is deliverance from sin into “the obedience of faith” working through love (fulfilling “the righteous requirement of the law”). II. The gospel establishes God’s law by….. (3 ‘uses’ of the law) A. confirming God’s righteousness in Christ by calling/converting faithless law-breakers (faithless sinners) into faithful law-keepers (faithful saints) - mirror B. checking and convicting/condemning/cursing unrepentant evildoers & rewarding doers of good (i.e. that which blesses the righteous & upholds righteousness) - curb C. codifying & clarifying “the obedience of faith” working through love that pleases God unto blessing - guide

Date: 10/29/23 Text: Romans 3:24-26 By: Elder Steven Morris Outline: I. Jesus’s cross demonstrated & vindicated God’s righteousness (25b-26) A. God’s righteous attribute - Justice B. God’s righteous activities – Judgment and Justification II. Jesus’s cross saves sinners & vindicates God’s righteousness by faith (22, 25, 26) A. God’s righteous means of salvation – Faith alone (see Rom 1:16-17; Rom 4; Heb 11) B. Living faith glorifies the Triune God’s supreme sufficiency (greatness) and righteousness (goodness) while fulfilling our joy in His faith

Date: 10/22/23 Text: Psalm 21:1-13 Outline: Outline (Chiasm) I. Introductory Praise (v. 1) II. Divine Blessings on the King (vv. 2-6) III. Royal Trust in the LORD (v. 7) IV. Divine Judgment on the Enemies (vv. 8-12) V. Concluding Praise (v. 13) I. (and V.) Exulting & Exalting in The LORD (1, 13) A. Exulting - In His Strength [Power] – v.1 B. Exalting - In His Salvation [Preservation] – v.13 II. (and IV.) Remembering & Resting/Reigning in the LORD (2-6, 8-12) A. Remembering – Deep gratitude for past & present blessings of grace – vs.2-6 – The LORD has heard, delivered, and blessed the King and His people. B. Resting/Reigning – Confident faith & hope for future blessings of grace – vs.8-12 – The LORD will hear, fight for/with, deliver, and bless the King and His people (kingdom) III. Trusting & Triumphing in the LORD (7) A. Trusting – v.7a – The King and His people trust in the steadfast love/mercy of the LORD, the Most High God B. Triumphing – v.7b – The King and His people shall not be (re)moved.

Date: 10/15/23 Text: Romans 3:24-26 By: Elder Steven Morris Outline: I. The cross of Christ achieved full propitiation of God’s holy wrath (25a) A. “Propitiation” defined B. “Propitiation” and “expiation” C. Christian “propitiation” vs pagan (and Old Covenant) “pacification” D. Summary of key texts: Rom 3:24-25; Heb 2:17 (cf 9:5ff); 1 John 2:2, 4:10 II. The cross of Christ empowers a blood-bought life (redemption) and also a blood-cleansed/covered life (expiation/propitiation) by God’s grace A. Draw near to (take up) and boast only in Jesus’ cross (Hebrews 9:26b-28, 10:10,12,14; cf Gal 6:14; cf 1 Cor 2:2 – “Jesus Christ & Him crucified”). Perfect love casts out fear (1Jn 4:18) B. Draw near to the blood-propitiated God - Arise, My Soul, Arise – Heb 10:19-23 C. Draw near to the blood-bought/covered saints (Church) – Heb 10:24-25 D. Draw near to this blood-bought world in sincere faith, hope, and love (1 Jn 2:2; Jn 3:16-17)

Date: 10/8/23 Text: Romans 3:24-26 By: Elder Steven Morris Outline: I. The Cross of Christ achieved redemption of enslaved, doomed sinners (24b) A. Redemption, accomplished and applied II. The Cross of Christ achieved propitiation of God’s holy wrath against sin (25a) A. Propitiation, accomplished and applied III. The Cross of Christ achieved vindication of God’s righteousness (25b-26) A. Vindication/Demonstration, accomplished and applied

Date: 10/1/23 Text: Romans 3:20-24a By: Elder Steven Morris Outline: I. We must reject any/all hopeless attempts to be self-justified by “the works of the law” [20, 23] A. God’s law brings “the knowledge of sin” and it’s just curse/condemnation, but it has no power to prevent us from sinning and “falling short of the glory of God”. (20b, 23) B. Thus, “by the deeds/works of the law no flesh will be justified in God’s sight.” (20a) II. We must receive the sinner-justifying “righteousness of God” and be justified freely by His grace [21-22, 24a] A. God’s grace reveals “the righteousness of God apart from the law”, and He/it gives the cure for sin’s guilt (“to all”) and power (“on all”) to “all who believe” “in Jesus Christ” (21-22, 24) B. Thus, by “the righteousness of God” all who are believing are “justified freely by His grace” (24a)

Date: 9/17/23 Text: Romans 3:9-20 By: Elder Steven Morris Outline: I. Food for faith (“under”-standing) A. All men are under sin (9-18) – ungodliness of sin, ubiquity of sin, universality of sin B. The Jews were under law (19a) C. All men are under condemnation (19b-20) II. Obedience of Faith A. Believe God’s verdict (bad news) - stop your mouth, no excuses, evasions (1Jn 1:6,8,10) B. Believe God’s gospel (good news) – confess, repent, walk in God’s light/glory (1Jn 1:5,7,9) C. Utterly reject any false hope of righteousness “under” the law (in the flesh, by the letter); Rather, be filled, drink deeply of the Spirit to please/glorify God “under” grace through faith working love (Matt 5:6  Jn 4:13-14, 6:63, 7:37-39, 15:4-5; Rom 6:14; 8:1ff; 2 Cor 3; Gal 5; Eph 2:8-10) D. Pursue obedience of faith in others by grace through the Spirit, not by letter of law, wrath E. Courageously & compassionately share with unjust sinners the bad news of God’s just wrath and the good God’s just salvation from His own just wrath by justifying sinners.