The Sabbath was Made for Man

Here is a sermon by Scott Brown of Hope Baptist Church that I listened to yesterday, entitled "The Sabbath was Made for Man." It is the first sermon in a five part series--here is the link on SermonAudio for all five sermons.

I may post more sermons regarding the Sabbath because this is a subject I am currently studying.

Click here for the sermon's page and then click the green "Play" button.

The Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in the 21st Century

I have had an unusually busy week and was unable to listen to any sermons after the Lord's Day last week, but I have been wanting to listen to this particular sermon for probably two weeks now.

"The Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in the 21st Century," by Ethan Foltz, deals primarily with music and the church. He discusses how to evaluate different types of music: whether it be folk, country, pop, rap, rock, or others, these two main rules apply: 1) Evaluate the composer/performer's motivation, and 2) evaluate the effect it has on you.

While at most points I agreed with Mr. Foltz completely, there were other parts that were like choking on spinach. While ultimately nutritious and healthful, they were hard to swallow. I am a soundtrack aficionado. I love listening to film scores that are written well and/or are engaging, such as A Beautiful Mind, Cutthroat Island, Gods and Generals, and Pirates of the Caribbean. But I will have to evaluate the music I listen to. What is the message of Pirates? Is it to promote unlawful and illegal activity (and in some cases occultism)? Or how about Gods and Generals and Gettysburg? The music to both of these films accompany historical battles and seek to promote nobility and heroism. In some cases, the music is soothing and relaxing, and conveys the emotions of joy, sorrow, peace, and nobility. But there are other cases that are harder for me (right now) to determine, such as The Terminal. This score is set to a romantic comedy where the protagonist is a foreigner trapped in a U.S. airport terminal. There appears to be nothing wrong with this music. It is meant to convey emotions of sorrow, joy, humor, and love; and the score is technically clever and well done (but rather dull to listen to, in my opinion).

But I agree with Mr. Foltz on many, many occasions, especially concerning the Contemporary Christian Music scenario. To listen, click here (and then click the green "play" button).

What is Lawful on the Sabbath?

Due to an unusually hectic week, I have only heard just over half of this sermon, but it is very good. In this sermon, Mr. William Einwechter of Immanuel Free Reformed Church he teaches about the Sabbath--what the Levitical Law has to say about it; what the Pharisees thought; and how the Sabbath has changed in different ways with the coming of Christ.

Click here for the SermonAudio page.

(Then click the green "Play" button.)

Question and Answers Session

While my father and I were working together to paint a room in our house, he was playing several sermons by Paul Washer. Here is one he played--the Q&A session for the "True Discipleship Conference." Even though this is a Q&A session, I found it to be enlightening.

Click here for the SermonAudio page; then click the green "Play" button.

How to Defend the Faith by Loving Your Wife

Today's sermon is delivered by Mr. Geoffrey Botkin of the Western Conservatory of the Arts and Sciences. Back on the first Saturday of January, he started this nine-week course titled "Saturday Morning Online Mentoring". During about an hour and a half on Saturday mornings he is teaching men (and their sons, who are welcome to listen in) about important topics in today's culture. He also spends time answering questions that have been sent in. For those who are interested, it's not too late to sign up! For $49 you can listen live on the remaining three lectures and have access to the archives where the mp3s of the other messages and their PowerPoint slides are stored. Click here for more information.

These lectures have been a blessing to me, and to be honest with you, I am rather sad that they are coming to a close.

The first message, "How to Defend the Faith by Loving Your Wife," was delivered Saturday, 2 January 2010, and has been made available to the public for free download.

Click here to listen.

Examine Yourself

Lord willing, I will try to start posting every Lord's Day a sermon--either an audio clip or an article--that I have heard recently that was particularly edifying. Entitled, "Examine Yourself," by Paul Washer (director of the HeartCry Missionary Society), this message helps one to determine, biblically, "Am I saved?" He uses the passages 1 Corinthians 13:5 and 1 John to make his case.

Click here for the audio file.
(Click here to download the mp3 to your computer.)

Scripture Cross Stitch Project

Over the past couple of weeks I have been working toward trying to get more Scripture passages up around the house to adorn our walls. Seeing as how I have many such passages, and several of them are very long (Genesis 1:1-2:3, for example), I'm not sure yet how to create the different projects that will allow me to frame large blocks of text and have it look attractive. (Some ideas are bead work, and, much more complicated, handmade paper with hand printed words.)

However, some of the smaller verses can easily be cross stitched and framed. With that in mind, I headed up the creation of the verse patterns and the obtaining of the proper materials, and am outsourcing the actual cross stitching to Kelley Rose.

I realized that it would be very tedious and difficult for me to draw up each of the designs by hand on graph paper, so I ran a couple of quick searches on the internet and found this free program in particular.



Here is a screen capture of the program. Here's the link for the lettering.


The materials


Here Kelley Rose is getting ready to start on the project.

Stay tuned!

Calvin on Matthew 12:36

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:35-37, KJV)

John Calvin, in his Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, says the following:

36. Of every idle word. This is an argument from the less to the greater; for if every idle word is to be called in question, how would God spare the open blasphemies and sacrilegious insolence of those who bark against his glory? An idle word means one that is useless, or that yields no edification or advantage. Many look upon this as too severe; but if we consider the purpose for which our tongues were made, we will acknowledge, that those men are justly held guilty who unthinkingly devote them to trifling fooleries, and prostitute them to such a purpose. It is no light fault for those to abuse, for frivolous purposes, the time, which Paul enjoins us to be careful to redeem, (Eph. v. 16; Col. iv. 5.)

...And yet let no man indulge himself, but let every man earnestly endeavour to bridle his tongue, (James i. 26.) First, let us speak of the sacred mysteries of God with the utmost reverence and sobriety; secondly, let us abstain from talkativeness, buffoonery, and vain jests, and much more from slanderous attacks; and, lastly, let us endeavour to have our speech seasoned with salt, (Col. iv. 6.)

Calvin's Commentaries are available here.