Schedule

Matthew 16:18 promises that Jesus Christ is building His church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Church history bears witness to this fact, as the saints in every age have stood for the gospel of God’s grace. This message will consider what it means to stand firm with the saints of all ages, looking to many examples from history of how the people of God have held true to the faith even when it cost them greatly.

Galatians 5:1 exhorts us to stand firm in the gospel of grace, which tells us we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This message will remind us of the central importance of the gospel—particularly the doctrine of justification by faith alone—outlining various aspects of justification such as double imputation, the notion of justification as God’s legal declaration, and the passive and active obedience of Christ.

Second Peter 3:9–13 proclaims the coming day of judgment and the renewal of all things in a new heaven and earth, calling us to live godly lives as we await the new creation where righteousness dwells. This message will look at some of the basics of eschatology, such as the doctrine of glorification, the beatific vision, and the coming new heaven and earth, as well as explore how knowing the goal of creation helps us to persevere and stand firm now.

In 2 Timothy 3:16–17, the Apostle Paul tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for reproof and instruction so that we may be complete and equipped for every good work, including the work of standing firm. This message will explore the doctrine of Scripture, covering topics such as the inerrancy, infallibility, sufficiency, and perfection of the Word of God, and discuss why we must affirm these truths to stand firm for Christ.

While our culture attempts to redefine marriage and deny that God created us male and female for His glory, Christians are called to hold marriage in honor (Heb. 13:4). This message will consider how the Bible provides instruction for both husbands and wives to pursue their callings before the Lord so that marriages and families might glorify Him and shine as lights in a dark world.

Romans 1:1–4 offers a succinct reflection on the work of the triune God in bringing about salvation. The Christian faith has always believed that redemption is the fruit of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s labors in history to save us from sin and bring us into union with the three persons of the Trinity. This message will give an overview of the doctrine of the Trinity and consider why this is an important doctrine to understand for standing firm in our day.

First Corinthians 10:31 calls us to make sure that whatever we do, we do it to the glory of God. We are called to serve Christ and stand firm for Christ in every area of life—at home, in the workplace, in recreation, and everywhere else. This message will look at our call to stand firm by glorifying God in all of life, looking especially at how we may do so by testifying to Christ, working hard, and serving others in our families and in our vocations.

First Timothy 3:15 tells us that the church is “a pillar and buttress of the truth.” The church is entrusted with the task of holding up the truth of God before the watching world. This message will look at the importance of the church and the means of grace in making disciples who will stand firm, stressing that we cannot live a healthy Christian life without corporate worship and fellowship, the preached Word, the sacraments, and prayer.

Hebrews 4:14 exhorts us to hold fast our confession in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, what we are standing firm for is the truth regarding Christ so that we may confess it to the watching world. The creeds and confessions of the church help us to know, affirm, and proclaim this truth to others while maintaining purity of doctrine and peace among believers. This message will look at what it means to hold fast to what we believe in order to stand firm in our faith for the glory of God.

First John 2:15–17 commands us not to love the world or the things of the world. Setting our hearts on the world is incompatible with love for God. This message will remind us of our call to stand against the world when we are called to compromise and consider how we may do this by developing a Christian worldview, recognizing the errors of worldly philosophies, and committing ourselves to the community of believers in the church.

John 17 features our Savior’s praying for His people and their unity, and this unity is grounded in union and communion with Christ—Christ in us and us in Christ. This message will look at the doctrine of our union and communion with our Savior, explaining how He is the source of all the benefits of salvation and how a true grasp of our union with Him helps us stand firm in this dark world.