In the three-year lectionary, this week is dubbed the 2nd To Last Sunday Of Epiphany. But it is also called “World Mission Sunday”. Unfortunately, while that should evoke great joy within us, it probably doesn’t. We have seen missions abused, money wasted, and all manner of corruption. But Christ’s mission will not stop, and his will for even distant nations to call upon His name, will not change. How can we understand World Mission Sunday, and what can we do about it? Listen as Elder Wes Keene preaches this week’s sermon at TRC Chattanooga.

When Jesus tells his disciples not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes on them, they have an unexpected question: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” The disciples were expecting something different from what would happen at Pentecost. They wanted a physical kingdom. In this exhortation, Elder Wes Keene focuses on Jesus’ response to them and how that should shape our desires for a Christian kingdom.

Holy Scripture is the infallible and inerrant Word of God. We can trust in it, whatever it says. But that doesn’t mean different inspired authors don’t come at the same situation from subtly different perspectives. This is true of when Jesus calls his first disciples. In Matthew’s Gospel, we see a different perspective. Listen as Fred Thompson preaches this week’s sermon at TRC Chattanooga.

Christians are used to getting beat over the head with Romans 13 and their obligations to the government under God’s law. But something that is less often considered are the prescriptive roles Paul assigns to the government. What does he say a good government ought to do? And does our government actually do those things? Listen as Elder Wes Keene exhorts the congregation based on Romans 13:3-4.

King David wrote Psalm 37 to the people of God, teaching them how to respond in the face of evildoers prospering and going unpunished for their wicked deeds. When we consider the wickedness that abounds in our own day, we too need to hear his counsel. Listen as Elder Glenn Jones preaches the sermon to TRC Chattanooga from Psalm 37:1-11.

John the Baptist began to proclaim at the time of Jesus' Baptism that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, the Lamb of God, sent into the world to save the world from sin. This title of Christ as the Lamb of God derives from the Old Testament Exodus events and goes on to be the glorious name of Jesus Christ in the final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. Listen as Elder Glenn Jones preaches from John's Gospel and expounds the meaning and glory of John's revelation of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God on this the second Sunday of the season of Epiphany.

The Apostle Paul regularly opens his letters with thanksgiving, even giving thanks as he wrote the first letter to the Corinthians with all their divisions and troubles. Given this pattern in the Epistles, it is good and right to conclude that all Christians should be thankful, even if they and their local congregations are not perfect people. Listen as Elder Glenn Jones exhorts the congregation of Trinity Reformed Church from 1 Corinthians 1:4.

Today’s Gospel lesson shows us Jesus’ baptism according to St. Matthew’s account. We need to understand the distinction between John’s baptism and Christian Baptism. But we also must understand why it is that John initially refuses to do so. Finally, we need to ask ourselves what the significance of this text is. It’s kind of easy to gloss over certain accounts and miss the point. This text might be one of them, but it should not be! This Gospel is a powerful witness to the access we have to God through Christ Jesus our Lord. And Satan absolutely hates hearing it. Listen as Elder Wes Keene preaches this week’s sermon at TRC Chattanooga.