Mark Scholten

The Sermon Sponge

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Profiting from Sermons

I love a good sponge.  They can soak up insane amount of water, and, it seems, you can alway

s squeeze a little more water from a sponge.  Sermons are like a sponge, and profiting from a sermon is like squeezing a sponge for more water.

A preacher was once asked how long it took to prepare a sermon. He answered, truthfully, but a little tongue in cheek – all my life.  A great deal of study, effort and prayer goes into a sermon. The preacher digs into the text, checks out issues of translation, consults the wisdom of others contained in commentaries, filters it through his own understanding and experiences of our Great God and Savior, and seeks to share the truth about Christ and life from the Biblical text in an accessible and practical manner.  A sermon can soak up a great deal of knowledge and wisdom.

How can you squeeze that knowledge and wisdom from the sermon? 

Prepare – Bring a bucket – read the text, consult a Study Bible or commentary, pray for the p

astor, and for your own understanding.  

Listen – Focus on the message. Drink it all in live and in person.  Take notes. I pro

vide sermon notes for you to follow more closely and to profit more abundantly from the message.  

Meditate – Think on the message. Turn it over in your mind. Ask questions of yourself after the sermon. Squeeze the sponge.  Questions like: 

  1. What did I learn about God and how He works today?
  2. What did I learn about myself, my identity, my purpose?
  3. What did I learn in general? What insights did I gain? 
  4. What will I remember about this message? What sticks with me? An illustration, or a truth that I can write down in a sentence?
  5. How will I respond to the message? What should change in my life?

We are going to help you squeeze the sponge on May 21 at 6pm. We will gather to ask tho

se questions of the sermon and see if we can profit more from the message. Come prepared! Write down you answers to those questions after the sermon. It take a whole life to prepare a single sermon and a single sermon fully received can change a whole life. You too can be a sermon sponge.

Lost and Found: Who are We and Why are we here?

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When you lose something it is often a good idea to retrace your steps in order to find what you lost.  Fallen man has lost his way.  We don’t know who we are anymore, nor what we are to be doing.  Who are we, and what are we doing here? Natural man has many unsatisfying answers to those questions.  How can we retrace our steps and find where we lost our way?  Well, let’s go back to the beginning, back to the owner’s manual for human life, back to Genesis.

Who are we? “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). We are made like God, and to like God. We are created to know God, walk and talk with him, and reflect his glory. That is who we are – the children of God.

What are we supposed to be doing? “And let them have dominion …over all the earth… Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:26, 28).  We are to rule over the earth for the glory of God. How do we do that? By multiplying the image of God and extending the rule of God from Eden to the ends of the earth.

Ok, that is the general principle, but how do we practically do that? Grow in the fear and knowledge of God, keep your garden well, raise your kids to know and love God, extend the gracious rule of God to fill the earth with the image of God that reflects the glory of God.

Let me try that again, updated for our moment of redemptive history. Go to church, raise your family, invest in your extended family, love your neighbors well, work at your job to the best of your ability for the glory of God, support the Great Commission, and walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day. That is what we are to be doing.

The Christian life is both simple and comprehensive. We do all that we do for the glory of God. As you do, know this encouragement from our Lord Jesus Christ, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Sailing and Sanctification

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https://wpcmartinez.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Movie-on-4-13-23-at-1.43-PM.mov

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” Philippians 2:12-13.

If you are growing in Christ-like sanctification, who does the work, you or God?  Yes.  God works in us and with us, but He will not work without us.  God, by His Holy Spirit, makes us holy.  He gives us a new “want to.” He changes us from the inside out and we begin to desire what God commands.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10.  We do good works, we respond to the exhortations of the Scriptures, and as we do so, we reveal God’s workmanship – He has prepared us beforehand for such good works.

So, sanctification is God’s work in us, and with us – we cooperate with his work in us.  A sailboat is a good illustration of this.  When you take your boat out on the water and hoist the sails, do the sails propel you through the water? No, the wind does. The wind hits the sails, the sails that have been hoisted!  You will not go anywhere without the sails up and biting into the wind. So, we must lift our sails. We must do the things that God commands in his word, we must act on the exhortations of scripture to be holy, to be perfect, to forgive one another, to love one another – and with those sails reaching for the skies, the Holy Spirit will push us on down the river of sanctification.

So, let’s go sailing. God is our captain so let us hoist our sails.

Skip the Prayer Meeting?

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None of us needs another excuse to skip our church’s prayer meeting. We have more than enough: we’re busy, it’s difficult to wrangle the kids, it’s dark and we don’t feel like going out again, we’ve got an early appointment the next day, or we’re scared of being asked to pray in front of others.

What we need instead are a few reasons for going. I’ve listed five below. I hope they motivate you to get out the door, go to the prayer meeting, and get on your knees with God’s people.

1. Prayer makes God smile.

Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual for every decision we face. We spend most of our time navigating the nebulous gray, relying on wisdom from above. But isn’t it satisfying when we can know for certain that what we’re doing pleases God and meets with his approval? First Peter 3:12 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.” In a week filled with choices we may look back on and question, we need not doubt whether God is pleased with the time we spend in prayer with his people. He loves to hear our prayers and praises.

2. Prayer strengthens our faith.

Hearing others pray can inspire us and bolster our trust in God’s promises. In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of a man. . . . The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother’s is sure.”

On more than one occasion, I’ve been disinterested in prayer at a prayer meeting. But God often does a wonderful thing: he works through the imperfect petitions of another dear saint to wake me out of my spiritual slumber and fill me again with confidence in his good sovereignty. Left to ourselves, we may doubt God’s ability or grow discouraged in our faith, but to see faith alive in the prayer of another reminds us we believe no fantasy. God is real, powerful, and good, and that makes us want to pray.

3. Prayer is more caught than taught.

The prayer meeting is one of the best places to go if you want to learn how to pray. If Steven Spielberg wasn’t always at the movies as a young kid, would he have grown up to be an iconic, Oscar-winning filmmaker? Composers go to concerts. Authors read books. Athletes play pickup games at the Y. When we want to get better at something, we surround ourselves with others who know what they’re doing. The same is true for prayer. The church’s prayer meeting provides an invaluable opportunity for us to learn how to speak to God from other godly saints. When we see how they weave Scripture into their praises, or how they wrestle honestly with their petitions, we’ll come to do the same.

4. Prayer fuels the church.

Paul was aware of his need and wasn’t shy in making it known to the church. He fully expected they’d keep him uplifted before the Lord in earnest petition (Eph. 6:19; 1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1). Paul was confident the prayers of God’s people would sustain him through the rigors of ministry and the trials of life. Why should we presume to find success apart from that same kind of intercession from the saints? Charles Spurgeon understood this well. When some ministers visited his thriving Metropolitan Tabernacle, they asked about his secret to success. In response, he took them to the basement “boiler” room where a small group had gathered in prayer. Spurgeon said the secret was simple: “My people pray for me.”

5. Prayer works.

Most importantly, let’s remember prayer isn’t an empty exercise in religious ritual. When we come to God in faith, it’s as though we tap into his cosmic power (1 John 5:14–15)—God is pleased to work out his eternal will as an answer to the prayers of people like you and me (James 5:17). What a marvel! God may use our prayers to grant healing, encouragement, comfort, victory over sin, growth in spiritual virtues, and success in ministry. If for no other reason, prayer is worth it because it works.

These reasons mean attending your church’s prayer meeting is never a waste of time.

Jonathan Cruse

Resurrection Power

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Paul speaks with longing desire of knowing the power of the resurrection.  In Philippians 3:8-10 he writes, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection,”

What is this power of the resurrection? 

It is many things, but at least it is the power to change. It is the power to heal. It is the power to love. It is the power to become; to become what we were created to be.  Since we have trusted in our risen savior, this power is present with us through the Holy Spirit. We have entered into the glorious liberty of the children of God. We can change, improve, heal.  We can please God, and bear his image well.

I wanted to share a poem by Hollie Holden to encourage you to use resurrection power.

What Wants to be Born In You Beloved

I have become grateful for the moments
When I remember to stop
In order to listen
To what the earth has to tell me.

This morning it was a flower
Who took me by surprise
And shared her secrets with me.

She told me of her journey.

How it began in darkness,
In the quiet, cool embrace
Of the quiet, generous earth

She told me how the light called to her,
And how, slowly but solidly,
She began to unfold towards
The simple inevitability of her calling.

She told me of the exquisite cracking-open
Of all she knew herself to be;
The opening that felt like death
Until she realised it was her birth.

And then, with her open petals,
She asked me in the way
Only a full-bloomed flower can ask,
‘What wants to be born in you, beloved?

What does the light want to call into being
From the quiet, generous earth
That waits patiently
In the cave of your heart?

Hollie Holden

So, What wants to be born in you?

The Long, Hard Road Home

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Small children help mom to climb the mountain. High quality photo

It is good to have a “life verse.” It can be a Biblical source of comfort, security, and strength as you walk the Christian life.  We usually choose a verse that highlights the compassion or victory of Jesus; of his blessing and presence.  “I will never leave you or forsake you,” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” or “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Let me give you a life verse that is more real, raw, and honest – Psalm 66:10-12. “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.”  I know of a family friend who lost his battle with cancer at 61, and this past week a PCA lost his 9 year old daughter to an active shooter. Life is hard and death is sure.

The Christian life is not easy. There are many obstacles, setbacks, and very confusing events along the way.  The way home is a jagged, craggy path up and down the mountains, into some sad and dark valleys of bitter experience.  Jesus never promised you a Rose Garden without any thorns. He did promise to make you more like Jesus.  He did not promise happiness, but holiness.

Jesus is present, and working powerfully in the valleys, after the stumbles, and through the disappointments.  The burdens of this life are the chisel in God’s hands to make us and others fit for the glory to come. This life is a preparation, it is not the final destination.

In Psalm 66, God tests us, brings us into the net, lays crushing burdens on our backs, allows evil men to place injustice on our backs.  God does these things! “There is none beside me.I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil:I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:6–7, KJV).  And God brings something precious out of the chaos and confusion.  “Yet you have brought us out to a place of  abundance.”

The road home is filled with difficulties.  We often judge the quality of the trip before we even reach the destination. Hindsight is 20/20, but we are not yet home, in heaven, to enjoy that hindsight.  For now, on the trip home, we trust our navigator. He does have answers for us, morally sufficient and satisfying answers, but we are not home yet.  Therefore we continue to ask, like the 5 year old siblings in the back of the car, “Are we there yet?” “How much longer?” “Are we close now?” The answer that we receive, “Almost; we are almost home.” “It will be so good when we get there – it will be heaven, and well worth the trip.”

“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to thy God to order and provide;

in ev’ry change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”

– Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel

A Path for Family Worship

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In our family, we normally do family worship after our evening meal.  At the beginning of the meal, I normally lead in prayer and give thanks for the food.  During that prayer, I’ll also ask for God’s blessing on our family worship later.

After the meal is over, we’ll begin by reading Scripture.  Throughout our married life, my wife and I have just constantly read straight through the Bible in our family worship.  For many years, I would just read and everyone else would listen.  But in the last few months, everyone has a Bible and everyone takes a turn reading a verse or two from the chapter.  Most times we read an entire chapter, but if the chapter is long we might split it up over a couple of days or more.  The hard part for a father is trying to make some intelligent comments about what is read, comments that draw out the meaning of the passage, how it points to Christ, and how it applies to our lives.  That can even be hard for a father who’s a pastor!  This is where you can really benefit from the Reformation Heritage Study Bible.  Every chapter includes “Thoughts for Personal and Family Worship.”  This feature has also been distilled into the Family Worship Bible Guide.   Sometimes there are just comments, other times questions to ponder or discuss.  It’s really enriched our Bible reading time!

After Scripture, we do a short time of catechism instruction.  When our children were younger, we sometimes used The Children’s Catechism, encouraging them to memorize the answers.  As our children became older, we used a book by Starr Meade based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  The book is entitled Training Hearts, Teaching Minds.  I highly recommend it.  She also has a book based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds… I still prefer her previous book.  Whatever is done, it’s important for parents to catechize their children with Christian doctrine.  It’s not first of all the job of the church, but of the youth pastors, i.e. the parents.

Next, we sing a psalm or hymn.  There are different ways of doing this.  Our children went to a Christian school and had memory work from our church’s songbook (the Book of Praise).  So, in the past, we’ve sometimes sung their memory work.  These days, we just sing our way through the psalms and hymns. God loves to hear his people sing!  And don’t worry if you’re singing is not that great — neither is mine.  God just loves to hear you and your family sing.  It is, after all, family worship.

Finally, we end with a brief time of prayer.  Each day, a different member of the family takes a turn in leading this closing prayer.  It’s important for our children to learn how to lead in prayer.  Especially when they’re younger, the prayers might not be that deep or elaborate, but it doesn’t matter.  Family worship is about training and discipleship.  They’ll grow into it.  There can be an opportunity for prayer requests.  You can also make a prayer calendar where you pray for some particular things each day of the week.  On some occasions, Christian families can also take turns praying around the table.  I know of families that do that once a week or more.

All up, our family worship usually takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on how much discussion we have.

– Wes Brendenhof

Have you Learned the Secret?

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It is said of the Lord’s Servant, meaning, Jesus “a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3).

He will bring forth justice, not by breaking or quenching the weak, wounded and overborne; he will nurture them faithfully in truth and justice.

This remarkable power Jesus shares with his followers. “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.” (Isaiah 50:4).

We can speak peace to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  How can we do that? With a kind word. A knowing glance. A timely card. A sincere hug. A lunch date.

Your pastor is on the front lines of spiritual warfare and I do not always win.  I fall prey to discouragement, thoughts of worthlessness, ineffectiveness.  I allow Satan to plant disturbing questions in my mind. How can someone like me serve a holy God?  How can a pastor have so many weaknesses and wrestle with so many sins”  Depression haunts me at times and a downcast soul is my all too frequent companion.

But then it comes. A kind word from a brother. An encouraging thought from a sister.  A card in the mail.  The warm smile of Christian fellowship.  The prayer offered in all sincerity.  It is then that the clouds thin and the sun begins to shine on my weary soul.

We need each other.  The race marked out for us is long and fraught with anxiety. Satan can often hinder our progress.  We need each other.  We need to spend time with those who are taught to “sustain with a word him who is weary.”  

So, learn this secret. And, having learned, speak.  Strengthen your brothers and sisters on their journey.  “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2).

And, on the flip side, allow your brothers and sisters into your cold, dark weariness.  May they be a light to you when all other lights go out.

Family Worship

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If you want to see most Christian Husbands and Fathers in a speechless panic, ask him how family worship is going.

Now, I always wanted to be a father. The birth of my 5 children gave me lasting joy even 35 years later.  I love being a dad.

I did not realize at the time that being a Dad also meant that I was the prophet, priest, and king in my home.  King, I kinda liked.  I call the shots, I make the decisions. Great! But being a prophet to my wife and kids? Teaching them the truth of God? Or a priest, leading my family in worship and praise?  That was scary to me; so a tended to neglect that duty, that means of grace to those I loved the most.

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  Perhaps I could provoke my children to anger by not giving them instruction in the Lord. I love my kids, but it was so difficult to find the time to gather them for worship, I was busy and things seemed to be going well enough. Plus, I was the pastor. That should be enough.  For the most part, I failed at leading family worship. I also tended not to exhort others on family worship because of my own neglect.  Well, I have repented. And now I am exhorting Christian husbands and fathers, lead your family in worship.

We have a good example of family worship through Timothy’s mom and grandma. 2 Timothy 3:15 “And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Here the mom and grandma filled in the gap caused by an unbelieving father. 

We have an ever better example in Abraham. Genesis 18:19 “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Covenant blessings were funneled to Abraham and his children through his commanding his children to keep the way of the Lord.

Start small, start simple; but start. Read a verse, sing a stanza, say a prayer.  Be the pastor in your own home. Nurture the wife and children that God has given you.

The Fellowship of the Saints

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“United to one another in love the saints have fellowship in each other’s gifts and grace and are obliged to perform those public and private duties which nourish their mutual good, both spiritually and physically.” Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 26, Article 1.

When Christ claims us as his own, he also welcomes us into a family – a large, gifted family.  And we begin to benefit from the wisdom, love and experience of others.  We belong to each other, and mutually support one another.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

We really do need each other as Christians. We do not stand alone. We are to love one another, forgive one another, encourage on another. This is why private, stand-off-ish, Lone Ranger Christianity is so prone to doubt and discouragement – they deprive themselves of the blessing, support and defense of their brothers and sisters.

True, interpersonal fellowship is vital to the health of a Christian and the church.  We need to know one another in order to help one another.

This fellowship or communion of the saints exists in every true church. So, enter in, benefit from knowing and being known by the family of God.  “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”