Verse of the Month “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. ” Jeremiah 32:38-39

Matthew 5:21-26 February 14, 2010

Pastor Marcus J. Serven

Covenant Family Church (RPCGA)

Our Lord takes the 6th Commandment to an entirely new level in this potent passage from the Sermon on the Mount. Whereas the Jewish Rabbis taught that the 6th Commandment was only an external standard, Jesus instructed his disciples that it was an internal standard as well. In other words, if you even contemplated murderous thoughts then you were guilty of breaking the 6th Commandment. This was a shocking development for Jesus’ disciples! So much so, that following the conversation with the Rich Young Ruler they began to ask the question—“Who then can be saved?” In this they rightly perceived that they had utterly failed in keeping the Law of God. As always, Jesus’ answer is revealing, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (cf. Matt. 19:25-26) Thus, we see that the answer to a violation of the 6th Commandment by word, deed, and thought is exactly the same as any one of the other Commandments—by faith looking to Jesus Christ who took away the penalty and power of sin (cf. Isa. 53:4-6; Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:11-15; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 John 1:7).

The Main Point of this Sermon:

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” Eph. 4:26-27

1. Restatement of the OT Law, (vs. 21)

2. Reinterpretation of the OT Law, (vs. 22)

3. Remedies for Anger, (vs. 23-25)

4. Reprimands for Anger, (vs. 26)

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Upcoming Events:

Jan. 17th - Guest Preacher: Rev. Charles Kuykendall

Jan 17th - Full Meal following the worship service

Jan. 29th - Westminster Presbytery Meeting in Belleview, FL

Feb. 7th - Full Meal following the worship service

Feb. 11th - Meeting of the Overseeing Session (7PM)

Special Events in 2010:

Feb. 26-27th - Men’s Advance w/ Bill Potter in Troy, MO

Mar. 5-6th - CHEC Family Economics Conference in Colorado

Mar 20th - Liberty Day w/ Dr. Paul Jehle in Chicago, IL

Aug. 13-16th - CHEC Father & Son Conference in Colorado

Oct. 25-30th - Film Academy & SAICFF in San Antonio

Pastor Marcus J. Serven

Covenant Family Church (RPCGA)

Think about it—how many times have you not fulfilled a promise that you have made? Perhaps, you could even make a compelling excuse for not fulfilling a particular promise; (i.e.) the circumstances changed; things didn’t turn out like you first expected; you didn’t intend to fail in keeping the promise, etc. But, be honest now, if you were on the receiving end of an unfulfilled promise, wouldn’t you be upset? Sure you would! However, when the promise is fulfilled, there is great joy! The LORD made significant promises in the Bible regarding the coming of a Messiah: He promised that the “seed” of the woman would give the “serpent’s seed” a mortal wound (Genesis 3:15); He said that the royal “scepter shall not depart from Judah” (Genesis 49:10); and, He said that the Messiah would come from the kingly line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-17). All these promises seem believable enough, but when you get to the promise of the Messiah as reported by Isaiah the Prophet, it seems unbelievable. How could a mere human child be called “Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace”? It is impossible! But God clearly fulfilled His messianic promise in sending forth his eternal Son, and that person is Jesus Christ (Psalm 2:7; John 1:1-18).

The Promise Concerning…

1. His Fame, (vs.1-5)
2. His Name, (vs.6)
3. His Reign, (vs.7)

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Deut. 5:1-6; Matt. 5:17-20 November 15, 2009

Pastor Marcus J. Serven

Covenant Family Church (RPCGA)

The Decalogue, or the Ten Commandments, has always been a very controversial document. The Israelites welcomed these moral standards, but then went right out and violated them! In Jesus’ time they were mistakenly seen as a means of salvation and right-standing before our holy God (works-righteousness). In our own day the Ten Commandments are rejected by some as being antiquated (antinomianism) and are emphasized by others with a legalistic zeal (hypernomianism). Just what is the serious Christian to think of the Ten Commandments? Should you ignore them? Should you heed them? Answers to these questions are found in the both the Old Testament (Deut. 5:1-5) and in the New Testament (Matthew 5:17-20). Therefore, let us examine all that God has said so that we might honor, obey, and please Him.

The Main Point of this Text:

“Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.” Deut. 5:1

1. Obedience, (Deut. 5:1)

2. Covenant, (Deut. 5:2-3)

3. Mediation, (Deut. 5:4-5)

4. Authority, (Deut. 5:6)

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Ephesians 5:31-33 November 8, 2009

Pastor Marcus J. Serven

Covenant Family Church (RPCGA)

With the large number of marriages that end in divorce, it seems reasonable to question the entire institution of matrimony. Some might say, “Why even bother with it?” However, as Christians we must remember that God is the One who instituted marriage between a man and a woman. The Bible teaches that God established marriage for three reasons: (1) for lifelong companionship, (2) for the bringing-up of children, and (3) for instructing us in self-sacrifice. Thus, there was and is a divine intent for marriage, and this truth should cause us to reflect upon its benefits and blessings. This particular passage (cf. Ephesians 5:31-33) is one of the most revealing in the Bible, because it shows us the what, the why, and the how of marriage. Therefore, let us resolve as Christians to contemplate upon God’s intent for marriage, and then to apply these truths to our own marriage relationship.

The Main Point of this Text:

“This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:32

1. The What—An Unbreakable Love, (vs. 31)

2. The Why—An Uncommon Love, (vs. 32)

3. The How—An Unreserved Love, (vs. 33)

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1 Timothy 6:20-21 November 1, 2009

Pastor Marcus J. Serven

Covenant Family Church (RPCGA)

Here at the end of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he gives one final sweeping exhortation to the youthful pastor of Ephesus. Paul strongly urges him to “guard the deposit entrusted unto you” (vs. 20). By this phrase Paul means that Timothy must courageously defend the Gospel from all attackers and despisers. This is a tall order for such a young man, but evidently Paul is confident that Timothy can accomplish this very thing. In his following letter Paul instructs Timothy in how to accomplish this goal (2 Timothy 2:15):

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

In this one sentence Paul reveals an extremely important method for gaining expertise in the Bible—you must constantly read it and thoroughly study it! Only in this way will you understand and appreciate the truths that you must contend for, by serious reading and reflection. With God’s help let us do it!

The Main Point of this Text:

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.” 1 Timothy 6:20a

1. One Gospel to Defend, (vs. 20a)

2. Two Behaviors to Avoid, (vs. 20b)

3. Three Examples of Apostasy, (vs. 21a)

4. Four Ways of Handling the Truth, (vs. 21b)

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In a previous portion of his letter Paul warns Timothy about the devastating consequences of loving and pursuing money (6:6-10). Those who “desire to be rich”, he says, will fall “into a snare”. He does not say that all riches are inherently evil, but that the “love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. Christians, therefore, should learn to be content with what God has given them and not be overly desirous of becoming rich. Now in this passage Paul addresses the question of how those who are already rich should handle their treasure. There were people in the Bible who were very rich—Job, Abraham, Solomon, Lydia, and Philemon. No doubt, each one of them would testify that riches are not a pathway to true happiness. And so, if you are rich—in that you possess more money than what is required for the essentials of life—then how do you handle those riches? Listen to Paul’s counsel…

The Main Point of this Passage:
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them…to set their hopes…on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17

1. A Danger to Avoid, (vs. 17a)
2. A Promise to Enjoy, (vs. 17b)
3. A Duty to Fulfill, (vs. 18)
4. A Prospect to Consider, (vs. 19a)
5. A Delight to Anticipate, (vs. 19b)

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