Ascending Mt. Zion
For the upcoming Lord’s Day May 11th, 2025
What Is Gospel-Centered?
Gospel-centered: We believe Jesus Christ is the central purpose of all Scripture, Christian discipleship, and the substance of both the Old & New Covenants. As a Church, we seek to teach the Scriptures as the whole counsel of God. The method of teaching we use in our public worship, in general, is expositional preaching with the Gospel as the lens.
When the Consistory Meets, the first thing we do is read the Core Values of Solomon’s Porch aloud. Why? Because we need to consider our work in their light. They act as the guideposts for where we want to go. The first guidepost is to be Gospel-Centered. That begs a questions doesn’t it. What is the Gospel?
What Is the Gospel?
You’d be surprised how many different answers you get to that question in America. Let’s narrow it then:
What do WE mean when WE say WE believe the Gospel?
The Gospel is the Incarnation of Jesus Christ through the Consummation of the Kingdom.
I asked this question at a conference recently—without giving the caveat that it was rhetorical. The specific question was:
“Is the Gospel the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?”
I got quick “yeses” across the audience.
It was awkward correcting a room full of evangelists, however, that falls short of being the Gospel. It completely leaves out the mediatory work of Jesus Christ for today, His Ascension to the right hand.
A Gospel that doesn’t restore communion with God to man in this life—that doesn’t tear the veil away from the Ark of the Covenant and bid us come and commune—is no Gospel at all.
It’s fire insurance.
The Gospel in a Nutshell
Jesus does what we could never do—He worked His way to God.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
(Galatians 4:4–5)
Like all the sons of Adam before and after, when God sent forth His Son, He came under the law to redeem us.
Jesus’s life and death applied to us makes us so holy and utterly pure that we can become Temples of God.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?”
(1 Corinthians 6:19)
The outpoured Holy Spirit unites us to Christ and adopts us into the Household or Family of God.
“You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
(Romans 8:15–16)
The Work of Jesus
Gospel-Centered Meditation
Take a few minutes this week and consider the implications of the Gospel.
- We have been brought near by the blood of Jesus.
- We are united to the King of Kings.
- Jesus worked His way to God and sent the Holy Spirit into us.
- In Him, we can go where we could never go before—into the Presence of God.
Jesus opens up the way into the Holy of Holies for all who trust in Him.
He restores us to communion with God in “the Already” and promises to commune with us for all eternity in “the Not Yet.”
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him…”
(1 John 3:9)
What we have in “The Already” cannot be lost. He was promised to perfect us for the “Not Yet,” and that Day draws nearer with each passing minute. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelations 22:20).
“…He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians 1:6)
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks For Stopping By
If you are not a member at SPCC, thanks for reading “Core Value: Being Gospel-Centered” What comes after this section may not mean much to you. However, I always write a little piece at the front of this missive on Wednesdays so don’t be shy, go ahead and SUBSCRIBE.
Sermon
This week Pastor Jeremy will be in Acts 22:30-1-5
Memory & Meditation
Memory & Meditation Verses for this Prayer Book are 1 Corinthians 15:35-49.
SPCC Prayer Book: Celebrating the Resurrection
M & M Verses for the Lord’s Day May 4th, 2025
There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:40-41).”
Current M & M Essay Series: Putting On Immortality Part 1 Part 2
Previous M & M Essay Series
Forsaken For Us All Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 based on Psalm 22:1-15
Christ, His Church, & Marriage Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 based on Ephesians 5:22-33.
Catechism Questions
Westminster Shorter Catechism: Questions 16-20
Remember that you can present Questions 11-15, our WSC Catechism Questions from last month, to any member of the Consistory during lunch starting this week.
Lord’s Day Meal
No! Since it is Mother’s Day we will take this Lord’s Day off.
Psalms & Hymns of Worship
Psalm 63:1-4 Tune: St Columba Hymn- Thou Lovely Source of True Delight (Indelible Grace)
Psalm 62:5-8 Tune: St. Ann & Hymn – And Can It Be
Yes Midweek Worship
Midweek Worship will be @ the Senior Center on May 7th, 2025
Pizza arrives @ 6:15 PM
Prayer @ 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Join Us for Worship
Finally, come and worship with us on the Lord’s Day. We also meet on three Wednesday evenings a month for Catechism Lesson & Prayer. Another Visit our Homepage or What We Believe for more information. Find us on Google Maps or watch our sermons on Youtube.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Pastor Jeremy
“The Creation is quite like a spacious and splendid house, provided and filled with the most exquisite, and at the same time, the most abundant furnishings. Everything in it tells of God.” – John Calvin
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