Ascending Mt. Zion
For the upcoming Lord’s Day May 18th, 2025
Today, in Core Values: Being Gospel-Centered Part 2, we continue exploring what SPCC means by the phrase. Our first Core Value is:
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.
What Is the Gospel?
Last week, we asked, “What is the Gospel?” The Gospel is the Incarnation, Perfect Life, Death and Burial, Resurrection, Ascension and Enthronement, Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, King of Heaven and Earth. Jesus Christ is the Gospel. He is also, as Messiah, the substance of both the Old and the New Covenants. Read Part 1 before going any further if you like.
Ephesians 2 and the Two Covenants
Ephesians 2 is a great place to see an Apostle teach Jesus as the substance of both Covenants. Paul writes to the Gentile Church in Asia Minor:
“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:11–12).”
Outside the Kingdom
Alienated means that before, they were not citizens of the Israel of God. Gentiles could not enter into citizenship. We were outsiders to the Kingdom of God. We were also strangers to the covenants (plural) of promise (singular). Not only could we not be citizens of the Kingdom of Israel, but we could also not participate in the blessings of the covenants. We had no part with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Levi, Moses, or David.
The Hope of a Greater Son
Each of those men was looking for a son, or a later prophet in Moses’ case, that failed to live up to the hype of the prophecy they fulfilled. The bigness of the prophecies compared to the people who initially fulfilled them gave birth to the Messianic idea in the Hebrew mind.While each was a great figure, they were also weak. They saw, in the initial fulfillment, what theologians now call a type of Christ. David fathered Solomon, but Solomon was not the Son of David, as the crowd used that title in Matthew 21:9.
“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
The Promise Is a Person
Paul says it this way in Galatians when talking about the Abrahamic Covenant:
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,”referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ (Galatians 3:16).”
So you see, the promises were not made to the Hebrew nation but to one particular Hebrew person, the Christ or Messiah. The promise God made to us was to send Him. Let me say it again for those in the back: The promise God made to us was to send Him. Jesus is the Promise that fulfilled all the Covenants. All the promises attached to those covenants are His. We receive them only in Him. In Jesus Christ, all the promises are “yes” and “amen.” They are applied to us when we receive the Holy Spirit and are unified with Christ.
The First Gospel Promise
Even when we go back to the Fall of Man, we find the promise of a son to come and redeem mankind from their sin and misery. The Father tells the Great Serpent:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Christ Jesus is the Great Son of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David. He is greater than all of them and their sons because He is the Son of God, fully Human and yet fully God. He is the singular promise that answers all the covenants. The master key that unlocks every lock. Jesus of Nazareth is the substance of both the Old and New Covenants.
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 23:6-10
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
“So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).”
Current M & M Essay Series: Putting On Immortality Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
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
Yes sirs and mams
Psalms & Hymns of Worship
Psalm 64:1-4 Tune: St Peter Hymn- Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
Psalm 63:1-4 Tune: St Columba Hymn- Thou Lovely Source of True Delight (Indelible Grace)
Yes Midweek Worship
Midweek Worship will be @ the Senior Center on May 14th, 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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