day no. 17,391: inflicting pleasure (and the threat of pain)

"Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny 'failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions.' In 1984, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.” ― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

You can create blindness by turning the lights in the room off or by flooding the room with light. Orwell worried that Big Brother would have his finger on the off switch, Huxley worried that we would add more lights and get rid of the switch. Either way, distinction and differentiation are obliterated. Orwell imagined a society starved for meaning whereas Huxley imagined a society so full of crap that it could not fit a bite of meaning into it. Orwell assumed the tyranny would come from without, Huxley predicted the tyranny would come from within. Orwell imagined the threat of pain would be the best weapon whereas Huxley's imaginative powers wielded pleasure. The one was the desire for satisfaction and the other was the burden of over saturation. 

day no. 17,380: pentecost: what does this mean? (exhortation outline)

Christ Church Leavenworth

Pentecost

May 24, 2026

What Does This Mean?

THE TEXT

Our text this morning is Acts 2:1-12, these are the words of God:

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

INTRODUCTION

According to the church calendar, today is Pentecost. But what exactly is Pentecost and why is it today? The word “Pentecost” literally means fiftieth and it occurs fifty days after Easter. Before it was a Christian holiday, however, it was a Jewish holiday, as we observed in our reading. It was often referred to as the Feast of Weeks since it took place seven weeks after the sabbath of the Passover, in other words, the day after seven sets of seven. In the English-speaking world, Pentecost has also been called “Whitsun,” which is a shortened form of White Sunday, since on this day those who were to be baptized traditionally wore white garments to church. According to the Jewish calendar, Pentecost was a harvest festival where the first fruits of the fields were reaped and enjoyed. According to the Christian calendar, it is also a harvest festival, but the first fruits are not those which come up from the ground, but those which came down to us from Heaven. On this day, the Holy Spirit came down to dwell with us just as Jesus had promised and the church was born. For that reason, today is also sometimes recognized as the church’s birthday. Let’s consider our text.

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples of Jesus were all together. They were in one place and they were of one accord. That peaceful scene, however, was violently interrupted by a loud noise. A nose so loud it filled the entire house and sounded like a blowing wind turned up to eleven. As they sat there, likely holding their ears, cloven tongues of fire appeared and rested on each one of them and they began to speak in other languages. Now, because it was a feast day, Jerusalem was filled with devout men from every nation under heaven who had gathered to celebrate, but the party at the apostles’ house was apparently such a rager that many of them came to investigate. What they discovered when they got there was a bunch of Galileans speaking in foreign languages. And if that were not shocking enough, what they were all talking about was the mighty works of God. As a result, they all looked at each other and asked the obvious question, “What does this mean?”

THE CURSE OF BABEL

In order to help answer that question, we need to go all the way back to the book of Genesis and the story of the tower of Babel found in chapter 11. After the flood, God told Noah and his sons what He had once told Adam, “Be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” Instead of spreading out, however, several of them decided to settle down. They decided to try to make a name for themselves instead of making a name for God. They did not want to look up to God for direction, they wanted other people to look up to them. Not surprisingly, God did not smile down upon this, but instead put an end to their attempted coup by confusing their language. 

C.S. Lewis, in That Hideous Strength, made use of the same tactic when he had Merlin invoke the curse of Babel on the bad guys at Belbury. Here is how he put it: “They that have despised the word of God, from them shall the word of man also be taken away.” We see this in our days as well; e.g. those who despise the Word of God cannot define what a woman is. Back to Babel, note that God did not tear down their tower, He broke down their ability to communicate. As a result, they voluntarily abandoned their group project and moved away in different directions. This got them closer to where they were supposed to be geographically even if it left far from where they were supposed to be spiritually.

THE CURSE REVERSED

Fast forward now to Pentecost. What happened there was not so much a reversal of Babel as it was a reversal of the curse of Babel. The languages remained, but the confusion was now gone. Pentecost did not reintroduce a common language, it introduced a way for people with different languages to understand each other. That way being the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. When God confused the tongues at Babel, the result was that men scattered, divided by their different languages. When God gave different languages at Pentecost, the result was that man gathered together to hear the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

Babel is the photo-negative of Pentecost. At Babel, men came together to defy God's command to fill the earth. In response, God confused their tongues in order to prevent them from working evil together any longer.  At Pentecost, men came together to hear God's command to come together in Christ. In response, they obeyed, and the church was born. In Christ our distinctions are no longer sources of division. Men and women can understand each other. Jews and Gentiles can reconcile. In Christ, the beauty of diversity destroys the curse of diversity.

APPLICATION

So, that is what Pentecost means, but what does it mean for us? It means diversity is not our strength, Christ is. It means that our particular way of doing things is not our strength, Christ is. In Him, diversity is a blessing, but outside of Him it is a curse. As Babel reminds us, unity among people is only as good as what unifies them, and diversity among people is only as bad as what divides them.

CALL TO CONFESSION

Well, since we often prefer the curse of individuality to the blessing of community, we are reminded of our need to regularly confess our sins, whether they be related to this or others. So, if you are able, please kneel with me and confess your sins, first privately and then corporately using the prayer found in your bulletin.

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge before You our sinful nature and our many offenses. We are prone to do evil and slow to do good. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from Your way, in wasting Your gifts, in forgetting Your love. Lord, we are ashamed and sorry for all the ways that we have displeased You. Father, teach us to hate our rebellious acts, cleanse us from our secret faults, and forgive our sins for the sake of Your Son. Help us to love You with all our heart and mind and strength. And give us the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we may walk in Your ways and serve You all of our days.

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Arise and hear the Good News! The assurance of pardon today comes from 1 John 1:8-9 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If Christ has paid for your sins, there is nothing left for you to pay. God would be unjust to charge you for something Jesus already paid for. But God is not unjust. He will not double bill anyone. And that is very Good News because that means in Christ your sins are forgiven… THANKS BE TO GOD!

Now, let us ascend to the presence of God in all worship and praise.

day no. 17,357: managing monsters

“The shepherd must hate the wolves because he loves the sheep. If he hates the wolves because he loves to hate, then he is a wolf himself.” — Douglas Wilson, No Such Thing as Bad Words

Men must fight monsters, but they must fight them because they love something, not merely because they hate monsters. In other words, men must be bold enough to confront the monsters he encounters out there and humble enough to confront the monsters he encounters within. If he can do that, he can be trusted with a staff; If he cannot, he is in need of a rod.

Hate must be secondary, but it must be. "Hate has no place here" is a surefire way to cater to wolves. Hate must not lead, of course, but it must follow. Hate cannot be the foundation for anything, but it must be built into the structure that goes up. You must hate sin enough to want to change it and love the sinner enough to think them worth changing. You must love the sheep enough to hate what come against them. If you do not hate the wolves, you do not love the sheep.

day no. 17,352: defending their innocency (exhortation outline)

Christ Church Leavenworth

WLC 144: Defending Their Innocency

April 26, 2026

Defending the Innocent

INTRODUCTION

This morning we are continuing our study of the ten commandments in the WLC and we are still in Q144 which asks, “What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?” The ninth commandment, as you recall, is “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The answer provided by the Westminster divines is this, “The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbours; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth;  keeping of lawful promises; and studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.”

The phrase we will be focusing on this morning is, “defending their innocency.”

The text cited by the WLC in support of this duty is 1 Samuel 22:14, but in order to understand how this verse applies to the duty to defend our neighbor’s innocence, we will need to understand the context in which it takes place. So, here’s some background. Even though Saul was the king of Israel, he was jealous of David. Saul’s son Jonathan discovered that his father was plotting to kill David. Since David was Jonathan’s best friend, he warned him of his father’s plans. As a result, David fled. He stopped to catch his breath in a town just outside Jerusalem called Nob where a man named Ahimelech was serving as the priest.

Because David had left in such a hurry, he did not have any food or even a weapon with him. So, he asked Ahimelech for some assistance. Ahimelech was happy to help. David was a famous warrior and the news of Saul’s change of temper towards him had not yet reached Nob. So, he gave David some bread and then he gave him the only weapon he had on hand: Goliath’s sword which was being kept on display as a trophy. This was the same sword that David had used to cut off Goliath’s head. A man named Doeg the Edomite was also there that day, however, and saw it all take place. Later, when Saul got word that David had gotten away, he was frustrated and began throwing accusations around. He wanted to know who was helping David. Doeg took this opportunity to report what he had seen and that is where our text picks up.

1 Samuel 22:11-18 “Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. And Saul said, ‘Hear now, son of Ahitub.’ And he answered, ‘Here I am, my lord.’ And Saul said to him, ‘Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?’ Then Ahimelech answered the king, ‘And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.’ And the king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.’ And the king said to the guard who stood about him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. Then the king said to Doeg, ‘You, turn and strike the priests.’ And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod.”

In these few verses, we see several examples of people failing and fulfilling their duty to defend their neighbor’s innocency. Let’s begin with the failures. The first example is King Saul. This whole episode is a result of him falsely accusing David in the first place. Instead of defending David’s innocence, he accused him of treason.

Saul was insecure and, just like any of us when we feel insecure or afraid, he was tempted to look for ways to blame others for the way he felt. Because we don’t like the way we feel and because we don’t like taking responsibility for our feelings, it must be someone else’s fault. As Spurgeon once noted, "We accuse others to excuse ourselves.” It is often easier to make up things about our neighbor than it is to face the reality about ourselves. And so, we slander our neighbor’s innocence in order to defend our own guilt. But take heed and take note: the sins of others, whether real or imagined, can never cleanse us of our own.

Another example is Doeg the Edomite. He knew that Ahimelech was not trying to help David usurp Saul’s throne. He knew he was innocent. But he also knew that Saul was looking for someone to blame and he hoped that there would be a finder’s fee. Saul slandered David to try to keep from losing his kingdom, Doeg slandered Ahimelech to try to gain a position in Saul’s kingdom. So, we see that our guilt can lead us to lash out at the innocent, either because we are scared of losing something or because we are greedy to get something else.

Now, let’s move on to a few examples of people fulfilling their duty to defend the innocent. Consider Saul’s servants. When Saul ordered them to slaughter Ahimelech and the priests, they refused. They presumed a standard of “innocent until proven guilty” and defended it by refusing to obey a tyrannical order.

A second example is that of Ahimelech himself. At any given point in his interrogation, he could have changed his story to try to save his own skin, but he didn’t. He could have defended his innocence by casting doubt on David’s, but he refused to bear false witness, even if it meant being falsely accused. He stood by David and his decision to help him. Ahimelech was an innocent man who paid the price of a guilty man in order to defend the innocence of another.

CALL TO CONFESSION

Well, since we are so often more concerned with getting our guilty selves out of trouble than we are with keeping our innocent neighbors out of it, we are reminded of our need to regularly confess our sins, whether they be related to this duty or to others. So, if you are able, please kneel with me and confess your sins, first privately and then corporately using the prayer found in your bulletin.

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Gracious Father, if You were to mark iniquities, who could stand? But with You is forgiveness, that You may be feared. Called by You to the throne of grace, and confident in our great High Priest, we bow before You and confess that we have sinned against You and been unfaithful to Your holy covenant. Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately sick, so that we often do what we hate, and neglect what we love. Out of our mouths we both praise You and curse our fellow men. You promised mercy to our fathers through the seed of the woman. Turn our hearts again, Father, to consider Jesus, who crushed the serpent’s head, and saved His people from their sins. Forgive, cleanse, and restore us for His sake. Amen.

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Saints, arise and hear the Good News!

The assurance of pardon today comes from Romans 4:4-8

“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” 

The story of Ahimelech points us to Jesus: he was falsely accused and killed for defending his friend, just like Jesus. He was an innocent man who was treated like a guilty man, just like Jesus. But as good of a man as Ahimelech was, Jesus is better. A man will scarcely die for an innocent person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— as Ahimelech did for David, but God shows His love for us in that while we were still guilty, Christ died for us.

Saints, hear the Good News: in the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven… THANKS BE TO GOD!

Now let us ascend to the presence of God in all worship and praise.

day no. 17,340: in season and out of season

“Never allow a feeling which was stirred in you in the high hour to evaporate. Don’t put your mental feet on the mantelpiece and say — “What a marvellous state of mind to be in!” Act immediately, do something, if only because you would rather not do it.” — Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest 

When we feel spiritual we don't want to do things, we want to enjoy feeling spiritual, but when we don't feel spiritual, we don't want to do things because we feel like it would be disingenuous. 

As a result, we rarely do the things God requires.

When we feel like we are on the mountaintop with Jesus, we want to enjoy being there, not going back down into the demon-possessed valley to do things. 

When we feel like we are in the demon-possessed valley, we don't want to do things because we don't feel like it.

2 Timothy 4:2

Be instant in season, out of season.

What this all amounts to is that we are going to have to obey God when we don't feel like it. We must be instant in season and out of season. We must obey when we're feeling it and when we're not. When we feel like obeying God, we need to take that energy and apply it to the next thing God has for us to do. When we don't feel like obeying God, we need to power through and obey Him anyways.

Our feelings cannot be the basis for our obedience or we will never obey.

day no. 17,317: a charitable esteem of our neighbors (exhortation outline)

Christ Church Leavenworth

WLC 144: A Charitable Esteem of Our Neighbors

March 22, 2026

A Charitable Esteem of Our Neighbors

INTRODUCTION

This morning we are continuing our study of Q144 of the WLC which asks, “What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?” The ninth commandment, as you recall, is “You shall not bear false witness” and the duties associated with it, according to the answer provided by the Westminster divines, are as follows: “the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbours; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; and studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.”

The phrase on which we will be focusing this morning is, “a charitable esteem of our neighbours” and the text we will be using to frame our discussion is Ephesians 4:29, these are the words of God: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

There are two ways to love our neighbor with our words. One is to not say hurtful things about them or to them. The other is to say encouraging things about them or to them. One of the most discouraging things you can do to your neighbor is to speak ill of them to others in their presence. Conversely, one of the most uplifting things you can do is to praise them to others in their presence.

So, fathers, make sure you are regularly praising your children. Look for things to reward with kind words. Do not allow yourself to become the stereotype the Freudians say that you are. God the Father is not cold or distant, and you should not be either. This is, however, a besetting sin of fathers, as the Bible points out. In Ephesians 6:4, it says this: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” and in Colossians 3:21 it says this: “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” In both cases, you end up with an angry, discouraged child. Father hunger is the result of too many critical words and not enough encouragement. So, look for ways to charitably esteem your kids. Do not raise them in doubt. Believe the best about them. Raise them in faith by showing them how to have some. Do not camp on the most difficult parts of their character. If you are tempted to think of your children in terms of their cost, do better PR work for them in your own soul. Do not let your heart run a smear campaign on them. Block those messages.

We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. And whose sins do we know better than our own? Yet we still love ourselves and that is because love covers a multitude of sins. Let us then do for others what we’re already doing for ourselves. We should think as well of our neighbors as we can. Granted, some of them make this harder for us than others, but we aren’t talking about their duty to be as lovable and respectable as they can this morning, we are talking about your duty to give them as much love and respect as you can.

We should do our best to make a case for our neighbor because building a case against them in our hearts is a sin. In fact, it is satanic. Satan is “the accuser of the brothers” according to Revelation 12:10. He does not carry water for anyone. He spends his time looking for things to be upset about, and as a result, he is always upset. And if we are not careful, we can fall into those same satanic trap. When we envy others, we are slow to see their merits. Why did they get that? They don’t deserve it. When we are bitter towards others, we are eager to entertain accusations about them. Ugh, that sounds like something he would do. We often convict our neighbors of wrongdoing in the courtrooms of our hearts without giving them a fair trial. We accept speculation as testimony, we allow hearsay to be submitted into evidence, and we don’t allow them to defend themselves. We don’t make a case for them. But that is not how God deals with us. 

Psalm 103:13-14: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” Remember your neighbor’s frame. He gets scared, just like you. He gets stressed out, just like you. He fails to plan sometimes, just like you. He says things he shouldn’t, just like you. He forgets to say things he should, just like you. He even forgets to use his blinker sometimes, just like you have. If you need any help being charitable with your neighbor, look no further than the charitable esteem you give to the neighbor you know the best: the one that looks back at you in the mirror each morning. And then remember how much charity our Father in Heaven extends to that guy. Who are we that God is mindful of us? How have we captured His attention and even gained His affection? He extends a charitable esteem to us. That’s how. He loves the unlovely. He is kind to the unkind. He remembers that we are dust, but He doesn’t treat us like dirt. He knows that we are beneath Him, and so He bends down to be with us. And that is how we must treat our neighbors. Remember their frame and then frame them in the best light possible.

CALL TO CONFESSION

Well, since we are better at looking to our own interests than we are at looking to the interests of others and since we are better at giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt than we are at giving that benefit to others, we are reminded of our need to regularly confess our sins, whether they be related to this duty or to others. So, if you are able, please kneel with me and confess your sins, first privately, and then corporately using the prayer found in your bulletin.

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Almighty and merciful Father, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us. Renew us and lead us by Your Holy Spirit so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Arise and hear the Good News! The assurance of pardon today comes from Galatians 2:16 “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” We are not loved because we were lovely, we are becoming more and more lovely because God has loved us. He has not treated us as our sins have deserved. He has been charitable in His esteem for us. While we were yet sinners, He died for us and while we were still His enemies, He looked for ways to be friendly. O, what a friend we have in Jesus, for in Him our sins are forgiven… THANKS BE TO GOD!

Now let us ascend to the presence of God in all worship and praise.

day no. 17,316: realignment

“The spirit in us veers toward envy, like the front end of a car that needs to be aligned.” — Douglas Wilson, All the Condemnation

We are bent. 

We, by default, lean into sin and away from God. We are like a car with misaligned tires. We can drive straight when our steering wheels are being held firmly, but the second Jesus lets go of the wheel, we are right back to swerving. We are prone to wander. 

The grace of God is Him grabbing the wheel. Grace upon grace is Him driving us to His Word to be realigned. His Word does the alignment and His Son pays the bill. His Spirit takes the wheel and gets us back onto the road. 

We cannot drive straight without Him at the wheel and we cannot keep our wheels aligned without His ongoing maintenance. The world is full of pot holes and curb checks, but God keeps us on the straight and narrow.

day no. 17,312: God is perfect, not a perfectionist

“The devil is a moralist. The devil is self-righteous. The devil is an angel of light. The name Lucifer means light-bearer. Who could be against that? The devil is censorious. The devil disapproves of us and likes it when we disapprove of one another. The devil is a Pharisee. The devil is the accuser of the brethren, accusing them day and night before the throne (Rev. 12:10). And this means we should be far more concerned than we usually are about the danger of becoming like the devil. It is easier than it looks because it is far nobler than it sounds.” — Douglas Wilson, All the Condemnation

God is perfect, not a perfectionist. Perfectionism is a sin. It is satanic. It strains the gnat while swallowing the camel. It is always looking for something to criticize. Perfection, on the other hand, is content. God has more dirt on you than the devil, but he is the one Who provided a sacrifice for your sins. The devil does know the half of it and he have you strung out this minute for any of it.

day no. 17,296: the right kind of fight

“One of the reasons we have so many fights in the church is because the pastors don’t fight nearly often enough.” ― Douglas Wilson, All the Condemnation

Pastors must not be more punchy than necessary, but they must be as punchy as needed.

1 Timothy 3:2-3

A bishop then must be blameless... no striker... not a brawler.

A pastor must not be looking to stir up trouble or to create tensions where there aren't any. He can't be the kind of guy who looks for a fight. But he must not be the kind of guy who is always anxious that a fight may break out. He cannot be scared of trouble or uncomfortable with tension.

Psalm 23:1-2

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Many of the fights churchmen have could be avoided by having a clearer, punchier word from their pastor. When pastors let things slide, they leave it for their people to clean up. If they do not lead with strength, they leave the people to their weaknesses, which always results in more conflict, more resentment, less forgiveness, and less harmony.

People do not naturally find themselves by still water. They need to be led there. If pastors will not do the hard work of disciplining his people, he leaves them to the impossible task of trying to discipline themselves. 

day no. 17,289: clearly standing for the truth (exhortation outline)

Christ Church Leavenworth

WLC 144: Clearly

February 22, 2026

Clearly Standing for the Truth

THE TEXT

Our text this morning is Colossians 4:3-4, these are the words of God,

“Pray for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ — that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

INTRODUCTION

This morning we are continuing our walk through Q144 of the WLC which asks, “What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?” The answer provided by the Westminster divines includes the duty “to appear and stand for the truth from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully.” The portion of this duty we will be focusing on this morning is, “clearly,” as in clearly standing for the truth.

As we saw in our text, we ought to speak clearly, especially when discussing the things of God. We owe this to others. As we’ve discussed before, this is what the word “ought” means. When you ought to do something for someone, it is because you owe it to them. So, if you are intentionally vague about what you clearly believe, you are not only robbing your neighbor, you are bearing false witness against yourself. But being clear in your communication is, ironically, not easier said than done. Paul, Himself, listed it as a prayer request in our text. He prayed for an open door for the Word and a careful tongue when speaking. He recognized his duty to speak the truth clearly and knew that he needed God’s help to do it.

The duty to be clear is generally understood by most and we testify to that fact in the way that we converse. For example, it is not uncommon, in the course of a conversation, to hear someone say something like, “Now, just to be clear,” or “Let me clarify.” We sometimes even go as far to say, “Not gonna lie.” Why do we feel the need to do that? Are we implying that everything else we said might be a lie? I shouldn’t need to reassure you that what I’m about to say isn’t a lie. But because we recognize our obligation to be clear in our communication, we feel the need to clarify what we mean, especially if we’re worried it might sound a bit mean.

Consider 1 Corinthians 14:7-9, “If lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said?” While the context of these verses is more about language in general than words in particular, the principle still applies. If you know what you would like to say if you had the courage, but instead you say something vague with a bit more wiggle room in it because you lose your nerve, then you are like a broken bugle. You are not making a distinct sound; you are just making noise. But there is a reason for that, right? A distinct bugle sound is a call to what? To battle. It alerts everyone to the urgency of the situation. But if you’d rather not get into a fight right now or if you’re scared of what the outcome would be if you did get into one, you might be tempted to make an indistinct sound in order to avoid an argument. So, you say something, but not what you mean, because you know that if you did, the bugle would blast and a battle would break out. So, you use unclear words as a kind of camouflage to avoid an uncomfortable confrontation. You’re still at war with your neighbor, they just don’t know it. Remember, deceit, subterfuge, misinformation, misdirection, and bald-faced lies are all acts of war. 

That being the case, you should be clear about what team you are on and you should want others to know too. Spiritual androgyny is bearing false witness. We have seen the physical manifestation of this kind of thing all around us with increasing frequency it seems. It is not unusual to see someone at the store or on your screen that makes you wonder, “Is that a boy or a girl? What am I looking at here” Some of our kids have even wondered aloud and made it more awkward for everyone. But remember, they aren’t the ones who need to be shushed. They are not the ones who made it weird. The dude in the dress did.

Androgyny and transgenderism are only possible in a society that tolerates bearing false witness. But we, not content merely to tolerate it, have actually taken it a step further, and celebrated it. We have invited it into our public libraries and thrown parades for it in our streets. The Scriptures clearly teach that men should dress and act in a way that clearly communicates that fact and that women should do likewise. (see 1 Cor 11:1-16). No one should have to guess. No one should have to wonder what you are. So, if your name is Pat, make sure we know if it’s short for Patrick or Patricia without having to ask.

Now, bring that idea back into the spiritual realm. No one should have to wonder if you are a Christian or not. No one should have to attend your funeral wondering what you believed. Your friends and family should not be forced to guess if you are in Heaven. They shouldn’t be reduced to hoping for some secret conversion that only the Lord saw. You owe your loved ones clear evidence of your common faith. Children, you owe your parents assurance. They should not have to lose sleep worrying about the sincerity of your belief. You should go to great lengths to make your calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10). Both for your own sake and for the sake of those who love you. If you are married, you owe your spouse clear evidence of an ongoing faith in the Lord. They should not have to bank on what you used to do. They should not have to wonder where you’re at right now.

  

Lastly, know that clarity is kindness. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say is a simple way to love your neighbor. Sometimes, however, it’s easier to settle for being nice. Kindness is a command, niceness is not. Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another.” Understand the difference. Nice is vague, but it feels good. Kindness is clear, but it hurts sometimes. Kindness forgives sins, but not without naming them first. Nice says there’s nothing to forgive, which sounds nice, but it’s not true. 

CALL TO CONFESSION

Well, since we often choose nice over kind and vague admissions over clear confessions, we are reminded of our need to regularly confess our sins, whether they be these or others. So, if you are able, please kneel with me and confess your sins, first privately and then corporately using the prayer found in your bulletin.

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment. Cleanse me, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Arise and hear the Good News! 

The assurance of pardon today comes from Philippians 3:8-10 “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, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death.

Our Father in Heaven has not been vague or unclear: there is only one way, one truth, and one life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. He is the one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is our King and He is kind. You have confessed your sins and placed them on Him, and so the Father has placed His righteousness on you. Therefore, it is my privilege to declare to you that by the grace of God and through your faith in Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven… THANKS BE TO GOD!

Now let us ascend to the presence of God in all worship and praise.

day no. 17,253: appearing and standing for the truth (exhortation outline)

Christ Church Leavenworth

WLC 144: Appearing and Standing for the Truth 

January 25, 2026

Appearing and Standing for the Truth

THE TEXT

The text for this morning’s exhortation is from 2 Timothy 4:16, these are the words of God. “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!”

INTRODUCTION

This morning we are continuing our study of the ten commandments in the WLC and we are still in Q144 which asks, “What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?” One of the duties the Westminster divines cite in their lengthy response to that question is the duty to “appear and stand for the truth.”

When the apostle Paul was summoned to defend himself, none of his friends showed up. No one appeared on his behalf and no one stood with him. And yet, in relaying this devastating news to Timothy, Paul included a request for God to have mercy on them. He prayed that their failure to appear would not be charged against them. This indicates that more than just a breach of friendship was involved. If it was merely a sin against Paul or a debt owed to him, he could forgive it and consider it paid in full. And inasmuch as they did sin against him, he did. But that did not resolve the matter. Paul’s companions did not just refuse to stand with him, they refused to stand for the truth. That is the sin that Paul prays will not be held against them. That part is not Paul’s to forgive, that part was against God alone and only He can forgive it. Paul’s friends acted cowardly; and so, he asks God to spare them from the fate of a coward. Revelation 21:8, “As for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Paul was not on trial for some moral failure like theft or murder, he was on trial for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, it wasn’t a matter of his friends approving him, but not approving of his behavior. They were Christians. He was on trail for something they could just as easily have been on trial for. If you do not stand with your friend in their time of trouble, that makes you a lousy friend, but if your friend is in trouble for being a Christian and you fail to appear on his behalf, you are not just a lousy friend, you are a lousy Christian. Consider the Word of the Lord from Leviticus 5:1. “If anyone hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity.”

If you will not take the trouble to stand up for the truth, you will be in trouble when you face the Truth. Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.” So, the only way to save your life is to sacrifice it to the Lord. If God calls you to the witness stand, it is safer to tell the truth in a hostile environment than it is to bear false witness against God by failing to appear or by showing up, but refusing to stand up. Matthew 16:25 “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” 

Christians are called to testify to the truth just as Jesus did before Pilate in John 18:37. This is what He said, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” If you do not bear witness to the truth, you are bearing false witness against God. You are saying it is safer to lie than it is to tell the truth. You are saying that the wrath of man is to be feared more than the wrath of God. You are saying that cowardice is better than courage when the stakes are high because saving your skin is better than dying to sin.

Those who are of the truth hear the voice of Jesus and respond by appearing when called and standing up for the truth when needed. You don’t have to go out looking for opportunities to speak per se, but you do have to be ready for them if and when they come looking for you. Consider 1 Peter 3:15-16 “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

Ignoring a call to witness to the truth and failing to appear or stand for the truth is  a violation of the ninth commandment. It is bearing false witness and it is a slander against the Son of God. In keeping quiet, you are saying that the most important thing about the truth is simply knowing the right answers, not doing the right things. But that is a lie. As Jesus said in John 8:31–32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Abiding in the truth is not just sitting around doing nothing. Abiding means keeping up with the truth wherever it goes. Truth is an active thing and if you want to abide with it, you’re going to have to get up and walk with it wherever it goes. And if you do, you will be set free. Staying out of trouble will not set you free. Only the truth can do that. In fact, testifying to the truth will more often than not get you into more trouble. But it is better to be slandered by liars than it is to be condemned by the truth.

We should be more zealous to stand up for the truth than we are to stand up for ourselves and our own interests… but we aren’t. Standing for the truth means refusing to lay down with lies. We must oppose falsehood. So, no more stretching the truth, massaging the truth, avoiding the truth, or denying the truth. In order to avoid bearing false witness, we must appear when the truth is on trial and we must take the stand and testify to the way, the truth, and the life.

CALL TO CONFESSION

Well, since we sometimes hide behind lies instead of behind Christ and because we are sometimes scared to go where the Spirit leads or stand up when the Truth is on trial, we are reminded of our need to regularly confess our sins, whether they be related to this duty or others. So, if you are able, please kneel with me and confess your sins, first privately and then corporately using the prayer found in your bulletin.

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge before You our sinful nature and our many offenses. We are prone to do evil and slow to do good. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from Your way, in wasting Your gifts, in forgetting Your love. Lord, we are ashamed and sorry for all the ways that we have displeased You. Father, teach us to hate our rebellious acts, cleanse us from our secret faults, and forgive our sins for the sake of Your Son. Help us to love You with all our heart and mind and strength. And give us the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we may walk in Your ways and serve You all of our days.

DECLARATION OF PARDON

Arise and hear the Good News! The assurance of pardon today comes from…

Romans 5:1, 8-9 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… for God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”

While we were still bearing false witness, Christ appeared. While we were still lying, Christ testified to the truth. While we were still hiding likes cowards, Christ played the man and died for us. For our sake God made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. So, bear witness to that and be glad. Jesus lived for your righteousness, died for your sins, and rose for your justification. And because He did, it is my privilege to pronounce to you that in Him, your sins really are forgiven… THANKS BE TO GOD!

Now let us ascend to the presence of God in all worship and praise.