The Spirit's Conviction
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 16:5-15
June 7, 2020
I. The Spirit’s Convicting Work in the World (verses (5-11)
II. The Spirit’s Convincing Work in the Church (verses 12-15)
“The work of the faithful ministry is to do the very same [as the Spirit] – to lead weary souls to Christ – to stand pointing not only to the coming deluge, but to the freely offered ark – pointing not only to the threatening storm, but to the strong tower of safety – directing the sinner’s eye not only inwards to his sins, and misery, but outwards also, to the bleeding, dying, rising, reigning Savior.” ~ Robert Murray M’Cheyne
The Cost of Following Jesus
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 15:18-16:4
May 31, 2020
I. Following Jesus Provokes the World’s Hatred (verses 18-25)
II. Following Jesus Provides Spiritual Witness (verses 26-27)
III. Following Jesus Prepares Us to Persevere in Mission (chapter 16, verses 1-4)
Nothing is so mischievous as the habit of indulging false expectations. Let us realize that human nature never changes, that "the carnal mind is enmity against God," and against God's image in His people. Let us settle it in our minds that no holiness of life or consistency of conduct will ever prevent wicked people hating the servants of Christ, just as they hated their blameless Master. Let us remember these things, and then we shall not be disappointed. ~ J.C. Ryle
Friends with Jesus
Rev. Bruce Brown
May 24, 2020
John 15:12-17
I. Jesus’ Friends Love Sacrificially (verses 12-13, 17)
II. Jesus’ Friends Long to Obey the Word (verses 14-15)
III. Jesus’ Friends Live Out of Electing Love (verse 16)
“This is indeed a glorious privilege. To know Christ, serve Christ, follow Christ, obey Christ, work in Christ's vineyard, fight Christ's battles, all this is no small matter. But for sinful men and women like ourselves to be called "friends of Christ," is something that our weak minds can hardly grasp and take in. The King of kings and Lord of lords not only pities and saves all those who believe in Him, but actually calls them His "friends.” ~ J.C. Ryle
Abiding in the Vine
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 15:1-11
May 17, 2020
I. Abiding Bears Fruit (verses 1, 2, 4, 5)
II. Abiding Brings Pruning (verses 2, 3)
III. Abiding Blesses God and Others (verses 6-11)
“The union between the branch of a vine and the main stem, is the closest that can be conceived… The union between Christ and believers is just as close, and just as real. In themselves believers have no life, or strength, or spiritual power. All that they have of vital religion comes from Christ. They are what they are, and feel what they feel, and do what they do, because they draw out of Jesus a continual supply of grace, help, and ability. Joined to the Lord by faith, and united in mysterious union with Him by the Spirit, they stand, and walk, and continue, and run the Christian race. But every jot of good about them is drawn from their spiritual Head, Jesus Christ.” ~ J.C. Ryle
A Legacy of Peace
John 14:25-31
May 10, 2020, Mother’s Day
Rev. Bruce Brown
I. Peace as a Deposit for a Heavenly King (verses 25-26
II. Peace as a Legacy in a Warring World (verse 27)
III. Peace as a Weapon Against a Raging Adversary (verses 28-31)
“Peace is Christ's distinctive gift--not money, not worldly ease, not temporal prosperity. These are at best very questionable possessions. They often do more harm than good to the soul. They act as clogs and weights to our spiritual life. Inward peace of conscience, arising from a sense of pardoned sin and reconciliation with God, is a far greater blessing. This peace is the property of all believers, whether high or low, rich or poor… And what He gives He gives into all eternity, and never takes away. He is ready to give abundantly above all that we can ask or think. "Open your mouth wide," He says, "and I will fill it." (Psalm 81:10.)” J.C. Ryle
Another Comforter
John 14:15-24
May 3, 2020
Rev. Bruce Brown
I. Who Is the Holy Spirit? (verses 16-17)
II. The Work of the Holy Spirit (verses 18-24)
III. Empowered to Love (verses 15, 21, 23, 24)
“What could bring more security in this world than a deepening realization of the fact that the Holy Spirit is indwelling us, not just working alongside us, and that He puts potent spiritual truth to work in our lives... What is our Helper like? He is just like Jesus. He comes alongside us, encourages and exhorts us. He picks us up, dusts us off, and gets us going again… That is the remedy for troubled hearts.” ~ Kent Hughes
Greater Works
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 14:12-14
April 26, 2020
I. The Works Believers Will Do (verse 12)
II. How Believers Do Greater Works (verses 13-14)
III. Before the Throne of God Above (verse 12b)
“Let us learn that Jesus visible presence is not absolutely necessary to the progress of His kingdom. He can help forward His cause on earth quite as much by sitting at the right hand of the Father, and sending forth the Holy Spirit, as by walking to and fro in the world. Let us believe that there is nothing too hard or too great for believers to do, so long as their Lord intercedes for them in heaven. Let us work on in faith, and expect great things, though we feel weak and lonely, like the disciples. Our Lord is working with us and for us, though we cannot see Him. It was not so much the sword of Joshua that defeated Amalek, as the intercession of Moses on the hill. (Ex. 17:11.)” J.C. Ryle
Comfort for Troubled Souls
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 14:1-11
I. Comfort for the Silent (Vss. 1-4)
II. Comfort for the Skeptic (Vss. 5-7)
III. Comfort for the Stranger (Vss. 8-11)
“Let us however take comfort in the simple truth, that Christ is very God of very God; equal with the Father in all things, and One with Him. He who loved us, and shed His blood for us on the cross, and bids us trust Him for pardon, is no mere man like ourselves. He is "God over all, blessed forever," and able to save to the uttermost the chief of sinners. Though our sins be as scarlet, He can make them white as snow. He that casts his soul on Christ has an Almighty Friend--a Friend who is One with the Father, and very God.”
~ J.C. Ryle
Loving Like Jesus
Pastor Bruce Brown
John 13:31-38
September 22nd, 2019
I. Jesus’ Love is Glorious (verses 31-32)
II. Jesus’ Love is Gentle (verse 33)
IV. Jesus’ Love is Our Goal (verse 34-35)
III. Jesus’ Love is Gracious (verse 36-38)
“The command to ‘love’ is called a ‘new’ commandment, not because it had never been given before, but because it was to be more honored, to occupy a higher position, to be backed by a higher example that it ever had been before. Above all, it was to be the test for Christianity before the world. “By this shall men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another.” … The very people who care nothing for doctrine, and know nothing of the Bible, can appreciate love. It arrests their attention, and makes them think. For the world’s sake, if for no other cause, let us follow after love more and more.” ~ J.C. Ryle
Humility: Life for God's Glory
Mr. Tyler Spry
John 3:22-30
September 15, 2019
I. Know Your True PROVIDER (verse 27)
II. Know Your True POSITION (verse 28)
III. Know Your True PLEASURE (verse 29)
IV. Know Your True PURPOSE (verse 30)
As people this side of heaven, we are all plagued by the temptation of selfishness. Whether it is being jealous of our friend’s latest purchase or frustration that we aren’t getting the attention we think we deserve, we are often consumed with ourselves. John the Baptist’s disciples were no different. They thought that their teacher was getting the short end of the stick when Jesus began to draw a larger crowd than John. However, John’s example shows a life of humility that lives for God’s glory. This goes against every fiber in our sinful body. God’s way of doing things is so opposite of ours, we could even call it the Upside Down Kingdom. In God’s kingdom the way up is down, and we find true joy when we draw attention away from ourselves and towards God. God is calling us to flip the way we think about ourselves upside down and to join with John when he says, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
The Betrayal
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 13:18-30
September 8, 2019
I. A Prophecy About the Betrayal (verses 18-20)
II. The Grief in the Betrayal (verses 21-25)
III. Jesus, Satan, and Judas (verses 26-30)
“Mine own Apostle, who the bag did bear,
Though he had all I had did not forbear
To sell me also and to put me there:
Was ever grief like mine?” ~ George Herbert
“Passages like these should make us see the amazing love of Christ to sinners. How many cups of sorrow He drained to the dregs in working out our salvation, beside the mighty cup of bearing our sins…” ~ J.C. Ryle
Lowly Love
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 13:1-17
September 1, 2019
I. The Compassion of the Servant (verses 1-13)
II. The Cleansing of the Servant (verses 4-11)
III. The Challenge of the Servant (verses 12-17)
“The fact that you are truly Christ’s is the fountain of innumerable pleasures and blessings to your heart. Jesus calls us “His own” – His own sheep, His own disciples, His own friends, His own brethren, the members of His own body. What a title for us to wear, “His own!”… This is how he distinguishes us from the rest of mankind and sets us apart for Himself. “My name shall be named on them,” says He… surely, this is the highest honor that can be put upon us even in the last great day.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Confessing Glory
Rev. Bruce Brown
August 25, 2019
John 12:37-50
I. The Causes of Silence (verses 36b-43)
II. The Consequences of Rejecting Christ (verses 44-50)
III. Confessing Glory (verses 41, 43, 44-50)
“A believing view of an unseen God, an unseen Christ, an unseen heaven, and an unseen judgment-day--this is the grand secret of overcoming the fear of man. The expulsive power of a new principle is required to heal the disease. "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4.) Let us pray for faith, if we would conquer that deadly enemy of souls, the fear of man and the love of man's praise. And if we have any faith, let us pray for more. Let our daily cry be, "Lord, increase our faith." We may easily have too much money, or too much worldly prosperity; but we can never have too much faith.” ~ J.C. Ryle
The Power of the Cross
August 18, 2019
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 12:27-36
I. The Glory of the Cross (verses 27-30)
II. The Conquest of the Cross (verses 31-32)
III. The Offence of the Cross (verses 34-36)
“A day shall come when every knee shall bow before the Lamb that was slain, and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He who was "lifted up" on the cross shall yet sit on the throne of glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations. Friends and foes, each in their own order, shall be "drawn" from their graves, and appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. Let us take heed in that day that we are found on His right hand!” ~ J.C. Ryle
We Would See Jesus!
Rev. Bruce Brown
August 11, 2019
John 12:12-28
A Christ for One and All (verses 12-24)
A Christ of Great Cost (verses 25-26)
A Troubled Christ (verses 27-28
“Forever let us rest our hearts on this most comfortable thought. We have a most willing and loving Savior. It was His delight to do His Father's will, and to make a way for lost and guilty man to draw near to God in peace. He loved the work He had taken in hand, and the poor sinful world which He came to save… He who was a most willing Sacrifice on the cross is also a most willing Savior at the right hand of God.” ~ J.C. Ryle
Fragrant Devotion to Christ
August 4th, 2019
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 12:1-11
Devotion on Display (verses 1-3, 7-8)
Devotion Defied (verses 4-7, 9-10)
Devotion Defended (verses 7-8
“She did it under the influence of a heart full of love and gratitude. She thought nothing to great an good to bestow on such a Savior... Greatly loved, she thought she could not show too much love in return. Having freely received, she freely gave.”
What Are We to Do With Jesus?"
July 28, 2019
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 11:45-48
A Council that Plotted (verses 45-48)
A Chief Priest Who Prophesied (verses 49-53)
The Sovereign Christ (verse 54)
“God can make the designs of His enemies work together for the good of His people, and cause the wrath of man to praise Him. In days of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy, believers may rest patiently in the Lord. The very things that at one time seem likely to hurt them, shall prove in the end to be for their gain.” ~ J. C. Ryle
Jesus in the Graveyard
John 11:28-44
July 21, 2019
Rev. Bruce Brown
Jesus Sheds Tears of Love (verses 28-37)
Jesus Quakes in anger (verses 33, 38)
Jesus Speaks with Words of Power (38-44)
“There is nothing unworthy of a child of God in tears. Even the Son of God could weep. It shows us, above all, that the Savior in whom believers trust is a most tender and feeling Savior… He knows what we go through and can pity. And He is One who never changes. Though He now sits at God's right hand in heaven, His heart is still the same that it was upon earth. We have an Advocate with the Father, who, when He was upon earth, could weep.” ~ J.C. Ryle
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
John 11:17-27
July 14, 2019
Rev. Bruce Brown
I. The Cry of Faith (verses 20-22,24)
II. The Claim of Jesus (verses 23, 25-26)
III. The Clarifying Question (verses 26-27)
“Many Christians do not feel the inward peace which they desire… yet true Christians strive, as Paul says, to "comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge." As they do, they are amazed at the discoveries they make. They soon find, like Hagar, that there are wells of water near them of which they had no knowledge. They soon discover that there is more heaven to be enjoyed on earth than they had ever thought possible. The root of a happy religion is clear, distinct, well-defined knowledge of Jesus Christ.” ~ adapted from J.C. Ryle
When Jesus Pulls the Brake
Rev. Bruce Brown
John 11:1-16
July 7, 2019
I. The Desire of a Patient Savior (verses 1- 5)
II. The Delay of a Loving Lord (verses 5-7)
III. The Death that Leads to Life (verses 7-16)
“John 11 elevates our perspective. It explains to Christ’s praying, devoted children that no matter how it may appear, these inexplicable delays are delays of love. That is what our text says! When we are being ravaged by the events of life, it is very difficult to believe that God really loves us. But John 11 and many other Scriptures clearly claim that these delays are delays of love. God is all-powerful. He can do anything. He knows all. He even knows when a sparrow falls to the ground. He knows our trouble, and he cares!” ~ R. Kent Hughes