You Must be Born Again – CRC Sunday Service

April 21, 2019April 21, 2019 ~ Jeff Crippen ~ Leave a comment

April 21, 2019
(recordings of hymns and the sermon are in blue font)

Pastoral Reading
Matthew 28:1-10

Opening Hymn
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Trinity #277)

Prayer
Focus this Week: Vickie Stein

Congregational Hymns
Jesus Christ is Risen Today (Trinity #273)

1 Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

2 Hymns of praise then let us sing Alleluia!
unto Christ our heav’nly King, Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

3 But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

4 Sing we to our God above Alleluia!
praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
praise him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Up From the Grave He Arose (Trinity #276)

Offering Hymn
The Resurrection Hymn (CRC #77)

Choir
One Day

Scripture Reading
Jeremiah 31:31-40

Preaching the Word
You Must be Born Again – Part 1
YouTube link

Choir
Good Christian Men Rejoice and Sing!

Closing Hymn
Jesus Lives and So Shall I (Trinity #706)

A Church in which Evil is Justified

April 21, 2019April 19, 2019 ~ Jeff Crippen ~ Leave a comment

Rom 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

My good friend Phoebe who grew up in our church and who is a genuine Christian is a student at Portland State University (she is studying to be a physical therapist). She visited a “church” in Portland yesterday mostly just because a fellow student invited her to go. She gave me this report last night. This is very, very typical in these false churches today and I thank Phoebe for her analysis and discernment. By the way, this “church” is Bridgetown Church in Portland.

Can’t believe what I just heard –

“Stage theory is a step by step walk with Jesus”. (I’m sorry but I don’t think stage theory is in the Bible).

Also the preacher (?) made a lot of jokes, some of which were very inappropriate.

There was a band that just sang the same words over and over again, one of which was “God’s love is reckless” which I disagree with. God knows exactly who he loves and he loves them perfectly. Also the band acted like it was putting on a show (which it kind of was)

Everyone was super emotional and I don’t know why because we never actually talked about God

I was shocked by how disrespectful and silly everyone was. The preacher kept going on and on about how we can just take our time and go baby step by baby step and if we aren’t ready for something we can just stop and that’s ok because God will wait for us.

Ugh it was awful

Great job spotting evil, Phoebe. This stuff is a plague and it is everywhere today. The “pastors” equivocate (that means they use what sound like equivalent words as traditional language, but in fact they mean something entirely different and often heretical). This is the very kind of environment that provides fertile soil for sin and wickedness to flourish in. Sin is justified. After all, God is so loving you know.

Another friend responded to Phoebe’s report with these words –

There’s a lack of holiness and the message of the high cost of our salvation through the cross in churches these days. It makes null and void the blood of Jesus. It’s all focused on how much He will do anything to have a relationship with us.

[But] He’s already done everything on the cross!!! ‘It is finished.’

And that is the message that is diminished. The cross. Now our “relationship” with God has to do with who we are in and of ourselves and how God just loves us soooo much because of who we are in and of ourselves. This is of course a false gospel and those who preach it are given God’s pronouncement of woe three times over.

But hey, that’s ok, right? I mean, God will wait for us to repent and obey Him when we finally feel like it…..Not!

Heb 3:12-15 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (13) But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (15) As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Good Friday Service at CRC

April 19, 2019April 14, 2019 ~ Jeff Crippen ~ Leave a comment

Good Friday Service
April 19, 2019
(links to hymns are in blue font)

Matthew 26:36-46
Hark the Voice of Love & Mercy (Trinity Hymnal #259)

1 Hark! the voice of love and mercy
sounds aloud from Calvary;
see, it rends the rocks asunder,
shakes the earth, and veils the sky:
“It is finished!
It is finished!
It is finished!”
Hear the dying Savior cry;
hear the dying Savior cry.

2 “It is finished!” O what pleasure
do these precious words afford;
heav’nly blessings, without measure,
flow to us from Christ the Lord:
“It is finished!
It is finished!
It is finished!”
Saints the dying words record;
saints the dying words record.

3 Finished all the types and shadows of the ceremonial law;
finished all that God had promised;
death and hell no more shall awe:
“It is finished!
It is finished!
It is finished!”
Saints, from hence your comfort draw;
saints, from hence your comfort draw.

4 Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs,
join to sing the glorious theme;
all in earth, and all in heaven,
join to praise Emmanuel’s name:
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Glory to the bleeding Lamb!
Glory to the bleeding Lamb!