In My Father’s House: A New Book by Jeff Crippen

~ Jeff Crippen ~ 3 Comments

We have just published an illustrated book – only 34 pages in size – that is a presentation of the master theme of the Bible:

Lev 26:11-12  I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.
And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

This book is a summation of our 16 sermon series (still at sermonaudio.com/crc) on the Temple.  You can find that series by the same title, In My Father’s House, at Sermon Audio.

We kept the size of the book brief because we want readers to get the big picture of Scripture without getting lost in details. Also, it’s size makes it a very useful tool to give to someone who has questions about the Bible or about Christ and the gospel.

The book is available here on Amazon*

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A False Gospel Always Promotes Abuse

~ Jeff Crippen ~ 1 Comment

Gal 1:6-7 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– (7) not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Gal 3:1-3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. (2) Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (3) Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

As I preached a sermon series through the epistle to the Galatians, each week I became more impressed with its relevance to the roots causes of abuse.  Not only domestic abuse, but the abuse of power in general. Consider, for example, these statements Paul makes about the motives of the false teachers who infiltrated these churches:

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Faith and a Mountain – CRC Sunday Sermon

~ Jeff Crippen ~ Leave a comment

January 12, 2020
(links to hymns and the sermon are in blue font)

Pastoral Reading
Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Opening Hymn
Holy God, We Praise Your Name (Trinity #103)

Prayer
Focus this week:  Isabella Orr, age 16

Congregational Hymns
To the Praise of His Glorious Grace (CRC #14)
O God the Holy Spirit (CRC #56)

Offering Hymn
O Lord of Hosts How Lovely – based on Psalm 84 (handout)

Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
    to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
    ever singing your praise! Selah
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
    each one appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
    give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
    look on the face of your anointed!
10 For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Scripture Reading
Isaiah 7

Preaching the Word
Faith and a Mountain: It’s not What You Think
YouTube link

Closing Hymn
Jesus Lives, and So Shall I, Trinity #706