Covenant Presbyterian Church

“You Will Be Saved”

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:00:57 -0400

The way to get ahead in the world is to either be born into the right family, right social status or right caste, or (and this is predominantly in the U.S.) you work really hard and take advantage of opportunities that come your way. That may be true in the world when it comes to money and investments, but that is not the way things go in the economy of God. But isn’t that how we think about spiritual things? If you’re born into it or work hard at it, God has to let you into heaven and bless you in the ways you want to be blessed. Original readers of Paul’s letter to the Romans thought the very same things. Those of Jewish descent believed that they were born into the right family or ethnicity and that if they worked really hard at doing the law, they would be saved. Paul confronts them and us here in Romans 10:8-13.

Paul tackles the supposed righteousness that comes by the law. He decimates the idea that we can earn our way to heaven by somehow obeying the law of God perfectly. Not even Israel - who were given the law, the prophets, and numerous miraculous events - could be saved through their works. Salvation is always about the work of God. Our role is to believe in his Word.

"[I]f you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

An Easter Benediction

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:58 -0400

A benediction is a good or blessed word. It is a prayer for God to bless the recipients in particular ways. Paul concluded most of his epistles with a benediction to his readers. There are benedictions in the Old Testament as well, perhaps most famously that which Moses instructed Aaron and the other priests to speak to the people (Numbers 6:22-27). God’s inclusion of benedictions in the life of his people is closely tied to his covenant promise to be their God, the Shepherd who will never leave them (Ezekiel 34:15, 23-25; 37:24, 26).

The writer of Hebrews draws his epistle to a close with a benediction upon his readers: “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

One of the features that makes this benediction of such great value is that it fits the resurrection of Jesus into the daily fabric of the Christian life. Jesus’ resurrection is both a once-for-all act accomplishing our eternal salvation and the daily working of his “power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19-20). The God who raised Jesus from the dead has also made peace with us through the blood of his crucified Son. And on this basis he now equips us through the risen Christ with every good thing that we might do his will. God’s work in the sacrifice and resurrection of his eternal Son makes possible all our good works for his glory.

Good Friday

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:00:38 -0400

Maundy Thursday

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:00:53 -0400

Signs of Life at the Place of Death

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:01 -0400

The account of Jesus’ crucifixion completes the passion narrative and fulfills the Lord’s earlier prophecies concerning his suffering and death (Matthew 20:19). Jesus told his disciples that he would be “mocked and scourged” by the Gentiles and then killed. His death fulfilled the Messianic Psalms concerning the righteous martyr (Psalms 22 & 69). The prophecies of Isaiah anticipate a Messiah who would be a suffering Servant. He would be beaten and mocked (Isaiah 50:6), despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3). And yet he “bore our suffering” and “was pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:4-5).

Though Jesus died at the hands of sinful men, his death was to fulfill the promise that God would wash away the sins of his people. He would remove their guilt by the shedding of blood. Just as the Lord covered the shame of Adam and Eve through the life of an innocent one, so too would he cover the guilt and shame of his people once and for all by the sin-bearing substitute of his Son. By his own sovereign will, God directed the event of Jesus’ suffering and death as he was put forward to bear the wrath deserved by sinners (Romans 3:25).

Matthew’s account includes a number of extraordinary signs. At the moment of Jesus’ death, the curtain partitioning the Holy of Holies was torn in two, the earth shook, and dead saints were raised from their tombs. Considering its cosmic significance, it makes perfect sense that Jesus’ death would be accompanied by astonishing signs of life. All of this prompted at least one Roman centurion to confess of Jesus, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Jesus on Trial

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:00:23 -0400

We shift gears this week and begin a short series through a well-known portion of the Gospel of Matthew. As we anticipate Easter, we will consider the historical record of the highest imaginable offense: the trial and crucifixion of the Messiah.

At that time, the high council in Jerusalem, known as the Sanhedrin, had been seeking a way to put Jesus to death. On account of Roman occupation in Judaea, their plan had to involve two stages: condemn him on the Jewish stage and get the death sentence on the Roman stage. Judas' betrayal presented the council with an unexpected opportunity to arrest Jesus, but their trial had to happen quickly since the Passover festival would begin at the end of the week (no Jewish trials could occur during any festival). What unfolds in our text this Sunday will be nothing short of the worst legal proceedings, the cruelest judgment rendered, and the highest public insult against the most innocent and most humble Son of God.

Part 35: “It Is Done!”

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:00:59 -0400

The Book of Revelation is not a coded forecast of 21st-century geopolitics. As John writes in verse one, the entire letter is the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is written in the highly symbolic language of prophetic apocalyptic literature and, in keeping with the method of apocalyptic literature, Revelation pulls back the curtain on earthly empires and names them beasts.

The first beast is depicted as having seven heads, which would have reminded John’s original readers of the seven hills of Rome. The second beast (or, false prophet) is the religious propaganda machine for the first beast, looking like a lamb but speaking for the dragon. And the beast’s number, 666, is the number of humanity in rebellion against God. Human empire, under the influence of the dragon (“Babylon”) has intoxicated itself on the blood of the saints (Revelation 17 and 18).

In the imagery of the final two bowls there is depicted a gathering for battle (vv. 12-16) and the final defeat of the dragon and the two beasts (vv. 17-21). Though a final conflagration is never actually described, it is clear that, in the words of the Lord, “It is done!” (vs. 17). When the followers of the beast move to finally wipe out the church they will discover, to their dismay, that they have only brought about their own destruction (20:9).

In the midst of it all there is a word of blessing for the church (the third of Revelation’s seven benedictions). Warning that his second coming will be sudden and unpredictable, the Lord says to his church, “blessed is the one who stays awake,” meaning, those who remain watchful for his coming (vs. 16). They will not be caught naked, as it were. That is, they will not be ashamed at the Lord’s coming but rather will welcome him with joy. All the saints will be finally gathered in by the Lamb who was slain for them.

Part 34: “Will Not a Righteous God Visit for These Things?”

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:00:06 -0400

The title of the sermon is taken from the auto-biography of Frederick Douglas as he considered his grandmother, a slave, who, after years of cruel captivity, was sent off to die alone once she was no longer useful to her master: “Will not a righteous God visit for these things?” It is the question that could be asked during any moment of fallen human history. Indeed, the Psalmists cried out in ways very similar to that of Douglas: “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!” (Psalm 94:1-2) The ever-present cycle of news from around the world illustrates the profligacy of human evil and the suffering of the innocent. Through it all, we see the holy name of God profaned and his law mocked. Mankind in his pride has rejected his Maker and insisted on claiming the status of a god himself. Considering these things, is not the idea of a God without wrath morally incomprehensible? Day after day we are reminded that the world needs a God who judges. We need to be able to say with David: “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day” (Psalm 7:11). The Book of Revelation, with its unequivocal God-centeredness, reminds us of the moral necessity of divine judgment. We have taken note of how the judgment depicted in the visions of the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls issues forth from the sanctuary of God’s holy presence. That is, God’s judgement is his own personal action. It is directly connected to what is good and true and righteous. God’s holy wrath will be misunderstood from one degree to another if we do not understand both the wickedness of human sin and the holiness of God. But an honest assessment of the catastrophe of sin and the need for a final justice to make right all that is wrong will help us understand why the saints in heaven praise the Lord for his judgment. We need a God to whom we can call, “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted” (Psalm 10:12), in confidence that he will answer. We need a God who will eventually visit for these things.

Part 33: The Glory of God

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:00:48 -0500

What John records in chapter 15 serves as a final segment of the interlude between the seven trumpets and the seven bowls of God’s wrath. He sees “another sign in heaven, great and amazing.” Seven angels are entrusted with the final “plagues” of God’s judgment in the world. The next chapter will bring to completion the series of three “sevens” depicting God’s judgment in the world. And just as the seven seals and the seven trumpets ended with a vision of the final judgment, so too, here in the seven bowls, John sees that “the wrath of God is finished.”

As in the vision of the trumpets, John sees here the seven angels who will pour out the plagues (15:1). Next he views the worship of the saints in glory (15:2-8) before God brings the final judgment upon the earth (16:1ff). The focus here is on the glory of God in the saints’ victory over Satan, in his acts and attributes which are sung by the saints, and in his final judgment over the wicked. God has placed within each of us a great desire to exult in his glory. We are worshippers by design. Here, John sees the victorious saints joining with the great heavenly chorus who sing the song of Moses and the Lamb before the ineffable presence of the One enthroned before the sea of glass mingled with fire.

Part 32: When Jesus Returns

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 13:00:15 -0500

In the Apostles Creed, Christians affirm that the Lord Jesus will one day return to “judge the living and the dead.” This final judgment has always been a part of essential Christian belief. Indeed, to deny the coming day of final judgment would be to deny a host of specific passages in the Bible. Denying the Lord’s return in judgment would also undermine the grand narrative of human history to which the Bible testifies, in which final justice will be accomplished. During his ministry, Jesus warned his hearers of the judgment to come and cautioned them to be ready to face it: to turn from their sin that they might receive eternal salvation.

In Acts 1 we are told that in just the same way that Jesus ascended into heaven, so will he one day return. That is, Jesus’ return will be physical and public. Jesus’ first advent was longed for and anticipated for many generations. And then one day, some 2,000 years ago, he arrived just as had been prophesied. The Lord’s second coming is just as sure as his first and will take place before the eyes of the whole world. This passage is one of several depictions of the final judgment in the Book of Revelation. In some of the other depictions, John describes the presence of fire and hail and other phenomena which are meant to capture the intensity of the Lord’s wrath against wickedness. In each description John uses language to describe the nearly indescribable and so, as he often does, he employs symbolic language. Here the Lord is depicted as wielding a sharpened sickle to harvest the earth. When he returns he will harvest his redeemed unto eternal life. But he will also gather together unto judgment those who have denied him and spurned his grace. The terrible description of blood is meant to convey the costliness of the rejection of God and the finality of his judgment. John aims to shock his readers into spiritual reality. What he describes sharpens the choice that we all must make. Either we will be among the first fruits of God’s redeemed people whom he harvests upon his return. Or we will be among the grapes of wrath. “When the judgment finally comes, it will only serve as an underlining of the decisions that we have been making all our life” (Bewes, 104). But let us remember that even those who turn to Jesus in their final moments will be saved just as the thief on the cross. Certainly we must never presume that the Lord will give us the time or the willingness in our final moments to repent. However the depths of the Lord’s mercy are such that not a single sinner who repents, even in his final moments, will be turned away by the saving Christ.

Part 31: The Messages of the Three Angels

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 13:00:11 -0500

Central to the large middle section of Revelation is three sets of seven: seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. Each cycle of seven depicts the unfolding of God’s judgment in the world during the time between Christ’s two advents. As part of the interlude between the seven trumpets and seven bowls, chapter 14 presents an account of how everything turns out in the end. The Lamb and his followers triumph. All of God’s elect from every nation and people have been gathered in and the risen and exalted Christ brings about the final judgment upon the unbelieving world. In this particular section of chapter 14, John hears three proclamations from three different angels. Their words point to the final judgment which will be poured out at the return of Jesus. These pronouncements therefore are understandably frightening. And they should be. What would we think of a God who did not give proper weight to his warnings that those who remain in their sin will be cut off from his mercy? May the love we have for our neighbors be such that our urgency to see them freed from sin’s slavery mimics the Lord’s own urgency. Along with a call for the saints to endure, this section closes with the second of seven beatitudes, or words of blessing, that are found in Revelation. It is a promise of eternal rest (another way of referring to the eternal life of joy in the new creation – the eternal Sabbath) for those who “die in the Lord.” This promise is made to those who have obeyed the Lord and endured in their faith in Jesus. This mention of obedience is not a contradiction to the gospel of justification by faith alone. Rather it Scripture's way of qualifying the sort of faith which justifies, that is, a living faith. And so the angel announces of the saints: “their deeds follow them!”

Part 30: The Lamb and His People

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 13:00:23 -0500

For the better part of the previous two chapters, John’s vision has involved three strange and terrifying figures: the great red dragon (Satan) and two beasts, one that rises from the sea and the other which comes from the land. The coercive power and deceptive tactics of this unholy alliance are leveraged to lead the people of the world into idolatry. It takes only the slightest degree of discernment to see this diabolical work active in the world today.

But these dread visions are answered by what he describes in the opening words of chapter 14. Now instead of Satan and his allies, John looks and sees a Lamb (vs. 1). These words are a much needed reminder that no matter how great the opposition mounted by Satan against the church, the Lamb wins. The ultimate hope we have in the face of all the evil in the world is the Lamb who is enthroned in glory. Not only that, John sees the whole company of God’s redeemed people once again symbolized in a holy army of 144,000.

Here John helps us see beyond the awful schemes of the evil one into that bright day when the victory of the Lamb and his people will be brought to fulfillment. On that day, the Lamb and his people will stand on Mount Zion and sing the new song of redemption resounding like the roar of ocean waves and the mighty clap of thunder.

Part 29: The Prophet of a False Faith

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:00:48 -0500

As we move on through Revelation, the beast from the sea will be referred to as simply “the beast.” The beast from the land will be referred to on three separate occasions as “the false prophet” (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). What John sees is a blasphemous false trinity: the dragon (Satan), the beast, and the false prophet.

The first beast represents the satanic perversion of the civil or political sphere. The second beast represents the perversion of religion as it directs worship to the first beast. As we saw with the first beast, the second beast engages in a wicked parody of Christ. This second beast is likened to a lamb with horns as was Christ himself in 5:6. His description also fits the Lord’s warning against false prophets in Matthew 7:15, “they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” His two horns, rather than the first beast’s ten horns, seem to indicate his subordinate position to the first beast. Again, as so often in Revelation, it seems best to me to take this beast or false prophet as a power at work in the world throughout its history. However, it may also be the case that a particular figure will arise at the end of the age who sums up all the false prophets who have gone before.

The number of this beast, 666, is not meant as a puzzle to be solved. It represents fallen humanity in rebellion against God (vs. 18) and a parody of God’s sealing of his people. The economic penalty of refusing to worship the beast calls to mind the power of the trade guilds in the first few centuries. It was a way of marginalizing and impoverishing Christians as punishment for their rejection of the false faith. All of this calls for wisdom on the part of the church (vs. 18). Wisdom is needed to discern the second beast’s deceitfulness as it tempts God’s people into false worship, adulterating their allegiance to Christ.

Part 28: A Call for Endurance and Faith

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 13:00:46 -0500

One of the weaknesses of the strictly futurist reading of Revelation is that it misses the significance of John’s words for the churches he was writing to in Asia Minor. The futurist reading also fails to catch the significance of Revelation for every generation of Christians. As we have said before, Revelation is not to be read as a key for decoding future events (though John’s vision does include the future return of Jesus and the end of the age). The Book of Revelation is meant for every generation of the church as a warning of judgment, a call to faithful endurance, and a word of hope.

In chapter 12, John’s vision offers a cosmic view of the war between God and Satan. Now, beginning in chapter 13, the vantage point shifts to something more “local.” That is, by drawing heavily on biblical imagery, especially from the Book of Daniel, John describes “the particular experience of those in Asia who have seen an imperial power come from across the sea and work hand in hand with a local power already in the land” (Ian Paul). At the same time, as we’ve seen so often in Revelation, that same imagery reflects the realities of judgment and salvation which impact every generation of Christians. For the churches John was writing to in Asia Minor, the beast he sees in his vision would have been easily compared to Rome whose blasphemies and persecutions would increase in the decades and generations following John’s writing. This passage prompts us to ask where we see Satan’s influence in our own time. What does godly resistance to Satan look like? John concludes with a call to Christians to resist the evil one, endure his cruelty, and stand faithfully for the sake of Christ.

The Great Exchange

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:00:17 -0500

This week we continue in 2 Corinthians 5. Paul, being thoroughly convinced of his future home with Christ (5:5), now seeks to persuade the church even further of the glorious truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ (5:11). Paul will cover substantial theological ground in a few short verses, tapping into the roots of redemption, atonement, imputation, and sanctification. These doctrines, which can seem intimidatingly complex, are nonetheless a God orchestrated, grace filled, joyful reality for the believer. All this is from God, Paul declares (5:18).

In all the Christian life, Paul asserts, it is the love of Christ that controls and compels us to live not unto ourselves (5:14). In Christ, we are likened to new creations, the result of God’s redemptive work to reconcile us to himself (5:17). In turn we are now ambassadors for Christ, carrying forward the ministry of reconciliation, taking the gospel to the world (5:18-21). Christian, marvel at the lavish grace of the great exchange: Jesus takes on your sin; you receive his perfect righteousness (5:21).

Let us allow these truths to affect our affections, not just our minds. Church, may we not receive them in vain (6:1). Behold, now is the favorable time; behold now is the day of salvation (6:2).

Clothed in Eternity

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:00:25 -0500

The next two Sundays we will be preaching through 2 Corinthians 5. Paul begins this chapter picking up where he left off at the end of chapter 4 where he says, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…So we do not lose heart." (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9, 16).

Paul anchors the hope of the Christian in the world to come. This world matters, but this present existence is not our home. The hope we have as Christians transcends our circumstances because we have an imperishable, undefiled inheritance. Paul writes these things to encourage the church. He recognizes that we are weak and vulnerable, which is why he compares us to jars of clay and tents. No matter prosperity or poverty, health or sickness, comfort or sorrow, the church’s hope resides in a king and a kingdom that belong to a world where there is no sin, there is no death, there is no decay, and there is no suffering. Our hope is anchored in eternity.

2 Corinthians 5 is an encouraging chapter, reminding us that no matter the difficulties in this life, we have a future home with resurrected bodies in a world as it should be.

Part 27: Satan Cast Down

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:00:42 -0500

This passage recapitulates the same story depicted in the previous section but this time in greater detail. There is a basic progression at work: Christ triumphed, Satan attacked, God protects his people. This is the way that human history unfolds. The devil and his angels make war against Christ and His angels and His people. It is exactly what happened during the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. But, it is also the same pattern of spiritual war that takes place throughout human history, that period of time recorded from Genesis 3 through Revelation 21. It is the account of a powerful Son (Christ), a protected woman (The Church), and a furious dragon (Satan).

His evil plans to destroy the Son thwarted, the dragon turns his rage upon the woman’s other children “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (vv. 6, 17). As we saw in the first half of chapter 12, the woman is a symbolic representation of the church throughout the ages. God has been faithful to keep the ancient promise of Genesis 3:15 to preserve a righteous seed from whom the Messiah would come. That promise was kept in the birth of the Messiah, the protection of the church, and the ultimate defeat of the dragon. “The woman’s other children share her son’s victory as they testify their trust in Jesus the Lamb” (Dennis Johnson, 186).

Christmas Eve Service 2025

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:00:11 -0500

The Word Became Flesh

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 13:15:02 -0500

The prologue of John’s Gospel is one of the most beautiful statements on the Person and work of the Lord Jesus in the entire Bible. Indeed, there may be no more theologically significant statement in all of Scripture than, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (vs. 14). John takes us into Trinitarian depths just far enough for us to know that we will never fully comprehend the entire mystery of the Godhead. And yet, God has spoken to us in intelligible language that we might comprehend, if only in part, the depths of our inscrutable Maker and Redeemer. There is no mystery so deep as the incarnation. That God, in the Person of the eternal Son, took on flesh and became a man without, in anyway whatsoever, laying aside his deity, is truth upon which our salvation rests entirely. There is no more profound act of God’s self-revelation than the incarnation in which he became one of us. Herman Bavinck, the great 19th century Reformed theologian, wrote that “the incarnation is the central fact in special revelation, that fact that sheds light upon its whole domain.” The Nicene Creed summarizes the biblical witness that Jesus is “begotten of the Father before all worlds: God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things are made.” There has never been a time when the Son was not. So, the Father has never been without the Son. In the Son incarnate, God reveals himself to humankind in a way in which he can be seen and comprehended. The forgiveness of sins depends entirely upon this stunning act of self-humiliation. The Son is “the true light which gives light to everyone” (vs. 9).

Part 26: A Woman, A Child, and A Dragon

Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:00:40 -0500

Revelation 12 forms another kind of theological break in the action. It stands in the very center of the book and helps to explain further the source of all the church’s trouble in this world. Remember the state of the churches addressed in chapters two and three. Some are patiently enduring heavy persecution. Some are preparing for persecution. Other churches are harassed by false teaching while others, because of worldly compromise, are in danger of losing their status as a lampstand.

John then proceeds to depict the raging of the nations (Psalm 2:1) as they spread war and famine and pestilence throughout the world. God’s people are not exempt from experiencing the terror of those disasters. And, added to that, are the ways in which the church continues to struggle with her own sins. But why should it be like this? Why all this sin and sorrow and suffering? Why must the church of Jesus Christ be such a continuous target of the world’s malice?

John’s vision depicts the church as caught up in a great spiritual battle between God and the devil. While the kingdom of the world will eventually fall and give way to the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, we live in that time before the full inauguration of the great eternal kingdom of God. In chapter 12, the vision gains greater specificity as three characters in the cosmic drama are identified: a woman, a child, and a dragon.

Satan, the dragon, has been defeated. But even though the wound he has received is fatal, he fights on. This fatal wound has been dealt to him by the One who came into the world through the holy seed of his redeemed (Genesis 3:15). It is through his beloved people, the holy line of the redeemed, that God brought about the Messiah, the One who came to crush the dragon once and for all.