Bethel Presbyterian, Leesburg VA, Current Sermons

The Epic Struggle

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:00:00 +0000

The struggle that Paul details is a struggle, not before he was a Christian, but after. It is a struggle that every Christian will have until his justified spirit is made perfect with a view to the resurrection of the body. But more significantly, is the struggle is between Paul as he is in himself and Paul as he is in Christ. The perfectionist heresy taught that man in this life could be free from doing any sin if he tried really hard because of the power of Christ in him. John says that such a man is a liar, and the truth is not in him. The lesson with regard to sanctification, though, is this: that those who truly are justified long for sanctification.

Romans 7:7-8:4

Rev. George C. Hammond

Prelude to the Epic Struggle

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:55:00 +0000

A crucial principle, an earthly example, and the spiritual analog.

Romans 7:1-6

Rev. George C. Hammond

Change We Can Believe In

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:53:00 +0000

Change is part and parcel with life. If don’t like your circumstance, just wait – it will change. Unfortunately, the circumstances we like will change too. But God, who does not change, has ordained the circumstances of our life, and in Christ he has meant them for good and not for harm. God is present in the changing circumstances of our lives, and we ought to trust him.

Exodus 2:11 - 3:14

Rev. George C. Hammond

Christmas By The Numbers

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Caesar wanted to number the people for the reason for all census taking – to tax accurately and completely. The One who came to His own, but His own did not receive Him was instead by them numbered with transgressors. But he came to redeem number of people, certain and definite, that cannot be increased or diminished.

Luke 2:1-20

Rev. George C. Hammond

Free Slaves

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Ever since man succumbed to the first temptation, we have been inclined to think that freedom means autonomy. So Paul takes a different approach: he says that we have been set free from sin and now serve a new master. We have been made servants of God.

Romans 6:15-23

Rev. George C. Hammond

The Transfer

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:30:00 +0000

Paul told the Corinthians that Christ has become for us, not only our justification, but also our sanctification (1 Cor 1:30). Perhaps counterintuitively, to live under law is to live as a slave to sin. To live under grace is to live as a son, and a servant of God and righteousness.

Romans 6:8-14

Rev. George C. Hammond

A Thankful Perspective

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:30:00 +0000

Matthew 20:1-16

Rev. George C. Hammond

Free To Be Me

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

In Romans 5, Paul tells us that for the parallels between Adam and Christ, there is one great disparity. Condemned in Adam, we may increase our guilt by our own sin. But we may not increase our justification before God with any acts of righteousness. Christ’s work is complete and finished, and our acceptance with God is assured, and full in him. There is a corollary to this: if we may not increase our justification before God by our righteousness, we may not diminish it either by our sin. When the gospel is grasped it sets us free to be who we really are: Who would you be if what you did couldn’t diminish your acceptance with God? Do you love his Word only in order to get something out of him? Some in Rome were saying, “If this is how it is, then I am free to sin.” Free to be me. What when chooses to do when one is free will show the true state of his heart, and whether he is in Adam or in Christ.

Romans 6:1-7

Rev. George C. Hammond

Like It Or Not

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Theme: All of humanity falls into two categories: in Adam, and under God's wrath and curse for sin; or In Christ, and under God's love and mercy for the righteousness of Christ.

Rev. George C. Hammond

Romans 5:12-21

The Tranquility of Trust

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Hard as it may be to hear what the Scriptures have to say out our natural state before God, and that nothing in us makes us acceptable to God (not even our faith, which only recieves God's gift but adds nothing to it), when and to the degree that we lay hold of the trust that is it all of grace, nothing can shake us.

Romans 5:1-11

Rev. George C. Hammond

The Alone Instrument

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Theme: Grace is not a "new way" of God dealing with people. It is what he's always done. The coming of Christ "revealed" grace in that it gave a ground and basis for it.

Romans 4

Rev. George C. Hammond

Our Righteousness

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:30:42 +0000

Theme: Our righteousness, our standing with God is not by our works or character, but by Christ alone in his life, death, and resurrection.

Romans 3

Rev. George C. Hammond

A Global Pandemic

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Theme: Our sinfulness, inability, need of Christ

Romans 1:18-2:29

Rev. George C. Hammond

Why Write Rome?

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Theme: Our perpetual dependance on God's grace

Romans 1:8-18

Rev. George C. Hammond

The Pauline Magnum Opus

Ed Stoffel — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0000

The book of Romans is Paul's most comprehensive statement of the gospel. All the Reformers saw Romans as the God-given key to understanding all of Scripture, since here Paul brings together all of the Bible's greatest themes. The introduction of this epistle is steeped in God's grace and the person of Christ.

Romans 1:1-7

Rev. George C. Hammond