The Ten Commandments: A Message of Deliverance

An exhortation to the congregation of Holy Trinity, delivered by Pastor Brian Phillips on April 29, 2018.

“And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me’” (Exodus 20:1-3).

When God delivered the Hebrews from the land of Egypt, He brought them out with signs and wonders, with plagues that were designed to defeat the gods of Egypt (as we’ve seen in past sermons). Each of the ten plagues corresponded to an Egyptian god as do each of the Ten Commandments. And, once the Hebrews were delivered from Egypt and were journeying to the Promised Land, God delivered His law to them – the Ten Commandments.

God was establishing Israel as a people – removing them from the gods and laws of Egypt and establishing them under His Law.

Notice the opening words – “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” Two important details to notice: first, God’s Law is rooted in His mercy. We are to look at His commandments through the lens of His deliverance. God gives us His commands because He loves us and has delivered His people from bondage. Obeying God’s commandments brings freedom, not bondage.

Second, God’s commandments are a reflection of who He is. Notice the contrast – verse 2 begins “I…” and each of the commandments are directed to “You” – the people of God. Because He is the Lord our God who delivers us, we live by His commandments, which continue to guard us from the bondage of sin. Let us confess our sins...   

Spring Forward!

Make sure to "spring forward" this weekend! Move your clocks ahead one hour before bed on Saturday night. Or, if you are an absolute stickler for the rules, or simply hate feeling rested, you can wake up at 2:00 a.m. and set your clocks ahead then!

We'll lose some sleep, but gain some daylight! 

5 Books for the Reformation 500

by Pastor Brian Phillips

October 31st, known as All Hallows Eve or Halloween, is the eve of All Saints’ Day. The name “Halloween” derives its name is from the full title of All Hallows Eve. October 31st is also referred to as Reformation Day, in commemoration of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, the event often held to be the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. This event is a helpful historical marker, but the Reformation began much earlier, with men like John Wycliffe and Jan Huss, and others. 

The Reformation was intended to be just that, a reformation; not a revolution. Luther and the other reformers had no intention of leaving the Catholic Church, but eventually did so, some departing on their own, others driven out. But, when we commemorate the Reformation, we do not desire to commemorate the division of the Church but rather the message of grace, and the return of the Bible to the hands of the ministry and laity of the Church.

As we near the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, here are some suggested reads for the occasion: 

1)    The Reformation by Diarmaid McCulloch

A highly-acclaimed and expansive look at the Reformation, written by Diarmaid McCulloch, who is widely considered the foremost authority on the history of the Reformation. At just shy of 900 pages, it is as thorough as it gets. Perhaps the most valuable contribution of this book is that it presents the Reformation, not as one movement, but as many movements that took place in different places, with different cultures, personalities, and emphases. Very needful in a time when “Reformed” is often reduced to “five points.”

2)    The Unquenchable Flame by Michael Reeves

Incredibly thorough given its brevity (a little over 200 pages), Reeves provides an overview of the major people, events, and ideas of the Reformation, along with arguments for why the Reformation still matters today.

3)    The Reformation 500 Years Later: 12 Things You Need to Know by Benjamin Wiker

Written by a Roman Catholic thinker, it may seem odd to include it on this list. However, Dr. Wiker provides a balanced assessment of the Reformation, the good, bad, and the ugly. Wiker is honest about the flaws of the Roman Catholic Church before the Reformation, and the flaws of the Reformers and their descendants. Worth the read, even if you leave with some disagreements.

4)    The End of Protestantism by Peter Leithart

An honest assessment of some of the Reformation’s unintended consequences, written by a Reformed pastor and theologian. Dr. Leithart wrestles with the rampant division that rose from the Reformation, and the chaotic denominationalism that dominates the American church. He makes a case for growing unity between all the streams of Christianity. This is an ambitious work that leaves us struggling with all the right questions.

5)    Heralds of the Reformation by Richard Hannula

Richard Hannula, author of Trial & Triumph, tells the stories of thirty figures of the Reformation throughout Europe. Beginning with the forerunners of the Reformation, like Wycliffe and Huss, and proceeding geographically, Hannula includes household names like Luther, Calvin, and Knox, along with relatively unknown players.

Vespers & Bible Study for October 2017

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” 
- St. Francis of Assisi

On Wednesday, October 4th, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History," with a study of St. Francis of Assisi.  

In a time of ecclesiastical corruption and apathy among the laity (not historically uncommon), Francis stood out in radical obedience to Christ. He preached a message of repentance, established an order of friars, nuns, and even laymen who followed his Rule and way of life. Francis was said to live out the Sermon on the Mount more than any other man, save the Man who preached it.  

Join us as we explore the life, work, and wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Vespers & Bible Study - September 2017

“Almighty God, give me wisdom to perceive You, intelligence to understand You, diligence to seek You, patience to wait for You, eyes to behold You, a heart to meditate upon You and life to proclaim You, through the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.” 

- St. Benedict of Nursia

On Wednesday, September 6th, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History," with a study of St. Benedict of Nursia.  

In a time of cultural upheaval and turmoil, Benedict established faithful monasteries in Italy and beyond, founding an order that remains one of the world's most active and influential. Benedict was a model of personal devotion, and provides a challenging example of how Christians may serve the world and one another.   

Join us as we explore the life, work, and wisdom of St. Benedict!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Drunk Drivers & King Saul: Cautionary Tales

A selection from the sermon by Pastor Brian Phillips (on July 2nd, 2017)

It was upon a beautiful, sunlit morning that I kissed my wife and kids, got in my trusty Honda Civic, and set out down the country roads of Stanly County, heading to my office – later than I had intended. Some five minutes from the office, traffic slowed to adjust to the city speed limits, going from 55 mph to 35 mph.

Yet, the very large, red Ford work van behind me didn’t get the memo and proceeded to plow into the back of me, skidding me off the road into the gravel, and sending my bumper and various car parts scattering along Highway 73. The van hit me so hard that it took him a good hundred yards or so to stop, back up, and return to the scene.

The firemen and paramedics got there first, and all told me to stay still in my car until they could get me on the ambulance for a physical. While I was on the ambulance, the police arrived and the patrolman walked to the ambulance to talk with me first. At that very moment, when the policeman stepped to the ambulance, that the driver of the red van turned battering ram, made a break for it. He drove away from the scene, with his front end busted, bumper half off and occasionally scraping the road.

I will not repeat the stunned policeman’s words from the pulpit, but he was not happy. He called for back up, jumped in his cruiser, and peeled away, with promises to return.

While on the ambulance, I commented to the paramedics that, had it not been 10-o’clock in the morning, I would have thought the man who hit me was drunk! He had been driving erratically all the way down the road. The paramedics looked at one another with knowing glances and one replied, “Oh, it doesn’t matter what time it is.”

Well, they were right. The policeman returned, still quite frustrated, to report that they caught the man and that he was three sheets to the wind, as they say, and that he and his dog decided to go on a drunken joy ride that ended at my back bumper. That would be one of the early ones in a series of bad decisions that included drinking too much in the first place, using a smashed up van as a getaway car, and choosing a getaway route that put you directly in front of the Sheriff’s department.             

Bad decisions have a way of spiraling – one leads to another. You tell a lie, then have to tell another lie to cover for that one, and on and on. You sin in some way, and you think you get away with it, so it becomes easier to do it again. Over the course of 1st Samuel (which we were in before the Feasts of Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost), King Saul makes one bad decision after another. And he commits one more sin after another to cover it up.  

Saul's life is a cautionary tale on many levels. From his seemingly endless plunge into greater wickedness, let us learn to keep short accounts with God, praying that God would subdue our sins and deliver us from evil.

"Of Course I Forgive You"

From the exhortation by Pastor Brian Phillips on Sunday, June 11th

1st John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There are some promises in Scripture that become so familiar, some verses that become so comfortable, that we forget just how truly astounding they are. If we “confess” our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us? To us, that sometimes seems too easy. Isn’t there something else we must do?

Yet, there it is. A promise.

My children have taught me just how true this is. I can’t speak for your house, but in our house, we have sinners living there. So, rarely does a day go by when one of us does not have to ask forgiveness for something we have done. I am impatient, or inattentive, or short, or I raise my voice – and I have to ask my children or my wife to forgive me.

Mind you, my children have been raised up hearing this verse – 1st John 1:9 – recited to them nearly every time they get “reminders” for some wrong they have done. And those same children, when wronged by me, and I ask their forgiveness, reply, “Of course I forgive you.” Without fail.

Their forgiveness to me is so sure, so faithful, that it has taught me greater trust in God’s forgiveness. If my own children can offer forgiveness so freely, how much more does God forgive me when I confess my sins to Him? Still further, if my children can forgive me so quickly and freely, and if a perfectly holy God can forgive my sins so faithfully, how could I dare withhold forgiveness from those wrong me?

Let us be like little children, who are wise enough to trust and live out the promises of God. Let us forgive and seek forgiveness as they do.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord…  

Helping Little Ears

By Pastor Brian Phillips

What is the most important part of a worship service? Is there one aspect of the liturgy that stands out from the rest?

Not too many years ago, I believe I would have said, "The sermon." As a pastor, that answer would surprise almost no one. After all, I spend more time preparing that aspect of the liturgy than any other part. Writing a sermon takes far more time than delivering it - even on my most "long-winded" Sunday mornings. And delivering a sermon takes far more time than any other aspect of the liturgy - even on my most "short-winded" Sunday mornings. 

But, that is not my answer today, and has not been for quite a while. So, what is the "high point" of the liturgy? That is hard to say because the liturgy is a conversation between God and His people. He speaks, and we respond. So, claiming one part of the liturgy misses that the liturgy is a conversation, and thus it cannot be so neatly divided. Rather, it comes as a whole, with each movement connected to the previous and the next. 

Thus, the sermon is not the "high point" of the liturgy, but it is one of the many tools God has given to equip and teach His people. It is also a time of intense work - study, preparation, and delivery by the pastor; focus and attentiveness by the congregation.

This can be particularly challenging for little ones, who are a great number in our congregation! It is also one of the few aspects of the liturgy that changes each week. Children so quickly memorize responses, prayers, confessions, and creeds, but the sermon cannot be memorized. It is new each week.

So, to help these little ears in their great task, I venture to offer a word or phrase to listen for in each week's sermon. These will be sent out to the congregation in the Midweek Update and posted in our church Facebook page. Make sure to look for them, then pass them along to your children, asking them what they learned about that word or phrase in the sermon.

Vespers & Bible Study for May

On Wednesday, May 3rd, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History", with a study of Charlemagne - King of the Franks and eventual Holy Roman Emperor.  

Charlemagne was known as a fierce warrior, and a powerful man, but he was also devoted to education, committed to protecting the Church, and concerned for the poor and needy of his kingdom 

Join us as we explore the life, work, and lingering questions of Charlemagne!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Vespers & Bible Study for April

On Wednesday, April 5th, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History", with a study of Pope Gregory I, also known as Gregory the Great.  

Gregory turned away from a life of comfort and wealth for the monastery, eventually being appointed as Pope against his will! He was a skilled theologian, hymn writer, and preacher, and was greatly concerned for the training of pastors and missionaries. And, he did it all in the midst of one of Rome's most trying times. 

Join us as we explore the life and work of Gregory the Great!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

New Literature Guide by Pastor Phillips!

From the Canon Press website:

Worldview Guide for Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
by Dr. Brian Phillips

"The Worldview Guides from the Canon Classics Literature Series provide an aesthetic and thematic Christian perspective on the most definitive and daunting works of Western Literature. Each Worldview Guide presents the big picture (both the good and the bad) without neglecting the details. Each Worldview Guide is a friendly literary coach -- and a treasure map, and a compass, and a key -- to help teachers, parents, and students appreciate, critique, and begin to master the classics. 

The bite-size WGs are divided into these ten sections (with some variation due to genre): Introduction, The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Argument, Worldview Analysis, Quotables, 21 Significant Questions & Answers, and Further Discussion & Review. A free classics test and answer key are also available online."

The Love of St. Valentine

by Brian Phillips

St. Valentine was a priest in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II.  According to tradition, Valentine, having been imprisoned and beaten, was beheaded on February 14, about 269 A.D., along the Flaminian Way.  Now, that’s nowhere near a “romantic” tale, but his martyrdom was connected with an enduring and biblical kind of love.

Valentine undercut an edict of Emperor Claudius.  Wanting to more easily recruit soldiers for his army, Claudius had tried to weaken family ties by forbidding marriage.  Valentine, ignoring the order, secretly married young couples.  When these activities were uncovered, it led to his arrest.

Furthermore, while in prison, Valentine continued to express his concern and love for his congregation.  Being deprived of books, it is said that he would pluck leaves from the tree branches that grew near the window of his cell, and would write notes to the church, primarily encouraging them to obey the two great commandments – to love the Lord and love one another.  His last note arrived on the morning of his death and ended with the words “Your Valentine.”

In 496, February 14th was named as a holiday in his honor.  By this time Christianity had long been legalized in the empire, and many pagan celebrations were being replaced with Christianized celebrations.  One of them was a Roman festival named Lupercalia, which was a pagan celebration of love. This holiday, some claim, was replaced by St. Valentine’s Day with its more innocent customs of sending notes and gifts and other expressions of affection.  Perhaps that is true.

While many skeptically say that Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a greeting card conspiracy, it serves to remind us that love is more than mere sentimentalism or overflowing emotions. It is a commitment that pledges my life for yours.  And that is something to celebrate.

Vespers & Bible Study for February

On Wednesday, February 1st, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History", with a study of St. Augustine and his mother, Monica.  

St. Augustine's conversion story is particularly inspiring because of the heroic role his devout mother played.  Following his conversion, Augustine would become an influential bishop and defender of the faith, as well as the author of two of Western literature's most significant works. 

Join us as we explore the life and work of St. Augustine, as well as the powerful influence of his godly, praying mother, Monica!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Dependent Creatures

From Pastor Phillips's exhortation on Sunday, January 29th

In Psalm 51:12, David prays, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” This is a significant part of David’s prayer of repentance because here he acknowledges his need to be restored and upheld by God. Like our first parents, we are tempted to believe that we can be self-sufficient, or independent.

But, we are created to need others. A baby is born needing his parents and others to care for him – food, diapers, sleep, protection, teaching, nurture, affection, etc. And, no matter what we tell ourselves later on, we can never be truly independent and self-sufficient without doing great damage to our souls. We need other people.

Of course, more than that, we were created to know God. We are created in His image, made for His glory, destined for eternity somewhere. We are given souls that will never die. And when we live instead for our selves and our sins, our souls feel it.

It is God’s loving and severe mercy that brings us again to a place of dependence, a place where we recognize our need to be restored and upheld. We are dependent on Him, and that is not shameful. It is as it should be. We are made in God’s image - to know Him, to love Him, to dwell in union with Him through Christ.

Let us, then, confess our sins to the Lord…   

Defending Ourselves or Pleading Guilty?

From the exhortation given by Pastor Brian Phillips on Sunday, January 8th, 2017.

Psalm 51:1 says, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”

David’s great psalm of repentance, written after his sin with Bathsheba, is characterized by brutal honesty. In no way does David try to sugarcoat his guilt, or excuse his sin. Rather, he begins directly and openly – “Have mercy on me, O God…”

This is an important matter for us to remember because, too often, we can be tempted to come to God as our own defense attorney, rather than as people confessing that we are guilty. And, we must learn to practice this kind of spiritual honesty, not just with “big sins” (as we may like to categorize them), but with every sin. After all, most of our lives are affected, not by the major things but by the little things we struggle with day after day.

Paul Tripp wrote, “The character of a life isn’t set in ten big moments. The character of a life is set in ten thousand little moments of everyday life. It’s the themes of struggles that emerge from those little moments that reveal what’s really going on in our hearts.”

Let us, then, honestly confess our sins to the Lord…   

Vespers & Bible Study for January

On Wednesday, January 4th, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History," with a study of St. Wenceslaus - most commonly known for the song, "Good King Wenceslaus." 

Sadly, the story of Wenceslaus is generally unknown, and even the details behind the familiar Christmas carol bearing his name are unfamiliar to most.  But his story is inspiring, challenging, and closely connected to Epiphany (which is celebrated this week - January 6th).  Join us as we remember our brother, "Good King Wenceslaus."      

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Conference Audio Now Available!

We're very excited to bring you these five talks from our LIFELONG Conference, delivered on September 2016, in Concord, NC.

AVAILABLE HERE Only $15!
 

Speakers and Titles:

• Karen Kern - A Habit Is the Way We Wear Our Days
• Brian Phillips - Well-Read: The Importance of Imaginative Reading
• Andrew Kern - What is Learning & Why Does It Matter
• Matt Bianco - Overcoming the Tyranny of the Blank Page
• Andrew Kern - The Courage to Think: Speaking & Listening as a Family

Learning does not keep office hours. It does not begin with a bell, or cease with the end of a class period. Rather, learning is a lifelong journey that includes math lessons and dinner conversation, Latin verbs and nature walks. Join us as we consider what it means to cultivate lifelong learning in our homes.

Vespers & Bible Study for December

On Wednesday, December 7th, we will continue the series, "Saints & Sinners: Stories from Church History", with a study of St. Athanasius - one of the Church's most brilliant and influential theologians.  

St. Athanansius made particularly important contributions to our understanding of the Incarnation, and his work On the Incarnation remains the standard work on the beautiful mystery of the doctrine.  

Join us as we explore the life and work of St. Athanasius, a fitting study as we prepare for Christmas!

Where: Holy Trinity Reformed Church (3747 Trinity Church Road, Concord, NC)
When: 6:00 pm (dinner) & 6:45 pm (Vespers & Bible Study)

Hanging of the Green

On Saturday, November 26th at 10:00 a.m., we will gather for the Hanging of the Greens - decorating the church for the coming Advent and Christmas seasons, including the Advent wreath and the church Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree is deeply rooted in Christian tradition, going back at least to the story of St. Boniface, an 8th century missionary to modern-day Germany, a region controlled by Norsemen who brought their religion with them.  They worshiped many gods, Thor being the chief of them and they consecrated a gigantic oak tree in Thor’s honor at the top of Mt. Gudenberg. They would gather around the tree for feasts, idol worship, and animal sacrifices.

St. Boniface, in the company of these pagans, chopped down the tree. Angry at first, the response of the Norsemen turned to repentance – if Thor could not defend his own holy place, what good was he?

Boniface then used that tree as an object lesson to tell them of a tree that actually does save, not because the tree was magic, but because on that tree, Jesus Christ died for the sins of men. That tree, Boniface said, is an evergreen, an eternal tree.  Many Norsemen were converted to Christ and it was there that they began the practice of decorating evergreen trees (even in their homes) in celebration of the Savior's birth.  Increasingly, the tree became a focal point in the home and gifts were laid under it, not in honor of the tree, but in honor of the Savior who died on the tree. It is His birth that we celebrate during Advent and it was for our sins that He died on the tree, the cross.

When: Saturday, November 26th at 10:00 a.m.

How Christians Tell Time