http://www.trinityopcnovato.org Serving Novato, Marin County, California and the World Wide Web. This site provides information about the Christian ministry of Trinity Presbyterian Church, OPC. This site also broadcasts the latest sermons and Sunday schools from Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Novato, CA. Our sermons seek to exposit Scripture, preaching Christ and the cross, and understanding the impact and demand of the Word on our lives. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:45:42 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Copyright © by W. Reid Hankins and Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2011 info@trinityopcnovato.org (Rev. W. Reid Hankins) info@trinityopcnovato.org (Rev. W. Reid Hankins) Religion & Spirituality:Christianity 1440 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/tpc-vertical144.jpg http://www.trinityopcnovato.org 144 144 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/?feed=podcast Sermons and Sunday Schools Serving Novato, Marin County, California and the World Wide Web. This feed broadcasts the latest sermons and Sunday schools from Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Novato, CA. Our sermons seek to exposit Scripture, preaching Christ and the cross, and understanding the impact and demand of the Word on our lives. Church, Novato, Marin, Hankins, Sermon, Christian, OPC, San Rafael Rev. W. Reid Hankins Rev. W. Reid Hankins info@trinityopcnovato.org no no http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2011/08/28/chief-shepherd-appears/ http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2011/08/28/chief-shepherd-appears/#comments Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:13:21 +0000 Pastor Reid Hankins http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/?p=1458 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2011/08/28/chief-shepherd-appears/feed/ 0 0:39:26 Sermon preached on 1 Peter 5:1-7 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 8/28/2011 in Novato, CA. Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. 1 Peter 5:1-7 8/28/11 “When the Chief Shepherd Appears” In[...] Sermon preached on 1 Peter 5:1-7 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 8/28/2011 in Novato, CA. Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. 1 Peter 5:1-7 8/28/11 “When the Chief Shepherd Appears” In a postmodern culture, one of the things most disliked is authority. Some of you might recall the popular bumper sticker that said, “Question Authority.” This is a mentality that continues in our culture today. Many different types of authorities have been questioned in this postmodern culture. And yet though life has many authority structures in it, one of those structures that often seems most questioned is the authority in the church. Now to be fair, there is often good reason why authority has been questioned in the past. In our country’s history, if authority wasn’t questioned, we’d not have the Declaration of Independence and the democratic republic that we hold so dear. In our church’s history, if authority wasn’t questioned, you wouldn’t have had the Protestant Reformation, something we continue to celebrate. There are times that we must question authority. We should always exercise discernment, and not assume that just because someone has a title that they are exercising their office appropriately. And yet, we do have to guard against a reactionary response. Discernment is not the same as distrust. We should look to guard against the classical abuses of authority. But we have to also guard against a response that would get rid of something very important in the Scriptures. We need to remember, that God has established various authority structures, including those in the church. God is not an anarchist. Given our postmodern culture’s distaste for authority this is something we need to particularly emphasize when we get to it in Scripture. And we should see that the Scriptures not only speak to those under authority. They also constrain those who are in authority as well. That’s what this passage shows us. It exhorts the elders in the church. And it exhorts those who are under the elder’s authority. And what we’ll see today, this is a part of how God lovingly cares for his people. Ultimately, this points us to Jesus Christ, our Chief Shepherd, who is constantly caring for his sheep. Well, let’s begin by examining what Peter has to say to the elders in the church. The elders are those entrusted in the church with the normal rule and shepherding of the church. Some elders have the specialized tasks of ministering the word and sacrament, and we call them pastors. And yet all elders will pastor in some sense, in the sense of shepherding the people. That’s what we see Peter calling the elders to here. Verse 1 Peter addresses the elders of the church. He even identifies with them. He says that he’s a fellow elder. He goes on to say that he shares in common with them the glory that will be revealed. And yet Peter also especially draws out his unique position – as someone who is a witness of the suffering of Christ. To these elders he commands them in verse 2, “Shepherd the flock of God.” Some of you might recall that at our elder visitations, we’ve been reading over Acts 20 where Paul calls the Ephesian elders to pay careful attention to the flock of God. That’s the same idea as what we have here in 1 Peter. Elders are called to shepherd. They are to tend and care for the flock. They are to feed the sheep with the Word of God and guard them from the spiritual wolves and thieves that are out there. They have been called to spiritual oversight. Peter calls them to that right here. This is the elder’s responsibility. It’s not an optional thing. It’s not something that an elder might do if they have enough time. If they have been ordained as an elder, they are to shepherd those who are among them, acco[...] Rev. W. Reid Hankins no no http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/06/28/i-alone-am-not-able-to-bear-you/ http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/06/28/i-alone-am-not-able-to-bear-you/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:36:56 +0000 Pastor Reid Hankins http://www.novatoopcsermons.org/?p=407 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/06/28/i-alone-am-not-able-to-bear-you/feed/ 0 0:40:47 As a Presbyterian church we obviously have a Presbyterian form of church government, namely, rule by elders at various levels.  Often we think about that being formed exclusively in the New Testament.  However, passages like this remind us that even[...] As a Presbyterian church we obviously have a Presbyterian form of church government, namely, rule by elders at various levels.  Often we think about that being formed exclusively in the New Testament.  However, passages like this remind us that even in the Old Testament, God’s people had elders of the people ruling and judging the people.  As we look at this passage, we’ll see God’s ongoing concern for justice under both the old and new covenants, and how that concern comes to a climax in Jesus Christ. Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 1:9-18 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 06/28/2009 in Novato, CA. Manuscript: I Alone Am Not Able To Bear You Deuteronomy Rev. W. Reid Hankins no no http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/02/08/those-who-rule-over-you/ http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/02/08/those-who-rule-over-you/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:36:17 +0000 Pastor Reid Hankins http://www.novatoopcsermons.org/?p=270 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2009/02/08/those-who-rule-over-you/feed/ 0 0:34:34 At this morning service we had the joy to ordain and install a new ruling elder and receive a new member in our church.  This passage deals with both eldership and membership, even while proclaiming a wonderful truth: Christ is the same yesterday, t[...] At this morning service we had the joy to ordain and install a new ruling elder and receive a new member in our church.  This passage deals with both eldership and membership, even while proclaiming a wonderful truth: Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Listen in to this sermon as we consider the Christians’ relationship to the leaders Christ gives his church, and to learn about the role of elders to live and preach Christ. Passage: Hebrews 13:7-17 Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 02/08/2009 in Novato, CA. Manuscript: Those Who Rule Over You Hebrews Rev. W. Reid Hankins no no