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/2010/09/19/it-shall-be-righteousness-to-you/ http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2010/09/19/it-shall-be-righteousness-to-you/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:38:43 +0000 Pastor Reid Hankins http://www.novatoopcsermons.org/?p=864 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2010/09/19/it-shall-be-righteousness-to-you/feed/ 0 0:38:06 Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 24:6-22 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 9/19/2010 in Novato, CA. Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. Deuteronomy 24:6-22 9/19/10 ”It Shall Be Righteousness to You” [...] Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 24:6-22 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 9/19/2010 in Novato, CA. Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. Deuteronomy 24:6-22 9/19/10 ”It Shall Be Righteousness to You” Today we read another passage with a series of miscellaneous laws of the old covenant. However, as we read through them, we see that with many of these laws there is a consistent theme. Most of these are civil laws that call for compassion toward the poor and needy in society. Something that strikes me right away is how these provisions are actually laws in the old covenant. I think we tend to think about compassion and charity, in one sense, as going above and beyond the duty. We might think that for us to help the poor is something commendable, but not necessarily a requirement. Well, in some strict sense of fairness, we can understandably tend to think that way. And yet what we find here is that God is calling Israel to a higher standard. God’s not just suggesting that they treat the poor with compassion and charity. He’s commanding it. He’s legislating it. Notice verse 13. After talking about one of these provisions for the poor, it says that it, “Shall be righteousness to you before the LORD,” if you do this. It would of course be unrighteous for them not to do this. We can understand why it would be righteousness to not afflict the poor and needy. We know that it’s wrong to take advantage of someone in need. But the sort of righteousness God is calling the people to in this passage goes beyond that. It’s a call for compassion that treats these people in a special way; not in a way that negatively discriminates, but in a way that gives special gracious treatment to these people in need. Surely all of this is a call for us as God’s people to reflect God. To show forth God’s righteousness; righteousness that extends itself in compassion and mercy to those in need. Notice how verse 13 says that if we do this, then the poor and needy may end up blessing you. That’s the right spirit. The poor and needy shouldn’t receive this treatment in a spirit of entitlement. Rather, they should recognize God’s compassion working through the people. You see, if we show compassion in obedience to God, it means that ultimately God will be honored and glorified. So, today we’ll think about how this passage calls us to reflect God’s compassion in our lives, and see how that brings glory to God. So let’s look then at the provisions in this passage for the poor and needy. Looking at this passage, we can divide up these provisions into three general categories. You have provisions here concerning the taking of pledges in a loan. You have provisions here concerning the payment of wages. And you have provisions concerning the practice of gleaning. We’ll address these one at a time. Let’s consider the taking of pledges first. Back then when you took a loan from somebody, the common practice was to give a pledge of some item in return for the loan. The pledge was some item of value that you would want back when you repaid the loan. It was a form of collateral. It was a measure of security for the lender. If you didn’t repay the loan, they would then keep your pledge. That’s the typical way they did loans back then; they were basically somewhat secured loans, secured on the pledge. This is somewhat like going to a pawn shop today. You go to a pawn shop to get a loan of money, and you give them some item as collateral. You have so many days to repay the loan with interest. If you don’t repay it in time, then they keep your item and sell it at the pawn shop. Same general idea as what they did back then. Of course, the people who often take loans are the people who are down and out. The poor and needy. These old covenant civil laws mandated compassionate treatment of the poor and needy who were receiving a loan. Several principles concerning the taking of pledg[...] Deuteronomy Rev. W. Reid Hankins no no http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2008/12/14/all-that-she-had/ http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2008/12/14/all-that-she-had/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:57:00 +0000 Pastor Reid Hankins http://www.novatoopcsermons.org/?p=210 http://www.trinityopcnovato.org/2008/12/14/all-that-she-had/feed/ 0 0:34:06 People like to judge ourselves and others all the time.  Usually it comes from a self-centered desire to exalt ourselves over man.  We want others to praise us.  And yet it is God alone who deserves all praise, and it is Jesus alone who is the judge[...] People like to judge ourselves and others all the time.  Usually it comes from a self-centered desire to exalt ourselves over man.  We want others to praise us.  And yet it is God alone who deserves all praise, and it is Jesus alone who is the judge of all. As we look at this passage we’ll see Jesus address these common human tendencies as we compare the scribes with this poor widow who gave everything she had. Passage: Mark 12:38-44 Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div. Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 12/14/2008 in Novato, CA. Click here for the manuscript. Mark Rev. W. Reid Hankins no no