“The 5th Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother” (Part 1)
“The 5th Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother” (Part 1) Deuteronomy 5:16 January 24, 2010 Pastor Marcus J. Serven Covenant Family Church (RPCGA) In the first table of the Law (Commandments 1-4) we learned about we should relate to our holy God. Now as we come to the second table of the Law (Commandments 5-10) we learn about how we should relate to one another. Specifically, how would the Lord have us treat our parents, and our superiors? The answer is clearly stated in the Bible (cf. Exod. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Eph. 6:1-3). However, there are many other significant Bible passages as...
Read MoreKeep the Sabbath Day Holy
“Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy” Isaiah 58:13-14 January 10, 2010 Pastor Marcus J. Serven Covenant Family Church (RPCGA) How do you and your family observe the Sabbath day week by week? The answer to this question throughout the history of Christ’s Church has generally evoked two opposite extremes—license and legalism. License, or doing whatever you wish, leads to an apathetic attitude regarding the 4th Commandment. Legalism, or the observing of special rules and regulations to justify yourself, leads to a rigorous and austere attitude regarding the Sabbath day. The middle point between these...
Read MoreThe 3rd Commandment: Honor God’s Name
Deuteronomy 5:11 December 27, 2009 Pastor Marcus J. Serven Covenant Family Church (RPCGA) Bible Text: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Deuteronomy 5:11 Introduction: Many Christians are exposed to blasphemous remarks directed against our Lord on a daily basis. Whether it may be at work with the cursing of a co-worker, at a family celebration with an uncouth relative, or in your own home with a movie or book containing some profanity, people wrongly pepper their language with expletives taking the...
Read MoreThe Promise of a Messiah
Isaiah 9:1-7 December 20, 2009 Pastor Marcus J. Serven Covenant Family Church (RPCGA) Think about it—how many times have you not fulfilled a promise that you have made? Perhaps, you could even make a compelling excuse for not fulfilling a particular promise; (i.e.) the circumstances changed; things didn’t turn out like you first expected; you didn’t intend to fail in keeping the promise, etc. But, be honest now, if you were on the receiving end of an unfulfilled promise, wouldn’t you be upset? Sure you would! However, when the promise is fulfilled, there is great joy! The LORD made...
Read MoreThe 2nd Commandment: Make No Idols
Deuteronomy 5:8-10 December 13, 2009 Pastor Marcus J. Serven Covenant Family Church It is not too difficult to think of the differing types of idols that have been built by religious people throughout the history of the world. We have seen pictures in various books, or perhaps we have even seen these idols in person. The Bible teaches that idolatry is a stumbling block for all human beings. Calvin emphatically stated “that man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” (Institutes 1:11:8) Our very hearts, which by sin are opposed to God, seek to direct our...
Read More