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Psalm 145 is a beloved psalm. The psalm title, part of the inspired text of Scripture, simply reads, “A Song of Praise. Of David.” Most believe that the psalms that include the phrase “of David” are psalms written by the great king of Israel. But this title does not give us any information of the time or circumstances in which David wrote this psalm. Perhaps that ambiguity allows the psalm to be an overarching theme for one’s life, no matter what circumstances he may find himself in. God is worthy of praise at all times. Verses 1 and 2 start with Hebrew poetic parallelism. David starts, “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.” The words “extol,” “bless,” and “praise” are all synonyms. These opening statements are both expressions of worship and statements of commitment. Expressions of worship seek to magnify the greatness of God. Statements of commitment reveal a heart centered on God-glorifying activity. When David commits himself to praise God’s name “forever and ever,” he honors God by dedicating himself to this ongoing activity. In poetic manner, verse 3 gives a straightforward reason for David’s commitment to praise God. He says, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” As a means to add emphasis, David uses the word “great” as an adjective, an adverb, and a noun. The superlative highlights that God is above all; there is no one in all of creation that compares with God. Since God is above all, he should be praised above all. ... Keep Reading

At Oak Hills we will return to our sermon series on Genesis this Sunday for the final eight chapters. Over our two and a half years in this series, we have seen many different themes highlighted: God’s sovereignty and rule in creation, the nature of mankind and marriage, sin and judgment, and covenant and grace. As the name indicates, Genesis really does lay out the “beginnings” or foundations for our life with God. From chapter 12 through the end, Genesis focuses on one family line: Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and his twelve sons. This does not mean that God is ignoring the rest of the families of earth. This does not mean that God has a plan for only this one family line. This family line was God’s chosen people to bring the snake crusher into the world. The promise of Genesis 3:15 is for all people. But the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent and so rescue humanity from the tyranny of the devil would be a descendent of a specific family. And that is the family of Abraham. God tells Abraham so much in Genesis 12:2-3, “I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” That last line links the story of Genesis to every single one of us. In Abraham’s family line, all the families of the earth, including yours and mine, shall be blessed. The apostle Paul makes this explicit in Galatians 3:8-9, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” Paul says that the gospel was preached in Abraham in Genesis 12:3. The blessing that comes to all of us is that we can be justified by faith in Christ. Jesus is the descendent of Abraham who crushes the head of the serpent and brings the hope of redemption to the whole world. ... Keep Reading

At our Getting Acquainted with Oak Hills luncheon, we typically share a brief history of our church. This reminds us of God’s faithfulness to our church over the years. It also emphasizes that this is God’s church, not any one person’s church. Finally, a history of the church also helps us discern where God is leading us in our next chapter. Today I would like to share the history of Oak Hills, with a view to what’s next. In the mid 90s, West Hills Presbyterian Church was a fast-growing congregation under the leadership of Jimmy Dodd. They had a desire to plant more churches in the Kansas City metro in order to proclaim the astonishing grace of God in Christ throughout the area. Even before West Hills had a building, they called Scott Sauls to plant a new church. Starting in 1998, Scott met with a core group of people interested in the new church. Their target area was Lees Summit. On November 1, 1998, a group of 25 people signed the original charter, requesting the Heartland Presbytery to form Oak Hills Community Church as a mission church of the PCA. In January 1999, Oak Hills held her first Sunday worship service. After holding services for one year in Lees Summit, they decided to move back to Johnson County, because the majority of the people coming to Oak Hills were from Kansas. The church grew under the preaching of Scott Sauls, as he emphasized the free and amazing nature of God’s grace. Many found the church as Scott’s sermons were broadcasted locally on the Bott Radio Network. ... Keep Reading

Note: This article originally appeared in the Touchpoint on August 20, 2015. A new school year. A new season. A new chapter. We all like new beginnings, don’t we? They give us fresh opportunities to “reinvent” ourselves, turn a new leaf, and embrace new experiences. This longing for newness is evidence that things in this life and world are not as they should be. Only the power of the gospel brings the newness that “satisfies.” Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This newness, though, is not practically worked out in our lives all at once. How should we seek the newness promised in Christ? Jonathan Edwards, a puritan pastor in the early 18th century, longed for the newness of the gospel to be worked out in his life. He understood clearly that it was only by God’s grace that he would be “renewed in the whole man after the image of God.” He also embraced his responsibility to strive for that growth in newness, as enabled by God. When Edwards was only 17 years old, he began to write resolutions that centered his attention on striving for this growth, eventually writing 70 resolutions by age 20. He prefaced his resolutions by stating, “Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.” Personal responsibility working alongside the grace of God. Consider some of Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions (read all of them here): ... Keep Reading

Mission and vision are common words in leadership discussions, whether it be a business or a church. Some don’t like using the words in the church context because they are so common in business. The concepts, however, are biblical. A vision is what God has called us to be. A mission is what God has called us to do. Therefore Titus 2:14 is a vision statement, “A people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Ephesians 4:1 is a mission statement, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” We can find such vision and mission statements all over the Bible. Any statement about the blessing we receive as a result of the redeeming work of Christ is a vision statement. In Christ we are the children of God, the bride of Christ, a city on a hill, a new community, holy and blameless, and a people zealous for good works. Through the gospel, God calls us to be transformed. And any statement of duty or command can be heard as a mission statement. We are to love God and neighbor, make disciples, walk worthy, set our minds on things above, put to death what is earthly in us, and love in deed and truth. As a result of the gospel, and through the empowerment of the gospel, God calls us to do his will. You might wonder, then, if vision and mission statements can be found throughout Scripture, why would a church have specific vision and mission statements? At Oak Hills, our vision statement comes from Isaiah 61:3, “That they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” We flesh out the implications of figure “oaks of righteousness” by speaking about being rooted in the gospel, growing in community, and blessed to be a blessing. And we print our mission statement on the front of the bulletin every week, “Longing to know and make known the astonishing grace of God.” So, why settle on specific vision and mission statements, when there are many in Scripture? ... Keep Reading

This summer the men are invited to study the book of Nehemiah with one of four groups that will meet twice per month. Nehemiah, however, has valuable truths for the whole church family. I will use this avenue to share some of my findings from studying Nehemiah. In Titus 2:11-14 the apostle Paul reminds his young mentee about the goodness of Jesus Christ. He starts by saying that Jesus has brought “salvation for all people” (v. 11) and ends with “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (v. 14). Jesus does not merely save us from sin, as awesome as that is, he also saves us for good works. Salvation is a complete transformation. This last phrase, “zealous for good works,” is a good descriptor of Nehemiah. Certainly, he did not know Christ as revealed in the New Testament. But he knew God as a faithful and gracious covenant-keeping God, promising to redeem his people from their sin. And Nehemiah lived by faith, turning to God in prayer at every step. The book of Nehemiah closes by drawing attention to his zeal for good works, which ultimately is a zeal for the glory of God. We are going to skim through chapters 11 and 12 today. When the wall surrounding Jerusalem was finished, we learn “The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt” (7:4). This issue is finally addressed in chapter 11, after the worship and covenant renewal service recorded in chapters 8-10. 11:1 states, “The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.” The rest of the chapter records the names of the family heads who moved into Jerusalem, just over 3,000 families. ... Keep Reading

This summer the men are invited to study the book of Nehemiah with one of four groups that will meet twice per month. Nehemiah, however, has valuable truths for the whole church family. I will use this avenue to share some of my findings from studying Nehemiah. Nehemiah continues to take a backseat in the story for a couple more chapters. As I pointed out last week, his ultimate goal was to provide the means for the people of God to glorify and enjoy God. The wall project, the protection from enemies, the distribution of food, and his governing all aimed to enable the people to worship God in peace. Chapter 8 records the beginning of that worship with the reading of Scripture. Chapters 9 and 10 record the response of the people as they hear the word of God proclaimed in their midst. They confess sin and devote themselves to obedience. Nehemiah was thrilled to see such renewal of covenant faithfulness. After the reading of God’s word and the joyful celebration and feasting in chapter 8, chapter 9 opens with the people gathering again “with fasting and in sackcloth and with earth on their heads” (9:1). Even though the people were told to not mourn or weep (8:9), there still is a place for grieving sin, repentance, and humility. 9:6-37 is a long corporate confession of sin. Let me touch on some of the highlights. ... Keep Reading

This summer the men are invited to study the book of Nehemiah with one of four groups that will meet twice per month. Nehemiah, however, has valuable truths for the whole church family. I will use this avenue to share some of my findings from studying Nehemiah. Why does Nehemiah risk so much for the wall construction project in Jerusalem? He was the cupbearer for arguably the most powerful man in the world. He lived in luxury and comfort. He had wealth and resources. And yet, when he heard of the dire state of Jerusalem, he left that life behind in order to travel 1,000 miles to a land he had never seen. He used his own resources to support the people and the project. He endured threats against his life and position. What was it all for? We have already had a glimpse into the heart of Nehemiah when we considered his prayer in chapter 1. He is driven by a passion for the glory of God and the hope of mankind. This passion is fleshed out in a practical way in chapter 8, after the wall is complete. 6:15 stated, “The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.” Chapter 7 records a genealogy of those who returned at the first. So chapter 8 is the first recorded action of the people after the wall is complete. What do they do? They gather to hear the Word of God. We read in 8:1, “And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord has commanded Israel.” This gathering was not possible until the wall was complete. The people were scattered outside of Jerusalem in nearby villages. It would not have been safe to gather in the open without the protection of the wall. The wall project provided the means for the people of God to glorify and enjoy God. This was the ultimate goal of Nehemiah. Let’s consider some of the details of this gathering. ... Keep Reading

This summer the men are invited to study the book of Nehemiah with one of four groups that will meet twice per month. Nehemiah, however, has valuable truths for the whole church family. I will use this avenue to share some of my findings from studying Nehemiah. If you have ever read through the book of Nehemiah, you may have skimmed or even skipped over chapter 7. Verses 5-73 contain a “genealogy of those who came up at the first” (v. 5). This long list of names and numbers of people is almost identical as what is recorded in Ezra 2. As with most genealogies in the Bible, we are tempted to gloss over these repetitive accounts with names we cannot pronounce. But this is God’s word; there must be value for recording this (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16). What makes the genealogy in Nehemiah 7 even more intriguing are the words Nehemiah records in verse 5. He says, “Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy.” We can observe a few details from this statement. ... Keep Reading

This summer the men are invited to study the book of Nehemiah with one of four groups that will meet twice per month. Nehemiah, however, has valuable truths for the whole church family. I will use this avenue to share some of my findings from studying Nehemiah. The side quests continue in Nehemiah 6. In chapter 5 we saw Nehemiah “distracted” by a great outcry for food in the city. He addressed that need head on, knowing that God is glorified when his people care for such physical needs of others. But the work on the wall continued. Chapter 6 contains a different distraction. This was a personal attack on Nehemiah. He responds very differently to this issue. Let’s consider what happens. Nehemiah’s enemies are at it again. 6:1 names three: Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab. These three men held oppressive power over the Jews and Jerusalem. Their position was threatened by Nehemiah’s efforts. They jeered (2:19); they mocked (4:2-3); and they plotted violence (4:8). In chapter 6 they invite Nehemiah to meet with them. On face value, this may seem like a conciliation to Nehemiah and his leadership. But Nehemiah sees right through the offer. He records in 6:2, “But they intended to do me harm.” And he replies to their request, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (v. 3). There is a principle here for us to consider. In chapter 5, Nehemiah would have had to step away from the work on the wall to address the food shortage issue. And yet, in chapter 6 he says he cannot leave that work when faced with a personal threat. How does Nehemiah choose what to address and what to pass over? I know I would not let personal threats and provocations idly pass me by. We learn about priorities from Nehemiah. We have seen already that Nehemiah is motivated by a passion for God’s glory. This is why he cares about the state of Jerusalem. This is why he cares for the poor and oppressed. This is why he is generous with the governor’s stipend. Nehemiah makes choices with his time based upon what honors God. This is the command of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We must evaluate our priorities and organize our time around God-honoring priorities. Sanballat and his associates are persistent. They request Nehemiah to meet with them four times. Then on a five occasion, they sent an open letter, which contained slanderous accusations against Nehemiah (v. 5-7). And they hired a man to try to lure Nehemiah away from the work in fear for his life (v. 10-13). How does Nehemiah respond? He prays. He entrusts himself and the justice due to his enemies into God’s hands. In verse 9, it is the simple statement: “But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah’s ability to stay focused on God-honoring priorities was not from his own strength. He humbly relied upon the Lord. His habits of prayer demonstrated a dependence on the strength of the Lord. The second prayer comes in verse 14, “Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.” Nehemiah used this word “remember” in a prayer for himself in chapter 5. He prayed, “Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people” (v. 19). It has a similar meaning in both instances. With this word, Nehemiah seeks and submits to God’s justice, whether for blessing or for judgment (ESV Study Bible note on 6:14). Nehemiah does not seek to resolve the matters with his enemies on his own. He entrusts the situation to the Lord. This reveals a heart that has been quieted and satisfied by the Lord. ... Keep Reading