Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for November 26, 2017

For Who He Is

John 1:14-18

Ultimately, Christmas is not about our gifts to each other or even our gifts to the Lord. It is a celebration of God’s immeasurable gift of His Son to us. This morning we will turn to the prologue of John’s gospel to identify some particular truths about Jesus. These truths are important because they indicate the clear distinction between the Christ revealed in Scripture and the Christ other religions claim to honor. As you anticipate Christmas, let the truths of this text encourage you to see Jesus for who He really is. When you understand who Jesus really is, you value Him above everyone and everything.

I. See Him as the Word

• Before He became flesh, John called Him the Word.
• for communication with the Father
• divine communication to us
• God expressing Himself

II. See Him as the Word existing eternally

• with God
• was God
• second person of the Trinity

III. See Him as the agent of creation

• underscores that He is God
• indicts the world’s guilty blindness
• origin and explanation

IV. See Him as the Life and the Light

• the life you need because you are dead
• the light you need because you are blind

V. See Him as the exclusive Savior and King

• incarnation: word…flesh…dwelt
• “The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation” (Packer)
• glory of the only begotten…
• full of grace and truth
• Jesus Christ: leading out

VI. So What?

• “…we will never face life alone, now that God has made Himself known, Father and Friend, with us to the end, Immanuel.” (S.C. Chapman)
• Repudiate the reduction of Jesus to a product of history since John plainly asserts that history is the product of His sovereign action.
• “In Jesus Christ we discover an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies.” (J. Edwards)
• “Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.” (C. Rosetti)
• “We the sons of men rejoice, the Prince of Peace proclaim, with heaven’s host lift up our voice, and shout Immanuel’s name.” (C. Wesley)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for November 19, 2017

“A Psalm for Thanksgiving 2017” Psalm 147:1-11 Bible Study 11/19/17

As we anticipate Thanksgiving next week, we turn our attention this morning to Psalm 147. It is one of a group of Psalms which conclude the Psalter. These Psalms commonly are referred to as “Hallel” Psalms because all of them begin with a form of the word “Hallelujah” (Praise Yahweh). In terms of content, Psalm 147 is a potent rebuke of self-absorbed, narcissistic, man-centered worship. It includes not only calls to praise but causes for praise. This Psalm does not include any reference to the first person pronoun (I). Instead, it refers to God at least 14 times and the Lord 8 times. Psalm 147 is divided into three distinct sections (1-6, 7-11, and 12-20. This morning our focus will be on the first two sections.

I. Praise for Restoration (1-6)

-call to praise-hallelujah: good, pleasant, fitting
-building and gathering: return from exile/completion of wall (Neh. 12:27)
-healing and binding: immanence of God/hearts
-determines and gives: transcendence of God/stars
-abundant power and infinite understanding
-exaltation and debasement

II. Praise for Provision (7-11)

-call to praise: sing with thanksgiving
-precipitation and provision-even for ravens!
-the Provider’s delight and pleasure
-fearing the Provider and hoping in Him

III. So What?

-This Thanksgiving, let your fear of the Lord and your hope in Him prime the pump of praise in your life.
-The God of the galaxies is the Physician of hearts. “Star Counting and Heart Healing.” (Ainsworth)
-“Don’t you ever wonder why in spite of all that’s wrong here, there’s still so much that goes right and beauty abounds? ‘Cause sometimes when you walk outside the air is full of song here. The thunder rolls and the baby sighs, and the rain comes down. And when you see the spring has come and it warms you like a mother’s kiss, don’t you want to thank someone? Don’t you want to thank someone for this?”
(A. Peterson)
-“It’s easy passing milestones when you’re going home.” (Thomas Champness)
-“Be not afraid of saying too much in the praises of God; all the danger is of saying too little.” (M. Henry)
-“The God who made the firmament, who made the deepest sea, The God who put the stars in place, is the God who cares for me.” (Berg)
-Ultimate restoration and provision: Emmanuel!

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for November 12, 2017

“The Divine Seal of Approval” Leviticus 9:1-24 Bible Study 11/12/17

Our text this morning is a record of how divinely prescribed worship was to be carried out so that it could be blessed by the LORD. Having been redeemed out of Egypt, formed into the people of God, instructed regarding the place and practice of worship and provided with a consecrated priesthood, the people proceeded to obey the LORD’S commands with the result that He manifested His presence among them powerfully.

I. Anticipation (1-6)

-instruction of Moses
-obedience of Aaron and the people
-worship as an act of obedience
-motivation: appearance of the glory of the LORD

II. Approach (7-21)

-Aaron offers sacrifices for himself
-Aaron offers sacrifices for the people
-significance of the sequence of sacrifices
-following the prescribed ritual

III. Access (22-23a)

-intercessory role of the High Priest
-blessing of the people (Num. 6:24-26)
-bless: endowment, gift, enrichment
-grace and peace

IV. Assurance (23b-24)

-dramatic revelation of divine appearance
-glory: manifestation of the splendor of His presence
-offering consumed by fire
-response of the people: shout and fall

V. So What?

-When the glory of the LORD’S presence grips you, you willingly worship according to His prescribed pattern and gratefully experience His blessing.
-“True forgiveness produces holy awe.” (A. Bonar)
-Determine to be overwhelmed by the LORD’S glory and filled with adoration and praise.
-Catch the connection to Christ (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:14-16, 7:23-28)
-“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Num. 6:24-26)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for November 5, 2017

“Holy Approach” Leviticus 1:1-17 Bible Study 11/05/17

This morning we turn from the study of Exodus to the study of the closely connected content of the book of Leviticus. 1:1-6:7 is essentially a manual for sacrifices with implications for all of Israel. The laws of the sacrifices lay the foundation for the New Testament teaching of the atoning work of Christ. They also provide the reader with insight into this weighty question: How does an impure, sinful, mortal creature find access into the presence of God?

I. Review/Context

-golden calf (Ex. 32) and the necessity of reconciliation
-tabernacle: the word revealed and worship through sacrifice
-the LORD called…saying
-Lev. 1: focus on burnt offerings

II. Entrance Allowed

-basis of acceptance of the worshiper
-no one prohibited from approaching
-requirement for sacrificial victim: blameless/without defect

III. Procedure Specified

-blood and body of a substitute
-identification of worshiper with the sacrificial victim
-sacrifice “surrendered” and wrath of God satisfied
-atoning sacrifice

IV. Acceptance Indicated

-sacrifice consumed by fire on altar
-smell/aroma of sacrifice: pleasing to the LORD

V. So What?

-Those who approach God on the basis of atoning sacrifice may experience acceptance with Him forever.
-Note the NT connections: Mt. 20:28; Rom. 3:25; Eph. 5:27: 1Pet. 1:19, 2:22
-“Sacrifice is at the heart of all true worship.” (Ross)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 29, 2017

“Enough Already!” Exodus 35:30-36:7 Bible Study 10/29/17

This morning we conclude our series of lessons from the book of Exodus. Our text concerns the construction of the tabernacle. The LORD gives specific and detailed instructions and the workers use their diverse talents in conforming to the divine specifications for the structure. Additionally, the people, so richly blessed by the Lord, respond with a display of overwhelming generosity. All of these factors lead to the fitting conclusion of Exodus in Exodus 40:34-38, where the glory of the LORD fills the tabernacle.

I. Assessing the Building

-a clear case of post-calf grace
-a dwelling designed by the LORD
-constructed to communicate
-attention to the LORD’S instruction
-“It is possible to believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God—yet neglect it and effectually repudiate it just because we think that it is not great enough for today’s tasks.” (Boice)

II. Embracing the Beauty

-Why not just throw a few boards together?
-empowered artistry: Bezalel and Oholiab
-objective standard of excellence

III. Experiencing the Blessing

-voluntary offering: an “art” form in itself
-Before you render, you receive. (35:1-3)
-time, talent and treasure (35:4-29)
-The people were restrained!

IV. Making the Application

-When you are instructed by God’s principles and inspired by His presence, you pursue lavish participation in His work.
-from the portable to the permanent (1 Pet. 2:5; Eph. 2:21; 1 Cor. 6:19)
-Breathtaking “Beauty” has visited us. (John 1:14)
-Your use of His resources should reflect the depth of His rescue.
-divine artistry to the glory of God!

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 22, 2017

“Don’t Have a Cow!” Exodus 32:1-6 Bible Study 10/22/17

Beginning with Exodus 24:12, we find Moses meeting with the LORD on the mountain in order to receive the tablets of stone which contained the law and the commandments. With Exodus 32, the scene shifts from the mountain to the encamped Israelites in the valley. This shift sets the stage for the account of Israel’s idolatrous rebellion in the making of and worship of a golden calf. In a real sense, the LORD’S covenant people, rather than trusting the LORD, proceeded to “have a cow.” Today, the hideous practice of idolatry remains a threat for God’s people. Our text today offers a solemn warning for us not to “crave” evil things (1 Cor. 10:6-7).

I. Beware of Disobeying the LORD’S Revealed Will

-violation of at least three commandments
-the major issue in Exodus: worship (24:3, 7)
-“God created man in His image and ever since, man has been trying to return the favor.” (Chesterton)
-“The mind is a perpetual idol factory” (Calvin)

II. Beware of Doubting the LORD’S Sufficiency

-impatience with the LORD’S timing
-disrespect for the LORD’S representative (Acts 7:39-40)
-a hostile “takeover”

III. Beware of Distorting the LORD’S Purpose

-the LORD’S reputation (9:16)
-a self-serving mentality
-a demonstration of depravity
-idolatry leading to immorality
-“What we revere, we resemble, either for our ruin or our restoration.” (Beale)

IV. Beware of Discounting the LORD’S Activity

-the misuse of the LORD’S gifts
-a case of spiritual amnesia (Psa. 106:19-22)

V. So What?

-Knowing that God abhors idolatry, repudiate it and replace it with holy intoxication.
-battling infidelity with intoxication (Eph. 5:18)
-“As A. W. Pink has written: ‘Man must have an object, and when he turns from the true God, he at once craves a false one.’ But this statement can also be reversed. The way to reduce our craving for false gods is for our minds and hearts to be intoxicated with the Spirit of the one true God.” (Ryken)
-Don’t have a cow! Rather, have the conquering King of the Ages who comes to you in the person of Jesus Christ.

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 15, 2017

“The Lord’s Dress Code” Exodus 28:31-43 Bible Study 10/15/17

The greatest need of sinful humans is the perfect righteousness of Christ. Long ago, in his detailed description of the priestly wardrobe, the Lord pointed to this essential truth. Far from being an exercise in mere minutiae or a catalog of irrelevant information, the specific instructions regarding priestly garments remind us of the awesome responsibility and privilege of a relationship with the Lord. His wardrobe requirements are not optional but essential. It takes a holy priest to make a holy people.

I. Discern the Details

-the robe
*seamless
* bell and pomegranate

-the headgear
*turban
*diadem
*inscription

-the underclothes
*waist to thigh
*a striking contrast

-the High Priest adorned with holy majesty: magnificent clothes/magnificent ministry

II. Depend on the Right High Priest

-savoring the sense of the sacred
-“Power is God’s hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty.” (Charnock)
-sobering yourself with the stress on the suitable
-refusing to minimize sin
-Zechariah’s vision in Zech. 3:1-5
-“I am convinced that the first step toward attaining a higher standard of holiness is to realize more fully the amazing sinfulness of sin.” (Ryle)
-relying on the accepted priest (Heb. 7:23-28; 12:14)
-reflect on John 19:23

III. So What?

-Because God is holy and you are not, your greatest need is to claim the “wardrobe” of holiness that only He can provide.
-“Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another’s life, another’s death, I stake my whole eternity.” (Bonar)
-“When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found; dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.” (Mote)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 8, 2017

Guest Speaker: Dr. Barry McCarty

“The Ten Commandments” Exodus 20:1-17

Exodus 19:2-6

This is the core of God’s covenant with Israel.

The Ten Commandments are still the core of what morality is.

Jesus, instead of taking from them, actually added to them, raising the bar as it were.

Much of the immorality in America today is because our people don’t know the Ten Commandments.

Deuteronomy 30:10

Three things that the ten Commandments provide:

1. a compass – it always points north.
It’s not a matter of letting everyone decide what is north to them.
2. a bridle – it retrains our evil desires.
We all need boundaries. The Marquis de Sade, for whom the practice of deriving pleasure from cruelty is named, was a philosopher who believed in extreme freedom, without restraint. 93% of Americans say that they decide what is right.
3. a thermometer – a thermometer to check our love of God.
Exodus 19:4-6 — God gave us the commandments because He loves us. We obey the commandments because we love Him. Loving God is not having a warm fuzzy feeling but loving God is keeping His commandments.

John 14:15 & 21

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 1, 2017

“Bread from Heaven” Exodus 16:1-36 Bible Study 10/01/17

After the Lord’s miraculous deliverance of His people (Exodus 14:1-15:21), the narrative of Exodus turns our attention to practical matters related to survival in the wilderness (Exodus 15:22-16:36). The people needed water and food. Despite their grumbling irreverence, the Lord graciously provided both. In every age, He shows Himself to be an all-sufficient provider for His people.

I. The Congregation’s Complaints Convey Its Condition

-from refreshment to reentry
-repeated refrain
-comprehensive involvement
-unrealistic perspective
-misplaced assault

II. The Lord’s Provision Conveys His Commitment

-promise of satisfaction
-prescription of dependence
-proclamation of motivation

III. The Lord’s Provision Culminates in Christ

-purposes of sustenance and sanctification
-preaching Christ from Exodus (Deut. 8:3, Matt. 4:1-4, John 6:28-51)
-from the Exodus to the Cross

IV. So What?

-Knowing that the Lord’s provision is rooted in His steadfast love, view your trials as opportunities to grow in dependence on Him.
-“It takes a heavenly appetite to enjoy a heavenly diet.” (Swindoll)
-Determine to feast continually at the table of grace.
-“Come then, O holy Christ, feed us, we pray; touch with Your pierced hand each common day, making this earthly life full of Your grace, till, in the home of heaven, we find our place.” (Hoyt)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for September 24, 2017

“Divine Intervention” Exodus 14:13-31 Bible Study 09/24/17

Following the last of ten plagues upon Egypt, the book of Exodus records the departure of God’s people from bondage in Egypt. With the Egyptian army behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, the Lord protects His people and provides for their miraculous deliverance. Israel would discover what all people can discover: the advocacy of the Almighty is both incomparable and essential.

I. Review/Setting

-Passover: sign of God’s grace and foreshadowing of Christ
-judgment on Pharaoh/Egypt (12:29-30)
-departure from Egypt (12:31-32)
-pillar of cloud/fire (13:21-22)
-hardening Pharaoh’s heart (14:5-9)
-trapped by the sea (14:10-12)

II. Moses instructs the people courageously (13-14)

-fear not
-stand and see
-the Lord will fight for you

III. The Lord instructs Moses specifically (15-18)

-Forward!
-lift and stretch
-harden…get glory

IV. The Lord protects His people strategically (19-20)

-relocation
-separation

V. The Lord intervenes supernaturally (21-22)

-divided water
-dry ground

VI. The Lord triumphs decisively (23-29)

-chaos and clogged wheels
-shaken into the sea

VII. Authorial Summary (30-31)

-God saved
-Israel saw
-people feared and believed

VIII. So What?

-Because God is inclined to deliver his people and is able to do so entirely at His discretion, revere Him and rely on Him.
-Reflect regularly on the Lord’s deliverance. (15:1-21)
-Recognize a greater deliverance. (Col. 1:9-14)
-“By waters still , o’er troubled sea, still ‘tis His hand that leadeth me.” (J. Gilmore)