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RTS and the Current State of Theological Education

Some of you may have seen this important article over at The Gospel Coalition about the decline and relocation of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) by Collin Hansen, who is a graduate of the school. Reformed Theological Seminary has been friends with TEDS for many years. Over the years, a number of our faculty have done their studies there before coming to RTS, and a number of our graduates have gone on to do doctoral work there. We wish TEDS all the best in this new stage of their institutional life. The last twenty years have been tough for accredited graduate theological education…

The Leaven of Hypocrisy

The Lord's Day Morning August 1, 2010 Luke 12:1-3 “The Leaven of Hypocrisy” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 12. We’re going to look at a brief passage this morning, just the first three verses of Luke chapter 12. As you turn there you may want to allow your eyes to roam back over Luke 11. The last three times we were together in Luke we were looking at what started as a very awkward dinner conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee. A Pharisee had welcomed Jesus into his home for a public dinner. At the very outset, apparently, the Pharisee had let it be known that he was somewhat stunned and shocked and dismayed and disappointed that Jesus had not gone through the man-made Pharisees’ rites of ritual hand washing…

The Marks of a Pharisee (and the Remedy)

The Lord's Day Morning July 18, 2010 Luke 11:37-54 “The Marks of a Pharisee (and the Remedy)” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 11 as we come back to this passage that we looked at last week. We said it was a very awkward dinner conversation and we did a brief overview about what Jesus said to the Pharisees there. This morning I want us to look more specifically at the marks of a Pharisee, and not only the marks of a Pharisee, but the fundamental problem of a Pharisee. What is the real problem with a Pharisee? What's the thing that causes all of the symptoms and the evidences and the marks to be there? As we prepare to look at the passage I want you to look at eight particular things in the passage so that…

A Very Awkward Dinner Conversation

The Lord's Day Morning July 11, 2010 Communion Sunday Luke 11:37-54 “A Very Awkward Dinner Conversation” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III As we continue to prepare for worship today, as you will have already noticed, we will be worshipping in word and sacrament as we come to the Lord's Table. The Lord's Table is for all those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who have professed Him and joined themselves to His body, the Church. And we’ll say more of that later as we prepare to come to the Lord's Table, but we should be preparing our hearts even now. Let me invite you to take your hymnals in hand and turn with me to number 76. Our opening song of praise is actually a psalm based in part on Psalm 103. It's number 76, “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven.” And you may…

How Are Your Eyes?

The Lord's Day Morning July 4, 2010 Luke 11:29-36 “How Are Your Eyes?” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III If you’d take your bulletins in hand I want to point out a few things to you about the service today. It is July the fourth. It is the day that we, as citizens of the United States and as Christians, express thanksgiving to God for the freedoms, the very costly freedoms that we enjoy. That's an appropriate thing for us to do as Christians. It's also very important and appropriate for…

Jesus: Ruler of the Ruler of Demons

The Lord's Day Morning June 27, 2010 Luke 11:14-28 “Jesus: Ruler of the Ruler of Demons” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III Sing to the Lord a new song all the earth. Tell of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations and His marvelous works among all the peoples for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. He is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but our God, the Lord, made the heavens and the earth. Splendor and majesty are…

Don’t Stop Praying (and if you have, start again)

The Lord's Day Morning June 20, 2010 Luke 11:5-13 “Don't Stop Praying (and if you have, start again)” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good! His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from trouble and gathered from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Let us worship God! If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Luke 11 as we continue to…

How to Pray (5): Deliver Us

The Lord's Day Morning June 13, 2010 Luke 11:1-4 “How to Pray (5): Deliver Us” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III We’re today, in the sermon, at the end of a five part series on the Lord's Prayer. Around the time of Christ's life on earth, it was very common for Jewish rabbis to be asked by their followers, their disciples, how to pray or to be taught to pray. And we have examples in extra biblical literature of people who did this. In the Bible, we also have the example of John the…

How to Pray (4): Forgive Us

The Lord's Day Morning June 6, 2010 Luke 11:1-4 “How to Pray (4): Forgive Us” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Let us worship God. Thank you, Derek. As we continue to prepare to worship let me invite you to take your hymnals in hand and turn to number 7. Our opening song of praise is, “From All That Dwell below the Skies.” It's an Isaac Watts paraphrase of Psalm 117.…

How to Pray (3): Daily Bread

The Lord's Day Morning May 30, 2010 Luke 11:1-4 “How to Pray (3): Daily Bread” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. Let us worship Him. If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 11 as we continue working our way through the gospel of Luke and as we continue working our way through the Lord's Prayer. We come…