Redeemer Presbyterian Church

A Gospel-Presence in Charleston, SC

‘God’s Choice, God’s Way’ | Sermon Series

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCOn Sunday, May 31 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, we were challenged in the sermon from the current Deuteronomy series to ponder: “How available are you to God?”

As we read through Deuteronomy 16‘s description of the feasts and celebrations the Lord commanded the people to observe, we saw the repeated phrase and theme of “the place the Lord will choose.” The people of God were told over and over–for they were prone to forget and rebel–that they were to sacrifice according to the Lord’s instructions. As we battle to submit our ways to God (just as the nation of Israel), we see that the more rebellious we are, the less available we are to God. Listen to the whole sermon here.

Celebrate vs. Observe | Deuteronomy Series

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCAt Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, this past Sunday, May 24, we were primed for a celebration and day off with Memorial Day weekend as we came to Deuteronomy 16:1-17 this week. Described in this passage, these holy days, or “holidays,” set the rhythm for Israel, since God told his people through Moses to celebrate Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacle. While some versions of Scripture say “celebrate,” others say “observe.”

Is God someone who wants to be merely observed or celebrated?

And, here’s another consideration: What kind of celebration will God accept? As we looked through Habakkuk, Hebrews, and Psalms, we saw several elements of celebration including silence–awe-struck, jaw-dropped astonishment at God–and joy–dancing and clapping because Jesus is the source of our joy.

Listen to the whole sermon here.

‘Lives of abundance’ | Deuteronomy Series

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCAt Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, we started off the month of May by returning to Deuteronomy during our worship service on Sunday mornings. Read the excerpt below from our senior pastor from his entreaty last week that beckoned us back to Deuteronomy.

In this book, God tells His people how they are to live in the Promised Land (the land in which He is about to place them), how they can thrive and prosper there, how they can do more than merely exist and get by, and how they can be a blessing to others around them. All these things are what we as God’s people should seek to do in our lives. We do not seek lives of meagerness, but lives of abundance. With all our hearts we should seek to be a blessing to the land in which God has placed us and our church.

Listen online here to the May 3 sermon and others in this series. 

‘They devoted themselves to prayer’

Guest Pastor Shawn Maze Preaches About PrayerWhat a privilege to hear the Word preached this past Sunday, April 19 about prayer at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC. Guest pastor Rev. Shawn Maze, former pastor of Sanctuary, preached from Joshua 10:6-14 where we see the Lord heed the word of a man. But he cautioned us from being misled to think, If I pray like Joshua and have enough faith, then God will move heaven and earth for me.

Rev. Maze began with the posture of prayer. The early church in Acts devoted themselves to prayer, meaning prayer was a normal way of living and not simply a gesture, which is a move that deviates from the norm.

We often make a gesture of prayer instead of prayer being our posture.

He continued with the right perspective of prayer. It’s like God tells us, you need to pray, so you can see my glory. God’s perspective is so much bigger than ours: He’s orchestrating all events across nations and time to be a blessing to all people and to redeem those he chooses. We don’t need to pray that God would move heaven and earth for us because he’s already done it through Christ’s death on the cross. Listen to the whole sermon here.

‘I want to know Christ’

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCDo we just have a “Facebook friendship” with Jesus? As our senior pastor led us on Sunday through Philippians 3:7-11, we see the Paul writing, “I want to know Christ.” What does Paul–apostle, missionary, prolific writer of the New Testament, and pillar of the faith–mean that he wants to know Christ?

Paul wants to become an expert on Christ. Our conversion is but an introduction to Jesus. We should long for more, hunger for more, and not be satisfied until we know more and more. This past Sunday, April 12 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, we briefly looked at a few of Jesus’ attributes, names, and character traits as we began our exploration:

Advocate: Our defender who speaks for us, whose wounds are continual evidence that we’ve been saved
All in All: Christ is all
Anchor: An anchor for our souls, keeping us from drifting away, bringing us back and holding us in place
Balm of Gilead: As the precious oil from the Balsam tree had healing powers, only Christ can heal us of sin, soothing our sores, and healing our scars.
Bridegroom: Jesus does not pass over us; he changes us and cleanses us for the coming wedding day.
The Same: He will remain; his years never end.
Lion of Judah: Bravery, power, royalty
Lamb: He willingly became the Lamb, our Passover Lamb.

There’s so much exploring left to do, yet we’ve seen enough to understand how the Apostle Paul could write, “I want to know Christ.” Listen to the whole sermon here.

Sunday Notes from Jan. 25

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCOur Christ and Culture class continued this week for adults during the Christian-Ed. hour at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC. Here are the questions and discussion points from Sunday, January 25. Join us this Sunday at 9:15 am for coffee and fellowship, as we continue our discussion.

Rahab's Rope | Fighting Human Trafficking in IndiaDuring our 10:30 am worship service, we heard one of our community groups share how they helped raise funds for a ministry dedicated to fighting human trafficking in India. Read the information from Sunday’s bulletin insert. For more information about Rahab’s Rope, visit their website.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCOur senior pastor continued in our Deuteronomy series. We examined Deuteronomy 12:1-7 this week, moving into God’s law that Moses presents in chapters 12-26. God’s law awed God’s people because it’s awesome and a blessing. As we’ve seen in previous weeks, a choice confronts each of us: to obey or disobey. If we don’t establish the importance of obeying all of God’s laws, then we’ll embrace laws we like and disengage with laws we don’t like.

The foundation of God’s law is important, so we spent some time laying the foundation for the next 15 chapters of God’s law. The Westminster Confession of Faith describes God’s people at this point in their history as “the church under age.” God will use this law to show this church under age their need for Jesus, through giving judicial law, ceremonial law, and moral law. God’s law ordered life–it did not give life. The blessing of life comes through faith–not through the law.

With a strong foundation of the purpose of God’s law, we looked at the extreme part of God’s law–and hardest part of the law to do–that Moses tells God’s people first.

Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains,on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. Deuteronomy 12:2-3

God is powerfully direct: Destroy idols. God tells us, “Life is here in me and with me; death is everywhere else.” Listen to the whole sermon here.

Sermon Notes, Links from Sun., Jan. 4

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCWhat do we expect God to do in 2015? For the last three weeks, our senior pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, has preached from Isaiah 9:6-7. This past Sunday we examined how “of the increase…there will be no end.” Listen to the whole sermon here.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
    and his name will be called
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
    to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Here’s a great expectation for 2015: Like John the Baptist said in response to those asking about Jesus’ growing popularity, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” How will we partner with God so Jesus increases and we decrease? Let’s pray for it–that Jesus increases and we decrease. We should expect that Jesus will increase in our lives.

Our job is to have increase expectations, abundant expectations. –Rev. Craig Bailey

Our senior pastor read from an article titled, “Why Aren’t More Americans Atheists?” Though America–with all our modern and scientific progress–could have become the atheistic capital, it did not because the Kingdom of God will have no end. Throughout 2015 and beyond, we have great expectations for great growth here in Charleston.

Review from Sun., Dec. 14

Advent Season 2014During our worship service on Sunday, December 14, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, continued celebrating Advent, lighting the Shepherd candle–joy at the Savior’s birth. We read Luke’s account of the shepherds’ first hearing of Jesus’ birth.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about his child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:8-11, 17

During the intercessory prayer we focused mainly on The Children’s Home in Bhogpur, India, especially praying for Redeemer’s sponsored kids. The Children’s Home is always in need of more sponsors and other support, so find information here about sponsorships.

Our senior pastor looked at Luke 2:1-7 again this week, especially focusing on Mary & Joseph’s inability to find any room. They may have knocked on many doors within Bethlehem of various cousins or in-laws, but no one would make room for a very pregnant Mary. What blessing would have come to the household willing to open its doors to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

Finally Mary & Joseph ended up at an inn. Inns in those days would have been crowded with the poorest travelers, and no one at the inn took compassion on Mary & Joseph, forcing them to seek shelter in the stable, which would have been a cave attached to the inn for the animals. God in his sovereignty used sinful, selfish people to reject and turn away Mary & Joseph, making his Son’s birth even more humble in our human understanding. As we go through this Christmas season, how much room do we make for Christ? What place does Jesus have in our lives and in our hearts? Listen to the whole sermon here.

Pictures from Sun., Dec. 7

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SC, ChristmasWhat a treat we enjoyed Sunday, December 7 during our worship service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church! Various men from Redeemer sang God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. Perhaps they’ll reprise their song during our annual Christmas party and talent show.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCOne of our Redeemer-supported missionaries, Bethany, visited us this Sunday, and a group of our elders had the privilege of praying for her and her ministry in Africa. Read more about Bethany’s adventures and be encouraged by her work by reading her blog.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCThough most of our newly elected elders were ordained two weeks ago, Kurt Brewer was out of town that Sunday. So our newly elected and ordained elders plus other elders in the congregation gathered around Kurt this Sunday to ordain him into the Session of Redeemer.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SC

Our senior pastor preached from Luke 2:1-7 drawing our attention also to this verse:

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19

We pondered all the details God orchestrated–Roman rulers, feuds, a census, a long journey on foot, a very pregnant Mary–to have his Son born in Bethlehem, the city of David. God made sure we didn’t miss the point of all he had to do to get Mary to Bethlehem. We examined, “Why Bethlehem?” especially since it was such a small, insignificant clan.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2

We see God using and choosing the least, the smallest, and the weakest. In the details of His Son’s birth, everything God did communicates to us, “Come near.” He tore down barriers–having his Son, the King of Kings, born in a dirty, smelly stable next to sweaty, road-weary animals, so we have free and open access to the King of Glory. Let’s celebrate these truths this Christmas season! Listen to this sermon and others here.

Questions from Sunday’s Sermon (Nov. 9)

Deuteronomy Sermon Series, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SCIn our continuing series through Deuteronomy, we saw last week how God uses discipline in the lives of his people, so that our lives will look like the lives of God’s people should look. This past Sunday, November 9 we examined how God’s power will go against people within the community. We read Deuteronomy 11:1-7 and referenced Numbers 16, as we saw Korah and 250 other disgruntled leaders question the authority of Moses and Aaron–God’s appointed leaders–and basically ask, “Who do you think you are?”

Moses replied to these rebels that it was against the Lord that they banded together and came against–not Moses and Aaron. We saw God’s cleansing of the community of God’s people. Our senior pastor concluded his sermon with some questions to ponder:

  • How much do you love the community of God’s people–what we now call the church?
  • How important is the community in your life?
  • What is more important to you: your life as an individual or your life as part of the community of God’s people?
  • What do you do to protect the community?
  • What do you do to promote and strengthen and build up the community?
  • Have you ever been a “virus” in the community and, if so, why?  What did you hope to achieve?
  • What place does the authority God has established in the community play in your life?
  • Do you act as a person outside of or under authority?
  • How willing are you to allow God to speak to you through His Word about the importance of the community?
  • Are you willing to grapple with the interplay that must exist between your life as an individual and the life of the community and to acknowledge that God may grow you through the community in ways you can never grow just doing your own thing with Jesus?

Listen to the full audio of the sermon here.

Our community groups will discuss some of these questions, as they examine Deuteronomy 11:1-7 this week. For more information about our community groups that meet around the Charleston area throughout the week, find all the details here.

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