What is the “kingdom of heaven”? What characterizes its citizens in the age before it comes in its fullness? How do its citizens enlist other ones? Matthew 5:1-16 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Matt_5_1_16.mp3Rev. Adam Kaloostian

To side with baby Jesus was to side with God, to reject Him was to reject God. No matter, as Jesus was divinely protected in order to this time obediently re-live the history of the nation of Israel and its prominent leaders and bring glory to the universe. Hosea 11 Matthew 2:13-23Rev. Adam Kaloostian

“King” Herod and the unbelieving Jewish rulers show us how and why people reject Christ. The mysterious eastern magi are surprisingly brought to Jesus as examples of His grace to us Gentiles, and of lives devoted to Him. Matthew 2: 1-12Rev. Adam Kaloostian

On the glorious occasion of the baptism of two children in our church, we considered the basic law-and-gospel meaning of baptism. Acts 2:36-39Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Jesus’ conception and birth was magnificent, unusual, miraculous, and extraordinary. It’s no wonder, since His birth is a destiny-of-the-universe-altering event. Isaiah 7:1-16; 8:1-10; 9:2, 6-7 Matthew 1:16-24Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Jesus’ temptation ordeal in the wilderness was His triumphant re-living of both Eve and Adam’s Garden of Eden failure, and the Israelites’ wilderness wandering failure. Jesus’ obedience here was His one summary act of obedience (Romans 5:18) by which He reversed the curse and earned righteousness for His elect. Matthew 4:1-11…

Matthew uses the sacred Old Testament genealogical list to introduce the monumental event of Jesus, the Great and Universal King, being born into the world. [please note: I meant to say “squelch our enthusiasm” instead of “quench our enthusiasm” right near the beginning of the sermon]. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 Matthew 1:1-17 http://media.urclearning.org/au…

This closing bookend of Book 1 of the Psalms connects clearly to Psalms 1 and 2. We must align ourselves with Jesus in His weakness, because the Lord restores, sustains, and blesses both Jesus and all who are found in Him. Psalm 41 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_PS_41.mp3Rev. Adam Kaloostian

The Canaanites were wrong about who was behind the extraordinary autumn storms coming off the Mediterranean Sea. The God of Israel commands the waters under Him and they work fierce destruction, showing His power, holiness, and judgement. Yet by His same commanding voice He surprisingly speaks grace and peace to His people. http://media.urclearning…

This song warns us against harboring the kind of human pride and its poisonous fruit that result in the Lord’s sometimes delayed, but always severe, judgement. The song also encourages us when we fall victim to the hostility of the godless world. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P10.mp3Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Psalm 28 It’s the times when we face our most severe trials that we are tempted to lose confidence in the Lord’s ability or willingness to establish us in a confident, peaceful place. In those times, the Lord gives us this Psalm so that we reflect on His faithfulness to His people, including us, across time. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P…

Because Jesus sang this song before us and for us, God Himself by His Spirit puts this song in our hearts and on our lips. We sing it and the Lord answers us by giving us joy and peace in the midst of our suffering. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_P4.mp3Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Psalms 1 and 2 are together the introduction to the Psalter. Right away we get music that takes us from creation to redemption, from Adam to Christ, from our struggle under the common curse to the promises of the new heavens and the new earth someday. http://media.urclearning.org/audio/P1.mp3Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Paul’s defense before Felix is highlighted by his assertion that his conscience is clear, a remarkable stement given that Paul expects to come out of the grave and be judged by his God someday. Acts 24Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Paul sounds like His Lord as he resolutely sets out for Jerusalem, expecting death. But he lives on for a while, a symbol of the power of Christ’s resurrection that will be unleashed in Paul’s body and our bodies on the Great Day. Acts 21:3-19Rev. Adam Kaloostian

Pastors and elders, consider the magnitude of the grace of God at work in Paul’s life, and be inspired to imitate him in your ministry of the Word and rule. And all Christians, be inspired to support the pastors and elders who imitate Paul and to not tolerate pastors and elders who don’t. Acts 20:13-38…

Leaving Ephesus, Paul continues his remarkable apostolic journey, eventually coming to Troas to display Christ’s great resurrection power. Acts 20:1-11Rev. Adam Kaloostian

As the apostle-missionaries enjoy success but face persecution in the form of blasphemy, personal attacks, and jealousy of religious and political leaders, their humility and resolve inspires us to be undaunted in our own ministry. We can be confident because we belong to Jesus and because all whom He appoints to eternal life will also believe. Act…

Another Herod becomes another obstacle to the existence and success of the church. This Herod is shamed by God exercising His power to execute him after miraculously releasing Peter from prison.Rev. Adam Kaloostian

The Lord changed Saul’s life. The Lord changed Saul’s message. And through those radical changes, the Lord has also changed us. Acts 9:19-31Rev. Adam Kaloostian

The many strange details in this story point to the strange and wonderful truth that people of every unexpected nation and stripe have been brought near to the Christ of Whom the ancient Jewish prophets spoke. Isaiah 53 Acts 8:25-39Rev. Adam Kaloostian

The power of Christ breaks through into Samaria in a way that even Simon, the arrogant money-grubbing illusionist, must recognize. Be encouraged that the grace and power of Christ are at work in your life, and be warned against false teachers and against your own love of money. Acts 8:4-25Rev. Adam Kaloostian

The great persecution breaking out against the church in Jerusalem is the occasion for us to be inspired by Stephen and instructed about the power of Christ at work through the preaching of His Word. Acts 7:57 – 8:8Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Suffering_and_Glory.mp3(44:04) The persecution against the early church again intensifies as Stephen, one of the recently appointed deacons, becomes the center of the controversy. His martrydom becomes a clear example of of our own humiliation and coming exaltation. Sermon text: Acts 6-7…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-How_to_Have_Unspeakable_Consolation.mp3(37:21) Far from an abstract, irrelevant philosophical concept, the Bible’s teaching about the extent of God’s control is not only true but the only sure basis for any comfort in this trying life. Knowing and embracing God’s providence is the privilege and responsibil…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-They_Kept_Right_On_Preaching_Christ.mp3(46:36) The apostles are arrested again, and this time they come close to receiving the death penalty. But Christ stamps out this attack on the advancement of His glorious gospel through an unlikely man. Sermon text: Acts 5:14-42…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Creation.mp3(35:07) Our magnificent God and Father created everything out of nothing as an arena to display His glorious majesty. Indeed, the King established and occupied His throne, the heavens and the earth. Sermon Text: Genesis 1:1-2 Belgic Confession Article 12…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Great_Fear_Seized_the_Church.mp3(34:11) The Lord strikes Ananias and Sapphira dead in a terrifying, immediate act of church discipline carried out by the Lord of Glory. This is the same God we worship today, though often times we (dangerously) don’t treat Him like it. Sermon Text: Acts 4:32 – 5:14…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Confidence_Courage_Boldness.mp3(32:42) There’s no good reason for the political-religious temple establishment to oppose the gracious power of Christ at work through the apostles. But they do, so there’s no reason why the church should expand, given the strength of its opponents. But it does, so we must co…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Jesus_True_Eternal_God.mp3(27:40) As the author to the Hebrews explains, a priest who is holy and eternal is required to truly fulfill his office. If Jesus is indeed the great High Priest, then He must be holy and eternal. If He is holy and eternal, then He must be true God. Sermon text: Belgic Confession,…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Walking_Jumping.mp3(36:21) We see ourselves as the miserable, pathetic crippled beggar and as the rebellious, covenant-breaking, apostate generation of Israelites. We see the Lord as the One who gives us the opposite of what we deserve, giving us peace and future glorification. Sermon text: Acts 3:1-26…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Portrait_Two.mp3(32:43) The last two aspects of Luke’s prescriptive portrait of the early church regard the regular celebration of the Lord’s Supper and participation in “the prayers”. Sermon text: Acts 2:42-47Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/amk_Belgic_8_9_Trinity.mp3(36:12) The Scripture is clear about this magnificent and in some senses incomprehensible doctrine. To reject the teaching of the Trinity is to reject God Himself. Sermon text: Belgic Confession, Articles 8-9Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-The_Sufficiency_Of_Scripture.mp3(37:49) Please note: The last five minutes of the sermon were mistakenly deleted from this sermon. Challenges against the completeness of God’s Word arise in many different forms. A series of these challenges, including the rise of the Apocryphal books, and the unwarranted b…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK-Portrait_of_the_Church.mp3(42:08) Luke breaks up his reporting of the dramatic, redemptive-historical events of the early part of Acts with this the first in a series of prescriptive portraits of the early church’s activity. Sermon text: Acts 2:40-47Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_The_Written_Word.mp3 The foundation of our beloved confession is that the Scripture is the very Word of God written. In fact, the foundation laid in article three is the basis for all of what the confession says about the Word in the following articles. Belgic Confession Article 3 2 Timothy 3:14-17…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Going_Forward.mp3 This sermon is part one of the 2007 “Commission-Driven Reformed Church” series preached at the Ontario United Reformed Church. We must believe and live out these six ideas in order to be faithful to our evangelistic calling. Acts 11:19-26Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Pentecost.mp3 Christ now pours out His Spirit, reversing the Babel disaster and empowering His church to be His instrument to recreate the fallen human race. Acts 2:1-21Rev. Adam Kaloostian

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Why_So_Unpleasant.mp3 Doesn’t Luke know better than to start the triumphant tale of the early church’s expansion with the disheartening story of a suicidal reprobate? Apparently he knows this unpleasant story is exactly what we need to hear right at the beginning of Acts. Acts 1:12-26…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_God_Reveals_Himself.mp3 The true God reveals Himself in two ways: indirectly through the world He has made, and directly through His Word. Knowledge of God is not arbitrary but bound by His own revelation, and therefore treating His Word properly is of the utmost importance. Belgic Confession Article 2 Psa…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_God.mp3 We do not believe in any given god, but only in the true God as He has revealed Himself in His Word. His glory is in one sense beyond description, so we are left with Him coming down to our level to tell us the truth about Himself; and even at that, we can only know Him insofar as our finite minds …

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_The_Time_in_between.mp3 Jesus exercises His power and authority as He extends the multinational New Covenant church in Luke’s second volume, Acts. Christ’s instructions to the disciples prepare them and us for doing church and living life between the first coming of our Lord and the second. Acts 1:1-11…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Belgic_1a.mp3 The beginning of our series on this preeminent expression of the Bible’s basic teachings considers the meaning and implications of its first line: “We all believe with the heart and confess with the mouth. Belgic Confession Article 1 Colossians 1:9-12 and 2:1-3…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Joy_Amazement_Future.mp3 The conclusion to Luke’s first volume leaves us with Christ’s disciples amazed at what has happened. Christ has secured the glorification for them by His life, death, and resurrection. We now anticipate Christ’s continued work in history through the disciples and us as we turn to v…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Jesus_Is_Alive.mp3 The angels asked the women coming to Jesus’ grave, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”, in other words, “Why do you think and act like Jesus is dead, when He is alive?” We ask the church today the same question. (Please note: the first half-minute of the sermon is cut off th…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Guilt_and_Shame.mp3 Guilt and shame can eat people alive, and many attempts to deal with this problem just make things worse. In this story, the mercy of Christ in His atoning death extends to a man who acknowledges the root of his guilt and shame. Luke 23:26-54…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Rogue_Kings_True_King.mp3 Pilate, Herod, and the Sanhedrin unite to convict the true King of crimes He didn’t commit. This true King allows Himself to be identified with the criminal released in His place in a grand display of His amazing grace. Luke 23:1-25…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_The_Athanasian_Creed.mp3 Believe it or not, people might confess the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed and still deny the truth about who Jesus is. The Athanasian Creed answers recurring, cancerous heresies pertaining to the glorious God-man, our Lord Jesus Christ.. Matthew 28:16-20…

http://www.start.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_How_Do_You_Relate_to_the_Cross.mp3 The various people and groups of people in Luke 22 all relate differently to Jesus as His death on the cross unmistakably nears. Where do you fit into the story? Luke 22Rev. Adam Kaloostian

https://media.urclearning.org/audio/AMK_Two_Apocalyptic_Events.mp3 Jesus warns the disciples about the pending destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. He also teaches them to expect a delay between that event and His final return to judge the living and dead and usher in the glorification of the universe. Luke 21:5-38…