Sermon by William Burrows

What could possibly keep us from accepting an invitation to a feast prepared by God himself? In Jesus’ Parable of the Great Banquet, the invitation is gracious, the feast is ready, and yet those who were invited begin to make excuses. Everything has been prepared, yet they refuse to come.

On today’s episode, we will consider the generosity of God’s invitation in the gospel—and the danger of treating it as though it can always be postponed. Christ calls sinners to come, to receive and rest on him alone as he offered to them in the gospel—to be satisfied in him. But the day will come when the invitation is no longer extended. The question we must answer is, will we continue to make excuses? Or will we come while the door is still open?

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

The phrase “according to their kind” (or “according to its kind”) is repeated ten times in Genesis 1. Have you ever wondered why? The answer points us toward the remarkable order and variety God built into his creation. God establishes boundaries between kinds while also providing tremendous potential for variety within them.

Pastor John DeVries examines how this “kindness” in creation helps us understand the world around us and points beyond creation to its Creator. The incredible variety of living things displays God’s glory, giving us reason for awe and leaving humanity without excuse. And as Genesis moves toward mankind, we will see that one particular creature stands apart from all the rest: humanity, uniquely created in the image of God.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

Have you ever wondered why God created everything in six days? He certainly didn't need six days to accomplish his creative work. The structure of Genesis 1 is intentional, establishing the seven-day week and leading all of creation toward the seventh day of rest. That pattern gives us an important clue for understanding what God is doing in this text.

In this episode, Pastor John DeVries examines the significance of the seven-day week and the way its pattern points beyond creation itself. The work of God is complete, whole, and perfect, and the divine rest all of creation is moving toward ultimately finds its fulfillment in Christ. Right from the start, the opening chapters of Genesis are already pointing us toward the gospel: God’s creation and re-creation lead his people to perfect rest in Jesus Christ.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

What does Genesis have to do with the gospel? As we open the first book of the Bible, we begin a journey through Scripture with the gospel as our guiding context. The God who created the heavens and the earth is the God whose redemptive purposes in Christ stand at the center of his revelation right from the start.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” tells us who God is, who owns creation, and why the world has meaning and purpose. Pastor John DeVries explores how this foundational truth establishes the trajectory for everything that follows in Scripture—and ultimately leads us to Christ.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

Have you ever considered how thanksgiving can be an act of courage? David’s praise in Psalm 138 is not quiet or private. It is wholehearted and public, offered in the presence of the powerful and influential, and even offered in the midst of trouble.

David’s gratitude is not vague or generic. He praises the LORD by name, according to his Word, and testifies to the goodness of God he has personally experienced. That kind of thanksgiving can challenge the proud and the powerful, yet it also holds out the possibility that even hostile hearts might be changed. For God’s people, courageous thanksgiving means trusting the Lord’s purposes even when faithful praise comes at a cost.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

We spend much of our lives building something—houses, careers, families, and legacies. But how do we build in a way that brings delight rather than regret? Psalm 127 offers a wisdom for both our work and our homes.

Solomon calls us to a life of dependence upon God, dedication to our labor, and delight in the results. Hard work is not opposed to dependence; rather, faithful labor is itself an act of trust when it is shaped by God's Word and done for his glory. Whether building a house or raising a family, the goal is not simply successful results, but the peace that comes from knowing we have faithfully built according to the Lord's wisdom.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

Augustine said the rest of Scripture speaks to us, but the Psalms speak for us. But what happens when the Psalms put words in our mouths that we would rather avoid? Psalm 94 is pointed, passionate, personal, prophetic, pastoral, and even political, confronting us with the reality of God's vengeance, the certainty of his judgment, and the accountability of those who wield authority.

Yet this difficult Psalm is ultimately a Psalm of refuge. As God's people face the hard realities of life in a fallen world, the Lord disciplines, consoles, and sustains his people. His justice is certain, his promises are sure, and he remains a refuge for those who trust in him.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.

Sermon by Pastor John DeVries

What does it mean to find our home in God? Psalm 84 uses the beautiful imagery of dwelling places, courts, and even birds making their nests to describe the blessedness of taking refuge in the Lord.

The Psalmist longs for the place where God dwells, where even those passing through the valley of weeping find strength and a pathway back to him. There, the repentant are welcomed through the favor of God's Anointed One, and no good thing is withheld from those who walk uprightly. Truly, there is nowhere like the dwelling place of God—a place of rest, safety, joy, and lasting hope.

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Vineland Road is a resource ministry of the Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, Michigan. For more Reformed preaching and other confessionally Reformed resources, visit crcstjoseph.com.