Monthly Archives: October 2011

The Reformation: The Truth Will Set You Free

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Uri Brito

Here is my Reformation Sermon at Providence Church.

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Reformation Day: The Authority of God’s Word

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Uri Brito

Love, therefore, demands that you have compassion on the weak, as all the apostles had. Once, when Paul came to Athens, a mighty city, he found in the temple many altars, Acts and he went from one to the other … Continue reading →

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Exhortation: Pardon is Grace

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Uri Brito

On this day, we celebrate the Reformation. More specifically, we celebrate the nailing of Luther’s 95 theses to the Wittenberg Wall. We speak of the 95 theses, but very few people have actually read them. Unless you are aware of … Continue reading →

Posted in Exhortation, Luther/Lutheranism | 1 Comment

Communion Meditation: The Lord of History

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Uri Brito

New Reformations begin with faithful churches where the Word is preached, where proper discipline is administered, and where the sacraments are made available to the baptized faithful. The Church needs to be purified again and again. Paul says that Christ … Continue reading →

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What Does Justification Mean?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Uri Brito

Leithart richly exalts and defines justification: Justification means being made right with God through Christ, through the faithful death of Christ. Justification by faith means that righteousness is given to us, not through the law but through the cross, which … Continue reading →

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If You Continue in My Word…

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Uri Brito

The call of discipleship is a costly call. Discipleship is desperately needed in the Church today. When Luther went to Rome his fellow monks assumed that Luther would find the beauty of Rome to be irresistible. However, Luther became quickly aware … Continue reading →

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Communion: Spirit-Led Faith at the Lord’s Table

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Uri Brito

Sometimes we are tempted not to believe what is actually happening at this table. Sometimes we embrace such rationalism that we fail to believe by faith that Christ is actually present in these means by the Spirit. Like Samson, we … Continue reading →

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Exhortation: God Moves Stuff; Covenant Response

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Uri Brito

God likes to move stuff. Motion is life and beauty and productivity. Stillness is stagnation and corruption and death.[1] We have spoken quite often in our Samson series of his mission. Though we assume we know what a mission is, … Continue reading →

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The Old World Returning…

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

This is how my friend Mark Horne describes the return of child sacrifice in Uganda.

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Samson’s Mission as Our Mission

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

The Nazarite was chosen from the womb to serve his God in a unique and powerful way. He was baptized into the service of God to be a warrior; a priest to the nations. We too are baptized into God’s … Continue reading →

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The Homosexual Debate

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Uri Brito

Travis Waxman describes his wishes concerning the direction of homosexual debate in the mainstream media: Host: You are a Christian pastor, and you say you believe the Bible, which means you are supposed to love all people. Pastor: That’s right. Host: But it … Continue reading →

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Baptismal Exhortation: From Darkness to God’s Splendor/Light

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Uri Brito

“The promise,” Peter says, “is to you, and your children, and to those who are far off.” The promise of baptism is one grounded in the purposes of God in all of creation. In the beginning, God created a world … Continue reading →

Posted in Exhortation, Word/Sacrament | 1 Comment

CREC Name Change

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Uri Brito

Re-elected for another term, presiding minister, Rev. Jack Phelps offers the rationale for the decision to change our name.  

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Exhortation: Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Uri Brito

This past week our denomination changed her name from “Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches” to “Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.” There were many reasons for this change, but fundamentally there was a great desire to reflect more and more the … Continue reading →

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Communion Meditation: A Rich Banquet

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Uri Brito

This table means that help has come; that we are not left to wander alone in agony and grief, but that Christ has provided a rich banquet for his people. The evil of Delilah’s banquet is replaced with the good … Continue reading →

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Exhortation: Creedal Certainty

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Uri Brito

This past week I was in a book store when a man seeing my clerical collar asked me: “Who do you think Jesus is?” Now, as a minister, I pray for questions like these to arise. My response was: “Jesus … Continue reading →

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Communion Meditation: Tasting of His Glory

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Uri Brito

One thing we learn from Samson’s narrative is that playing with sin is no game at all. At the Lord’s Table, God’s people come with repentant hearts. Those who come to this table have realized that sin is not to … Continue reading →

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