The August 28th, 2022 evening service of the United Reformed Church of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Dr. Jack Whytock preaching. Hymn singing from the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Scripture reading from the ESV English Standard Version.

Start of service…

The Apostles‘ Creed…

Scripture Reading…

Catechism Lord’s Day 51 Q126…

Prayer before the Sermon… “Grant us edification, direction, and clarification”.

The Sermon… The Basis of our forgiveness; the Evidence of being forgiven; the Issue of the heart.

Forgiveness —

1. Forgiveness is all of God’s free sovereign grace. Not a work, a purchase, an attitude.
2. It is not a merit in ourselves. Psalm 51. Our sins are against God and we cannot make satisfaction for them. Christ must bear our sins. It is by his merit, not ours; we must place our faith in him.
3. Synonyms – pardon, remit, send away, bury, wash away, clean over…
4. A distinction between this and water baptism.
5. The child of God can know this forgiveness.

Evidence of Forgiveness —

1. Forgiving others is the great mark of being forgiven. We are weak, frail, sinful – need to be pitiful towards others who are as we once were.
2. Paco the Spanish son story...

The Issue of The Heart —

1. Ephesians 4, etc. Put on kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness. There’s a lot of garbage in our hearts that must be dealt with. One is converted, receives a new heart, and is born anew of the Holy Spirit. But the gospel of grace does not deal with everything immediately. There’s a lifetime for the Lord to do work, do cleaning, and bring about fundamental change.
2. Forgiveness must be wholehearted.
3. Is there a root of bitterness in you?
4. There is a difference between forgiveness of the heart and reconciliation with a person.
5. It is better to forgive the bitternesses of the past than to let them destroy your life. The tempter will tell you to hold on to it and will say “you are right and they are wrong” Scripture says let go. Forgive from your heart. Do not cling to the tree of bitterness. Cut it down. Let it go. And your joy and freedom will be restored.

“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

Dr. Jack Whytock preaching at Alberton PEI Baptist Church March 29th, 2021. Scripture reading begins at the 31:37 mark. Exodus 12: The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The sermon begins at the 35:05 mark. The accompanying sermon text is I Cor 5: Be the Unleavened Bread.

Four S’s:

Jesus is a Sacrifice – without blemish, spot or sin.

Jesus is a Substitute – God’s justice passed over those who believed and obeyed.

Jesus speaks of a Supper – The Jewish seder meal had:

a) a cup symbolizing the substitutionary blood;

b) bitter herbs which represented the bitterness of bondage in Egypt (and to sin). “It’s bitter to be a slave to sin but to be liberated from it is a different day”. As the old Puritans said, “Unitil you find sin is bitter for you you will never find Jesus to be sweet for you”.

c) the unleavened bread. Leaven has always been a symbol of the spread of sin. You tell one lie, you will need to tell another, and another… it spreads. Haste! Deliver yourself!

Jesus calls us to a life of Separation. Paul picks up on the symbol of the unleavened bread. “Lord, I lay my life down as a sacred offering to serve you”.

The Passover is in Jesus. But to be under his justifying blood is to seek a new way of living, to continue the life of new beginnings each day. This is what you got in for when you began your new life. Let the Lord continue to make you new, free from the leaven of sin, by the power of the holy Spirit, by the ministry of the Word, and prayer. And you will say, “All for Jesus, all for Jesus”. Tell it to the generations. Remember, God is still just, and he will judge. He is a God of love and mercy. This is the sacrifice of the Saviour. May you know the sweetness or life, the sweetness of salvation, the sweetness of Jesus. Amen.

A sermon preached by Dr. Jack Whytock on February 7, 2021, at the evening service of worship at the United Reformed Church of PEI. Join the apostle Paul as he shares his plans for missionary trips to Spain and Jerusalem with the church at Rome, as exegeted by Dr. Whytock. The Scripture reading is from Romans 15 and begins here. The sermon begins here.