Christians ought to look forward and Godward alongside the contemplation of the promises and covenants of God. The former alludes to “looking unto Jesus” verse in Hebrews 12:2. Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of all the covenants stretching from the Adamic typology and seed, preservation of life in Noahic covenant, to Abraham’s promised land andContinue reading “God’s Covenants: Looking Forward and Godward”
Author Archives: JP Arceno
True and Proper Worship
What is the heart of worship? A simple answer would be: the centrality of our worship is grounded in Christ alone. Through Christ and in Christ, we were given the privilege of access to worship God with the utmost humility, reverence, and devotion. Indeed, even Apostle Paul reminded us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers andContinue reading “True and Proper Worship”
Life Begins in Discipleship
There’s this famous phrase, “Life begins at forty.” Why? It is a time in a person’s life where he or she has already accumulated enough wisdom, savings, and connections to live a flourishing, comforting life. On the other side, there’s a fine line that a person may start experiencing their mid-life crisis. Trying to correctContinue reading “Life Begins in Discipleship”
Eagerly Waiting for Christ
Sadly, after the death of Christ, the apostles returned to their normal way of living. Providentially, their faith was rekindled once again after Christ resurrected on the third day. The apostles, finally, knew that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord, the Redeemer, and the One who had inaugurated the New Covenant. After having time withContinue reading “Eagerly Waiting for Christ”
Baptism: Meaning, Mode, and Manner
Download the full sermon manuscript on Union Community Bible Church Website On March 28, 2021, I preached a sermon on the topic of Baptism. Specifically, this topic is aligned to our sermon series, Defined: Understanding our Identity. In the previous sermons, we tackled about the Christian identity as an image of God, marred by Sin,Continue reading “Baptism: Meaning, Mode, and Manner”
“Struggling With Faith” A Reflection on Richard Sibbes’ The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax
The Christian life is a journey of a life-long struggle. Struggling with your faith; you know what is good, yet you choose the wrong one, or perplexed with your assurance of salvation, and even battling to overcome sin in your life. Many people think struggling is a negative state of being a Christian. But forContinue reading ““Struggling With Faith” A Reflection on Richard Sibbes’ The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax”
Thomas Manton on the Lord’s Prayer
Thomas Manton (1620-1677) emphasized the necessity of private prayer.[1] Manton said, “God requires secret and closet-prayer; for God’s command to pray, first fall upon single persons before it falls upon families and churches, which are made up of single persons (Complete Works of Thomas Manton, 1:10).” This is of course grounded in the word andContinue reading “Thomas Manton on the Lord’s Prayer”
A Biography of Charles Simeon (1759–1836)
Charles Simeon, the youngest son of Richard and Elizabeth Hutton, was born on September 24, 1759, in Reading, Berkshire.[1] Simeon’s father was a practicing attorney, while his mother, however, died soon after his birth. Simeon studied with his brothers, John and Edward, at Eton, who later became prominent in their fields respectively in the legalContinue reading “A Biography of Charles Simeon (1759–1836)”
The Kingdom of God: Jesus is King
The theme of the kingdom of God permeates the entire Scripture. It traces back in the book of Genesis, where God created the world as the sovereign Creator and put humanity in the garden of Eden (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-8). Though there is no explicit text that points to the kingship of God in this passage,Continue reading “The Kingdom of God: Jesus is King”
A Biography of Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
Richard Baxter was born on November 12, 1615, in Rowton, Shropshire, England.[1] His parents were Richard and Beatrice. Baxter’s life as a kid was not that decent. His basic education was a disappointment; he had four different schoolmasters who were oblivious, two of whom were immoral.[2] Still, Baxter’s spirituality was not left out. Richard, hisContinue reading “A Biography of Richard Baxter (1615-1691)”
John&Paul's Reflections 