From The Archives

In a world where many people think life lacks rhyme or reason, Christians are called to be different and to think differently. With our Bibles open, we affirm that God is both creator and sustainer of the universe He has made. In short, we believe in the doctrine of providence. In his sermon “The God in Charge of History,” Alistair Begg helps us to understand the biblical origin and definition of this important doctrine:

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In 1 Corinthians 13:12, referencing what awaits us in eternity, the apostle Paul wrote that “now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.” What would it be like to speak face-to-face with Jesus? The Roman governor Pontius Pilate had just such an encounter as Christ stood on trial before him—an encounter that, as Alistair Begg explains in his sermon “‘What Shall I Do with Jesus?,’” revealed the Son of Man’s majesty even as it brought Pilate to a crucial crossroads:

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Scripture calls us to a measure of confidence. But what happens when that confidence is misplaced or misdirected? In the garden of Gethsemane, Peter’s self-assurance led him to foolishly attack one of the men who came to arrest Jesus—but later that night, he thrice denied even knowing his Lord and Master. In his sermon “A Question for Peter,” Alistair Begg helps us see the danger that can come on the heels of overconfidence:

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When a crowd led by Judas came to the garden of Gethsemane to arrest Him, Jesus—unlike His disciples—didn’t lose His composure. Instead, in both word and deed, He revealed Himself to be at peace and in control. What was the basis for Jesus’ startling serenity in the face of betrayal? In his sermon “‘The Hour Has Come,’” Alistair Begg considers the answer:

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What was Jesus referring to when He asked Peter in the garden of Gethsemane, “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” We might be prone to think that the “cup” He mentioned symbolized the physical suffering Christ would meet on the cross—but, as Alistair Begg points out in his sermon “Shall I Not Drink the Cup?,” He probably had something even more momentous in mind:

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In the final sentence of His prayer in John 17, Jesus declares that He made known God’s name to His disciples and “will continue to make it known.” Then He explains why: “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” In his final sermon in the series The High Priestly Prayer, Alistair Begg considers where this love comes from and how it is expressed:

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When Jesus prayed in His High Priestly Prayer, “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known,” He was referencing something absolutely foundational: that God jealously guards His name and expects those who are His friends to do the same. In his sermon “What’s in a Name? —  Part One,” Alistair helps us to understand why God places such importance on reverence for His name:

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In his sermon “Jesus’ Own Desire,” Alistair purposefully paused to offer the opportunity for everyone to consider what it means to be “given” to Jesus.

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Knowing that after His imminent arrest, His disciples would soon scatter in fear, the Son of God prayed for their spiritual preservation, unity, and joy. In his sermon “The Keeping Power of God,” Alistair points out how God’s care for His children supersedes our greatest self-concerns. Not everyone experiences God’s blessings, though! The inexpressible joy of salvation can only be known by the truly penitent who rest entirely on Christ’s atoning work. In this brief excerpt, Alistair considers the uniqueness of the joy that Jesus yearns for His disciples to experience.

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If Jesus offered to pray on your behalf, what would you ask Him to pray for? In His High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed for His disciples, distinguishing them from the world, declaring them to be agents of His glory, and asking the Father to keep them in His name. In the following excerpt from the sermon “‘I Am Praying for Them,’” Alistair reminds us what being a genuine disciple of Jesus entails.

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