Author: Pastor Rich Lusk
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Mark 2
Some follow up from a sermon I once preached on Mark 2: It is very interesting that Jesus forgives the paralytic “when he saw THEIR [the paralytic’s friends’] faith” (2:5). It’s as though the man’s friends trust Jesus on his behalf — and that is what impels them to bring their friend to Jesus for healing. What are we to make of…
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Notes on John 21
These are some notes on John 21, following up on a sermon from a few years ago: 1. Note that Jesus not only accepts Peter, he accepts an imperfectly repentant Peter. When Jesus includes Peter in his meal on the beach, he is showing Peter that he is forgiven, restored, and reconciled. The threefold question, “Do you…
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The Folk Wisdom of the Red Pill: Counsel for Today’s Man
This post is written for men — young men, married men, and at the end, I make a plea to men who are church leaders. Since Theopolis has started a conversation over the value of so-called “red pill” thinking for men, I thought I’d chip in something a little different here. I’ve read a number of red…
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Revolution in the City Streets
I spent several of my years growing up living in the North Shore area of Chicago but during most of that time, my dad actually worked in Kenosha, WI. To see Kenosha up in flames is sad. It’s repeat of the violence we have seen break out in other cities across our land. We do…
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Compementarianism and Patriarchy
The good men over at It’s Good to Be a Man have published a short note on mine of on men and women. You can read it here.
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A Failure of Pastoral Nerve: Some Thoughts on Ecclesial Leadership in the 21st Century Church for Pastors and Ruling Elders
These are thoughts shared with the TPC ruling elders some years ago, but I have decided to make them public here with the hope others in church leadership will find them helpful. Pastors are required to be leaders of men. They must shepherd the shepherds, helping ruling elders do their work in the congregation effectively.…
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A Time for Courage
The times we live in require courage on the part of God’s people. Our faith is assailed from various angles in our culture. We need courage to hear and do God’s Word. We need courage to preach the gospel in a culture that is increasingly hostile Jesus and his truth. We need courage to stand…
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As if on Thrones: A Meal Fit for Kings
One question that comes up from time to time is “Why does TPC take communion seated?” This may not seem like a big deal, but the proper posture for the Lord’s Supper has caused serious debate in the history of the church, and continues to be an issue over which different Christian traditions are divided.…
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Worship Exhortation: Hope and Courage
This post is based on the exhortation given before worship on August 16, 2020. Our highest privilege is gathering for the divine service each Lord’s day. What we do in the liturgy not only cleans up the messes we made in the previous week (as we confess our sins and hear absolution), it also lays…
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Life Is Simple
In my previous post on BLM, I claimed that the main problem facing blacks in America is the same problem facing virtually every ethnic group in our land – the breakdown of the family. It is not racism or white supremacy, but fatherlessness, that best explains the plight of blacks today. Whatever reforms need to be…
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