Truth For Life with Alistair Begg Sermons

Psalm 126, one of the Psalms of Ascent, traces the pilgrim song of God’s people through three movements: going up, looking back, and keeping on. Reflecting on Israel’s restoration from exile, Alistair Begg shows how joyful remembrance of God’s past faithfulness fuels present perseverance and future hope. The psalm’s tension between remembered blessing and ongoing need points ultimately to Christ, who satisfies the soul’s deepest thirst and leads His people onward toward the new Jerusalem, where God’s presence will dwell fully with His redeemed people.

The first five verses of 2 Timothy 4 encapsulate Paul’s concern for the ongoing ministry of the Gospel. At this point in his letter, Paul has reminded Timothy that he must continue in the Gospel himself and that the Scriptures are divinely inspired. Now, as Alistair Begg explains, Paul turns Timothy’s attention to the solemn charge, stirring challenge, and straightforward and vitally important commitment that are intrinsic to his ministry—and to the ministries of all who follow in Timothy’s line.

While all Scripture is inspired, not all Scripture is equally inspiring. When we read the long list of names in Nehemiah 3, we might be prone to wonder at its purpose. As Alistair Begg reminds us, though, God’s work requires the unified, active participation of those whose names will largely be forgotten, each contributing their part within a larger purpose. And as chapter 4 makes plain, while opposition to such work is inevitable, leaders must commit to meeting it with prayer, vigilance, and trust in God.

After overseeing the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s walls and the restoration of the people’s right worship, Nehemiah returned to Susa. When he later came back to Jerusalem, what he found was distressing: The people had embraced unhelpful associations, unfulfilled commitments, unkept promises, and unholy marriages. Alistair Begg walks us through each of these issues in turn, helping us to see why they mattered, how Nehemiah confronted them, and how they are mirrored in the problems confronting today’s church and its leaders.

While all Scripture is inspired, not all Scripture is equally inspiring. When we read the long list of names in Nehemiah 3, we might be prone to wonder at its purpose. As Alistair Begg reminds us, though, God’s work requires the unified, active participation of those whose names will largely be forgotten, each contributing their part within a larger purpose. And as chapter 4 makes plain, while opposition to such work is inevitable, leaders must commit to meeting it with prayer, vigilance, and trust in God.