"Alone!" Sermon

Alone!

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

Sunday 27 October 2019

Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Reformation Sunday

John 14:1-6

“The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) understands itself to be part of the tradition emerging from the sixteenth century Reformation in Europe. Thus, any confession within the Book of Confessions should be compatible with the ‘Protestant watchwords’ – Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone - that remain guides to Christian faith and life.” (emphasis added)

    The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part 1: Book of Confessions

CHRIST ALONE (SOLUS CHRISTUS)

John 14:6
"Thomas said to him, 
'Lord, we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way?'"

GRACE ALONE (SOLA GRATIA)

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not 

from yourselves, it is the gift of god – not of works, so that no one can boast.”

FAITH ALONE (SOLA FIDE)

Romans 1:16-17

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of  everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The

righteous will live by faith.’” – to which Luther added in the margin of his Bible, “ALONE!”

SCRIPTURE ALONE (SOLA SCRIPTURA)

2 Timothy 3:16-17

“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The Bible is the only rule for faith and practice, 
for what we believe and how we behave.
(Based on the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms) 

MONDAY MORNING

As you reflect on these four “alones” during your quiet time this week, what does each one say to you where you are on your faith journey? Which one speaks to you the most?