Thank you for listening to the media ministry of the Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. If you are blessed by what you hear and would like to help keep our little church going as a ministry partner with your cheerful gifts, please listen for instructions at the end of this message. We open our Bibles to Proverbs chapter 22, and we look at verse 28 together this morning. It's mostly where we will focus, though I will take you to a few other nearby Proverbs, so I encourage you to keep it marked. But our focus today is on Proverbs 22, verse 28. Hear now the word of the Lord. Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set Again, remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. There is a phrase we have sometimes, if we do not study history, we are doomed to repeat it. The other aspect of it is, though, if we do not study history, we are doomed not to learn its lessons. We are doomed not to do what we see would be best, that we should try to focus on and stay with. And so let us give our hearts to this and children I encourage you to listen closely to this for all your lives. Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. You're going to be encouraged more and more in life and often in broader church life and influence to have no interest and even disregard ancient historic things but we're told not to remove them as our guides. And they very much inform us in the New Testament and in our lives for Christ. Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. This is our text today. I think we're all familiar when we're walking along or traveling or hiking or might just have driven to a place we got lost. Often we'll see a sign on a fence or on a gate that simply reads something like this. Do not trespass. Because this is private property. This is a boundary line not to cross. Do not trespass. Signs about territory ownership not to transgress. Remember, sin is transgression of God's laws. Not only is it missing the mark of God's requirement, it is crossing the boundary lines of what he says is good and holy and what he says is wrong and sinful. And here in our text, we're taught that life's boundary lines that God has set must always be respected and lived out. I give you that as the general idea of our verse. Life's boundary lines that God has set must always be respected and lived out. Now the immediate context of this and similar proverbs we'll look at is the eighth commandment. Thou shalt not steal. And it's particularly concerned about not stealing from your neighbors by moving clear boundary markers from previous generations. And so while there is a broadened idea, remember these are the Proverbs for God's people, and at the time they have their boundary markers as they come into the promised land. They have their tribes and their boundaries of those tribes and then every family is to be respected. The name of those who've come before us and their inheritance and their properties are to be respected and maintained. And though the theocracy is gone in the coming of Christ, there's a principle here we'll still look at, and there's a broader principle behind it even now, but keep in mind that is the immediate context that we don't want to gloss over as we think about it more broadly. So, for instance, look at chapter 23, next, verses 10 through 11. Remove not the old landmark, and enter not into the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is mighty. He shall plead their cause with thee." So there's this concern also those who may not have their fathers, you can even think of the daughters of Zoholiphat, I think I can say that right, they had a concern that there were no sons in their family, so they appealed to Moses, I believe it is in the Book of Numbers, it's It's affirmed by God and referred to later at other times. They want to remember and preserve the rightful inheritance of their father. And so a special exception or a special way of accommodating that is made for them. And God honors it as the right understanding of the daughters that they would preserve their father's name and his inheritance. And that's very much in view here. People have had their properties lined out and it needs to be respected. So if there's a boundary marker, quite literally marking this is a territory, you don't cross it and try to take it for yourself and steal it from what has been given to them by God. That's the immediate context. But it has implications with history. I think we could certainly say if this would be honored, there wouldn't be war. I think we can consider its grievances related to colonialism. This isn't to say that over generations and generations and outside the theocracy that it's something that necessarily can have much done or think through specifics of how to apply, but nonetheless, I think that is something that should and could be said. that we would respect the boundary lines and property of those who are already there. But most importantly in this context, again, what is in view is the tribal territories that God has set in the promised land for his people. And again, the smaller territories of every family and inheritance with them. To be respected and restored, such as in the year of Jubilee, even when people in debt may sell, The year of Jubilee is to have all their property restored, and this is pointing to the future of Christ where all things will be renewed in the new heavens and the new earth, and we'll all enjoy and inherit the entire earth together in Christ. There's still that idea of restoration and respect of the boundary lines. Most importantly, respect life's ancient boundary lines by the ancient of days for a good life, eternal life, and to inherit the earth. Because ultimately God is the Father setting life's boundaries, and that includes the establishment of these tribes in their areas in the Promised Land. That includes the boundary lines God makes for them as a type of Christ, and not to be considered as something that endures forever. whether it's the ceremonial system in the temple, or the idea of some things related to theocracy, God has drawn a line, and you can go to Westminster Confession Chapter 19 to remember what those lines are. Circumstantial, excuse me, the ceremonial, the judicial law is fulfilled, a moral equity still remaining to apply. God draws all these lines. Most importantly, God draws the line of heaven, and hell, from which we know from Jesus no one will cross." But how many are moving those boundary lines today in every way is the way to know God, every way is to know heaven. I've been shocked at how many materials to read recently where there are this encouraging of calling God by whatever name they bring up. that helps them think of God the way they want to make Him in their own image. Or frankly, a comment recently, a prayer I saw was to pray to He who has no names, but God reveals Himself in many names in the scriptures. Don't move the boundary lines of how God reveals Himself and the names God has given Himself. BibleHub Commentary Online says this of our text, Proverbs 22, 28 commands us to leave intact the physical and moral markers God and our forefathers established. Moving a boundary stone is more than petty theft. It is rebellion against divine order, a betrayal of community trust, and a rejection of godly heritage. By honoring these limits, literal property lines, and timeless biblical standards, we honor God, protect our neighbor, and safeguard the blessings handed down to us. What's more, it goes on to say, Boundary stones also symbolized the unchanging truths God set for human flourishing. Jeremiah 6.16 calls us to, quote, ask for the ancient paths, linking physical boundaries with moral ones. Whenever society redraws lines God fixed on marriage, Matthew 19, 4-6. On the sanctity of life, Psalm 139, 13-16. On honest scales, Proverbs 11, verse 1. The same warning applies. The boundary lines are regularly being moved. Looking back to what has been set and clarified throughout biblical and reformation and church history, it's largely forgotten. But often in the Old Testament, the fathers would lay stone monuments, sometimes specifically directed by God. They would heap up or build stone monuments in a place to help their children remember who they are in covenant with God, and not break covenant so that they keep their lives in order. Because often, next generations weren't there. They didn't see these redemptive acts of God. And so the stones were put up to remember. To remember their Redeemer and to live as his blessed redeemed. For us, returning to the scriptures and the church's creeds, confessions, catechisms. Remembering that God wrote his Ten Commandments with his own finger in stone. Thinking of churches, creeds, confessions, and catechisms, how often I will hear in certain circles recently the idea of certain standard understanding of Christianity just glossed aside as white, male, Protestant theology, heaped upon and forced upon others. Which reveals and betrays a lack of understanding that these things that may have been brought to other places by the Reformation in certain parts of Europe didn't start there. The ancient church relies heavily on people like Athanasius and the Athanasius Creed, who was an Egyptian. And one of his greatest pupils that the Lord used his preaching to convert, Augustine. So many of all church history on whatever side, even Catholic and Protestant want to quote Augustine, who gave us so much that we're passing on to others. He was from Africa, Northern Africa. And we move the boundary markers and we think we can start over and we can foolishly make such ridiculous, ignorant statements because we don't study church history. And we don't study the creeds and confessions. And we don't know what we're doing and we're entirely moving it so that you get to the place such as liberal Christianity that J. Gresham Mason dealt with a hundred years ago. That there is no resurrection, that there is no virgin birth. Though we'll use terms like that and equivocate. We get to the place now where there is no man or woman, there is no boy or girl, and there is no such thing as marriage. It's all whatever we think, which is to completely redraw the boundary lies and leave God, let alone the ancients of our faith and the Bible, completely out of it. Which is to not follow the cloud of witnesses before us and not have our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set." Even Thanksgiving Day worship service, I'm thankful that we had, and as we have every Thursday as a habit of this church, that I get the benefit of having come to serve all these years. It reminds us of the presidential proclamations for our nation to remember and thank the biblical almighty God, and it even includes thanking him for his providential care. But as you'll recall, both in the words of George Washington and President Lincoln, asking his forgiveness for our sins as a nation and a people. Whatever side of the aisle people are on today, many who would want to claim some kind of blurry line saying they're Christians, no one wants to admit sins individually, and no one wants to admit sins of a nation. We need to be reminded of the ancient markers. Because that's why we have the nation we have still yet today. And not remove them. It is right and good to train our covenant children to say for themselves, Exodus 15 verse 2, The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare Him a habitation. My Father's God, and I will exalt Him. Covenant children, children of the church, don't remove the ancient landmarks of your parents and think you've got to start over and figure it out yourself. Benefit from the landmarks they have set before you, that have been set before them from the scriptures and church history. Don't think that you don't have it figured out. It's figured out, it's before you. Don't remove those landmarks and think that somehow it's authentic if you question it, doubt your faith, run away, leave the church. Most never return. But the landmarks are there for eternity that we'll all see one way or the other later on. Every tongue will confess. Every knee will bow and say Jesus is Lord. Whether it's now savingly as our savior or later with him as our judge on the last great day. The boundary lines are set by God. Don't move them. Benefit from them. Follow those same ways, those safe ways. We should not train our children to think that they're supposed to not follow the ancient landmarks that we set for them, or rather that we pointed that have set for us beforehand. Similarly, look at Proverbs 24, verses 21 to 22. Proverbs 24, verses 21 to 22. Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both? Parents, covenant parents, church, do not remove the ancient landmarks from before the eyes and hearts of your covenant children. And remember that God has you to raise them in the faith according to Deuteronomy, whether you're walking in the way, getting up in the morning, laying down at night. It's not something to abdicate to someone else or some new modern program that really isn't much about anything, certainly not very much about the Bible or the Christian faith, let alone church history. It removes and wipes away all the clear lines, and we wonder why we never see our children again once they leave the house in the church. Set those boundary lines clear. Call upon them, family worship. Draw those lines clearly all the time. Review them, review them, review them. We don't need new contextualization of scripture to new communities, cultures, and times. We need our communities and cultures of every tongue and tribe and time to conform to the scripture's times of refreshing and reformation. We don't need a new word. We need to renew our love and meditation on God's word, which as we sang in Psalm 119, 89, and is also said in verse 152, forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them forever. Or as Jesus says in Matthew 24 35, who all the Old Testament scriptures are about and he is fulfilling, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Beloved people will often try to blur those lines and they'll tell you things about Jesus and they'll overemphasize one thing or the other, one way or the other, and they won't really quote Jesus. Know his word. Know what Jesus actually says and all of what he says and what he is actually saying in context. Jesus is king and context is king. First Peter 1 verse 25, but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Be thankful that these words still hold true, that Jesus, our great Shepherd of the sheep, in His blood of the everlasting covenant, says are the same boundary markers for every generation. Jeremiah 31 verse 35. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar, the Lord of hosts is his name. Jeremiah 32, 40, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me. Keep those lovely words from Jeremiah in mind as we review one we go to often about the ancient of days and the ancient paths. His word is those who stay with him by his grace, He never loses. He holds close. God never changes. The ancient of days never changes from his ancient promises fulfilled in Christ. I think I've shared with you before, Dr. Wayne Spear, my systematics professor, Mrs. Ragland's pastor in San Diego for a time. I mentioned him in Sabbath class about Belial and Aholiab. He mentioned once in class about the danger of getting a PhD. Now, he got one. And it's not a bad thing to get, but he says the danger of getting a PhD, especially in certain kinds of places of study, is that you always have to be coming up with something new. Novel. He says that's why many, such as I believe Dr. William Godfrey here in Escondido, Advise if you're going to do a PhD as a minister, the best, safest thing to do is do it in church history. And that's on my heart, if the Lord would ever allow me, because there's so much we can learn from those who've worked through it all before as they rediscover the ancient boundary markers and not get into all this novel things that just leads us away from the truth and the ancient paths. Dr. Speer said we have to avoid the Athenian disease. of Acts 17.21. They were always looking for the newest, latest religion and doctrine. Paul didn't come there saying, hey, here's another option. He said, here's the truth. It's time to come to Jesus. He even reviews a little bit of history, if you recall last week, of human history, also back in Acts 14.17. God tolerated this before. He won't anymore because Christ has come. I want to remind you of our brand personality statement for our church, and you'll see that on our bulletins. Walking the same old good paths and right rule along the narrow way unto life. And it is based on and it references these three scriptures. Jeremiah 6 verse 16. It goes on to say this. But they said, we will not walk therein. Who are those people speaking? God's ancient people who had abandoned the landmarks, the ancient ways set up by their fathers. Beloved, may we not say we won't walk therein. Much of the world, much of the church said, I don't want anything to do with that. But it's where God says is the good way and rest for your souls. And Satan, our ancient foe, has a lot of practice in tricking you to think you don't want the ancient ways, the boundary lines, the markers set by God. Our other verse, Philippians 3.16, nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. By the way, that's at the top left of the inside of your bulletins, and it was there before I ever got here. That needs to be our attitude as we come to worship, beloved. Jeremiah 6.16, 3.16, the way we live and go out each week as God's church, that needs to be what we focus on, is who we are and what we're doing here. And lastly, Matthew 7.13 and 14, enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." As we've seen in the Gospels, as we're reading in the Gospel of Luke, Even the religious teachers, those who should know the ancient ways of the Hebrew scriptures and should have recognized the Messiah before them face to face, but said, we will not. In fact, we will crucify you. And they did. And by the way, that Judaism, which is alive and well today, is the same one that really has very little to do with the Old Testament as much as they demand it. They don't actually read or believe it for the most part. but those who will hear it and read it can come to Christ, the King of the Jews, and be true Jews with the faith of Father Abraham. I remind you what I heard Dr. David Jeremiah share on the radio a little while ago, of Richard Gantz, who I know, I don't know him well, but I met him a few times where I went to seminary in Pittsburgh because he was, he's with the Lord now, he was a Reformed Presbyterian minister and taught particularly New Thetic counseling direction of the recovery of scriptural counseling by J. Adams, and he was in Canada at Ottawa Hall for the RPCNA. But what's interesting, and I didn't know this, I knew he was an ethnic Jew, messianic you might say converted, but I didn't know how. And David Jeremiah shares the story that Richard Gantz is at in Switzerland where Francis Schaeffer had a place where people hiking and walking and traveling would come through and he kept a lot of books and he would seek to influence thinkers, seek to influence those seeking truth. And Richard Gantz was there as an ethnic Jew, identifying as a Jew and not a Christian. And he heard Francis Schaeffer, I believe it was Francis Schaeffer, reading a text. And he said to him, stop reading that Don't you understand I'm a Jew? Stop reading that Christian material. And then it was shown to him they were reading Isaiah 53 from the Old Testament, very clearly about Jesus Christ, the suffering servant. By his wounds, we are healed. And Peter quotes that in the New Testament. See, it all points us to Jesus Christ, the Ancient of Days. reflected as the ancient of days in the book of Revelation. But we miss him and we miss all that when we don't mind the ancient landmarks. Keep in mind for our covenant children as well, as we encourage them to build their homes and their families and church. Matthew 16, 18, Christ will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And Luke 6, 48, build your house on the rock so that when the storms come, your family and household survive. And that is keep his commandments. J.C. Ryle, and I have this quote, we have this quote on our homepage of our website, related and connected to our statement I mentioned in the scriptures that we referenced above. He says this, particularly drawing on Jeremiah 6.16, The longer I live, the more I am convinced that the world needs no new gospel, as some profess to think. I am thoroughly persuaded that the world needs nothing but bold, full, unflinching teaching of the old paths. Semper Reformanda, a cry of the Reformation, means always reforming. But we need to remember what that actually means. It doesn't mean always changing. It means always returning to simply reforming. The Reformation against the Roman Catholic Church was not a changing into new things. It was a rediscovering of the old ways that had been stolen from them. Sola Scriptura, the scriptures, singing of the Psalms, salvation by faith and grace alone. As Martin Luther rediscovered in Habakkuk there, I read this morning as I called to worship, that just shall live by faith, quoted by Paul in Romans. These things are the ancient marks that have often been stolen through church history. When it gets away from the word, and then people are potentially stolen from the opportunity of salvation. Semper Reformanda means reforming back to what was lost, rediscovering what was lost, revival and repentance over forgetting and returning to God's law. To go forward making progress, we have to go back to what is always the reality of the perseverance of the saints. This is when God returns their good life. And this is the way of eternal life. If we look around in life, simply in our own nation, do we not need God's ancient creation ordinance boundary lines to be restored? Have the ancient boundary lines and markers and landmarks not been moved completely off? Such as God's creation ordinance on marriage, and what marriage is. And not only that we would caution against laws in our land that make it legal for men to marry men and women to marry women, but make it too easy and legal to have all kinds of unbiblical divorces and remarriages. Which, as Carl Truman points out, is why we get to the other stuff we like to talk about. But we don't like to talk about where the boundary line shouldn't be moved as it relates to marriage and faithfulness in it till death do we part. And as a vision and figure of Christ and his church. Do we not need to have a rediscovery of the real boundary line in ancient landmarks in the creation ordinances of Genesis alone? Let alone how many people want to say Genesis isn't even what it is and they want to go to evolution. And then I hear and read in these certain books were to read now about the reptilian part of the brain where everything's just impulse and it's not actually anything to do with reality or thinking or scripture. But if we go back to even just before Genesis, where the markers have been made before even the fall, gender and sex, do we not need to rediscover that boundary line that God makes a man a man? And the equivocation of terms like gender and sex, which are the same thing for any rational mind that thinks and thinks about the way language has been used throughout history. As Terry Johnson said once, even just five minutes ago, A boy is a boy, a girl is a girl, and that never changes. And we shouldn't move those boundary lines and mutilate and destroy our children and let our nation pay for it, let alone our military for those in military. Do we not need? for the church to reset the boundary of the ancient landmark of the Sabbath day. Let's not forget the Sabbath day. The reason annexed in the Ten Commandments in Exodus for keeping the Sabbath day goes back to God's example and God's hallowing it and God's commanding of it before the fall. The Sabbath day is desecrated by most of the church. It's gone. There's not even a line. If we don't sanctify God's holy day according to Isaiah 58, we should not expect that we would sanctify God in our hearts and live for him and seek to be sanctified the rest of the week. Do we not need the boundary lines restored and just basic morality? What about work? We're studying work in our Sabbath class. That is a creation ordinance before the fall. It's a boundary line to recognize it's been cursed, and yet it's a creation ordinance that we can renew as Christians and be blessed. We should indeed enjoy labor for labor's sake, doing all things as unto the Lord, and not build, as Mary Beaky said in her book, teaching our children to have an entitlement mentality, where everyone's supposed to work for us and we do nothing, and then we wonder why our children and our generations are empty of any sense of dignity and worth, because they aren't living out their God-given calling, in part, before the fall. The line has been moved. The mark of our fathers is gone. The Protestant work ethic itself has been mocked because of whatever abuses of a system doesn't make the system wrong. As you know, I had to stand up and share, no, I'm sorry, this idea of a Protestant work ethic that came to our country in one of the books we've been reading by the Puritans and Calvinists did not steal joy. And it's all the things we benefit that you want to just skip over. But all the benefits we have is because of this Protestant work ethic. Which is to say, a biblical work ethic. A rediscovering of work. Which is why when Protestants left places like France, the economy tanked. Because the ancient mark had been removed. And everyone was taught to live off everyone else. Do we not need to have a review of the clear line and boundary of God, our Father in heaven, of family and children? As we've seen recently, but we know from a creation ordinance, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and have dominion. let alone how we're supposed to lead and be stewards of the earth. And that is abused and screwed up in both ways. We are to be stewards of the earth. We should care about ecology, but it should be Christian. As Francis Shaver says in one of his books, the reason that sinful world has taken us over is because Christians have abandoned our God-given duty to care for the earth. and be a steward of it, not a destroyer of it, in all things, quote unquote, holy capitalism. And I'm not saying that's ungodly, but what I am saying is if it's by sin, it certainly often is. And there's all kinds of abuses and making people sick and ill and die when we don't take seriously our responsibilities from God, and we remove the markers of morality, and it's only in money we trust. Family and children today are both mocked. The idea of a nuclear family, a biblical family, is desecrated. The marks have been moved like crazy. It's been a long time. Children considered to be a gift of God and God's command for us. There's a reason our population is dwindling. We choose not to have them and we choose to kill them if they happen to show up on the sonogram. And it's just as much in the church as anywhere else. Because we've moved the landmark of God Almighty. We've moved the mark of creation in scripture. We don't really believe God's word is settled in heaven. It's up for our interpretation and change whenever it doesn't fit what we want. which is nothing more than the serpent speaking in our ears before the fall. Did God really say? God did say. He made the clear markers. What you may eat and what you may not. It's simple. Let it be. Sabbath keeping once again. The regular principle of worship. God has made clear how he wishes to be worshipped. God has made clear that we should honor His holy day, and there used to be laws in our lands to that effect. One of the number one things I see the Puritans list as one of the most egregious sins of a nation is the lack of Sabbath-keeping. I don't hear anyone talk like that these days in the church. And I don't see most in Reformed churches concerned at all about that landmark. And I don't see many ministers and officers of the church drawing that boundary line with any kind of real consequence or discipline. Oh, is there actually discipline in the church? Do the officers even have any real authority from God? Sure they do. But that landmark has been moved. And Satan just sits back and loves it. Right after the fall from creation in those ordinances, Genesis 3.15, the proto-evangelium, salvation in Jesus. Beloved, that's still the landmark. That is still the only landmark to be saved of all of this. Jesus Christ. The foot of the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. And while the serpent will bruise his heel on the cross, Christ will crush his head on the cross. That is, from the very beginning, that's the landmark for all of Scripture, for all of human history. We need to look to the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. We need to be disciples of Christ, doing everything he's commanded, if we are saved in him. That's our heart. We need to be baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Genesis 3.15 and onward leads to John 3.16. But we all, many churches, including many Reformed churches, have moved the landmark of basic interpretation of Scripture, which all of human history, all of church history until recent times, has never questioned. Because they're not trying to force in a modern thought science falsely so-called. The five solas of the Reformation are still the ancient landmarks that have been recovered for us but are largely lost in Protestant circles because they just don't care. Sola Scriptura, scripture alone. Sola Fide, faith alone. Solus Christos, Christ alone. sola gratia, grace alone. This is the big one. And where it all leads, soli deo gloria, glory to God alone. Those are still the ancient landmarks that need to be discovered in every history of the church. And it's up to the fathers to set it and to teach their children to keep it. It is still true that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved that will never change. Jesus Christ. And it is still true there is no other mediator between God and men but the man Christ Jesus. And it is still true that the danger is to not have our thoughts and our ways be God's thoughts and His ways. The boundary lines of morality and ethics for life, which the Proverbs that we are in emphasize. This Jesus who is the way, who has drawn the lines of salvation and sanctification, has gone into the enemy's camp and is taking back what was stolen from him and you. And he has reset the landmark in himself. You who in Christ will inherit the earth. You who are in Christ will inherit all things in Him who freely shares them all with you and His Father's house. Let no one cause you to remove Jesus Christ and His great commission from your life. His word is a lamp to your feet, a light to your path. He alone is what can build your life and what you can build your life upon. The Rock, Jesus Christ. Do not forget 1 Peter 2 verse 7. Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And remember, that is quoting Psalm 118 about Jesus. He's the cornerstone. And you'll either be destroyed by it or you'll be built upon it. And that never moves. And if we allow it to move effectively in our churches with our doctrine and our belief and our life and with our children, it will be the same as if we were to remove the cornerstone with the date and the original name of our church in this building. Everything else will collapse. thank the Lord he cannot be moved. But is not the message we need to preach to our covenant children and to the world very much the same as always? Do not remove God's ancient landmarks. Jesus is the Ancient of Days, and all of the scriptures, starting at Genesis 3.15 and even before, because He's the Creator, all speaks of Him. Do not remove God's ancient landmarks. That is the message for you this morning. Proverbs 22, verse 28. Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set. Christians, Church of Christ, covenant children, do not remove God's ancient landmarks. It is first a matter of eternal life and death. And closely related, it is very much a matter of an abundant, joyful life or a life of depression and destruction. Do not remove God's ancient landmarks, let us pray. Lord God Almighty, we confess that we are often prone to wander. We are often prone to look for something new with that Athenian disease. We are often tempted to look for idols. We are often tempted to abandon you, the ancient of days, and your ancient ways, all speaking of the ancient of days, the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is our salvation, who alone is our mediator, who alone is our rock on which we stand and can build our lives for salvation by his perfect work and for a good life in Christ by obeying his commands and finding this is the truth when the storms come. Lord, we're so tempted to go to many new things that often are straying further and further from your truth. Let us go back to the scriptures. Let us go back to the time-tested confessions and catechisms and creeds of the Reformation and church history that bring us back to our forefathers, who bring us back to the scriptures, who bring us back to the patriarchs, all preaching of Christ, such as Abraham when he lifted the knife over Isaac on the altar. With Isaac we know from the book of Hebrews being a type of Christ and the resurrection. We miss these things. Let us not miss Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, help us to hear you. Help us to hear you. Help us to hear what the spirit has to say to our church. May the churches hear. May we give a clear call. to the ancient of days and his ancient ways that will never be moved as your word is settled forever in heaven. That our children and our children's children in the church and others would be brought in from every tribe and tongue would be with you at the great supper of the lamb on the new heavens and earth and the new eternal day. When the lines will be very obviously drawn before all between the lake of fire and waiting in the river of life. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, as we pray you would keep our eyes on him, the author and finisher of our faith, all your people saying, amen. Thanks again for listening to the media ministry of the Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. If you are blessed by our sermons and would like to help keep our little church going as a ministry partner with your cheerful gifts, please click on the Give button at the top of any of our sermon audio pages to support us with your online donation. Or visit our website at puritanchurch.com and click through the Give button at the top right of your screen. And if you prefer to send your support through the mail, please make your check out to Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church and send it to Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church, 6374 Potomac Street, San Diego, California 92139. Thank you.