All Articles For Langerak, William

Rev. William Langerak, pastor of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Mark 9:42 Those who harm little children offend them. This offense is a “scandal,” which is the original word Jesus used. To offend (or scandalize) is deliberately to entrap or trip someone so they are harmed, wounded, or destroyed. To sexually abuse a child is among the most horrible, destructive, and life-altering of offenses. And...

Often maligned and under suspicion, “but” can fall on hard times. Some of it justified. Heretics use “but” to obscure error. We use it to excuse sin. And both practices are due to sin against the first “but”—“But thou shalt not eat of the tree” (Gen. 2:17). The fact is, “but” is essential to the Word of God, which came not by the will of man, but by the Holy Ghost (II Pet. 1:21). And without “but,” there is no gospel antithesis between God and man, sin and grace, law and gospel, truth and lie, salvation and damnation, heaven and...

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love....

God once said, “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; …I will destroy them with the earth” (Gen. 6:13). So shall it be at the end of this world when the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just (Matt. 13:49). He that shall endure unto the end shall be saved. When the gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world for a witness, then shall the end come, and with great sound of a trumpet the angels shall gather together the elect...

Peace is obviously precious. For the Old Testament saints, their hello was “Shalom!” Peace! Every time they worshiped, they received this blessing: “The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Num. 6:23-26). And almost every New Testament epistle begins, “Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Our God, who put enmity between two seeds on earth, is yet the God of peace (Rom. 16:20). Christ, who came not to send peace, is yet the Prince of Peace who came into this world preaching peace, and departed it leaving us with...

Our Lord calls all of us to witness to Him and the gospel of salvation from sin and death by Him; and calls not only those who hold the office of minister, but all who hold the office of Christian; and to do that not only passively but actively; not only by mouth but by deed; and not only some days but every day of our life. This calling is not optional, something to choose to do or not do, accept or reject. If we are a Christian in whom the Spirit of Jesus dwells by faith, we must and...

Most of us know the seven “I am” passages of John (the Bread of life; the Light of the world; the Door; the Good Shepherd; the Vine; the Resurrection and the Life; the Way, the Truth, and the Life), and even that there are ten if you include “I am,” “I am he,” and “I am in the Father.” But do you know the “hereby” passages of John, their significance, or how many there are? We should. For they are as profound as the “I am” texts, and the Spirit similarly calls attention to them. One way is this: “Hereby”...

Dazed and vulnerable after the disaster at Kappel, the fledgling Protestant church in Zurich turned to a young refugee pastor for leadership. King Jesus’ rebuke of His servants had been severe. Twenty-five pastors were dead. Among them, Zwingli, whose body was drawn, quartered, and burnt; a grim warning to any who dared replace him. Associates were in hiding. And nearby Bremgarten had just surrendered to advancing Catholic forces. Terms: Expel their pastor. The pastor, Heinrich Bullinger, flees to Zurich. His wife Anna, forbidden to leave, arrives days later. With love stronger than death, she overpowers the guard, lets herself out...

Our God is the God who fills. Immense, He fills the vast heavens with His presence (Jer. 23:24). Thrice-holy, He fills the whole earth with His glory (Is. 6:3). Righteous Judge, He fills the world with His knowledge as waters cover the sea (Is. 11:9). Sovereign Lord, He sends His servants into the streets and lanes, highways and hedges to bring in the poor, maimed, halt, and blind to fill His house. Gracious, full of compassion and plenteous in mercy, He fills empty rebels with peace and the fruits of righteousness (Rom. 15:13-14; Phil. 1:11). Spirit, He fills dead men...

In our age of capitalist bounty and socialist welfare state, of justice warriors and identity politics, it is easy to be cynical toward the poor and pleas to assist them. Nevertheless, every Christian ought to have the deepest pity for the poor, and if given the means, ought help his poor neighbor generously. Even more so, if that poor fellow is a believer. For if we have this world’s goods, see our brother in need, and show no compassion, the love of God does not dwell in us (I John 3:17). And no one can say, “We have no poor,”...