Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson

A Husband’s Integrity and a Wife’s Respect

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Superficial attraction doesn't produce respect--character does. Today, Sinclair Ferguson identifies a key characteristic for every faithful, fruitful ...

Honoring Our Parents for Life

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

God's love for families is seen in His dedicating one of the Ten Commandments to the relationship between children and parents. Today, Sinclair Fergus...

Raising Children in the Church

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

God has given us a church family to help us raise our children for Christ. Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers the benefits of receiving the wisdom and...

The Christian Family and the Church

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Christians come from many different homes and backgrounds, but we've all been adopted into the family of God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson addresses the i...

A Consecrated Feast

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As we come to the Lord's Table, we are to give our hearts entirely to the One who gave all to save us. Today, Sinclair Ferguson describes the Lord's S...

A Meal of Anticipation

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Each time Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper, we're reminded of another meal that awaits us in the presence of Christ. Today, Sinclair Ferguson ex...

A Meal of Anticipation

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Each time Christians celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we’re reminded of another meal that awaits us in the presence of Christ. Today, Sinclair Ferguso...

Participation in Christ’s Body and Blood

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does Scripture mean when it says that our receiving the Lord's Supper is "a participation in" the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16)? Today,...

The Cup of Blessing

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus drank the bitter cup of divine wrath so that His people may freely enjoy the cup of God's blessing. Today, Sinclair Ferguson marvels at the wond...

The Cup of Blessing

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus drank the bitter cup of divine wrath so that His people may freely enjoy the cup of God’s blessing. Today, Sinclair Ferguson marvels at the wo...

The Lord’s Supper: A Proclamation

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Lord's Supper is a form of proclamation, a visible dramatization of the gospel message. Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses the truth conveyed to u...

The Lord’s Supper: A Proclamation

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Lord’s Supper is a form of proclamation, a visible dramatization of the gospel message. Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses the truth conveyed to...

What It Means to Be in Christ

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One prepositional phrase lies at the heart of our identity as Christians: we are "in Christ." Today, Sinclair Ferguson concludes our gospel grammar le...

Positive and Negative Steps in the Christian Walk

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our daily walk with the Lord involves positive and negative steps: we are to pursue Christlike characteristics while turning away from sin. Today, Sin...

Already and Not Yet

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Faithful Christian living involves looking back on Jesus' finished work of atonement and looking forward to His triumphant return. Today, Sinclair Fer...

Gospel Indicatives and Imperatives

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The gospel's indicatives--all that God has done for us in Christ--are always the basis for our Christian imperatives--the ways we respond in faith and...

The Grammar of the Gospel

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Apart from the influence of the Holy Spirit, the message of the gospel will seem like a foreign language to fallen people. Today, Sinclair Ferguson de...

The Hundredfold Harvest of God’s Word

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As we yield our lives to the Lord with hearts prepared to receive His Word, He works to make us spiritually fruitful. Today, Sinclair Ferguson describ...

Choked by the Cares of This World

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Weeds grow naturally, but a healthy lawn requires care and attention. The same is true of our spiritual condition. Today, Sinclair Ferguson encourages...

The Kind of Faith That Falls Away

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us may know someone who seemed suddenly converted to Christ, but they just as suddenly fell away. Today, Sinclair Ferguson shows that the joy ...

Hardened Hearers

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even people who sit under the preaching of God's Word every week are capable of hardening their hearts against the truth they hear. Today, Sinclair Fe...

Take Heed How You Hear

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's important for us to hear the Word of God preached. But Jesus also instructs His disciples to be careful about the way we hear. Today, Sinclair Fe...

The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Jesus we know and serve today is the same wonderful Redeemer we read about in the Gospels, forever faithful and true. Today, Sinclair Ferguson sha...

Dead to Sin’s Dominion

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we are united to Christ by faith, we have died to the dominion of sin and must no longer live in it. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on a passage...

Servants for Jesus’ Sake

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can we measure true success in ministry? Today, Sinclair Ferguson opens the Bible passage that was preached at his ordination, verses that have sh...

Following the Light of the World

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Until we come to saving faith in Christ, we remain lost in the darkness of sin and condemnation. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on the verses of Sc...

Come to Christ for Eternal Life

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being a Christian is not about reading enough of the Bible to balance out our failures; it's coming to Jesus Christ for eternal life. Today, Sinclair ...

The Power of the Spirit in Preaching

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All truly effective preaching shares one thing in common: it is attended by the power of the Holy Spirit. Today, Sinclair Ferguson focuses on the cruc...

Different Kinds of Preachers

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Faithful, biblical preaching doesn't have to follow a specific formula in order to bless God's people. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects with gratitud...

The Effects of Preaching

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What effects should the preaching of God's Word have on us? Today, Sinclair Ferguson shares words of wisdom from Jonathan Edwards on the influence tha...

What Is Wrong with Preaching Today?

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why can it sometimes seem that the preaching in our church isn't bearing much fruit? Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers this problem and explains how ...

How Important Is Preaching?

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whether we're preachers or listeners, the proclamation of God's Word plays a role in our lives as Christians. But just how important is preaching? Tod...

Who Shall Separate Us?

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

By God's sovereign grace, the very things that threaten to separate us from Christ are tools in His hands to make us more like Him. Today, Sinclair Fe...

Who Is to Condemn?

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With all our falls and failures in the Christian life, what hope do we have of escaping the sentence of condemnation that our sin deserves? Today, Sin...

Who Shall Bring Any Charge?

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Satan accuses the people of God day and night. We'll never escape his charges of sin and guilt by looking to our merits. Today, Sinclair Ferguson poin...

Who Can Be against Us?

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If God is for us, then all the devil's efforts to destroy us will ultimately fail. Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses how we can come to the deep, uns...

Beloved Bible Verses

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is your favorite passage in the Bible? Today, Sinclair Ferguson turns to one of the most cherished sections of Scripture and begins to address th...

Named in Baptism

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

God places His name on us in our baptism, marking us out as those called to trust in the Father, believe in the Son, and live in the power of the Holy...

Baptized: A New Identity

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Discussions about baptism often focus on what we are baptized with--how much water and how it's to be applied. Today, Sinclair Ferguson encourages us ...

Why Was Jesus Baptized?

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sinners were coming to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Why did Jesus, the sinless Son of God, ask to be baptized with that same water? Today,...

The Meaning of Baptism

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Baptism wasn’t given to us just for the experience of a moment—it’s a sign that affects every day of our Christian lives. Today, Sinclair Fergus...

The Promise of Baptism

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we think of baptism primarily as a point of controversy rather than a gift from God, we need to take some time and think again. Today, Sinclair Fer...

Principles for Holiness

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The way to measure genuine growth in holiness is... How would you answer that question? Today on *Things Unseen*, listen as Sinclair Ferguson draws pr...

Sanctification Summarized

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens in a person’s life that causes a sinner to become a saint? Today, Sinclair Ferguson looks closely at a familiar Bible verse that gets t...

A More Excellent Way

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sanctification—becoming increasingly like Jesus—takes place more often in the ordinariness of life than in our moments of apparent greatness. Toda...

The Fruit of Sanctification

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being holy isn't merely about doing the right things. Nor should we mistake being holy with being gifted. Today, Sinclair Ferguson identifies the true...

Set Apart for God

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Bible teaches us a new vocabulary for understanding the Christian life, and one crucial word it gives to our identity is “sanctified.” Today, ...

The Anger of Jesus

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus out of love for His friend and out of a holy hatred of the destruction wrought by sin. Today, Sinclair Ferguson exp...

Christ, a Man of Feeling

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scripture reveals not only the power and authority of our Lord Jesus but also His heart as our compassionate Savior. Today, Sinclair Ferguson consider...

Rest for Our Souls

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus understands our weakness and draws close to us in our need. Today, Sinclair Ferguson beckons us to come near to the One who provides rest for ou...

He Grew in Favor with God

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To see whether you have a healthy, biblical view of Jesus, turn to Luke 2:52, which says He grew "in favor with God and man." Today, Sinclair Ferguson...

The Personal Jesus

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since the Christian life involves an ongoing transformation of becoming more like Jesus, we need to know what Jesus is actually like. Today, Sinclair ...

The Legacy of a Godly Life

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bill never ministered to large churches or spoke at conferences. But he touched lives by remaining the same constant Christian year after year. Today,...

A Christian’s Enduring Influence

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even if their paths cross only for a season, Christians can leave a lifelong impact on one another's spiritual lives. Today, Sinclair Ferguson remembe...

An Older Friend in the Faith

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hamish didn't set out to be a mentor. He simply took an interest in a young man and encouraged him by his love and zeal for Christ. Today, listen as S...

The Man in Black

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One icy evening in the dead of winter, a stranger asked a young Sinclair Ferguson, "Are you saved, son?" Today, he describes this momentary exchange t...

Our Hidden Helpers

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we read the obscure names that receive greetings in Paul's letters, we're reminded of the everyday Christians who have invested in our own lives....

Shaped by Grace

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Spiritual growth isn't measured so much by the stature a Christian has attained as it is by the distance traveled and the obstacles overcome. Today, S...

Solutions for Distorted Souls

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sin can leave our souls misshapen in subtle ways. Yet the Great Physician offers treatment to reveal and straighten what has gone awry. Today, Sinclai...

The Big-Headed Soul

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pride distorts our thinking, making us more willing to heed our own minds than to submit to the mind of God revealed in Scripture. Today, Sinclair Fer...

Turned In on Ourselves

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Martin Luther described our sinful condition as being "incurvatus in se," turned in on itself. Today, Sinclair Ferguson identifies the damaging effect...

The Shape of the Soul

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

By creating us in His image, God has specially fashioned us for fellowship with Him. But because of sin, our souls have been bent out of shape. Today,...

All the Kingdoms of the World

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The devil offered Jesus the dominion that Adam had lost. This is just what Christ came to regain, but only by the conquest of the cross. Today, Sincla...

The Pinnacle of the Temple

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

By tempting Jesus to jump off the temple, Satan was inviting Him to win followers by parading the miraculous power of God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson ex...

Not by Bread Alone

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whereas Adam rejected God's warning and ate from the tree, Jesus lived not by bread alone but by every word proceeding from the mouth of God. Today, S...

Christ’s Victory in the Wilderness

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus' wilderness temptation isn't recorded in Scripture primarily to help us fight temptation--it marks the beginning of Christ's victory over Satan....

He Was Tempted as We Are

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted. But how could the Son of God really be tempted? Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses the consolation we find ...

The Gospel according to Isaiah

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Few chapters in the Bible so vividly depict the glory of the gospel in the humiliation and exaltation of Christ as Isaiah 53. Today, Sinclair Ferguson...

The Savior’s Open Ear

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Day by day, Jesus attentively submitted to His Father's Word. This obedience led in one direction: to the cross. Today on Things Unseen, listen as Sin...

A Light for the Nations

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The prophet Isaiah described the Messiah as One who would be forsaken so that people from every nation could be accepted before God. Today, Sinclair F...

A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In our weakness, we are as bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks. But Jesus, in His mercy, mends His people and fans them into life. Today, Sinclair F...

Meeting Christ in the Old Testament

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many people are interested in finding Christ in the Old Testament, but often we miss the most important element of this approach to Scripture. Today, ...

The Family of God

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Greater than all of Scripture's pictures describing the church is the biblical reality itself: we are the family of God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson unfo...

The Temple of God

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As living stones, Christians are being built up together to display the glory of the Lord in their fellowship. Today, Sinclair Ferguson examines the B...

The Bride of Christ

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scripture describes the church as a bride preparing to appear in unblemished splendor before her loving Bridegroom. Today, Sinclair Ferguson shows how...

The Flock of God

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When sheep hear the familiar sound of their shepherd's voice, they draw nearer to him and to one another. Today, listen as Sinclair Ferguson reflects ...

The Body of Christ

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the New Testament describe the church as the body of Christ? Today, Sinclair Ferguson conveys the significance of seeing Jesus as our Head an...

A Marble Pulpit in South Carolina

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A pastor's love for his people isn't so much worked up as it is sent down. Today, Sinclair Ferguson takes us to a pulpit in South Carolina, beloved fo...

Home

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Home" may be a word that brings joy or sorrow. Today, Sinclair Ferguson thinks on several homes in his life and reminds Christians where our home mos...

A Seminary in Philadelphia

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was one of the hardest decisions of a young Scotsman's life to go and teach at an American seminary. But there, God blessed him with friends. Today...

Room C37

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a university bedroom, an 18-year-old Sinclair Ferguson was prompted to study the books of the Bible and the great Christian classics. Today, he imp...

A Little Pulpit in Scotland

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some locations mark our lives forever because of what God did for us there. Today, Sinclair Ferguson takes a mental visit to the pulpit he sat under w...

The Glory of God’s Providence

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Through all the hardships of his life, God brought Joseph to the right place at the right time and made him the right man for the task at hand. Today,...

Instruments of God’s Providence

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All of God's people have a role to play in the good purposes of His providence. Today, listen as Sinclair Ferguson examines the way that God used Jose...

The Mystery of Providence

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While the doctrine of providence does not relieve us from going through hard times, it reassures us that God knows what He is doing. Today, Sinclair F...

God Meant It for Good

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Joseph is filled with jealousy, deception, and sorrow. Yet in the end, Joseph says, "God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20). Today, Sinclair...

All Things Work Together

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In painful circumstances, we sometimes ask, "Why is this happening to me?" Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on the comfort of God's providence and Hi...

The Spirit of the Father

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When the Holy Spirit indwells us, one of our first and highest privileges is to address God as "Abba! Father" (Rom. 8:15). Today, Sinclair Ferguson ex...

The Spirit of Christ

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jesus, in His human nature, relied on the power of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish the work of our redemption. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflect...

The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The very same Holy Spirit who indwelt Jesus throughout the course of His life now dwells in every believer. Today, Sinclair Ferguson begins to unfold ...

Another Helper

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus promised His disciples that He would ask the Father to give them "another Helper" (John 14:16). Today, Sinc...

Knowing the Holy Spirit

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Often when people talk about the Holy Spirit, their attention focuses on the gifts and blessings He bears in our lives. Today, Sinclair Ferguson chall...

Reconciliation in Christ

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The disintegration of relationships in this world is rooted ultimately in our alienation from a holy God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on the rec...

Redemption through His Blood

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

By nature, we are slaves to sin who need to be redeemed. But the good news is this: Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, has purchased His people with His own ...

God Justifies the Ungodly

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We can never be more justified than when we came to faith in Jesus--nor any less--for it is Christ's righteousness and not our own that makes us right...

The Propitiation for Our Sins

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We all deserve the wrath of God for our sin. But in the wonder of God's mercy and the terror of His justice, Christ was crushed in place of His people...

Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We cannot separate the blessings of salvation from the One in whom they are found and experienced, Jesus Christ. Today, Sinclair Ferguson describes th...

One Person, Two Natures

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We must not think of Christ's incarnation as a mixture: partially of God and partially of man. Nor should we imagine that He is two persons. Today, Si...

Co-Essential with the Father

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It isn't theoretical musing that drives us to understand the two natures of Christ in His incarnation. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains that only Jes...

Truly God and Truly Man

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It is a marvel beyond our ability to fully comprehend: the eternal Son of God took on a human nature for our salvation. Today, Sinclair Ferguson draws...