Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
J. Gresham Machen died on January 1, 1937 in Bismarck, North Dakota—far from the centers of power, far from the institutions he had built, alone. His last words, dictated to John Murray, were these: “I’m so thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.”
That is the answer to the question this lesson takes up. How does the pilgrim church make it through the wilderness? Not by numbers, money, or cultural influence. By grace. By the provision of daily bread. By the means of grace God has given to mature his people into the fullness of Christ.
Camden Bucey expounds the Great Commission, the Beatitudes, and Colossians 1:28—29 to show what faithful progress looks like for the church in every era. He also reflects on how we measure success—and why the world’s metrics will always mislead us. The lesson closes by returning to the words of OPC Historian Charles Dennison: the church’s calling is not success, not even survival, but the giving up of our lives in service to our great God.
Key texts: Matthew 28:16—20; Matthew 5:3—5; Philippians 3:7—11; Colossians 1:25—29; 2 Corinthians 4:7—12
Topics covered: Machen’s death and final telegram, the Great Commission, Christian education and home and foreign missions, the poor in spirit, the meek, daily bread, maturity in Christ, measuring faithfulness vs. worldly success, Dennison on the OPC’s calling
Continue the series:
Lesson 1 — Who Are We? youtu.be/5EdPj0OTjMk
Lesson 2 — Where Are We Going? youtu.be/CuK8-L8PHjw
Lesson 3 — Are We There Yet? youtu.be/YI5yHpkmmTY
J. Gresham Machen died on January 1, 1937 in Bismarck, North Dakota—far from the centers of power, far from the institutions he had built, alone. His last words, dictated to John Murray, were these: “I’m so thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.”
That is the answer to the question this lesson takes up. How does the pilgrim church make it through the wilderness? Not by numbers, money, or cultural influence. By grace. By the provision of daily bread. By the means of grace God has given to mature his people into the fullness of Christ.
Camden Bucey expounds the Great Commission, the Beatitudes, and Colossians 1:28—29 to show what faithful progress looks like for the church in every era. He also reflects on how we measure success—and why the world’s metrics will always mislead us. The lesson closes by returning to the words of OPC Historian Charles Dennison: the church’s calling is not success, not even survival, but the giving up of our lives in service to our great God.
Key texts: Matthew 28:16—20; Matthew 5:3—5; Philippians 3:7—11; Colossians 1:25—29; 2 Corinthians 4:7—12
Topics covered: Machen’s death and final telegram, the Great Commission, Christian education and home and foreign missions, the poor in spirit, the meek, daily bread, maturity in Christ, measuring faithfulness vs. worldly success, Dennison on the OPC’s calling
Continue the series:
Lesson 1 — Who Are We? youtu.be/5EdPj0OTjMk
Lesson 2 — Where Are We Going? youtu.be/CuK8-L8PHjw
Lesson 3 — Are We There Yet? youtu.be/YI5yHpkmmTY
