Pastor Reid Hankins

Rev. W. Reid Hankins was born and raised in Bellflower, CA. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, with a minor in Classical and Medieval European Studies, in June 2000 from the University of California, San Diego. In February 2003, Pastor Reid started Hankins Consulting, Inc., a web development consulting company. He continued to operate his business throughout his seminary training at Westminster Seminary California, graduating in June 2007 with a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) degree. During his seminary studies, Pastor Reid was distinguished to receive the Samuel and Ann Van Til Scholarship Prize in Biblical Studies and the Arthur Forest Wells Memorial Scholarship. He has been married to his wife Kim since January 2001, and they have two children, Will and Zoe. In his free time, Pastor Reid enjoys ice hockey, hiking, camping, fine dining, and playing board games.
Rev. W. Reid Hankins was born and raised in Bellflower, CA. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, with a minor in Classical and Medieval European Studies, in June 2000 from the University of California, San Diego. In February 2003, Pastor Reid started Hankins Consulting, Inc., a web development consulting company. He continued to operate his business throughout his seminary training at Westminster Seminary California, graduating in June 2007 with a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) degree. During his seminary studies, Pastor Reid was distinguished to receive the Samuel and Ann Van Til Scholarship Prize in Biblical Studies and the Arthur Forest Wells Memorial Scholarship. He has been married to his wife Kim since January 2001, and they have two children, Will and Zoe. In his free time, Pastor Reid enjoys ice hockey, hiking, camping, fine dining, and playing board games.

Do You Still Not Have Faith?

I want us to consider today in this passage the importance of Jesus being able to control the wind and sea by the very word of his power.  I want us to consider what it means for Jesus to have this power and authority.  What does this tell us about who he is?  Well, certainly, it points to his divinity.  We’ll see how this event shows forth that Jesus is indeed who Scripture presents: the eternal Son of God who has come in the flesh.  But I also want us to consider the significance of this fact.  If Jesus is God in the flesh, able to control wind and water, and every aspect of creation, what should that do to our faith?  How should that affect our faith and how we respond to the trials that come in our lives?

Passage: Mark 4:1-34
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 05/05/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Proverbs 30:4; Romans 8:28-39

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To What Shall We Liken the Kingdom of God?

This passage has three related parables: parables about seeds; about sowing, and growing, and harvesting. Of course, these parables are not ultimately about farming. They are about the kingdom of God. Jesus is using these parables to teach us something about the kingdom which he had come to announce. Last week we looked at this same passage, but our focus last week was on the purpose of parables, in general. We saw how Jesus explained the dual use of parables – that for some they serve to veil the truth and for others to reveal it. But today, we’ll focus more specifically on these three parables about seeds and look at what Jesus is telling us about the kingdom of God in these parables.

Passage: Mark 4:1-34
Author: Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Sermon originally preached during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 04/27/2008 in Novato, CA.
Other Scripture Readings: Joel 3:9-21; 1 Corinthians 3:5-11

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