Sermons on Anger
The One Needful Thing
The One Needful Thing – Luke’s Gospel, chapter 10, verses 38 to 42 Busyness for busyness sake? What is the thing most needed? One thing is sure. Jesus loved Mary and Martha, and they loved Him. It is not the case that Martha was “bad” and Mary “good”. The church has always had and needed Marys and Marthas. Martha’s Virtue As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her…
The Unforgiving Servant
The Unforgiving Servant – Matthew’s Gospel chapter 18, verses 15 to 35 God desires justice but loves mercy. Peter asks “how often must I forgive someone?” Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ 22 Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22 Wanting an excuse to limit forgiveness, but Jesus ushered in a new way, of grace,…
Lazarus Raised, Jesus Rejected
Lazarus Raised, Jesus Rejected – John’s Gospel chapter 11 verses 45 to 57 Seeing is not always believing Miracles confirm the truth, but don’t always convert people (even raising a man 4 days dead). Some believed in Jesus, that He is God’s Son, the Messiah, but others rejected him. Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them…
Grace for the Humble – Family Sunday
Grace for the Humble – Family Sunday – 2 Kings chapter 5, verses 1 to 14 An Army Captain Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2 Kings 5:1 “All his vict’ries, all his might, could not remove this one blight.” A…
The Jesus You Can Trust
The Jesus You Can Trust – John’s Gospel chapter 10, verses 31-42 The Jesus you can trust. He is the good Shepherd, who gave himself for us, Who can and will keep His promise to keep us safe forever. Why should we trust in Him? A violent response to Jesus’ words. 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these…
Believing is Seeing
Believing is Seeing – John’s Gospel, chapter 9, verses 35 to 41 Light – revealing AND blinding Just like car headlights: They reveal much on a dark night, but someone else’s high beam can also blind us. Blindness that sees 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ 36 ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ 37 Jesus…
The Attempted Stoning of the Saviour
The Attempted Stoning of the Saviour – John’s Gospel chapter 8 verses 48 to 59 A Vicious Response 48 The Jews answered him, ‘Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?’ 49 ‘I am not possessed by a demon,’ said Jesus, ‘but I honour my Father and you dishonour me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. John 8:48-50 A Gracious Invitation 51 Very truly I tell…
Skeptics & the Sovereign Saviour
Skeptics & the Sovereign Saviour – John’s Gospel chapter 6, verses 41 to 59 Who Do Some Believe and Others Don’t? Hearing the same message – “I am the bread of life”? Yet God’s plan cannot be thwarted. Grumbling Skeptics 41 At this the Jews [that is, the Jewish religious leaders] there began to grumble about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ 42 They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father…
The Justice and Wrath of God
The Justice and Wrath of God – Romans chapter 1, verses 18 to 32 Without this the Gospel makes no sense: “One can grasp the greatness of God’s salvation … only when one understands the devastation introduced into the world by human beings.” – Tom Schreiner. “God is love” yes, but He cannot love evil and injustice. We cry out for justice, and only God can give it to us. The Revealing of God’s Wrath So that no one can…
The Omnipotence of God
The Omnipotence of God – Job chapters 38 to 42 Omnipotence defined God can for all things according to his nature and will. So he cannot lie, but he can do everything he wills. Nothing can thwart his plans. The book of Job is about suffering, but much more. It shows us the omnipotence, the sovereignty of God. Again and again He is called the “Almighty”. Job’s early acceptance of his suffering turns later to complaint. God’s unsearchable knowledge. 38 Then…
How to Deal with Jealousy
How to Deal with Jealousy – John’s Gospel chapter 3, verses 22 to 36 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” – Proverbs 14:30. Envy and jealousy can find their way in anywhere, even in church, and bring bitterness. Jealousy Rises verses 22-26 The rise of Jesus’ influence. But John still had a ministry. Many flocked to him in the north. But a dispute: perhaps about who’s baptism was better – “everyone is…
Zeal for the Worship of God
Zeal for the Worship of God – John’s Gospel chapter 2, verses 12 to 22 Jesus, compassionate – yes. But also justly angry. We must not make a caricature of Jesus – here is just anger at those who had turned the place of prayer, where people could seek God, into a noisy marketplace. The wrong place for this. He was angry that people were being obstructed from seeking God. “Instead of solemn dignity and the murmur of prayer, there…
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