Sermons on Grumbling
I Once Was Blind But Now I See
I Once Was Blind But Now I See – John’s Gospel chapter 9, verses 13 to 34 Life can be like the “Pin the tail on the donkey” game. Blind, tornadoed around and hearing many confusing voices. Jesus had just healed a man born blind by making some mud with his spit and putting it on the man’s eyes, but instead of joy and praise there is grumbling and hatred. Religious Formalism 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who…
Truth That Will Set You Free
Truth That Will Set You Free – John’s Gospel chapter 8, verses 31 to 47 Catchcries- Truth and Freedom! But Truth with a capital “T” has become just any old truth – “You have your truth and I have mine!” But it doesn’t deliver. We still feel restricted, searching for more truth. The truth will set you free. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you…
Judging Jesus Rightly
Judging Jesus Rightly – John’s Gospel chapter 5, verses 1 to 24 Mounting Hostility (7:1-2) 7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. John 7:1 The Unbelief of Jesus’ Brothers (7:3-10) 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become…
True and False Disciples
True and False Disciples – John’s Gospel chapter 6 verses 60 to 61 Before there was mass enthusiasm “Jesus gives us political security, universal health care and economic security. Make him King!” Jesus’ focus is different – “I am the bread of life.” So there is grumbling and unbelief from the religious leaders. Now the disciples are at a crossroads. The offence of Jesus: 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept…
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 Controversial Claim of Christ
The Controversial Claim of Christ – John’s Gospel chapter 5, verses 16 to 30 2 Things: Jesus, a controversial figure 16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. John 5:16 Just before this He provoked controversy by healing an paralysed man on the Sabbath. Jesus’s controversial claim 7 In his defence Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’ 18 For…
The Unchanging Nature of God
The Unchanging Nature of God – Malachi chapter 2 verse 17 to chapter 3 verse 6 Change is an inevitable and necessary change for us for we are far from perfect. But God does not change. He is already perfect, He cannot, He need not change. What a contrast with faithless Israel, so often “doing evil in the sight of the Lord”. Now, 100 years after the return from exile they are a small nation and asking “Is God still…
The Omnipresence of God
The Omnipresence of God – He is Everywhere – Jonah chapters 1 and 2 Definition: Omnipresent He is present everywhere, really present. He fills heaven and earth. He is truly present in all places at all times. An attempt to flee God’s presence 1:1-3 Jonah knew of God’s greatness. Yet he flees, he runs, he goes “down”. Foolish, yes, but so are we. 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where…
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…
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…
Jesus, Sovereign and Strong
Jesus, Sovereign and Strong – Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 26, verses 1 to 30 Jesus now moves from a ministry of teaching to a ministry of suffering. 26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 ‘As you know, the Passover is two days away – and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.’ Matthew 26:1-2 New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011…
If Only I Had …..
If Only I Had ….. – Exodus chapter 20, verse 17 17 ‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.’ Exodus 20:17 New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. If Only I Had ….. Exodus chapter 20,…
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