Sermons on Hope
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ – Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 11 How not to com: Offended 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.’ Matthew 11:6 Looking to find fault 16 ‘To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the market-places and calling out to others: 17 ‘“We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance;we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,…
Parables of the Kingdom
Parables of the Kingdom – Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 13, verses 24 to 52 4 gospels, the heart of the Bible. What is a parable? A story that shows a particular truth. Jesus told many parables. Here He uses several to show what the Kingdom of God is like. The inevitable growth of the kingdom. 31 He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is…
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…
The Believer’s Tug-o-War
The Believer’s Tug-o-War – Romans chapter 7 verses 14-25 21 So I find this law at work: although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from…
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…
Hope in the Love of God
Hope in the Love of God – Romans chapter 5, verses 6 to 11 There is something missing in the lives of many Christians, and it stunts their growth. What is it that’s missing? It is failing to grasp the greatness of the Love of God. The Greatness of God’s Love, Roman’s 5:6-8 To understand it we need to see ourselves through God’s eyes: Weak, helpless, sinful. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ…
Hope for the Desperate
Hope for the Desperate – John’s Gospel chapter 4 verses 43 to 54 Hope for the desperate. The twin themes of desperation and faith. The superficial faith of the curious crowd They were there to see His miracles. 43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honour in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in…
The Hope of the Resurrection
The Hope of the Resurrection – 1 Corinthians 15 The Gospel stands on the physical resurrection of Jesus. Without it there is no Gospel. Evidence for Christ’s Resurrection From scripture, and from eyewitnesses. Six consequences of NO resurrection 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.…
Praise the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth
Praise the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth – Psalm 115 To Your Name be the glory! Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness Psalm 115:1 For His mercy, His truth, His promises. Where is Your God? Why do the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Psalm 115:2 Many have been mocked like this when in distress in this life – threatened, sick, imprisoned, desitute. God is still there,…
Jesus’ First Disciples
Jesus’ First Disciples – John’s Gospel, chapter 1 verses 35 to 42 Here is the very first beginning of the Christian church. Two people are prompted to see, hear and follow Jesus 35 The next day John [the Baptist] was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. They are invited to come 38 Turning round, Jesus saw them…
Grace Greater than our Sin
Grace Greater than our Sin – Genesis chapter 3 verses 20 to 24 20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree…
The Consequence of Sin
The Consequence of Sin – Genesis chapter 3 verses 14 to 19 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” To…