Sermons on Humility
The Servant
The Servant – Isaiah chapter 42, verses 1 to 4 Human evil Human evil, a problem that no human can fix. Christmas is a landmark reminder that our world is broken. But the promised King is not what the world seeks: not a strong man, not a military conqueror. He comes through a womb, not a palace. Here is the first of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs”. “Behold my servant”. The Servant’s Identity ‘Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one…
The Servant King
The Servant King – John’s Gospel chapter 13, verses 2 to 17 A staggering humility 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he…
Loved to the End
Loved to the End What does Jesus think about me? Here is the answer: John 13:1. It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. John 13:1 Without God there is no love. Loved eternally: “his own”. Loved completely: “to the end”. God is love: 1 John 4:8 “his…
Extravagant Love
Extravagant Love – John’s Gospel chapter 12, verses 1 to 8 The crazy things we do for those we love. A feast of celebration Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. John 12:1-2 Simon (who had been leper) and Lazarus (who had been dead) were there –…
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 Incomparable Value of Wisdom
The Incomparable Value of Wisdom – Proverbs chapter 8 The Mount Everest of Proverbs The call of wisdom Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?2 At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;3 beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud:4 ‘To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all humanity.5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. Proverbs 8:1-5 Lady…
Life as a Living Sacrifice
Life as a Living Sacrifice – Romans chapter 12 verses 12 to 16 Life as a living sacrifice. Hard, yet rewarding. Living sacrifices live a life of hope and prayer in trials Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 Patience endurance is the call, not naturally but in dependence on Him, in prayer. This is the answer. Living sacrifices live a life marked by generosity Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practise…
Love One Another
Love One Another – Romans chapter 12 verses 9 to 11 Love one another Paul’s picture of love’s character is not too be seen as a moralistic list, but rather as the natural outflow of the love of God in our hearts. Sincere love, but hatred for evil Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 We love because He is love, and we are to be like our Father. We are to…
According to God’s Grace, Serve One Another
Life in God’s family, Part 2 According to God’s Grace, Serve One Another – Romans chapter 12, verses 3 to 8 When part of the body is sick, the whole body suffers. So it is within the church, that is, the people. Serve One Another With All Humility 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in…
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 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…
Micah’s Message
The Message of Micah Ancestry Our ancestry is of great interest to many. Here is Micah, our ancestor in the faith, a prophet of God from a village near Jerusalem, 700 years since time of the Exodus under Moses. He lived through the reign of 3 Kings, but Micah tells us about the ordinary people, and not these kings. What was Micah saying to his generation? What is Micah saying to our generation? God has used the people of Israel…