… when your life is filled with oppression … when you are fearful of your future? Is it OK to bring God our real heart problems? “Does our reality touch God’s reality?” An intro to Psalms … a book of praises. … the human voice as people cry out to God. … God’s word to us … each of the Psalms is…
Sermons on Psalms
What would it be like to live in a city it which almost everyone else worshipped other gods? Pergamum i) The good Rev 1:17 they had remained true to the name of Jesus ii) And the Bad some who hold to the teaching of Balaam. Numbers 22-24, 31:8-6 Joshua 24:9-10 – “When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to…
If Jesus were to write to us, what would he say? The context of the letters in Revelation The letters are preceded and proceeded by the glorified Christ The letters invite the readers to join in the mission of the risen Jesus Themes are introduced which flow through the rest of the book The target churchesNotice the shared ‘shape’ of the letters…
In last few weeks … Israel has been rejected … failure to worship God. religious leaders … failure to produce the fruit of the kingdom. Entry in the kingdom is on the King’s terms BUT they have met together to make plans to trap Jesus. Matthew 26:1 … It is roughly two days till Jesus is put to death. United in their…
Increasing tension Whose authority? Parable #1 – The Two Sons …all the right noises BUT there was no action those you would least expect.. the tax collectors and the prostitutes put their trust in Jesus Matthew 21:45 …knew this parable was speaking about them Parable #2 – The Tenants … the kingdom of God will be taken from them and given to…
Who is the greatest? What seems like a genuine question, how do we ‘do life’ well? The keys to kingdom greatness: humility and grace (v4-5) Our warning – the reality of God’s justice Do not cause anyone to stumble… Do not allow any temptation… Our blessing – God’s promise of grace The farmer who loves his sheep Piecing it together – a…
Model – comparison to a stool – the top flat bit being faith, supported by three legs – scripture, reason & tradition. All three are important – but not all have equal value and we need to be careful Note: as we read scripture, we don’t simply read scripture as a book Who God is? God reveals himself through creation. God reveals…
Justified by … Grace alone … through Faith alone in Christ alone, revealed through Scripture alone to the glory of God alone GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. What faith is not. something that requires no evidence faith despite the evidence. BUT it is faith based on the years and generations of evidence God has given. How will you ever be…
What does it mean to BE a Christian? God’s good gifts of A new life, a new identity, in Christ A promise of a hope for the future Partnership with and in the Church • Looking inward … what should a Christian community look like? Be like minded Be sympathetic Love one another … with compassion & humility • Looking outward ……
The God who protects 1. What Ps 131 says about God 2. How Ps 131 points us to Jesus Mt 11:27-30 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all…