Sermons by Michael Howell (Page 12)
Michael Howell
Simeon’s Song
Luke 2:25-35 Christmas is a time of great anticipation. In today’s passage, we meet Simeon, a man who has been waiting with great anticipation for the Lord’s Messiah. In Jesus, Simeon finally sees the one he has been waiting for and he praises God for his gift of salvation. But he also has a sombre warning for Mary. This baby might be the bringer of peace, but he will also face great hostility, as will all who pledge their allegiance…
Mary’s song
Luke 1:46-55 Mary magnifies the Lord because he is mindful of us, mighty, and merciful. She celebrates because of the great blessings that will come through the baby she carries. These blessings are for her, for the socially marginalised and for all the descendants of Abraham, including us.
Alert Living
Ephesians 5:15-21 In the final part of our series on the new self, we see that the new self lives an alert life. This alertness is expressed as we walk through life wisely and allow God to fill us with His Spirit.
Fellowship in Christ
We are the temple of God, the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. Listen as we explore these pictures of fellowship from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, thinking about what they teach us about our priorities as a church. Who we are together ought to shape the way we live together as those whom God has called into fellowship with one another in Christ.
New Speech
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Being made new in Christ will shape the way we speak. Listen as we dive into Ephesians 4, where Paul challenges us to be a people who speak in a way that strengthens, helps and heals the body.
My help, my hope
Psalm 146 The Book of Psalms ends with several songs of praise, reminding us that the praise of God is, ultimately, the reason we were created. One of these songs, Psalm 146, reminds us that in order to live a life of praise we need to have a much more realistic view of human beings and a much bigger view of God.
A personal relationship
Psalm 63 What does it mean for us to have a personal relationship with God? In Psalm 63 we hear David express his thirst for God, his delight in God and his confidence in God. Through Christ, we can experience, express and enjoy our relationship with God in the same kind of way.
Listen Up!
Nehemiah 8 Now that the wall has been rebuilt, it’s time for a different kind of building project – a spiritual rebuilding. In Nehemiah 8, the people gather to hear God’s word read and explained. The way that they listen to and respond to God’s word challenges us to think about how we do the same.
Building and Battling
Nehemiah 4 Whenever God’s people do God’s work in the world, they are sure to encounter opposition. Nehemiah 4 shows us the forms this opposition can take and how we, as those called to live for and proclaim Christ in this world, should respond when we face it.
Time for action
Nehemiah 2 After months of desperate prayer and seeking God, Nehemiah steps into action. As those who are, like Nehemiah, called to do God’s work, Nehemiah’s actions have much to teach us. Above all, Nehemiah’s going to Jerusalem points us to Christ, the one who went from the comfort and privilege of heaven to the brokenness and disgrace of our world, in order to accomplish the redemptive purposes of God.
Last Words
Acts 20:17-38 As Paul farewells the elders of the Ephesian church, he presents his own ministry as an example for them to follow and reminds them of the task to which God has called them. Church leaders must heed Paul’s words here. They have been entrusted with the responsibility of caring for those who have been purchased by God with his own blood – a weighty responsibility indeed!
Handling Hostility
Acts 4:1-31 When Peter and John are put on trial by the religious authorities, Peter boldly proclaims the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. In today’s message, we consider the content of Peter’s message and think about what this passage teaches us about how we should respond when we face hostility for proclaiming the message of Jesus. CNBC Proclaiming the Risen Lord Jesus – Michael Howell, 14 June 2020 from City North Baptist Church on Vimeo.