Sermons by Murray Lean (Page 5)
Murray Lean
What God thinks about worship
Isaiah 58:1-14The subject of worship can be rather controversial in many Christian circles. Often the conversation will focus on the Sunday service ….. music, what we do with our arms, liturgy etc. But what does God think about worship? In today’s passage God uses the practice of fasting (common among the Jewish exiles in Babylon) to make the point that true worship must come from the heart and must involve all of life 24/7. In particular this will be seen…
A day to be thankful!
Psalm 100:1-5 Comment: Being thankful should come naturally to Christians, but sometimes we need to set time aside to do it intentionally. Today is such an occasion for us at City North, and this message reminds us of some specific reasons why we ought to be thankful in 2019. “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
The self-sufficient God
Isaiah 40:12-25Understanding all there is to know about God is a task too big for any human mind to fully comprehend. But there is always more for us to discover about God through the pages of the Bible. In this message Pastor Murray explores God’s self-sufficiency. He is perfectly able to look after Himself without being dependent on anyone or anything else. He does not need us, but we need Him. We have been created to be dependent on Him.…
Good news for troubled times
Isaiah 49:1-50:3Where do we turn when life seems hopeless? Isaiah is writing to his people in exile in Babylon, slaves with no apparent hope of being rescued. Except that God had not forgotten them. Firstly, He promised that a day would come when He would send them His “servant”, whom we now know as the Lord Jesus Christ, the ultimate Deliverer. But secondly, He promised that a day was coming when He would set them free and lead them back…
The Incomparable God
Isaiah 40:1-31 A famous book written many years ago was entitled “Your God is Too Small”. The people of Judah were slaves in a foreign land, overwhelmed with doubt and despair: “Where is God? Is there any hope?” they were thinking. Enter Isaiah with these incredible words of comfort and hope. Does God have the power to rescue them? He certainly does (and He did!). Does God care enough to rescue them? He certainly does (and he did!). And He…
My life in God’s Hands
Psalm 139:1-24How well does God know you? This Psalm answers that question. He knows what you’re thinking … how you’re feeling … where you are … even what you are going to say. He made each one of us exactly as we are … our bodies …. our looks … our emotions …. our personalities … our IQ. He was there the moment we were conceived and works out exactly how long we will live. And despite knowing everything about…
The Day is Coming!
Isaiah 24-27As we have moved through the book of Isaiah the focus has changed from God’s judgement on Judah and Jerusalem (chapters 1-12), then the surrounding nations (chapters 13-23), and now the whole world (chapters 24-27). Repeatedly, the reference point is a coming day when all that is wrong with the world as we know it will be destroyed and put right, as God powerfully intervenes. For most people it will be a day of terrifying dread. But for a…
Faith in the Fire (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
Daniel 3:1-30 How real is your faith? How will it stand up when tested? Three Jewish men in Babylon faced the ultimate test when ordered to bow down to a pagan image at the risk of death in a super-heated furnace. Trusting God they refused to bow down, went into the fire, and were delivered by God in the most remarkable way. The ultimate fire we all face is hell, and Christ is able to deliver forever those who trust…
A very personal encounter with God
Isaiah 1:1-13Life as an Old Testament prophet was vitally important, but often difficult and lonely. In today’s message Isaiah tells us how God called him to this 60 year ministry to the people of Judah. Through a personal vision, Isaiah received a glimpse of God sitting in all His glory on His heavenly throne, attended by angelic beings singing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of His glory”. Isaiah was never the same again.…
The LORD has spoken
Isaiah 1:1-31This message begins a new series from the book of Isaiah, apart from the Psalms, the longest in the Old Testament. Of all the OT books, Isaiah most clearly points us to Christ and the gospel of God’s saving grace. As a prophet Isaiah’s task was to declare faithfully and courageously what God was saying to the people of Jerusalem and Judah …. and to us today. In this message we see the LORD exposing three key areas of…
What difference does knowing Jesus make?
John 15:1-17 When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He is calling us to a changed life, and this process of change the Bible calls holiness (or sanctification). Because of ingrained sin and its devious influence, there is always work for the Holy Spirit to do in us in order to “conform us to the image of Christ” (Romans 8:29). Slowly but surely, as the Spirit exposes our sin, we are to take whatever steps are necessary to kill off…
Why is the cross such a big deal?
1 Corinthians 1:18-31All over the world the cross is the most distinct symbol of Christianity. But why? In this message we see that the cross is actually the one great historic act of salvation that the whole Bible points to, and that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Mankind’s greatest need is not a new, improved version of society, but every individual person (including each one of us) saved from their sins. And that is only possible through what…