"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 21)
Sunday Morning
Recognising the ‘Christ’ of Christmas
Luke 2:1-20Despite the medical variables of childbirth, most babies make fairly unspectacular entries into the world. In many parts of the world they are still not born in a hospital. Nor was Jesus. Yet despite His humble birth, He has divided history! As we consider the people mentioned in the Christmas story, we can’t help noticing a variety of different responses to this newborn baby – the innkeeper, the shepherds, King Herod and the wise men. Still today people struggle…
The Hope of Christmas
Luke 2:21-40With all the hype of a traditional Christmas it’s easy to overlook the small yet profound details of the original event. Two people who picked up on these details were Simeon and Anna, who had a very personal ‘chance’ encounter with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the temple. This simple story has much to teach us about God, and how He still brings hope and joy to people like us today.
The Final Destination
Isaiah 65:17 – 66:24The final chapters of Isaiah’s prophecy look to a future reality beyond exile in Babylon, beyond return to Jerusalem, beyond Christ’s first coming, and to a new creation. Central to it will be God’s eternal purpose of gathering people from all nations to see his glory. But not all will be included. And so we are left to ask our selves the questions: Is that where I am going? Does the life I’m living now align with…
Revive us, O Lord!
Isaiah 64:1-12Severe drought often leads Christians to desperate prayer. How much more should spiritual drought drive us to God! The Jews in Babylon were desperate. Now, in their desperation they cried out for God to “rend the heavens and come down” as He had done in the past at Mt Sinai. They recognized that it was their sin that was blocking their deliverance, and pleaded for God’s mercy. We today also need God to revive us with a fresh visitation…
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…
The Greatest Invitation
Isaiah 55:1-13 God issues a universal and urgent invitation to us to come to the banquet of grace. To accept the invitation is to repent, turning from our wicked ways and thoughts. Those who do will experience the mercy of the God who fully pardons and know that their future is certain and better than they could ever imagine.
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).
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 Futility of Idolatry
Isaiah 44:6-23 “Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” Idolatry is Isaiah’s day involved statues made of wood, stone and metal. Idolatry in our present context involves finding our sense of identity, our self-worth or our joy in anything other than God alone. It is subtle, deceptive and pervasive. Isaiah helps us to see the absurdity of making and worshiping idols and encourages us to offer ourselves exclusively to the God who alone is in control and who…
Setting things right
Isaiah 41:20-42:17Things are not right in our world. The exiles in Babylon knew this in a very specific way. But in a more general sense, so too do we. In our passage today, Isaiah points us to the one who would enter this “not-right” world and make things right, the true Servant of the Lord.
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…
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…