"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 31)

"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 31)

Sunday Morning

Still By Grace

The people of Israel have brazenly rebelled against God by not going into the land. And we find ourselves asking, “Where to from here?” “After this kind of failure, how will God’s people continue in relationship with him?” Numbers 15 outlines a series of offerings they are to make and things they are to do once they enter the Promised Land which will remind them that not only did they start their journey because of God’s grace, but each step is taken only by God’s grace. We who have been saved by God’s grace through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus also fail and rebel. And likewise, we are only able to continue in relationship with God on the basis of his continued grace.

Waiting patiently

Patience is not something that comes easily to most of us. Yet so much of life involves waiting… waiting for rain (especially if you’re a farmer), waiting for Mr or Mrs Right to come along, waiting for an answer to a prayer… and so on. One particular test of our patience is the second coming of Jesus Christ, now 2000 years since it was first predicted by Jesus Himself. Some people have given up their faith and even become cynical because of this delay. But according to Peter, this is a short-sighted view. God’s plans still are firmly on track and He is showing patience Himself during this waiting period so that more people might hear and respond to the gospel. If evangelism is that important to God, what about us?

Saying “no” to God

The end was almost in sight. The journey should have been over. A land “flowing with milk and honey” was theirs for the taking. Yet ten faithless men convinced the whole nation to rebel against their God who had been so good to them. He had saved them so powerfully from slavery, provided for them in the desert, entered into a personal covenant with them, and promised to give them the land of Canaan. They had witnessed these things with their own two eyes. But despite all this, they flatly refused to trust Him to take them into that land. So God consigned them to 40 more years in the desert. During those years more than half the population would die because of that catastrophic choice. What is God asking you to do? Are you being obedient?

The grumbling infection

Some people love to grumble. They always seem to find something to complain about. Yet we are all susceptible, if we’re not careful. The Israelites had begun their journey from Mt Sinai to the Promised Land. This was supposed to be the final, exciting push to “the land flowing with milk and honey”. Instead it became an epidemic of grumbling, spreading throughout the camp with even Moses, then Miriam and Aaron succumbing. No wonder God was angry with them. After all He had done for them, they became a restless mob of grumblers! In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul actually refers to this period as a warning to us today. When we think of all that God has done for us – saving us, caring for us, and leading towards our heavenly home – we should be the happiest, most thankful people in the world! Are we?

A time to move with God

If you’ve ever been on a long car trip, you’ll know how stressful it can be. There’s planning and packing, checking the car, organising stops, keeping the children happy, and finally getting to your destination without incident. Life can be like that. And it was certainly true for the two million Israelites who were about to make the journey from Mt Sinai to the Promised Land. After 11 months of preparing, organising and getting final instructions from God, it was time to step out. How would they go? Over the coming chapters we’re going to find out. But what about our journey with God? Each of us will travel a different course and face different challenges, but will we grow closer to the God who calls us to trust Him as He leads us to our heavenly destination?

A costly conversation

The Israelites were required to sacrifice hundreds of animals to make preparation for the ministry in the Tabernacle. The pinnacle and the end point of this costly preparation is hearing God speak to them through Moses. God speaks to Christians through the Bible and reveals himself to us through his Son Jesus. Do we treasure this relationship with God enough?

Is eternal life possible?

(Baptismal service) Sometimes you can’t help asking the big questions of life. Is there a God? … What’s the meaning of life? … Is there life after death? One day a young man asked Jesus one of these questions: What must I do to inherit eternal life? It’s obvious from the story that he was a decent chap with good morals and a social conscience. But still he had nagging doubts about whether he was doing enough to get into heaven. What Jesus said to him that day was devastating. Jesus made him realise that for all his supposed goodness, he really wasn’t even close to being good enough to get there. Only a miracle of God could make it possible! And that’s why we all need to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not about what we do, but all about what He has done.

Holy people for a holy God

What do we mean when we say that God is holy? In His very being he is pure, perfect and unique – separate from anything and anyone tainted by sin. As God’s people we are called to be holy. At Mt Sinai, as the Israelites were about to commence their journey to the Promised Land, God gave them practical instructions regarding how they were to live their holiness. While the details may sound rather harsh and legalistic to modern ears, the principles behind them are still very relevant to us today. Holiness is not a vague other-worldliness that belongs to a different time in history. The holiness of Jesus Christ is ours! It is God’s gift to every believer, to be lived out each day in every part of life with the help of the Holy Spirit. It should be the distinctive mark of every Christian!

Order in the camp

The two million Israelites were out of Egypt, camped at Mt Sinai, and now ready to head off to conquer the promised land of Canaan. But before beginning the journey God gave them a set of instructions… a census to determine the size of their army, how to set up the camp around the tabernacle, a census of the Levites, and the roles of the different Levite families. Why were these details so important? Certainly there was a practical dimension, but even more so, God was teaching them about Himself – His faithfulness, His presence with them, His holiness and His desire for their obedience, especially in view of the battles ahead of them. Jesus has come to save sinners from slavery to sin and lead us to our heavenly destination. How well do we know our God as we make our journey through life?

Hear, O Israel…

Deuteronomy 6 speaks to a generation who need to hear and remember the story of God’s salvation if they are going to love God and live for him wholeheartedly. Like them, we need to pass on the story of God’s salvation, through Jesus Christ, from generation to generation.

Challenge to a young pastor

Today we welcome a new pastor to our team at City North. What does God’s Word say to a young pastor about his life and ministry? Actually, quite a lot… especially in the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). In what appears to be the last letter he wrote from his prison cell before being martyred, Paul wrote to Timothy to urge him on. Stir up the gift God has given you! Be strong in the face of opposition! Be clear about the gospel message! Don’t deviate one millimetre from it, even when it’s unpopular to be a gospel man! See yourself as a guardian of this gospel to your generation! Be willing to suffer for it, if necessary! It’s getting harder to be a preacher and pastor in Australia today. May God continue to raise up more Pauls and Timothys today.