"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 33)
Sunday Morning
Four very personal questions
The 2016 “Word of the Year” according to the Oxford Dictionary is “post-truth”. Sadly, truth doesn’t seem to matter in many circles these days. Truth is a matter of personal opinion rather than objective fact. But that’s not the way Jesus understood truth. In today’s passage He calls us to decide clearly between different options, because the consequences of the decisions we make in life have profound implications. He talks about a “road that leads to destruction”, a “tree that is cut down and thrown into the fire”, and a house that “fell with a great crash”. Where are you looking for truth? Because according to Jesus, truth does exist and it really does matter!
Andrew Prince: Have a heart
Authentic Christianity sacrificially serves others.
“Thank you, Lord!” (Thanksgiving Service)
The old Psalm expresses it like this: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2). It might sound somewhat quaint to the modern ear, but in our so-called “age of entitlement” we can so easily take God’s goodness for granted. We expect life to treat us well and grumble when it doesn’t. Today, the day of our Annual Church Meeting, we want to stop for a moment and consider some of the ways God has blessed us this year… and there are many! Then let’s take a moment to say “thank you”.
Living dangerously (Stephen)
How much risk or danger should a Christian expect to face in the normal course of life? Of course, that depends on where you live. As Christianity is increasingly pushed to the margins of western society, there is a growing antagonism which is forcing many modern-day believers to take a risky stand for Christ. Surely Stephen, the first martyr of the church, is a wonderful model on how to do this. Whether by his godly life, his fearless courage or his inspirational death, he shows us how to live and, if necessary, die for the glory of God. May God spare us from a safety-first, comfortable Christianity that costs nothing and watches on apathetically as Jesus is mocked and rejected today.
Ground-breaking evangelism (Philip)
How does anyone become a Christian? By hearing the message of Jesus from another person (Romans 10:17). And each generation is responsible for passing that message on to the next generation. Otherwise Christianity will die out within about 50 years. Philip, the evangelist, is the classic example of a man who was passionate about telling others about Jesus. Threats and dangers didn’t stop him. And God was clearly directing and using him. Wherever he was, he had one message… and it was always about Jesus. Let’s not over-complicate evangelism. Some people have a special spiritual gift of evangelism. But for most of us it’s a matter of sincerely and simply telling others about Jesus.
A ministry marriage (Aquila and Priscilla)
Two of the more intriguing characters in the NT are the couple, Aquila and Priscilla. They obviously had a strong marriage, but it was how they used their marriage for God that makes them so impressive. They were very mobile, with records of them living in Rome (twice), Corinth, and Ephesus (twice). They were extremely hospitable. And they relished the opportunity to serve as Paul’s gospel “coworkers” wherever they went. How do we see ourselves and our circumstances in the bigger scheme of God’s purposes? This is the question Aquila and Priscilla force us to ask ourselves. You’ll be challenged as Pastor Murray sheds light on this amazing couple.
The rich young ruler
Listen as Pastor Dave looks at three reasons the rich young ruler failed to gain the certainty he so desperately longed for.
The day is coming!
Have you ever felt disappointed with God? He hasn’t answered your prayer. Your life is a mess and He doesn’t seem to be there for you. Perhaps you’ve even been at the point of saying like the people of Malachi’s day: “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out His requirements…?” Then you need to hear this message! We all get an occasional dose of self-pity. However, this is the time for us to stop, take a look at ourselves, remember who we are as God’s people, and get some perspective on life. As our passage clearly states, the day is coming when the wrongs of this world will be put right, the arrogant will be punished, and God’s people will be fully vindicated. Will you be ready to meet the Lord on that day?
Blessing blockers
Israel is guilty of robbing God in the giving of their tithes and offerings. Their disobedience is preventing them from receiving the blessings that God has in store for them. God calls his people to return and sets before them a challenge – do they trust God enough to give him what they should? Do we?
The question of God’s fairness
Have you ever called out in a moment of frustration: “God, that’s not fair!”? Atheists use this argument about the God’s apparent injustice to question His very existence. Christians raise it in times of disappointment when they feel that God has let them down. Perhaps He isn’t good or powerful after all? If you’ve ever felt like this, then this message is for you. 400 years before Christ, the Israelites were accusing God of being unfair. God’s reply to this charge contains possibly the most profound teaching in the whole Bible on this complex subject. Listen in as Pastor Murray takes us through these verses and helps us see that we ourselves are a fundamental part of what’s wrong with the world, and that Jesus is the ultimate answer to all the injustice we see around us.
Faithfulness matters
Listen as pastor Dave looks at three temptations God’s people face when their lives are not directed by his Word.
Warning to spirtual leaders
Where are the leaders today? Leaders in politics, business, civil service, education… and what about the church? There is an urgent need for strong, courageous leadership today. And so there was back in Malachi’s day 400+ years BC. Not only had the priests lost their reverence and awe of God, they were actually guilty of leading the people astray by their poor example and teaching. No wonder God was angry and warned them of His impending judgement against them. Surely there is a warning here for leaders in the church today, and especially those who teach. Join with us as Pastor Murray unpacks this verses in a practical and challenging way.