Sermons from May 2021
The Parable of the Four Soils
Matthew 13:1-23 The parable of the soils challenges us to ask the question, “which soil am I?” How do we respond to Jesus and his word? Is my heart fertile soil for Jesus’ words?
Blessed Assurance
Romans 4:13-25 Because our justification rests entirely on grace, we can be sure that we are right before God. This assurance changes everything. It gives us a secure identity, it frees us from having to find assurance elsewhere, and it gives us true joy!
No king in Israel
Judges 17-21 As we’ve moved through the book of Judges, things have tended to get more depraved, and we reach a climax in these final chapters as we get an up close look at Israel’s sin. These chapters describe the religious and moral degeneration of God’s people living apart from God. We are confronted with the ugly reality of our sinful hearts. The only hope is a king who will rescue, rule and change us, and it is this we…
No Boasting
Romans 3:27-4:12 Paul continues his argument that all human beings can only be made right with God by faith in Christ, pointing to Abraham, whose faith was “credited to him as righteousness.” Because our righteousness does not depend on our works, boasting is excluded.
Samson
Judges 13-16 In this message, we explore Samson’s life in five “episodes.” We see a man with incredible strength, but who is otherwise, impulsive, self-centred and vengeful. Samson’s story causes us to ask some serious questions of ourselves. Above all, Samson points us to Jesus, the far better Saviour, who in his weakness delivers us from our great enemies.
The Saving righteousness of God
Romans 3:21-26 How can sinful people be made right with God? God, in his love, wants to forgive us, but God needs a way to forgive us. God has intervened in history to save us! In the death of Jesus, God achieved justification, redemption and propitiation for us, and so gives to us the righteousness we do not have in ourselves. We receive this as a gift, by grace, and it is applied to each of us personally through faith.
Manipulating God
Judges 10-12 10:6-12:7 Jephthah tries to manipulate God for his own ends, with tragic results. Jephthah is treating the Lord like he would an idol, but the One True God cannot be manipulated. We ultimately exist to serve God’s agenda, not him ours. If we are to worship and obey God rightly, we must first know him.
No one righteous
Romans 3:1-20 Paul concludes his long charge against humanity, showing that all are under the power of sin. This text leaves us feeling the weight of our sin and our need for Jesus, who alone can make us right with God.