Sermons from 2019
Behold Your God!
There are twelve days to Christmas, starting with December 25th and continuing to January 6th. Therefore, at the end of every year and also at the beginning of the next one, our eyes are fixed on Christ, God's son whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.
To Us A Son Is Given
The true meaning of Christmas is found in Scripture, and there in the book of Isaiah it tells us that this Son that is given to us comes to us amidst the darkness and distress in which the world lives.
Simeon’s and Anna’s Perspective
There is a sense of anticipation for Simeon and Anna as they beheld the infant Christ on his day of dedication in the temple because he was the fulfillment of God's promise both to the world and to them.
Mary’s Perspective
This sermon considers the Gospel account of the Annunciation and the Magnificat. Luke’s account presents God’s Word to Mary and her response. God’s Word and God’s call has come to each one of us, just as it came to Mary. Each one of us must respond, just as Mary did. She shows us how to respond: we surrender to God’s calling and we glorify him and rejoice in him.
Zechariah’s Perspective
As a priest in the temple; the father of John the Baptist; the husband of Elizabeth, a relative of Mary; and, like Mary, also a recipient of a visit by the angel Gabriel; Zechariah was given a very unique perspective on the coming of the Messiah.
The God of Peace
The closing of this letter is no more a light dessert than the opening is simply an appetizer; it ties together the theme of the letter and would have been written with Paul's own hand.
The Day of the Lord
Here the apostle Paul reminds the Thessalonians of the return of Christ and the coming judgment; giving them a word of warning, of comfort, and command.
Grieving in Hope
Paul speaks to the Thessalonians about death so that rather than grieving about it they will be encouraged about their future and encourage others with what he tells them.
Walking in Holiness
Paul addresses the issue of sexual immorality in the Thessalonian church, calling them out of impurity and into holiness.
Stand Firm in the Lord
Paul's worries about the difficulties the young church in Thessalonica faced are relieved by Timothy's report of their great faith and love which gives Paul himself great encouragement amidst his own difficulties.
The Labour of Love
Paul longs to see the Thessalonians face to face because he loves them and wants to be with them in person and not merely in spirit. It is this love that drives him to send Timothy so they will not be alone.
The Saving Word of God
The Apostle Paul invites us to consider the significance of the Word of God which the Thessalonians recognized immediately in Paul's preaching of the Gospel.