Philippians 2:12-13 — Growth and progress in personal holiness is something every Christian desires. Our aim is to become more and more like our wonderful Lord Jesus, but is this God’s work or ours? Are we active participants or passive recipients in this process? This is what the Apostle Paul answers for us in this…
Psalm 67:1-2 — In the opening lines of Psalm 67, the author quotes from the most famous benediction in the Bible, the priestly blessing in Numbers 6. Even today this benediction is widely used and much loved in Christian worship. The way the Psalmist uses this familiar text is very interesting. It reveals a deep evangelical…
Philippians 2:9-11 — “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him…” Jesus, the Divine Son of God, submitted to His Father’s will and humbled Himself. He went all the way to the cross but that was not the end. His humiliation was followed by exaltation. Jesus was restored to His pre-Incarnate glory and raised to an…
Luke 6:6-11 — Jesus healed a man with a deformed hand in a synagogue on the Sabbath day which made the Pharisees angry. They left the synagogue and immediately began planning to destroy Him. In this sermon, we consider the reasons why the Pharisees were angry and we discover that these reasons actually reveal the…
Ezra 7:1-10 — How much do you know about Ezra? (Probably not as much you should!) As we continue our study through the Book that bears his name, we learn about the historical importance and significance of this great man of God. We discover the key to his success, which just happens to be the key to our…
Luke 6:1-5 — Who is sovereign over the interpretation of God’s words? As we seek to understand and apply God’s Law, to whom do we look for guidance? We look to Jesus because it’s His Law. He is the Lord of the Sabbath. That’s what we learn from this text and it’s a very important principle.…
Ezra 6 — It had been a long and difficult process with much opposition and now the future of the Temple hinged upon whether an old Persian decree could be found. If it was found, what would the present emperor do? The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem had been filled with twists and turns but…
Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” This is a much loved and often quoted New Testament text, but what does it mean? How does it work? How does God strengthen us through Christ?
Ezra 5 — After 15 years of inactivity those who returned to Jerusalem finally recommenced work on the Temple. However, the work was once again opposed! As we consider this part of the narrative, it brings to the fore some bigger questions — why do bad things keep happening? Why doesn’t God make life easier? Why…
Luke 5:36-39 — In response to the Pharisees’ question about fasting, Jesus gave three well-known illustrations. He spoke of a new patch on an old garment, new wine in old wineskins and a person’s preference for old wine over new. The truth communicated in these illustrations is that men and women are right with God…