Matthew 2:16-18 — The Massacre of the Innocents is the part of the Christmas story that we don’t like to think about. It’s the part that usually isn’t found in the Nativity play that children perform, nor is it mentioned in the Christmas cards we give to our loved ones. It’s difficult to understand why, in…
Luke 2:19 — “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” In the 9 months leading up to the birth of Jesus, Mary experienced many extraordinary things. Then as soon as her baby was delivered a group of shepherds turned up wanting to see the child! They said they’d seen angels in…
Matthew 24:23-28 — “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not…” The time immediately preceding the return of Christ will be characterised by great deception. There will be false Christs and false prophets who will perform great signs and wonders and thereby deceive many. There will also be…
Matthew 24:15-22 — “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…” As we continue our study of the Olivet Discourse we come to an urgent exhortation. When the abomination of desolation is set up in the holy place, Jesus tells those living in Judaea to run for their lives. He paints a bleak and…
Proverbs 22:15a — If someone was to ask you, “What is the greatest danger our children face?” How would you answer? Is it peer pressure? Bullying? Social media? Internet pornography? Consumerism? The secular worldview? These all pose a significant threat to our children’s emotional and spiritual well-being, but the Bible gives a different answer. That’s…
Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-21 — There are some truly remarkable details in the Christmas story. Some things happened that never had before or since. There are also some parts of the story that are very ordinary. The narrative is a mixture of the common and the unique, the breathtaking and the boring. In this sermon, we…
Matthew 24:15 — “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…” As Jesus describes the signs that will precede His Second Coming, He mentions something the prophet Daniel had written about — something He calls “the abomination of desolation.” What is this rather ominous sounding event?…
Isaiah 29:13 — “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me…” In Isaiah chapter 29 we see the prophet coming to the people of Judah with a message of judgment, and when we consider the context,…
Matthew 24:9-14 — “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake…” Today, there are many places around the world where followers of Jesus are persecuted. There are other places where freedom of religion is maintained but the Christian…
Isaiah 7:9 — “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.” Ahaz was a wicked men who led the Kingdom of Judah into mass apostasy. Despite his rebellion, when facing a formidable threat to his life, the LORD sent a prophet with a message of hope. That prophet was Isaiah and his message…