I Thessalonians 2:7-12 — The evangelical world is filled with advice for Christian ministry. There are books, websites, DVDs and lecture series that offer insights for every facet of ministry imaginable. Many of these resources are helpful and some are not. Sadly, we see large swathes of the contemporary church taking their cues from popular…
Luke 4:38-44 — Jesus had a powerful, personal ministry in the city of Capernaum. Many were healed and many wondered at His authority. His message was authenticated by a multitude of miracles and yet the people did not repent of their sin and believe He was the Messiah. Later on, Jesus said that it would…
Luke 4:31-37 — It is an odd thing that our increasingly secular society is fascinated by the supernatural. Witchcraft, encounters with spirits and demon possession are frequently the subjects of television shows and movies. The Bible clearly teaches the existence of a supernatural realm of angels and demons but how these are portrayed in popular…
I Chronicles 28:1-8 — As King David handed the crown over to his son Solomon, he reminded the people of the covenant God had made with them at Mt Sinai. They would enjoy a long and prosperous life in their Promised Land if they kept God’s Law. David urged the congregation to obey for their…
Matthew 11:28-30 — The fourth century theologian Augustine famously said in his Confessions, “Thou has formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus invites all to come to Him and experience this rest. As we consider Jesus’ gracious invitation we see how…
Luke 4:14-21 — In the opening months of His public ministry Jesus was admired everywhere He went in Galilee. One Sabbath day He attended the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth. He read the Scriptures and delivered a sermon that was unlike any His audience had heard before. As we consider the text that Jesus…
I Chronicles 14 — The Chronicles begin with David’s rise to power. In this chapter David was assured of his rule over all Israel and the King of Tyre sought his friendship. It was at this moment of strength that the Philistines invaded. Their goal was to destroy David before he became too great a threat.…
Proverbs 3:9-10 — The witness of the New Testament is that many of the first Christians were faithful and yet desperately poor. How do we square this away with the promises of material prosperity in the Old Testament? These are the promises that Solomon reiterates to his son in this text. In this sermon we begin…
Luke 4:9-13 — When our ability or intelligence is called into question we are tempted to respond with pride and anger. Pride is a powerful emotion and it is what Satan aimed to produce in the heart of Jesus in the third temptation. Satan wanted Jesus to prove that He was the Son of God…
Proverbs 3:5-8 — There are some who consider faith in God to be a crutch. It is something that people who can’t cope with reality rely upon. But the truth is that everyone is leaning on someone. In this well-known text, Solomon instructs his son to have total trust in God and to acknowledge Him in…