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,…
Numbers 16 — Korah’s rebellion was a full-blown crisis for Moses, for Aaron and for the whole Nation of Israel. It was especially difficult for Moses because he was the focus of many’s people dissatisfaction and contempt. When we step back an consider what took place, we recognise that Moses led the people through this time…
Numbers 16:1-35 — The story of Korah’s rebellion is one of the most terrifying in the Bible. The judgment that fell upon him and his fellow conspirators was swift and heavy. It has reverberated down through the centuries and still shocks us today. In this, the first of two sermons on this story, we consider…
Revelation 2:1-7 — “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” The church at Ephesus was highly commendable in many ways. The congregation were doing a lot of things well, but there was one critical problem. A problem that cast a pall over everything else they did. Their love for Jesus…
Various Texts — When Jesus sat down with His disciples to eat the Passover He did not share the cup with them. He said He “would not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the day when He drank it new with them in His Father’s kingdom.” Jesus was anticipating a far greater feast – a…
John 21:1-17, I Peter 5:1-4 — A minister of the Gospel may have the requisite gifts but what will sustain him over the long term? How can he endure the hardship and the suffering that inevitably comes with the office? The key is his love for Christ. If a pastor loves Jesus he will persevere in preaching…
Psalm 23:5 — “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” We are very familiar with the shepherd imagery in the Twenty-Third Psalm. Its opening lines are among the most famous and most beloved words in the Bible. But perhaps what we…
James 4:1 — “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” Last week we saw an extraordinary series of events in our nation’s capital. The political party that governs our country descended into a morass of bitter infighting and yet another Prime…
Galatians 6:2 — “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” This is a straightforward command and yet one we struggle to obey. The church is supposed to be a place where no one is left to bear their burdens alone. In this sermon we have simple reminder of our need both to shoulder…
Judges 8:1-21 — “Why have you treated us so badly? Why weren’t we invited?” These were the accusations thrown in Gideon’s face by the men of Ephraim as he was pushing for final victory against the Midianites. Gideon not only had to deal with the enemy without, but also opposition from within – from the…