Conviction 1: Every sermon must have Jesus as its centerpoint. If we are not determined that in every sermon Christ is to be preached, it were better that we should resign our commission forthwith and seek some other vocation… No sermon which fails to exalt Christ is worthy to be called Christian preaching. (James Stewart,…
Introduction
But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 ESV). The Bible is like a forest. A forest is a beautiful, living thing, filled with…
Noah
Imagine a world filled with violence. You do not have to think very hard, do you? On a global scale there have been wars (this nation against that nation, this racial group against that racial group). We see famine, genocide, the sex trade and the persecution of Christians. On a smaller scale we see armed…
Why is there evil in the world?
If God is loving, why does he allow so much evil in the world? This is an old question, a classic objection to Biblical Christianity, and it’s one that we have talked about on Sunday mornings before today. It’s the kind of question that keeps coming up. The questions of evil and suffering are, of…
Why all the killing in the Old Testament?
In Deuteronomy chapter 7 God orders the Israelites to completely destroy the 7 nations of Canaan, without mercy, and so the conquest of Canaan began at Jericho, with the killing of every man, woman and child in the city. In 1 Samuel 15, God orders King Saul to kill every man, woman, child and even…
Why is God silent?
A man told my father-in-law his story: An accountant with a PhD, he and his wife were immigrants from China some years ago. Invited to church, they became involved with the congregation. Shortly after, though, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. She affirmed faith in Christ and was baptized. A few weeks later, she died. …
Easter, 2006
What a great day Easter is! It’s a very big deal, the greatest day for Christians. Today we proclaim and celebrate that Jesus of Nazareth – who was crucified, died and was buried – has been raised to life by the power of God, that he is declared with power to be the Son of…
Easter, 2005
Two weeks ago, Canada mourned the deaths of four Mounted police murdered while on duty in Alberta. Thousands gathered at the funeral of the officers. Thousands more watched the service on television. In that service the father of one of the officers gave the eulogy for his son, and in that eulogy he read these…
Easter, 2004
Today is Easter Sunday. Across the world, millions of Christians have celebrated and are celebrating the resurrection from the dead of Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter and itinerant rabbi who was nailed to a Roman cross outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago. It is the high point of celebration in the church calendar. We say to…