Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

There once was a man walking along a beach in Brighton. Why was he there? Maybe enjoying a stroll on a suitable day, but that could not be, because he looked as if he was in agony. Perhaps going to meet someone or hoping to meet someone who could help him. What did people see when they saw him? Maybe they did not give him a second thought. There once was a woman who turned up to work in a harvest field. Why was she there? Those who knew who she was would say she was a foreigner looking for work. But she was from Moab, an enemy people. It is possible to see a situation and not see the situation. |   The man walking on the beach was Hudson Taylor and he was praying for twenty-four workers to go back with him to China. Only God would know the effect of his answer to that prayer. Have you ever met a Chinese Christian who prayed for you or spoke to you of Jesus – perhaps he or she is a consequence of Hudson’s prayer on Brighton beach. The woman in the harvest field is going to become...

John 1:14: ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.’   Imagine a firm of architects with a plan to build houses. They know every detail of the plan. Then something goes wrong, and the only remedy is for one of the architects to become the builder because no-one else has the competence to sort out the problem. He still remains one of the architects, but he is also the rescuer of the project. In a faint and inadequate way, the story illustrates the incarnation, its necessity and achievements. The Trinity are the architects, and the Son of God becomes the rescuer.   Three details from John 1:14 The first detail is the term ‘Word’, perhaps unclear to us, but it was a term common in the first century to describe the reason behind the universe. John was telling his readers that he knew not what the reason was, but who the reason was.   The second term to note is the word ‘...

We live in a time marked by great uncertainty. This is the case at every level of life whether at the levels of government, economy, family, education, and aspiration. Yet the Bible assures us that assurance at many levels is possible. No doubt many Bible verses come to mind.   We know that God works all things together for good for them that love him. Paul affirmed that he knew a crown of righteousness awaited him when he left this life. Peter wrote to Christians marked by great rejoicing although they lived in troubled times. John wrote his first letter to give reasons why his readers could know that they had eternal life. Luke wrote his Gospel to relate the certainty of the things that Christians believed.   We may be familiar with Question and Answer 36 of the Shorter Catechism. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? Answer. ‘The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justificatio...