Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

This sermon was preached on 1/1/2013 ‘For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name’ (Heb. 13:14-15). One of the striking features of changes taking place throughout the world is the growth of cities. No doubt there are many reasons why this phenomenon is taking place, but I suspect one major factor is that life in a city provides some stability. In a city there will be employment, protection and provisions. A city often has a sense of history because its inhabitants can build on what their predecessors did. Obviously, too, within a city there is a sense of community as people interact with one another. Obviously those aspects of city life are essential. Yet we also know that within cities can be found danger, deprivation, loneliness, depravity, and disappointments. Many who have moved to cities have discovered that li...

This sermon was preached on 30/12/2012 The writer of this letter, having completed his evidence for how Jesus is greater than the prophets, now commences to explain how he is greater than the angels, and this explanation will run unto the end of chapter 2, although the author also will refer to several other aspects of the greatness of Jesus in this section. We may be surprised that the author would give such little space for the matter of the prophets in comparison to the extent with which he deals with angels because we might think the prophets were more important, given that they passed on God’s revelation. Yet the Jews gave a very high place to angels, and their estimation is what caused the author to explain several ways in which Jesus is superior to them. So to begin with, I want us to think about what Bible says about angels because the more we know about their abilities and roles the more we will appreciate the greatness of Jesus. The importance of angels The fi...

This sermon was preached on 27/12/2012 Habakkuk has been called to serve God in a difficult day. A new power has risen to threaten the world, including Judah. Babylon has conquered Assyria, the empire that the Lord used to punish Israel, the ten tribes that separated from Judah, and lead them into captivity. Now Babylon is threatening Judah, not only because Babylon wanted to expand its rule, but because the Lord was bringing them against his people. The prophet’s anticipation The second chapter opens with the prophet waiting for information from the Lord. In the previous chapter he had expressed his concern about how the Lord could use an evil people like the Babylonians to chastise his covenant people. Habakkuk did not object to his people getting chastised because he knew that their repeated departures from God deserved divine corrections. But he could not understand why the Lord would allow such strong punishment as the Babylonians were likely to hand out – they were no...

This sermon was preached on 23/12/2012 The Book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were being tempted to give up their faith. They were undergoing persecution on the one hand and derision on the other. Imagine their situation. They had believed the gospel and trusted in Jesus. What had happened to them as a result? Persecution and derision. Both may have come from their fellow Jews. The derision concerned their religious privileges. Their fellow Jews were saying to them, ‘We have the prophets, we have the sacrificial system given by God to Moses, we have the temple and its worship, we are in covenant with God, and we have the Word of God. You have nothing. You gave it all up in order to follow Jesus and what has he done for you? Look at us. We are practising our faith and even have government protection. Obviously God is with us and not with you!’ So those Jewish Christians were tempted to give up the faith and return to Judaism. One man at least was concerned ab...