Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

This sermon was preached on 21/7/2013 David wrote this psalm, although we cannot tell at what stage in his life it was composed. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for answered prayer during a crisis situation. David here is engaged in private worship because there is no suggestion that someone else is with him. Yet his description of how he worships is full of lessons for us. The contents of worship (vv. 1-2) The first detail to note is that David’s thanksgiving involves all his heart. What does it mean to do something with all one’s heart? It means an undivided heart. Jesus said on one occasion that it is impossible to serve two masters. Similarly it is impossible to worship God if our heart has divided loyalties. In order for worship to occur, there has to be a devoted heart. Furthermore David has an undistracted heart. Perhaps that is why he is by himself. He has gone somewhere where his thoughts and his affections will not be diverted even by legiti...

This sermon was preached on 14/7/2013 The author encourages further his readers by continuing his focus on Jesus in this section of his letter. Later in the chapter he will make some strong demands of them and even issues a warning to them, but he precedes them with wonderful words of encouragement. There is an obvious pastoral lesson here – if we want people to serve Jesus and press on in that service we need to stress again and again what he has done for them, is doing for them, and will yet do for them. This is a reminder that the most powerful stimulus for Christian service is gratitude moved by love for the Saviour. We can look at briefly at seven things he says about Jesus. 1. Why and how did Jesus come into the world? The author begins this chapter by telling us why Jesus came into this world (v. 5). One reason was the impossibility of the Jewish rituals to deal completely with sin and provide permanent forgiveness (vv. 1-4). Nothing would be achieve...

This sermon was preached on 14/7/2013 This psalm is well known for several reasons, including the fact that it was sung a couple of decades ago by a pop group and managed to get into the charts. It is also well known in Christian theology because of some of the sentiments expressed within it, which some say are sub-Christian. Indeed it is common for preachers to suggest that we should omit the last verse if we ever sing the psalm in public worship. Of course, such opinions are also questioning whether it is appropriate for the psalm to be in the Bible. Yet it is in the Bible and its statements are part of the Word of God given for our guidance and for spiritual growth. It is straightforward to see when the psalm was composed. At some stage during the captivity in Babylon a psalmist wrote a sad song for his people to use. Clearly, it was a difficult period to live through if one was a believer in God. The cause of God had been crushed by Babylon, a seemingly unstoppa...