Luke 2:1-7: The Birth of Christ
When I say ‘Christmas’ what comes to mind? Santa Claus, stockings, reindeer, Christmas trees, gifts, food…. Most of our associations have to do with lights, and music and festivities, and large family gatherings with lots of gifts and food and a large expenditure of money, but not so at the first Christmas. Luke 2:1-7 gives us the humble and simple account of one of the greatest miracles of all time, God becoming man. How did we get to the modern practices of celebrating Christmas the way we do? In the earliest times of the time, the birth of Christ...
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John 6: An Overview
Special thanks to Joe Fleener for preaching today. Joe is the pastor at Rolleston Baptist Church.
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Luke 1:26-38: The Annunciation
When I mention Mary the Mother of Jesus was immediately springs to mind? Those with Roman Catholic roots might think of the Ave Maria, the prayer to Mary. Many may think of various statues or art works. As Protestants we see Mary as surrounded with controversy because the honour that has been paid her, which is technically defined as being less than that given to Christ, seems to amount to idolatry. Today we are going to explore our Mariology. Mariolatry is the worship of Mary, that is not what we want to establish, but rather, Mariology, a biblical doctrine...
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Jesus Christ as an argument for Christianity
Introduction: One of the greatest proofs of the truthfulness of Christianity is Jesus Christ Himself. Once at a dinner party on St Helena Napoleon was part of a discussion on who Jesus Christ was. He sat silently while everyone else shared their opinions. Some thought him man others thought Him God, at the end of it all Napoleon declared, ‘I know men, and Jesus was no man.’ He is considered to be the most influential person in history. One author highlights the following: ‘We have no record of his date of birth, yet all the world’s chronology is linked...
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Christmas Message: John 1:14-18: Have You Seen the Glory?
Introduction: Are you bored of Christmas? Does it seem repetitive to sing the same carols for a month every year? Have you felt your heart grow hardened to the incarnation of Christ? In September this year, I went on a road trip with an English family from church to the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee to see an eclipse. One of the members of our company had become entirely obsessed with it, so, he went on Nasa’s website and found us GPS coordinates for a carpark where we could view the eclipse with 100% totality. The whole process of the...
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Revelation 1:10-20: The First Vision: Part One
Introduction: The persecuted and minority church of Asia needed to be reminded of who Jesus is and who they are. John has reminded them of the normal Christian life which is a paradox of suffering and triumph, that we like Christ in His incarnation are a mix of glory and humility, of strength in weakness; as goes the King so goes the kingdom, as goes the head so goes the body. Being in the minority, being the underdog, being killed and pushed down and targeted for extermination the church was in real need of encouragement and there is no...
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Revelation 1:7-8: The Second Coming of Christ
Introduction: How does God comfort His people when they are innocent and being persecuted and hunted to death? He reminds them of the final judgement when all enemies will be crushed all, debts will be paid in full, and the new creation will be brought to never be undone. All pain, injustice, sin, enemies, and all that harasses God’s people and diminishes God’s glory and reign will be gone. There are some very hard words coming in the book of Revelation that will require Christians to pay with their lives to be faithful witnesses. They will need their minds...
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