BBC Sermon Cast

Paul begins his second inspired letter to the Corinthian church by sharing his experience of God’s comfort amid much affliction. He does this to both bridge a relational gap as well as to remind them that the gospel is not a trouble-free message. As we commence our study of this book, we will come to appreciate the significance of this comforting introduction.

We are often concerned with the appraisal of others, their evaluation of our situation, and their being impressed with who we are, what we’ve done, or what we have. But who of us would be impressed with someone who mourns? What is blessed about mourning? Matthew 5:4 invites us to consider the blessed state of the blessed kingdom people who, although broken, will one day be bandaged.

John 17 is one of the best-known and well-loved prayers in Scripture. It is unique in that Jesus prays for not only his first-century disciples but also for us in 2024 who have believed through the word of the original disciples. We will see what we can learn about prayer ourselves by examining this the greatest of prayers.

Those who, by God’s grace, have entered the kingdom of God (being born again) are characterised as happy, in a very countercultural way. Counterintuitively, Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:3 that the happy are humble. May God grant us grace to live a life that happily commends humility.

For Noah, times they were about to change—from bad to good; from the old world to a whole new world; from hopeless to hopeful. And faith in God’s word was key to his hope remaining afloat, quite literally. This “Noahic” faith will keep our hope afloat as well. We will study this verse looking at both the context and character of hope that floats.

The beatitudes introduce us to God’s description of human flourishing as discovered in the Sermon on the Mount. Whatever else can be said of this passage, and of the beatitudes specifically, they are a reversal of all merely human evaluations. May we be so blessed!

In this important chapter, the Lord Jesus makes clear to his newly announced church that every member matters. The disciples needed to know that then and to keep it mind as the church grew. So do we. In this fundamental passage for the local church, we are instructed about the value and vulnerability of each member and our responsibility to take this seriously. We will follow this outline: 1. The Context in Which We Fail (v. 1) 2. The Correction We Need (vv. 2–4) 3. The Caution We Must Hear (vv. 5–11) 4. The Concern We Must Have (vv. 12–20) 5. The Characteristic We Must Practice (vv. 21–35)

As he recounted his confrontation with Peter at his hypocrisy in Antioch, Paul launches into an explanation of justification by faith alone. He urges his readers to understand that if they abandon this precious truth, they abandon the very hope of their salvation. We consider these verses under two broad headings. 1. Just another sinner (vv. 15–19) 2. Alive in Christ (vv. 20–21)

We have an unshakable kingdom, because we have an unshakable King, who is worthy of acceptable, reverential, awe-inspired worship.

The book of Romans is a kind of “gospel introduction” from the apostle Paul to the church at Rome. Paul expounds the gospel to build up that church as well as to prepare the way for their support of his ministry to take this gospel to regions beyond. In the opening section Paul reminds the Roman church of three things necessary for every gospel-faithful church: 1. Gospel Stewardship (vv. 1–7) 2. Gospel Partnership (vv. 8–15) 3. Gospel Confidence (vv. 16–17)

Pride is a sin with which we all struggle, to one degree or another. It seems to sink its tentacles into almost every area of life and give rise to other sins. Psalm 31:23 contrasts pride and faithfulness and God’s response to both. We consider three things from this text. 1. Recognising pride 2. The Wages for Pride 3. The Cure for Pride

In this passage, though Paul is writing “in conclusion,” he could just as easily have written “to be continued.” For, of course, the challenges he addressed will continue to resurface, as they do in any local church. Paul closes this epistle providing at least five truths that, if practiced, will guard the progress we have made and will promote the maturity we need: 1. Examples to Follow (vv. 15–18) 2. Greetings to Embrace (vv. 19–20) 3. Warnings to Heed (vv. 21–22) 4. Affirmations to Receive (vv. 23–24a) 5. An Amen to Declare (v. 24b)

The story of King David showing kindness to the cripple Mephibosheth is a wonderful picture of the undeserved and lavish grace that God shows to us in Christ.

Just as the local church in Corinth was independent and yet interdependent, so our local church needs to be. As Paul shares some travel plans with the church, we learn that we must be both intentionally independent and intentionally interdependent.

The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to not get into the habit of neglecting the Lord’s Day gathering but to instead gather faithfully to stir one another to love and good works. We will consider three elements of this exhortation: 1. Who gathers 2. Why we gather 3. Results of gathering

As Paul concludes his epistle to the Corinthian church, the resurrection of the Christian (chapter 15) has everything to do with what follows. This closing chapter provides practical examples of how to “be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (15:58). The opening four verses instruct us how “the work of the Lord” is funded by the local church and its need to be “steadfast” in this privilege and responsibility. We consider four elements of new creation generosity: 1. New Creation Responsibility 2. New Creation Solidarity 3. New Creation Continuity 4. New Creation Accountability

Deuteronomy 32:10–14 contains a moving recollection of God’s paternal care for Israel. Verses 15–18 indict Israel for forgetting their privileged position before God and forsaking him altogether. This text forces us to ask whether we have forgotten our privileged position before God. Are we unmindful of Jesus who bore our sin? We will consider this theme under two headings: 1. Getting Your Privilege (vv. 10–14) 2. Forgetting Your Privilege (vv. 15–18)

As Paul draws his teaching about the resurrection to a close, he does so in a spirit of appropriate confidence, the kind of confidence produced by heartfelt belief in the resurrection of the Christian. We will examine Paul’s confident conclusion under the following headings: 1. A Confident Expectation (vv. 50–53) 2. A Confident Exaltation (vv. 54–57) 3. A Confident Exhortation (v. 58)

Philippians 2:14–16 is a well-known, but underrated exhortation by the apostle Paul for believers to do all things without grumbling or disputing. We will examine this exhortation by considering: 1. A Tongue Bridled by the Gospel (v. 14) 2. A Testimony Born of the Gospel (v. 15) 3. The Impact of the Sincere Gospel (v. 16)

When it comes to the resurrection, Christians need a biblically instructed imagination. Not in the sense of make-believe, but rather the biblically realistic ability to look at what is decaying and normally to be discarded with the eyes of faith seeing a new creation, made in the image of Jesus Christ. We will look at this passage under four headings: 1. Interrogation (v. 35) 2. Illustration (vv. 36–41) 3. Implication (vv. 42–44) 4. Image-ination (vv. 45–49)

How are we supposed to apply the truth that God is light? According to 1 John 1:5–2:1, it means living our lives exposed to God and one another. Being true to ourselves and God about the reality of our sin will produce true fellowship and help us experience true forgiveness. God’s light not only exposes our sin, but in Jesus, purifies us. Therefore, before God, we may be naked but unashamed. We will consider this truth under three broad headings: 1. God’s Exposing Light (1:5) 2. True Fellowship (1:6–7) 3. True Forgiveness (1:8–2:1)

The Christian life is both useless and hopeless if there is no resurrection. But as Paul reminds us, “Christ has been raised from the dead!” Therefore, Christians remain committed to the theology of the resurrection, conduct themselves in accordance with the theology of the resurrection, and contend for the theology of the resurrection. We will consider three things about resurrection theology from this text: 1. Resurrection Theology Pictured (v. 29) 2. Resurrection Theology Practiced (vv. 30–32) 3. Resurrection Theology Protected (vv. 33–34)

The passage in Matthew 20:26–28 centres on Jesus addressing the disciples’ request for prominent positions in his future kingdom. He challenges their ambition by emphasising servanthood as the essence of true greatness. Jesus exemplifies this through his own life, sacrificially serving others rather than seeking authority. This call to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness extends to modern believers, encouraging them to prioritise serving others within their communities as a reflection of their faith.

In Psalm 53, David famously writes, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” highlighting the truth that it is folly to reject the God who is. Atheism requires an infinitely greater measure of faith than to receive all the great truths that it would reject. David goes on to describe: 1. The depravity of the fool (v. 1) 2. The discovery of the fool (vv. 2–5a) 3. The destruction of the fool (v. 5b) 4. The deliverance of the faithful (v. 6)

There was never a greater experience of acute stress than the stress Jesus faced, beginning in Gethsemane’s garden and leading to the cross. Gethsemane was a time of acute stress for both Jesus and his disciples, and how he faced the stress, and how his disciples failed the stress, teaches us a great deal about how we should respond to acute stress. We will consider three things from this text: 1. The failing followers 2. The successful Saviour 3. The pertinent principle

We often say, “Act your age.” But we also say, “Quit the act.” Either way, we are encouraging someone to bring their lives into conformity with the truth. Galatians 2:11–16 records the most intense conflict between Christian leaders in the New Testament. Peter had stepped out of line and Paul had the uncomfortable task of encouraging him, just as he encourages us, to not act out of fear but rather out of faith. Quit the act and act like a Christian. We consider this text under two headings: 1. Acting Out of Fear (vv. 11–14) 2. Acting Out of Faith (vv. 15–16)

The famous conclusion to the most famous Psalm—Psalm 23—portrays the one journeying with the shepherd—after green pastures, still waters, and dark valleys—finally arriving home. We learn from this verse that home is where the Lord is. We will consider only one major point from this verse as we study it. 1. Finding a Permanent Place to Dwell (v. 6)

Paul was dead certain that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and therefore dead certain that the dead in Christ will also rise again. He was certain that those who die in Christ will rise again like Christ and therefore he was certain that this truth will shape how Christians live. Certainty is a theme of the text before us. But certainty, in this context, is more than mental assent; it must make a difference to the way we live. We will unpack this text under three broad headings: 1. Dead Certainty about the Resurrection (vv. 20–22) 2. Dead Certainty about the New Creation (vv. 23–27a) 3. Dead Certainty about the Consummation (vv. 27b–28)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to the gospel. And, by logical necessity, so is the resurrection to everlasting life of those for whom Christ died and rose again. Paul is concerned to make this point in the passage before us. We will study this under two broad headings: 1. A Logical Problem (vv. 12–13) 2. A Logical Peril (vv. 14–19)

Journeying with the shepherd is not always an easy or painless task. Sometimes, he leads us through dark valleys to learn to trust him more. Psalm 23:4–5 expresses David’s confident prayer in a place of peril. We will consider these verses under two broad headings: 1. A Prayer in a Place of Darkness (v. 4) 2. A Prayer in a Place of Danger (v. 5)

When you belong to God, you have everything you need. Psalm 23:1–3 highlights God’s leading in the life of his sheep, and asks three questions: (1) Who is leading us? (v. 1); How is he leading us (vv. 2–3a); and Why is he leading us? (v. 3b).

Without the resurrection, there would be no good news. This is Paul’s overriding theme in 1 Corinthians 15 as he reminds the Corinthians about the resurrection of Christ and affirms for them the future resurrection of believers. The gospel of the resurrection makes a real difference. But for us to benefit from this gospel we need to appreciate several matters related to it. We will consider three in the opening eleven verses of this chapter: 1.⁠ ⁠Gospel Continuance (vv. 1–3a) 2.⁠ ⁠Gospel Content (vv. 3b–4) 3.⁠ ⁠Gospel Confirmation (vv. 5–11)

The work that Jesus began was to be completed by his disciples, who were to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the very remotest part of the earth. Luke’s account of the early apostolic church concludes with Paul, under house arrest, preaching the gospel in Rome “with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). He was bound but the gospel was not. And for two thousand years, this gospel has continued to go forth with all boldness and, despite many attempts to stop it, without any true hindrance.

Prayer is a privilege Jesus purchased for his people. In Luke 6:12–13, Jesus spent all night in prayer prior to appointing his apostles. We will take a brief look at what Dr Luke records for us about this prayer and see what lessons we can learn to apply to our own times of prayer. We see here that: 1. Jesus’ prayer was deliberate (v. 12a) 2. Jesus’ prayer was intense (v. 12b) 3. Jesus’ prayer was followed by action (v. 13)

Paul knew that our view of God (theology) shapes our corporate worship and that our corporate worship shapes our view of God (theology). This is at the heart of his concern about this church’s obsession with the spectacular gift of speaking in tongues. Previously, we considered vv. 20–25 under the broad theme of mindful worship. In this study, we will consider, from vv. 26–40, that rightly understanding the character of God results in: 1. Meaningful Worship (vv. 26–33) 2. Mundane Worship (vv. 34–40)

The death, burial, and resurrection are the fundamental elements of God’s good news for believing sinners (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Jesus’ death informs us that the penalty has been paid on our behalf. Jesus’ burial declares that that price really was paid. Jesus’ resurrection declares that the price was accepted. But with the resurrection, we are reminded that Jesus is alive. But where is he alive? What is he doing? Why does this matter? What does this mean for his people?

To call upon the Lord’s name is the essence of prayer. As we, in Christ, call upon his name, we stand upon the eternal majesty of his perfect person and work and by him alone are granted access to have communion and pray to our God. Yet for all that God has done in Christ, men are not prayerful.

How the church behaves in corporate worship communicates something about the nature and character of God. This was Paul’s concern as he addresses the Corinthian church about their exercise of the gifts of tongues and prophesy. This is a major theme in this passage which we will study under two headings: (1) Mindful Worship (vv. 20–25) and (2) Meaningful Worship (vv. 26–33).

It has been said of John 1:1 that it “deserves to be written in golden letters in every Christian church.” In our fallenness, we are prone to think of our sin as a small thing. When we see how John magnifies Christ in this short verse, we are reminded of its true cost. We consider four things: 1. Our sin must be big because Jesus is revealer 2. Our sin must be big because Jesus is eternal 3. Our sin must be big because Jesus is the Son 4. Our sin must be big because Jesus is God

Psalm 32 is a Psalm of David, which rejoices in the blessedness of those who have repented and embraced God’s forgiveness. As we study this Psalm together, we will consider the wonderful reality that joy comes to those who are forgiven (vv. 1–2), confessing (vv. 3–5), and prayerful (vv. 6–11).

Paul unlocks the secret to being content, no matter his circumstances. Through our study, I trust we will be encouraged, as the church at Philippi was. As G. K. Chesterton once said this: “Christians ought not to be better than other people ought to be. But they ought to be better than other people are.” Why? Because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We consider three truths from Philippians 4:13: 1. Suffering Saints 2. Suffering Saviour 3. Suffering’s Secret

Spiritual maturity requires biblical corporate worship, unlike the kind experienced by the church in Corinth. Lots of people wanted to speak, but what they had to say was, for the most part, unhelpful. In chapter 14, Paul aims to set the matter right and, in doing so, helps us to see the best way to use our tongues in corporate worship. We will look at this under three headings: 1. Corporate worship must be informed 2. Corporate worship must be intentional 3. Corporate worship must be intelligible

As the early church was characterised by praying together as a part of corporate worship (Acts 2:42), as well as when there were particular needs (Acts 4:23–31; 12:1–5), so our church should be characterised. Tonight, we spend some time looking at what it means to pray without ceasing and to do so with understanding. We see: 1. We Are to Pray Dependently 2. We Are to Pray Deliberately 3. We Are to Pray Devotedly

Whether the Beatles understood the nature of true love is highly questionable, but they weren’t far off the mark when they sang, “All you need is love.” The church at Corinth needed to learn this. And perhaps so do you and I. To help us to see, savour, and seek this love, we will study 1 Corinthians 13:8–14:1a under three headings: 1. The Permanence of Love (13:8–12) 2. The Pre-eminence of Love (13:13) 3. The Pursuit of Love (14:1a)

Disciples of Christ are called to focus on one main priority: seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness above all else in this fallen world. There are two elements to this priority in Matthew 6:33: 1. A Divine Priority (v. 33a) 2. A Divine Promise (v. 33b)

The psalmist prayed that God would open his eyes to behold wonderful things out of his law. This is a prayer that God’s people do well to pray today.

The resurrection is not only the cornerstone of our faith and hope for eternity, but by it we experience power to live and endure suffering to the glory of God here and now. We consider Paul’s words under three broad headings:   1. Knowing God (vv. 1–10a) 2. The Power of the Resurrection (v. 10b) 3. The Resurrection of the Saints (v. 11)

The gospel is a simple message that calls for a simple response with eternal consequences. It is a choice between life and death: We acknowledge Christ and live or deny Christ and die. We see the dynamic between acknowledging or denying Christ played out in four scenes in Mark 15:21–39:   1. The man who acknowledged Jesus (v. 21) 2. The people who denied Jesus on the cross (vv. 22–32) 3. The Father who denied Jesus on the cross (vv. 33–38) 4. The Roman Centurion acknowledged Jesus on the cross (v. 39)

What makes the Lord’s Supper so special? Of course, there is much we can say to answer that question, but why did Jesus leave us with a meal? What is so significant about the fact that the second sacrament of the church is a meal? When we survey the Bible’s examples of meals and look especially at meals in the Gospel of Luke, we learn three truths: Meals involve fellowship; fellowship requires reconciliation; and reconciliation produces fellowship. When we understand that, we can join in with the angel in Revelation 19:9: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Paul wanted his young disciple, Timothy, to remember the charge he had given him to guard the good deposit of the gospel. In 2 Timothy 1:6–7, he issues a twofold reminder as he reiterates this charge: 1.⁠ ⁠A reminder to attend to the gift he received (v. 6) 2.⁠ ⁠⁠A reminder to act on what he was called to do (v. 7)

As we continue our journey through Africa’s most popular verses, we come to Paul’s famed words to the Roman church in Romans 12:2. Rightly interpreted, this verse shows us that true worship flows from a renewed mind.

Mark 11 begins a long section (11:1–15:47) detailing the events of Passion Week, commencing with what is often called Psalm Sunday. As Jesus approaches the walls of Jerusalem, the crowd accompanying him cries out, “Hosanna!” What they supposed would be a triumphal entry would at first be a traumatic entry. We will study this entry with a view to sharing in the blessing that Jesus secured for those who enter with him. 1. Messianic Expectations (11:1–10) 2. Messiah’s Examination (11:11–19) 3. Messiah’s Exhortation (11:20–26) 4. Messiah’s Expectation (11:27–12:12)

God’s global decree is that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). We were encouraged last week that this is the mission of the local church. When it comes to this mission, local is lekker while the goal is global. Philippians 4:10–20 reveals three principles related to meaningfully supporting this mission: 1. Providential Resource (vv. 10–18) 2. Personal Relationship (vv. 14–18) 3. Promised Resupply (vv. 19–20)

The whole mission of the whole church is to take the whole gospel to the whole world for the whole person. This is God’s mission, and we have been commissioned to be on mission for him. Thankfully, his mission in this world is relentlessly advancing and there is no power or government or Satanic scheme that can stop it from covering all the ends of the earth. Habakkuk both promises the ultimate victory of God’s mission and serves as a model for how we should respond to the conditions in the world around us as we carry out his commission.

Zionism is one of the great challenges to gospel advance in South Africa today. Sipho Mfusi has ministered for years among the Zionist people and, in this sermon, he brings some insight, from Mark 12:28–34, into the nature of Zionism and offers some counsel as to how to effectively minister the gospel to Zionists.

The Great Commission demands obedience from Christians and Christian churches, but it can be easy to forget that our obedience should be Christ-centred obedience. It can be easy, in the bustle of church planting ministry, to leave Jesus on the fringes. Karabo Msiza, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Rustenburg, offers four important principles to help us keep Jesus at the centre of missions: (1) Show up to meet with Jesus (vv. 16–17); (2) Believe in Jesus’ authority (v. 18); (3) Do all Jesus says (vv. 19–20a); and (4) Have comfort in Jesus’ assurance (v. 20b).

Athi Mgqibelo, pastor of Vaal Reformed Baptist Church in Vereeniging, speaks from Matthew 9:35–10:33 on six necessities for church planting in South Africa. God has called his church to the difficult task of planting churches by preaching the gospel. Faithfulness to this task will require compassion (9:35–36), prayer (9:37–38), calling and sending (10:1–6) and proclamation (10:7–15), might invite persecution (10:16–25), and can only be carried by by reliance on divine sovereignty (10:26–31).

What’s love got to do with it? Well, everything. When it comes to one’s relationship with the Lord and with one another in the local church, love has everything to do with both salvation and service. The major lesson of 1 Corinthians 13 is that the Spirit’s ordinary grace excels extraordinary gifts. We will study this under three headings: 1. The Priority of Love (vv. 1–3) 2. The Personification of Love (vv. 4–7) 3. The Permanence of Love (v. 8a)

When it comes to historical books like Joshua (and also to many of the prophetic books), there are at least three audiences to consider. As we consider these three audiences in Joshua 1:6–9, we find the exhortation to be strong and courageous three times. When this exhortation is considered in light of three audiences, the repetition helps us to see how we can embrace the principles of the text for us today. We find three principles at play: 1. Strong and Courageous to Believe God’s Promises (v. 6) 2. Strong and Courageous to Obey God’s Precepts (vv. 7–8) 3. Strong and Courageous to Enjoy God’s Presence (v. 9)

God’s revelation drives us to a humble acknowledgement of who he is and who we are without him. In Psalm 19, God, through David, offers us self-revelation, which causes us to ascribe greatness to him. We will consider this text under three broad headings: 1. ⁠The General Revelation through God’s Creation (vv. 1–6) 2. ⁠⁠The Specific Revelation through God’s Word (vv. 7–11) 3. ⁠⁠The Response after the Revelation (vv. 12–14)

In Mark 10:28–30, Jesus gives to his disciples, who had left all to follow him. In return, Jesus gave them a wonderful promise about how the church can be a family. In this text, we learn something about what we, as Christians, are called to leave, what we, by his grace receive, and what we provide.

Ever since the first week of creation, God has been preparing a body in which to dwell and through which to reveal his glory. That body is now the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and each member is gifted by Christ, through his Spirit, to contribute in building it up. The Christian is called to body building. Paul addresses this in our passage under three broad themes: 1. An Immersed Body (vv. 12–13) 2. An Interdependent Body (vv. 14–26) 3. An Intentional Body (vv. 27–31)

There are many things regarding God’s sovereign purpose that we don’t understand and might never understand this side of eternity, but right here, in Romans 8:28, we have a revealed truth, a sure promise that we can hold on to. We will consider two broad things about this promise: 1. The Promise Declared 2. The Promise Qualified

As we continue to zoom in on Africa’s most loved (but, sadly, most abused) Scripture verses, and try, with God’s help, to rightly divide the word of truth, we come to spend time in Jeremiah 29:11, a glorious promise for the people of God when we look at it with eyes of faith. In this study, we aim to clear away some unbiblical flotsam and glory in God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

Anxiety, worry, and fear are experienced by people of every age, gender, and background. It is no wonder that Philippians 4:6 made the YouVersion’s top ten list of favourite Bible verses in Africa. Some might see this verse as a cure-all: a mantra that, when quoted, causes all worry to depart. Some might assume that to pray when tempted to worry guarantees that all worrisome situations will go away. Others might view this verse as proof that all anxiety is sinful and hence prayer is vital. Still others might view this verse as teaching us that, amid our anxiety, we should pray. That is, some may interpret it as an encouragement to what I want to call faithful anxiety. Let’s learn and live this well-known text.

The church in Corinth was experiencing division due to both social (11:17–34) and spiritual stratification (chapters 12–14). Having addressed the matter of “spiritual things” in 12:1–6, Paul begins in vv. 7–11 to teach the church about spiritual gifts and, practically, how they are for the purpose of corporately confessing, conforming, and communicating the lordship of Jesus Christ. He instructs concerning: 1. The Expression of the Spirit (v. 7) 2. The Effect of the Spirit (vv. 8–10) 3. The Empowerment of the Spirit (v. 11)

The book of Isaiah is known for its majestic view of God: his power over the nations; his judgement of sin; and the vindication of his righteousness. All the more striking, then, is the truth communicated to us in Isaiah 41:10. This well-known verse speaks so personally of God’s loving and protective relationship to us. Yet, if we’re not careful, we may confuse God’s care for us with his indebtedness to us. Studying this verse in context will help us appreciate it more, for it teaches us the significance of being loved by the one whose wrath we deserve.

In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul is concerned with the reformation of corporate worship in a church, which was largely disregarding the Spirit’s ministry of pointing believers to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in 12:1–6, he begins a long discourse on the essence of what it means to be “spiritual.” We will study this under three headings: 1. Ignorant Worship (vv. 1–2) 2. Intelligent Worship (v. 3) 3. Instructive Worship (vv. 4–6)

One of the challenges faced by conservative, evangelical churches in our day is the mishandling of Scripture. When Paul wrote to Timothy, instructing him to “rightly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), he was cautioning his readers to handle God’s word with care. He was exhorting his readers to handle God’s word with care by accurately interpreting it and appropriately applying it in their lives. The Bible is not to be treated as a talisman but as God’s self-revelation, which leads us to God’s full and final revelation in Jesus Christ.

The church at Corinth had ruined the rite of the Lord’s Supper and, in this passage, Paul provides the remedy. He tells them to sober up to the seriousness of the Supper and the consequences of not doing so. We will look at three important points that should help us get real about this meal. 1. Get Real about Worthship (v. 27) 2. Get Real about the Warning (vv. 28–32) 3. Get Real about Waiting (vv. 33–34)

Our faithlessness in covenantal relationships stems from losing sight of our God-given purpose and mission. Malachi 2 shows how losing sight of God’s glory leads to the destruction of every other relationship because we live contrary to God’s wisdom by default. Malachi exhorts the people of God to guard their spirits if they will avoid destruction. We consider, from these verses: 1. An argument from the greater to the lesser 2. The mission of marriage (and all Christian relationships) 3. The detriment of the faithless

The church at Corinth was guilty of worldly division over social differences. This reared its ugly head in various way, including mistreating poorer members when it came to the Lord’s Supper. Though the Lord’s Supper was intended by our Lord to be a remembrance of the gospel story, some in the congregation were telling a different story. They needed to be corrected and to get on the right page of the story. We will study this passage under three major headings: 1. Rebuking the Saints (vv. 17–19) 2. Ruining the Supper (vv. 20–22) 3. Remembering the Story (vv. 23–26)

As we enter a new year, headlines suggest that there is plenty of bad news on the immediate horizon for South Africa. Neither prosperity nor peace is being prophesied. And yet for the Christian, we can—we must!—have peace on this troubled earth. Psalm 29 points us to this peace, which moves from heaven to earth. May we be encouraged to pursue this as we study these words under three headings: 1. A Call to Worship (vv. 1–2) 2. A Call to Wonder (vv. 3–9) 3. A Call to Wellness (vv. 10–11)

The confession of confidence in God alone demonstrates deep security in the Lord in both life and death. As we study Psalm 16, we consider three things about the security we find in the Lord: 1. The Plea for Security in the Lord (vv. 1–2) 2. The Proof of Security in the Lord (vv. 3–8) 3. The Perpetual Joy that Comes with the Security in the Lord (vv. 9–11)

The story of Christmas is a true story, but one that too often becomes sentimentalised, sanitised, and/or secularised. The truth to be told is that that the Christmas story is both triumphant and tragic. It is a story of God breaking in to the darkness of a sin-cursed, and too often hopeless, world, but it is also a story filled with tragedy of suffering and persecution. Fundamentally, it is a story of God’s faithfulness. We consider this story, from Matthew 1, under four broad headings: 1. The Christmas Story is a Marvellous (and Messy) Messianic Story (vv. 1–17) 2. The Christmas Story is a Majestically Mysterious Story, (v. 18) 3. The Christmas Story is a Mercifully Miraculous Story (vv. 19–21) 4. The Christmas Story Needs to Be a Personally Meaningful Story (vv. 22–25)

The Gospel of Luke recounts the narrative of Jesus and John’s births, both which happened in extraordinary circumstances. It is in this context that Mary’s song (her Magnificat) takes place. It is a song extolling God for the great things he has done, not only for Mary or for Israel, but for all who are humble enough to plead God’s mercy. Since God has looked on the humble estate of his servants Mary and Israel, and since God assumed human flesh in Mary womb, he is worthy to be praised as the God of the humble. We consider, in this text: 1. God’s Mercy to Mary (vv. 46b–49) 2. God’s Mercy to the Humble (vv. 50–55)

David has showed that, redemptively, the Shepherd is sufficient because he is the transcendent Jehovah of his people. Moreover, he is imminent in the person of Christ, which makes him the sole source of your every living moment. We consider two truths as we reflect on how the sheep follow the Shepherd: 1. Redemptively Significant 2. Desperately Dependent

As we approach the countdown to Christmas, we examine a prophecy given by an angel to Joseph, detailing the destiny of the child to be born to Mary. Many things in life are uncertain. Many things about the Messiah had been assumed or misunderstood by the people of Israel. But this prophecy outlines, in no uncertain terms, the purpose for which the Son of God became a man. We will consider our text under four headings: 1. The Child of Destiny (v. 18) 2. The Destined Mission (v. 21) 3. The Destined People (v. 21) 4. The Destined Debt (v. 21)

The opening chapter of John’s Gospel draws attention to the marvel of the incarnation of Christ. As we reflect on God with us in Christ, John 1:9–14 helps us to answer the question, what can we do when it feels like we serve an invisible God?

Dressing “for church” used to be a major concern for those in Christendom. Perhaps not so much in our day. Nevertheless, 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 addresses this very issue, though in a perhaps surprising way. Our text offers five principles to help us think about what to wear to church. 1. ⁠Genesis Tells Us What to Wear (vv. 2–3, 7–9) 2. ⁠Our Gender Tells Us What to Wear (vv. 4–6) 3. ⁠God’s Glory Tells Us What to Wear (vv. 7–10) 4. ⁠The Gospel Tells Us What to Wear (vv. 11–12) 6. ⁠God Tells Us What to Wear (vv. 13–16)

Having been powerfully converted by the gospel of Christ, Paul was unashamed of the gospel that had converted him and confident that it was able to convert the most stubborn of sinners. We can share his unshakable confidence in the power of the gospel because the same God who created the universe and resurrected Christ is the same God who saves souls. Paul offers three reasons, in Romans 1:16–17, that we can be confident in the gospel: 1. It Has Massive Power 2. It Offers and Awesome Gift 3. Its invitation is Wide Open

The apostle Paul lived a cruciform life for the good of others, to the glory of God. He loved his neighbour because he loved his God. He cared about the ultimate good of others because he ultimately cared about God’s glory. We see this in the text before us, which we will study under three broad headings: 1. Love Your Neighbour (10:23–27) 2. Love Your God (10:28–33) 3. Live Like Your Lord (11:1)

Hebrews 2:1–4 serves as a reminder to saved Christians that they should not become complacent in their faith but should persevere in it. It emphasises the seriousness of neglecting the great salvation that has been granted to believers and underscores the importance of the evidence of salvation in the life of a Christian. While salvation is secure for the elect, believers are still called to live faithfully and obediently as a response to God’s grace. We will consider these verses under two broad headings: 1. The Command (vv. 1–2) 2. The Warning (vv. 3–4)

Paul is exhorting his readers to faithfully run the Christian race (9:24). Christians are like runners seeking the victor’s prize. To finish the race, we must bring our body into subjection and do whatever is necessary to persevere to the salvific end. We must run as though our lives depend on it—for they do! The Corinthian believers needed to run away from idolatry. As do we. We will study how to do so under three headings: 1. The Inspiration of Command (v. 14) 2. The Illustration of Communion (vv. 15–20) 3. The Impossibility of Compromise (vv. 21–22)

Worship is the only appropriate response to the revelation of God’s deepest truths. Paul begins with adoration of the heart, then theological praise, affirming that all things were made by God for God, then concludes with devotional worship. Our spirit, soul, and body belongs to the Lord, and we are no longer slaves to sin, for he paid a high price to buy us back from the slave-market of sin. We owe glory to God because of his great gracious loving sacrifice on our behalf. God gave his all for us and the only appropriate and respectful response from those he gave his all for is to glorify him. We study these verses under three headings: 1. Adoration of the Heart (vv. 33–35) 2. Theological Praise (v. 36a) 3. Devotional Worship (v. 36b)

First Corinthians 10 refers repeatedly to both the books of Exodus and, particularly, Numbers. Paul uses the history of God’s old covenant people to help God’s new covenant people. In vv. 1–13, Paul uses the past to point to the future, which is now the present. His purpose is to make the church aware so it will beware of present danger. It is for this reason that he takes them back to the future. We need this same awareness. We will study this passage under three headings. 1. Be Aware (vv. 1–5) 2. Beware (vv. 6–12) 3. Be Assured (v. 13)

Orienteering is a sport in which participants must use clues and follow instructions, while making use of tools like a map and compass, to reach a particular destination. Orienteering is very often a team sport. In many respects the Christian life can be compared to orienteering as we together follow our leader, the Lord Jesus, speaking the truth in love to reach the destination of Christian maturity. We will consider Ephesians 4:15–16 under three broad headings: 1. The Destination 2. The Route 3. The Leader

The local church is the custodian of the gospel, which of course is a matter of life and death—eternal life or eternal death. Properly stewarding the gospel includes dying to one’s rights in order to remove unnecessary obstacles to believing the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul provides a personal example of what dying to self looks like. His example is a powerful argument for the urgency of adorning the gospel, practically demonstrating the Christian’s responsibility to live for the sake of the gospel. We will study the chapter under four broad headings: 1. The Christian’s Rights (vv. 1–14) 2. The Christian’s Restraint (vv. 15–18) 3. The Christian’s Rationale (vv. 19–23) 4. The Christian’s Race (vv. 24–27)

The extended sections of greetings at the end of Paul’s letters hardly strike most of us as conveying applicable meaning. However, Colossians 4:7–18 reveals the kinds of relationships that exist not only between Christian ministers, but all Christians. Paul was deeply dependent on others for his edification and support. We, likewise, ought to connect ourselves to the web of relationships Christ weaves us into if we are to glean support and encouragement from others.

Paul was concerned that the church in Ephesus guard the gospel deposit entrusted to it. He expressed this concern in three ways: 1. Paul’s Thankfulness for Gospel Heritage (vv. 3–7) 2. Paul’s Confidence in Gospel Suffering (vv. 8–12) 3. Paul’s Charge to Gospel Ministry (vv. 13–14)

Wrapping up the body of his epistle, Paul gives two final exhortations to the Colossians. First, he exhorts them to pray with open eyes, thereby keeping up their prayers of thanksgiving and their prayers for gospel expansion. Second, he exhorts them to walk the talk, living in such a way that helps rather than hinders their witness in the world. We all need these exhortations to keep on keeping on and so walk in Christ.

We need to learn and live out the principles of 1 Corinthians 8–10 as we wrestle with how far to exercise our personal liberty as Christians. The principle of Paul’s exhortation is simple: Your liberty to do what is permissible ends where your brother or sister’s spiritual well-being begins. In other words, permissible liberty is to be governed brotherly concern. We will unpack this as we study vv. 4–13 under three major headings: 1. A Settled Confidence (vv. 4–6) 2. A Sensitive Conscience (v. 7) 3. A Selfless Concern (vv. 8–13)

In the Corinthian culture, and in much of the Graeco-Roman culture of the day, one could not escape the ubiquitous presence of idolatry. So, how should Christians respond? Rather than merely chapter-and-versing, Paul pastorally exhorts the congregation to build one another up to overcome idolatrous participation. He begins by warning of the limitations of knowledge (vv. 1–3) and pointing to the lordship of Jesus Christ (vv. 4–6).

Last Saturday, the terrorist group, Hamas, unleashed horrible violence on Israel, sparking a new war in that region, which has, to date, killed thousands of people and injured thousands more. With the outbreak of this war has come a huge wave of prophecy pundits, wresting many Scriptures from their context, including the command to pray for peace from Psalm 122. How should Christians be thinking, and praying about this horrific war? Psalm 122 provides an answer.

In Psalm 119:136, we see the heart of someone who loves the word of God because he loves the God of the word. In this verse, which quite literally sobs with a heart for God, we are given a metric to examine our own love for God and his truth. May this metric be the means to fill our eyes with tears over those things that truly matter.

Having spent several weeks studying 1 Corinthians 7 it is clear that the subject matter is very important, but it might also seem to be very complicated. Well, while at first glance (and even after several glances!), the issue appears complicated, Paul removes all complications as he concludes his instructions in vv. 39–40. Let’s listen to Paul’s: 1. inspired instructions (v. 39) and 2. inspired intentions (v. 40)

The New Testament tells us that the Christian life is a race, and the author to the Hebrews exhorts us to fight for endurance in the race. In 12:1–2, the writer shows us three ways in which we can fight for endurance in the race of faith. 1. Fight for endurance in the race a. Remind yourself of the crowd b. Lay aside the hindrances c. Look to Jesus

God forgives sinners innumerable sins. Such gracious forgiveness should transform the forgiven person to also be a forgiving person. To fail to forgive another brother while claiming to enjoy the forgiveness of God is nothing short of hypocrisy and a cancer to the body of Christ.

Paul wrote to the Ephesian church to remind them of the grace of God that had been extended to them in Jesus Christ. This grace that they had received (and that we as believers have received) required of them (and requires of each of us) to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. God has given us his Spirit to enable us and empower us as image-bearers of his Son. Paul gives us three qualities that we should be looking for in our lives, and in each others’ lives, as evidence that the Spirit is at work in us. 1. Spirit-filled Singing 2. Spirit-filled Thanksgiving 3. Spirit-filled Submission