Bbc Sermon Cast

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)

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)

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

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)

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?

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)

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)

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)

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)

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

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)

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.

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)

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.

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.