Josh 1 – ‘Who am I to…’ – sermon notes

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The great moment had almost arrived.  After 40 years of wilderness wandering, the Children of Israel were just 3 days away from their longed-for destination.  They were about to cross the Jordan river, and enter the Promised Land.  Their long-suffering leader all this time had been Moses.  But it was not Moses who was to now lead them into Canaan.  It was to be Joshua.

Joshua had a first-class CV for the job.  He had the experience for it: he had been Moses right-hand man ever sense they left Egypt. …

Jonah 2 – Inside the fish – sermon notes

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“Friends, I want to speak to you about wickedness in the world today.  I’m sure that you will agree with me that there are lots of extremely wicked and cruel people around.  The world is full of cheats, and tyrants, and murderers, and liars.  I think that God should punish these wicked people.  I really do.  Don’t you? ‘Course you do!”

That might have been a typical sermon snippet from Jonah the prophet.  One day, the Lord had a word with him: “Jonah, I am very angry and upset with the people of Nineveh. …

Lk 5:12-16 – From sickness to health – sermon notes

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This chapter tells us about the difference that Jesus makes in the lives of four individuals in particular – Lk 5:1-11 – Simon.  Lk 5:17-26 – a paralysed man.  Lk 5:27-32 – Levi the tax collector.  Here we have:-

1.  A desperate need

The term ‘leprosy’ covered a variety of chronic skin conditions, including psoriasis, dermatitis, and the bacterial infection of leprosy itself.  Consider how desperate this man’s need was.  He was physically disfigured: in its severest form, leprosy was terribly disfiguring, and this man is described as being ‘covered with leprosy’. …

The miraculous element in revival (II)

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A descriptive account has been given in the previous chapter of occurrences which seem to contain a miraculous element.  Now the question arises as to what construction we should put on these occurrences.  In other words, are we warranted to accept that there may be a miraculous element in revival?

As previously noted, those who have a ‘reformed’ understanding of revival have tended to view with suspicion allegedly miraculous phenomena.  But there have been others who have taken a more positive approach. …

The miraculous element in revival (I)

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One aspect of revival which merits careful study is the miraculous element.  Now it is perfectly correct to say that any true revival is of supernatural origin, just as is regeneration of an individual soul.  But this part of our subject still needs consideration from a more limited point of view.  The question still to be answered is, To what extent, if any, do miracles occur in revivals?

This is a question on which evangelical theology has not yet articulated a clear, unambiguous answer. …

Ex 1 – Godisnowhere – sermon notes

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Have you ever felt as though you were hanging on to your Christian faith by your fingernails?

  • Perhaps you feel confused and overwhelmed by world events.
  • Perhaps you have experienced personal sadness and have become discouraged.
  • Perhaps you have simply neglected to tend the flame of faith.

Whatever the reason, your question is the same: Where is God?

This is not a new problem: cry of dereliction – Psalms (10:1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?…

Hearing the word with profit

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Another Puritan nugget on the subject of, well, hearing the word with profit:-

1. What is meant by ‘the word’?

It is the word of God, as written in Scripture, or (here) as preached by Christ’s ministers, 2 Tim 4:2.  Examples of preaching the word: Christ, Lk 4:17ff; 24:27; Peter, Acts 2:14ff; Paul, Acts 28:23.  See also Neh 8:7f; Acts 13:15; 15:1; 1 Tim 4:13.

2. What does it mean to ‘profit from the word’?

We profit from the word, when we gain a spiritual advantage from it, as God intended. …

Praying for healing

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Wayne Grudem takes, I think, a scripturally balanced view of this sensitive subject.  To summarise:-

It is right to pray for healing, Mt 6:13; 3 Jn 2.

Jesus frequently healed all who were brought to him.

A high expectation of healing is implied in our regular use of ordinary medical remedies.  We do not usually argue, “I won’t take this treatment, because it’s better for me to suffer than to be well!”

It is right to pray believingly for healing. …

Psalm 16 – Contentment – sermon notes

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Are you contented?

Alexander the Great conquered the known world.  But he was not contented.  After all his victories, he wept, because, he said, “There are no more worlds to conquer.”

Voltaire was a brilliant philosopher and a critic of organised religion.  He was not contented.  He wrote:  “I wish I had never been born.”

Lord Byron lived a life of hedonistic pleasure.  He was not contented.  At the age of 35, he wrote:

My days are in the yellow leaf,
The flowers and fruits of love are gone;
The worm, the canker, and the grief
Are mine alone.…

Quotes on happiness

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1.  I submit that the whole hectic scrample after happiness is an evil as certainly as is the scramble after money or fame or success.  (A.W. Tozer)

2.  I never met a happy individual who was not committed to a job or cause outside himself.  Because such people have a mission in life, they are not self-centred and introspective.  For them happiness is the by-product of work and duty.  (Abraham Maslow)

3.  Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.…