BBC Sermon Cast

In the first of the letters to the seven church of Asia Minor, Christ reveals himself as the one who knows. Specifically he reveals himself as the one who knows three things about the church in Ephesus:

1. He who knows the church

2. ⁠He knows their works

3. ⁠He knows their suffering

The one who knew the church in Ephesus knows our churches also.

We all make plans. Some do it because they are super organised, while others do it because they are compelled to. As we face a new year, and seek to live well, Proverbs 16 offers some valuable reminders about who is really calling the shots, and how we ought to live as a result. We will consider three challenges from this chapter:

1. Don’t Trust Your Flesh

2. Embrace God’s Sovereignty

3. Follow God’s Prescription

The Revelation of Jesus Christ points us to the reality that Jesus Christ rules and reigns in his church and, through the church, reigns in this world. This Revelation provides the local church with both reassurance and a Christ-centred motivation for repentance and reformation as church members. This is the goal as we study Revelation 2–3. But first things first as we unpack 1:1–20 under the following headings:

 

1. A Promised Reward (1:1–3)

2. A Powerful Reminder (1:4–8)

3. A Prophetic Revelation (1:9–20)

4. A Perpetual Relevance (Chapters 2–3)

The book of Acts records the various ways in which the gospel message was preached and received around the world. Acts 14:8–18 records one such episode. Some people missed the message that Paul was preaching, focusing more on the miracle and the messengers. And today, when God speaks through his word, we are at risk of missing the message because of our cultural, religious, and historical baggage that we bring with us, or because we focus on the messenger more than the message. But we ought rather to be like the cripple whom Paul healed: All he came with was faith to be made well. We consider this text under three headings:

1. The Miracle (vv. 8–10)

2. The Misunderstanding (vv. 11–13)

3. The Message (vv. 14–18)

There is one God and one Mediator—Jesus Christ, our Prophet who speaks, our Priest who saves, and our King who reigns. The idea that Jesus finished his work when he died is false. He finished his atoning work, but his mediatorial work continues, and it is largely ignored by the church.

Until this point in our studies of Luke’s nativity narrative, we have been exposed to the announcement of John the Baptist’s conception (1:5–25) and his birth (1:57-80). We have also been exposed to the angelic announcement and actual virgin conception of the promised Saviour, Jesus (1:26–56). In this study, we conclude these advent studies with the birth of the God-Man: Jesus (v. 21), the Saviour who is Christ the Lord (v. 11). This is historically certain and certainly historic. We consider three truths from this text:

1. The Incarnation is Certainly Historical (vv. 1–7)

2. The Incarnation is Certainly Historic (8–14)

3. The Incarnation Requires a Certain Response (vv. 15–21)

The incarnation—God becoming man—certainly happened; it is grounded in historical fact. One of those facts is that, in accordance with God’s prophetic promise, he would send “a messenger” who would “prepare the way” for Messiah (Malachi 3:1). The faithful remnant in Israel was expecting this messenger. In this passage, that messenger—the one who would become known as John the Baptiser—arrives. And with his arrival also arrives a certain expectation of God doing a wonderful work of redemption. All of this is at the heart of the passage before us. We will study this under the following headings:

1. Promised Fruit (vv. 57–58)

2. Professed Faith (vv. 59–64)

3. Perplexed Fear (vv. 65–66)

4. Prophetic Fulfilment (vv. 67–80)

Jesus tells a parable about a persistent widow. As we consider the passage, we must recognise a crucial truth: Prayer is for the weak, the needy, and the dependent. Just as a child persistently calls out until heard, we are called to approach our Father with childlike faith, shedding our self-reliance. We will see who needs to pray, how we must pray with persistence, and the powerful reasons we have for praying, encouraged that our righteous God is infinitely better than the unjust judge.

1. Who Needs Prayer? (vv. 1–3a)

2. How We Pray (vv. 3b–6)

3. Reasons to Pray (vv. 7–8)

Luke was certain about the incarnation; he was certain that God performed the ultimate miracle: God becoming man; God’s Son “begotten, not made.” And this in the womb of a virgin. In 1:26-56 Luke records the historic and historical account of Mary receiving this news. Her faith-filled response is a model for every Christian.

We will study this certain incarnation under four headings:

1. A Gracious Revelation (vv. 26–33)

2. A Godly Response (vv. 34–38)

3. A Glad Reassurance (vv. 39–45)

4. A Glorious Rejoicing (vv. 46–56)

To paraphrase Charles Dickens, Luke 1 describes both the worst of times and the best of times. In a dark period of Jewish history, the light was preparing to shine. The famine was fading and the silence was about to be shattered. This is the story of Christmas and it begins with God’s remnant. We can be encouraged that it only takes a remnant for great things to happen.