BBC Sermon Cast

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

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.”

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)

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)

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)