BBC Sermon Cast

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

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)

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.

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)

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.

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)