BBC Sermon Cast

The resurrection of Christ is the central tenet of the Christian faith and, in many ways, the central event of human history. According to Paul, if the resurrection never happened, the Christian is powerless, the Christian’s salvation pointless, and the Christian life hopeless. Thank God for Easter!

The cross is central to the life and faith of the church because Jesus’ death on the cross was effective to fully atone for sin and reconcile sinners to God. Philippians 2:5–8 sheds light on what it was about the Messiah that made him fit to perform his vital work on the cross; namely, that he was fully God, fully Man, and fully obedient to the Father.

Luke 22 records Jesus’ institution of the Communion meal at the Last Supper. As we consider this text together, and particularly vv. 7–20, we will consider Christ’s provision through preparation, Christ’s provision as the Bread of Life, and Christ’s Provision of the cup of the new covenant.

Did you ever start your day on the wrong foot and just know that it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day? How did the start to that day affect the rest of the day? Did you approach it with enthusiasm, itching to get at it and face all the problems you knew were coming? Or did you feel like crawling back into bed and sleeping the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day away? Daniel 8 helps us approach our terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days in a hopeful way.

Having expressed his thanksgiving for the gospel’s fruit, Paul now moves to a hymn of praise. He recounts the centrality of Christ in God’s work of reconciliation. Moving from this, he then locates the Christian’s identity within this work of reconciliation. If we are to continue in the faith, we need to know who Christ is and who we are in Christ.

Have you ever found yourself wondering what is going on in the world around you—astounded at the turmoil you see, confused at the chaos of the political and social landscape? Have you ever wondered, with Jeremiah, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” If you have, you are not alone. God’s people throughout the centuries have asked that very question, and the Bible provides hope as we ask it today.

Readers who find themselves either perplexed or frightened by the strange visions of Daniel 7 are in good company: Daniel was both! Nevertheless, careful and level-headed study can both clear some of the confusion and lift some of the fear that readers might feel when approaching the text—if we will but lift our eyes from the beastly waters to the heavenly thrones.

Daniel and the lions’ den is one of Scripture’s best-known stories. “Dare to be a Daniel” is an oft-taught Sunday school message. There is much in Daniel’s life which merits imitation. In Daniel 6, we are exposed to a faithful servant of God who lived out his supreme allegiance to Yahweh in the midst of a pagan culture. But even beyond an example of faithfulness, Daniel 6 points us forward to Jesus Christ, the one to whom we owe our supreme allegiance, and the one who rescues us from eternal death.

As much as we love to imagine ourselves as able to fully obey God, the reality is that we far too often fail when the heat of temptation rises. There is wonderful news for those who find themselves unable. That news is the news of one who is able—of one who never failed, and never fails, precisely where we so often fail. The good news of the one who is able is found for us in Hebrews 2:14–18.

No one writes greetings like the apostle Paul. But more than being a collection of fancy and high-browed theological terms, Colossians 1:1–8 is practically instructive for us. It instructs us to find reasons to be thankful for the gospel. It teaches us how to have gospel gratitude.