creation on SermonAudio

There is only one way to live, and that is to live under the total lordship of Christ. We live in orientation to Jesus Christ, now enthroned, reigning with power for our salvation and the renewal of all things. He has already accomplished all that is needed. He is at the centre of all, above all, and the goal of all; He is the meaning of everything in the book of Hebrews. The tabernacle and the temple are about Him and His work. The priests and the ceremonies pointed to Him. The blood that was spilled day after day and year after year was about Him. The veil that was torn invites us into direct communion with Him. He is reigning as priest and king extending His reign on earth through His Spirit and through His church. All things are from Him, through Him, and to Him.

This sermon explores the divine attribute of God's jealousy, distinguishing it from sinful human envy by framing it as a holy zeal for His exclusive glory and covenant loyalty. By contrasting the perfect order of creation with the disorder introduced by the fall, the message illustrates how humanity's desire for autonomy constitutes idolatry that severs the life-giving relationship with the Creator. The preacher uses the institution of marriage as a primary metaphor to reveal the depth of God's covenantal love, showing how His jealousy protects the exclusive union He desires with His people. The narrative culminates in the gospel promise found in Hosea, where God betroths His people to Himself forever through the imputed righteousness of Christ, satisfying both His justice and His mercy. Finally, the sermon addresses God's avenging jealousy, asserting that His wrath against sin and His love for His people are perfectly united on the cross, offering both a warning to the unrepentant and comfort to believers who trust in His perfect justice.

This testimony recounts the spiritual journey of a former atheist and safari guide who, during a traumatic lockdown in Zimbabwe, was drawn to the Gospel through a six-minute video clip that required three hours to download. The narrative highlights how God used isolation and suffering to break down the speaker's pride and reveal the Creator within the creation, leading to a genuine conversion experience. The sermon contrasts the speaker's desperate pursuit of God's Word with the spiritual complacency of modern believers, challenging the audience to recognize the privilege of their access to Scripture. It emphasizes that God is real, actively working in the lives of the afflicted, and calling individuals to a relationship with Him that transcends earthly success or comfort.

Sunday evening service, looking at the Heidelberg Catechism, or the Orthodox Catechism, Lord's Day 8 - #24-25 Q. HOW ARE THESE ARTICLES (THE APOSTLES' CREED) DIVIDED? A. Into three parts: the first is about God the Father and our creation; the second, about God the Son and our redemption; the third, about God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification. Q. SINCE THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, WHY DO YOU SPEAK OF THREE: FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT? A. Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word, that these three distinct Persons are the one, true, eternal God.

This sermon explores the narrative of Jesus calling Simon Peter and his partners to become fishers of men, emphasizing Jesus' sovereignty over all creation and His role as the ultimate Master. The preacher highlights the contrast between Peter's professional expertise and Jesus' divine authority, illustrating that Christ knows better than humans in every aspect of life, including their vocations. Central to the message is the theme of humble obedience, where the proper response to God's command is immediate trust, even when it defies human logic or experience. The sermon addresses the human tendency to feel unworthy in the presence of a holy God, countering this fear with the gospel truth that Jesus offers forgiveness and commission rather than condemnation. Ultimately, the passage serves as a call for believers to leave behind their old lives and follow Christ, recognizing that He has a greater purpose for their lives than they can imagine.

Though the last days can be fearfully dark, they are wonderfully bright because in them God is speaking to us by his Son. The opening verses of the letter to the Hebrews provide us with one of the most splendid testimonies to the glory of the Messiah, the Jesus of whom the writer speaks with such delight and reverence. He is the heir of all things, the agent of creation, the revealer of God, the upholder of all, the purger of sin, the ruler on high, and the name over all. Do we trust and adore this Jesus, our Christ, as he set before us in the Scripture?

SUMMARY: where we're at in Romans & where we're going in this passage RELEVANCE: why does this matter to me? THEME: Your sufferings are labor pains: real, shared by the whole creation, and not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed. v. 18 OUR SUFFERINGS WEIGHED v. 20 CREATION'S SUBJECTION vv. 19, 22 CREATION'S STRAINING vv. 20d–21 CREATION'S SALVATION GOSPEL BRIDGE: If you're not in Christ…yet If you're in Christ

Various Scriptures

When God looked upon the earth and saw that "all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth" (Genesis 6:12), how did one man find grace in His eyes? Read verse 9 and ask what the words on either side of "perfect in his generations" (Genesis 6:9) tell a reader that phrase means. Then ask whether Noah walked with God because he knew a flood was coming, or whether he had no idea at all. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8)