From the Pulpit

Good representation can make a big difference. Consider, for example, legal representation. The difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer can mean the difference between incarceration and emancipation, between a criminal record and a clean record. Obviously, it’s important and beneficial to have experienced, passionate and well-equipped representation! 

And that’s exactly what God provides for his people: representation of the highest order in the highest court before the highest Authority. 

While the Noahic covenant laid the foundation (Genesis 9), the Abrahamic covenant predicted a location for a benediction-spreading population (Genesis 12–22), and the Mosaic covenant established a means of preservation for that population (Exodus 20–24), the Priestly covenant promises perpetual representation for God’s people in the presence of Almighty God.

People will go to great lengths to protect what’s important to them. It could be their family, their online privacy, a dream car, an endangered species, or a stamp collection. It really doesn’t matter what it is just that it’s important and worthy of securing with diligence, care, and thoughtfulness. People protect what’s important to them. 

And so does God. After sin came into the world God began a restoration project to rebuild what had been lost. He swore to never again flood the world (Gen 9), thus establishing a predictable foundation on top of which he could build. He then promised a particular location for a specific population, a group through whom he would bring global benediction (Gen 12–22). But, for that to happen, this population needed to be preserved against the dangers of deviation, corruption, capitulation, and eradication. This restoration project is important to God, and so he goes to great lengths to protect it.

Canada has one governmental system with three distinct but cooperative branches: the legislative makes laws, the executive implements laws, and the judicial evaluates laws. The whole depends on each part remaining distinct, doing what it is supposed to do and contributing what it is supposed to contribute. The system only works as intended if each branch remains clear on its unique role and unconfused with the unique roles of the other two. If judges start trying to enact laws rather than interpret them or if the prime minister starts making laws rather than applying them, the one system suffers. 

The Abrahamic covenant functions in a similar way, containing three distinct but cooperative branches: the promise of a particular land, the promise of a multitude of descendants, and the promise of a global blessing. And it is important to appreciate each part for what it is, not conflating nor confusing them lest the whole of the covenant suffer.

On December 5th, 2022, Ronald and Carol Wilczak woke to the foreboding beep, beep, beep of their home smoke alarm. It had been only five years since the couple had finished saving, planning, building, and moving into what they described as their “dream home,” but now they helplessly watched it burn to the ground. What do they do now? Walk away or rebuild?

In the early chapters of Genesis, God watched as his “dream home” was set ablaze by sin. The damage spread quickly until “the wickedness of man was great on the earth” (6:5). What does God do now? Walk away or rebuild?

In many ways, the Bible is God’s account of how he chose the latter option, deciding to fix what was broken by humanity and repair what was burned. God will live in his dream home (Rev 21:1–4). He will not be thwarted in his plans. And the biblical covenants, starting with the one received by Noah, provide the blueprint to this restoration project and the reason for our hopeful expectation.

The author of Hebrews gave believers a task: "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds ... , not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (10:24–25). One of the ways we, as the people of God, can stimulate and encourage one another is by sharing stories of God's faithfulness.

Alice Popovich, a long-time member (and current office administrator) of Oakridge Bible Chapel, shares an abridged version of what God has been doing and is currently doing in her life.

The author of Hebrews gave believers a task: "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds ... , not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (10:24–25). One of the ways we, as the people of God, can stimulate and encourage one another is by sharing stories of God's faithfulness.

Rick Walker, a member of Oakridge Bible Chapel, shares some of what God has been teaching him over the past few years, months, and through various life circumstances. God is faithful, and Rick can—and does—attest to that!

The author of Hebrews gave believers a task: "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds ... , not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (10:24–25). One of the ways we, as the people of God, can stimulate and encourage one another is by sharing stories of God's faithfulness.

Godsgrace Agu, a member of Oakridge Bible Chapel, shares an abridged version of how God has been demonstrating his faithfulness through the last number of turbulent and unpredictable years.

When I was thinking about what I was going to preach on today, I got thinking about how special it is when Christmas is on a Sunday, because it happens so infrequently. There’s no denying that these Christmas Sundays are special, and in some ways that can make it feel like a lot of pressure. I know it’s not uncommon for preachers to struggle with a real or self-imposed expectation when it comes to the advent season, to preach something new or unique, so we’re not just rehashing the same Christmas story everyone’s heard 100 times.  

Yet as I reflected on the significance of a Sunday morning Christmas service, and as I thought about that same Christmas story, it really seemed like there was no other choice that was fitting for such a day than to return to the heart of it all in Luke chapter 2. The reality is that there is a lot we remember or think we know about the Christmas story, but even after hearing it 100 times over, we can still mess up the details. We like to imagine the drama, to think about what that night would’ve looked like for Mary and Joseph. We want the birth story! Give us all the nitty gritty!  

But the Biblical account doesn’t actually give us that many details about the birth itself and so sometimes we end up filling in the blanks with information that isn’t actually there. But today, we’re going to do the exact opposite. We’re going to focus on what is actually written in the text. On a Christmas Day on the Lord’s Day, I want to be sure we’re reading what God’s word actually says about the birth of God’s son.

My full name is James Stuart Turner Rennie. It's quite a moniker to attach to a little baby! The Stuart part is from my Dad’s Scottish roots. The Turner part is from my mother’s English family roots. 

The James part is my Dad’s first name so I was named after him. James is a biblical name. He was the Lord’s brother. James comes from the name Jacob in the Old Testament. So many Bible names have a good meaning, but James or Jacob does not. It means deceiver or trickster, and as you may remember, that is what Jacob was. He tricked his father to give him the inheritance and then he tricked his brother to sell his birthright. My name reminds me of that old nature in me that can lie and cheat and steal just like Jacob. 

But I am so thankful that I got another part to my name: Rennie. Rennie comes from the French, Rene, and it means born again. So, you see my name is the story of my life. James the sinner is also Rennie, the one born again. That’s me, a sinner born again. 

Today we will look at yet another prophetic reference to the birth of Christ in the book of Isaiah, and it is about four amazing names of our Saviour.

On August 5, 2010, the collapse of a mine in San Jose, Chile trapped thirty-three workers 700-meters underground. For seventeen dark days they survived on tiny rations of food and dirty water. Finally, a 4.5” hole appeared in the wall. The attempt to reach the cave by workers above had worked and, through this tiny shaft the miners were supplied with food, water, communication, and hope. Obviously, a bigger hole was needed to escape, and this took time. But finally, on October 13, after weeks of non-stop drilling, all thirty-three men tasted fresh air for the first time in over two months.

In the initial days underground, I’m confident those miners were asking specific questions. First, who’s coming to help us?Second, what’re they bringing when they come? And, third, when’s it going to happen?

The same questions were being asked by God’s people during the ministry of Isaiah the prophet. Israel wasn’t surrounded by walls of rock but they were surrounded by walls of Assyrian troops—soldiers of one of the most vicious, wicked superpowers ever to exist. They felt trapped, abandoned, powerless, and hopeless. So, in their desperation, they ask Who’s coming to help? What’s he bringing when he comes? And, when’s it going to happen? Isaiah 11 records God’s answers to those questions.