We talk of the comfort and joy of Christmas time, but where does that joy come from? How does it begin? Is it based on the pleasant circumstances that surround us at Christmas time? What if a person does not experience pleasant circumstances at this time of the year? Can he or she still have the Joy of Christmas. The answer is “yes”. But in oder to answer the question, we must understand where this joy comes form and what type of joy it is. Isaiah 40 tells us more.

Several Christmas carols mention the “comfort and joy” that Christmas brings. But why does Christmas bring comfort and joy? How does it bring about these things? The answer to these questions is found in an ancient source. Writing more than 500 years before Jesus came into the world, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah explains how the coming of Jesus brings comfort and joy and how a person can experience that comfort and joy for themselves.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says that He has come to “fulfill the Law and the Prophets” (5:17) and in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the Old Testament Scriptures point to Him (5:39). But where and how do we see Jesus in the Old Testament? That is the subject of today’s sermon as Mark Landrum joins us from Christian Witness to Israel.

Have you ever felt confused when you thought of God’s plan in the world? Have you ever been confused when trying to understand some portion of the Bible? The disciples too were sometimes confused and they often found themselves to be completely wrong. But in this passage, Jesus steers them in the right direction and leaves us with an essential lesson about Christian Spirituality.

What is the longest period of time you have had to wait for a promise to be kept? Matthew 17 involves the fulfilment of a 1500 year old promise in a way no one would have expected. But as spectacular as the fulfilment of that promise is, it pales in comparison to the other promise Jesus gives in this passage.

What does Jesus demand from His followers? He tells them to deny themselves and to kill their own desires every day in order to live for God’s Kingdom purposes. Why might He make such an extreme teaching? This passage explains why the call to follow Christ is so radical.

Where should people worship God? Depending on a person’s religious background, they will answer that question differently. But how does Jesus respond when a woman brings up this topic? Jesus’ answer has much to tell us, as does His choosing to interact with a woman who was ostracised from society.

What does a prophet, an old pagan temple and Roman emperors have to do with Jesus and the church He began? The gospel writer Matthew shows us how all of these facets tell us something amazing about both Jesus and the church. This central part of Matthew’s gospel is full of surprises.

Who is Jesus? If you asked several people, you would likely get several answers. But Jesus once posed this same question to His disciples. He asked them who others thought He was and then He asked the disciples what they had concluded about Him. The response is startling. But perhaps more startling is what happens right after that.

The book of Zephaniah has so far been a lot of bad news of judgement and destruction. It all sounds very ominous and foreboding. But in the final chapter there is an unexpected turn of good news. And it’s not only good news for the people of Judah, but also for us.