IBCD Sermon Weekly

In Isaiah 6 the prophet witnesses an encounter with God in what we could call a heavenly worship service. The reality of that encounter is the same as the one today when we meet the true living God:

God is holy, sovereign, and present, even when our circumstances are difficult. In times of crisis, we are encouraged to look first to who God is rather than becoming consumed by our circumstances.

Seeing God’s holiness changes how we see ourselves. In comparison with God’s holiness, human pride and self-righteousness are exposed. We recognize our own sin and our need for God’s grace.

Isaiah’s received atonement points to Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Redemption is received through the grace of God rather than achieved through personal merit.

God’s grace leads to service. Being forgiven is not presented as the end of the Christian life. Those who have received grace are called to serve God and share the Gospel.

Our perspective should move outward: first God, then ourselves, and finally others. Understanding God’s greatness and our own need for grace should shape how we relate to and respond to other people.

Sunday Sermon by Gary Arnold

Mark 4:1-9 1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” 9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The book of Hebrews portrays our journey of faith as a race. The examples of the lives of the faithful who have raced before us, help us face uncertainty with perseverance, despite the challenges we encounter. As the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ is the ultimate champion of the race.

Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Have you ever thought about alternatives to the Christian God? Looking at the world and the injustice that is prevailing, we might question our faith sometimes. Psalm 73 shows us that while it is normal to go through these phases, at the end of the day no alternative can ever be better than our God of mercy. He is the solution to all evil.

In life, we have to make a lot of decisions. As Christians, we want to make them according to God's will. But how can we find out God's will? How can we find out His ways? That is the same prayer that David expressed in Psalm 25.

Psalm 25:4-5

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

Sunday Sermon by Christopher Uchegbuo

We shall be looking at the significance of the new covenant we have in Christ and the blessings of this covenant.

22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23, NASB)

The Christian faith holds the Bible very high. We believe that it is God's authoritative word breathed out by Him. Therefore, it is important to engage regularly with it. However, it is not always clear what the best way is to engage with the Bible.

Psalm 1 tells us to meditate on it day and night. If we do so we will be like a tree planted by streams of water.

Psalm 1:2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Sunday Sermon by Avi Snyder