Sermons From Grace Baptist Church of Richmond Hill

Everyone is busy. And even when we get some time off, we struggle to feel rested. Jesus promised that He could provide rest for our souls. But that rest comes as He deals with the heart issues that rob our rest. This message looks at how we can experience the deep rest that Jesus promises.

There are many surprises in the Christmas story, but perhaps nothing quite as surprising as who shows up for the birth. The wise men who bring gifts for the baby are the most unlikely worshippers of the Christ child and the obstacles they overcame to get to Him inspire our own journey of hope. This message looks at what the wise men teach us about overcoming the obstacles that keep us from true worship.

When we depict the Christmas story in carols and cards, we remember the angels, shepherds, manger and wise men. But the birth of Jesus took place under the threat of a king intent on killing Him and in the shadow of the unspeakable loss that the king’s paranoia and rage brought about. This message looks at what has been called Herod’s, “slaughter of the innocents,” and how it speaks hope into the despair that can often accompany the holidays.

The stage is set for the birth of the Messiah, but the baby is in danger of being abandoned. In order to accept Jesus, Joseph has to deal with ridicule from others, his own preconceptions and the fact that he will no longer be in control. To receive Jesus’ work in our lives today, we face the same challenges. This message looks at how Joseph responded to the obstacles that almost kept him from accepting Jesus and how we can overcome them ourselves.

Most people don’t advertise their past unless there’s something remarkable about it. But Matthew begins his presentation of the Christmas story with a stunning family tree that deepens our understanding of who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. This message examines how Jesus fulfills the promises to Abraham and David and has the grace to transform those whom the world would hide and exclude.

When people claim to speak for God or someone brings us a word from the Lord, how are we to respond? Is there anything we can do to evaluate whether it’s truly God speaking? Or should we just be more open and not quench the Holy Spirit? This message looks at Paul’s instructions for evaluating prophets and prophecy.

Through the internet and the ease of international travel, we’re closer to one another than we’ve ever been. And yet, at the same time, we’re experiencing more and more division. This message looks at what God is doing to heal our divisions. And in so doing, it digs into a passage that teaches us about the role of apostles and prophets in God’s plan for the world.

Discerning God’s will can be difficult. And even when God speaks, the voice of comfort can drown Him out. Today’s message looks at a prophet who declared God’s will to the apostle Paul and how the people around him struggled to accept it. It helps us to understand the nature of New Testament prophecy and how we can discern and pursue the will of God.

The Day of Pentecost saw the birth of the church and the transformation of God’s people by the Holy Spirit. But it was a strange event. Luke records rushing wind and fire and the onlookers wondered whether the disciples were drunk. This message looks at what we can learn from what happened at Pentecost.

Today, people claim to get messages from the Lord. People will share things as if God is speaking through them. What do you do when someone gives you a prophecy? Is there a way of discerning whether the message is really from God? Today, we begin a series on prophecy by looking at some ground rules Moses laid down for discerning and dealing with prophets and prophecy.