Sermons – Salt Church Wollongong

Why be generous to the work of making lifelong disciples of Jesus? Why should this work be a priority for the disciple's generosity?

Often when churches talk about money it stinks! Let's start with our view of God - abundantly generous or stingy?

Naomi's redemption is full of blessing and hope but there's much more to come for those who are redeemed by Jesus!

Ruth's daring move toward Boaz and his response speaks volumes of their noble character. Character is so critical to all our relationships and not least our relationship to God who is perfect in character.

Why is Boaz showing such abundant loving kindness to Ruth? Above all, we're meant to see something extraordinary about God.

The book of Ruth is an incredible love story but bigger than that it's about God. On display is His loving kindness in ordinary lives.

The rescue of the Jews here points us to the bigger rescue we have in Jesus, but it's even better because his came not from self defence but self sacrifice and rescue not from death but from eternal punishment. So we can be eternally thankful and live for God while we wait in the in-between period between the salvation we now have and the not yet arrived final day of salvation and judgement when Jesus returns.

There's only 2 ways to live - either crime doesn't pay or crime does pay. The way to answer that question is to see who's in control of the world. Crime makes sense if this world is controlled by criminals, by luck or by predetermined fate. You could mis-read this part of Esther to think those things are in control. But as the humble and righteous Mordecai (and then Jesus) is raised to the place of power, it shows us that the world is controlled by the righteous God's providence. So crime doesn't pay and living God's right ways is the only way to live that makes sense.

Why is it dangerous to be a Christian? By nature humans hate God so also hate God's people. How does God help us to face persecution? He gives His sure promises & someone to bring them about.

Most of the time for most of us God is hidden and it's not clear what He is doing in the world. What is the hidden God doing? The hidden God is at work to defeat the kingdom of this world - a kingdom which looks powerful & appealing but is desperately weak & viciously cruel.