9. The Gentiles are in the Right? Romans 9
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 9 and the OT: Who is the King?
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9. The Gentiles are in the Right? Romans 9
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 15 September 2013
Series: Who is the King? And what has happened to his people? A short history of God and his people. A study guide can be downloaded here.
Bible Readings: Isaiah 49.5-7; Psalm 99; Romans 9.16-33; Matthew 8. 5-13
Why isn't Israel flocking to the Messiah? Not because the promises failed, in fact all those to whom the promises were given received God's mercy - including Gentiles. The difference was that one group trusted God to put them in the right and the other wanted to do it themselves.
1. Healthy Churches Need Believers 15 Sep 13
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
1. Healthy Churches Need Believers
It sounds so obvious. That is what Christians are, surely. You can’t have a church without people who believe, can you?
Well, you could. It depends on what you believe in. In what you trust. Both Paul and Jesus make astounding statements about the Israel of their day. A nation that had a wonderful heritage of God’s word and God’s action was characterised by unbelief. Jesus was asked by a Roman soldier to help hi s sick servant. The man’s belief that Jesus had authority to do it stunned Jesus. He had never met faith like that anywhere in Israel.
Paul reflected on why so many Gentiles had put their trust in the Messiah while so many Jews hadn’t. His answer was that one lot trusted God to put them right with himself, the other put their trust in their own attempts to do what God wanted.
If it was possible then, it must be possible now. Could a church be just “Rotary with a pointy roof”? The Archbishop of Canterbury says we are more than that. But how much more?
Notes on Luke 15.1-10 September 15
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 15.1-10 September 15
Luke 15 has three parables on the same subject. All of them are told in response to the complaints of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (v2).
The first two parables are similar to each other. In both stories something is lost. In both stories the owner searches with much effort for what was lost. In both stories there is celebration and rejoicing with friends and neighbours when it is found. In both stories there is also joy in heaven. In both stories the joy in heaven is because a sinner has repented.
So the two parables are about what Jesus is doing: he is searching for tax collectors and sinners so that they will repent.
The two parables are also about what the Pharisees and teachers of the law are not doing: they are not rejoicing that sinners are being welcomed.
The two parables are also about what God is doing: heaven is rejoicing when sinners repent.
So these two parables are meant to encourage the people who complain to change their mind – to repent and join Jesus in his search for the lost.
8. King of the nations Matthew 28, Acts 28
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 9 and the OT: Who is the King?
{podcast id=253}
8. King of the Nations Matthew 28, Acts 28
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 8 September 2013
Series: Who is the King? And what has happened to his people? A short history of God and his people. A study guide can be downloaded here.
Bible Readings: Joel 2.28-32; Psalm 98; Acts 28.17-31; Matthew 4.12-17.
Passages referred to in the sermon: Acts 2.36; 9.15; 10; 11.19; 13.1; Gen 12.3; Isaiah 49.6; Romans 15.8-13; Matthew 28.18.
What the King did after he was raised, how he did it and why he sent his gospel to the nations.
What Healthy Churches Need 8 Sep 13
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What Healthy Churches Need
What are the things that characterise healthy churches? Here are some possibilities: Disciples; A Founder; God’s Word; Prayer; Meetings that edify; Fellowship; Breaking bread; Gospel; Leaders; Generosity ...
What would you add to this list? What basis in the scriptures would you have for your suggestion? I am interested in your views. Please let me know what you would add to the list (which is a bit random at this stage).
The idea of a healthy church implies unhealthy ones, which I suppose all of us know about. But what does healthy mean? It suggests some correspondence between the life of a church and what God intended his church to be like. Just as when we go to the doctor, the doctor has some standard of comparison as to what a healthy person looks like. Otherwise their treatment would be subjective and whimsical (at best) or (more likely) determined by profit.
Luke 14.25-35 8 September 13
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 14.25-35 8 September 13
This is a parable spoken to the crowds. Many people were travelling with Jesus. Jesus is interested in whether they will be his disciples. Being a disciple is not the same as travelling with Jesus.
Three times Jesus uses the phrase, “...cannot be my disciple”: verse 26, 27, 33.
A person must work out in advance whether they are willing to do what is required to be a disciple, v28-32. Two examples are given: a builder and a king.
If a person decides to be a disciple and then finds they do not want to continue, it is like salt that has lost its saltiness – it is no good and has to be thrown out v34-35.
What is involved in a person being a disciple of Jesus?
1. Hating near relatives, and one’s own life v26.
2. Taking up one’s cross v27
3. Giving up everything one has v33
Taking up one’s cross means dying. It is a similar idea to giving up everything one has. One has nothing left. This helps us understand the first idea. Jesus doesn’t mean we should have feelings of hatred to our relatives, any more than that we should have feelings of hatred towards our own life. He means we must not hang on to them, try to keep hold of them, possess them and depend on them. He wants us to be completely free to learn from him. Only then will we be able to love our relatives, and only then will we be able to live our own life in the best way.
Being a disciple of Jesus means he must have complete and total control of our lives. He is not looking for fans or spectators, he is looking for 24/7 apprentices.
Dale
These notes are provided for the benefit of the preachers in our Dinka speaking congregation.
7. God is King again
- Details
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 9 and the OT: Who is the King?
{podcast id=254}
7. God is King Again
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 1 September 2013
Series: Who is the King? And what has happened to his people? A short history of God and his people. A study guide can be downloaded here.
Bible Readings: Ezekiel 34.11-24; Psalm 97; 1 Timothy 6.11-16; Mark 8.27 - 9.1.
Passages referred to in the sermon can be seen or downloaded here.
After 450 years of silence and expectation, God the King returns to his people, gathers the two parts of the kingdom to himself and enters the city, stops the temple and is rejected again, but is raised from death and declares himself as the one with all authority in heaven and on earth.
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