Job – was he right? 9 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Job – was he right?
“She has the patience of Job.” is a famous saying. Job has become the great example of patient suffering. But while Job persevered, he may not have been very patient. Much of the book is taken up with complaints. Job’s friends complain that Job is not admitting his faults (and so making it easier for him to escape his suffering). Job on the other hand is complaining that the Lord has caused him to suffer for no good reason.
Both Job and his friends ask the question as to how a person can be in the right with God. The friends have one answer, Job doesn’t agree and wants to talk to God about it. They complain that one of Job’s problems is that he tries to justify himself rather than God.
But one of the interesting things about the book of Job is that it starts off with the wonderful testimonial about Job, repeated by the Lord himself, that “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job is a righteous person at the start, and remains so all the way through.
Jesus at work 2 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Jesus at work
Lots of people like their work. Some like their workmates as well - or some of them anyway, some of the time. Some would like some of them more if they weren’t workmates. Others find their fellow workers are what saves their sanity in the face of impossible or deadly jobs.
Many jobs are very enjoyable except for the “politics”. Meaning power struggles, petty jealousies, higher ups who haven’t quite grown up, people with chips on their shoulders, and others who bring their own problems from home and inflict them on the group.
Keeping one’s head down and out of the way of the cross-fire is one way of coping. Joining in the struggle appeals to some. And most work-places have peace-keepers on hand to help out.
5. God's Justice Romans 3.1-20
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=265}
God's Justice Romans 3.1-20
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 25 September 2011.
Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 4.5-14; Psalm 14; Matthew 18.9-14
Jews are better off because they have the very words of God but are no better because like the Gentiles they are all under sin. The law only serves to point out sin and holds us accountable to God
What a lovely home 25 Sep 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What a lovely home
“What a lovely home!” we might say when visiting someone for the first time. Some homes are so lovely that we say the same thing every time we visit. Some of us think it about our own home (if we have one).
What makes a home lovely? Depends on what you are looking at I suppose. Decor, garden, tidiness and cleanliness maybe. People. The people who live there make the home. And truly lovely homes are made up of lovely people.
On Wednesday the morning Communion group thought about God’s home (Psalm 84). One of the psalm writers was overcome with affection for God’s home – the place where God lived. He meant the temple. But he wasn’t interested in the building – magnificent as that may have been.
Oxygen 18 Sep 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Oxygen
A few weeks ago I attended the Oxygen Conference in Sydney. 2,300 pastors and church leaders were there to listen to John Piper and John Lennox speak and to take part in a variety of elective sessions. What was the benefit?
It was meant to be a conference that encouraged pastors and church leaders. “There’s no fire without oxygen” was the slogan. It was encouraging.
It was encouraging to see so many church leaders together in one place. So many! Men and women of all ages and from a wide variety of churches. There were people who had been in ministry for decades, missionaries, pastors, lay leaders, church wardens, musicians through to people at the beginning of ministry such as the whole leadership class from Trinity Theological College in Perth.
4. God's Kindness Romans 2.1-16
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=264}
God's Kindness Romans 2.1-16
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 11 September 2011
Bible readings: Ecclesiastes 12.1-14; Psalm 62.5-12; Matthew 7.1-5
Good people who are judged by standards they know are true, God's kindness in giving us time to repent, and the good of seeking God's glory and honour and immortality
What are you doing? 11 Sep 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What are you doing?
Does God really repay us according to what we do? And if he does, why would he do so? What interest does God have in what we do? Or is this just a way of saying that actions have consequences? Or maybe a way of saying that the Great Moral Policemen is Watching What you Do.
Supposing that it is neither of the above, and that God is really interested in what we do, why is he? Because he made us, is one obvious answer. Because of why he made us is a better answer. Why did he? So we could enjoy him forever is the answer of an old catechism. So that we could glorify him is one answer of the Bible.
In a way enjoying God and glorifying him are much the same.
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