Sermons

Join us as we reflect on the recent tragedy at Bondi Beach, and how to process such evil and sorrow before the God who cannot be shaken. From Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2, we will see how the incomparable God overturns human pride, lifts up the weak, and brings life through His anointed King. As Christmas approaches, we will fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the Rock who brings real comfort now and sure hope beyond death.

This morning, we are wrapping up our series on 1 Samuel. We finish the series at chapter 8, which marks a significant turning point in the narrative of Samuel and even in the narrative of the Bible. In asking for a King like the nations, Israel rejects their identity as God’s chosen people. This chapter becomes a warning for us. Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget your identity. Don’t trade Sonship for Slavery!

In 1 Samuel 7, we reach a turning point. Samuel judges Israel and he calls them to repent. In verse 3 Samuel says: “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” Their repentance was to be both internal (with all their hearts) and external (removing all idols).

As we enter 1 Samuel 5 the Ark of the Covenant is in the hands of the Philistines. However, God is greater than any of Israel’s enemies and far greater than any of their man-made idol. The Lord’s authority and power are on full display.

We turn to 1 Samuel 4 this week and the Philistines capture the Ark. Israel’s leaders think they can manipulate God but God will raise up a leader who will honour his Word.

We move into 1 Samuel 3. The Word of the Lord was rare in those days, but God breaks through the silence by calling young Samuel to the office of prophet. His first task? To deliver devastating news to Eli the priest of impending judgment.

Join us for our second week in the book of 1 Samuel. Godly leadership is so important in the building up of God’s Church and poor leadership can only lead to spiritual decline.

We start a series on the first eight chapters of 1 Samuel. The Book of Samuel could be called: “The Coming of the King”. The Book of Samuel is a leadership book that ultimately leads towards the King that God would provide for his people, Israel. Like Israel 3000 years ago, we live in a leaderless world and as we spend time looking at God’s provision for Israel, we reflect on the leader that God provided for us.

Baptism of SL. What do you want for your children? Your grandchildren? Your nieces and nephews? The children in your church? There are three things we should want for our children above all else – that they belong to God, that they would hear God’s call and that they would respond obediently to God’s call.

When we pray in our need, and God answers our prayer in his grace, we have to see it as more than simply an answer to prayer. When God answers someone, heals someone, restores someone, grants work to someone we are seeing how God acts. When we see Jesus born in a manger at Bethlehem, when we see him born in humble circumstances there, we also know that after his death and resurrection, he rose up to sit at God’s right hand and to rule everything for the sake of the church. God works that way! God raises us up and grant us salvation, which should give us ammunition to praise God with our whole being. • Every time God lifts us out of the miry bog and puts our feet on a rock, we should praise our God! • Every time God acts our mind should move from our circumstances to the greatness of God and an even better understanding of how God operates.