Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 10:17-27 Theme: Despite Israel’s sinful request, the Lord exercised His indisputable sovereignty by installing Saul as king of His people. Structure/points: Israel had asked for a king like the nations, and God had agreed. They would have such a king. But He, the Lord, was in complete control of the selection process. That choice had been made, and…
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 9:22-10:16 Theme: When the Lord revealed His salvific will to His anointed King, He sent signs and encouragement to confirm His providential choice. Structure/points: God had chosen Saul to reign as the first king of His people Israel. Samuel would install him to that office and explain what it all meant. Of course, this came as a shock…
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 9:1-21 Theme: The Lord providentially guided Saul’s life so that Samuel could anoint him to be the ruler who would rescue God’s people. Structure/points: God had consented to allow a human ruler to reign over His people, Israel, when they asked for one. But He would remain in control of the selection process. The Lord would not only…
Sermon Text: Matthew 1:1-17 Theme: The Lord vindicated the patriarchs’ faith by sending Jesus to be the offspring who blessed all the families of the world Structure/points: When Matthew wrote his gospel, he began with the genealogy of the Christ. He did this to show his Jewish readers that Jesus was the fulfillment of everything the Patriarchs longed to see and receive. …
Sermon Text: Genesis 32:1-32 Theme: In Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, the church finds a deliverer who will rescue and bless them Structure/points: Jacob found himself in a place where he was totally helpless and at the mercy of his enemy. None of his tricks or strengths could save him. But he threw himself on the promises of the Lord…
Sermon Text: Genesis 25:19-34 Theme: The people of God must regard the infinitely valuable promises of God with the highest esteem. Structure/points: Genesis 25:19-34 continues to develop the promises that God made first to Abraham and then to his offspring, promises that we have said meet their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the son of God. Those promises are again on display here…
Sermon Text: Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-7 Theme: God’s promise of offspring to Abraham was fulfilled through the miraculous birth of a son Structure/points: The virgin birth of Jesus is impossible UNLESS God is able to intervene and override the laws of nature. In our readings from Genesis, we see God promise to do just that, to step in and accomplish a miraculous birth…
Sermon Text: Genesis 12:1-9 Theme: A great blessing went out to all the world through Abram’s faithful obedience to the Lord’s call Structure/points: The virgin birth of Jesus was not an isolated event, but rather the culmination of God’s plan to redeem and bless the world through His Son. Our first advent sermon will describe one of the earliest steps that the…
Sermon Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Theme: When the Church’s ambition is to avoid worldly influence, she abounds in demonstrating true brotherly love. Structure/points: All people have influence over someone else. Our conduct, our words, our decision are noticed by others and have an impact on them. As members of the Church, not only should we be content with the influence that God…
Sermon Text: Haggai 1:1-15 Theme: God will prevent His people from being content with the work of their hands as long as they neglect their duty to worship and honor Him. Structure/points: Haggai 1 shows us a time when God exposed His people’s lack of care for His worship. Their pursuit of nice things, good homes, and even hard work had nothing…