Redeemer City Church

While reflecting on this passage, the expression, "talk is cheap" comes to mind. It reminds us of Paul's example that, while it is one thing to SAY the right words, it's another thing entirely to back up those words with your actions.

While the language that the Apostle Paul uses in today's passage may feel foreign – the need that he addresses is not. Paul is speaking to the problem of isolation – the pain that comes when we sense that there is a chasm between us and God and between us and other people.

Why does God choose what is weak to win the world?

In today's passage I believe that Paul is still praying that God would open the eyes of our hearts to understand spiritual truths that are beyond our human understanding.

Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus is centred around one request – that they would grow in knowledge.

Ephesians 1 contains some of the most theologically robust verses in all the Bible. Yet, it doesn't read like a lecture. It reads like a PRAYER of GRATITUDE! The Apostle Paul wrote this while he was under house arrest in Rome after being unjustly accused by his own people, but you would never know it! Praise is gushing out of him!

Two thousand years ago, Jesus died on a cross. Three days later he rose from the grave. Death has been defeated! And now, everything has changed! But HOW?

My prayer this morning is that we would come to recognize the cross as a SURE, UNDENIABLE SIGN of the Father's love for us. If God would give His Son for you, then you can be sure that His grace, and His love, and His forgiveness is yours.

Today is Palm Sunday, and we are looking at a very familiar passage. The Triumphal entry. It is beautiful and joyous. In it we see a picture of triumph when Christ will come again to receive adoration and worship and acclaim!

In this three-week series, we are inviting God to chisel away at anything that would hinder his generosity from shining through us. He is the overflowing God, and we were meant to be an overflowing people.

We were designed by God to be givers – not takers. Our time, our talent, our treasure – everything that we have and everything that we are – is meant to overflow in blessing to the world around us.

We are a blessed people, and we believe that God has blessed us so that the blessing might overflow to others. One of the ways that we 'overflow' is through our giving.

This morning we are going to see how God can, and has, used ordinary people like you and me.

When we do what is right in our own eyes, when we determine that there is no ultimate authority over us – that there is no King whose righteous standard we must uphold – then we distort justice in order to protect us and ours.

The author of the Book of Judges handpicked this "darkest hour" in Israel's history to illustrate how VILE – how DEPRAVED – Israel became when everyone was left to do what was right in their own eyes.

In today's passage Luke presents us with three confrontations where the Pharisees questioned Jesus based about the Law. In each of these interactions, Jesus provides an illustration to correct and teach the Pharisees.

For the final five chapters of Judges, the author steps out of the timeline that we have been following, and has hand-picked two stories that illustrate and summarize what Israel looked like when there was no king.

There is much for us to learn from Samson's final chapter which is one of the most tragic and memorable stories in the entire Old Testament.

Naomi was convinced that she was under the curse of God. But for those who trust in the Lord – though sorrow may last for the night – JOY comes in the morning. Here, with her sweet grandson asleep on her lap, Naomi finally knows this to be true. And so too do the witnesses in the livingroom.

So far in the story, Ruth "happens" upon the field of one of her husband's distant relatives, Boaz, and he is captivated by her integrity. Sensing that love might be in the air, Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, puts a risky plan in motion.

There is room for risk when you are sheltered by God.

Taking place during the time of the judges, Ruth sits like a diamond of hope set against a black backdrop of despair. This is a VERY Christmasy story. It is a story of peace in a time of chaos; light breaking through darkness; joy overcoming bitterness and hope triumphing over despair! The themes of advent are all over the story of Ruth!

As the congregations of Simcoside Lifepointe Church and Redeemer City Church become one, it would be helpful to look at Psalm 133. David's goal is simply to awaken our hearts to see and appreciate the beauty of unity.

Today's passage is not ultimately about Samson. The author of Judges didn't write this down to entertain us. He wrote it down in order to teach us so as to change us. At the end of it we'll try to discern just exactly what we're meant to see.

The arrival of a miracle baby is a sure sign that God is about to work a great deliverance for His people. God is signaling here that – in spite of Israel's apathy – He is not about to let them go.

This morning, we're going to skip past Jepthah's negotiations with the Ammonites and look at the sin of Jephthah, the sin of Ephraim and the sin of Gilead

There are two stories in our text this morning but, if you look closely, you might come to notice that they are really one. In chapter 10, Israel cries out to God for rescue while in the opening verses of chapter 11, Gilead cries out to Jephthah for rescue but there is a great deal of clear and intentional overlap.

The story of Abimelech is an example that is meant for our instruction. Some examples are positive and should be followed. That's not the case here. It illustrates very clearly what we are NOT to do.

On a day when families across our country are gathering around their thanksgiving table – we decided that we would gather this church family around ours.

The church in Ephesus was dealing with false teachers promoting a false gospel. They were adding extra steps to the essential message by claiming that people could only be saved by abstaining from certain foods and not marrying. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Timothy to help him stand firm. He reminds him of the one true gospel.

In this third episode of Gideon's life, the enemy has been defeated, but the Gideon that we see here in chapter 8 doesn't look much like the man that we've been watching over these last few weeks. Up to this point, there's been an upward moral trajectory in Gideon's life but here – where we expect a triumphant conclusion – things begin to fall apart.

The Gideon we find here at the end of chapter 6 is not the same man we met at the beginning. Something has changed. The Midianites returned with their raiding party but – while his old instinct was to go into hiding – Gideon responded differently this time around.

And in every other story in the book of Judges, the Lord immediately responded to Israel's cries by sending a deliverer. But this time – before sending a deliverer – the Lord sent a prophet. And the prophet had some hard words for Israel.

As we were reminded last Sunday, stories teach. The author is recounting this history – not simply so that we would know facts about Israel's history – but so that we would learn from it. Therefore, as we see Sisera lying in a tent with a peg through his temple, we ought to ask the question: What is the lesson here?

Sin imprisoned Israel in a downward spiral. And none of the judges had the power to break those chains! Ehud could kill King Eglon, but he couldn't stop Israel from running back to her idols.

We look more like the book of Judges then we dare to admit. We ALL have a little dumpster fire simmering within us. That's part of what makes the book of Judges so beautiful! Because – while we read about the most vile and despicable sin – we simultaneously see a God who pursues and restores the most vile and despicable sinners. God did not send His Son to save the shiny, perfect people – He sent His Son to save sinners.

The book of Judges is a hard book. It is a violent book. This is a book that reeks of the reality of what sinful people are capable of. While it is a difficult book – it is also a GOOD book! If we can stop squirming long enough to listen, then we will find in these chapters timeless warnings and hope-filled anticipations! We will see honest reflections of ourselves and wonderful glimpses of God's mercy!

If you have received the call to become a disciple of Jesus, the son of God, then do not take that lightly. Jesus has called you, and it is a tremendous honour and privilege to serve Christ and follow him!

Too many Christians truncate the good news of the gospel as if it stops at the cross. The gospel is MORE than the forgiveness of sin. It is also the glorious reality that we can now live in the presence of God once again! We can become who we were always intended to be: Image bearers of God living in His presence so that we might enjoy and glorify Him forever!

The law could restrain us, but it couldn't change us. And that is why God promised that something – or rather, Someone – greater than the law was coming – the Holy Spirit.

Christians have been reconciled to God through Christ so that we can be his ambassadors offering reconciliation to the world.

Every spiritual gift is valuable, but some gifts are more valuable – in the sense that they are more edifying for the church. This is the main point of chapter 14.

Our text for this morning is one of the most well-known passages in all the Bible – and for good reason. Here, we learn about the value and the nature of love.

We, as Christians, are empowered by the Holy Spirit. What does that empowering look like? In the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he dedicates chapters 12-14 to this question. Over the next three weeks, we are going to work our way through these three chapters as we seek to develop a biblical understanding of these gifts that we have received.

This morning is Pentecost Sunday when we remember that – fifty days after Good Friday – the risen and exalted Christ, in union with the Father, sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people. Today, we celebrate the mystery that – if we have confessed our sin and placed our trust in Jesus – the God of the universe dwells in us!