This sermon gives the practical ramifications of the Reformation doctrine of Soli Deo Gloria, or “To the Glory of God Alone.”
Recent events seem to indicate a time of economic distress for many countries. With concerns of employment and finances mounting, it is important to look at how we can have hope in God's promises. Christ's love for us should be a continual anchor to us.
This introduction to the book of Revelation deals with the tight connection between the first and last books of the Bible. In the process, it deals with the trajectory of the book and controversies that will be faced in the book.
This encouraging message gives an overview of why John pronounces a blessing on those who read, understand, and keep the message of Revelation. Revelation is not a book to discourage or frighten. When rightly understood, it brings encouragement, hope, and faith. The sermon also shows the connection of the book to liturgics and to ethics.
This sermon covers hermeneutical principles 21-24. It shows how the principles of grace, peace, kingdom, God's power, and Christ's offices of prophet, priest, and king are woven tightly throughout the book of Revelation. The book begins with grace and peace being pronounced by Almighty God and the book ends with the pervasive results of that grace and peace. In between are chapters showing man's attempts to resist Christ's grace and peace. But as the last chapters will show, such resistance is futile. What God has pronounced will be achieved.
This Reformation Day sermon outlines several ways in which the church desperately needs reformation in missions. Pastors do not take advantage of God's preparatory work of national judgment. Nor do they preach on hell, the wrath of God, or the Biblical mandate of perseverance. The modern truncated Gospel makes for many more false conversions.
The sermon shows how this amazing prophesied judgment was fulfilled very literally in the Bar Kochba rebellion of AD 132-136