Pastor: Jim De Witte

Passage: Exodus 20:1-21

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Preacher: Bill Berends

Passage: Zech 11:4-14; Mt 21:1-16, 23-46

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Psalm 15 is one of the shortest psalms, but it packs a punch as it asks the daunting question, ‘Who is worthy?’ Who is righteous enough to dwell in God’s presence? Who has the right, by the way they live, to be accepted with God? Our response might be that we long to be that kind of person and we pray that God’s empowering grace to help us. But the psalm doesn’t end with that. Instead, it points to Jesus, the ultimate answer to the question. Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life all of the time and in every way. He did that as our substitute because God knew that we would never live that way. Jesus, in his righteous life and acceptable death, purchased for us our acceptance with God. So, because we are now righteous in Christ, we can live in the presence of God.

Passage: Psalm 15

Preacher: Jim de Witte

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Preacher: Jim de Witte

Passage: Psalm 14

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In Psalm 13 there is a recurring question, “How long?” David wants to be delivered. He thought God had forgotten him and more. David faith is tested as he feels abandoned by God and so doubts his goodness. Can anything be worse than that? Maybe you have experienced the same painful feeling of being abandoned by God. Yet this kind of fear and doubt is not the opposite of faith as we are sometimes told, but an element of our faith. How do we know that? We have Psalm like this one that demonstrate ways we can cry out to God, taking our pain and complaints to him and trust he is with us. As Alistair Begg has written, ‘God’s care for his children is like the sun: it’s constant. Even though clouds obscure it, it doesn’t mean the sun is not there.’

Preacher: Jim de Witte

Passage: Psalm 13

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It seems strange to have this song of John as the last in our Christmas series of songs of Jesus. We don’t often include John the Baptist in our Christmas celebrations. Maybe that’s on purpose because he is a very upsetting figure in dress and in words. Yet, before we get to the ministry of Jesus, we meet John. In Luke’s account, the birth of Jesus is book-ended by John with his birth and his ministry. So, the way to Bethlehem’s manger is through John the Baptist. And John the Baptist is the one who prepares that way, as prophesied 700 years earlier by Isaiah.

Preacher: Jim de Witte

Passage: Luke 3:1-18

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Preacher: Jim de Witte

Passages: Luke 2:1-21 & Matthew 2:1-12

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Christmas and peace. How do those two words fit together in your mind? For some, peace at Christmas means getting together with and tolerating family members you dislike. For others, peace is only possible after Christmas, when the pace of everything slows down for the summer break. This week we look at the angels’ song in Luke 2 and the peace that they sing about. This peace is not the end of military conflict, family discord, financial anxiety, or even a frantic lifestyle. No, the peace they are proclaiming is peace with God and it’s linked to, not just the birth of the Saviour, but also his death on the cross that brought genuine forgiveness and peace. That is lasting peace. It's the peace we need more than anything else. By trusting in who Jesus is and what Jesus did, we receive the greatest Christmas gift of all. Peace with God! And if you have received it, savour it. Let it bring joy and praise to your heart and glory to God in the highest.

Preacher: Jim de Witte

Passage: Luke 2:8-21

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