Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Army of the LORD (Isaiah 13:1-20:6)

Read the text – Isaiah 13:1-20:6

The people of Judah face a number of crises from within (their own sin) and without (the alliance of Israel and Syria, the power of Assyria). Who will they trust to rescue them? Themselves? Foreign Nations? or God Almighty?

In this sermon, Dave Swan shows how God is in control of all nations and all of history, and how he will use the nations, even when their actions are evil, to bring about his good will. God’s will cannot be thwarted or derailed, and his goal is to bring about salvation for his people.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Banner of Salvation (Isaiah 9:8-12:6)

Read the text – Isaiah 9:8-12:6

In this sermon, Josh Schroder explains how, even though judgement has fallen, God has raised a banner of salvation for all nations, and he will bring his people home. God’s promise of salvation is fulfilled perfectly in Christ, and no matter what calamity might befall us now, our future resting place is secure.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Flood of the LORD (Isaiah 7:1-9:7)

Read the text – Isaiah 7:1-9:7

In this talk, Nick Lindeback explains how God will bring about salvation through judgement, and that judgement can come via any means God chooses. We also face God’s judgement, but we see the salvation God has provided in Christ.

Bible Talk Outline

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Vineyard of the LORD (Isaiah 5:1-6:13)

Read the text – Isaiah 5:1-6:13

In this Bible talk, Neil Atwood describes the imagery of the vineyard, in the context of God’s holiness, and how God’s judgement and mercy is a necessary extension of his holiness. And we should rejoice in the holiness God offers to us.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Branch of the LORD (Isaiah 2:6-4:6)

Read the text – Isaiah 2:5-4:6

In this Bible talk, Nick Lindeback describes how there will be a day when God punishes the sin of his people, but the result of this judgment – a holy people and the beautiful branch of the LORD. Mercy will come through judgement. Therefore flee to Jesus, let him take the judgement for us, so we may we spend eternity in the beautiful presence of the LORD.

Bible Talk Outline

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Mountain of the LORD (Isaiah 1:1-2:5)

Read the text – Isaiah 1:1-2:5

In this Bible talk, Nick Lindeback describes how God will restore his people and bless the world, those who have turned their backs on him, through salvation and through judgement.

Bible Talk Outline

Sermon – The Light of the World: The Light has Dawned (Matthew 4:12-17)

Read the text – Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 4:12-17

Christmas is a time for Christians to proclaim Jesus the Light of the World. This series looks to show the development of the ‘Light’ theme as it unfolds through the passage of salvation history.

In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan helps us to see the how the promises of Isaiah are fulfilled in Jesus and that forgiveness and eternity is on offer with the coming of this new dawn.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Son of Man Revealed (Matthew 16:13-28)

Read the text – Matthew 16:13-28

Famously Jesus challenges his disciples: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ (Matt 16:24). What does it mean today to be a disciple of Jesus? In an age when we express our individualism in many and numerous ways, this message is a challenge for it asks us to put Jesus before ourselves. Yet, Jesus gives very good reasons to follow him.

In this talk, Ken Noakes helps us look first at the identity of Jesus – and as a result to consider what that should mean for anyone who wants to follow him.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: More than a Prophet (Matthew 11:1-19)

Read the text – Matthew 11:1-19

In this Bible Talk series, we cover a large block of the teaching from Jesus about the coming Kingdom of Heaven – chapters 11 through to 18. There is much to learn about the King and what it will mean for those who live in this kingdom. Knowing about this King and this kingdom is different to living for this King and Kingdom.

In this talk, Dave Swan reacquaints us with the gospel of Matthew as a historical and reliable source of knowing Jesus. And we, along with John the Baptist we ask the question: ‘Are you [Jesus] the one who is to come to save us?’

Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Authority (Matthew 8:1-17)

Read the text – Matthew 8:1-17

Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.

In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan looks at the unparalleled authority which Jesus demonstrated – his ability to heal a man with leprosy, the servant of the a Roman centurion, Peter’s mother-in-law, those who were demon possessed – all people who suffered because of their circumstance, but also because of there status as outcasts under Jewish law. He heals, and in doing so he fulfils what the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah would do.

This should encourage us to examine our faith in Jesus, by looking at how an encounter with Jesus shaped the belief of others.