Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Shadow of Mercy (Isaiah 38:1-39:8)

Read the text – Isaiah 38:1-39:8

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?

“The word of the Lord is good.” Hezekiah grappled with this statement on his deathbed. When the word doesn’t give the best outcome, do we still trust that it is good? Nick Lindeback unravels this mystery as we read about Hezekiah’s journey and prayer in this final bible talk of “Pictures of Judgement and Grace”.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Angel of the LORD (Isaiah 36:1-37:38)

Read the text – Isaiah 36:1-37:38

This is the culmination of everything so far. Jerusalem is under siege, and the situation, humanly speaking, is hopeless. In this sermon, Stephen Hawkins outlines the historical context and explains the choice that the people in Jerusalem are faced with: Who will they trust? There is only salvation when they trust in God for deliverance, and that salvation may be unexpected and beyond belief.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Highway of the LORD (Isaiah 33:2-35:10)

Read the text – Isaiah 33:2-35:10

In this sermon, Dave Swan shows how God, after sending adversity and affliction on his people, will also provide bread and water for the righteous that will not fail. God will provide a highway in the wilderness, enabling the ransomed of the Lord to return to him. In God we have the ultimate provider and sustainer; he is our Rock, our foundation and giver of life.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Bread of Adversity (Isaiah 28:1-33:1)

Read the text – Isaiah 28:1-33:1

In this sermon, Ken Noakes shows us how God’s punishes and saves Jerusalem – bringing them back to himself through the bread of adversity and water of affliction. This might not be the meal the people of Israel want, but it’s what they need. And even when his people are unfaithful, he is faithful. God will use both the good and the bad to bring about his plans, so we should trust God, even when things don’t seem good.

Sermon – Pictures of Judgement and Grace: The Key and the Peg (Isaiah 21:1-23:18)

Read the text – Isaiah 21:1-23:18

Eliakim holds the keys, but ultimately no political leader can save the people. The peg gives way. But Jesus hold the keys forever, the true peg and true key who stands firm. In this sermon, Ken Noakes shows how God is in control and works for our good. Our first response should always be to turn to him, not trusting in our own strength, or the strength of others, but only in Jesus.

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

Read the text – Isaiah 13:1-20:6

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 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 – Firm Faith: Centred in Christ (Colossians 2:6-23)

Read the text – Colossians 2:6-23

Any teaching that wants to suggest that Christians need Jesus PLUS … (anything else) to be a Christian or to live as a Christian is guilty of contradicting the supremacy of Christ. Being told we need more than him (either for salvation or to live as a Christian) means that we are being taught that what he has done is not enough. We need to stand firm in our faith in Jesus as all we need for this life and the next.

In this sermon, Nick Lindeback helps us see how important it is to have Christ at the centre of our lives, so we can stand firm in the face of false teaching.

Bible Talk Outline

Sermon – Psalms of Hope: Hope Sings it’s heart out (Psalm 84)

Read the text – Psalm 84

The Psalms have been described as ‘both God’s word to us and our words to God’. The Psalms speak to the total person and demand a total response. Generally, the book of Psalms has been divided into five books and this ‘Psalm of Hope’ number 84, comes from Book III. We are encouraged to find hope in God alone through his Son, our Saviour and King, Jesus Christ.

In this talk, Ken Noakes helps us to think about all the good things that might make life good, and yet also recognize that those good things pale into insignificance compared with the hope of the glory of heaven. May this Psalm, and this talk, help you to sing for joy because of your hope in Jesus.

Talk Outline Download

Sermon – Joshua – Promise & Purpose: Taking the Land of Promise (9:1-12:24)

Joshua: Promise & Purpose - Bible Talk Series

What is the value of a promise? For one, a promise can give direction as you look forward to the fulfillment of the promise. And as such it gives purpose to how we conduct ourselves as we move closer to the day that the promise is fulfilled. God’s people Israel acted on the strength of the promise that they would be delivered into a new and good land – a home. Joshua leads them by the hand of God – home. In our Bible talks, we are looking at the extraordinary book of Joshua – a book of promise and purpose. A book that points us forward to the fulfillment of the gospel promise, that in Jesus we will delivered – home. In the meantime, it gives us a clear purpose.

This talk looks at Israel’s failure to seek God’s help in all decisions, causing them to break God’s command. It also presents us with a challenge – do we give only 0.6% of our week to Jesus at church, or do we need to put our trust in God in all decisions?

Read the text – Joshua 9:1-27