February 15, 2015
Covenant Jesus: God going for the heart
Jeremiah 31:31-34
We will recap the previous covenants that bring us to the new covenant with God, though Jesus. We will see how God’s grace and forgiveness has always been extensive; but how now, though Jesus, God restores the heart
November 23, 2014
The 10 commandments covenant: God makes himself known as Redeemer
Deuteronomy 6
God redeems. What does that mean? What does that look like? We know what broken looks like: sick children, warring nations, persecuted Christians, mental illness, addiction, financial hardship. Does God bring redemption to our broken lives? If he does, then why doesn’t he?
November 16:
The 10 commandments covenant: God makes himself known through law
Exodus 20
Sermon description: We are called to live out, not our version of good, but God’s version. When God’s people live out God’s law, then God’s ways are put on public display. People will know God’s way through the visible lived-out ethics of the church.
November 2, 2014
Abraham: Circumcision
Genesis 17
What does our participation in the covenant look like? Is there anything expected of us? And if so, to what end? Here we find in greater depth the vision God has for a “visible people” following him in this world. We will also explore how the new testament explains how baptism replaces circumcision, as the sign of the covenant.
October 26, 2014
Abraham: Covenant
Genesis 15
God now enters into covenant with Abraham, based on the promises given in Genesis 12 - of being blessing through land and descendants. God’s gracious initiative awaits human response. We will discover tension, as we watch Abraham struggling to respond faithfully. We will see how our interceding God comes close to Abraham, to help him along. And finally, how Abraham’s believing response was "credited to him as righteousness”
October 19, 2014
Abraham: Call
Genesis 12:1-3
In this foundational text we find the birth of the church - “the gospel in advance”, as the apostle Paul puts it. We find the grace of God comes completely outside of human strivings, as a response to human corruption. God’s call of Abram is God’s next move in blessing the world, and remaining committed to his original covenant with all humanity.
October 12, 2014
Noah: Saved by Water
1 Peter 3:8-22
Continuing with the Noah covenant we turn to the New Testament letter 1 Peter, in which we find the story of Noah referenced when explaining baptism, and how the “water of baptism” saves you.
September 21, 2014
Noah: The Creation Covenant
The fascinating and disturbing story of Noah is about God’s unwavering hope and intentions for His creation. This first covenant that God makes with all humanity is foundational. Every covenant God forges with us hereafter, is God demonstrating he has not given up on the first one.