Burwood Presbyterian Church

We live in a generation which has moved away from definition other than for purposes of making money, staying healthy, travelling safely. Yet in the area of belief we are often asked to depend on feelings. The Bible is a book of facts. Psalm 48 presents a picture of who God is & what he does. The writer does not speak of an idol shaped in the image of man. He presents the creating, sustaining sovereign of all things. ‘The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ v14 “This GOD is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death.” # He is the God [v1] “who is great and worthy of praise” # He is “the great King” [v2] Power and authority belong to him # This God, who in himself, appears so terrible in power and majesty reveals himself as a safe place to hide from our enemies [v3]. It is precisely because he is in complete control that he can provide absolute protection. # His very existence causes his enemies to tremble [v6] # He is immovable. He cannot be overwhelmed or troubled [v8] “God e

Introduction: - What encouragement is there today for world-weary saints? 1. The Faith that Endures (Psalm 125) - The Character of Saving Faith (v1-2). - The Blessings of Saving Faith (v3-5). 2. The Hope that Sustains (Psalm 126) - Looking Back: The Joy of Hope Fulfilled (v1-3). - Looking Forward: The Promise of Hope to Come (v4-6). Conclusion: - Just keep walking – one step at a time! - Saving faith clings to God and never lets go. - God’s love for his people is all-encompassing. - The sceptre of the wicked is still active in the world, and will be until Christ returns. - Be faithful in prayer, and continue to do good. - Love your enemies; trust God for the final outcome. - The joy of salvation – every believer ought to remember and gain encouragement. - The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy

Introduction: - Do you want to meet the Risen Lord? 1. The Guarded Tomb (27:62-66). 2. The Empty Tomb (28:1-7). 3. Meeting the Risen Lord (28:8-10). Conclusion: - Jesus is alive! It’s true! - Stop doubting start believing. - Jesus is the King who Saves. - Meet him NOW (as Saviour) - Meet him LATER (as Judge)

Introduction: 1) Delivered Up. 2) Condemned to Death. 3) Crucified. Conclusion:

Introduction: - How much harm can one person do? (Whatever happened to the Great Awakening?) 1. That was then, this is now (v1-3). 2. Eliashib goes “soft” on sin (v4-9). 3. What Nehemiah found (v10-29). a. God’s Servants were Neglected (v10-14). b. God’s Sabbaths were Ignored (v15-22). c. God’s Marriage Standards were Broken (v23-29). 4. ‘Remember me with favour, O my God.’ (v30-31) Conclusion: A good and godly leader finds a way through the obstacles of life – with God’s help and with hard work. - Eliashib the High Priest (a very bad leader): - Forgot his first love - Went soft on sin - Chose his friends badly - Compromised on God’s Word - Gave power to the ungodly. - Nehemiah (a great and godly leader): - Prayerful, courageous, passionate for the truth - Took the hard decisions where necessary - Persevered in doing what is right - Loved God and cared for the people.

Introduction: - Why bother with Bible study? 1. A Hunger for God’s Word (v1-8). 2. A Godly Repentance for Sin (v9-12). 3. A Joyful Recovery of Biblical Faith (v13-18). Conclusion: - Remember what God has done for us in the past, giving us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. - Repent of our sins in the present, especially our unwillingness to trust God at his Word. - Revive! Pray that God will revive our church again – for the good of our community and the glory of God. Let’s plan for a 2-week season of seeking the Lord – with 15 days of prayer and reading God’s Word, morning and evening starting from today.

# Ten years ago...no Bills restricting freedom of thought, faith and religion. # 2004-2014...detention for anyone entering the country illegally. # God’s Word is more essential than ever to live a life “pleasing to the Lord”. Like the faithful in C5th BC Judah we have a mandate to live for God’s glory, Nehemiah was a man of prayer and action showing that sharing truth and doing right invites opposition and that avoiding stress does not contribute to victory. Information overload is the burden of the age...e.g.... ‘Wikipedia’... Leaders, who are not easily distracted are important. 1 THE MESSENGERS OF SANBALLAT [6:1-9] Nehemiah clearly identified his opponents and recognised the weakness of his situation....the gates of the city had not been replaced. v1 Sanballat sent a message to Nehemiah asking him to leave the security of Jerusalem and travel to a village about 25 Km from the city. Nehemiah’s assessment was: “They were scheming to harm me”. v2 “I am doing great work [ie for God]. I cannot leave it and come

Introduction: 1. The Complaints Nehemiah Heard (v1-5). 2. The Justice Nehemiah Administered (v6-13). 3. The Example Nehemiah Set (v14-19). Conclusion: - As God’s people today, we need to be careful how we live! - Be generous, kind and compassionate. - Keep your promises. - Love your neighbour. - Sin and self-interest have a remarkable way of justifying themselves. (Sometimes, we are our own enemy!) - One leader who loves God and leads with integrity can accomplish great things for his people. (Nehemiah -> Christ).

Introduction: - How do you overcome fear? 1. Godly Action Generates Strong Opposition (v1-6). 2. Strong Opposition Calls for Courageous Faith (v7-14). 3. Courageous Faith Inspires Godly Action (v15-23). Conclusion: - Spiritual warfare is inevitable. - Discouragement is understandable. - Fight fear with faith. - Rely on God’s strength. - Everyone’s contribution matters. - One brick at a time. - Keep calm and carry on!

Introduction: 1. Know your Goal (v1-10). 2. Know your Ground (v11-16). 3. Know your Game Plan (v17-20). Conclusion: - What makes a great leader of God’s people? - First things first! ... ‘Know your God’. If you don’t know your God, then you’ll build on the sands of self-reliance – which is a fool’s game. - Leaders lead by: - Prayer and personal integrity. - ‘Boundary riding’ to assess the lay of the land. - Setting achievable goals. - Doing your duty under Christ. - Find a way through the obstacles of life with God’s help and with hard work.

Introduction: 1. Introducing Nehemiah. 2. Bad News from Jerusalem (v1-4). 3. First Things First: Take it to the Lord in Prayer (v5-11). - Humble but confident prayer. - Confessing prayer. - Biblical prayer. - Passionate prayer. - Petitioning prayer. Conclusion: - What makes a great leader of God’s people? First things first! Knowing what’s really important, and doing it. - Consider Nehemiah: - He was not a king, but he governed God’s people wisely. - He was not a prophet, but he faithfully applied God’s Word. - He was just a lay-person, but he loved the LORD and served him faithfully – and that’s all God ever asks of a good leader. - What difference can you make in the world that God has placed you in?

Introduction: 1. Christ Is The ‘Ancient of Days’. vv 14-16 – Six features are described – his hair, eyes, feet, voice, mouth, and the face. cf. Daniel 7:9-10 and Ez. 43:2-23. Isaac Watts: ‘Join all the glorious names; Of wisdom, love, and power; That ever mortals knew; That angels ever bore: All are too mean to speak His worth; too mean to set my Saviour forth’. 2. Christ Is Holy as God Is Holy. v.17a. John is so afraid he could die. cf. Ex. 3:3-5. 3. Yet He Draws Us Near to Himself. - vv.17b-18. Christ can comfort us because he has defeated death. - Christ can comfort us because he has no equal. cf. Isaiah 44:6-8. Conclusion:

Introduction: 1. Looking to God for Mercy (Psalm 123). - What is God’s mercy? (v1-2) - A heartfelt plea (v3-4) 2. The Joy of the Redeemed (Psalm 124). Conclusion: - Be realistic. If you’re a Christian, you will suffer for your faith. Toughen up – there’s worse to come! - Be optimistic. Remember the joy of the redeemed. Christian joy counters the joy-robbing culture of our world. - Be evangelistic. Always be ready to share the reason for the hope that you have in Christ. - Be patient. Learn to wait upon the LORD in prayer. - Be neighbourly. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan. - Be well informed. There are many advantages to knowing what’s happening in our world.

Introduction: 1. A Pilgrim’s Joy (v1-2). 2. A Pilgrim’s Praise (v3-5). 3. A Pilgrim’s Prayer (v6-9). Conclusion:

Introduction: 1. The Journey Begins (Psalm 120) a. 'Save me, O LORD, from lying lips …' (v1-2). b. A warning for doubters and deceivers (v3-4). c. Longing for home (v5-7). 2. Lift Up Your Eyes to the LORD (Psalm 121) a. 'My help comes from the LORD …' (v1-2). b. The LORD is our Guardian and our Guide (v3-6). c. Let the journey begin! (v7-9=8) Conclusion: - We live in a broken world – it hurts. - Look for grace in a crisis. God can bring good out of evil. - God’s judgement is real. Take the warnings of hell seriously. - God is near to all who turn to him in faith. - Jesus is our Guardian and our Guide – follow Him!

Introduction: 1. Blessedness: A Life Worth Living (v1a). 2. Be the Tree! (v1b-3a) 3. The Fruitful Life (v3b). 4. 'Not so the wicked ...' (v4). 5. Choose Wisely! (v5-6) Conclusion: - Meditate on God’s Word: Read your Bible with open heart and open mind. - Cultivate a Holy Life: Aim to be distinctive, not following the standards of the world. - Be the Tree: Seek to be faithful and fruitful as a Christian. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12)

Introduction: 1. A King-sized Sin (v1-2) 2. David’s Humbling (v3-6) 3. David’s Heart (v7-12) 4. David’s Hope (v13-19)

Introduction: 1. God’s Promises and Preparation. 2. God’s Perfect Timing. 3. God Sent Forth His Son. Conclusion:

Introduction: - There is always hope for a tree! 1. The Stump of Jesse (v1-3a). 2. The Branch that Bears Fruit (v3b-16) a. Why is he better than any other king? (v3b-9) b. How will he bring God's peace to mankind? (v10-16) 3. The Vine and the Branches (John 15:5-8) Conclusion: - Rejoice in God's greatness. - Count your blessings. - Look forward to the New Creation. - Pray for personal growth. - Be the tree. Faithfulness leads to fruitfulness. Strive for a harvest of personal holiness and a harvest of new converts.

Introduction: - The Annunciation is the moment where Mary learns that she's going to be the mother of the Messiah. 1. When it happened: 'In the sixth month ...' (v26-27). 2. To whom it happened: The virgin Mary (v28-33). 3. How it happened: A miracle of God (v34-37). 4. Why does it matter? (v38) Conclusion: - Believe in the Virgin Birth. - Celebrate Christ this Christmas and don’t let people cancel his Jesus’ Name. - Worship Jesus as Lord because he is our Immanuel. - He is our Creator – who holds time and eternity in his hands. - He is our Redeemer – who conquers sin, death, and the Devil on the cross. - And he is our Friend – who understands all of our human frailties, and yet loves us still!