A Midweek Message: King or Liar (Matthew 12)

As Jesus continues to carry out public miracles, the crowds ask: "Is this the Son of David?"  The Pharisees, on the other hand, claim that they are being deceived.  Is Jesus the promised king or a liar?

In this message, based on the Gospel of Matthew chapter 12, we consider how to answer that question and what that means for us today.

Just Another Melodic Monday - Before the throne of God above

It's funny - I was just looking back over the Melodic Monday blog posts since I began them in October 2015, looking for inspiration for a song for this week, and I realised that there is a classic hymn that we haven't featured but one that has become popular over the last couple of decades.

"Before the throne of God above" was written by Charitie Lees Smith in 1863.  It's original title was "The Advocate" as the song expresses the role of Jesus Christ "who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:34).  It was given a new melody in 1997 by Vikki Cook from Sovereign Grace Music, and this acoustic version is performed by Mark Rasmussen and friend.

A Midweek Message: Justice and Hope (Matthew 12)

If God punishes sinners, what hope do we have?  But if God overlooks sin, where is justice?  In chapter 12 of the Gospel of Matthew, we learn that, in Jesus Christ, we find both justice and hope.  Through the death of Christ, God is able to punish sin but show mercy to sinners.

A Midweek Message: A Statement of Faith: The Future

We come to the end of our series going through the FIEC Statement of Faith and explore (briefly!) what the Bible teaches about the future.  We focus our attention particularly on the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24.

A Midweek Message: Greater Than The Temple (Matthew 12)

In this message, we look at the beginning of chapter 12 in the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees, who want to undermine his ministry.  In his response, Jesus teaches us about the Sabbath and also about his own identity.

Just Another Melodic Monday - Over Jordan, Across the Sea

CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing Inc.) helps churches by providing copyright licenses for the songs that are sung during church services and meetings.  They also provide many other helpful resources and other types of licenses, making it simpler for churches to use copyrighted material in accordance with copyright laws.

CCLI also regularly shares new songs on its Youtube channel and here is the latest upload, called "Over Jordan, Across the Sea" and performed by Kaden Slay, Melanie Tierce-Slay and Ryan Kennedy.

Just Another Melodic Monday - How Can I Keep From Singing?

Here is a hymn that I haven't heard in a long time!  "How can I keep from singing" was first published in 1868, with music written by Robert Lowry.  However, it's unknown who originally wrote the words.  

The hymn expresses how the hope of future glory and the eternal security we have in Christ give us a joy that is able to withstand the griefs of this present world. The words of the first verse are:

My life flows on in endless song;

Above earth's lamentation,

I hear the sweet though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation;

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul—

How can I keep from singing?

The Midweek Message: From Beginning to End (Romans 8)

In this final part of our Christmas series of sermons, we consider how far back and how far forward God's plan of salvation reaches.

"For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)

Just Another Melodic Monday - Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me

Happy New Year!  Here's a new song from CityAlight that we'll be singing together for the first time this Sunday, called "Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me".  

The song expresses the glory and sufficiency of Jesus Christ - he is "the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2) - and so (as the last verse states) "when the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat: yet not I, but through Christ in me."