Coomera Baptist Church

So who is the antichrist? What is he like? What does he do? Are there many antichrist's or just one? In this passage Paul doesn't want God's people to be out of their minds or alarmed when it comes to the end times. He helps us to know what will happen before the end, and that the end will result in the resounding victory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most Christians will confess they are not satisfied with their prayer life. In our passage this week Paul tells the Thessalonians what he prays for them and why he prays these things. It provokes penetrating questions of us. What is it that we pray for? Do we ever pray these things? And why do we pray for them? For whose glory? For whose good?

Ironically one of the ways our culture judges Christianity and finds it wanting is the bibles teaching that the who God exists will one day judge us. Increasingly, were told that we shouldnt believe in a God of judgement, and that if Gods people suffer in this world thats evidence that there isnt a good God who judges rightly. 1 Thessalonians 1: 5-10 says the opposite. We might be tempted to rejec...

There are many things in our lives to give thanks for. But how often do we take the time to give thanks to God for the Church? This week we see that it is right to give thanks for the work of grace in the people of God. And its right to boast about peoples firm faith in hard times since it encourages people to remain steadfast.

How does waiting for Jesus shape our lives today? The Church in Thessalonica were facing problems of persecution, false claims and idleness. In Pauls opening greeting, he grounds them in 'who they are' - a people united to God, and in 'what they need' - grace and peace from Christ to help them stand firm as they await Christs return.

What is the greatest gift that is offered in the gospel? After establishing the covenant at the base of the mountain, Moses and the other representatives of Israel go up the mountain to the ultimate blessing of the covenant. There they are invited to see, behold and feast with God in his holy presence.

The time has come for the covenant between God and Israel to be formally established. Every element of this ceremony is full of purpose and meaning. Israel commits to do all that the Lord has commanded - but will they? Their subsequent failure dramatically displays all of our failure to keep God's law. So what do we do with our sin? The answer: run from self-righteousness to the righteousness of C...

God intends to bring His people to the promise land, bring them victory and bring them blessing. In response, they are are to believe in His promises and heed His warnings. Where Israel failed in this task, Christ succeeded. He is our divine messenger who has gone before us, securing victory for our heavenly home and will bring us safely there. Therefore we shall pay careful attention to His words...

Israel was given weekly and yearly holy rhythms of ceasing and celebration to express thanksgiving and dependency on God. These sabbaths and feasts were but shadows that pointed to the substance of Christ. Its Him we now celebrate through the Lords Supper as we look forward to the marriage supper of the lamb in heaven.

As Israel enters their whole new world of life in the promised land, how they remember their history will dictate how they live. If they forget they were once sojourners, they were oppressed, they were poor, they cried out for justice and the Lord heard them, then they will just become another oppressive Egypt. But God's people are called to lives consecrated to God, different to the world. All of...

As Gods people, we have a responsibility for the preservation and protection of other peoples property and possessions. When we fail in this responsibility, we are to provide full restitution determined by damages. This helps preserve relationships, protect the community and show forth Gods character of justice.

Coveting is an inordinate desire to have what belongs to someone else. As Augustine said, Coveting is wanting more than enough. The command gets to our hearts and calls us to love the giver of gifts more than the gifts themselves. The remedy to coveting is contentment. And we have this contentment through the person of Christ and by trusting the good provisions of the Father.

The God who rescues his people is a holy God. This calls us who have been reconciled to him to become holy. As the grace of salvation works itself out into our whole lives, we will become like him in being set apart from the fallen world.

We live in a world filled with lies where the truth is hard to find. People lie to themselves, about themselves, and to others. As a result, relationships are broken, reputations are ruined, and even lives are lost. But Gods people are not to be lie speakers but rather truth tellers. This command is obeyed by not being a false witness, but rather a faithful witness, seeking to speak truth to one a...

The command moves us away from stealing and towards stewardship, seeking to use what God has given us for the advancement of other. By being content with what Hes given to us, and having regard for what Hes given to others, we, like Christ, can posture our life to be one of giving not taking and so maximise Gods glory here on earth.

The 7th command is difficult. Not because it's hard to understand, but because it finds us both culturally puzzled about sex and personally pained by our own sexual sins. And yet, into all of our confusion and pain comes Gods word, pointing us down a pathway of joy and pleasure and forgiveness and hope. One that leads us ultimately to his Son who stands facing us as the faithful spouse, inviting u...

Ruth is a story of how one woman, who lost everything, experienced the kindness of God to put her world back together. As it draws to a conclusion, we see Gods providential plans traced throughout history to provide the greatest redemption story ever told. God is at work even in the darkest of days.

Going after good things in less than godly ways is not the path Christians ought to walk. Through Gods providence, Ruth is able to straighten out a crooked plan that will lead to the provision and protection of not only her future, but the future of Naomi and indeed the world.

Gods providence is at work through the lives of ordinary people as He is unfolding his wonderful plans and moving forward the fulfilment of his promises. His kindness has been at work in the lives of Ruth and Boaz and as such is outworked through their lives in the seeking good of others. Such human responsibility and Gods sovereignty works harmoniously in accomplishing Gods good purposes.