But Servants

What does a spiritual church look like? What are the place of the gifts of the Spirit in the life of the church? How can such gifts be used as God intends. In our passage, we see that spiritual people have one defining characteristic: they confess “Jesus is Lord” and so use their gifts as he intends to build up the church. This sermon was preached at Covenant Grace Church, Penang on 3rd July 2022....

The Lord’s Supper, the meal given by our Lord Jesus to remember his death, has been a subject of considerable disagreement and division among Christians over the centuries. We may have lots of questions about why and how we ought to celebrate it. But the issue Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is not so much a theological issue, but an issue of their behaviour. For their behaviour was under...

What does is it mean to be male? What does it mean to be female? How should men and women relate to one another? Those are the hot topics of our day and areas of significant confusion in society and in the church. Often these issues are difficult to discuss and have led to a great deal of division and bitterness. In 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, as Paul addresses the issue of head coverings, he helps us...

How should Christians decide whether they should do something or not? What factors should we keep in mind as we face the various decisions in life? In 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1, Paul gives us a framework to approach any decision: • Does it glorify God? • Is it loving for my neighbour? This sermon was preached at Covenant Grace Church Penang on 22nd May 2022. Check us out on Facebook: https://www.fa...

We all have important deadlines to meet and being late can be disastrous. But there is one deadline that we must not overlook – the return of Jesus and the great day of God’s judgement. There is still time to turn to the Lord and receive his forgiveness. But we must do so before it’s too late. To miss that deadline will have eternal consequences. This sermon was preached at Cross & Crown, Pena...

The way you end a story gives meaning to the story. The way you end a life gives meaning to a life. The way you respond to Easter will determine your eternal future. Mark doesn't end his gospel with “and they lived happily ever after". Rather, his carefully crafted ending forces us to make a personal response to Jesus: Will we respond in bold proclamation or fearful silence? Join us this...

What is your chief goal in life – the thing that you love and long for? What is the one thing that makes your life meaningful – and worthy of all your time, energy, strength, and care? We’re all living for something – and very often it is about us – our happiness, our success, our satisfaction. But as the climax of the ‘Five Solas’, Soli Deo Gloria reminds us that God alone is worthy of glory. We...

The issue of authority lay at the heart of the Reformation. Who or what has supreme authority in the Christian life? The Bible, tradition, reason, or experience? Martin Luther famously stood before the Diet of Worms and declared “my conscience is captive to the word of God…here I stand, may God help me”. It was a brave and courageous stand for “Scripture alone”. But why does it matter Scripture al...

It is said that ‘money makes the world go round’. We often pursue money for security and comfort. Making money is often the focus of our plans. But James warns us that there is great danger that our proud planning and pursuit of wealth take us away from God. James wants us to refocus our attention on the sovereign Lord who rules present and will judge us in the future. He wants us to have undivide...

Words are powerful and dangerous. A harsh or misspoken word can cause untold damage and take decades to heal. But changing how we speak is difficult. Even Christians who have received immense grace can sometimes hurt others by what they say. So how can our speech be purified so that our speech reflects a heart that loves God? James tells us that it all begins with a heart transformed by God’s impl...

It is possible to be a Christian in name, but not in substance. It is possible to attend church but lack a living faith. It is possible to hear God’s word but fail to live it out. But James warns us against being “nominal” in our faith. He knows that if we do not live out God’s word, our religion is worthless. Real Christians are those who not only hear God’s word but live it out in a transformed...

When hard times come, our faith in Christ is often put to the test. It’s easy to become angry and bitter with God or to doubt God’s goodness. But James wants us to see our suffering differently. He assures us that our suffering is not meaningless, and that God is unchangeably good in the midst of it. With that perspective, we can have a radical new perspective of suffering – and face it with joy a...

There are many stories in churches, where disobedience and defiance of God's word is exposed, with devastating consequences. 1 Kings 13 is about the certain consequences that we will face if we willingly disobey God, refusing to repent of our evil ways. We're reminded that God's word is certain, and it must always be heeded, whether you’re a king or a prophet. No one is immune. No one...

In our pluralistic society, we are often told that there are many equally valid paths to God. So long as we are sincere, religious and good, then God will accept us. But It is not just unbelievers who seek salvation apart from Christ. Frequently, so-called Christians doubt the sufficiency of Christ and his sacrifice as well. Instead of Christ alone, we teach Christ AND _______. But our third sola...

The world around us operates based on merit. We work hard to perform well and earn the things we want. Is it the same with God? The Protestation Reformation began 500 years ago when Martin Luther rediscovered the glorious, good news that salvation is by grace alone. Salvation is not something we merit by our works but depends entirely on God’s gracious gift. If we’ve truly grasped it, that amazing...

Death is a subject we usually try to avoid. The reason we’re afraid of death, is often because we’re unsure of what’s next. Of course, the Bible promises that if we believe in Jesus, one day we’ll be raised from death and go to be with him in his Kingdom. Death is nothing to fear. But the fact is – many people are not sure what will happen to them when they die. Many are afraid of death. What abou...

What does the Bible teach about the sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper? It is ok for children to participate? In this seminar, we examine the Scripture’s teaching on Baptism and the Lord’s supper generally, especially as it relates to the participation of children. The goal is to be more biblically informed on these issues and to learn to show charity and unity where we might have diffe...

Are you in a relationship or hope to be in the future? What does God have to say about dating and marriage? Is there ONE for me? Can I date a non-Christian? How can I be godly? Should we get married? Or should we break up? What about romance? In this seminar we’ll investigate all these questions and more. So come along and we’ll explore together how God’s word guides, comforts and challenges us in...

In 1 Corinthians 13, we're taught a vital principle as we gather as God's people: that love is far more valuable than gifts. But what is the nature of biblical love? What does it look like to love one another when we gather as God's people? Where can we find strength to do it? This sermon was preached at Subang Jaya Gospel Centre, Kuala Lumpur on 22nd October 2023. Introduction: The Pe...

In our world, we often have higher expectations of our leaders than we do with others. Because greater responsibility is given, greater accountability is demanded. But if that is true in general, how much more should that be true of the leaders of God’s holy people. Leviticus 21-22 points us to God’s requirement of holy leaders and perfect offerings, and ultimately to our need for the only true le...

What makes someone a real Christian? Sometimes peple are confused about what a Christian is, so they think they are Christian when they are not, or they lack assurance of salvation, because they're unsure they're really a Christian. In this talk, we will consider what makes someone a real Christian - someone who responds to the gospel in repentance and faith - and the consequences for thos...

Why does it matter that Jesus was raised from the dead? We'll only be transformed by the resurrection of Christ if we understand what it means. In this sermon, we'll consider the evidence for the resurrection, and it's meaning, establishing Jesus as the ruler and judge of the world, and our only hope of eternal life. This sermon was preached at Beacon Learning Centre on 14th July 2023....

What in this world has captured your gaze? What are you focussed on? Where do you give your attention? Although we put our trust in Christ, other things often draw our hearts away from serving him alone. Work, family, and worldly idols. Our focus is misplaced. And as a result, our lives are not transformed. But in the book of Colossians, Paul’s goal is that we would return our focus to the Lord Je...

How can we be right with a righteous God? We’re taught – and we think – almost by instinct – that our acceptance is related to our performance. But the cross of Christ teaches us that salvation depends entirely on trusting in Jesus's death in our place. Jesus died as the perfect man, as our substitute to bring us forgiveness. Will we trust in him? 1. Jesus came to save us because of God’s love...

Having the right perspective is very important. When everything in the Christian life feels difficult, and we're wondering whether living for Jesus is really worth it, having a bigger perspective makes all the difference. That bigger perspective is what we are given in Revelation 5. Revelation is a vision of heaven and the end, given to the apostles John, to help suffering Christians persevere...