Word of Salvation - June 2011   ONE MEDIATOR, by Rev. John Haverland (Sermon 5 in a series on texts related to the Heidelberg Catechism)   Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 Text: 1 Timothy 2:3-7 Heidelberg Catechism LD 5-6 Theme: God has provided Jesus as the one mediator between himself and us. Purpose: To point out God’s provision of Jesus as the one Mediator between himself and us.   There are some conflict situations in life that we cannot sort out on our own. Sometimes you have a problem or difficulty with another person and you try to resolve it but you...

Word of Salvation - May 2011   The Lake Of Fire, Rev. John Haverland (Sermon 4 in a series on texts related to the Heidelberg Catechism)   Text: Rev 20:11-15 (read verses 7-15) Heidelberg Catechism LD 4 Readings: Luke 16:19-31, 2 Thessalonians 1 Theme: The nature and reality of the final judgement and punishment Purpose: To impress on us the sobering reality of a final judgement and eternal punishment of unbelievers, but also the assurance of believers in having their name in the book of life.   One of the benefits of following the sequence of the catechism for preaching is...

Word of Salvation - March 2011   Where Does Sin Come From? By Rev. John Haverland (Sermon 3 in a series on texts related to the Heidelberg Catechism)   Text: Romans 5:12 Heidelberg Catechism LD 3 Readings: Genesis 2:15-17 & chapter 3; Romans 5:12-21 Theme: Sin and death entered the world through Adam and were passed on to all men. Purpose: To explain the doctrine of original sin and direct you to life in Christ.   Introduction to the reading of Romans 5:12-21 In Romans 1-3 the apostle Paul described how all men and women are sinful. In Romans 4 he...

Word of Salvation - February 2011   THE LAW AS A MIRROR by Rev. John Haverland (Sermon 2 in a series on texts related to the Heidelberg Catechism)   Text: Matthew 22:34-40 Confession: Heidelberg Catechism LD 2 Readings: Psalm 53; Romans 7:7-25 Theme: The entire law can be summarised in the command to love God and our neighbour. Purpose: To explain how the summary of the law shows us our sin and misery.   Introduction before the reading:   There are three main parts to the Heidelberg Catechism. The first part describes our misery; the second part describes how we are...

Word of Salvation - January 2011   THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION By Rev. John Haverland (Sermon 1 in a series on texts related to the Heidelberg Catechism)   Readings: Ephesians 5:8-20; Romans 8:28-39 Text: Psalm 27:1-6 (read whole psalm) Heidelberg Catechism LD 1 Theme: David’s confident prayer that he will be delivered from his enemies & know God’s presence Purpose: To urge you to find your confidence and strength in God our light and salvation.   ***********************   The first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism is well known and much loved; “What is your only...

Word of Salvation - December 2010   TRUE WORSHIPPERS, John Haverland   Text: John 4:19-26 Readings: Psalm 115, Deut 12:1-14, John 4:1-26   Theme: Jesus directed the Samaritan woman away from the place of worship to a worship of God the Father in spirit and in truth. Purpose: To explain that New Testament worship is directed to the Father in dependence on the Spirit and based in the truth about Christ.   ****************************   One of the main things we do as a church is to gather together on Sundays for worship. These services are central to our life and fellowship...

Word of Salvation - November 2010   CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD, John Haverland   Readings: Ex 28:6-21,29-30; Heb 2:14-3:6 Belgic Confession Art 26 Text: Heb 4:14-16 Theme and purpose: To urge you to approach God with confidence for mercy and grace through Jesus our great mediator.   *********************************   It can be difficult for us to get into the mindset of this passage because it describes a situation where people felt far away from God; they were conscious of the great distance between them and God in heaven. That was the situation throughout the Old Testament period and for much of the...

Word of Salvation – May 2010   I DON’T KNOW THIS MAN! John Haverland   Readings: Zech. 12:10-13:9; 1 Peter 5; Mark 8:31-38 Text: Mark 14:27-31, 53-54, 66-72 Theme: Three times Peter denied that he knew Jesus, as Jesus had predicted. Purpose: To warn us against the temptation to deny Jesus and to assure us of his forgiveness if we do sin and sincerely repent.   Probably most of us can remember an occasion when we said something really stupid, when we really put our foot in our mouth, and immediately regretted what we had said. Even as we think back...

Word of Salvation – April 2010   GETHSEMANE A Sermon by Rev John Haverland (A Sermon for Good Friday)   Readings: Psalm 69:1-18, 29-36; Mark 14:12-31 Text: Mark 14:32-42 Theme: In Gethsemane Jesus faced the trial of the cross and accepted his Father’s will, and urged his disciples to watch and pray in their trial. Purpose: To help you understand more of the suffering of Christ at Gethsemane and to urge you to watch and pray in your trials.   The gospel of Mark has been described as a passion narrative with a long introduction. The word “passion” in this context...

Word of Salvation - March 2010   YOUR LAST WARNING! John Haverland, 10-03-4 (This sermon could be used in preparation for Good Friday & Easter)   Text: Mark 12:1-12 Readings: Galatians 5:13-26; Psalm 118:1-9, 19-29; Isaiah 5:1-7 Theme: Jesus uses a parable to warn the religious leaders against killing him. Purpose: To emphasise the patience and love of God in sending his only Son and to warn you against rejecting him.   "This is your last warning!" Have you heard someone say that to you? Your parents perhaps, or a teacher at school, or your boss at work, or a traffic...

Word of Salvation – February 2010   A GOOD OLD AGE, John Haverland (A sermon for the New Year)   Text: Genesis 25:7-11 Readings: Gal 3:6-18; Heb 11:8-16, Gen 25:1-11 Theme: Abraham died at a good old age after a long life of faith in God and his promises. Purpose: To use Abraham’s death to help you reflect on your own life of faith and on your hope in Christ.   ************************ We are almost at the end of another year. (or: We are entering a New Year.) The transition from one year to another is an appropriate time for reflection;...

Word of Salvation – February 2010   STEPPING FORWARD IN FAITH, John Haverland, 10-03-1   Text: Genesis 11:27-12:9 Readings: Hebrews 11:8-19, Galatians 3:6-18 Theme: Abram obeyed God's command to leave his home and move to the land God promised him. Purpose: To highlight God's plan and promises and urge you to respond in obedient faith.   Context: In Genesis chapters 6-9 we read the story of Noah and the flood. In chapter 10 we read the genealogy of Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. In chapter 11 we read about the Tower of Babel and how God scattered all the...

Word of Salvation - January 2010   MONUMENTAL PRIDE, John Haverland (Sermon 18 in a series of 19 on Genesis 1-12)   Text: Genesis 11:1-9 Readings: Psalm 2, Acts 2:1-12 Theme: A sovereign God judges the arrogance and pride of mankind by confusing their language. Purpose: To point out the human pride and arrogance in our culture and to describe God's overall plan and purpose of salvation.   ************************** The book of Genesis is divided up into 10 main sections, each beginning with the words "This is the account of...", or "These are the generations of..." This section we are going...

A FRESH START Rev John Haverland   (Sermon 17 in a series of 19 on Genesis 1-12)   Text: Genesis 8:18-9:29 Readings: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Theme: God made a new beginning after the flood with a covenant with all living beings. Purpose: To explain the covenant with Noah and all living beings and its applications to us.   ***************************** Children, when you begin a new year of school you begin with a new set of books - clean exercise books for another year of schooling. And as you go through the year sometimes your teacher will say; "I want you to...

MARY’S SONG OF FAITH Rev. John Haverland (A Christmas sermon)   Text: Luke 1:46-55 Reading: 1 Samuel 2:1-10, Luke 1:1-55 Theme: Mary responds to God’s work in her with a song of praise that recalls God’s blessing to her and to his people. Purpose: To encourage you to respond to God’s gift of his Son with humility and praise for who he is and what he has done in Christ. ***************************   No doubt in the weeks leading up to Christmas you will have heard many Christmas carols. You have probably heard them played in the supermarkets and in the shopping...

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS Rev. John Haverland   Text: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Readings: Prov 10:8-14, 18-21; Matt 5:33-37 Theme: Our words and promises before God must be considered and kept. Purpose: To urge you to be careful and thoughtful in what you say and promise to God, and to keep your promises. *********************   This coming week/this past week we will pass/ we have passed from one year to another. Many of us will stay up/stayed up to see in the New Year. This transition from one year to another often causes people to reflect on the past year and to think about...

THE LORD REMEMBERED NOAH John Haverland   Text: Genesis 6:11-8:19 Readings: 2 Peter 3:1-13, Matt 24:36-51; Genesis 6:11-7:1, 7:11-8:5, 8:13-19 Theme: God destroyed the world of Noah's day with a worldwide flood but rescued Noah's family and the animals in the ark. Purpose: To warn of God's judgement coming in our own day and point to God's salvation in Christ.   ************************ Many of the nations and peoples of the world have in their history a story about a large flood. You will find stories like this in North and South America, Australia, Japan, China, India, and the Middle East. Many...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 29 – October 2009   WALKING WITH GOD By John Haverland   Text: Genesis 5:21-24 Readings: Jude, Hebrews 11:1-7, Genesis 5 Theme: Enoch stands out as a man who walked in close communion with God in the godly line of Seth Purpose: To highlight the example of Enoch in God's plan of salvation in the line of Seth.   ****************************   When we come to those parts of the Bible that contain a long list of names, like this one, most of us tend to skip over them, or we skim read them. We...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 27 – October 2009   A WORLD GONE WRONG John Haverland   Text: Genesis 6:1-13 Readings: Philippians 2:12-18, 3:17-4:1. Theme: In response to the widespread sin of mankind God tells Noah of his plan to destroy the world but to rescue him. Purpose: To analyse the extent of evil in the pre-flood world and explain God's judgement on it and his gracious salvation of Noah.   ****************** You will often hear people say that society is going downhill, that things are not the way they used to be. Many older people will look back...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 21 – September 2009   Two Brothers - by Rev. John Haverland   Text: Genesis 4 Readings: 1 John 3:11-24, Hebrews 11:1-6 Theme and purpose: To explain the far-reaching consequences of sin in Cain and his descendants and to contrast this with God's grace in his people.   ******************   Sometimes in a family you will notice a remarkable similarity between two brothers, or two sisters. They may be different in age but they look the same, so much so that people often get them mixed up. Or, two brothers or sisters may not...