Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 17 – September 2009   Punishment, Yet Promise. Rev. John Haverland   Text: Gen 3:14-19 Readings: Genesis 3, Isaiah 65:17-25 Theme: God pronounced punishment on the serpent, woman and man but promised that Satan would be defeated. Purpose: To explain the punishments for sin on men and women and to describe the first promise of the gospel.   *************************** Many of you probably spend a number of your Saturdays during the year working in your garden or on your farm - mowing lawns, pulling out weeds, trimming hedges, digging over the soil. Every time...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 14 – August 2009   The Effects Of Sin - Rev. John Haverland   Text: Genesis 3:7-13 Readings: Isaiah 61, Genesis 3:1-13 Theme: Adam and Eve's sin caused them shame and separated them from God and from each other. Purpose: To show the profound and far-reaching effects of sin and how God has responded in Christ   **************************   When you get to know people and you look closely at their lives you can see some of the effects and consequences of sin; how it has harmed their own life and the lives of...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 59 No. 2 – August 2009   Temptation and Sin - Rev. John Haverland   Text: Genesis 3:1-6 Readings: 1 Timothy 2, Romans 5:12-19. Theme: Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and disobeyed God's command.Purpose: To explain the origin and nature of sin and to warn against temptation.   ************************* The word "Genesis" means beginning or origin. This first book of the Bible describes the beginning of the world and of time, the origins of men and women, of marriage, of work, and of the Sabbath. All of these either came from God or were...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 54 No.6 – January 2009   The Union of Marriage   A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 9 of 19, on Genesis 1-12   Scripture Readings: Gen 2:15-24; Mt 19:1-12; Deut 23:15-24:5   Brothers and Sisters in Christ.   Theme: God instituted marriage as an intimate lifelong relationship between husband and wife. Purpose: To direct us to the ideals of commitment and companionship in marriage.   There is a song that goes: “Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like horse and carriage, You just ask your mother; You can’t have one without the...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 54 No.2 – January 2009   A Suitable Helper   A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Genesis 2:18-23 Sermon 8 of 19, on Genesis 1-12  Scripture Readings: Genesis 2:18-23; Ephesians 5:21-33   Brothers and Sisters in Christ.   Theme: God created Eve as a suitable helper and companion for Adam. Purpose: To show that wives are to be complementary helpers to their husbands in the mutual companionship of marriage.   Weddings are usually very happy occasions! There is the joy of the couple as they come to the end of a long period of preparations...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.46 – December 2008   An Anchor for the Soul  A New Year’s Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Hebrews 6:16-20, esp. verse 19 Scripture Readings: Hebrews 6:4-20; Genesis 22:1-19   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: The believers’ hope of eternal life is secure in God’s promises and Jesus our Priest. Purpose: To explain the security of the believer’s hope as grounded in God’s promises and Jesus. You may have seen some women wearing a necklace or a bracelet, and attached to that are three symbols: a cross, an anchor and a heart — representing...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.42 – November 2008 The Garden of Eden A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 7 of 19, on Genesis 1-12 Scripture Readings: Genesis 2:4-17; Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27, 22:1-6     Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden to enjoy it, work in it and live in loving obedience with him. Purpose: To show that God intends us to enjoy his world and work in it out of a relationship of loving obedience. Some of you have planted gardens around your homes. You thought about how you...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.38 – October 2008   The First Sabbath  A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 6 of 19, on Genesis 1-12 Scripture Readings: Gen 2:2-3; Ex 20:1-7; Heb 4:1-13; Mk 2:23-3:6 Confession: Heidelberg Catechism LD 38   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: On the seventh day God rested from his work of creation and blessed the day and made it holy. Purpose: To explain the institution, purpose and benefit of this day of rest and worship. The Sunday as a day of rest is rapidly disappearing in our society. The Saturday and Sunday are virtually...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.34 – September 2008   Made in God's Image A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 5 of 19, on Genesis 1-12 Scripture Readings: Genesis 1:26-31; Ephesians 4:17-32   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: God created man in his own image and gave him the task of filling the earth and subduing it. Purpose: To explain our relationship to God as his image bearers and our task in the world. William Steig has written a picture book for children called Yellow and Pink . It is about two wooden figures who wake up to find...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.30 – August 2008   The God of Life A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 4 of 19, on Genesis 1-12 Scripture Readings:  Genesis 1:11-13, 20-25; Job 39:1-40:5, 42:1-6 Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: Out of his great imagination God created a variety of living beings with the ability to reproduce. Purpose: To prompt us to humble praise to God for his great imagination and his gift of life. There is a large cathedral in London known as St Pauls which was built in the late 1600s and completed in 1710. It was designed...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.26 – July 2008   Sun, Moon and Stars A Sermon by Rev John Haverland Sermon 3 of 19, on Genesis 1-12 Scripture Readings:  Gen 1:14-19, Ps 19:1-6, Ps 8, Rom 1:18-25 Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Theme: God created the sun, moon and stars to give light on the earth and to mark time and seasons. Purpose: To emphasise the greatness of God in creating a vast universe and his love in placing us in this unique earth. All through history people have been fascinated by the stars. The Babylonians in the ancient world were...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 53 No.22 – June 2009   Made by God (Sermon 2 of 19, on Genesis 1-12) By Rev. John Haverland on Genesis 1:1-10 Scripture Readings:  Psalm 148; 1 Timothy 4   Brothers and Sisters in Christ.   Theme: Over six days God formed, by his Word, an ordered and good world as a home for mankind. Purpose: To help us appreciate God’s power, wisdom and goodness in creating such a beautiful world.   If you pick up any product, whether that be something you use or wear or eat, most will have a name that will...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 53 No.18 – May 2008   God the Creator   A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Genesis 1:1 (Sermon 1 of 19, on Genesis 1-12)   Scripture Reading:  Psalm 104:1-9, 24-35   Brothers and Sisters in Christ.   Theme: God is the eternal and almighty Creator of this earth and the universe. Purpose: To show that belief in God the Creator is foundational to a Christian world view.   Some of you will remember an old and famous song sung by Julie Andrews who was trying to teach some children about the basics of singing....

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.5 – February 2007   Spiritual Depression A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Psalm 42 Scripture Reading:  2 Corinthians 4   Theme & Purpose:  In times of spiritual discouragement we need to look in hope to God.   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Some of you will have heard of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He was a well known preacher who ministered in Westminster Chapel in London for 30 years. He has become well known for his many sermons that have been printed in books. One of the most famous of these books is a collection...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 53 No.1 – January 2008   A Closing Prayer   A New Year's Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Hebrews 13:20-21 Scripture Readings:  Psalm 90 and/or Eph 4:1-16; Hebrews 13   Theme: A prayer that God, through the death and rising of Christ, may work in us to do his will. Purpose: To encourage you to do God's will in this new year on the basis of the death and resurrection of Christ.   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. The words of Hebrews 13:20-21 may be familiar words to you. They are often used as a...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.42 – November 2007   An Evening Prayer By Rev. John Haverland Text: Psalm 4 Readings: 2Corinthians 3:7-4:6 Theme: David expressed his joy and rest in the Lord when many were against him. Purpose: To encourage you to find joy and rest in the Lord even when people and circumstances are against you.   Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is good to have regular habits and routines in life. One of the best habits you can have is to begin and end your day with prayer to God. When you first wake up in the...

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.34 - September 2007   I Told You So! Rev. John Haverland Text: Jeremiah 52 Reading: Matt 25:31-46   Theme: The city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in fulfilment of God's prophecies through Jeremiah because of Judah's sin. Purpose: To warn of the certainty of God's coming judgement and the need for repentance and faith.   How many times have you heard the words, 'I told you so!' Don't answer that - because you have probably heard that said more times than you care to remember! It is usually said by someone who has been...

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.30 - August 2007   Murphy's Law A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Jeremiah 41:16-43:7 Scripture Reading:  Hebrews 11:32-12:3   Theme: The small remnant in Judah reject God's word and God's prophet and flee to Egypt. Purpose: To urge you to seek God's guidance, listen to his word and do what it says. (A books of sermons on Jeremiah by Rev Phillip Ryken was useful in the preparation of this sermon, as well as others in this series.)   Introduction to the Scripture reading: Before we read this part of God's Word let's examine the...

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.26 - July 2007   Book Burning A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Jeremiah 36 Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:81-96; John 5:31-47 Theme: The Word of God through Jeremiah was written down and read to the people, the officials and the king, but was largely ignored. Purpose: To emphasise the importance of reading and hearing God's written Word and responding to it in faithfulness and obedience. Note to readers: For Australian statistics on Bible reading see the Australian National Church Life Survey. 2005 figures were quoted in an article by Rev Bill Bosker in Trowel &...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.22 – June 2007   A Sound Investment?   A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Jeremiah 32 Scripture Readings:  Matthew 6:19-24; Luke 16:1-9   Theme: The Lord commands Jeremiah to buy family land in the certainty of the return from exile. Purpose: To show that nothing is impossible for God and he will always keep his promises no matter how bleak the circumstances appear to us. (I want to acknowledge a book of sermons by Rev Philip Ryken that was helpful to me in this sermon, and in others in this series).   Brothers and...