Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 20 – May 1985   Baptism By Sprinking   Sermon by Rev. Dr. Steven Voorwinde Scriptures: John 1:19-28; 3:22-30; Hebrews 9:1-14 Texts:    John 1:24,25; 3:23;  Hebrews 9:10 & 13 (Belgic Confession: Article 34) Suggested Hymns: Book of Worship:  204; 199; 1,3,4; 469; 408 ************ Congregation of Our Lord, Why do we baptise by sprinkling in the Reformed Church? Why don't we immerse? Why are we different from other sincere Christians on this point, such as Baptists, Pentecostals and the Church of Christ? Do we sprinkle just because it's a long-standing tradition or do we...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 08 – February 1984   The Right Bible?   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Luke 24:44 & John 16: 13 (Belgic Confession Arts.4 & 6) Scripture reading: Luke 24: 36 - 53; John 16:1 - 15 Suggested Hymns: 235:5,8,10; 411; 444; BoW.H.502:3   As a Christian you believe that the Bible is the Word of God.  From cover to cover it is all true and there are no mistakes in it.  In fact, you are willing to live by it and you are prepared to build your life on it. But now...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 07 – February 1984   God Has Spoken   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on 2Peter 1:20,21 (Belgic Confession Art.3) Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:97-112; 2Peter 1:16-21 Suggested Hymns: 183; 246; 246; 317; 251; BoW.702   Over the last few Sunday evenings together we have considered something of the might, the vastness and the wisdom of God.  We have seen it in the grandeur of the forests, the majesty of the mountains and the distance of the stars, which are billions of miles or thousands of light years away.  We have heard God speak...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 20 – May 1984   Created Out Of Nothing!   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Heb. 11:3 (Belgic Confession Art.12a. Scriptures: Col.1:15-23; Heb.11:1-3 Suggested Hymns: 184; 51; 206; 372; 376; Bow.11   Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Sometime ago "Time" magazine ran an article on the question of the existence of God.  It cited what believers have said and what unbelievers have said.  It quoted people who lived in the past and it stated the views of scholars living today.  It showed how some have tried to prove the existence of God,...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 19 – May 1984   I Believe In The Holy Spirit   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on 1Cor.12:3 (Belgic Confession Art. 11) Scriptures: John 14:15-31 & 1Cor.12:1-11 Suggested Hymns: 206; 178; 295; 317:3,4; 378; BoW.602   Congregation of our Lord Jesus, "The need of divine guidance is never more deeply felt than when one undertakes to give instruction in the work of the Holy Spirit, so unspeakably tender is the subject, touching the inmost secrets of God and our soul's deepest mysteries.” These are the opening words of Abraham Kuyper's famous book...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 40 – October 1984   God’s Mercy And Justice   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Psalm 103:8 & Nahum 1:2 (Belgic Confession Art. 20) Scripture Readings: Psalm 103; Nahum 1:1-8 Suggested Hymns: 196, 369, 350, 353, 170   Brothers and Sisters and young people, in Christ our Saviour, The German writer Franz Kafka once described an old book that was lying on a shelf.  The binding had come off and as it lay open it had almost become two books which were barely held together by just a few stitches of binding...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 32 – August 1984   Election And Outreach – A Choice?   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Ephesians 1:4 & 5 & Romans 10:14 (Belgic Confession Art.16) Scriptures: Ephesians 1:1-10; Romans 10:5-17 Suggested hymns: 116:1,2,3; 398:1,2; BoW.805:1,6,7; 483   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, I want to begin this sermon by giving you a brief lesson in science.  I don't claim to be a scientist, but I'm confident that what I am about to tell you is true.  It's about the nature of light.  I am sure that some of you...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 31 – August 1984   Original Sin   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde v.d.m. on Psalm 51:5 & Romans 5:12-18 (Belgic Confession Art.15) Scriptures: Psalm 51; Romans 5:12-21. Suggested Hymns: 94; 273; 430; BoW.302:1,5,6; 355:3,4   Dear brothers & sisters in Christ, There's one great advantage in preaching a series of sermons on the Belgic Confession, or on the Heidelberg Catechism for that matter; and that is that we don't just cover doctrines that are pleasant and easy and that people like to hear.  As preachers we are forced to deal with subjects that...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 36 – September 1984   God Becomes Man   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde M.A., M.Th. on Phil.2:5-7; Heb.4:14 & 5:10 (Belgic Confession Art.18) Scriptures: Phil.2: 1-11; Heb.4:15 Suggested Hymns: 335; 336; 346:1,5,6; 347; BoW 202; 205   Congregation of our Lord, In this sermon we begin with asking the single most important question that we could ever be asked in our life; the question that Jesus asked his disciples (and it's just as important now as it was then): "What do you think of the Christ?" It's your answer to this question that...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 35 – September 1984   Man’s Problem And God’s Solution   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde M.A., M.Th. on Genesis 3:15 & Gal.4:4-5 (Belgic Confession Art. 17) Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:8-20; Galatians 4:1-11 Suggested Hymns: 317; 94; 428; 388; BoW 804   Brothers and Sisters in Christ, A hundred years ago things were obviously very different to what they are today.  The greatest difference was perhaps this, that people were genuinely optimistic about mankind.  It was commonly believed that man was basically good and getting better all the time.  The future looked rosy; a...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 39 – October 1984   Jesus Christ, The God-Man   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on John 20:28; Colossians 2:9 (Belgic Confession Art. 19) Scripture Readings: John 20:19-31; Colossians 2: 1-15 Suggested Hymns: 363, 372, 376, 383, 373: 1 & 4. Congregation of our Lord Jesus, I don't know what kind of a week you have had.  I don't know whether it was easy or hard, whether it was filled with joy or grief.  But I'm sure you have come to church today to get some encouragement and strength for the week that...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 48 – December 1984   Saved By Faith, Or By Works?   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on James 2: 24 (Belgic Confession Art.24) Scriptures: Romans 4:1-8; James 2:14-26 Suggested Hymns: 110; 170; 95; 379; 450   Congregation of our Lord Jesus, To the average reader, the Bible seems to contain some stunning contradictions: (i)  On one occasion Jesus said to His disciples: "He who is not against us is for us" (Mark 9:40): On another occasion He said: "He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 47 – December 1984   The Best Thing In Life IS Free   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Rom.3:24 (Belgic Confession Art.23) Scriptures: Eph.2:1-10; Rom.3:19-31 Suggested Hymns: 94; 66:1,2,3,4,9; 389; 380; Bow 805:1,2,3; 803.   Brothers and sisters in Christ, In this sermon we (once again) consider the all-important doctrine of justification.  It was this doctrine that sparked off the great fires of the Reformation.  It was when Luther rediscovered this great truth that everything began to change.  Perhaps you will recall those blunt words of his (that I quoted last time):...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 03 – January 1985   Jesus Fulfils The Law   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, v.d.m. on Matthew 5:17,18 (Belgic Confession Art.25) Scriptures: Luke 2:21-33; Matthew 5:17-26 Suggested Hymns: Ps.H. 1; 3; 347; 383   Brothers & Sisters in Christ, What do you think of the Old Testament?  How often do you read it?  How well do you understand it?  A man who should have known better once made a rather daring statement in a Bible study group I was leading.  He said: "I seldom read the Old Testament because I'm afraid I might...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 08 – February 1985   Joining The Church   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, M.A., M.Th. on 1Corinthians 12: 13 (Belgic Confession: Art.28) Scriptures: Ephesians 4:1-16; 1Corinthians 12:12-26 Suggested Hymns: 162:1,2,5; 165; 479; 442   Congregation of our Lord Jesus, "You don't have to belong to a church to be a Christian!"  I wonder how often you have heard a statement like that before?  Maybe words like these have even crossed your own lips, or perhaps at least you've been inclined to think along those lines: "Well, of course, there are people who don't...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 07 – February 1985   Christ’s Church   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde, M.A., M.Th. on Matthew 16:18 (Belgic Confession Art. 27) Scriptures: Ephesians 5: 22-33; Matthew 16: 13-20. Suggested Hymns: 84:1,2,3; 160; 396; 426; 479:2,3   Brothers & Sisters in Christ, In this sermon we will try and answer what is perhaps the most difficult questions for a Christian living in the 20th Century: "What is the Church?"  In the 1st Century the early Christians wouldn't have had any trouble answering that question.  For many centuries Roman Catholics had no trouble answering that...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 16 – April 1985   Order And Discipline In The Church   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde on 1Cor.5:1-5 Scriptures: Acts 15:1-21; 1Corinthians 5:1-13 Belgic Confession Article 32 Suggested Hymns: 47; 279; 426; 85; 442   Congregation of our Lord Jesus, How is the church to be governed and by whom.  The Bible gives some very clear directives.  There is a very definite authority structure that the Scriptures lay down.  There are also very specific tasks that are allocated to ministers, elders and deacons. Today we come to two aspects of the government or...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 15 – April 1985   Ministers, Elders And Deacons   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde on 1Timothy 3:1 (Belg. Conf. Art.31) Scriptures: Acts 14:21-25; Titus 1:5-9; 1Tim. 3:1-13 Suggested Hymns 165; 280; 468; 484; BoW 504.   Brothers & Sisters in Christ,             [The Rev.  Steven Voorwinde begins this sermon as follows:] One of the most interesting phone calls I ever received was in Sydney back in 1975.  It was a call from the Prime Minister's office in Canberra, and you will remember that the Prime Minister at that time was none other than...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 32 – Aug 1985   Church And State   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde on Romans 13: 1-7 (Read also: Belgic Confession Art. 36).   I have heard it said that "a gentleman does not converse about religion or politics." So what I am about to do is a very ungentlemanly thing, in fact a very hazardous thing, and that is to preach to you about the relationship between religion and politics and to scale the high wall that separates church and state in the minds of so many people. In this sermon we...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 36 – Sep 1985   The Last Judgment   Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde on Revelation 20:12 Scriptures: Matthew 25:31-46; Rev.20:11-21:8                         (And Belgic Confession Art. 37) What should be our motivation for Christian living?  What is to be the driving force that gives us the incentive to live our lives for the Lord?  The Catechism gives a very beautiful answer.  We do good "so that in all our living we may show that we are thankful to God for all He has done for us." (A.86). So, quite simply, our motive is gratitude. ...