Word of Salvation – Vol. 44 No.38 – October 1999   The Power of Preaching   Sermon by Rev S Voorwinde on Romans 10:14-15 Scripture Readings: Romans 10:1-17   Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction Is there someone in your life whom you would dearly, dearly love to come to the Lord?  You might even say that you would give your right arm for this person's salvation.  Perhaps you would even be prepared to die if need be.  That's how strong your love is for the other person; that's how much you long for them to be saved....

Word of Salvation – Vol.42 No.22 – June 1997   Being A Part and Not Apart Sermon by Rev S Bajema on Romans 12:3-5 Scripture Readings: H.C. Q&A 55; 1Cor 12:11-27; Rom 11:33 - 12:5 Suggested Hymns: BOW 100:3; 65; 450; 479; 503:6   Precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. This text is about belonging to the Church.  This text is about being an active part of the Church.  This text is about never being apart from the Church.  So far so good, you might be thinking.  Then why is it that more than 58% of Christians in Australia today...

Word of Salvation - Vol.51 No.7 - February 2006   This Present Time A Sermon by Rev John Haverland on Romans 13:11-14   Scripture Readings:  Eph 6:10-18; 1 Thess 5:1-11; Rom 13   Theme: In view of our imminent salvation Paul urges us to put off the deeds of darkness and live lives in keeping with those who follow Christ.   Congregation. We live in uncertain times. None of us know what the future holds or what tomorrow will bring. It is impossible to predict what will happen next year or in the next decade. We also live in times of...

Word of Salvation June 2018   Calling on the Name of the Lord - by Rev. David Waldron Text: Romans 10:13 Readings: Romans 10:5-13 Theme: The Apostle Paul summarises the only means of salvation for all people in the act of calling on the name of the Lord. Proposition: Calling on the name of the Lord does result in salvation for everyone who calls.   We are all familiar with passwords which we use to gain access to our phones, online bank accounts and a myriad of internet websites and applications. Later model devices allow voice activated passcode entry. Just say...

Word of Salvation – Vol.36 No.19 - May 1991   Tolerance   Sermon by Rev. M.C. DeGraaf on Romans 14:15-23 Reading: Deut.10:12-22; Gal.2:11-3:9 Singing: 119:1,7,8, 26, 344, 451, 166   Brothers and Sisters, You don't have to be a great expert in international or domestic affairs to realise that sin has made it difficult for the peoples of this world to live together in harmony.  Ever since Adam accused Eve of leading him astray, and ever since Able was murdered by Cain, it is as if the forces of sin are pulling us apart. We all know that that was not...

Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.38 - October 1996   Worship: an Everyday Response of Thanks   Sermon by Rev G Vander Kolk on Romans 12:1-2 Scripture Readings: Isaiah 1:10-20 Suggested Hymns: BoW 515; 104a; 32; 182; 528   Beloved Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction In Luke 17, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and as he is passing through a village, ten lepers stood at a distance and called out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.”  Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests and on their way there they were healed.  One, of...

Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.44 - November 1996   One Body – Many Parts Sermon by Rev G Vander Kolk on Romans 12:3-5 Scripture Readings: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Suggested Hymns: BOW 22A; 425; 398; 434; 525   Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction In CS Lewis' book “The Screwtape Letters," a senior devil writes letters to a junior devil.  There is one letter that goes like this: "I note with great displeasure that your patient has become a Christian...  There is no need to despair, hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a brief sojourn into the...

Word of Salvation – Vol.42 No.26 - July 1997   Now – Where’s Your Part?   Sermon by Rev S Bajema on Romans 12:6-8 Scripture Readings: Rom.12:3-8; 1Peter 4:7-11; 1Cor.12:1-11 H.C. Lord's Day 21, Q&A 55 Suggested Hymns: BOW 164:3; 66:1-3; 440; 206; 525   Dear Body of Christ. What we see here in this part of Romans 12, with this aspect of the gifts in the church, is part of a theme found right through the New Testament letters, whether of the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter or the apostle John.  We have already read from 1Peter and 1Corinthians, about...

Word of Salvation – Vol.49 No.36 – September 2004   'U' - Divine Election & Reprobation (starting at the top - II)   Sermon by Rev S Bajema on Canons of Dort I: 8-18  Scripture Reading: Romans 9:1-24   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. There's only one way we're saved! The one way that's the same whether you're in the Old Testament Church, or the New Testament Church. And that way is by grace alone. This is what bursts the bubble to any thought that the saints in the Old Testament were saved by following the Law - something that...

Word of Salvation - April 2019   B.C.36 – Church And State Sermon by Rev. John Westendorp Scripture Readings: Romans 13:1-7 and 1Peter 2:13-17 Belgic Confession: Article 36   Introd:  It may surprise you that our Confession of Faith should include a statement about the government. Here is a document that deals with matters of faith...    with spiritual things... with the church and the Kingdom of God. And then there is also added an article about the State...    about kings, princes and the civil officers... in other words, our government. Many people today would say: That’s totally out of place. Today...

Word of Salvation - March 2019   B.C.33 – Sacramental Religion Sermon by Rev. John Westendorp Scripture Readings: Genesis 17:1-14 & Romans 2:17-29 Belgic Confession: Article 33   Introd:  The next three articles of our Confession deal with the sacraments. As we begin these studies of the sacraments I want to say two things at the outset: First: the word ‘sacrament’ is not a word you’ll find in the Bible. It’s just a useful term to describe the ordinances... the rituals Jesus established for His church. So just because we don’t find the word in the Bible doesn’t mean we should...

Word of Salvation - October 2018   B.C.24 - New Life, New Life-style Sermon by Rev. John Westendorp Scripture Readings: Matthew 7:13-29 & Romans 6:1-14 Belgic Confession: Article 24 Text: Romans 6:1,2   Introd:  Last time we examined the Bible’s teaching of justification by faith alone. The teaching that God declares us righteous on the basis of faith alone. But it’s a teaching that has always had opponents. Rome has traditionally opposed it... claiming that it makes God a liar.             How can God call a sinner holy?             How can He declare the guilty, “Not Guilty”? Others oppose it because...

Word of Salvation - October 2018   B.C.23 - Justified: The Christian's Standing Sermon by Rev. John Westendorp Scripture Reading: Zechariah 3:1-5 & Matthew 22:1-14 Belgic Confession: Article 23 Text: Romans 7:1-8 & 5:1   Theme: The Justification that makes us right with God. Introd:  Our age is very much preoccupied with SELF.... I suspect more so than any preceding age. We people in the west believe life is basically about self-fulfilment and self-actualisation. The theme songs of our culture are: “I’ve got to be me...”,  and “I did it my way!”. In previous ages human beings at least still had...

"The Positive of knowing about sin" BoW: 389; BoW: 187; BoW 330; BoW 398; BoW: 416; Scripture Readings: Eph 2:11-20; Rom 7:7-25; LD 2: q&a3-5; Beloved people of God. Have you ever wondered why Scripture continually highlights the law of God? Why do the elders and minister and other leaders of worship, regularly, if not every Sunday, have a time when they read the law, either the Ten Commandments, or some other section that highlights how God would want us to live our lives? Is it because they sense some sort of power over reminding us about our sin and failures...

BoW 148; BoW 187; BoW 154; BoW 376; BoW 525; Scripture Reading: John 15:1-17; Rom 11:11-24; Sermon: "Jesus saves true believers." Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ When I first went to NZ I had to undergo a Colloquium Doctum. It's the Latin for a 'learned' discussion. My fellow colleagues in the ministry had opportunity to question me on my orthodoxy. And one particular guy asked me what I consider a most painful question. Did Jesus die only for the elect? Or you could ask what question 20 asks in Lord's Day 7, "Since all people die because of the sin...

BOW 375 Behold what manner of Love; BOW 519 By the sea of crystal BOW 48 "Great is the Lord our God" How Deep the Father's love for us" "Speak O Lord" Scripture Reading: Psa 51; Rom 5:12-21; Gen 3:1-7; Sermon: "Really bad...unless" Prayer REJ 402 "It's Your Blood that cleanses me" BOW 530 "Praise God, You angel hosts above" Beloved people of God, There is one question when we speak about our perfect and sinless, powerful God who created everything that keeps cropping up and it is this, "Where did sin and evil begin?"   And if that isn't hard enough...

BOW: 9 vv 1-3, 6; "Whole hearted thanksgiving" BOW: 206 "In God the Father I believe" BOW: 119a "How shall the young direct their way?" Scripture Reading: Rom 1:8-17; John 20:19-31; Sermon. "What is the content of your faith" BOW 465 "My Hope is built on nothing less" Benediction: BOW: 530 "Praise God, you angel hosts above" Brothers and Sisters, Those of you who know me a little know that one of my favourite "tongue in cheek" comments when people quote a Scripture verses, is "Chapter and verse please." Now I know I push the envelope in this area, but to...

BoW 367 O Lord my God when I in awesome wonderBOW: 359 "Great is your faithfulness"BOW: 361 ""This is my Father's world"Scripture Readings: Psalm 104; Matthew 6:25-34; Rom 8:28-39;Sermon: "God is in control?"BOW: 104 v 5, 6, 7, 13; "Your Spirit O Lord"BOW: 533 "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" Brothers and sisters in the Lord.One of the things that we firmly affirm as truth is that God is absolutely sovereign. What we sometimes find harder to explain is how that works out in this world, especially when terrible things happen. At those times we can understand why people would...