Word of Salvation – Vol.38 No.43 - November 1993   Joab’s Call to Bravery and Trust in God   Sermon by Rev. M. Geluk on 2 Samuel 10:12 Readings: 2Samuel 10; Ephesians 6:10-20   Congregation, beloved in Christ, Joab, the commander over the army of king David, and his brother Abishai, were called 'the hard sons of Zeruiah.'  Joab was a man who plotted his own course in life and would not let anyone stand in the way of him realising his own selfish ambitions.  David wore the crown but later on in his reign it became increasingly obvious that it...

Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.48 – December 1996   Glory To God For Bringing Peace To Men   A Christmas Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Luke 2:14 Scripture Readings: Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 2:8-20 Suggested Hymns: Bow: 252; 272; 276; 279; 337; 265   Congregation, Shepherds in the field at night watching over their flocks and surrounded by many angels.  It's not hard for us to picture this scene because we have all seen it many times on Christmas cards and in nativity scenes.  Whether every one of those artists have imagined the scene correctly, going by the description...

Word of Salvation – Vol.41 No.47 - December 1996   Christ Made Known To The Magi   A Christmas Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Matthew 2:1-12 Scripture Reading: Psalm 72, Matthew 2:1-12 Suggested Hymns: BoW 255; 269; 72A; 283; 284   Congregation, We can ask three questions concerning the Magi, and when we have the answers, then it is possible that you will you know everything about them. First, who were they? Second, where did they come from? And third, what did they know? The frustrating thing is – we don't have the complete answers.  Very little is known...

Word of Salvation – Vol.42 No.28 - July 1997   The Bible, God and Us   A Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Acts 17:11 Scripture Readings: Acts 17:1-15 Suggested Hymns: BoW 95; 217; 421; 514; 479   Congregation, In the Greek city of Thessalonica, Paul, and his helper Silas, preached the gospel of Jesus Christ on three consecutive Sabbaths.  The Lord blessed that preaching, and some Jews, a large number of God-fearing Greeks, and a number of prominent women became Christians (Acts 17:4).  However, other Jews in that city became very jealous about these people turning to Christ and...

Word of Salvation – Vol.44 No.4 - February 1999   The Most High   Sermon by Rev M.P. Geluk on Daniel 4:32b Scripture Readings: Revelation 6; Daniel 4:28-37   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be frequently reminded that God is the Most High and rules over the kingdoms of men.  It kind of puts things into perspective.  We see, hear and read about a lot of things that go on in the world.  But we don't hear about everything that goes on in the world and some of the things that we do hear are usually decided...

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.33 - September 2007   What The Grace Of God Provides A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk (Sermon 2 of 2 on "Grace Alone") Text: Ephesians 2: 5-10 Scripture reading: Ephesians 2: 1-10   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, In the first sermon on sola gratia, 'by grace alone', we saw from the first three verses of Ephesians 2 that every human being is dead in transgressions and sins. The unsaved person follows the ways of the world. The Bible says that the whole world is under the control of the evil one [1 Jn.5:19]....

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.29 - August 2007   By Grace Alone A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on Ephesians 2:1-5 (Sermon 1 of 2, on Grace Alone) Scripture Reading:  Ephesians 2:1-10   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have come to the fourth 'sola'. The word 'sola' is Latin for 'alone'. We use this word when we speak of the five solas of the Reformation. So far we have had sermons on Scripture alone, Christ alone and faith alone, and now it is the turn of 'by grace alone'. And after grace alone there is still the fifth...

Word of Salvation - Vol.52 No.25 - July 2007   The Nature of Faith Which Justifies A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on James 2:18 (Sermon 3 of 3 on Faith Alone) Scripture Readings: Hebrews 11:32-40; James 2:14-26   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is our third sermon on faith alone through Christ alone. In the previous sermon we looked at Abraham and David and saw how God credited them with righteousness on the basis of what Christ has done. Christ took away their sin and guilt by being punished for them on the cross, and He gave them...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.21 – June 2007   Abraham and David Believed God and Were Credited with Righteousness   A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on Romans 4:1-8 (Sermon 2 of 3 on Faith Alone) Scripture Readings:  Romans 4:1-25; Hebrews 11:8-19   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a previous sermon on 'faith alone' we concluded by saying that believers who lived in Old Testament times, before Christ was born, were also saved by faith alone in Christ alone. They were not saved by their obedience, and could not have been, because their obedience was as imperfect as...

Word of Salvation - Vol.51 No.17 - May 2007   By Faith Alone   A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on Romans 3:21-24 (Sermon 1 of 3 on Faith Alone) Scripture Reading:  Romans 3:9-31 Suggested Singing:  BoW 116:1,3,4; 474; 426   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our series on the "solas" of the Reformation, after "Scripture alone" and "Christ alone" comes "faith alone". The scriptural teaching of 'by faith alone' has to do with justification by faith alone in Christ alone. The word 'justification' means to make just or to make right. How can sinners, who have a sinful...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.10 - March 2007   Christ the Only Mediator A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on 1 Timothy 2:5 (Sermon 3 on 'Christ Alone') Scripture Readings:  Hebrews 10:1-25; 1Tmothy 2:1-5 Suggested Singing:  BoW 470; 89b; 117   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our series on the five solas of the Reformation we're up to the third sermon on Christ alone. Firstly it was Christ the only Saviour, and we saw there that Christ is unique with regard to His claims and teaching. The second sermon was about Christ the only Sacrifice, and there we...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.6 - February 2007   Christ is the Only Sacrifice A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on 2Corinthians 5:21 (Sermon 2 on Christ Alone) Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-11; 2Corinthians 5:16-21   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking at the five solas of the Reformation. We are thinking about what we mean when we say: Scripture alone, Christ alone, faith alone, grace alone, and to God's glory alone. These five solas didn't just come up out of the blue - they were a reaction to the many unscriptural teachings that had developed over time...

Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.2 - January 2007   Christ Alone A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on John 14:6 Scripture Readings:  John 8:12-30; 14:6-11   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have dealt with the 'Scripture alone teaching', which was the first of the five 'solas' from the Reformation. We now begin to look at the next 'sola', which is 'Christ alone'. So what does the Bible say when it speaks about salvation? Does it say that belonging to the church of Rome and being greatly involved with it will save you? Does the Bible say that in...

Word of Salvation – Vol.51 No.46 – December 2006   Is the Bible Sufficient?   Sermon 3 of 3, by Rev Martin Geluk on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Scripture Readings:  Ephesians 1:15-19a; Philippians 1:3-9   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have looked at these two verses from 2 Timothy 3 twice already and now we do so once more. And the reason for one more sermon on 'sola Scripture', the Bible alone, is to deal with the question: is the Bible sufficient? We have already dealt with the Bible being God-breathed. That means Scripture is inspired, and because Scripture is...

Word of Salvation – Vol.51 No.42 – November 2006   Scripture Alone and the Role of Tradition, Church and Reason   Sermon 2 of 3 by Rev M Geluk on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Scripture Readings:  Isaiah 1:18-20; Matthew 15:1-9 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 122; 104-A; 214; 241   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Last Sunday we first looked at this text: "All Scripture is God-breathed...", and said that Scripture, therefore, is inspired by God, is without error, and is authoritative. Knowing that this is the nature of the Bible, we may confidently use the Bible "...for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training...

Word of Salvation – Vol.51 No.39 - October 2006   Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura) A Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on 2 Timothy 3:16-17  Scripture Readings:  Psalm 119:105-120; Matthew 5:17-20 Suggested Hymns: BoW 489; 100; 119b:1-4; 65:1   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. You should know that we are facing issues that concern the church a great deal. These issues influence the leaders and members of various churches in the way they 'do' church. In fact, the expression 'the way they do church' or 'the way we do church' is often heard. It suggests that not everyone thinks about the...

Word of Salvation - Vol.50 No.46 - December 2005   Why Has Jesus Become Non-Jewish, When He Was Born King of the Jews?   An Advent Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on Matthew 2:2a Scripture Readings:   Matthew 2:1-12 Suggested Hymns:  BoW: 292; 315; 68:1,2; 527   Congregation. Don't you find it sad that Jesus and Jews now have so little to do with each other? Bethlehem is in Israel and everyone knows that it is the town where Jesus was born. But the people who come to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Jesus are mostly tourists from the western world....

Word of Salvation - Vol.50 No.46 - December 2005   Accepting the Lord's Way in Faith An Advent Sermon by Rev Martin Geluk on Luke 1:38   Scripture Readings:  Luke 1:26-38 Suggested Hymns:  BoW: 252:1,6,7; 336:1,4,5; 244; 150-a:1, 2   Dear Congregation. We have in our text the words Mary spoke to the angel who informed her that she would be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. She said, "May it be to me as you have said", which can also be translated as "May it be to me according to your word." Essentially Mary's response was a response...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 49 No.46 – December 2004   The Hidden Christ and His Sign   Sermon by Rev M Geluk on Luke 2:12 Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-18 Suggested Hymns: BoW: 264; 268; 251; 247; 255; 276; 265   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the Bible times, shepherds were ordinary people. Their job was as common as today's carpenters and mechanics. And it was to shepherds that all of a sudden an angel of the Lord appeared. Not to the teachers of the law and the scribes, not to the high priest or king or some high...

Word of Salvation – Vol.49 No.28 – July 2004   Concluding Our Prayer   Sermon by Rev M P Geluk on Lord's Day 52b (Q/A 128-129 Heid.Cat.) Scripture Readings:  1 Chronicles 29:10-13; Revelation 5:6-14 Suggested Hymns:  BoW 440; 145; 150; 454:1,8   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ... The concluding words to the Lord's Prayer are really a doxology. The word 'doxology' literally means 'word of praise'. Jesus concluded His prayer with words of praise to God. But doxologies do not necessarily have to come at the end. They can occur anywhere in our prayers or in the church service. You...