Word of Salvation – Vol. 31 No. 42 – Nov 1986   In Preparation Of The Lord’s Coming   Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Luke 1:14-17 Reading: Luke 1:5-17, 57-66, Malachi 4:1-6 Introduction:   Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. When a government, or a national leader makes an important announcement, we hear of it within hours.  We hear about it by way of a news flash, perhaps on TV.  Or as a newsflash over the radio.  Or we read of it the next day in the newspaper.  It is hard for us to imagine how we would...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 10 – March 1992   The Final Destiny Of The Unbeliever   Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Matthew 25:46a Reading: Matt.25:31-46; Matt.5:21-30; 2Thess. 1:3-10,   Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, I am sure we have all heard those jokes that begin: 'I've got good news and I've got some bad news...!' Today I am not going to tell you jokes, in fact what our text focuses on today is no joke at all.  But Matthew 25:46 does contain good news and bad news.  The good news is that many people...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 23 – June 1992   Encourage Each Other Daily!   Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Hebrews 3:13 Reading: Ezekiel 36:24-26, Matthew 12:33-37,                         Hebrew 10:19-39, Philippians 2:1-5   Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, Whether we like to admit it or not: We all need encouragement. Children need encouragement in terms of doing their school work.  Cadet and Calvinette leaders, elders, deacons all need encouragement.  Yes, even politicians need encouragement. As we read our Bibles, we find that encouragement is something very important for all believers.  So much so that Romans...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 32 – August 1992   Be Encouragement: God Remembers Your Work!   Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Hebrews 6:10 Reading: Revelation 2:1-7; Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12   Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, Do you ever get that feeling of tiredness about your work in the church? Do you sometimes think: What's the point anyway?  Nobody seems to notice what I am doing!  Nobody seems to care! Perhaps you have served as an elder for 4 years, having served an extra year because of a shortage of elders and now you...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 42 No. 44 – November 1997   The Importance Of Right Relationships   A Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Matthew 5:21-26 Scripture Readings: Genesis 4:1-16; Matthew 5:21-26             (could also use 1John 1:5-10)   Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction Murder is an awful thing.  Serial murders which go unsolved send a chill up the spine of any city or community.  But the fact is that most murders in our country are committed within the family, or by close acquaintances and friends.  Husband murders his wife.  Son murders his mother.  Or a...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 43 No. 10 – March 1998   The Continuing Blessing of the Ascension   An Ascension Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Luke 24:50-53 Scripture Readings: Luke 24:44-53;             and either Ephesians 1:15-23 or Acts 1:1-11 Suggested Hymns: BoW 328; 332; 326; 334   Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction Christmas and Easter are two events in the Christian calendar which most Christians consider fairly important, and throughout the ages, Christians have celebrated these events.  But when it comes to Ascension Day – the day that our Lord Jesus ascended into heaven –...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 43 No. 09 – March 1998   Christ's Ascension – Our Comfort!   An Ascension Sermon by Rev. P. Abetz on Ephesians 2:6 Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10             (other suitable readings include:               Hebrews 3:1-6; Philippians 3:12-16; Acts 1:1-11) Suggested Hymns: BoW 328; 373; 332; 519   Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction If I were to ask you where you are sitting at this point in time, I guess most of you would want to say to me: Well, open your eyes!  Can't you see?  Here on the chairs in this church! ...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 39 No.48 – December 1994   That I Too May Go And Worship Him!   Sermon by: Rev. P. Abetz Readings: Micah 5:1-5 Matthew 2:1-12 Text: Matthew 2:1-12   Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, We are quite used to travelling long distances.  Some of you who are here today to worship with us, have probably travelled quite some distance.  At Christmas many people take the opportunity to meet up with family and relatives.  To do that we think nothing of driving or flying a few thousand kilometres.  Business people fly from one side...

Word of Salvation – Vol.46 No.31- August 2001   Grasshoppers or Powerful Royalty?   Sermon by Rev P Abetz on Numbers 13:33 Scripture Readings: Numbers 13:26 - 14:9; Mt 28:16-20; 1 Pet 2:9   Beloved in the Lord, In the hippie era of the 1960s and 1970s, many young people made pilgrimages to India and other places to try and find themselves.  They painted slogans like “make love, not war” on the sides of their beat up old VW vans.  They tried alternative lifestyles of communes to living off the land.  They wanted to know: Who am I?  What is life...

Word of Salvation – Vol.34 No.30 - August 1989   Our God Redeems, Summons and Guards His People   Sermon by Rev. Peter Abetz on Isaiah 43:1b-3a Scripture Readings: Isaiah 42:18-43:7; Romans 8.   Introduction Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: Many of the people of Israel felt utterly dejected.  And it was in this setting that God called the prophet Isaiah to speak words of encouragement and hope.  These people had been a slave people in Egypt and God had made them out of being nothing, into a nation.  As a nation they had prospered and things had...

Word of Salvation - February 2011   THE CHALLENGE OF TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION By Rev. Peter Abetz   Text – Psalm 78:1-8 (Rev Abetz preached this sermon at the opening of Synod 2009)   Congregation I have to admit that thinking about what to preach on for a synod prayer service, there are lots of different things that come to mind. But I’ve decided to entitle the message tonight, the Challenge of Teaching the Next Generation.   The Challenge of Teaching the Next Generation:   Back when I was pastor in Dandenong in the 1980s, the minister’s fraternal was asked...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.27 – July 2008   Learning to Truly Forgive A Sermon by Rev Peter Abetz on Matthew 18:15-35 Scripture Readings:  Matthew 18:15-35; Luke 19:1-9 Dear Congregation. Introduction Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Philip Yancey in his book, What’s so Amazing about Grace, gives an account of a weekend in which the author M. Scott Peck brought together 10 Jews, 10 Muslims and 10 Christians with a view to trying to develop some kind of reconciliation or community on a small scale. He tells how the Jewish people talked about all the horrible things...

Word of Salvation - Vol.48 No.45 - December 2003   Waiting , Waiting, Waiting - Or: Waiting for Deliverance Advent Sermon by Rev P Abetz on Exodus 4:29 - 5:21   Scripture Readings: Exodus 1:6-14; 4:29 - 5:21 Suggested Hymns: BoW 250; 520   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of my pet hates is ringing up a business or Government department and being put on hold. I hear those familiar words: all our operators are busy at the moment. Your call is important to us, please hold. Often I think - If it was that important to you, you...