Word of Salvation – Vol. 22 No. 42 – July 1976   Lord's Day 31   Sermon by Rev. P. H. Pellicaan on Lord's Day 31 Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 33:1-20.   Brothers and sisters, The message of Lord's Day 31 and of Ezekiel  20 is a call to be on the alert.  The church of Jesus Christ is not a retreat, a rest-home where we can wait in tranquillity for the time when our life will be healed of destruction.  It is not a place where everything is peaceful and restful. The church is a bulwark, a besieged city around which...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 22 No. 41 – July 1976   The Question Of Asking The Right Question   (Preparation Sermon for Lord's Supper) Sermon by Rev. Henry Pennings on Lord's Day 30, Q & A. 81 Scripture Readings: 1Cor.15:17-34, Matt.7:1-5   Dear Congregation, I have heard it said, "If Brother "so and so" attends the Lord's Table, I'm afraid I cannot see my way clear to attend myself."  I wonder if you have ever made statement like that... or thought like that? The question is, of course what has happened when such a thing. occurs? The catechism asks of...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 04 – October 1976   Gathering Together To Celebrate The Work Of Jesus Christ   "IN OUR WORSHIP SERVICES WE COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST" Sermon by Rev. P.G. Van Dam on Hebrews 10.19-25 Scripture Reading: 1Peter 2.1-10 Psalter Hymnal: 116:1,3; 129 (with law); 493 (with creed); 243, 1,2,4; 414   If you were asked the question: "WHY did you come to church this morning/evening?" what would you say? And another question is: "HOW did you come to church this morning/evening?" How many of us would have a READY answer...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 03 – October 1976   Giving   Sermon by Rev. S Voorwinde on 2Corinthians 9:6,7 Scripture Reading: 2Corinthians 9:1-15   "It is more blessed to give than to receive".  Surely this is one of the greatest secrets of happiness.  As a modern translation has it: "Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.” Jesus could not have put it more simply, nor shown the way to happiness more clearly.  Yet today most people have missed His directions and lost the secret to a happy life.  In fact, day after day we are bombarded by...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 02 – October 1976   The Right Response At Christmas Time   Christmas Sermon by Rev. B. Gillard Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 Psalter Hymnal: 337; 331; 339; 341; 490   Introduction As we again approach this Christmas season, perhaps the question that should be foremost in our minds is this: What is the response that God requires from us to this greatest of events in history?  And surely there can be only one answer to that question.  We are called upon to worship Him in wonder, love and praise. We notice from our text...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 01 – October 1976   Christmas Sermon   Sermon by Rev. J. J. Van Wageningen on Luke 2:1-12 Scripture Readings: Isaiah 9:1-7; Micah 5:2-4 Psalter Hymnal: 337 - Opening Hymn                         336 - After Scripture Reading                         333:1 - After Art.18 Belgic Confession                         341 - After Sermon                         339 - Closing Hymn.   We celebrate Christmas in a "closed" world, as it is called.  Closed in spite of the fact that man is able to break away from this earth out into space.  Yet the world is not "open", because some people were...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 08 – November 1976   Adorning The Name Of The Lord   Sermon by the Rev. D. K. Baird on Exodus 20:7 (Lord's Day 36) Scripture Readings: Exodus 3:1-15; John 8:48-59 Psalter Hymnal: 85; 436; 118; 384; 165   No doubt most of us know the Third Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." We probably also know that swearing comes into it somewhere, and that a lot of people break this command...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 05 – November 1976   Lord’s Day 35   Sermon by Rev. Wm. F. van Brussel Scripture Reading: Isaiah 1:10-20, John 4: 19-26 Psalter Hymnal: 89; 264; 315; 488.   Not everybody is aware of the difference between the first and second commandments.  The Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches take them together as one.  They are mutually related, no doubt, yet either of them has its own content. In the first commandment, YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME, the Lord God tells us that we should worship and serve Him only.  In...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 06 – November 1976   God’s Law: A Mirror, A Map And A Guitar String   Sermon by Rev. Winston Gauder on Romans 13:10 and Lord's Day 34 Scripture Reading: Romans 13:10-14 Psalter Hymnal: 374:1-3; 240:1-3; 462:1,2,4,5; 482; 493 Doxology   Dear congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, Today I want you to think with me about a MIRROR, a MAP and a GUITAR- STRING!  Each of these things tell us something of what the Law of God is like. Looking around I can see that nearly all of you looked into a MIRROR...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 05 – November 1976   Covenant-Living Highlighted   A sermon by Rev. John Goris on Lord's Day 29 Scripture readings: Psalm 25:1-15; Matthew 26:26-30 Psalter Hymnal: 112; 49:1,2 (law); 425 (creed); 43:4-7; 138; 310   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, What do you think of the Lord's Supper? Should we celebrate it more often? We confess that it strengthens our faith: well then, why not seek this strengthen0ing more often?  But then we say quickly: Alright, but not too often, otherwise it becomes too common. Is it something so holy and special that...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 40 – June 1977   Abraham Believed And God Credited It To Him As Righteousness   Sermon by Rev. A.I. de Graaf, B.D. on Gen.15:6 Scripture Reading: Gen.15:1-6 Psalter Hymnal: 190; 42; 361 (1,2) (after Sermon part 1);             389 (1,2) (after Sermon part 2);             389 (3) (after Sermon part 3); 444 (1,2); 493   Brothers and Sisters, Boys and Girls, Young People, Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, What is the Gospel?  What REALLY is THE message which the Church has to bring to the world?  Has that message changed?  Is it...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 39 – June 1977   The Great Dialogue   Sermon by Rev. A.I. de Graaf, B.D. on Rev.1:5(b)-8 Scripture Reading: Deut. 7:6-21 Psalter Hymnal: 282; 319; 187; 469   Brothers and sisters, boys and girls, Young people, Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ! The striking thing throughout this last book of the Bible, time and again, is the great DIALOGUE between God and His people, as indeed it runs through all the Bible. To start with, we are not just told WHAT WILL HAPPEN but always: WHAT HE WILL DO, what He will do...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 38 – June 1977   How To Stay Married.... Happily   Sermon by Rev. A.I. de Graaf,B.D. on Eccles.9:9 & Prov.5:18 Scripture Reading: Eph. 5:14(b)-33 Psalter Hymnal: 89; 481; 408; 175; 316:3   Brothers & Sisters, Boys & Girls, Young People, Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ! Enjoy life! This is your God speaking. Not the devil. When the devil says "Enjoy life!" watch it, he's out to spoil it. But when God says: "Enjoy life!" you can almost hear laughter in His Voice but you hear tears, too. Because God paid dearly to...

Word of Salvation – Vol.  23 No.  37 – June 1977   Cup Day   Sermon by Rev.  A.I. de Graaf, B.D. on Psalm 23:5(b) Scripture Reading: Psalm 23; Matthew 6:24-34 Psalter Hymnal: 318; 94: 1,2 (after law); 428:1,2, (after grace); 380; 38; 402   Brothers & Sisters, Boys and Girls, Young People, Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ Quite a few Christian people are somewhat embarrassed about the special holiday that Melbourne has every year: "CUP DAY”, when every business will be shut and every school closed (except for our Christian Schools by way of protest) and we all have...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 44 – July 1977   An Introduction To The Biblical Teaching Of Justification By Faith   Sermon by Rev. D.J. Van Garderen on Gal.2:16 Scripture Readings: Galatians 2:11-21 Job 25 (May also be read as part of introductory section of this sermon) Psalter Hymnal: 222:1,5,6,7; 201:1,3; 424:1,2,3,4; 280:1,3 (If morning service, include Hymn 430 as hymn of confession)   Dear Congregation, In the book of Job, we find a number of passages that try mighty hard to grapple with the meaning and significance of our life here on earth. Again and again, mankind is...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 43 – July 1977   Every Minute Counts   Sermon by Rev. J. Goris on Ephesians 5:15-17 (Especially for our junior youth, may be used at camps) Scripture Readings: Esther 4:10-17; Ephesians 5:1-17   Boys and girls, young people, Time is a peculiar thing. When you have oodles of time and you do not know what to do with it, it will be most boring. When you are holidaying at an exciting place and time runs out before you realise it, you could wish for much more. If you arrive half a minute late...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 42 – July 1977   Being Children In The Lord   Sermon by Rev. W. Van Schie on Eph.6:1-3 (Suitable for Junior Youth Camps)   Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ, There is a funny story about little Johnny. One day, Johnny came home from school and he went to his grandmother and he said: "Grandma, where did you come from?" And grandma went: "Uh, well, I was found in the cabbage patch." Oh! And then he went to his mother. He said: "Mum, where did you come from?" And his mother said: "Well,...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 23 No. 41 – July 1977   The 'Old' Replaced By The 'New'   Sermon by Rev. Adrian Leenman, Th.Grad. on 2Cor.5:17Scripture Reading: Rom.8:1-11Psalter Hymnal: 378; 383; 407; 377; 493 (This Sermon has been prepared for Youth Camps up to approx. 15 years of age. Questions as set out may be used, later in the day, by Camp Leader/Head Counsellor to foster discussion).   Counsellors, Leaders, boys and girls,At times we hear or read about people who buy an old homestead with the idea of 'doing-it-up'.Or an old motor car is bought which is pulled down...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 24 No. 36 – May 1978   The Effect Of Forgiveness   Sermon by Rev. P. J. Berghouse, Th. Grad. on 1Peter 1:3 Scripture reading: 1Peter 1 Psalter Hymnal: 195; 29:4, 5 (after summary of Law);             29:1, 2, 3 (after Law); 206:1, 7, 8; 243:1;             48:1, 3, 5; 203:4 (NOTE: This Sermon can be used as Prep. for Lord's Supper)   Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every WEEK we are reminded of the RESURRECTION.  We meet for worship on the FIRST day of the week.  For THAT is the day on which our...

Word of Salvation – Vol. 24 No. 27 – March 1978   The Importance Of Christian Education   Sermon by Rev. M. P. Geluk, Th.Grad. on Deuteronomy6:4-7 Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-15.  Psalter Hymnal: 172:1, 2, 5; 120:1, 2, 3; 227; 150; 488   Our text points us to reflect on the need and importance of Christian Education.  For most of us Christian Education is a concept with which we have become quite familiar.  We have been blessed with a Christian primary and a Christian high school and again most of us are in agreement that such Christian schools are a must....