Category Archives: Divine Service Sermons
Assimilating God’s Creative Word
Scripture reading: Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. … 9 For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast.
The understanding of assimilating God’s creative word is paramount to the doctrine that is taught and embraced within Seventh-day Adventism. Indeed, Seventh-day Adventism is distinguished among Christendom by the doctrine of law-keeping that it teaches– the keeping of the Ten Commandments, among which is the Sabbath. This is why they were given the name “Seventh-day Adventists”; because they taught the importance of the keeping of the law of God, including the Sabbath. The three angels’ messages; which distinguish Seventh-day Adventism, climax in the words of Revelation 14:12. Read the rest of this entry
The First Two Kings of Israel
Scripture reading: 1 Samuel 12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. – 13:14 But now [Saul] thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.
It is important for us to gain a deep revelation of God’s mind. We want to come to know God more closely, so we can worship Him in spirit and in truth. We are now going to receive a manifestation of God’s mind in the first two kings of Israel. Read the rest of this entry
Reasoning Together
Scripture reading: James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
As a church we want to have the religion of Christ; we want that religion of compassion that is to be embraced in our relationship with one another in Jesus Christ. The words of this hymn are expressive of this ideal: The church has one foundation, ‘tis Jesus Christ her Lord. It is where we are all in unity together because we are all looking at the same Jesus and opening our hearts to that same Jesus. And that produces a blessed tie that binds, the Christian love that is generated in the heart of Jesus and is to be extended to each other and through each other. Read the rest of this entry
Christ’s Religion of Compassion
Scripture reading: Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
We have a God who is a loving father who pities his child, even though that sinful child is defiled. He waiteth in kindness, pities our blindness, longeth to welcome, though often reviled. God in compassion regardeth our plea. We want to dwell upon this compassion and understand the words of Jesus to the Hebrews. Let us truly tune in to His challenge that is brought to us in these words: Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. These words Jesus quoted from the book of Hosea. Here He is saying so emphatically to the Jews who were nigh unto filling their cup of iniquity: Read the rest of this entry
The Constituents of True Christianity
Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
We want to let the Scriptures display before us what it means to have Christ in us and to be a true Christian. What are the constituents of a true Christian? The following quote has been very provoking to me and has caused me to share this message. Read the rest of this entry
Exploring the Elements of Courtesy
Scripture reading: 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:
Do we know what courtesy is? Where are we going to find a perfect display of courtesy? We are told that we are to behold the glory of God, and that by beholding we will be changed. We are called to behold the character of God. He, the Majesty of heaven, has a character that we need to behold so that we will be changed into that same character, from character to character, from to glory to glory. Read the rest of this entry
The Source of a Dream
Scripture reading: Psalm 34:18 The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Our present meditation is based upon a dream, the dream of a young man who was raised in the fear of God, a young man who revered the kingdom of heaven. When it comes to dreams, we puzzle sometimes. To devote a whole study to a dream? A dream can have many different sources. The dream we now want to contemplate is based on its source, and we ourselves are in a position to have the same source as that dream had. Read the rest of this entry
Commitment to the Cause
Scripture reading: Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
While pilgrims here we journey on
In this dark vale of sin and gloom,
We are pilgrims here, and what we have to meet is tribulation, hate, and scorn,
Till our returning king shall come
To take His exile captives home. Read the rest of this entry
Rejoicing in Salvation
Scripture reading: Psalm 126:1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. 3 The LORD hath done great things for us; [whereof] we are glad.
This is the admonition of God to us in the Bible:
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; Read the rest of this entry
Peace That Passeth Understanding
Scripture reading: Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Here is the introduction to this message: Read the rest of this entry
Easy to Be Entreated
Scripture reading: James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jesus said:
John 17:3 …this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Read the rest of this entry
The Shepherd of the Flock
Scripture reading: Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.
According to the Scriptures, Jesus is the Shepherd of the everlasting covenant. And the qualities of this shepherd touch us, because He cares for His flock. We are His sheep and have all gone astray; we have turned everyone to our own way. But as our Shepherd He reaches out for the sheep that has gone astray, and He does not treat it in a harsh manner because it has gone astray. He takes it into His bosom, and comforts it, and carries it home. We want to continue this meditation on the Shepherd of the flock. Read the rest of this entry
The Shepherd of the Everlasting Covenant
Scripture reading: Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Wandering Sheep
God has likened His people to sheep. Do you like the idea that you and I are sheep? What do we know of sheep? They need to be fenced in, or they need a shepherd, someone that they can follow. The quality of a sheep is that it will follow the shepherd. We are living today in a time when sheep are fenced and sheep are driven by dogs and motorbikes and such like, and the sheep are jostled and pushed about. Or you see them in the big trucks with the legs sticking out, all uncomfortable. The lesson to be learned from sheep is very difficult to pick up today, because we don’t see them with shepherds. But Jesus was giving a story of a shepherd with his sheep as an object lesson for us. Read the rest of this entry
How Readest Thou?
Scripture reading: John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
How difficult it is today in the time in which we live to find assurance from the Bible. We are surrounded by an atmosphere of Bible interpretation instead of Bible reading. In this message we want to deal with the subject of how we read the Bible. Jesus had that problem in His day as well. When confronted by the theologians of His day, the priests of the very church regarding which He had said, Salvation is of the Jews; those priests of the Jews came to Him with all kinds of different questions, and it is phenomenal to learn from Him how to deal with all the questions of today. Read the rest of this entry
How to Enter into Peace
Scripture reading: John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
We know that there is a region of peace, but how to enter it is a subject that should capture our attention. We live today in the last days of this earth’s history and these are the conditions that surround us: Read the rest of this entry
