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Christmas Day, 2023. Matthew 1:1-25. “The Book of the History of Jesus Christ”

Sunday 25th December 2023

Read: Matthew 1:1-25

Sermon: Matthew 1:1-25

Introduction: Don’t skip the genealogies!

Mt 1:1, cf Gen 2:4; 5:1

1:2-5. Jesus the son of Abraham

6-11. Jesus the son of David

12-17. Jesus is the son of the remnant

18-25. The Birth of Jesus Christ

Conclusion: Jesus, the Saviour of ‘crooked branches’

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There was no king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes

Sunday 24th December 2023

Read: Judges 19:1-30; Judges 20:1-48; Judges 21:1-25

Sermon: Judges 19:1-21:25

Judges 1-18 Doing what is right in their own eyes

Judges 19:1-28 Benjamin and Sodom
19:1-10 Five days and four nights in Bethlehem

19:11-28 One night in Gibeah

Judges 19:29-20:11 How to outrage Israel?

Judges 20:12-48 Purging evil from Israel

Judges 21:1-24 A comedy of correctness

Judges 21:25 Will a king fix the problem?
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Don’t envy the prosperity of the wicked, discern their end

Sunday 17th December 2023

Read: Psalm 73; 1 Peter 1:3-9; Judges 17:1-18:31

Sermon: Judges 17:1-18:31

Introduction “My truth”

17:1-6 “My truth” or God’s truth?

17:7-13 When “My truth” becomes God’s “truth”

18:1-31 Where “My truth” leads

Conclusion Don’t envy the prosperity of the wicked, discern the end of the faithful (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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We don’t need another hero!

Sunday 10th December 2023

Read: Judges 14:1-15:20; Judges 16:1-31

Sermon: Judges 14-16

Judges 1-13 Samson and the A, B, C, D, E of Judges

14:1-15:20 The saviour delivers Israel, part 1
14:1-4 The Lord’s unknown purposes

14:5-20 some ‘telling’ things about Samson
14:5-9 HE DIDN’T TELL HIS PARENTS

14:10-20 HE TOLD HIS WIFE

15:1-8 The Lord’s purposes against the Philistines by Samson’s wife

15:14-20 Samson begins to deliver Israel

16:1-31 The saviour delivers Israel, part 2
16:1-3 another woman, another opportunity against the Philistines

16:4-22 Samson tells his woman, again

16:23-31 Samson continues to deliver Israel

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Despised and rejected

Sunday 26th November 2023

Read: Judges 10:1-11:11; Judges 11:12-12:15

Sermon: Judges 10:1-12:15

10:1-5 The A, B, C, D, E, cycle continues

10:6-16 The Ammonite oppression and the Lord: Israel vs the Lord
10:6-9 the Ammonites oppress Israel

10:10-16 the Lord’s exasperation at Israel’s misery

10:17-11:11 The Ammonite oppression and Jephthah: The elders vs Jephthah
10:17-11:3 Who will fight the Ammonites?

11:4-11 Jephthah’s exploitation of Israel’s misery

11:12-28 Whose land is it: Jephthah vs Ammonite king

11:29-40 Jephthah vs his daughter
11:29-33 a foolish vow

11:34-40 why continue with a wicked vow (Lev. 5:4-6)?

12:1-7 Jephthah vs the Ephraimites

12:8-15 The A, B, C, D, E, cycle continues

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Abimelech and his empty men

Sunday 19th November 2023

Read: Psalm 103; Romans 12:9-13, 19; Judges 8:29-9:57

Sermon: Judges 8:29-9:57

Introduction: “What goes around comes around”: karma, retribution & revenge

8:29-35. Farewell Gideon, introducing Abimelech

9:1-6. Abimelech is made king; Jotham escapes

9:7-21. Jotham’s fable

9:22-57. The Decline and fall of Abimelech

Conclusion: honour where it’s due; leave revenge to God
(Romans 12:9-13; Psalm 7:12-16; Romans 12:19)

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Mighty warrior or least of all his family? (Part 1)

Sunday 5th November 2023

Read: Psalm 79; Judges 6:1-8:3

Sermon: Judges 6:1-8:3

Judges 1-5 The downward spiral

Judges 6:1-10 The usual cycle continues?
6:1-7 the usual A, B, C of Judges

6:8-10 a departure from the usual

 

6:11-8:3 The usual unexpected salvation
6:11-24 weakest in Manasseh or mighty warrior?

6:25-32 clean up your own backyard first


6:33-8:3 salvation by God’s hand