What does it mean for church leaders to fail, and who is the leader who does not fail-- Ezekiel 19 gives us a picture of the two last great failure kings of Judah, and the reason for the failure of Judah. We see the fall of worldly leadership, the futility of trying to same thing over again, and the failure of Judah, and we see in Christ the leader…

Is it possible to reject Jesus while appearing to accept him-- Yes, if in fact you insist on trying to make Jesus fit your plans and ideas rather than accepting him as he is. We see in John 6-1-21 the feeding of the multitude, the failure of the multitude to see beyond the food, and the faith of the disciples in the storm.…

We have a Gospel to proclaim- Chapter 20, -On the Gospel- was added to the Savoy Declaration in 1658 because of false ideas about salvation of Gospel preaching, and carried over by the Baptists in 1689. It speaks of the necessity and sufficiency of the Gospel, and the need of the Holy Spirit in evangelism.…

God is personal, and we relate to him personally, not simply as groups. The exiles of Ezekiel's day used the idea of corporate responsibility to escape from their indidual responsibility before God. We see in Ezekiel 18 personal relationship to God, personal responsibility before God, and personal repentance unto God.…

We must honour the Son just as we honour the Father- The Lord, answering the lies of his enemies, speaks of the nature of his equality with the Father, of the eternity of the consequences of rejecting him, and of the evidence on which we should believe him.

What hope does the Church have-- Ezekiel 17 challenges superficial thinking about the Church's problems, points us to the reality of sin, and tells us that we ave but one hope - God in Christ.

What is the Sabbath, and why-- The institution God has given for our good has too often been distorted into a burden. We see in John 5-1-18 first our Lord's compassion, second the condemnation of the Pharisees, and thirdly the correction Christ gives. The Sabbath is a positive thing, a blessing of rest, affirming life, a day on which God works for …

A heartwarming tale as old as time- an abandoned baby girl rescued by a king who at last makes her his Queen. But wait- It all goes horribly wrong, as she throws herself into detestable wickedness- And this Cinderella gone wrong is Jerusalem- We see a warning for the Church as we see the favour of God, the faithlessness of his bride, and the future…

Faith means taking Jesus at his word. John tells us that he wrote his Gospel -that you may believe,- but what does that faith look like-- In John 4-43-54 we see one aspect of that, taking Jesus at his word. We see the request of the father, the rebuke of Christ to the multitude, and the revelation of Christ to faith.…

The Resurrection changes everything- Christ's Resurrection is intimately linked to the resurrection of believers. Addressing the issue of people in Corinth who denied the general resurrection, Paul shows that the Christian hope revolves around resurrection. We see the problem in Corinth, the promise of Christ's Resurrection, and the prospect of the…

Christian faith is faith in the risen Christ as Lord and God. In John 20-19-31 we see the doubt of Thomas, the demonstration of the Resurrection, and the declaration of faith.

What is God's Law, and what is its use to the Christian-- Chapter 19 of the 1689 Confession deals with this often vexed question. We see the history of the Law, and the use of the Law laid out, and both legalism and antinomianism confronted and opposed.

Christ is our Peace, and his resurrection declares the peace he gives. We see in Luke 24-13-48 the perplexity of the disciples on the road, the peace Christ gives, and the pilgrim Church he sends out as his witnesses.

Christ is risen- This fact leads us to great joy. In Matthew 28 we see first the Resurrection announced. Second we see the recognition of the risen Christ, and third his reign in spite of all his foes.

Christ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. In this Good Friday meditation we think upon the Sufferer, the Substitute, and the Saviour.

How may I know for sure that I am a Christian-- Chapter 18 of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of faith deals with the doctrine of assurance, challenging error, and pointing us to Christ as the source of all assurance.

Why did the righteous suffer-- Psalm 69 is often quoted in the New Testament in reference to Christ's sufferings. Its original occasion was David's suffering though he was innocent of reason for it, but it applies all the more to our Lord. We see his cry, his cup, and his crown.

Meek and riding on a donkey, the Lord Jesus enters Jerusalem. -Who is this--- people ask. We see how his Triumphal Entry shows us he is the Prophet, the Son of David, and the Lord.

Christians keep on keeping on. Chapter 17 of the Second London Baptist Confession deals with the Perseverance of the Saints. We see who it is who persevere, how they persevere, why they persevere, and the challenge to that perseverance.

The Church is of no use at all if it is not being the Church- Just as the vine is useless if it is fruitless, so is the Church that is not rooted and grounded in Christ. We are therefore called to radical faithfulness, that we may be a blessing.

We have heard his voice- We see in John 4-42 that we believe not simply because we have heard about Jesus, but because we have heard him. Those who believe bear witness to Christ, and our witness is all about him, and seeks to bring others to him - and he is pleased to draw people through our witness.…

What is the place of good works in the Christian life-- Chapter 16 of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession addresses this question, avoiding both legalism and antinomianism, and dealing with the errors of the Roman Catholics.

God sometimes deals in what seems like a harsh way with his people because he must. In Ezekiel 14 we see how God had to deal with Israel's heart-idols, seizing their hearts and calling them to repentance, to restore them at last to a right relationship.

Who is Jesus, and what does he give to his people-- In John 4-1-26 we see Christ and the woman at the well, his promise of the Holy Spirit as living water, and true worship in spirit and truth.

Repentance and faith are twins, never apart. Chapter 15 of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession deals with the doctrine of repentance. It speaks of the necessity and nature of true Christian repentance as an evangelical grace.

False prophets are people who claim to speak for God, but actually just speak from their own minds. In Ezekiel 13 God condemns them. We see the deceivers who are the false prophets, God's denunciation of them, and God's deliverance of his people from their clutches.

Christ is all. In John the Baptist's final testimony recorded in the 4th Gospel, he corrects some of his disciples who did not understand, and points to the importance of a confession of Christ, and faith in him.

God's Word is sure and certain. We see in Ezekiel 12 God's Word being preached, and a warning against despising it. We see God's word concering the prince, Zedekiah, God's word concerning the people, and God's condemnation of a foolish proverb.

What is it to become a Christian-- It is not a mere change of opinions, but a new birth- In John 3-7 Jesus says -You must be born again.- WE see the conundum of the New Birth, the Cross of Christ, and the Condemnation of rejecting Christ.

What is the faith that saves-- Chapter 14 of the 1689 Second London Confession speaks of the grace of faith, the life of faith, and the victory of faith.

Where is the Church to put its hope-- In Ezekiel 11 we see how the leaders in Jerusalem in Ezekiel's day had a foolish arrogance that they were safe because of their position. In fact the only hope the Church has is in God, in his work by his Spirit.

THe Lord Jesus Christ is the true Temple of God. In John 2-12-25 we see his cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple, his claim as Son of God, and his caution in committing himself to those not truly committed to him.

God's presence is the Church's glory. It is in fact God being in the Church that makes it the Church. And that presence is not to be taken for granted, or despised. In Ezekiel 10 we see the dangerous glory of God, the necessary glory, and the departing glory.

What is sanctification, and why does it matter-- Chapter 13 of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession deals with this important doctrine. We see what it means to be holy, what growth in grace is, and what errors are to be avoided.

What a difference Christ makes- In John 2-1-11 we see how he saved a wedding that had run into serious trouble. But how is Christ turning water into wine a sign-- We see the trouble at the wedding, the transformation Christ wrought, and the trust that it fostered in his disciples.

Chapter 12 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession deals with adoption. All too often overlooked, adoption is a vital element of our salvation, as we are brought into God's family by grace.

Judgement begins at the house of God- In Ezekiel 9 we see the result of the sin of Ezekiel 8, God's judgement. We see how in the professing Church there are those who are true believers, who sigh and cry over the apostasy and corruption, and that they are precious in God's sight, and spared in God's judgement because of his grace.…

To be a Christian is to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus. In John 1-35-51 we see the call of discipleship, the confession of discipleship, and the challenge of discipleship.

The doctrine of justification by faith was the central doctrine of the Reformation, and is of vital importance today. Chapter 11 of the 1689 Confession deals with this doctrine. We see what justification is and what it is not, and the answers to several important questions surrounding it.

Ezekiel 8 is a truly shocking vision of the Temple of the Lord profaned by idolatry. We see in it the danger of apostasy and compromise, of losing confidence in God, and instead turning to other things. And also we see that there is but one hope for the Church, that of returning to God.

The witness of John the Baptist was a witness to Christ. We see in John 1-15-34 his denial that he is the Christ, his defence of his ministry as a preparation for Christ, and his declaration that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The people to whom Ezekiel preached were complacent, and did not think about God's justice and judgement. In Ezekiel 7 God confronts them with the reality of his judgement in the coming fall of Jerusalem. And in that judgement we have a foretaste of the judgement of the Last Day. We see God's justice, his Day, and the need for salvation before that…

John's Gospel begins at the beginning of all that has a beginning, as he tells us who the Lord Jesus Christ is. He speaks of the Divine Word, of the prophetic witness to the Word, and the wonder of the Word made flesh.

Chapter 10 of the 1689 Confession deals with the topic of effectual calling. What is it, and why is it an important topic-- We see also how the Confession deals with some pastoral issues, those unable to respond, and those who belong to other religions.

At Epiphany we think of Christ the light of the Gentiles. Isaiah shows us a picture of the future- the Church as a beacon shining forth the light of Christ, the building of the Church with living stones out of all nations, and the brilliance of the future new creation, where Christ is the light of his people for ever.…

At Epiphany we think of the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus. We see how Christ divides people- some respond in faith, others in fear. Some welcome him, others reject him. True wisdom leads to worship.

Free will is one of the most fought over teachings of the Bible. But what does it even mean to say that people have a will, or that it is free-- Looking at chapter 9 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession we consider first what the will is, and secondly the condition of the human will in the fourfold state of human nature.…

At the end of one year we look forward as well as back. We see in Isaiah 35 our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, the help God gives to helpless sinners, and the way of holiness God's people walk.

Christ has come- He has come at the time appointed, and was born to save us. We see in Galatians 4-4-6 the slavery that was before Christ, the Saviour who has been born for us, and the sonship he brings to his people.

Christ has come. Who is this child born in Bethlehem-- The angels tell us he is a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. In this short Christmas Day message we see what that means.