Have you turned up to worship on Sunday morning internally wondering, "Why exactly am I here?" In Psalm 30, a song David penned for the dedication of the temple, we are reminded why we come to worship God. We gather to praise Him for lifting us up out of the pit of sin, to be brought down from thinking life is all about ourselves and to turn back God's blessings to His praise.

This psalm confronts us with the all-glorious, all-powerful God who is described as a storm that levels everything in its path. How can we stand before this God and not be consumed? It is only through Jesus who opens for us the glory of heaven, faces the storm of God's righteous wrath for our sin at the cross and gives us peace on earth by reconciling us to God.

A pacemaker is a wonderful piece of medical technology that keeps a heart with an irregular rhythm beat at a settled pace. David finds himself in need of a pacemaker in Psalm 28 as he is unsettled by God's silence, the plight of God's people and being caught in the crossfire of God bringing His righteous judgement on the wicked. However, God settles David's heart by reminding David that He is David's strength and shield. We too find a pacemaker for our unsettled hearts in the Lord's anointed, Jesus Christ.

Jesus' resurrection is like the clutch of Christianity. A car without a clutch is useless; the gospel without the resurrection is useless and can't save. We might understand the importance of the resurrection, but how - like a clutch - does it grab us and drive us forward each day? As Jesus appears to His disciples, we see how His resurrection connects to life through providing certainty about salvation, about Scripture and about our mission. 

Peter's denial painfully illustrates how confidence placed in ourselves leads us down a dangerous path. Yet, grace flows to Peters like us. Jesus turns and looks at Peter in redeeming love. He then turned and went to the cross to pay for Peter's sin. It is in looking to Christ that we are freed from a misplaced confidence in ourselves and know the joy of His love which is greater than all our sins.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus preparing to drink what we couldn't drink - the cup of God's wrath. He is also the One who remains vigilant, watchful and awake while the disciples fell asleep. This account reminds us that Jesus bore the wrath we deserved and keeps watch over our souls. 

Peter Cundall, the late presenter of Gardening Australia, once spent 6 months in solitary confinement in a Yugoslavian prison. He said the experience strengthened him because it was the first time he had a room all to himself! This is an odd thing to be strengthened by. Jesus, however, also uses unexpected things to strengthen and build his church. We can be encouraged that Jesus uses circumstances which look simply hopeless or hopelessly simple to advance His kingdom.

Elders not only need a desire for the office and godly character, they must be able to teach and to lead. It is through the teaching of God's Word that we grow as believers. It's also through teaching that those who don't know the gospel encounter the risen Jesus. Thus, an elder has to instruct sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. Leadership is important because without it we stumble and lose our way. Thus, an elder is called to steward, serve and shepherd God's people.

One of the many gifts Jesus gave to His church when He ascended into heaven was elders (Eph. 4:11-12). Elders are both 'inwardly' called by God and 'outwardly' called by the congregation. In this first sermon on the eldership, we looked at the first two qualifications for elders: desire and character.

The Antioch congregation is troubled by visiting speakers who preach that a person must be circumcised to be saved. This controversy gives rise to an assembly in Jerusalem to deliberate and give a determination on the matter. The Jerusalem assembly illustrates the blessing of church government and polity. God uses church polity under the authority of His Word and led by His Spirit to provide certainty on the gospel, wise counsel on living as followers of Jesus and confidence to local congregations in their ministry and mission.

As Paul's first missionary journey comes to a close and together with Barnabas reports back to the church at Antioch, there is time to evaluate the mission. Was it successful? Were the commissioning church's expectations for gospel expansion met? These are questions that also confront current gospel ministry. Thus, Paul's first missionary journey helps to have realistic gospel expectations.

Jesus is faced with two lost causes: a woman suffering 12 years from an incurable disease and a 12 year old girl that dies. Yet, nothing is too hopeless for Jesus. In the healing of the woman and the resurrection of the little girl, we're reminded of the supreme confidence found in entrusting ourselves to Jesus - even when our lives fall apart.

The Greeks believed that history was circular. Things went from chaos to order and back to chaos again. History, thus, has no purpose. In stark contrast, the Bible presents history as linear. Paul preaches at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch that all of history hinges on the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus, it's in Jesus that we have the purpose and direction of human history.

In the Ninevite revival, 120,000 people repent of their sin and throw themselves on God's mercy. We expect Jonah to be rejoicing and busy discipling new believers! Instead, Jonah is found outside the city with arms folded in a grumpy rage. This final chapter of Jonah puts the spotlight on our deep-seated self-righteousness and the boundless grace and compassion of our God. The book concludes by asking: do we share God's heart for the lost?

Many of us are hesitant to talk with others about Jesus. Maybe we don’t want to cause a fuss. Maybe we’re naturally more reserved. Maybe we’re not great with words. So, we keep quiet and keep our heads down. Does the Bible provide any encouragement for reluctant evangelists? Jonah's 5 word sermon to Nineveh and the resulting Assyrian revival encourages us to remember 3 things in our attempts to share the good news: remember to keep it simple, remember what's at stake and remember God's heart for the lost.

A correctly proportioned fish swimming at the right place at the right time becomes a living submarine for a drowning, rebellious prophet. Yet, this is not just a bizarre set of coincidences. This is God's salvation! As Jonah sits in the dark, stinky fish belly, he rejoices that salvation belongs to God alone and is entirely of His grace. We, too, are reminded of God's great salvation in His Son and challenged to respond by committing ourselves to Him in thankfulness for His mercy.

As Jonah is chased down and faces the consequences for his rebellion, the grace and mercy of God are put on display. We are reminded that God disciplines those whom He loves and pursues His wayward children. We also see God's heart for the lost as He throws His prophet into the sea to secure the pagan sailors' rescue. In this there is a picture of Christ Himself who was thrown into the sea of God's righteous wrath on our behalf so that we would be brought to the safe harbour of heaven.

Being one of God's people doesn't guarantee that God will never ask us to do something we don't want to do. Due to the fact that we think we know better than God, we wander from God and rebel against His commands. Yet, God graciously calls us to run to Him and throw ourselves on His mercy.