Breaking the sacred and secular divide

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses: Isaiah 6:1-8 and Romans 12:1-2

When growing up I had the idea that my life in church, and my life outside of church, were two different worlds.

Going to church with my parents, I realised quickly that it was a time to be neatly dressed and to be on one’s best behaviour. It was a time when people seemed rather serious. It was clearly very special, but different to the everyday life that we lived on the other days of the week. I understood this to some extent. On Sundays we were in church to worship our mighty God. This required proper behaviour. There was after all, plenty of time to relax during the other six days of the week.

Looking back, I perhaps had the idea that it was only on Sundays that we worshiped God, prayed, sang hymns and practised our faith life.

It seemed to be okay to relax during the week and to play around, and do things with my friends that might not be appropriate for Sunday.

E ultreia e suseia, Deus adjuva nos

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses: 2 Peter 1:1-11

2 Peter was the last book in the New Testament to be written, probably between 65 and 68 AD. It was also the last book to gain entry into the New Testament.  And it gained entry with the greatest difficulty.[1] A scholar described 2 Peter as: “… far inferior in every respect to 1 Peter … it is the least valuable of the New Testament writings.”[2] Although referred to in the 1st and second centuries it was apparently not until the fourth century that 2 Peter came to be accepted in the New Testament.

Many have challenged whether it was written by Peter because of the different style in the original writings. But whatever the debate we turn to 2 Peter 1 this morning.

The letter was written to counter the beliefs and activities of a group of people who were a threat to the Church.[3][4] They were using God’s grace as a justification for sinning. The first 11 verses reminded believers that through God’s grace they had been forgiven their sins and instructed them how, grounded in faith, they were to journey onwards and upwards without falling. Listen to these verses.

[1] The Letters of Peter and James by William Barclay. My Kindle location 5628

[2] EF Scott quoted by William Barclay

[3] William Barclay location 5635

[4] Barclay (location 5645) says that “It is clear that Peter is describing antinomians, those who used God’s grace as a justification for sinning. In all probability they were Gnostics, who said that only spirit was good and that matter was essentially evil and that, therefore, what we did with the body was not important and that we could follow physical appetites to excess and it made no difference.

Gounded in the Gospel: Have salt among yourselves

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses: Joshua 14:14-24; Mark 9:49-50

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!”

This passage in Joshua 24 has always been one that has struck me.

Joshua has led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He has done all that he was called to do. Undertaking much of this at an advanced age.[1] As he is nearing the end of his life he gathers the tribes at Shechem and he addresses them. He does two things: he first recounts what God has done for them, and then challenges them.

And the challenge is one that I go back to time and again, and that I want us to examine.

Joshua describes the history of what God has done, and this is detailed from the time of the flood, escaping from Egypt right up to where they are at that point in time.

They have crossed into the Promised Land, have conquered many nations and taken cities.

Joshua 24:13 : “So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.”

[1] See Joshua 13:1

I Have Heard You Calling

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 and John 1:43-51

I have spent my working life in the practice of law. And much of this has been in litigation. The art of advocacy is to present the facts and the argument in such a way that the Judge will not only hear the words spoken, but will understand them and make a decision based on your argument.
You want the Judge not only to hear you, but also to listen to you.

If our hearing is not impaired, “hearing” is something which happens to us as a natural process when someone speaks.

“Listening” is something we need to do consciously – we need not only to hear, but to take in, consider and respond.

I know that sometimes when I am watching sport and Sue calls me to help in the kitchen I don’t “hear” immediately – meaning I hear but I don’t listen.
I am sure as children there were times when you heard your parents calling you to stop playing and to come in to bath. But did you listen? That was another question!

The Solas of the Reformation - Christ Alone

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses: Colossians 1:15-22, Philippians 3:10-14

It was 500 years ago that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg launching what became known as the Reformation. If you were here last week you would have heard that we are looking at what have become known as the five “solas” of the reformation. These are:

• Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
• Sola fide ("by faith alone")
• Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
• Solus Christus or Solo Christo ("Christ alone" or "through Christ alone")
• Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

Alan commenced last Sunday by looking at “Grace alone”. And he said this:
Grace is “not simply a theological concept to discuss and debate, grace is the means whereby we start, continue and finish our faith journey on earth and beyond.”

As we look at “By Christ alone” this morning I want to continue with the picture of our faith journey and how we are to respond to the five solas. And I want to look at this:

•  Against the context in which Luther found himself;
•  The supremacy of Christ; and
•  Our response.

There Was Once a Man Who Planted a Vineyard. Accept or Reject?

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Verses:Romans Isaiah 5:1-7 and Matthew 21:33-46

The mayor of Johannesburg is on a campaign to get rid of tenants who have hi-jacked buildings belonging to others. The tenants have moved in, refused to pay rental, refused to recognise the landlord and in some cases representatives of the landlords, have been killed when trying to intervene. It is not just tenants.
The law reports record many instances of employees, agents, franchisees, and representatives who have either misused or stolen the property entrusted to them.
These are persons who have been given every opportunity to do well both for themselves and for the owner, but have turned rogue and ignored the owner. The owner who had trusted them and entrusted to them the property in question.
What does the owner feel? Completely disappointed, let down, and betrayed. And retaliation follows. Applications for interdicts, termination of the contract and claims for damages.
And as we consider the passages read for us this morning we will realise that this is the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden....

What is the Gospel? Part 7: Place Your Life Before God

Preacher: Gordon Hay

Series: What is the Gospel

Verses: Deuteronomy 6:4-­9, Joshua 24:14 ‐15, Romans 12:1-­2