Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.47 – December 2008   Skin, Not Sin A Christmas Sermon by Rev John De Hoog on John 1:14 Scripture Readings: Matthew 1:18-2:12; John 1:1-18   Beloved people of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is one of the most famous sentences uttered in the twentieth century: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Neil Armstrong said these words on 21 July 1969 as he took his first step on the surface of the moon. It was the Apollo 11 mission. Richard Nixon was President of America at the time, and as Neil...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.44 – November 2008   Letting the Water of His Goodness Flow  A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 40 Scripture Reading: Genesis 4:1-11   Congregation of our Lord... The Lord saw right through Cain. He looked at his heart. He perceived what was about to happen. He knew he was going to kill Abel. He even says it to Cain in Genesis 4:6-7. “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what’s right, sin is...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.43 – November 2008   My God, My Holy One Sermon by Rev John Zuidema Sermon 2 of 6, on Habakkuk  Scripture Readings: Habakkuk 1:12 — 2:1; Romans 8:28-39 Suggested Singing: BoW 337; 112; 359; Rej 529   Beloved people of the Lord Jesus Christ. I wonder whether you have ever thought about the fact that God is not just God of the many Christians in this world, he is also God over every non-Christian and every terrorist, and anyone else you would like to mention. God’s power is not just limited to Christians but his...

The Family is Love's Fountain A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 39 Scripture Reading:  Ephesians 6:1-9   Fellow saints... There is a change here in the Ten Commandments. The fifth commandment has quite a different focus than the first four commandments. This is why the fifth commandment has often been known as the first command of the second table of the Law. And this is the structure our Lord Jesus demonstrated, when, in Matthew 22:37 he said that the greatest commandment in the Law was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.39 – October 2008   The Reformation's Greatest Legacy - by Rev. Dr. Steve Voowinde Reformation Sunday Sermon  Text: 2Timothy 3:16-17 Scripture Readings: 2 Peter 1:12-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-4:8   Beloved people of the Lord Jesus Christ. Introduction What would you like to be remembered for when you die? What mark would you like to have left on the world when you are gone? What will be your legacy to the next generation? These may not be questions that we think about often enough. They may not always be comfortable questions, but they were certainly questions that...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.36 – September 2008   On God's Day Go God's Way! A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 38 Scripture Readings: Exodus 20:8-11; Hebrews 4:1-11   Congregation... There was a movie some years ago which brought out very well the meaning of the fourth commandment. The person who obeyed God by having a day of rest on Sunday wasn’t understood by those around him — and certainly not by the makers of the movie — yet his principle was clear. Not even the Prince of Wales could convince that man to break it!...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.35 – September 2008   Look, Watch and Be Utterly Amazed   A Sermon by Rev John Zuidema Sermon 1 of 6 on Habakkuk Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 1:1-11; Matthew 25:31-46 Suggested Singing: BoW 98a; 418; 379; 356; 520 Beloved people of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you ever tend to despair about the church, the bride of Christ? Allow me to just mention a few things that I sometimes despair about when it comes to the church universal. The church is only just coming to terms with the many abuses that have gone on in their...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.32 – August 2008   Got Your Hand on Your Bible A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 37 Scripture Readings:  Leviticus 24:10-23; Matthew 10:32-33   Congregation... Is this all real? Have we actually met for worship two times this Sunday? Now, could it be, in, say, three years times that I could possibly deny that you and I were here today? Imagine if I were to say then, “You know, I can’t recall that I was actually in the ………………………… Church that Sunday?"  Or even perhaps, “No, I’m absolutely sure I wasn’t...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.31 – August 2008   The Conversions of Cornelius and Peter A Sermon by Rev John De Hoog on Acts 10 Scripture Reading:  Acts 10 Suggested Singing:  BoW 104a; 402; 386 Dear Congregation. The story of the conversion of Cornelius is one of the keys to understanding the whole book of Acts. Let me explain what I mean. The story is told three times in Acts. In Chapter 10 Luke simply tells us the story. In Chapter 11:1-18 Peter tells the story to the church back in Jerusalem. Then later, in Chapter 15:7-11, the events are...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.13 – April 2008   Is Being A Christian Really Worth It? A Sermon by Rev Jack Kapinga on Malachi 3:13-4:6 Scripture Reading:  Malachi 3:13-4:6 Suggested Singing:  BoW 198; 217; 387; 117; Rej 337; 523   Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Introduction Do you sometimes wonder if it's really worth it? Is it really worth it to be a Christian? Is it really worth it to commit your life to the Lord? To truly live as a Christian comes at a high cost. For a start, God expects us to exchange our pride and self...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.15 – April 2008   Prayerfully Resisting Temptation A Sermon by Rev John Westendorp on Psalm 141 Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-3 Suggested Singing: BoW 195; 73:1,6,7,8; 141; 23a   Introduction: Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Some people are quick to claim that the Bible is irrelevant for modern living.They see a huge gap between the people of Bible times and us today.They lived primitive and simple lives... in agricultural communities.We live in fast-paced industrialised cities with all their complexity.They lived thousands of years ago in times of ignorance and superstition.We live in an age where science...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.16 – April 2008   Changed Right Around! A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 33 Scripture Reading:  Colossians 3:1-17   Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ... Many of the people who live in our country are migrants. Whether they came two hundred years ago, fifty years ago, or a year ago, there are those who came to this place with the hope for a better and different future. Yet, when many of those folk first came here, it was often a hard struggle. You can read the stories of migrants who, for...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.9 – March 2008   Robbing God A Sermon by Rev Jack Kapinga on Malachi 3:6-12 Scripture Reading:  Malachi 3:6-12 Suggested Songs:  BoW 148; 32; 218; 531   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Introduction Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, There are times in all of our lives when we feel spiritually alive. We have a faith that is strong, we find it easy to rejoice in the Lord, prayer is not difficult, and we feel as though nothing can go wrong and nothing can get us down. We are keen to serve our God and...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.10 – March 2008   72000 Unemployed Angels A GOOD FRIDAY Sermon by Rev John De Hoog on Matthew 26:47-56 Scripture Reading:  Matthew 26:31-46 Suggested Singing:  BoW 301; 308; 321   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. There are moments in history that can be identified as turning points. 27 January 1944 is one such moment. In June 1941, having conquered much of Europe, Hitler set his sights on Russia. It was to be a fatal mistake. German forces quickly surrounded Russia's second city, Leningrad (which is now known once again as St Petersburg), but the city...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.11 – March 2008   The Authority of Jesus Over Life and Death An EASTER Sermon by Rev John De Hoog on John 10:17-18 Scripture Readings:  John 10:17-18; Matthew 28 Suggested Singing:  BoW 360; 386   Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Who raised Jesus? It is Easter Sunday, the day we particularly celebrate the rising of Jesus Christ from the dead. So, who raised Jesus? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to our faith. Without it, we are lost. Paul writes these staggering words in 1 Corinthians 15: "If Christ has not been raised, our...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.12 – March 2008   It's Got to Come Out! A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 32 Scripture Reading: Romans 11:25-12:21   Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ... Have you ever been called "a chip off the old block"? You know, others notice how much you are like your parents? Perhaps it's your physical features, maybe a particular mannerism. There's something that strikes someone else about you that reminds them of your mum or dad. Imagine, though, instead of saying how much you were like your earthly parents, people were to...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.27 – July 2008   Learning to Truly Forgive A Sermon by Rev Peter Abetz on Matthew 18:15-35 Scripture Readings:  Matthew 18:15-35; Luke 19:1-9 Dear Congregation. Introduction Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Philip Yancey in his book, What’s so Amazing about Grace, gives an account of a weekend in which the author M. Scott Peck brought together 10 Jews, 10 Muslims and 10 Christians with a view to trying to develop some kind of reconciliation or community on a small scale. He tells how the Jewish people talked about all the horrible things...

Word of Salvation – Vol.53 No.28 – July 2008   The Name Above All Names! A Sermon by Rev Sjirk Bajema on Heidelberg Catechism, LD 36 Scripture Readings: Leviticus 24:10-23; Matthew 10:32-33 Congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ... The first and second commandments have very clearly told us that we’re not to rebel against who God is and how He shows Himself in His Word. They are commandments which concern what we are within — they begin with our hearts and souls. They are about inward attitudes. Now, with the third commandment, we move from that inward attitude to the outward...

Word of Salvation – Vol.12 No.48 – November 1966   Christmas Time Is Examination Time Sermon by Rev. J.F.H. vander Bom on Proverbs 17:3 Scripture Readings: Luke 1:46-55 & 1Cor. 3 :10--15 Text: Proverbs 17:3 Suggested Hymns: Psalter Hymnal: 235:1,2; 49:3 or: 39; 318:1,2,3;1 343:3,4; 201:3   Dear Christians, Christmas time is examination time. This is, in short, the message of today's text.  We mostly think of Christmas as a very happy time, among other reasons because by then the exams are over, and all the work has been done.  But this is only part of the truth, because the main...

Word of Salvation – Vol.12 No.47 – November 1966   Comfort, Comfort Ye, My People Sermon by Rev, J.J. van Wageningen on Isaiah 40:1-8 Scripture Readings: John 1:1-34 & Isaiah 40:1-8 Suggested Hymns: Psalter Hymnal: 162; 420:6,4; 211:4,6,7; 397; 464   Beloved Congregation, The Lord will comfort His people.  He calls His servants the prophets and charges them, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people."  He calls His servants who have to proclaim His Word, and gives them still the same charge: "Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people." And His people so need this comfort.  We hear about the warfare, the slavery,...