Last Sunday we saw that our sin has ruined the world that God gave us to rule. And what’s even more, our rebellion against God makes us deserving of His righteous judgment. We don’t like this idea of God’s judgment, do we? Many argue that God’s love should stop Him from judging those He loves. The wrath of God is difficult to grasp. This is especially so when each of us are in rebellion against God and we also deserve God’s wrath and eternal judgement for our sins. It’s true that from a purely human perspective God’s eternal judgment of sinners can seem at best harsh and even absurd. Yet, in a way, God’s justice is good news. Evil is not going to have the final say. Those who have suffered abuse and mistreatment need to know that God hates those things, and He will someday make it right. The justice of God is a difficult, but crucial, component of the gospel message. We can proclaim that ‘Jesus Saves’, but from what does he save us? We need the bad news for only then will sense the beauty of God’s grace and mercy.

Bible Passage: Psalm 96

Pastor: Jim De Witte

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Last week we were introduced to God as the good ruler and creator of a good world. We were placed in that good creation to take care of it. So, have you ever wondered why so many things in this life are relentlessly so difficult, so painful, and so frustrating? Why so many things are so far from what they should be? As you look at the world around you, do you ask yourself where it all went so wrong? As Christians, we believe that the fundamental problem rests within each one of us; it lies within our own hearts. We call it sin. But what is sin? How did sin come into the world? ‘Everything that is wrong in our lives and in the world stems from the fateful choice humanity has made. From the very beginning, we didn’t want God to be our ruler. We rejected him as God by deciding to live our own way, in defiance of him.’ How this happened and how it impacts everything is what we will look at today.

Passage: Genesis 3:1-24

Preacher: Jimm de Witt

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Pastor: Jim De Witte

Passage: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Over the next 6 weeks we are going to look at some key points of the Gospel, based around the ‘Two Ways to Live’ tract. And we start with who God is. Why? The basis of the whole gospel is that God is the ruler of the world. He rules because he made the world. He also made us. God created people who were something like himself and put them in charge of the world— to rule it, to care for it, to be responsible for it, and to enjoy all its beauty and goodness. He appointed humanity to supervise and look after the world, but always under his own authority, honouring him and obeying his directions. We exist to the praise of God’s glory, not our own, so we are accountable to him. We start here because, unless we can establish God’s authority, we have no basis as to why we should care or answer to God.

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