Sermons - December 2024
2024-12-29 – Morning
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Ephesians 1:4-6
Theme: The secret of God’s election of sinners, is His mercy in Jesus Christ.
In explaining how the Ephesians came to faith, Paul touches on the doctrine of election. His understanding of it causes him to praise God for the mercy and wonder of it all. In response to this, we are to realize that us receiving salvation is of the choice of God alone. God is the One who acts and effects our salvation. We are therefore not to attempt to gain salvation by any other means than by receiving it mercifully from God alone.
2024-12-29 – Evening
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Psalm 110 & Heidelberg Catechism LD 19
Theme: Christ governs at the right hand of the Father from where He shall return to judge.
What meaning does Christ’s seat at the right hand of God have for us believers? The comfort of knowing that at God’s right hand, He rules over all things, especially over His church. It also assures us that it is from there where He will once again come to judge the living and the dead. This is not something we are to be dreading, but rather something we should pray for fervently.
2024-12-25 – Christmas Morning Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Luke 2:1-10
Theme: Angels sings the first Christmas Carol to Shepherds.
At the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the angels came from heaven to perform the first Christmas carol to lowly shepherds. That same song has been sung in almost every language known to man since that time. The reason for that is the truth contained in the song of the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!
2024-12-22 – Morning
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Ephesians 1:3 & Deuteronomy 28
Theme: Believers are infinitely rich in Christ.
Having surveyed the grand vista of the grace of God in Christ, we look deeper into what the blessings is that God promises us is Christ. These blessings are a result of a relationship which God established with us in which He is our God and Father, and we are His servants and children. As a response to the blessings which God so lavishly endows us with, we wish to serve Him with our whole being and obedience. We serve and obey not so that we may be loved by God; we serve and obey because we are loved by God.
2024-12-15 – Morning
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Ephesians 1:3-14
Theme: A vista on the landscape of God’s grace.
Paul breaks into a doxology singing glory to God for the abundant blessings that He has bestowed upon us. In doing so, he draws our attention to the work of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit in our salvation. He shows us how the Father predestined (elected) us to be saved; how the Son became man in order to achieve this salvation; and how the Holy Spirit works in us to assure us of this salvation.
2024-12-08 – Morning
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Ephesians 1:1-2
Theme: Revelation & Blessing to a New Community in Christ.
Paul writes his letter to the saints in Ephesus under command of the Holy Spirit. In greeting the brothers and sisters at Ephesus, Paul already reveals a great many things about those saints. He goes on to pray unto them the grace and peace of God; the lovingkindness and mercy of the Father, through the faithfulness of the Son, worked in us by the Holy Spirit.
2024-12-08 - Evening
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: 1 Corinthians 15 & Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 17
Theme: Christ conquered death by His resurrection.
For you to be a Christian, there is one undisputed fact that you have to believe in to be true: that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The Heidelberger gets straight to the point by asking what benefit Christ’s resurrection has for you. It shows us how this fact of salvation is a personal blessing to each and every Christian who so believes.
2024-12-01 – Morning
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Psalm 5
Theme: The LORD’s instructions for personal prayer.
Prayer is something that comes easy for some yet is a struggle for most. We don’t always have the words or know what to pray. The LORD grants us an example and instructions on how to pray to Him in Psalm 5. This Psalm encourages us to begin our day in prayer to God; to know who God is; to make our requests known to Him; and to close our prayer in knowing that He will hear us.
2024-12-01 - Evening
Covenant Reformed Church, MT - Rev. Orrie Oosthuizen
Text: Luke 23:44-49, John 19:31-42 & Heidelberg Catechism LD 16
Theme: The death of our Lord, Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ truly died and was buried. It was not for show, and it was for very good reason that He had to die. It was in order to conquer over death and remove the stranglehold it had on us. Christ suffered the anguishes of hell in His death so that we may never have to experience it.