Sermons from March 2023

Names of God: Immanuel: God, God with us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWU2_oFBLhEImmanuel means “God with us.” God told King Ahaz (Is 7:14), through Isaiah the prophet, that a mother would bear a son and that people would call Him Immanuel. That child would be a sign of God’s presence with His people. The baby Mary was to bear on that first Christmas, Jesu, was called Immanuel. In everything He did, Jesus showed ‘God with us.’ Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave a promise that He would remain with His followers…

Names of God: Jehovah Jireh, God is our provider

This week we examine Jehovah Jireh – Since God sees the future as well as the past and the present, he is able to anticipate and provide for what is needed. When you pray to Jehovah Jireh, you are praying to the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for your needs.

Names of God: Jehovah Nissi, The Lord Our Banner

This week we examine Jehovah Nissi – The Lord our Banner. Nes (nês), from which Nissi is derived, means “banner” in Hebrew. In Exodus 17:15, Moses, recognizing that the Lord was Israel’s banner under which they defeated the Amalekites, builds an altar named Jehovah Nissi (the Lord our Banner). Nes is sometimes translated as a pole with an insignia attached. In battle, opposing nations would fly their flag on a pole at each of their respective front lines. This was…

Names of God: Jehovah Tsidqenu, The Lord Our Righteousness

This week the words ‘Jehovah Tsidqenu’ cannot be found in any commonly used Bible as they are a transliteration of a Hebrew phrase that is translated as ‘The Lord our Righteousness’ (Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16) in our English language bibles. Righteousness is an attribute of God. God always does what is right, just, proper, and consistent. When we say that God is righteous, we mean that there is no wrong, dishonesty, dissonance or unfairness. God is the perfectly righteous one and God’s righteousness is an everlasting righteousness

Names of God: El Shaddai, Almighty God

Though often associated with the military might of God, “El Shaddai” conveys more than the raw power of God alone. The root “shad” means “breast” and of the six times that the name “El Shaddai” appears in the Book of Genesis, five are in connection with fertility blessings for the patriarchs. Biblical scholar David Biale argues that this original understanding of “Shaddai” as related to fertility and nourishment was forgotten by the later authors who understood it as being related…