Church of the Messiah Ottawa - Sermons: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 25th June 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 13:1-31

-------------------

If you are more biblical than the Bible, you are not biblical. (1-3)

If you are less biblical than the Bible, you are not biblical (4-22)

Be very careful of saying about a biblical narrative, "Go and do likewise." (Matt 27:5)

There is only one true hero in the Bible, someone who is unfailingly courageous, wise and good. His name is Jesus.

A wiser question to ask as you read a biblical narrative: "Is it I Lord?" (Matt 26:20-22)

No one has a right to God's presence and love.

No one is so good that they do not need God's mercy and grace, and no one is so bad that they will not freely and lavishly receive God's mercy and grace when they humbly call out to Him.

The good news of the person and work of Jesus is that it turns your heart from "Remember me Lord!" to "My Lord and Saviour remembers me!"

Gotta Serve Somebody

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Gotta Serve Somebody

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 18th June 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 9:1-37

God's Inerrant Authoritative Word

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100

God's Inerrant Authoritative Word

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 11th June 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 8:1-18

-------------------

The Triune God reveals true truth.

The Triune God desired His words to be written, recognized, preserved - and it was so.

Since these are words that the Triune God speaks, they are inerrant and authoritative.

"... you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man or woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:15b-17 ESV.

"You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 ESV.

WHO WE ARE: We are a prayerful, Bible-teaching, evangelical church in the heart of Ottawa with a heart for the city and the world. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus, gripped by the gospel, living for God’s glory.WAYS TO GIVE: https://www.messiahchurch.ca/donate

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/

Walking in the Fear of God

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Walking in the Fear of God

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 4th June 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 5:1-19

-------------------

Father, please make the person of Jesus, His completed work, and His words, ever more precious to my heart, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit I will walk free in the fear of God.

Sin is an ever deeper descent into the vain and ruinous belief that you are god.

The fear of God is an ever deepening, existential knowing of the difference between the Triune God and you, so that there is no confusion or (imagined) co-mingling on your part.

The life-giving grace of God in Christ crucified changes everything.

Father, please make the person of Jesus, His completed work, and His words, ever more precious to my heart, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit I will walk free in the fear of God.

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/

Forgiveness and Unforgiveness

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 28 May 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Forgiveness and Unforgiveness

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 28th May 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 4:1-23

-------------------

The LORD's quiet "yes" always trumps the worlds loud "NO!"

Forgiveness does not involve injustice, exoneration, forgetting, minimizing, or favoritism.

Forgiveness deals with inexcusable wrongdoing.

To be forgiven is life giving. To forgive is lifegiving.

The Lord Jesus Christ wants you to walk the path of forgiveness with Him.

As the forgiveness of Jesus becomes more real to your heart, He will deepen you, ground you, draw you, and propel you to forgive.

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/

Every Square Inch

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 21 May 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Every Square Inch

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 21st May 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 2:9-20

-------------------

The wall was built to serve the beautiful vision - the beautiful vision did not serve the wall.

The gospel forms you to be a person of the truth who rejects lies. (Prov 1:9)

God says “Mine” so you will have a home.

There is no square inch of reality that the Triune God does not say "Mine."

The Triune God is real, so He acts in real history, so He can be really known.

Jesus is forming the real you to follow Him and make Him known in the real world.

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/

Growing Courage

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 14 May 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Growing Courage

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 14th May 2023

Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-2:10

-------------------

Sermon Points:

Biblical prayer is a means of grace.

When you pray according to His word, the Lord is slowly fitting you for the new heavens and the new earth.

When you pray according to His word, the Lord bestows on you the gift of causality.

When you pray according to His word, He forms you to right-size the world.

When you pray according to His word, the Lord is storing up courage in you for those times when you are afraid.

Prayer and thinking are not the same, but they are natural and necessary partners.

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/

Embracing The Beautiful Vision

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 07 May 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Embracing The Beautiful Vision

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 7th May 2023

Passage: Ezra 9:1-10:44

-------------------

Sermon Points:

The world has been so changed by Jesus that it is hard to look at anything the way an ancient pagan would.

There can be no good "Yes!" without saying multiple "No's!"

The Lord is inviting you to say "Yes" and embrace His grace-given beautiful way.

The "Holy Seed" is not a biological reality but a grace created reality.

Jesus died a slave's death, so that you, a slave to "the world, the flesh, and the devil," might be free in Him.

God: Untameable and Good

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0100

God: Untameable and Good

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 30th April 2023

Passage: Ezra 7:1-8:36

-------------------

The true God has revealed Himself in an open and public way through His word written.

The true God desires that you bring the best of your mind and heart to bear on understanding His word written - and how you shall then live.

You have a yearning for the One who can move empires, yet can put His strong hand of love upon the real you.

The true and living God is untamed, untameable - and pure goodness and love.

When you had forsaken the true and living God, Jesus came to die forsaken by God, so that you could truly live as His adopted child.

As the person and work of Jesus become more real to your heart, His presence and His word help you to de-flatter yourself, and live authentic and free in the real world.

Yearning for the Real and True God

Rev. George Sinclair — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Yearning for the Real and True God

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. George Sinclair

Messiah Downtown

Date: 23rd April 2023

Passage: Ezra 3:1-4:5

-------------------

The real Lord, who really exists, created the real world, calls the real you, into a real covenant, of real unfailing love.

The Lord Jesus Christ's death upon the cross was the true and greater sacrifice to which all the sacrifices pointed.

You have a longing and a yearning to be in a relationship of unfailing love that is good and true and realer than real.

You come into His presence to know Him as the Triune God, receive Grace from Him, and respond in a worthy manner.

To follow the Lord involves a crucial and inescapable inter-generational dimension.

The Lord does not want more Canadians, He wants to adopt more children to glorify and enjoy Him forever.

Stirred up to go where God leads

Rev. Dr. Steven Griffin — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Stirred up to go where God leads

Series: Ezra & Nehemiah: Renewal & Rebuilding Amidst the Ruins

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Steven Griffin

Messiah Downtown

Date: 16th April 2023

Passage: Ezra 1:1-11

-------------------

Web: https://www.messiahchurch.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottawamessiahchurch/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comottawa/