Village Church – Kelvin Grove: Recent Episodes
Village Church
Today we’re continuing our series in Genesis, looking at Genesis 13 and 14. As we follow the stories of Abram and Lot, we’ll see two very different ways of living: one driven by what can be seen, and the other by trust in God’s promises. Ultimately, we’ll be challenged to ask ourselves, What is shaping my decisions? and What do I treasure most?
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Thank you for joining us for our Joint Service with St Paul’s Church. To learn more about our 2026 Mosaix Fundraiser please visit vc.org.au/villagemosaix.
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We continue in Genesis with a voice and a promise. God calls Abram an old man with no children and nothing special about him. God calls him to leave everything familiar behind: his country, his people, his father’s household. In return, God offers nothing tangible, just a promise: I will bless you, and through you, I will bless the whole world. Abram goes. But Genesis 12 doesn’t let us romanticize that obedience as before the chapter ends, Abram’s faith wavers under pressure in Egypt. This week we open our new series tracing the story of Abraham, and ask what faith looks like.
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Our culture is often filled with many divisions and a blindness that fails to our neighbours who are made in God’s image and the work of God Himself in the person of Jesus. In today’s story we will see how the hard hearts of those who should be the most ready to see Jesus causes blindness and how the faith of one woman reveals the heart of God who invites all to his table.
A message by Peter Lloyd.
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In Mark 6 we move from Jesus’ humble hometown all the way up to King Herod’s chambers; from a remote place to a boat at sea. In every place, Jesus reveals who he is, and his glory. But everyone, throughout the entire chapter, responds with hard hearts, even to Jesus’ incredible mercy and power.
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This week we start a holiday series on Mark 5-7: Reversing the Curse. Through Genesis 1-11 we’ve seen how life in this world is cursed because we rejected God. Now, through 3 personal encounters with Jesus, Mark shows us how Jesus finally came to reverse that curse. This week, Mark 5, we see Jesus encounter people who’ve had to wait far too long for him to reverse the curse for them. It raises the question: Why are we still waiting? How can we trust Jesus while we’re waiting for him to fix this world?
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We’ve spent the past term walking through the opening chapters of Genesis: creation and the purpose of relationships and work, the nature of sin, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, and now the scattering of the nations. It’s the story of Babel: humanity uniting to build a tower and make a name for itself, only to be scattered by God’s hand and given new languages. But the chapter doesn’t end in judgment. Tucked into the genealogy that follows is one quiet name: Abram. Out of the ruins of Babel, God will raise up someone to continue His redemptive plan for all of creation.
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In Genesis 9, humanity has a fresh start. After God has flooded the world, and preserved this one family, they step off the ark with all the optimism of new beginnings. The passage itself even sounds like we’re back in the garden. But it quickly becomes clear that not much has changed; that humanity is still sinful, and that the wheels quickly fall off again.
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We’re moving into chapter 5-8, where we encounter a world so corrupt that God’s response is swift and total – judgement in the form of a flood that covers the entire earth. It’s a confronting passage. But it doesn’t end there. Because in the middle of that judgement, there is an ark. There is mercy. There is restoration.
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Today we continue our teaching series on Genesis. Genesis is a book of firsts, and in Genesis 4 today we see the first children born, the first agriculture developed, the first city founded. At the very same time, we also see the first messed up family, the first sibling rivalry, and the first murder. What’s wrong with this world, that it’s so messed up like this? And what can be done about it? Is culture & education & technology the way out? Or is it mixed up in the problem?
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This week’s Community Group Study
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We continue our series in Genesis and turn to one of the most searching passages in all of Scripture — Genesis chapter 3. From the very beginning, God’s word has never shied away from the hard truths about the human condition, and this passage is no exception. In a world that often minimises, redefines, or flat-out denies the reality of sin, we need to hear what God has to say about it more than ever.
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In a world that is more connected than ever, yet lonelier than ever, the question of what relationships are truly for has never been more important. Are they simply for companionship? For fulfillment? For convenience? Or is there something far deeper that God had in mind from the very beginning? Today, Sam will take us through Genesis 2 and help unpack for us what the meaning of relationships are.
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Before the fall, before the sweat and the thorns, before work became a burden – there was a garden. And in that garden, God placed the man He had formed and gave him something to do. Work was not a consequence of sin; it was a gift. In Genesis 2, we discover that to be made in the image of a creating God is to be made for meaningful labor. This morning, we return to the garden – not to escape the reality of work, but to recover its original dignity, its divine purpose, and its deep connection to the God who works and who calls us to work alongside Him.
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Last week we started our series on Genesis as it revealed to us the meaning of the universe: God made everything to share with us his glorious goodness. This week we return to Genesis 1, to see how God shows his goodness in US OURSELVES, human beings God made his own likeness. What does it mean to be made in God’s image? What does it mean for the purpose of your life? How does that change the way we see other people around us?
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Before there was anything – there was God. And when He spoke, everything came to be.
Genesis 1 is one of the most profound passages in all of Scripture. It’s an invitation to wrestle with the deepest questions we carry. Why does anything exist at all? Why do we exist? What is this world for? And who is the God that stands behind it all? In a world that offers a thousand different answers to those questions, the opening pages of the Bible cut through with remarkable clarity. There is a Creator. There is intention. There is meaning. This morning, Jeremy will take us back to the very beginning of the Bible and unpack “The Meaning of the Universe.”
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Our very own BST student Chris helps us navigate the hills of Psalm 121 in this talk.
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| Today we kick off our holiday series in the Psalms. In the first of the Psalm of Ascent, a weary pilgrim cries out to God from a place of distress – surrounded by deceit, conflict, and hostility. This ancient prayer reminds us that honest lament is a form of faith, and that even in the darkest valleys, we can bring our deepest troubles before the Lord. As we begin our own journey of ascent, we are invited to voice our struggles and trust in the God who hears. Joram will bring us that shortly. |
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Paul makes it unmistakably clear: the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a footnote to the Christian faith — it is basis of the Christian faith. No resurrection means everything is pointless; faith is hollow, sin still has the last word. But Paul’s not trying to frighten anyone — he’s calling believers to the hope and glory of what they actually have. The resurrection is historically grounded, eyewitness-confirmed, and Scripturally foretold. It is the foundation of the Gospel.
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As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowds celebrate a king of their own expectations. But His actions reveal a very different kind of Messiah—one who confronts, restores, and calls us to see Him as He truly is. This week we ask: Who is Jesus, and what kind of Saviour are we looking for?
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In Romans 15 Paul reminds us that God’s plan has always included people from every nation, united in love together under Christ. As we listen to today’s talk, we’ll be thinking about how the gospel shapes the way we treat one another and how God fills his people with joy, peace, and hope as we trust in him.
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Every church has its differences. In this chapter, Paul helps us to navigate these differences with faith and love.
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Last few weeks we’ve heard from Romans 12 how the good news of Jesus should reshape our relationships. Today in Romans 13 we hear how the gospel should reshape our politics, the whole way we think about and relate to political power.
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We started Romans 12 thinking about how to not be conformed to the world but transformed in our mind. But now we end Romans 12 thinking about how to not be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good. What it looks like to see peace within—within our communities of grace and within hearts. And peace without—without retaliation, toward those outside the church.
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Last week we saw what it looks like to live together as different members of Christ’s body, especially as we SERVE each other. This week, finishing Romans 12, we’ll see what it looks like to LOVE each other with the love of Christ.
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Last week we saw that all of life must be lived as a response to God’s mercy to us in Christ Jesus. This week see what that looks like to LIVE TOGETHER as different members of the one body of Christ.
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We begin our new teaching series on Romans 12-16: A Family of Grace. Last year we worked through Romans 1-11, all about the gospel of grace, the good news that Jesus saves us entirely by grace, not by anything good we’ve done. The good news that grace unites even the most separate people of all, even Jews & non-Jews, into one family in Jesus. In Romans 12-16 we’ll see what it looks like to LIVE TOGETHER as a family of grace in our daily lives today.
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We end 2025 reflecting on Psalm 131 and how we can have a heart at peace.
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This is the last in our January teaching series: A Praying Church. Today Sam is preaching from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6: A Bold Church. What will it look like for us to approach God boldly in prayer this year?
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Our January teaching series is A Praying Church, looking at how we should pray together as a church family in this new year. Today Jeremy is preaching from Ephesians 3: A Loved Church. What will it look like for us to pray knowing that God loves us supremely in Jesus?
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During school holidays we take a break from Romans to look at Raising & Reaching.
Today Sam is talking about passing the gospel on to the next generation. It raises the question for all of us: How are we making sure the next generation is growing to know Jesus?
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We continue our series on Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, all about the good news of Jesus.
As we continue in chapter 5, we see just HOW CERTAIN is the HOPE we have in Jesus.
As we see all the brokenness of this world, Paul will say the salvation of Jesus is even bigger!
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When the hardest things in life come at us, we can feel shaken. But in Romans 5, we get a picture of the clear and certain hope that we have in Christ, anchored in our past justification and our future hope of glory. Philip helps us to see the bridge that we stand on, anchored between these two realities, where God holds us and grows us, even (or especially) when the hardest things in life come at us.
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After hearing the great promise of righteousness by faith in Christ, Paul goes back to see how this was true even before Christ, looking to Abraham as the key example. Jeremy helps us to see the power of faith to give us life before God.
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Sam goes through how friendship and fellowship with one another is affected by and experienced through the vapour of life.
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Philip explores the seasons of our lives – the good and the bad – and how God draws them together.
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Jeremy continues our series in Ecclesiastes as the Teacher decides to explore what can be gained from pursuing pleasure, wisdom and achievement under the sun.
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Jeremy kicks off our new series in Ecclesiastes by exploring the wisdom of ‘the Teacher’ as he considers the meaning of life under the sun – if any can be gained from it.
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In this one-off talk to kick off our term, Sam helps us to hear about the value and power of friendship, and how Christ calls us to walk closely in friendship with one another.
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In our final talk in Matthew, Sam takes us through just how lifechanging Jesus’ being raised was for the first witnesses and us today.
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This week Sam continues to look at how Jesus takes our shame upon himself by being humiliated and beaten by the Roman and Jewish leaders.
Warning: this passage deals with some themes that some might find upsetting.
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Jeremy takes us through the kangaroo court set up to find any way to convict Jesus and sentence him to death. At the same time, Peter waits outside.
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In His darkest moment, when He needs His friends most, Jesus is either abandoned or betrayed by His closest friends. Jeremy goes through this passage this week delving into what Jesus has done for everyone in this moment.
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This week Philip takes us through the Passover meal Jesus has with his closest friends and disciples.
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Jeremy takes us through the anointing of Jesus as the Pharisees plot to kill him.
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“Who is then that faithful and wise servant…?” Philip continues our series in Matthew this week by unpacking Jesus’ parables that help to dig deeper about who and what we do as his people, ready for his return.
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This week Sam unpacks Jesus’ predictions for Jerusalem and us and what that might mean for how we live our lives in Christ.
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No one likes a hypocrite – including Jesus. This week Sam unpacks what Jesus has to say to hypocrites.
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A wedding feast, tested loyalties and a theological riddle. Jeremy continues our series in Matthew as Jesus is put to the test by the religious leaders of his day.
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Jeremy kicks off our final series in Matthew unpacking a withered fig tree, what it means to have a fruitful life and faith that can move a mountain.
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As we get into the year, Colossians has so much to help us think about what we want for this year; for what God wants from us, and for how we can be praying for growth this year. But ultimately, Colossians 1 wants our vision to be caught up with a vision of glory and worship of Jesus.
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As we approach the end of 2024, Sam McGeown talks from Psalm 98 – of how the world and all its people are called to shout for joy at the coming of the king.
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This week Sam McGeown unpacks the power of the Christmas story through the eyes of the wise men in Matthew 2.
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Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? The weak rising up, against all odds, to conquer and vanquish the seemingly invincible forces of evil. But why? We seem so saturated by this storyline, we take it for granted. Philip unpacks the origins of this cultural motif with the greatest story of weakness overcoming all odds – Jesus birth and the surprising first hearers of this good news.
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Sam continues in chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, unpacking the ways in which our bodies are changed in the resurrection and how that affects how we live now.
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Sam continues into 1 Corinthians 15 as Pauls responds to some in the Corinthian church who have said there is no resurrection.
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Why do we even come to church? What’s the purpose of it? In 1 Corinthians 14, Jeremy Wales unpacks some of the whys for what we do at church.
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Love is an idea we’re all familiar with, right? This week Jeremy Wales unpacks love from Jesus’ perspective and how that was to shape everything the Corinthians and we do.
Paul addresses the Corinthians’ issues surrounding spiritual gifts to help them remain united rather than divided. Jeremy unpacks how this may look for us in our current circumstance.
In the final talk for this Holy Spirit series, Jeremy Wales unpacks the peace and unifying work of the Holy Spirit – bringing many who would otherwise never be a community, together in Jesus.
This week, Jeremy Wales go through a number of passages that show us how the Holy Spirit works in the lives of God’s people.
This week Jeremy Wales starts our three week mini-series on the Holy Spirit by looking at what Jesus spoke most about what the Holy Spirit does: providing the presence of Jesus in His followers.
Sam McGeown lays out the vision for Village Church – what we stand for, where we’re going and why we do what we do.
Continuing our holiday series in the book of Psalms, Daniel Soesilo preaches from psalm 3. We’ll hear of how King David can find hope in hopelessness as he turns to God and so can we.
During term 3 holidays, Peter Lloyd and Daniel Soesilo will be preaching from Psalms 1 to 3. Peter begins the mini-series with a look at the happiness that comes only from God and how we might have it despite our circumstances.
In the final sermon of the series in Ruth, Sam unpacks the legacy of love running through the book of Ruth. We see how, in Jesus Christ, there is still hope despite the circumstances.
This week in the book of Ruth, Sam unpacks how Boaz takes on the role of family redeemer for Naomi and Ruth as he points to Jesus’ own redeeming work for us on the cross.
This week Sam preaches from Ruth of how risk-taking is part of a life following Jesus just as Ruth and Naomi took a risk in Boaz.
On the surface, this passage is about the culturally-distant question of whether to eat meat offered to idols. But under the surface, it’s a passage that raises the question of how we use our freedom in Christ to love those around us, in all the areas of life where our words or actions could damage our brother or sister’s conscience.
In this final talk in our Pure Sex series, Jeremy helps us to think about how God’s word helps us to catch a vision for following Jesus in our marriage or singleness, in all of the challenges and gifts in each.
As we come to chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians, Paul starts to address some of the most challenging areas of life, including marriage and singleness. In this talk, Jeremy helps us to see the foundation that Paul lays for how we can make decisions in these areas of life: the priority of honouring Christ with our lives, and how that should shape our decision-making in every area of life.
In this talk, Sam helps us through this confronting passage, to see that what we do with our bodies really matters, to us and to God. And yet, we were bought at a price, at the cost of Christ’s body, to restore us and make us pure, so there’s always hope.
As we start to think about God’s vision for the purity of sex, we come to another complicated struggle in the Corinthian church: a man sleeping with his father’s wife. Into this situation, Paul reminds the church of the power of making right judgements—with clarity, without hypocrisy—and how important this is for maintaining health in the church.
In our final talk in Upside Down World, we see that the gospel transforms the way that we see ourselves.
Sam opens up 1 Corinthians 3 for us, showing how the gospel transforms the way that we see Christian leaders, as those who follow in the example of the cross.
In this talk, Jeremy helps us to see how the gospel turns our expectations of power, wisdom and maturity on their head.
As we get into the letter, we see that the Corinthians are being proud and headstrong. So in response to their strength, Paul speaks the message of the weak and foolish gospel to them, to persuade them to become a weak church, who trust in the weakness of the cross, and not in the strength of personality or influence.
If you’re a Spanish-speaker and you’re in a community group, you can grab the 1 Corinthians 1-4 studies here.
In this holiday talk, Jeremy helps us to catch God’s vision for his body, his church: To live together in intimacy, humility, and empathy, in Christ.
In this holiday talk, we look at what the Bible has to say about love in community. In 1 John 4, we will see that in order to have Christ’s love at work in our community, we will be loving one another in affection, in sacrifice, and in truth.
In this Easter Sunday talk, Sam shows us how the resurrection of Jesus gives hope and truth to everyone.
In this talk, Sam brings us the story of Jesus riding in to Jerusalem on a donkey, the picture of the truly humble king, who was on the road to give his life for our sake.
The third talk from our Village Church Camp, where Nick Brennan helped us see our union with Christ and with one another, from Hebrews 3-4.
The second talk from our Village Church Camp, where Nick Brennan helped us see our union with Christ and with one another, from Matthew 18:1-14.
The first talk from our Village Church Camp, where Nick Brennan helped us see our union with Christ and with one another, from John 15:1-17.
In this talk, Jeremy helps us to understand Jesus’ famous parable of the vineyard, and his call toward humility in his disciples.
Jesus again uses a little child as an illustration of his kingdom, and he challenges his disciples to become small and to give up their attachments to the world for the sake of his kingdom.
In this talk, Jeremy helps us work through Jesus’ debate with the Pharisees, and his challenging words about marriage and divorce.
In this talk, Sam helps us to understand Jesus’ challenge toward humility and forgiveness for his disciples.
In this passage, we see people struggling to see Jesus clearly. With the crowds, with the Jewish religious leaders, and even with Jesus’ disciples, they struggle to see who Jesus is and why he’s here, because they struggle to see past their own pride, or expectations. But by the end of the passage, Jesus could hardly state it more clearly: He’s here to die, and anyone who follows him should expect to follow in his footsteps.
In this three-week holiday series, we are starting the year by hearing Jesus’ call to abide in him. In this final talk, Jesus reminds us that if people have hated him, they will hate his followers, but that he won’t leave our side.
In this three-week holiday series, we are starting the year by hearing Jesus’ call to abide in him. In this first talk, Philip helps us hear Jesus’ call to abide in the vine, Jesus, as our source of life.
In this three-week holiday series, we are starting the year by hearing Jesus’ call to abide in him. In this first talk, Jeremy helps us to hear Jesus’ call to being the only way to God.
In the lead up to Christmas, we’re going to be singing a lot of carols and Christmas songs. But in this three-week mini-series, we will be going all the way back to the original Christmas story, to hear some of the songs that were sung about the birth of Jesus. In this talk, we look at Mary’s song of joy and faith, and how it points us to the Christmas story.
In this one-off talk before the carols, we see two young boys explain God’s kingdom to a proud and fearful king. Because God’s kingdom is so simple that even (or especially) a child can understand it: Trust in your Father, who has done provided everything for you in Jesus, and depend on him.
We’ve just seen Nineveh come to repentance. But in this final chapter of Jonah, we will see God turn his attention to Jonah. We will watch God’s incredibly patient mercy with Jonah, trying to soften his heart towards the Ninevites, and to broaden his understanding of God’s mercy.
Jonah finally arrived at Nineveh, and gives his sermon. And against all odds, the people turn to God. As a prophet, should have been Jonah’s dream. But God loves to work through weak and broken people to show his strength and glory. And so, God is powerfully at work, even through this reluctant, cold-hearted prophet.
Last week, we saw that Jonah wants no part of God’s mission, or God’s calling for his life, and he runs in the opposite direction from God’s calling. Now, we see Jonah singing from the belly of a fish. What are we to make of this odd story, and what does it say to us about Jonah’s heart, and our own?
We’ve just looked at the book of Habakkuk, and we saw the prophet go from questioning God’s plans to praising his name. Now in the book of Jonah, we meet an even more reluctant prophet. Jonah wants no part of God’s mission, or God’s calling for his life, and he runs in the opposite direction from God’s calling. As Sam starts this series for us, this question is posed to each of us: Where are you tempted to run from God’s calling in your life?
In this final chapter of Habakkuk, he has moved from questioning God’s power and will to praising his name. Even though God’s plans don’t always make sense to us, He is good and working for our good, so we can praise His name.
Have you ever felt like God ignores your prayers? Have you wondered if he knows what’s best for your life? In the first part of this term, we’re going to be spending some time hearing from Habakkuk, a prophet who was forced to wrestle with these questions, as God’s response to his prayers seemed to be anything but what he expected or hoped for.
What hope does God have for the weak? What wisdom is there in weakness? In God’s design, he has so much grace and beauty for those who are in need, and ultimately we can see God’s power in weakness through the cross of Christ. In this two-week holiday series, we will explore these ideas and see what blessings that God has for us. In this first talk, Jeremy shares about how wisdom and weakness can go together, from the end of Paul’s letter to the Philipians.
What hope does God have for the weak? What wisdom is there in weakness? In God’s design, he has so much grace and beauty for those who are in need, and ultimately we can see God’s power in weakness through the cross of Christ. In this two-week holiday series, we will explore these ideas and see what blessings that God has for us. In this first talk, Ross McKenzie shares with us about his journey with weakness, and how Jesus has shown him the wisdom in it.
Jesus takes us through the parable of parables, where he explains how his teaching is both revealing and hiding his kingdom, depending on the hearts of his listeners. In the...
There are ways that Jesus confronts every culture, and Christians are forced to wrestle with Jesus’ call to follow him. In this talk, Jeremy walks us through a time when the religious leaders of Jesus’ time called him evil, and brings us into the modern days, to think about how we today can think through the ways that Jesus confronts our culture.
In this passage, we see Sabbath stories and servant songs. The Sabbath stories show us Jesus’ compassion for those in need, and the cold hearts of the Pharisees, in making...
To many, it can seem like Jesus and Christianity are good enough for others, but there isn’t enough to make them want to change, or give up their lives. But...
As we farewell Marcus, Anna and Reuben in their commissioning service, Sam reminds us of Jesus’ deep love for those who need it most, and how essential this is for...
Jesus teaches his disciples and us that we can’t expect to be treated any better than he was. Rob from BST takes us through this difficult part of God’s word,...
Jesus is our Good Shepherd who seeks out his lost sheep and sends us out to gather others because of his compassionate heart.
We often bring to the table a variety of different ideas about Jesus: he should act a certain way, or help me at a certain time etc… And when our...
“Authority” is one of those difficult words to deal with. In Australia, we’d rather you don’t make a big deal about your authority. Around the world, authority is often abused...
This Sunday we are starting a new sermon series in Matthew’s gospel. If you remember, a few months ago we spent some time at the feet of Jesus as he...
Last week we saw how God wants to give us his free gift of salvation. Today we’ll see how to receive this gift for ourselves. In Romans 10, Paul is...
God’s grace might be one of the easiest truths to explain but Christians often struggle to work out what it means from day to day. Am I saved by grace...
In the final part of Esther, we see God reversing everything, to save his people. Everything is turned upside-down, because of God’s hidden hand at work to care for and...
Our story continues as Mordecai & Esther reveal their identity as God’s people in order to thwart an attack against the Jewish people. In it, we discover that no evil...
We finished the book of Kings with Judah sent into exile. In Esther, we find out how some of these exiles get on in Persia… when they should have gone...
In the last chapter of 2 Kings, it seems like all hope is undone. For many years, God has been making promises to his people, and they have slowly become realised: for a land, to become a great nation, for the temple, for a king. But in chapter 25, one-by-one, each of these is undone. It seems like all of God’s promises have failed, and God’s people are in devastation. But in the final story of the book, we get a glimmer of hope, that maybe God’s promises still have a hope of being fulfilled. The final king in the line of David is being cared for, even in exile. God loves to give hope in the darkest places.
As our series in 2 Kings approaches its pointy end, we see two kings contrasted against each other: Manasseh & Josiah. The first was one of the worst, the second was one of the best. And yet, not even Josiah – for all his amazing reform – could stay God’s hand of judgement against the sins of his people. What we need is a king who is like Josiah but better: absorbing the wrath of God in our place.
After a glowing appraisal, we hear a couple of stories of Hezekiah’s life where we’re wondering how he’s gained such a status of “the faithful king.” The question over these stories is: Will he be like his father Ahaz, or like his (great-great-great grand) father David?
In this dark chapter, we hear about Ahaz following after the other nations and other gods in their idolatry, and God exiling Israel from the land. In this talk, Sam helps us think about how we might have this same tendency in ourselves, and how we can check our hearts in their worship of Christ.
After God appoints Jehu to be his assassin, 2 Kings almost seems to turn into a Tarantino film. After years of patience, God finally steps in through Jehu to defeat all those who have been railing against him and his people. This raises a lot of hard questions about God’s judgement. But whilst facing these questions alongside the peace that Christ provides, Mitch helps us to see God’s plan in this passage.
The Lord’s new prophet now takes up our pages as Elisha begins his ministry of healing & miracles. This leads to an outsider seeking help from the Lord and turning to him at a time when God’s own Kings aren’t walking in his ways.
This Sunday we had the privilege of hearing from our own Gospel Partners, Marcus & Anna, as they prepare to head overseas. In this talk, Sam takes us through the opening of Philippians and casts a vision for what gospel partnership is, why it’s important, and how we as a community can be fostering it.
In the final talk on Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses three images to help us grasp how we can enter his Kingdom: a gate; a tree; a foundation.
As Jesus wraps up his famous Sermon, he pushes his followers to consider what kind of relationships they need in order to live out his teaching: lives of humility before God and one another.
There are all sorts of things that can compete for our attention or affection. But Jesus wants to make sure we have a rock-solid relationship with our Heavenly Father. Therefore, he gives us the remedy to worry, so that we can focus on God clearly and be shaped by the concerns of his Kingdom alone.
Talk 1: Trials & Temptation (James 1:1–18) (Apologies! The opening introduction is missing due to technical error – this talk begins about halfway through point 1)
Jesus expects his followers to pray regularly. But he also knows that prayer can be hard. So in the middle of his Sermon, he teaches his disciples how to pray.
Lots of people LOVE the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the mourning, the humble. It’s beautiful! But people who love it often overlook the impossibly high bar Jesus sets in this week’s passage. Jesus summarises it by saying: “Be perfect”! (5:48). Do you really need to be perfect? Can you be? What do you do if you aren’t?
As Jesus starts his most famous sermon, he gives us a list of blessings that turn our expectations on their head. Jesus confronts us with the unexpected beauty of the Gospel: That God’s people aren’t those who look the most together and impressive; it’s those who are broken, needy and humble–poor in spirit, and thirsting for righteousness–who belong to the true people of God.
Following Jesus is hard work. That’s why God calls us to turn around and help others follow him. We call this discipleship. In this talk, we watch as Jesus calls his first disciples. We’ll see where discipleship begins, and where God wants to take us. Hopefully by the end we’ll have some idea of how we can be a community that makes and matures disciples who are radically committed to the cause of Christ.
Out of all the words we don’t really love to hear, repent is probably right near the top. But what does repentance actually mean? And why was John the Baptist so keen to get this message out as he prepares the way for Jesus? Sam explores that and more as we start our new series looking at the early ministry & teaching of Jesus.
How do we follow Jesus surrounded by people who don’t want us to? Should we conform? Should we fight? Peter shows us another way. [ Apologies on audio :’) ]
In chapter 2, Peter builds on what it looks like to leave our former life behind as we step into the new reality God is calling us into. This is made possible because of Christ our cornerstone – the foundation of our faith.
For Peter, knowing God and what he’s done for us in Jesus is what gives life its richness. That’s why he never separates doctrine from how we live our lives. In this passage, Peter builds on the living hope we have in the gospel to show us how it impacts the way we live loves of love & purity.
As we start a new year, we’re going to be spending four weeks thinking about our new birth into a living hope. Peter opens his letter by reminding us who we are: that is, just as Christ Jesus was chosen by God his Father, so too we have been chosen. There is nothing random or arbitrary about who or where we are. And this reality is what feeds our hope to keep following after Jesus.
Micaiah’s brave, suffering faithfulness to God’s word contrasts with Ahaz’s overt self-deception concerning God’s word, preferring what he wants to hear, and strikingly foreshadows Jesus’ brave, suffering faithfulness to God’s...
Knowledge isn’t something that’s stagnant. Knowing that a snake can bite you means you don’t go around picking up snakes. You know someone loves you not just by having information...
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. After...
Have you ever been led to believe that someone is something and then realised that that person is not the person you thought they were? Have you ever watched a...
Have you ever been led to believe that someone is something and then realised that that person is not the person you thought they were? Have you ever watched a...
We all think about something when we think about God; images or ideas we pick up throughout life. But thankfully, God doesn’t leave us to our own imaginations. He himself...
We all think about something when we think about God; images or ideas we pick up throughout life. But thankfully, God doesn’t leave us to our own imaginations. He himself...
In the first half of Ephesians 4 Paul wants to show us that as the very body of Jesus we as the church are essential to his plans in our...
Last week we saw how God is in the business of bringing together people from all different backgrounds. This week, Paul shows us how this gathering of people is best...
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This...
If you couldn’t make the Village Church weekend away or if you wanted to revisit the talks, here are the talks that Richard Gibson (principal at Brisbane School of Theology)...
If you couldn’t make the Village Church weekend away or if you wanted to revisit the talks, here are the talks that Richard Gibson (principal at Brisbane School of Theology)...
If you couldn’t make the Village Church weekend away or if you wanted to revisit the talks, here are the talks that Richard Gibson (principal at Brisbane School of Theology)...
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This...
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen the power of Jesus on full display in his healings & authority over evil. In this passage, Mark shows us another dimension...
This week we are encouraged to look at the farmer in Mark 4. Look at the farmer, and you will see just how hard our mission is. It certainly isn’t...
In this week’s passage, we see stories of people rejecting Jesus, and a lot of people being saved into Jesus’ new family. To everyone who calls on Jesus’ name for...
So far in our new sermon series, Mark has started to show us who Jesus is. This week he shows us what Jesus came to do. Jesus tells people to...
This week we are kicking off our new sermon series in Mark. The wait is over! Jesus Christ, God’s promised King, the Son of God, has come. The Old Testament...
This week we are wrapping up our Holiday miniseries in confronting Christianity. The Bible is hands down the best-selling book of all time. It’s also the most misunderstood. So how can we take the Bible literally? The key is found in appreciating the many genres of Scripture and how they help us grasp, from many beautiful angles, the one true story of the Bible: the Good News of Jesus Christ.
We’re into our second talk in our Confronting Christianity series: Doesn’t Christianity Hinder Women? It’s fair to say that ‘religion’ & ‘women’s rights’ aren’t often used in the same sentence. And yet, in this talk we explore the basis for human rights; how Jesus elevated women in a way that was completely counter-cultural; therefore providing the foundation for the Christian church to champion women’s rights like no other historical movement has.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week we are beginning our holiday mini-series, Confronting Christianity, in which we will wrestle with some of the bigger questions of the Christian faith and how we can live faithfully for Jesus in the greyer areas of life. This week, we’re going to be asking how a loving God could allow so much suffering in the world, and what hope or help is out there when we ourselves face the troubles and terrors of life?
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are wrapping up our series in II Samuel, as Jeremy brings to a close the longest biography from the ancient world – the story of King David. Throughout David’s story, we see in him the pinnacle of human ability for great good, as well as the depths of great evil – it can be hard to tell from his story of ups and downs what we are supposed to make of him in the end. As II Samuel wraps up through, we are presented with one final, and very intentional picture of David, as chooses to place his faith in God rather than men.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel, as Sam walks us through the return of King David. The pattern of Davids life seems again and again to be suffering followed by glory, which is a pattern we also see in our great King, Jesus. We shouldn’t be surprised when this is the path for us who follow Jesus.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel, as Phil takes a detailed look at how the story continues to play out between David and his son Absalom – another rejected Christ. The ‘sword’ that God promised to always be against David’s family becomes more apparent as the sins of father and son alike lead to bloodshed and heartache, and again we find the answer to his heartache in the true anointed one, Jesus Christ.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel with Pastor Sam taking us through some of the hardest passages in the bible. We look at the depths of sinfulness surrounding David as the effects of his own sin ripples outward and effects everyone around him. Thankfully, we also look at a powerful and merciful God who sent his only beloved Son to take our shame onto himself, so that we can be free in Christ.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we have come to a real turning point in our sermon series in II Samuel. We have witnessed God raise up King David, a man who seems to do no wrong. This week though, we watch as this anointed king falls into sin, proving he can not possibly be the promised messiah.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel and Phil is taking a look at King David, a Christ at the height of his reign, as he extends such grace and love it almost sounds like Jesus himself. Almost.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel and Pastor Sam is looking at how David has to humble himself to follow Gods plan for his eternal kingdom.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are continuing our sermon series in II Samuel and Pastor Sam is looking at the rise of David, one of the greatest men ever lived – and a foreshadow of the rise of Jesus Christ
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, we are kicking off a new sermon series in II Samuel and Pastor Sam is looking at the pattern of falling and rising which we see repeated throughout Davids life, as well as Jesus’ and our own.
We’re spending two weeks at Village pushing into God’s vision for healthy relationships. In the first half of this talk, we explore the nature of friendship and what that means for us when considering pursuing a romantic relationship. In the second half, we take a look at Paul’s words in Ephesians 5 and push into God’s vision for marraige and sex. We’ll look at the goal of marriage, the roles in marriage, and the soul of marriage. Along the way we’ll hear from Cynthia & Ian as they share a bit about their own experience with friendship & marriage.
We’re spending two weeks at Village pushing into God’s vision for healthy relationships. In the first half of this talk, we explore the gift of singleness and how Christianity was the first worldview to ever promote singleness as a viable way to live. In the second half, we explore the context that makes faithful, Christian singleness liveable. That is, through deep, intimate, committed friendships. Along the way we’ll hear from Chandra & Serena as they share a bit about their own experience of singleness and friendship. For resources and to ask your questions, head to vc.org.au/hr.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Phil is wrapping up our Thrive series by looking at our last topic: Building up the Body, from Ephesians 4 and what it has to say about how we can be speaking the truth in love to one another.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Pastor Sam is continuing our Thrive series, considering our calling to suffer for the Gospel and what that looks like for us.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Pastor Sam is continuing our Thrive series, looking at Evangelism; how it is our role to share the delight of Jesus, and practically considering five thresholds that someone crosses on their journey to Christ.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Pastor Mitch is continuing our Thrive series, looking at generosity; considering what God had given us, and how that shapes what giving as a Christian looks like.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Jeremy is continuing our Thrive series, considering how Jesus redefined what love looks like, what it costs us and how we are blessed through it.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week, Phillip is continuing our Thrive series, looking at sincerity and integrity through three lenses: who I am, what I’m facing, and who God is.
Welcome to Village Church. We’re a community that’s all about loving Jesus and loving one another. To find out more, head to vc.org.au, we’d love to hear from you. This week Pastor Mitch is continuing our Thrive series, looking at Humility; how deeply embedded it is in the core of Gods salvation story for us, and how central in needs to be in how we choose to love those around us.