Griffith Christian Students - South Bank: Recent Episodes
Griffith Christian Students South Bank
Bible talks and Bible teaching from Griffith Christian Students, South Bank. We're an AFES group for students at the QLD Conservatorium of Music, the QLD College of Art, and the Griffith Film School.
3 points in a nutshell:
- God made us to work (and rest) - work (and rest) are good
- Work is going to be your biggest mission field
- We’re sending you to work
Bible Passage: Mark 13:1-37
Big Idea: The only future you can be 100% certain of is the future Jesus offers through his death, resurrection and ascension. Mark 13 is a tricky chapter to read, understand, and apply. But it’s primarily about the epic end to the world as we know it that Jesus brought about by his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Through his gospel Jesus has brought about the beginning of the ‘last days’, the epic end that leaks into eternity. To have any certainty of your own ending, you need to bet your life on him.
Key Question: What ending are you betting your life on?
Talk Title: THE EPIC END
Outline:
Intro - Sydney Harbour 1999 NYE
Point 1 - It’s gonna be wild
Point 2 - The key
Application - The epic end/beginning
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Bible Passage: Mark 12:28-44
Big Idea: There is no way into God’s kingdom other than through both the kingship and sacrifice of Jesus. He epitomises BOTH the kingly rule AND the sacrificial service we desperately need.
Key Question: What’s your greatest need?
Talk Title: Both… AND…
Outline:
Intro - Both… AND…
Point 1 - BOTH close AND far (12:28-34)
Point 2 - BOTH Lord AND Son (12:35-37)
Point 3 - BOTH rich AND poor (12:38-44)
Application - We desperately need BOTH… (Saviour AND King)
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Bible Passage: Mark 12:13-27
Big Idea: The Jewish leaders launch another two attacks on Jesus - but both utterly fail. Both attacks are traps laid to capture Jesus - to outsmart him and undermine him publicly. But Jesus’ response to both attacks reveal his greater authority and greater wisdom. Ultimately Jesus shows himself to be undefeatable - as we would expect the divine Messiah to be. His ultimate answer to their questions is revealed in his resurrection as the perfect image of God.
Key Question: What kind of life does Jesus offer?
Outline:
Intro - Invincible mode
Point 1 - Undefeatable Image (12:13-17)
Point 2 - Undefeatable Life (12:18-27)
Application - Living for the God of the living
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Bible Passage: Mark 11:27-12:12
Big Idea: The Jewish authorities unite in an attack on Jesus in order to undermine Jesus’ authority. However, their attempt backfires: they’re quickly outsmarted and undermined by Jesus’ response, and the parable he tells to follow up reveals their culpability in (mis-)using their own authority, and ultimately failing to care for the inheritance/people God entrusted to them. Their malicious treatment of God’s beloved Son is the pinnacle of their unfaithfulness, and yet ironically paves the way for both their loss of the inheritance, and also the the transfer of that inheritance to others.
Key Question: Do you treasure your inheritance?
Outline:
Intro - A wasted inheritance
Point 1 - A failed attack (11:27-33)
Point 2 - A failed leadership (12:1-12)
Application - Treasuring the kingdom
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Bible Passage: Mark 11:1-26
Big Idea: The time has come for Jesus to replace everything that Jerusalem stood for - the place to encounter God. He does so by cursing its fruitlessness, and bringing an end to both the temple and the Jewish leadership as the place to draw near to God. Yet he himself then steps in to bear the curse of fruitlessness, so that we can encounter God by drawing near to him instead.
Key Question: How do you encounter God?
Outline:
Intro - Pathways to the divine
Point 1 - Expectations rise and fall (11:1-11)
Point 2 - Fig Sandwich (11:12-26
Application - Legit encounter
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Big Idea: Jesus clarifies true greatness - it is not having power or a privileged position, but being a servile slave of all. He then shows us what this looks like by not coming to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many. The disciples, though seeing, are blind to this; but Bartimaeus, though blind, sees.
Bible Passage: Mark 10:35-52
Key Question: Are you seeing Jesus clearly? Or are you following a blurry picture that leads you the wrong way? HAVE YOU SEEN REALITY CLEARLY? HAVE YOU SEEN JESUS CLEARLY?
Outline:
Intro - Vision correction (glasses)
Point 1 - Not seeing clearly (10:35-45)
Point 2 - Seeing clearly (10:46-52)
Application - “I want to see”
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Big Idea: Many of us find security in wealth. But Jesus says that following him means leaving our trust in wealth behind to follow and trust him instead. Following Jesus is extremely costly. Yet worldly wealth will be replaced by heavenly riches for those who follow him, and those blessings begin to break into even this life. None of us is capable of truly taking up this call to extreme discipleship. Praise God that Jesus does it for us, and makes possible what would be impossible without him.
Bible Passage: Mark 10:17-34
Key Question: How much cost are you willing to pay in order to follow Jesus?
Outline:
Intro - Just like you
Point 1 - An unsaved man (10:17-22)
Point 2 - A savings plan (10:23-31)
Point 3 - The Saving One (10:32-34)
Application - Treasure in heaven
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Big Idea: The Pharisees are treating God’s word in a way that puts them in danger of rejecting both God’s will for marriage and God himself. The disciples are also treating children in a way that puts them in danger of rejecting God’s will for children and God’s kingdom itself. Their misperceptions cause them to miss the King of God’s kingdom, seemingly insignificant, standing right before them.
Bible Passage: Mark 10:1-16
Key Question: How are your preconceived misperceptions getting in the way of you receiving Jesus with open arms?
Talk Title: MISSING THE MAIN THING
Outline:
Intro - Missing the plane
Point 1 - Missing God’s will for marriage (10:1-12)
Point 2 - Missing God’s will for children (10:13-16)
Application - Missing the main thing
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Big Idea: Jesus’ disciples have drunk too much of the cultural cool-aid and have a worldly view of greatness. So Jesus teaches them about true greatness: sacrificial and humble service of others. The key to greatness is helping others to follow Jesus - and no one does that better than Jesus himself.
Bible Passage: Mark 9:33-50
Key Question: What makes someone truly great?
Outline:
Intro - Simply the best
Point 1 - Upside-down greatness (9:33-37)
Point 2 - Back-to-front greatness (9:38-41)
Point 3 - Deadly greatness (9:42-50)
Application - H.F.S.
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Bible Talk preached at Uni of Qld Evangelical Students 15 August 2023
Bible reading: Genesis 1:1-2:3
Outline:
Intro - A different perspective
- An artist at work
- Created to create
- Broken (and restored) artistry
Application - A vision for artistry (and life)
Big Idea: To follow Jesus you must come to him with empty hands for what you need that only he can provide. When you do that, he takes you by the hand and raises you to life. He does so by being delivered over into the hands of men on your behalf, only to be raised again.
Bible Passage: Mark 9:14-32
Key Question: Have you come to Jesus in desperate need of what you don’t have and only he can provide? Or are you trying to be self-sufficient? HAVE YOU COME TO JESUS WITH EMPTY HANDS?
Outline:
Intro - Empty hands
Point 1 - A demon’s hands (9:14-22a)
Point 2 - Jesus’ hands (9:22b-29)
Point 3 - Men’s hands (9:30-32)
Application - Whose hands?
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Big Idea: The disciples are privileged with a glimpse into Jesus’ true glory, and we should respond just like they did: To be staggered by his glorious majesty, and listen to and heed his word: to follow him through suffering into glory.
Bible Passage: Mark 9:2-13
Key Question: Have you really SEEN and LISTENED to Jesus?
Talk Title: Glory… through suffering
Outline:
Intro - Do you believe…?
Point 1 - Glory… (9:2-8)
Point 2 - …through suffering (9:9-13)
Application - “Listen to him!”
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Big Idea: People THINK they know who Jesus is, and what it means to follow him (to be a Christian). But most people don’t REALLY know who he is, or what it means to follow him. He is the Messiah - the King of God’s kingdom - the King of all - who died to save us. And to subscribe and follow him means forsaking all your hopes for his sake… yet finding a new reality that far exceeds the one you’re hoping for now.
Bible Passage: Mark 8:27-9:1
Key Question: Do you LIKE who Jesus REALLY is? Will you SUBSCRIBE to him, and maybe even FOLLOW him?
Outline:
Intro - Which Jesus?
Point 1 - Who is Jesus? (8:27-30)
Point 2 - What kind of King is Jesus? (8:31-33)
Point 3 - What does it mean to follow Jesus? (8:34-9:1)
Application - Like? Subscribe? Follow?
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Big Idea: We can know God, because he reveals himself/speaks to us through his Son
Big Question: To what extent can you know God without Jesus? How important is Jesus really?
Big Application: You cannot know God unless you know Jesus. To know Jesus is to know God.
Bible Passage: John 1:1-18
OUTLINE
Intro - Get to know you?
Point 1 - GOD MADE GODMAN
Point 2 - GODMAN MADE KNOWN
Point 3 - GODMAN KNOWN FINALLY
Application - Amaze
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 5:1-14
Big Idea: Staying a Christian for your whole life is going to take a lot of effort, because of the difficult context in which Christians live for Jesus. We live with hope in a hostile world. Peter finishes his letter urging believers to put in the effort to STAND FIRM in Christ rather than SLIDE AWAY, reminding them of their need to humbly serve, to be careful of danger, and to rely wholly on the God who will absolutely bring them to their hope in the end… they need only STAND FIRM IN JESUS.
Key Question: How much effort does it take to stay a Christian?
Talk Outline:
Intro - Slippery ground
Point 1 - Standing for leaders and followers (5:1-5)
Point 2 - Standing through deadly attacks (5:6-9)
Point 3 - Standing in the God who does it all (5:10-14)
Application - Stand or slide
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Bible Passages: 4:12-19
Big Idea: Suffering for being a Christian shouldn’t be a surprise - it’s actually an indication that you’re doing what you should be doing! Living for Jesus in a hostile world. It’s GOOD to suffer for being a Christian, and to be ‘dishonoured’ by the world with Jesus, because it shows us we are truly one of God’s people. We will experience pressure to walk away from Jesus so the world will ‘honour’ us instead of ‘shame’ us, but to be dishonoured with Jesus now means is actually the true badge of honour, and is a sign that we will be spared from God’s condemnation in the future. So don’t give in to the pressure to walk away from Jesus, but trust him to the end, come what may!
Key Question: How will you respond when suffering for being a Christian?
Outline:
Intro - A true story at the Con
1 - Not surprise but joy (v12-14)
2 - Not shame but honour (v15-16)
3 - Not easy but difficult (v17-19)
Application - Life in the pressure cooker
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-11
Big Idea: The new reality and existence Christ has saved us into calls for a new way of living - an era which we recognise to be near the the end, the glorious return of Jesus and bringing in of the new creation. The old way of living to the flesh is over and gone, and we have been raised to a new life of living for the new creation, as strangers and aliens in this world, while we conduct our lives in close proximity to the end of all things. This new way of life calls for a whole new set of behaviours and values - and in reality is experienced as a cosmic warfare, for which we will constantly need to draw on Christ and look forward to our living hope.
Key Question: Does your life look like you’ve been saved out of this world into a totally new era as a stranger and exile? Is your life truly STRANGE?
Outline:
Intro - 90 seconds to midnight
Point 1 - Live in light of what Jesus HAS done (4:1-6)
Point 2 - Live in light of what Jesus WILL do (4:7-11)
Application - Constant vigilance!
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-22
Big Idea: As strangers and exiles, God’s people are to live in light of the ultimate victory that Jesus has already won for us through his death, resurrection, and ascension to the throne in heaven. He has already won, we need only lift our eyes to him and keep our trust in what he’s done! If, and only if, you lift your eyes to that far greater reality than the one you see before you every day in the present, will you be able to keep loving other believers, respond to unbelievers respectfully, and trust Jesus through suffering?
Outline:
Intro - Suffering persecution at the Con
Point 1 - The hard call to bless (3:8-12)
Point 2 - The hard call to respect (3:13-17)
Point 3 - The bigger picture that enables it all (3:18-22)
Application - Lift your eyes and keep them there!
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Bible Passages: 1 Peter 2:18-3:7
Big Idea: Peter continues to spell out what it looks like for believers to live as strangers and exiles in a foreign land on their way to home. In this passage, living as strangers and exiles is applied to relationships in the home - but the principles have application for all of life. Peter calls believers to endure suffering for Christ, to trust in Christ as their example and saviour, and to do marriage for Christ. In short, living as strangers and exiles means doing ALL for Christ.
Outline:
Intro - what’s your ‘true North’?
Point 1 - Enduring suffering for Christ (2:18-20)
Point 2 - Trusting in Christ (our example and Saviour) (2:21-25) [Christ for you!]
Point 3 - Marriage for Christ (3:1-7)
Application - ALL for Christ
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 2:11-17
Big Idea: Living as God’s people in a world hostile to him involves many tricky situations and relational tensions. Christ urges us to live in a way that is not only good for the society in which we live, but also leads to opportunities to help others taste of Jesus through us.
Outline:
Intro - It’s hard to do the splits (living with a foot in two worlds)
Point 1 - Living in alien warfare (v11-12)
Point 2 - Living in submission to rulers (v13-14)
Point 3 - Living as a taste of Jesus (v15-17)
Application - Free Slaves
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Big Idea: Believing in Jesus and being born again leads to a whole new way of living. God’s new life causes us to grow in deep love for one another, ongoing growth as we feed on Jesus’ goodness, and being built into a multi-ethnic community with the extreme privilege of enjoying and praising God’s marvellous mercy.
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Outline:
Intro - Life is Beautiful
Point 1 - Living in love (1.22-25)
Point 2 - Living in growth (2.1-5)
Point 3 - Living in Christ (2.6-10)
Application - How are you living?
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 1:10-21
Big Idea: The believers Peter is writing to are extremely privileged to receive the full disclosure of salvation in Christ that’s been longed for and promised throughout the whole Old Testament. As recipients of this precious salvation, they should respond by setting their hope fully on their future salvation, while living lives of holiness in the present, in response to the enormous price of their redemption in the past.
Talk Outline:
Intro - Priceless discoveries
Point 1 - The extreme privilege of receiving the gospel (1:10-12)
Point 2 - Setting your hope completely on your future (as you live a life of holiness in the present) (1:13-17)
Point 3 - Knowing the enormous price of your redemption (1:18-21)
Application - Assigning the right value
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-9
Big Idea: Through Jesus, God gives his people a wonderful new identity with a guaranteed future salvation. But God’s people live out that new identity and experience that future hope in a world that’s hostile, which leads to suffering. Therefore believers need to be keenly aware of their primary identity and their future hope as we live every day as exiles in a hostile world, until we arrive at our future home/salvation. We need to keep our hope burning brightly until then.
Talk Outline:
Intro - Homesickness
Point 1 - A New Identity [God’s ppl] (v1-3)
Point 2 - A New Future [inheritance/salvation for which we’re guarded] (v4-5)
Point 3 - A Hostile Reality (v6-9)
Application
- remember who you are
- remember what’s in the future
- Live in line with who you are, what you are waiting for, and your hostile reality
- Keep hope burning bright
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 2:21-25 and more
Big Idea: Most people rock up to Uni and realise it’s time for them to finally work out what THEY believe (not just believe what they’ve been taught by family, friends, or school). For those who’ve never seriously considered Jesus before, Uni is the perfect time to do so. For those who arrive at Uni as Christians, now is the moment when they’ll decide whether to stick with Jesus for the rest of their life. That means that, for ALL people at uni, these few years are a critical time to work out what you REALLY believe.
Talk Outline
Intro - Is he REALLY real?
Point 1 - Did Jesus REALLY die?
Point 2 - Did Jesus REALLY live
Point 3 - What difference does it REALLY make?
Application
- do you REALLY believe this?
- will you stand firm in this? 5:12
- We’re in a hostile world that will pull you away
- Will you stand firm?
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Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:13-4:19
Big Idea: There’s a truth about evangelism that we intuitively know but is rarely stated: sharing the gospel will be painful! Our evangelistic efforts will often be met with HOSTILITY. Evangelism will be painful - and we should expect it to be so. But our evangelistic efforts will not always be met with HOSTILITY - sometimes they will be met with HUNGER and will lead to eternal salvation from eternal suffering.
Note - many of the ideas from this talk were drawn from the excellent book Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice - check it out here.
Bible Passages: Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:3 & Acts 17:22-31
Big Idea: From an everyday point of view, it can seem like life is chaotic and unjust. It can seem like God isn’t good or just. But from the point of view of heaven, we see a resurrected just judge who will set everything right forever.
Bible Passages: Ecclesiastes 2 & 1 Cor 15:50-58 & Phil 3:8
Big Idea: Many of us spend our lives chasing the joy that comes from enjoying pleasures and excelling at work, but we will not find what we are looking for. Surpassing value and lasting joy are only found in Christ.
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Bible Passages: Ecclesiastes 1 & Romans 8:18-25
Big Idea: If meaning is bound up with what happens in this life and in this world, then we will be confronted by the reality that life can be futile, frustrating and hopeless. Existentially, we will wonder what the point of it all is. We do well to sit with this ‘existential hopelessness’ and let it resonate with our experience of reality. But we also do well by comparing the bleakness of Ecclesiastes with the hope offered by Jesus. Jesus liberates us from the futility, frustration, and hopelessness. Jesus offers hope where Ecclesiastes cannot.
Key Question: Do you ever wonder - what’s the point of it all? Is there life beyond ‘the blah’