Chatswood Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Chatswood Baptist Church
John 5 The place of work What is the place that work has in your life? A means to an end Perhaps for you your work is something that is a means to an end. You get paid to what …
Having the correct knowledge is crucial. In fact, often having the correct knowledge and implementing it, is sometimes the difference between life and death. Now something that I reckon pretty much everyone in this room is well aware of is …
Jonah 4 Who are you like? Who do you take after? Who is it that you are like? Are you like one of your parents? We can physically resemble our parents Of course, we often inherit physical features from our …
Have you already decided that someone in your life will never change? Sometimes it’s not such a serious matter. Maybe you know someone who’s almost always late to events and meetings. Maybe you know someone who takes things a bit …
Good morning church, today we are carrying on with our look through the book of Jonah and to help us think about Jonah and where I want us to start is thinking about the way children act when they do …
- Introduction In world war 2 there was one action that meant almost certain jail time and in some cases death by execution. It didn’t matter whether you were in the US Army, the Soviet Army, the Germany Army or …
- Easily Deceived At times people are so easily deceived. 1.1 We can easily be deceived by others According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, last financial year, an estimated 596,000 people fell victim to scams. According to the Sydney …
Galatians 5:16-26 Keeping in step Growing up in Australia in the 1970’s one of the rituals that we went through when I was in primary school was to line up before school began. The bell would ring and we would …
I have been looking over the past week at a bit of American history around slavery. Specifically those who had gained their freedom and how they held on to it. One example that has stuck with me is the story …
Galatians 4:8-5:1 No Brainers There are some choices that ought to be “no brainers”. A “no-brainer” is a decision or a choice that you are given where one option is so obviously that much better than the other that you …
- Our Identity Where do you find your identity? How do you see yourself? Some find it in what they do Many seek to establish their identity in what they do in life. It’s the things that we do or …
Where do you think self-help books rank in terms of popularity in Australia? Top 10? Top 5? Top 3? Well, if Google is correct, it’s in the top 5! They’re very popular, and some of them are very helpful! Deep …
- Hypocrisy At times, I think we can all be hypocritical. Hypocrisy is when you pretend to be something that you are not. It is to play a part for the benefit of others that doesn’t really align with either …
- Being a parent I’ve been a parent now for over 33 years and a grandparent for the last year. Being a father or a mother is a unique privilege and a responsibility. It really is a high and holy …
Introduction How do we know that something is the truth? Many years ago Larissa and I were in Fiji. This was before we had children. And we were staying at the fijian which has a wonderful lagoon that heads out …
Galatians 1:1-10 Letter writing When was the last time you got a letter from someone? I don’t mean an email or even a bill or bank statement that got in the post or even a birthday card from your grandma, …
When you run a race, you get a medal. But Daniel 12 holds out something far greater than that. I’ve done the Sydney Marathon a few times, but last year was the most significant. That race was the result of …
Daniel 9 More than we ask for Sometimes God answers our prayers in ways we are not expecting or would have ever dreamed of. Of course, sometime we are asking for the wrong things. At times we ask for things …
Introduction Hope is such a powerful emotion. When hopes are realised, our joy can be monumental. I remember the day of our wedding, my wife was walking down the aisle and at that moment I was overwhelmed with joy and …
2 Corinthians 5:14- 6:2 Deaths that had a profound impact on others When some people die, their death has a profound effect on a great many people around the world. People all around the world seem to be impacted heavily …
- What’s up ahead Don’t you wish that sometimes we knew what was up ahead of us? ● None of us know what’s up ahead of us If you knew that the war in the middle east was going to …
- Turbulent times We are living in turbulent and chaotic times. There seems to be a level of instability in our world that we haven’t seen for some time. At present two of the three most powerful nations in the …
Introduction With such a well known story there is often the tendency to think that we might have nothing new to learn here. But friends, God’s word is living and active. So let’s together look at what this passage has …
- The writing was on the wall “The writing was on the wall”. This is a common idiom/expression that people use all the time. For instance, after another round of retrenchment at work some might remark that, once they brought …
1. The problem with pride In one of my favourite novels, “Pride and Prejudice, the author Jane Austen makes a distinction between ‘pride’ and ‘vanity’. Mary Bennett, one of the characters in the book, makes the point that there is …
Introduction Today’s passage in Daniel 3 is written in the context of Babylon and its King from 2600 years ago. But there is a country today in 2026 that has many of the hallmarks of what we see in today’s …
- Dreams We all dream dreams – sometimes we remember them and sometimes we don’t. a. Dreams are strange things Dreams are odd things. They can be bizarre and strange. We can be dreaming that we are sitting at home …
- Taken to Babylon Today we begin a series of talks looking at the book of Daniel. This book is largely about Daniel and three other Jewish young men from Jerusalem. They were taken from Jerusalem as captives and led …
Introduction I want you to imagine that all through school you love science and your favourite subject is biology. You are completely enamoured with the way in which the human body is structured. The cells, DNA, biodiversity, infectious diseases. You …
Introduction I am naturally nearsighted. I remember in around year 11 at school that the whiteboard at the front of the classroom (this was way before smart boards were invented) started to become a little blurry from time to time …
As we carry on our journey through Habakkuk, this morning I want to talk about faith. The idea of living by faith is central to this passage and so I want us to think about the people and things that …
Habakkuk 1:1-2:1 Overhearing a conversation Have you ever accidentally listened into a private conversation that others were having? Maybe they were on the phone, and they were using the phone on speaker, and you could hear both sides of the …
Philippians 1:21 The new year Just a few days ago we celebrated the new year. New Year is a strange thing. I was thinking about this the other day when trying to think about how you would explain it to …
Devoted, Distinct & Together Colossians 4:2-18 This morning, we are looking at Colossians 4 and the second half of the chapter reads like the credits at the end of the movie. And at this time of year every different platform …
Every year in wonderful nativity scenes and plays the Christmas story is told. These wonderful passages from Matthew and Luke’s Gospels are brought to life by kids and adults in churches around the world. We have Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, …
- Lost As a child did you ever wander away either from your parents or where you were supposed to be and end up getting lost? 1.1 In a shopping centre I only remember it happening to me once. I …
Introduction Who makes up your household? If we look at our church there are many different households. There are families where there is mum and dad and 6 children, there are families where there is just a mum and a …
- Too heavenly minded? There is a saying that sometimes gets pulled out and, I believe, misused, that someone can be “too heavenly minded to be any earthly good”. But can you ever be too heavenly minded? Can heavenly mindedness …
Working in the healthcare industry means you meet many different types of people with interesting personalities and also very interesting background stories. By me using the word ‘interesting’, you know what I really mean to say is ‘strange’ and ‘weird’. …
- You can lead a horse to water… We have all probably heard the saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”. The saying highlights the fact that you can do everything you can …
Over the last 25 years I have watched my wife fight, watched her contend for the health and medical care of our family members with every fibre of her being. She has fought with doctors to treat family members when …
1. Value unappreciated Sometimes we don’t recognise the value of what we have. We have something valuable but don’t realise just how precious it really is. There are numerous stories of people owning something valuable without ever understanding its …
- Home Where do you call home? Where is your sense of place? If people, ask me where I’m from I still refer to myself as a Novacastrian – someone from Newcastle. 1.1 Newcastle Originally the word “Novacastrian” was used …
This morning, I want you to think about problem solving and how we go about fixing the problems we have in our lives. I’m sure we’ve all had moments where you’re walking around your house trying to find your keys …
Jesus was in the right place and the right time because God is in perfect control and his plans are perfect. With all scripture it is important to remember what has come before in the book as well as the …
1. Taking a back seat How are you at taking a back seat to someone else? The expression “taking a back seat” means to intentionally step back allowing someone else to have more prominence or control than you. Do you …
Introduction One of the memorable parts of our lives are long road trip holidays, although if you’re a parent, you could sometimes more accurately call it a dreaded part, if you know what I mean! Even just driving from Chatswood …
Introduction On Father’s day we want to acknowledge the wonderful gift that Father’s are, friends there are so many things that we learn from our fathers and we can be thankful for that. Perhaps your father is good at sport …
1. Signs Do you pay attention to the signs on the road? Or do you ignore them? If the sign says 110, do you set your speed to 112 or 113. Road signs point to what lies ahead Road signs …
- Word of mouth At the end of July Kylie and I went to the “MJ the musical” in the city. It’s finished yesterday and so if you were planning to see it then you are too late. You will …
Today, the passage we are looking at carries on from last week where John the gospel author introduces the Word who was in the beginning, active in all creation, the light, and the life of man and importantly, has dwelt …
- What you need to know 1.1 For the flight When you board a plane before the plane takes off to wherever it is heading the flight attendant tells you what you need to know before the journey …
- Leaders who loomed large Throughout history there have been leaders who have loomed large on the stage of history. Men and women have arisen who’ve shaped events and changed the course of history for their people or for a …
Introduction If you wear a beekeeper’s suit, then you can walk into a bee enclosure with a certain amount of strength and courage. Add to the suit the smoker and you have the recipe for calming the bees and keeping …
Good morning, everyone, it’s a pleasure to open God’s word today as we look at this passage from Deuteronomy 30. Before we open God’s word, let’s come to our Father in prayer. Today we’ll walk through this passage in three …
Some people choose to renew their marriage vows. Some even go all the way and have a day or a weekend set aside so that they can gather their friends and family together, and in front of all of these …
Deuteronomy 27 & 28 Moving in When you move into a new home there are a few important things that you need to do once the keys have been handed over and the place is yours. You need to …
Romans 5:1-1 Where do you stand? In life there will always be times in which we are uncertain of where we stand with someone or with an organisation or an employer. At work How many of you have been through …
Deuteronomy 26 Some things naturally go together There are some things that just naturally seem to go together. There are things that work better when they accompany one another: salt and pepper on the table; bacon and eggs for breakfast; …
Deuteronomy 23:19-25:19 Tightfisted or openhanded? Do you tend to be tightfisted or openhanded? Tightfisted Tightfisted people are people who find it difficult to share what they have with others. They tend to want to hang on to what they have …
Friends, sin is serious. Our current memory verse reminds us of this. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 So today as we come …
Deuteronomy 19:1-21:23 The Port Arthur Massacre The Port Arthur Massacre is the worst mass killing in recent times here in Australia. It happened in 1996, nearly 30 years ago now. It was a horrific shooting that scarred our nation and …
2 Corinthians 5:10-6:2 Today we want to think about what it means for us to be Christ’s ambassadors. The apostle Paul described himself and others in this way and I think it is a legitimate way for all of us …
- The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Today I want to look with you at the apostle Paul’s words about the surpassing value of knowing Christ. If there is one thing that a parent (whether they be a mother or …
I don’t know about you, but for me I find it really helpful to be reminded of what I have already been told. In fact A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that repetition not only boosts …
Good morning church, let’s come to our Father in prayer before we look at this passage. Imagine holding two coins in your hand. One is genuine—heavy, solid, stamped with authority. The other is a fake—shiny, but worthless. To the untrained …
Now I was never very into science at school. I just wasn’t really built that way. So Chemistry wasn’t a subject that I took. While I am not very versed in molecules or atoms, I do know that H2O is …
The Bible is one coherent story and perhaps there is not a better illustration of this than the prophetic word of Isaiah in chapter 53. Written by the prophet Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Christ, we see …
In the late 1990’s, a student was starting his PhD at Stanford University in California. Another PhD student was assigned to give him a tour of the campus. They disagreed about nearly everything during that first meeting, but by the …
1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 What does it mean to honour someone? What does it mean to honour someone? Australian honours On Australia Day we honour individuals who have served the community or who have made a significant contribution to our society. …
1 Timothy 5:1-16 Conduct unbecoming Unbecoming conduct is behaviour that is not fitting for who we are. Of an officer In the US military officers can be court-martialled and dismissed for what the US military code refers to as “conduct …
Perseverance To persevere at something often isn’t an easy thing. To keep at something over a long period of time without giving up or giving in can sometimes be a difficult thing to do. Diets Over the years I’ve tried …
Sermon – 1 Timothy 4:1-10 Introduction and Recap You can point out things in the world that are wrong, however, we only know that they are wrong because of knowing what is right. There needs to be a yardstick so …
1 Timothy 3:1-16 Bad Leaders Bad leaders always end up harming those that they are meant to be leading. History is full of stories of bad leaders bringing destruction and ruin on their own people. Bad World leaders Three of …
1 Peter 4:7-11 When the end is near When you’re doing something, and you know that your time is limited and what time you have could end at any moment the fact that it could should focus you. It should …
Introduction There are countries in the world where you can be killed for being a follower of Jesus. Countries where the idea of a peaceful and quiet life just isn’t a reality. The latest news from the Democratic Republic of …
1 Timothy 1 :12-20 Confusion among the troops In any battle confusion among your troops is something that you need to avoid. Confusion will cost lives. Your soldiers need to understand how the battle will be won or lost. They …
1 Timothy 1:1-11 Getting on with the job Sometimes we need to be reminded to get on with the job that we’ve been given to do. And sometimes we even need to be reminded of what is that we are …
Sermon – Matthew 23:13-39 Introduction Breaking the law in Australia has consequences. Take for example every working adult’s favourite job each year which is filling in a tax return. Now you can go and ask a friend if you need …
Introduction When you open the paper today you see a long list of people who have received Australia Day Honours for 2025. There are four different awards ranging from Officer of the Order of Australia to Medal of the order …
Imagine holding a puzzle box in your hands. On the front of the box is a picture of a breathtaking landscape. You dump out the pieces and begin putting them together. At first, you think you know what the final …
Consequences There are always consequences to the choices that we make in life. Of course, we are making choices all the time. There are things that we choose to do or that we don’t do. We sometimes make these choices …
Matthew 21:23-46 Authority Questioned At times there is an appropriateness to question whether someone has the authority to do what they are doing or saying. Sometimes authority can be inappropriately used or abused or overstepped and it should …
Matthew 21:1-22 We all have expectations of things. Everything we do and see comes with an expectation. I remember when I went to Scotland many years ago, I expected everyone to be wearing kilts and playing bagpipes. This was not …
- Waiting How are you at waiting for something? What if it’s a long time that you have to wait? Do you give up waiting or are you patient? Do you persevere even when waiting is hard? Are you the …
2 Thessalonian 2:13-17 Stand firm A little later six young people will be baptised. They will be declaring their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and this morning I want to encourage them to go on from this day and …
As we come to celebrate Christmas it is good to know what we are celebrating. If we look around us then perhaps we would think that Christmas is about Santa or buying presents or a big lunch or dinner. When …
- A complete 180 Have you ever had to do a “complete 180”. You had to turn around and go completely in the opposite direction to the way that you were going. On the wrong road We sometimes do it …
- Faithfulness Over the last few weeks, I’ve been doing marriage preparation with a couple who are getting married very soon. This week I read again the promises and vows that they will make on their wedding day. They are …
Leadership matters You don’t have to look too far and too wide to see that, throughout history and today. A leader can have wonderful consequences for a country, or dire consequences. Larissa and I recently watched the movie “The Gathering …
The blame game We all from time to time play the “blame game”. Our natural response is to blame others for our misfortunes or for the way that we are or the regrettable circumstances that we find ourselves in. Bad …
- Fairness From an early age we become concerned for fairness. We want things to be fair and we are quick to complain when we feel they aren’t fair. It doesn’t take very long before a child will begin to …
Matthew 19:13-30 Introduction So often in life we are told not to be childlike. It is rarely a compliment when someone tells you to stop being so childish. What this usually signifies is a lack of maturity for someone older …
Introduction: Today’s section of scripture is useful for “teaching, rebuking and, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” It is God breathed like every other part of the Bible. Now …
Matthew 18:15-35 Your brother’s keeper You Might have heard the expression, “I’m not my brother’s keeper.” It’s a way of saying that we are not responsible for someone else. Like a lot of expressions in our English language it …
Matthew 17:14-27 Moving Mountains The Chinese proverb says that the man who would move a mountain begins by carrying (away) small stones. The idea here is that if you are going to achieve something that seems impossible the only way …
Proverbs 4 Things passed down What have you had passed down to you? Material things I have a had a few things that have been passed down to me which have become important to me. I have the family Bible …
Matthew 17:1-13 Mountains Mountains are often regarded as special places. Different cultures have built temples on mountains and people have made pilgrimages to the mountains. Mountains have been looked at as places to retreat to and find solitude and perspective. …
Our family really enjoys musicals. It started with Larissa and I enjoying this genre and I believe thankfully all three kids enjoy the songs and spectacle. One thing that most musicals have in common is that there are at least …
- Interpreting the sky On holidays in July, we visited the Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road along the south coast of Victoria. The Twelve Apostles is the name that has been given to rock stack that rise up …
1 Corinthians 11:17-34. The Lord’s Supper Later this morning we will be celebrating the Lord’s supper together. It is the second of the two ordinances that we practice together as believers here at Chatswood Baptist Church. Last Sunday Mark …
Matthew 14 King Charles When Queen Elizabeth died, and Charles became king there were big questions about what sort of king we would be getting and whether he could really step into the shoes of his mother. There was concern …
The Rhythm of our lives should show our Complete Joy in God There is a secular yearly rhythm to our lives here in Australia isn’t there. It is set largely I would suggest by the way in which …
Tight-fisted or openhanded? Are we tight-fisted or openhanded? A tight-fisted person is one who isn’t generous. They don’t want to let go of what they have and are not willing to share what they have with others. In Deuteronomy chapter …
- Different How different are we to the people that we live among? What is it about us as God’s people that makes us different to the people around us? If you were lined up alongside eleven others, would someone …
Sometimes to ensure that we do a good job we need some clear instructions. And we don’t just need the instructions we also need to listen to them. Out the front of our house (and I’m sorry for the picture …
Parental wisdom What wisdom did you learn from your parents? What did they teach you that has stayed with you? Some things you learn from them by what they say and other things you learn through what you saw them …
If I were a rich man “If I were a rich man” was a song that came from the Broadway musical called Fiddler on the Roof. It was also turned into a move in the 1970s. I remember the song …
Wisdom We live at a time where although we seem to know more about our world, we seem to understand less about ourselves and how we ought to live in it. 1.1 More knowledge It has been said that in …
You know that I take delight in many things. I love my wife and children and some days I can find myself just being so thankful for the family that God has given me. The answered prayer that comes to …
Introduction When astronauts on the international space station take a walk in space they can’t just leave the airlock and head outside as they are. For if they did they would be dead very quickly. Human bodies are not able …
Essential things There are always some things that are essential and necessary. These are things that you can’t do without or that you can’t leave out without it changing the nature of what you have. Leave it out and you …
Intro In January this year Larissa, Ruby and I spent a whole day having the question of how to do first aid answered for us. And how was this question answered, we were taught the first aid course. For you …
Things in a nutshell How are you at putting things in a nutshell? How are you at getting to the point and putting things succinctly? Are you good at boiling things down until all you have left is what you …
I’m a conversative type of guy. I like it when things feel safe and familiar. One of the ways this shows itself is when it comes to how I watch movies. I’m the sort of person that likes watching familiar …
- Falling asleep Have you ever found yourself falling asleep when you ought to be staying awake? New year’s eve Maybe you’ve waited up to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks on TV only to find yourself struggling to stay …
Introduction Like many sitting here today I have attended quite a few funerals in my life. I dare say that none of us ever look forward to going to a funeral, for funerals mean that someone has died. And further, …
Pleasing people At times we all find ourselves trying to please someone whether we do it consciously or unconsciously. Many of us are influenced by our parents and the expectations that they have had for us. Sometimes we do what …
Visiting loved ones Who would you visit if you could and why would you visit them? For us with our eldest son now living just outside of Cairns for the last decade whenever we get an opportunity, we like to …
Make the days count Muhammad Ali was quoted as once saying, “Don’t count the days, make the days count”. It’s not bad advice but of course it all hangs on what it means to make your days count. For some …
As we start a new series this morning in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians I pray that this morning you would be encouraged by these verses as Paul was 2000 years ago. We are not just casual observers of …
Imitation Who are you like and who are you seeking to be like? The people around us inevitably have an influence on us. The family we grew up in definitely shapes for good or for bad and whether we are …
Consequences Consequences – there are always consequences to any decision we make or action we take. Sometimes we put off making decisions or doing something because we are not sure what will come of it. But even putting off a …
- Hide and seek As a child one of those games that I would often play with other children was ‘hide and seek’. We would often visit our cousins on a Sunday afternoon and four of us would play hide …
Unexpected. Being caught off guard can be embarrassing, it can be frustrating, and is seldom without consequences. Whereas when you are ready for something. When you are expecting it, things generally go ok. I wonder if today with all of …
Introduction Having information ahead of time enables us to be prepared for what will happen. On New Year’s Eve we went to watch the fireworks from my parents’ apartment in Kirribilli as it has a very good view. However, it …
Introduction Have you ever asked what you thought was a pretty straightforward question only to find that the answer you are given was much more detailed than you bargained for? In the 1992 Movie a Few Good Men starring Tom …
Well friends here we are on Christmas Morning. What a day we celebrate today. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the most important birth in history. The most important birth that has or will ever happen. Our plans don’t …
Today we will conclude our short three sermon series on Generosity from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians in Chapters 8 & 9. Paul has been urging the Corinthian church to be generous and finish the good work they had …
Announcing the birth The birth of a child is something that people usually want to share with others. We want to let others know the good news. We want to get the news out there so that others can share …
Making arrangements How are you at making plans and arrangements? You Are you the sort of person that makes meticulous plans, that has everything planned down to the “nth degree”[i] a long way in advance of whatever it is that …
The need for it 8:1-15 My prayer is that through this text today you will see that “We are to be generous because God is generous beyond our comprehension.” Introduction Last century, Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (1888-1969) committed his life to …
Lessons learnt the hard way. Some lessons in life are not easily learnt. Some of us insist on learning things that hard way. We resist what others want to point out to us, not heeding what they are teaching us. …
My bathroom scales and Moses This morning I have something to confess. I have this love/hate relationship with my bathroom scales. In one sense I really appreciate the bathroom scales. They tell me what I really need to know about …
Introduction If you have ever been on any type of cruise, then you would be aware that within a couple of hours of boarding the ship you must attend a safety briefing. This is not something that you choose to …
Following instructions How are you at following instructions? Do you follow them to the letter? Or do you treat them more like they are just a guide? Do you do everything that you are instructed to do, or do you …
Forgetting How quickly we forget! It doesn’t take long for even the important things to be forgotten, the things that we shouldn’t forget, that shouldn’t be overlooked, or left behind do get forgotten. We all forget things, and sometimes the …
I am scared of cockroaches. I have a fear of them. For some of you here this morning who used to go to our evening service, this is not a new piece of information for you. In fact, some of …
Love your Neighbour as yourself Introduction What do you think about when you see the 10 commandments? You might be thinking along the lines of some of the following: Aren’t they something that you learn in Sunday School? They’re just …
Whose rules? We live in an age where people largely believe that they are free to think and behave anyway they feel like behaving. Western society or culture having rejected God and divine revelation “has now largely rejected the concept …
Introduction Kendra Cherry the author of “The Everything Psychology Book” has written a helpful article on “Reasons why people forget”. Now I don’t have time today to go into the 4 reasons that she suggests. However, one of the techniques …
Our fears What are you afraid of? What is it that you fear most? Sadly, sometimes our own fears are the very things that tend to immobilise us in life to the extent that they end up imprisoning us so …
Thrown in the deep end Often in life you find yourself being thrown in the deep end. What I mean is that you find yourself being dropped into a situation that you feel unready for and ill equipped for. I …
Starting over There are times in life where you find yourself starting over again. You may have gone on a diet but before you lost all the weight that you were hoping to lose, you started piling it back on. …
By the end of this talk my hope is that like David you will enlist this prayer as you live as disciples of Christ. In Psalm 19 King David ends this psalm of praise. Of praise to God for his …
- Treasure stories We all love stories of people finding hidden treasure whether it be the discovery of a sunken Spanish treasure ship or someone unearthing buried treasure. We love to hear how someone found treasure that has been hidden …
A few years ago, my wife and I went on one of our most adventurous hikes. We decided to go ‘tramping’ or hiking in New Zealand. We did a 2-night hike on the Routeburn Track, where parts of the track …
Hearing but not listening. We all probably know what it is like to talk to someone who might hear what we are saying but they aren’t really listening to us. They aren’t paying attention and don’t heed what we are …
Introduction I remember in my childhood seeing the boxer Muhammad Ali on the television. We knew of this man who was obviously a great boxer. What I remember more though were his words. To say that Muhammad Ali was full …
Forgiveness Forgiveness is a big part of our faith as believers in the Lord Jesus. Through Jesus we believe that have the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:14; Eph. 1:7). The apostle Paul wrote: “In him we have redemption through his …
Introduction Have you ever had a time in your life where you have thought, no matter what happens I have to do this thing? That something is so important that you would not let anything, or anybody get in the …
Publicly denounced. Trump Just over a week ago, Mike Pence, the former vice President of the United States, took the significant step of denouncing the actions of his former boss and president. Pence had some harsh words for Trump as …
I don’t know about you. But I have had been disappointed a few times in my life when reality didn’t meet expectations. This has happened with movies, food and indeed relationships. There were times when I was so looking forward …
Sheep among wolves In the passage that we are looking at today in the gospel of Matthew , the Lord Jesus told those who he was sending out to be his witnesses that they would be like sheep among wolves. …
Our view of our world When you look at what is going on in our world it is easy to become disheartened and discouraged by what we see. Putin’s war The war in the Ukraine has been going on much …
Introduction How many times in life do we hear someone promise something and then it doesn’t happen? Or even worse the opposite happens. We could say that the persons words and their actions don’t correspond. Now I’m not here to …
Handling criticism How do you handle criticism? Do you get angry when you’re criticized by someone or are calm, cool and collected type? Or you one to get really upset? Or is criticism like water off a duck’s back because …
Introduction From 2009 to 2018 Forbes magazine compiled a list each year of the world’s most powerful people. They picked one person for every 100 million people in the world. The three categories used to make the decision were the …
Contend for the faith Today were looking at the short letter that bears the name Jude. This letter is a call to believers to be on the guard and contend for the faith. “To contend” for something was to fight …
Significant announcements He is not here, he has risen “He is not here, he has risen”. I don’t think that there are any more significant words in history than those that were spoken by an angel to a couple of …
The Crucifixion of Jesus is not just a climax to a book. It is the climax in history. This is God’s perfect plan and He is in complete control. God is sovereign over all. As Jesus is led away and …
Final Preparations When it comes to a wedding it doesn’t matter how well you have made your preparations along the way, there is a lot of preparation in the last week before the wedding happens. In the final days there …
Introduction Are you good at waiting, or do you pace up and down? I used to pace up and down, but now I am much calmer. I spent too many years of my life with very little patience. Instant gratification …
- Out of the mouth I don’t think I have a very strong Australian accent but a few years ago travelling around the UK it was obvious to everybody else. What I found interesting is that in the UK even …
Fighting and conflict Wherever you have people coming together you expect there to be some kind of discord, whether it be the infighting of a political party or the politics of local football club or the school P&C. Wherever you …
“Lions on the loose”! “Several lions have broken free at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo!” That was the headline from a morning TV breakfast show in November last year. The police were called in to help just in case, although I wouldn’t …
- Excuses, excuses How good are you at making excuses for yourselves? Making an excuse is often our first response to anything that might feel like a criticism. When someone points something out us to us like the washing up …
- Favouritism Growing up my parent would always say that they had no favourites among their three children. Looking back, I believe that they really did try to work hard to make sure that we were all treated much the …
One of the beauties of the Bible is that it was indeed written by different authors. All inspired by God as we know from 2 Timothy 3. James writes differently to Paul, and this is helpful. The book of James …
- Trials of many kinds Living in this world will bring trials of various kinds. Trials are those things that test our faith. Some of these trials are troubles that everybody experiences whether you are a believer or not. They …
- Being eager Have you ever noticed how people are eager to tell you about those things that they truly believe in. It might be something as simple as having purchased the latest iPhone. For the first few week they …
- MOTTOS? Today I want to begin by asking you what mottos do you know? While you spend a moment thinking about that let me give you my loose definition of a motto. It is a short or succinct set …
“She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me!” That’s a quote from the 1994 movie ‘The Little Rascals’, one of many movies I watched on repeat growing up. I’m one of …
Verses 1-6 – The Appearance of God V1 God speaks. This is what we spoke about from Psalm 33 last week. God spoke in Genesis 1, and all was created. Well, this time when the Lord speaks he summons the …
We don’t always feel like praising God do we. There can be many reasons for this. You might be tired; you may have had an argument with your better half on the way to church this morning. The kids might …
- Songs Songs are an important part of life. Just about every culture makes music and sings songs. We sing them when we are in love and want to tell the world. We sing them when we are happy and …
- A baptism A little later today we are going to witness the baptism of Helen. Helen hasn’t been with us here at Chatswood Baptist for long just a few months. However, Helen has come to that point in her …
Deliberately Forgetting We often ignore things that we shouldn’t overlook or forget things that we shouldn’t forget. In our minds we seem to have this capacity to somehow manage to push to one side those things that we don’t want …
2 Peter 2:10-22 Springs without water Water is essential to life. I’ve read that without food we can survive weeks even months but without water we can only survive about 2 to 4 days, a week at most. I’m not …
A few years ago at Cambridge University in England, there was a debate between a Christian professor and a professor who didn’t believe in God, an atheist. The Christian professor was a retired professor of Divinity from Oxford University and …
2 Peter 1:12-21 Introduction I am sure like me you get reminders for things every day. Some of them are important and some well not quite as much. I use my phone and my electronic diary to remind me of …
2 Peter 1:1-11 1. Not long to go What would you do if you found out that you didn’t have long to live? Of course, unless the Lord suddenly and unexpectedly takes us home to be with him we will …
Ephesians 6:1-9 1. The Lordship of Christ What does the lordship of Christ mean for you? What has it changed in your life? How are you different to others who don’t acknowledge Jesus as Lord? Filters through everything I remember …
Matthew 10:37 Introduction It is not I’m sure unusual if you have more than one child to hear them say at some stage in their lives something like this. Dad, I know that I am your favourite and that you …
Ephesians 6:10-24 The latest results from the 2021 National Census showed an increase in Australians ticking the ‘no religion’ box. It appears religious affiliation is on the decline. The church and Christianity have appeared to decline, particularly since ‘no …
Ephesians 5:22-33 1. Following a pattern Today I want to look with you at Ephesians 5:22-33 and God’s pattern for marriage. A dress maker will have pattern that she or he needs to follows to put together a dress as …
Ephesians 5:1-20 1. Being like dad Lots of boys grow up wanting to be like their dads, some more than others and maybe not in every way, but at least in some ways. Of course, sometimes girls also want to …
It was 2014, and my wife and I and 2 other friends were hiking through the New Zealand bushland. At the end of the first day of hiking, as we were resting overnight in a hut, we were told that …
Ephesians 4:1-16 Introduction There is a worthy or right way to do many things. There is a way to be a worthy accountant, there is a way to be a worthy medical doctor and there is a way to be …
Ephesians 3:14-21 1. On bended knee My grandmother When I was a boy there were only a couple of occasions when I stayed over at my grandmother’s house. There wasn’t a lot of times that this happened for my grandmother …
Ephesians 2:1-10 Given to share Have you ever been given something that you were meant to share with others, but didn’t do so? I must admit that on a few occasions I’ve been guilty of this. At times people have …
Ephesians 2:11-22 I’ve been to cities that never close down From New York to Rio and old London town But no matter how far or how wide I roam I still call Australia home Many of us may be familiar …
Ephesians 2:1-10 1. The Before and after photo A common way of promoting something is to use the before and after photo. You take a picture of a person before they used your product and then you take another photo …
Ephesians 1:15-23 Introduction Last week Pastor Philip started our new series in the book of Ephesians and showed us through Ephesians 1:1-14 just what believers in Christ have, what God has done for us in Christ. This week as we …
Ephesians 1:1-14 Our plans What have you had to plan well in advance for? Sometimes we just can’t leave things to the last minute. You need to make your plans a long way ahead of whatever it is that you …
Daniel 4 Learning the hard way Have you ever had to learn a lesson the hard way? You were warned! You were told not to go there or not to do whatever it was that you were planning to do, …
Ecclesiastes 11 & 12 Everyone can relate to the phrase ‘Don’t waste your life’. In one sense especially in affluent Australia it is the battle cry. What do most people on the north shore of Sydney want for their kids. …
Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20 1. Hard to convince What does it take to convince you of something? What does it take to help you change your mind, to switch from one thing to another? Are you easy to persuade or do you …
Life in a fallen world We live in a fallen world, where things aren’t as they should be. Mass shooting in the US This year alone there have been 250 mass shooting in the US. According to the Washington Post, …
Ecclesiastes is a Wisdom Book and is also Scripture Now I am recapping a little here when I say that Ecclesiastes is a Wisdom Book. Together with the books of Psalms, Proverbs, Job and Song of Solomon. These 5 books …
Wealth and possessions Australians are generally among the wealthiest people in the world. According to one report, Australians in 2021 topped the world rankings for median wealth per person. The same report also highlighted the fact that in Australia almost …
Philippians 1:12-30 What are you living for? I’m aware that there are two main groups here today, that I’m speaking to. First, there’s the regulars of Chatswood Baptist Church, here in one sense, because you’re here for church! But …
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Watch your step Have you ever had to be very careful where you stepped, where and how you placed your foot? Maybe you’ve been crossing a stream and had to step from one rock to the next to …
Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:16 The teacher sees the overwhelming futility of life, despairs and despondent and wonders how to respond. Good morning Would you please join me as i ask for God’s help in prayer? Dear Heavenly Father We thank you that …
Ecclesiastes 3 The Great Resignation Many of us have probably come across the term ‘the great resignation’ over the past year. It was coined by Professor Andrew Klotz in the US as he predicted up to 40% of the global workforce …
Ecclesiastes 2 Introduction The passage that has just been read speaks loudly to me. I spent my early adult years with my identity and my worth tied up exclusively with work, pleasure and possessions. I was all about having a …
Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 & 12:9-14 Life is fleeting This year in October is my 60th birthday which is in my mind a significant milestone. A significant milestone Not only am I not a young man anymore, but soon, according to the …
- Everything must change There are moments in life where everything changes for a person. When you get married When you get married you can’t just go on living as though you are still single. You have another person to …
Ephesians 2:1-10 What if there was no Easter? What would that mean for you? It’s Easter Sunday. An exciting day of the year. A good day for most of us… But why is it a good day? What do we …
Christ Died For Us – Romans 5:6-11 Introduction You know I’m a little soppy, what I mean is that I am one of those people that cries in movies & when reading books. I enjoy a good redemption story …
- Labouring in vain Last summer, the one just gone, was a very frustrating and unfruitful season for me in the garden. Although I sowed and planted quite a few different types of vegetables, all the rain meant that much …
Matthew 7:1-12 Introduction Some of you may know that I’ve been recently living amongst college community as part of the theological college I attend. There are a range of personalities and people from different backgrounds who live in close proximity …
Matthew 6:19-34 Introduction 24 years ago Larissa and I were married and how we both live life changed forever. We were now not two single people, but one married couple. We had promised ourselves in love and faithfulness to each …
Matthew 6:1-18 Authenticity and Private Faith It doesn’t happen often, but I think that our postmodern, secular culture has actually got something right about faith. Particularly in light of what Jesus has to say to us in this passage …
- Our times Over the last few years many of us have perhaps felt overwhelmed by the events that we have seen going on in our world. Some believers are wondering whether these things that we see happening are the …
Matthew 5:33-48 Ted Lasso Vs Suits One of the most popular TV shows in 2021 was the Apple TV show Ted Lasso. It revolves around an American football coach who is hired to coach an English football club – …
- Like father like son A few years back I went to family funeral. It was for my uncle on my dad’s side of the family. At the time my father who has now passed away, was ill and unable …
Matthew 5:13-20 Are Christians a blessing? If you asked your friends or workmates whether they think Christianity has been good for the world… what do you think they’d say? You’d probably get a whole variety of answers, wouldn’t you. Some …
Matthew 5:1-12 The blessed When we think about those who we might regard as fortunate or blessed in this life, we often think of those around us who seem to be successful or are well off or well to do. …
Exodus 35-40 I like cooking. However, I don’t like bland food. Food for me needs layers, it needs to be rich in flavour. When I make bolognaise sauce for pasta, my general sauce has 19 ingredients in it. When my …
- It was over before it had it even begun It was over before it had even begun. The marriage The long-awaited day had arrived. They were finally getting married. Everything that morning had gone off like clockwork. The bride …
Exodus 25-27, 31 Camping with God Some of us love camping, and some of us don’t. Our last camping trip, in January last year, just for 2 nights on the central coast, was a bit of a nightmare. Firstly, …
Matthew 3:13-4:11 Reinforcing who Jesus is Today as we come to the end of this 5 talk series from the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel we see that the one message that Matthew has been telling us from verse 1 of …
- Australia’s national warning system In Australia over the last year we have had our fair share of natural disasters. We have had floods and storms here on the East coast and on the west coast earlier this year there …
Matthew 2:1-12 Introduction Good morning Church and Merry Christmas to you all whether you are in Church or watching from home. Well here we are on Christmas morning. We made it, there is no more waiting, no more buying presents …
Matthew 1:18-25 Why all the fuss? In our family Bible reading time before bed this month, we’ve been doing something different for Advent readings. We’re still reading passages from the bible that all relate one way or another to …