Bendigo Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
Bendigo Presbyterian Church
What is the most surprising thing? That Nineveh repented at Jonah’s message from God? Or, as we read in Jonah 4:1-4, that Jonah is angry that the message was heeded and God spared the people – after he was spared himself! Do we forget God’s promises? Are we surprised by God’s mercy? Do we doubt that God would forgive? No one is beyond the grace of God. We are astonished by God’s amazing grace.
Message
Outline
- What’s be the most surprising thing?
- The repentance of the people
- The ‘repentance’ of God
- See…
- The unreasonable prophet
- The reasoning God
While Paul speaks about love being the mark of the Christian and his/her resp;onsibility to extend it to all men, he is also aware that there are times and circumstances that make ‘loving others’ difficult. In Romans 13;11-14, he outlines some of these difficulties while also calling believers to see ‘how’ love can flourish – irt’s by ‘putting on the Lord Jesus Christ’.
Message
Outline
• The tenth in this series
• Living a life of love…
• ‘To live below with saints we know…’
• See how Paul tells us that we are to live and love…
- Knowing that the end is near us (v.11-12a)
- Knowing that the fight is around us (v.12b)
- Knowing that the flesh is against us (v.13-14)
Augustine’s conversion
Delivered from the kingdom of darkness
Time is short!
In Romans 13:8-10, Paul spoeaks again about love, but this time in the context of the Law of God. The Old and New Testaments are not enemies but friends, and love is a dominant theme of both the Old and the New Testaments, even though some would say otherwise. In presenting this call to love to the beleievers at Rome, Paul actually tells them that by ‘loving’ they will fulfill the requirements of the Law! In this way, love and Law intersect and belong together.
Message
Outline
• The ninth in this series
• The overarching response of love…
• Is Law opposed to love?
• See how Paul tells us that …
- Love is the greater debt we owe (v.8a)
- Love is the summary and fulfillment of the Law (v.8b,9, 10b)
- Love determines how we treat others (10a)
Take a self-inventory!
Why love? Because we were loved first…!
The debt paid for us!
In Mark 1:21-45, we see Jesus demonstrate authority in teaching, over unclean spirits, and in healing the sick. As amazing as Jesus’ authority is (the spirits are terrified and fear Jesus destroying them) we also see what is important to Jesus and what he has come to do with this authority: He cares about relationship with God and proclaiming the good news of how to get right with God. Jesus is both willing, and able, to make the ‘unclean’ clean, including you and I. How will we respond to this Jesus?
Message
Outline
- Who am I?
- Jesus’ Authority (v.21-34)
- In Teaching
- Over Spirits
- Over Sickness
- Jesus’ Priority (v.35-39)
- Prayer
- Preaching
- Jesus’ Purity (v.40-45)
- Jesus’ willingness
- Making the ‘unclean’ clean
- Living sacrifices
In Romans 13:1-7, Paul continues along in the same train of thought, but with a different application – that of how believers ought to relate to those who are in positions of authority over them. How should believers live as those wanting to give themselves as ‘living sacrifices’ to the God who showed us such great mercy and do this in relation to governments that do not believe in Him? They should be the best citizens they can be, by standing up for righteousness and by the way they pray for and submit to these governing authorities (with exceptions of course!)!
Message
Outline
• The eighth in this series
• Remembering our context…
• How to approach a text like this?
• See how Paul encourages us…
- How to consider our appointed leaders (v.1-2)
- How to pray for our appointed leaders (v.3-4)
- How to live under our appointed leaders (v.5-7)
How did Jesus approach this?
Where all this is heading….!
In Romans 12;17-21, Paul sets out the way in which the believer should respond to those who hate and mistreat them. Jesus promised that His followers would face persecution for His sake and this is certainly borne out in practise. Believers all around the world are mistreated in major ways, but also, many of us face offences, insults and bullying even if these are not due to anything related to our faith. It’s a hard, evil world that we live in. How do we respond?
Message
Outline
• The seventh in this series
• Facing a danger…
• First being ‘in Christ’…. then living this life…
• See how Paul teaches us to be like Jesus and …
- Reject the way of revenge (v.17, 19-20)
- Pursue the way of peace (v.17b-18)
- Overcome evil with the opposite (v.21)
‘Be’ something’ before ‘do’ something
This world!
Different weapons for the war…
In Romans 12:14-16, Paul continues to explore the applications of what it means to be transformed from within by the Spirit of God. Having addressed the way we are to relate to each other within the body of Christ, his concern now is to apply some more principles in relating to others who are ‘outside’ of the people of God. A life lived in the way he teaches, does (not surprisingly!) remind us of the Lord Jesus, who was all that Paul taught!
Message
Outline
• The sixth in this series
• That ‘inside out’ transformation…
• Two sets of triplets
• See how Paul teaches us to be like Jesus in …
- The way we think of others (v.14-15)
- The way we think of ourselves (v.16)
1 John 3:17
That pair of army boots
Like Jesus who was all these things…
In this message by Rev Peter Phillips on Jonah 3:3-10, we read how by repentance, Jonah was delivered from the sea and from the fish. By repentance, Jonah obeyed the Lord, went to Nineveh and proclaimed the judgment of God. By repentance, the people of Nineveh caused the Lord to relent so that he did not judge them as they deserved. By repentance, we too can receive forgiveness of sins.
Message
Outline
By repentance
Note…
- Nineveh’s repentance
- God’s repentance
What if the Ninevites had not believed and repented?
What if we don’t?
Jesus can give repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31)
The story of the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a made up story to make us feel good about death or to give Jesus some more status that wasn’t meant for him. In Matthew 28:1-10, the facts are laid out for all to see and they must be wrestled with! For, if God did really raised Jesus from the dead, then everything changes – nothing is the same! And, following on from that, the claims Jesus makes must be examined and either believed or rejected. There’s no middle ground.
Message
Outline
• House fires!
• Facts that demand action
• Crisis moments & the claim of the gospel writers…
• Note that Matthew tells us of…
- One indisputable fact (v.1-6a)
- Two important commands (v.6b-7)
- One inescapable conclusion (v.8-10)
The verdict of the gospel writers
The challenge for all people!
When the gospel writer, Matthew, recorded the fact that Mrs Pilate (Claudia Procla) told her husband, Pontius Pilate, about her dream and her ill-feeling towards the situation her husband would soon be in, sentencing the Lord Jesus, we could ask the question, why? Why did Matthew record that incident? There might well be some suggestions that aren’t quite right and some (or at least one) that probably is. On this Good Friday, listen on to see!
Message
Outline
• The text! Mrs Pilate’s cameo…
• Why did Matthew include it?
• What does it mean? What can we learn? Think on…
- Three suggestions that are wrong
Men
We
Not
- One suggestion that is right
The
“Innocent” and innocent
That goat!
The gospel: the innocent punished, the guilty go free!
Having laid the foundation of love as being the key character trait of the believer, in Romans 12:11-13, Paul adds more to the picture of what it means to live the Christian life. In these verses, Paul gives a set of commands that believers are to follow, not as a way of ‘putting on’ Christianity as an outward, external thing, but as an inward thing, something that comes from within, through the transformation Paul spoke of in Romans 12:2. Love is the beginning of the response but is only the beginning. Faithfulness and zeal and prayerfulness all need to be added on, as we grow in maturity and service to the Lord.
Message
Outline
• The fifth in this series
• That ‘inside out’ transformation…
• Triplets and doublets
• See how Paul points us toward these character traits …
- Wholehearted ministry (v.11)
- Faithful consistency (v.12)
- Shared generosity (v.13)
KPI’s
Time for a stocktake…
The thankful heart
The world often throws up the line or the comeback that ‘love is love’. Well, it is, and it isn’t. In Romans 12:9-10, the Apostle Paul, gives us some clear instructions as to how God’s people should ensure that ‘love’ is the key to the way we function as a church. He speaks of love, but not as the world understands it, rather as God defines it -and He has the right to define it – after all, we only love because ‘He loved us first’.
Message
Outline
• The fourth in this series
• A quick backtrack…
• From gifts to ‘graces’
• See how Paul points us to a kind of love that is …
- Free from hypocrisy (v.9a)
- Full of discernment (v.9b)
- Focused on others (v.10)
Have I ever truly loved another?
Where this all starts!
After estabslising what believers should do in response to God’s grace with their lives (Romans 12:1) and their minds (Romans 12:2), Paul progresses the way that this response to grace should affect the way we treat each other in the body of Christ (Romans 12:3-8). Here, Paul points out that we are one body with different gifts and that these gifts are gifts of grace (Greek: Charismata (gifts), Charis (grace)) for the building up of the body. The way we serve each other will indicate the way in which we have learned to give ourselves as living sacrifices and just how much our minds have been transformed by grace.
Message
Outline
• The third in this series
• What we’ve learned…
• Outward expression of inner transformation
• See how Paul points us to the character traits of …
- Walking in humility (v.3)
- Living in harmony (v.4-5)
- Serving with fidelity (v.6-8)
The parable of the tea bag
The healthy church….
You are the body of Christ
In Romans 12:2, Paul continues the theme of how we ought to live in response to the wonder of God’s grace given to His people. After telling us that nothing less than offering ourselves as ‘living sacrifices’ to God will do in verse 1, he then rounds out the picture by telling us the ‘how in verse 2 and indeed, in the rest of the chapter. Verse 2 tells us that a right response to God in this way includes our minds. Why? Because right thinking and right theology ultimately leads to right living, just as bad thinking and bad theology ultimately reveals itself and ends up in wrong living!
Message
Outline
• The second in this series
• What we’ve learned…
• A high bar & cheap grace
• See what Paul says about responding to grace…
- What we ought not do (v.2a)
- What we ought to do (v.2b)
- Why we ought to do it (v.2c)
Can you spot the difference?
What’s the Lord’s end goal in this?
It’s kind of unusual to start a series on the book of Romans at chapter 12, three-quarters of the way through the book! But in an attempt to cover the more ‘practical’ aspects of the Christian life, and to follow on from the series on Malachi, Romans 12 is a great place to start – especially Romans 12:1, where Paul gives some clear instructions about how to respond to the wonderful grace of God in the gospel – clear instructions but hard to do when you think about what they involve!
Message
Outline
• The first in this series
• Chapters 1-11? …
• ‘Therefore’ – theological & practical
• See what Paul says about responding to grace…
- What it is we should do (v.1b)
- Why it is we ought to do it (v.1a)
- What we are doing when we do it (v.1c)
That s…. word!
One man who took this seriously…
What will you offer to the Lord?
The final words of Malachi’s book, found in Malachi 3:13-4:6 are also the final words of the Old Testament. While the Old Testament begins with God’s creative work in Genesis 1:1, it ends with God’s promise of a destructive work in Malachi 4:6. This is helpful, because it reminds us that while God’s people in the time of Malachi were unfaithful to their covenant reponsibilities, God himself was not unfaithful to His people. And, even though they spoke against Him, He did not pour out His judgement upon them, but sent them a messenger whose ministry was to restore broken relationships. In all this ‘God was reconciling the world to Himself’ and preparing the way for the One who would come to be its Saviour.
Message
Outline
• The last in this series
• The story so far…
• ‘Whitewashed tombs’
• See how the Lord revealed that there were…
- Some who complained about Him (3:13-15, 4:1-3)
- Some who feared Him (3:16-18)
- One who would speak for Him (4:4-6)
Authentic faith…
The invitation of Jesus (who came after Malachi) …
When our thinking about God is wrong, so too everything else will be wrong. In Malachi 2:17-3:15, the people of Judah’s thinking about God was way off. They thought that He had changed to the extent that He no longer cared about punishing sin or evil, and that He actually approved of sin and evil. They couldn’t have been more wrong! Thankfully, their wrong ‘theology’ was quickly corrected and God made very clear where He and they stood, promising to come to them, to judge them, but before that, to send them the Messiah and the one who announced His arrival.
Message
Outline
• The 5th in this series
• The story so far…
• ‘God isn’t blessing us as we would like!’
• See how the Lord through Malachi revealed …
- What the people of God said about Him (2:17, 3:13-15)
- What God said about Himself to the people of God (3:1-12)
Those pesky sparrows!
The voice in the desert…
He gave Himself for you…now do that for Him!
it has been noted that ‘the fish rots from the head down’. Given that the Lord God had already shown through the prophet Malachi that the priests (the leaders of the religious aspect of God’s people) were corrupt and spiritually poor, then it is little surprise that the people also began to disregard the word of God and its importance in their lives. And one of the ways they did this was in the area of marriage. In Malachi 2:10-16, we find that the men were marrying women who worshipped other gods and (presumably) divorcing their own wives in order to do this. Neither of these was acceptable to God, and this slack view of marriage only revealed just how low their view of God really was.
Message
Outline
• The 4th in this series
• Familiarity breeds contempt
• A difficult text, but clear!
• See how the Lord accused the people of …
- Marrying outside of the covenant family (v.10-12)
- Treating the marriage covenant with contempt (v.14-16)
Not a time for joking!
A reflection of God’s covenant with His people…
You may have heard the expression, ‘the fish rots from the head down’. As with that proverbial fish, so with God’s people. In Malachi 2:1-9, we find that the cause of the spiritual decay that had set in among the people of Judah, was found in the priests of the day who were unfaithful and corrupt. They themselves were led astray and so by their teaching were also leading the people astray and to despise the word of God, just as they were doing. It’s a terrible picture, but something that wasn’t happening just ‘back then’. As goes the leadership of today’s church, so also goes the church.
Message
Outline
• What we’ve seen so far in Malachi
• The foundation established
• Decline from the ‘top down’
• See how the Lord accused the priests of …
- Abusing the privilege of their calling (v.1-3)
- Ignoring the responsibilities of the covenant (v.4-6)
- Failing to set a godly example (v.7-9)
‘Going down like a lead balloon’
Generational decay
We need the Perfect Priest!
We have a saying in Australia that goes, ‘things are crook in Tallarook’. Maybe they aren’t always, Tallarook is quite a pretty place. But things were certainly ‘crook’ in Judah when Malachi declared God’s word in Malachi 1:6-14. The people had settled back into Jerusalem after the exile, but the worship had been turned upside down. Were they bored with worship or with God or both? Either way, they weren’t giving their best to God and He was not pleased. Worship can be all wrong when are hearts are far from Him.
Message
Outline
• Those opening verses of Malachi
• Two truths in tension
• Bored with God?
• See how the text tells us how there was…
- A problem with the present worship (v.6-9, 12-14)
- A promise regarding the future worship (v.10-11)
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Out with hypocrisy…!
The book of Malachi is the last of the books of the Old Testament, written about 450 years before the appearing of John the Baptist. In it, Lord addressed His people through the prophet Malachi, calling them to wake up to themselves. Their spiritual condition was poor. And so in Malachi 1:1-5, it’s surprising to see the note with which the book begins. The Lord’s love for His people! It’s this backdrop that makes later messages from God through Malachi shine out in importance, calling His people today to ‘put matters right’ with our God who has chosen us to be His own.
Message
Outline
• Malachi
• 450 years before John
• The sad state of the people…’how have you loved us?’
• See how the text calls us to remember …
- The nature of His love for them (v.1-3)
- The depth of His mercy toward them (v.3-4)
- The greatness of His purposes for them (v.5)
The correct diagnosis
The Lord’s love for you…
Borrowing from the work of John Mackay, guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock explored some significant references in the Bible concerning stars, the magi mentioned in Matthew 2:1-15, and how these point to God as Creator and Saviour.
Message
Outline
- Matthew 2:1-12. How did the magi know?
- Numbers 24:17. A gentle prophecy.
- Genesis 1:14-19; Jeremiah 33:25-26. From creation to Christ. Kepler’s best guess.
- Acts 7:41-43. Israel’s star worship, magi’s education.
- Matthew 2:15; Hosea 11:1; Deuteronomy 18. A prophet like Moses.
- Isaiah 60:1-3; Psalm 72. Can you trust the God who arranged all these events?
Guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock, spoke from Genesis 1 about God as creator. The author of creation has authority over it. This is a unique and exclusive claim and has many implications for us as his creatures. Because he is good and loving, we can take him at his word, rely on him and honour him as our maker.
Message
Outline
- God created (Genesis 1:1)
- But which god? (John 1:1-3, 14; Hebrews 1:2; Colossians 1:12ff)
- He created ALL things (Isaiah 45:7)
- The playdough principle (Romans 9:21)
- Obeying can be scary – look to God for physical and spiritual provision (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Among the book of Psalms there are many gems. Psalm 122:1-9 is one of those. This joyous Psalm was sung by pilgrims as they wound their way up to Jerusalem, expressing something of the joy they felt at the prospects before them. While we are not attached to Jerusalem in the way God’s people of old were, the principles King David gives us in this Psalm are easily applicable to us as God’s people today on our ‘heavenly’ pilgrimage towards the fulfilment of all that God has in store for His own.
Message
Outline
• The Psalms and our emotions…
• Pilgrims en route to Jerusalem for worship
• How David felt about worship & God’s people…
• Note his attitude…
- Towards worship (v.1-2)
- Towards each other (v.3-5)
- Towards prayer (v.6-9)
Our special position under the new covenant
Are you a clear reflection of the Lord?
The book of Proverbs is a wonderful part of the ‘wisdom literature’ found in the Old Testament. The text of Proverbs 3:1-12 is especially helpful when considering the uncertainty of life – especially the new year (2025) ahead of us. The text calls us to do certain things, and it helps us to see that if we do those things, then the wisdom we need for life will be ours, directing our paths into a blessed New Year.
Message
Outline
• The first Sunday of the New Year!
• Getting the proverbs right…
• A father’s words to his son…
• See how the text calls us to always…
- Remember the character of the Lord (v.1-4)
- Rely on the wisdom of the Lord (v.5-10
- Submit to the discipline of the Lord (v.11-12)
A great text…a great new year…more of Him, less of me!
The gate of the year…
There’s no doubt that the shepherds feature prominently in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, especially so in Luke 2:8-20. The fact that the angels appeared to them and not Mary and Joseph must have had a purpose in God’s plan, and Luke likes to emphasize how utterly afraid they were because of their sudden appearance. But the shepherds soon became changed men as they realized that they had been chosen by the Lord to bear witness to the Messiah’s coming – which is just what they did.
Message
Outline
• The third in this series!
• Some big contrasts to note…
• When and how we get Christmas so wrong
• Consider the responses to the news and see them…
- Proclaiming it with zeal (v.17)
- Receiving it with awe (v.18-19)
- Believing it with joy (v.20)
Luke’s special focus…
How will you respond to the news?
One of the most common misconceptions about the birth of Jesus, especially the words of the angels in Luke 2:14-16, is that ‘peace on earth’ would be automatic. Just looking around at the world in any era of history will tell you that this didn’t happen and never will. What was the message of ‘peace’ that the angels declared, and how is that peace to be found?
Message
Outline
• The second in this series!
• Major confusion on this one…
• Angels, shepherds and …. peace??
• Consider the words of the angels about peace and see…
- The proper giver of it (v.14)
- The vital conditions of it (v.14)
- The direct path to it (v.15-16)
War and peace…
What did the angels know? And what do we?
There are all kinds of things to be confused about at Christmas, but we ought not be confused about is what to believe. The virgin birth of Jesus is at the heart of the Christmas message and the gospel. But how could it have happened? And of what the critics say about it? How can we understand and defend the truth of it in this modern world? Hopefully, this message will give both some assurances and answers.
Message
Outline
• The first in this series!
• All kinds of confusion
• Lots of questions, and that one question!
• Consider the critics who question the Virgin Birth and …
- The reality of it (v.34)
- The possibility of it (v.35)
- The necessity of it (v.35)
The uniqueness of Jesus…
The truth of the Scriptures…
In 2 Timothy 4:9-22 we come to the final section of text in this letter. Paul’s last words. Last words take on signficance, especially when the person who gives them or says them is facing death. As Paul signs off to Timothy, his last words take on extra significance as we hear of his needs, his joys, his sorrows, his comfort, his confidence and most all, his fellow workers in the gospel. Paul was not a ‘one man band’ and his final words reflect his dependence upon the Lord’s people and the grace of God to carry him home.
Message
Outline
• The eleventh in this series
• The context – Paul’s final words!
• The final words of others
• See how Paul spoke of ….
- Final requests (v.9, 11-13)
- Final sorrows (v.10, 14-16)
- Final instructions (v.17-22)
What did Paul need most?
Grace will lead you home!
In 2 Timothy 4:1-8, we are close to the final words of Paul’s letter – although they are surely the climax of all that Paul has said. As Paul now wraps us what Timothy is expected to do, he uges him toward being diligent, fervent and constant – all in the light of the coming of Jesus, the coming of apostasy and the coming of Paul’s own death. All this so that Timothy would fix his eyes on Jesus and pursue the ‘crown of righteousness’ that will be given to all those who have ‘loved His appearing’.
Message
Outline
• The tenth in this series
• Last chapter of his last letter…
• No change in subject
• See how Paul called Timothy to be ….
- Diligent: because Jesus is coming (v.1)
- Fervent: because apostasy is coming (v.2-5)
- Constant: because death is coming (v.6-8)
That all-important baton change!
What are your eyes fixed on?
Sometimes last words carry more ‘weight’ than others. As we draw closer to the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his words in 2 Tmothy 3:10-17 stand out among his last instructions to the young pastor. In the context of dealing with false teachers and the prevalence of fale teaching in the last days, Timothy needed much encouragement to stick with the Scriptures. They were enough to bring him to salvation, and they would surely be enough for this next generation that Timothy was teaching. And what effect did they have on Timothy? He was faithful unto death.
Message
Outline
• The ninth in this series
• A rough ride ahead…
• Last letter, last words
• See the encouragements given based on….
- Paul’s own example (v.10-13)
- Timothy’s own conversion (v.14-15)
- God’s own Word (v.16-17)
What effect did this have on Timothy?
Faithful to the end….
When the Apostle Paul wrotes this his last letter to Timothy, he was aware that he was living in the ‘last days’ – days when human sin and rebellion will increase and become part and parcel of daily living. In fact, ever since the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, those ‘last days’ have been here – and so in 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Paul encouraged Timothy to have a ‘mindset’ that his ministry was to be in those days, and like a paratrooper dropped behind enemy lines, be prepared for battle – not against flesh and blood, but for the truth of the gospel.
Message
Outline
• The eighth in this series
• The church facing a crisis
• What of the future?
• See Paul’s teaching on the ‘last days’ and…
- The troubles in them (v.1)
- A preview of them (v.2-5)
- The causes behind them (v.6-9)
Behind enemy lines…
Preparation, perseverance, purity
Paul used numerous meteaphors in the first part of this letter and also in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, especially the diea of a ‘clean vessel’. In order that Timothy might be a ‘worker approved by God’, he would need to be like a ‘clean vessel’ and it would be this, not his wisdom or strength that would make him useful to the Master – especially as he faced the onslaught of false teachers. Even then, Timothy’s response to opposition was to be Christ-like and not one of impatience. There would be no point winning ‘the argument’ if he lost his hearers in the process.
Message
Outline
• The seventh in this series
• Goals of faithfulness and single-mindedness
• The ‘images’ Paul has used
• See how Paul wanted Timothy to be useful by being a ….
- A clean vessel (v.19-23)
- A godly servant (v.24-26)
Who was Timothy to imitate?
The servant approved by his Master!
With the Apostle Paul aware that he would soon die, part of his motive in writing to Timothy the young pastor was to prepare him for the day when he would no longer be there to help him. Further to this, the church at Ephesus (like all the churches of that era) faced the challenges associated with the rise of false teachers and their associated heresies. In 2 Timothy 2:14-19, Paul wanted Timothy to watch both his talk and walk in order that false teachers might be silenced and the truth made clear.
Message
Outline
• The sixth in this series
• The danger facing the church
• ‘Approved by God’
• See how Paul called Timothy to….
- Be very careful with his talk (v.14-18)
- Be very watchful of his walk (v.19)
A leader for a crisis moment
Our high calling & great challenge!
The Apostle Paul was never one to tell someone what to do or to face danger, if he hadn’t done what he said or faced that danger himself. Sitting in his prison cell, writing to young pastor Timothy, Paul wanted Timothy to ‘do as he had done’ – that is, prove to be faithful in all aspects of his ministry and true to the Lord Jesus. How Paul did that was to encourage Timothy towards endurance, perseverance and singleminded service of the Lord. Only then would Timothy prove that the Lord will reward those who endure suffering for the gospel’s sake.
Message
Outline
• The fifth in this series
• Where we left off last week
• Endurance required!
• See how Paul called Timothy to be encouraged by…
- The central truth of the gospel (v.8-9a)
- The effective power of the gospel (v.9b-10)
- The great reward of the gospel (v.11-13)
The battle of Waterloo
The gospel: worth living for and dying for!
Any talk about being ‘soldiers of Christ’ may be a bit ‘on the nose’ for many today. Images of the Crusades might quickly come to mind. But this was the metaphor that Paul used the most in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 as the Apostle urged Timothy to do many things that would show him to be a faithful servant of His master and trustworthy with the gospel.
Message
Outline
• The fourth in this series
• What we’ve noted from chapter 1
• The ‘imperfect’ first century church
• See how Paul called Timothy to be …
- Strong in grace (v.1-2)
- Ready for suffering (v.3)
- Faithful in service (v.4-7)
William Booth and the Salvation Army
Your task and mine….!
As Paul wrote to the younger pastor/teacher Timothy from his Roman jail cell, his time on earth was short, and Timothy’s time on earth would soon become more complicated with the rise of many false teachings and teachers. So what Paul wanted Timothy to do was be committed to the truth of the gospel – not be like others who fell away – but remain strong like Onesiphorus who not only sought out the Apostle in jail but met his needs there. We find this is 2 Timothy 1:13-18 were we read of a man who was a great encouragement to the imprisoned Apostle.
Message
Outline
• The third in this series
• Paul’s example and what he expected of Timothy
• The passing of that baton
• See how Paul pointed Timothy toward …
- Committed to the truth of the gospel (v.13)
- Guarding well the truth of the gospel (v.14-15)
- Living out the truth of the gospel (v.16-18)
That ministry of encouragement
What will you do…?
Message
Outline
• What’s unbelievable here?
• Jonah’s sin
• Your sin and mine
• See how the text speaks of….
- Jonah’s second chance – a gift of grace
- Jonah’s repentance – proven genuine by obedience
‘Fruit in keeping with repentance’
Responding to the grace of God…
Something you need to put right?
Message
Outline
• Jonah, down, but not gone!
• The appointed rescuer
• Did it really happen?
• See how the text speaks of….
- Jonah’s praise of the Lord – delivered from death
- Jonah’s promise to the Lord – to keep his vows
Vows?
Before you vow!
If you’ve broken a vow…
In this message on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Presbyterian Theological College student, Aaron Maskell, encourages us from the text to live lives on integrity (by both believing and living the gospel) based on Paul’s experience and example.
Message
Outline
Introduction
- Perseverance (v.1-2)
- Pleasing God (v.3-6)
- Loving others (v.7-12)
In 2 Timothy 1:8-12, we find that the Apostle Paul was just ‘getting warmed up’ after his initial greeting to Timothy. After establishing the reasons why he was so thankful for Timothy, Paul proceedes with some exhortations to Timothy to take responsibility for the gospel, not so much teaching it (not yet anyway), but suffering for it. Paul was in prison and facing death and he was doing all this for the sake of the gospel. Timothy was not yet in prison and not yet facing death, but he was still called to live a li9fe of faithfulness to the gospel as Paul did – regardless of the outcome.
Message
Outline
• The second in this series
• What we learned about Paul and Timothy
• The passing of the baton
• See how Paul speaks of …
- The content of the gospel (v.9-10)
- His suffering for the gospel (v.11-12)
- Timothy’s responsibility with the gospel (v.8)
Five French young men
Faithful unto death…
The letter of Paul to Timothy that we know as 2 Timothy is significant for a number of reasons, but mainly because it stands as Paul’s last letter before his execution. Written to his younger son and trainee Timothy, a pastor-teacher in the first century, it is full of warm feelings from Paul to Timothy, but also strong advice and exhortation about Timothy’s task and the way he ought to fulfill his calling. In 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Paul sets some foundations in place, especially in regard to his own confidence in the Lord and, to a degree, also in Timothy.
Message
Outline
• The first in this series
• Paul’s last letter and from prison!
• Paul’s attitude
• See how Paul tells us of his confidence in …
- The certainty of his calling (v.1)
- The sufficiency of the Lord’s supply (v.2)
- The sincerity of Timothy’s faith (v.3-5)
Fan this into flame…
What God has given his servants…
The text of Genesis 35:1-29 tells us that Jacob finnaly headed from Shechem, where there had been much disgrace brought upon his family, to Bethel, where God renewed so many of His promises to Jacob’s family. With three revelations of the Lord to Jacob on the way to and while at Bethel and three deaths in Jacob’s immediate family, the chapter is full of highs and lows for Jacob. As the last in this sermon series, it’s good to see how Jacob played a special role in the coming of the One who was Jacob’s (Israel’s) greater Son, Jesus the Messiah.
Message
Outline
• The sixteenth and last in this series
• The context of this chapter
• Jacob and Bethel
• See how Moses tells us of Jacob’s journeying…
- To Bethel (v.1-5)
- At Bethel (v.6-15)
- From Bethel (v.16-29)
Where his story began…
Who his story leads to…
There’s no way of looking at Genesis 34:1-31 without saying that the story is not a pretty picture. In fact, the actions of jacob’s sons were deplorable, as we the actions of the young man who raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Moses, who recorded the story for us, certainly doesn’t hold back – even Jacob himself comes across as all too passive when dealing with the sins of his sons. But in all of this, God is at work, even rescuing us from afar bigger mess that we created because of our own sin.
Message
Outline
• The fifteenth in this series
• An uncomfortable text!
• Some of the bad fruits from Jacob’s failure to obey
• See how Moses tells us of …
- The defilement of a daughter (v.1-5)
- The mismatch of a marriage (v.6-19)
- The sinfulness of the sons (v.20-31)
The abuse of the holy…
When God’s people are a stench…
The text of Genesis 33:1-20 gives the conclusion to the long anticipated meeting of Jacob and his twin, Esau. All that Jacob had been through now led up to this most significant moment when he would have to face up to his brother. But while the reader might have expected to be fireworks and anger, the situation has been diffused. Jacob is different and so is Esau. God has been good! But Jacob’s half-hearted response to God leaves the door open for compromise and temptation to make their way in his family.
Message
Outline
• The fourteenth in this series
• Amazing and remarkable…
• Some of the fruits of God’s work in Jacob’s life
• See how Moses tells us that …
- The path of humility leads to greater service (v.1-3)
- A thankful heart leads to a fruitful testimony (v.4-11)
- Half-hearted obedience leads to complicated consequences (v.12-20)
A warning about what’s to come!
God’s work to make us His own…
When Jacob was left alone at the river Jabbok, with all his family and goods sent on ahead of him to placate Esau, he could never have known that this was the moment when his life would be changed forever. After meeting with angels earlier in chapter 32, then his own messengers returning from Esau, then God met him. And he did it in such a way that Jacob would always remember. The text of Genesis 32:24-32 is vital in understanding God’s plans and purposes for Jacob and also, for you and me.
Message
Outline
• The thirteenth in this series
• Jacob’s limp…
• Jacob is being taught to trust God
• See how Moses tells us that …
- Jacob’s walk was changed (v.22-25)
- Jacob’s desire was changed (v.26)
- Jacob’s name was changed (v.27-32)
Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity!
The choice before you…
When Jacob finally broke ties with Laban, he had another, bigger trial with someone else ahead of him. His twin brother, Esau. Though Jacob feared His meeting with Esau, God showed his great kindness to Jacob in preparing him for what was ahead – even sending his angels to remind him of his previous encounter with the Lord at Bethel. The story is related to us in Genesis 32:1-23, where, by the end of the passage, Jacob is entirely alone (verse 24a) unaware that he had another meeting with some One else before Esau.
Message
Outline
• The twelfth in this series
• A quick recap of the story
• Jacob is heading straight for Esau
• See how Moses tells us that …
- Angels met him (v.1-2)
- Messengers met him (v.3-8)
- He met with God (v.9-12)
Jacob is all alone!
The only way for wrath to be turned away!
After Jacon and family left Laban secretly, it’s little wonder that Laban did his best to ctach up with his fleeing family. The text of Genesis 31:22-55 tells the story of how Laban caught up with Jacob, the difficult conversation thjat followed and the fruitless search for the household gods he valued so highly (that Rachel had hidden in the camel’s saddle.) There are lessons to learn from this. Lessons about God’s protective providence for Jacob and also about the kind of God we worship.
Message
Outline
• The eleventh in this series
• The classic chase scene
• A quick recap of the last scenes
• See how Moses tells us of …
- An escaping employee being pursued (v.22-30)
- An angry accuser being rebuked (v.31-42)
- A cautious covenant being established (v.43-55)
The providence of God – again!
The person of God – Living and True!
There are many times when decision making is hard. Guidance doesn’t always come easy. But in the case of Jacob in Genesis 31:1-21, the Lord made the decision for Jacob to leave Laban a relatively easy one. He told him to go. Circumstances around Jacob were also pointing in that same direction. And even when he talked this over with Rachel and Leah, they too were of the same opinion. And so, he upped and left – with his family – all without telling Laban. Not that he was running away looking for ease. Rather, he had an appointment to keep with his brother, Esau.
Message
Outline
• The tenth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• A gradual change in Jacob
• See how Moses tells us of…
- How the plan was prompted (v.1-3)
- How the decision was confirmed (v.4-16)
- How the departure was enacted (v.17-21)
Clarity in a crisis moment
Three ‘green lights’ – time to follow the Lord’s directions!
Through all the story of Jacob’s life, God’s providence and favour toward him is evident. This is never more so than in the outworkings of the evenst recorded in Genesis 30:25-43. While Jacob is trying to free himself from Laban’s hold, the Lord enables Jacob to see his flocks and wealth flourish under His good provision, so that when the time comes and Jacob flees from Laban and parapres to meet his brother, Esau, he also has much to give.
Message
Outline
• The ninth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• Jacob’s ‘itchy feet…’
• See how Moses tells us of Jacob and Laban and…
- The topic they discussed (v.25-28)
- The plan they formed (v.29-36)
- The result they noted (v.37-43)
Proposal, counter proposal and the Lord’s proposal…
Behind a ‘frowning providence’ – the hand of the Lord!
Although the Bible tells of men who had more than one wife (such as Abraham and Jacob) it never speaks favourably about it. Jacob is a case in point. Although he loved Rachel and ended up being married to her after marrying her sister, Leah, things didn’t work out well! Jacob soon found himself in a corner, unable to solved Rachel’s infertility and the centre of a squabble between his two wives and their maids. Not a good place to be in. It was a place however, where Jacob could not wrangle his way out of, but he, and his wives, all needed a good dose of wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord.
Message
Outline
• The eighth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• The honest truth about the patriarchs and their wives!
• See how Moses tells us of…
- Rachel’s unwise decisions (v.1, 4-14)
- Leah’s unhelpful reaction (v.15, 17-21)
- Jacob’s unholy confusion (v.2-3, 16)
Relief for Rachel and lessons for Jacob and Leah…
The way of the truly wise…
The ongoing story of Jacob and Rachel and Laban continues in Genesis 29:21-35. The text tells of how Jacob ‘met his match’ in Laban, that is, to say, his match in deception! For in having woken up the morning after his marriage to find that he had married Leah and not Rachel, Jacob had been deceived in a similar way to his own deception of his father and brother. But God had good to Jacob, and despite the ongoing saga this created, He blessed him with 4 sons – one of whom who would be the ancestor of the Lord Jesus!
Message
Outline
• The seventh in this series
• Where we are in the story
• It’s a win for Jacob and for Laban…but…!
• See how Moses tells us of
- Jacob reaping what he had sown (v.21-30)
- Jacob receiving what he didn’t deserve (v.31-35)
There must be consequences for sin…
There is grace for those who sin!
In Genesis 29:1-20, so many of the promises of God that Jacob heard at Bethel began to be confirmed. No wonder he wept. He was aware of the goodness of God toward him, not only leading him to the place he set out for, but also providing for him a potential wife in Rachel. It remains to be seen how things will work out with his future father-in-law, Laban, but at this moment in his life, all was very good.
Message
Outline
• The sixth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• God’s providence for Jacob and his plans for him!
• See how Moses tells us of the providence of God in …
- His arrival at Haran (v.1-8)
- His meeting with Rachel (v.9-12)
- His employment with Laban (v.13-20)
God will guide you…
God will grow you…
The next event in Jacob’s life as recorded in Genesis 28:10-22 is highly significant. Jacob was now an exile from home, and so it was while he was on his journey to his uncle’s that the Lord God appeared to him and gave him many assurances. The result was not only that Jacob had hist first encounter with God, but also called the Lord ‘my God’, proceeding from Bethel with the promise of blessing and protection by God – all undeserved and all of grace.
Message
Outline
• The fifth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• Jacob setting out on that journey!
• See how Moses tells us of …
- His temporary respite (v.10-12)
- His terrifying revelation (v.13-16)
- His grateful response (v.17-22)
What Jesus said about this event…
The promises of God – for you!
As the first of the book of Psalms, the one we know as Psalm 1:1-6 is very helpful. for many reasons. It not only sets the tone for many of the Psalms that follow, but it encourages God’s people to ‘walk in the ways of the Lord’ and to find blessing as we do, so that we might be a blessing to others.
Message
Outline
• Arriving at today’s message
• Revising “Blessed”
• Christians are blessed people.
• In Psalm 1, we are challenged with
- PRACTICES TO AVOID
- A HABIT TO DEVELOP
- AN OUTCOME TO STRIVE FOR
Christians are blessed people
How we live should reveal this to others!
In Luke 22, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, saying, “Do this in remembrance of me”. As we gather again today to celebrate this meal in obedience to him – full of symbolism and scriptural allusions – what and who are we remembering?
Message
Outline
- Life forever on earth?
- Some comments on ‘being remembered’
- How could Jesus ever be forgotten?
- Is there more to remembering Him than remembering?
- The Old Covenant – remembered in repetition
- The New Covenant – remembered in symbol
The object of our faith
The test of our faith
The test of our remembering
Where do you find joy? Paul, writing in Philippians 1:1-11, finds it in people, in relationships but specifically in partnership for the gospel. Despite his imprisonment, he is thankful that God is at work in the Philippian church and prays for their growth, to the glory and praise of God. If we are partakers of his grace, God promises to work in us, that we might grow in love, with knowledge and discernment, filled with righteousness and the joy Paul describes. Because ultimately Paul finds his joy in Jesus.
Message
Outline
Where do you find joy?
Paul is in Prison writing to the Philippians
- Partnership (v3-8)
- Prayer (v9-11)
- Praise (v11)
Joy in relationship with Jesus
There were repercussions for Rebekah and Jacob after they conspired to steal the blessing of the first-born from Esau. In Genesis 27:31-28:9 we find that not only was Esau very angry about this and wanted to enact revenge upon Jacob, but also that Jacob had to flee the family home to escape his brother’s designs. This was at great cost to Rebekah who would never see her son alive again on earth. Sin always brings repercussions and among them are the ugly fruit of seeds sewn.
Message
Outline
• This ‘daytime TV soap opera’!
• What we’ve seen so far
• Part 2 of the stolen blessing…
• See how Moses tells us of …
- The twin’s desperate response (27:30-41)
- The parents’ united advice (27:42-28:1)
- The son’s urgent escape (28:2-9)
The reality of the consequences of sin…
The usefulness of trials in growing faith!
After stealing the birthright from Esau, Genesis 27:1-29 tells us how Jacob, led by his mother Rebekah, conspired to also steal the blessing that would normally be given by the father to the first-born, in this case his elder twin, Esau. By deceiving his father, and blasheming against God and following his mother’s instructions, Jacob succeeded. But all was not well within the family. And all is not well when we seek to manipulate others into doing (what we might think was) God’s will.
Message
Outline
• A well-known story
• Like a daytime TV soap opera!
• That recipe for disaster…
• See how Moses tells us of …
- Isaac, the spiritually blind father (v.1-4)
- Rebekah, the scheming mother (v.5-13)
- Jacob, the complicit son (v.14-29)
Aiming for the right goal but doing it the wrong way…
The blessing of the Lord – so needed!
After the introduction of the twins, Jacob and Esau, into the family of Isaac and Rebekah, the two boys could not have been any more different. In Genesis 25:27-34, we find that Esau was a hunter and Jacob a man of ‘tents’. One was more inclined to be the outdoors type, while the other, indoors. The traits these brothers showed were probably inculcated upon them by their parents, who played ‘favourites’ among them. Isaac’s favourite was Esau. Rebekah’s favourite was Jacob. This style of parenting reared some ugly fruits – the first seen in Jacob’s stealing of Esau’s birthright and Esau’s own despising of that birthright.
Message
Outline
• Where we are in the story
• Twins and identical twins
• Dysfunctional parents…
• See how Moses tells us of …
- The traits that defined them (v.27)
- The parents who mistreated them (v.28)
- The meal that divided them (v.29-34)
Understanding God’s eternal decrees…
Avoid placing the temporal over the eternal…
The character of Jacob in the Old Testament is no small, ‘bit part’ player. As one of the patriarchs, with Isaac as his father and Abraham as his grandfather, Jacob plays a vital role in the unfolding of God’s promises to Abraham ‘to bless all the nations’ through him. However, in recording the arrival of Jacob onto the scene, Moses tells it, ‘as it is’, Not all is rosy in the family, and there are hints given that not all will be easy in the lives of Jacob and his twin brother, Esau.
Message
Outline
• Why preach a series on Jacob?
• The importance of Jacob in the Scriptures
• A man saved by grace…
• See how Moses tells us of …
- Who Jacob was born to (v.19-23)
- Who Jacob was born with (v.24-26)
- What Jacob was born into (v.27-28)
A vital character introduced into the plot line…
No longer defined by a physical birth!
When Matthew records the plight of the two blind men by the side of the road in Matthew 20:29-34, he completes the theme of ‘the first and the last’ that Jesus has been speaking of in this chapter of this gospel. If James and John were seeking to be ‘first’ in the previous section, then these men were surely among those he referred to as the ‘last’. Yet, though these men were blind, they saw more than other people could by putting their faith in the ‘son of David’ who was passing by.
Message
Outline
• Where we are in the text
• That ‘inverse order’ principle…last & first!
• Fanny Crosby’s comment about blindness…
• See how Matthew tells us that these blind men ‘saw’ …
- An opportunity through the One passing by them (v.29-30)
- The power of the One who heard them (v.31-33)
- The face of the One of who healed them (v.34)
What have we seen in these chapters?
Another illustration of the way His kingdom operates!
When James and John (through their Mum) approached Jesus in Matthew 20:17-28, they were clearly men who wanted to put themselves first. The did this even though Jesus had been speaking quite a lot about the inverse principle of His Kingdom, that the ‘first will be last and the last first’. Their request, which made the other disciples angry, was one that Jesus could not grant, but what he did do was point them to his own plans. He was going up to Jerusalem to die and give his life ‘as a ransom for many’.
Message
Outline
• Where we are in the text
• That ‘inverse order’ principle…last & first!
• Three sets of eyes fixed on different things…
• See how Matthew tells us of …
- Servant eyes fixed on giving Himself (v.17-19, 28)
- Proud eyes fixed on gaining glory (v.21-23)
- Angry eyes fixed on getting even (v.24-28)
Disciples who weren’t ‘on the same page’ as Jesus…
The next men in the story
He served you! Who will you serve?
Sometimes chapter breaks in the Scriptures aren’t that helpful. The chapter break that divides the end of Matthew 19 to Matthew 20:1-16 is a prime example. In Matthew 19;30, jesus had just spoken about the ‘inverse order’ of his kingdom, that is, the ‘first will be last and the last first’. And then to illustrate that point, Jesus went on to tell a parable that makes it clear how this ‘inverse order’ principle works… and it all comes back to the same comment in Matthew 20:16, the ‘first will be last and the last first’…because salvation is not a matter of earning anything or of fairness, but is all of grace.
Message
Outline
• When chapter breaks aren’t that helpful!
• Where we were in chapter 19
• The first/last – last/first principle
• See how the parable highlights …
- The just & generous nature of the master (v.1-7)
- The ungrateful & resentful nature of the workers (v.8-12)
- The abundant & unconditional nature of grace (v.13-15)
Are you trying to earn God’s favour?
Do you really understand the size of God’s grace?
The motto of ‘let’s eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die’ is sadly all too common in our society. In fact, such a motto is nothing new, but was around in the prophet Isaiah’s day at least 700 years before Christ! The motto is often held as a philosophy of life, because many have no hope beyond the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul lays down some of the fundamentals of the gospel message that centres on Christ’s death and resurrection. It is a message of hope…in fact, on this Easter Sunday, it is the only message that brings real hope.
Message
Outline
The Uni student & the hope-less professor
- Confusion about the after-life
- See how Paul wrote about some fundamental building
blocks… - There’s truth to be believed (v.1,3-4)
- There’s evidence that can’t be ignored (v.5-11)
- There’s a challenge to be met (v.2)
Is this hope yours?
The text of John 12:20-36 is a very significant moment in the life of Jesus – especially in relation to his impending death. It happened when some Greeks appeared and sought and audience with him. This was the signal for Jesus that his ‘time had come’…but what did that mean? What did he know? And what significance did it have to his death and resurrection? On this Good Friday, perhaps here are some answers!
Message
Outline
o It’s not over until….
o The Greeks who sought a meeting with Jesus..
o The setting of the text
o What did this mean for Jesus? He knew…
- The time for His suffering had come (v.23-30)
- The time for His victory had come (v.31)
- The time for salvation had come (v.32-36)
There’s more to the story!
‘Now is the day of salvation…’ (2 Corinthians 6:1)
When the disciples wtached the ‘rich young ruler’ walk away from jesus and miss out on eternal livfe, they were greatly astonished. They hadn’t thought that a rich man like him could ever miss out on salvation. And so in Matthew 19:27-30, they asked Jesus about what would happen to them. What link was there between leaving all to follow him and their reaward…if there was to be one at all?
Message
Outline
• Continuing the story from last week
• The disciple’s shock at Jesus’ words
• Lord, what about us?
• See how the text tells us of …
- The question that Peter asked (v.27)
- The rewards that Jesus promised (v.28-29)
- The inverse order of the Kingdom’s rule (v.30)
The search for satisfaction is still on!
Would you rather have….?
When the young man came to Jesus in Matthew 19:16-26 to ask about eternal life, it certainly did not go as the disciples expected it would! The young man went away from Jesus, ‘sorrowful’ and without the eternal life that he had asked Jesus for…although he did still have his money. The text is one of the greatest in the Scriptures for many reasons, especially because it brings eternal life and salvation into focus for us all!
Message
Outline
• A really helpful text!
• The ‘rich young ruler’!
• What Jesus has been teaching about being child-like and children
• See how it tells us of the following questions…
- About eternal life (v.16)
- About the commandments (v.18)
- About perfection (v.20)
- About salvation (v.25)
Are you thinking about eternal things?
Have you grasped this principle of the gospel?
When Matthew records that people were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them in Matthew 19:13-15, he also records that the disciples acted as bodyguards of Jesus and tried to protect him from the children! Mark’s gospel records that at this point Jesus rebuked the disciples and went ahead and blessed the children. There’s a point to note there. Jesus was not unwilling to receive them or bless them. However, the disciples most certainly were … to their loss.
Message
Outline
• Further on into Matthew’s gospel!
• All of us are, or once were, children!
• The context of this event, children in the gospels
• See how these verses tell us of …
- The moment Jesus rebuked his disciples (v.13, Mk 10:14)
- The lessons Jesus gave to His disciples (v.14)
- The blessing Jesus gave to the children (v.15)
Prize highly the family unit!
Prize highly the church family unit!
John’s first letter is full of many theological truths that help us to shape our understanding of the gospel. 1 John 1:5-2:2 is a text just like that. In it, John explores themes of light and darkness, confession and cleansing, as well as opening up for us the heart of the gospel message and the path to daily cleansing of our sins.
Message
Outline
• A different text for these reasons
• Why was John writing this letter?
• John’s thesis: God is light and has no darkness…
• See how these verses tell us of …
- What is true of those in the darkness (v.6, 8, 10)
- What is true of those in the light (v.7, 9, 2:1)
- What God has done to bring us from darkness to light (2:2)
How can you bring light and darkness together?
The free offer of forgiveness!
The early church was a remarkable witness and a living testimony to Jesus. In this message on Acts 2:42-47, PCV Moderator, Rev Ian Hutton explores Acts 2:42-47 in a search for the ‘basics’ of church life that we should do well and so also be effective in our witness.
Message
Outline
Introduction …
- A Church that is keen to learn (v.42)
- A Church that fellowships (v.42-45)
- A Church that prays (v.42)
- A Church that worships (v.46-47)
- A Church that grows (v.47)
Conclusion
When the Pharisees sought to- trap Jesus by their question about divorce in Matthew 19:1-12, Jesus was not backward in coming forward with his response. While the Pharisees tended to be quite lax with regard to laws about divorce, Jesus insisted that God’s good design for marriage in Genesis 2:18-25 was enough! Interestingly, he said all this in the context of helping and healing others. He was no narrow-minded bigot who cared nothing for people around him. Instead, while holding strong to the Word of God, he also backed up his words with caring deeds.
Message
Outline
‘The King’s response to a hot topic’
• Unlimited forgiveness. Always?
• The Pharisees seeking to trap Jesus…
• Jesus unafraid to answer their questions
• See how these verses tell us of …
- What Jesus was doing (v.1-2)
- How Jesus responded (v.3-9)
- How the disciples responded (v.10-12)
Marriage matters!
No additional burdens to those who feel a failure!
After Jesus had challenged his disciples to follow certain steps in order to ensure that conflict between them be quickly resolved, Peter was quick to ask a question and Jesus was quick to give him an answer! All this can be found in Matthew 18:21-35. Peter’s question had to do with ‘how many times he ought to forgive his brother for an offence’ and Jesus’ answer was both plain and then couched in terms of a parable. The parable adds weight to Jesus’ answer, that the forgiveness that Peter should offer to his brother when offended has no limits. None at all.
Message
Outline
• The all-important context
• The question Peter thought of and asked…
• Conflict among the 12?
• See how from these verses we can note…
- What was implied in Peter’s question (v.21)
- What was implied by Jesus’ answer (v.22-34)
- What was implied by Jesus’ conclusion (v.35)
What is your debt to God?
Where do all these implications touch you the most?
Matthew 18:15-20 is not necessarily a hard text to understand. It has no hard words, for example. However, the application of what Jesus said is quite difficult. While still speaking to His disciples about the issue of true greatness and how humility is a necessary aspect of it, in these verses, Jesus spoke further about the inevitable conflict that will arise between disciples when the path of humility is not taken. There is a way to solve conflict. It’s not an easy path to take, but for true greatness, it will be so necessary.
Message
Outline
- An observation and an apology
- The context of this
chapter - Humility that path to greatness
- See how Jesus taught his disciples about …
- Self-discipline (v.1-14)
- Mutual discipline (v.15-17)
- Church discipline (v.18-20)
A world of conflict…
The source of forgiveness!
In speaking to His disciples in the way that He did in Matthew 18:7-14, Jesus was not going on to some new topic. In fact what he taught in these verses are very closely linked to verses 1-6. He is still talking about greatness and the ‘childlike humility’ that will lead His disciples towards it. While some of what He says in verses 7-14 is a little unclear, the implications of it are not. Those who will be great in the Kingdom will need to be like the Shepherd whose care for that one lost sheep was not just a matter of words.
Message
Outline
- GOAT?
- The context of this
chapter - Humility the path to greatness
- See how Jesus urged his disciples to …
- Avoid being the source of temptation (v.7)
- Avoid committing sin at whatever cost (v.8-9)
- Avoid rejecting those whom the Father loves (v.10-14)
A reminder for believers…
An invitation to unbelievers…
When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom?” in Matthew 18:1-6, there was a lot going through their minds. Jesus had just begun to set out for Jerusalem, having told the disciples that there He would be mistreated and killed. What was it then that got the disciples talking together about greatness? Mark’s gospel tells us that at least James and John had designs on the right and left hand side of Jesus’ throne. In answering the question, Jesus gave to them an object lesson… a child. And as he did so, He shattered the notions of greatness in our world.
Message
Outline
- Picking up from where we left off
- Matthew’s gospel – about Jesus and the
twelve… - Various reactions from the twelve
- See how the text tells us of …
- The question the disciples asked Jesus (v.1)
- The object lesson Jesus gave the disciples (v.2-3)
- The implications Jesus taught the disciples (v.4-6)
So who is the greatest in the Kingdom?
‘He came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life…’
In this message for the new year, Daniel Jansen explores how God’s righteous rule as King over ‘the whole earth’ from Psalm 97:1-12 should comfort the hearts of anxious believers and cause us to rejoice in this uncertain and fragile world.
Message
Outline
Introduction:
- The King’s righteousness and Justice (1-6)
Theophany = Appearance of God
Mt Sinai-
Jesus- - Varied Responses to the King (7-9)
- Those who Love the King (10-12)
What they desire
What the King does
Conclusion
Not everyone enjoys Christmas nor finds it a time of celebration or joy. Herod was certainly in that number. When the wise men rocked up with news about the birth of the Messiah in Matthew 2:1-23, they really rocked Herod’s world in more ways than one! In fact, Herod’s response to the news was quite an exterme one. Harsh too. And yet, even more tragic than the deaths of the innocents was the fact that Herod himself missed out on the salvation this baby came to bring. When people repeat Herod’s mistakes, that tragedy is simply repeated over and over.
Message
Outline
• The last in this series!
• Christmas: not always accompanied by happiness!
• Not a happy time for King Herod…
• See how we are shown Herod’s mistakes and errors…
- The dangers of self-centredness (v.1-15)
- The fruits of hard-heartedness (v.16-18)
- The limits to earthly greatness (v.19-23)
‘We don’t want to live under the rule of this king’
The tragedy of the ‘neglected’ Jesus
Joseph is one of the key characters in the story of the birth of Jesus, especially so in the text of Matthew 1:18-25, but he can easily be overlooked in the preaching of the Christmas narratives – probably because he doesn’t get to say anything at all. Even the shepherds and wise men get some lines in the gospels, but Jospeh gets none! Even though that is the case, we can ‘read between the lines’ and see what was going on in Joseph’s mind and heart, and how in a crisis situation, the angel who spoke to him in his dream put everything into perspective for him – even if he didn’t fully understand the implications of it all!
Message
Outline
• The fourth in this series!
• Does Joseph get left out of the story?
• Not much told us about how he felt…
• See how we are told of how the angel…
- Appeared to him in a crisis (v.18-20)
- Averted him from his intentions (v.20)
- Assured him of God’s purposes (v.21-25)
Joseph is not alone in needing rescue!
The great exchange!
When the angel Gabriel finally found the moment to meet up with Mary, his initial greeting to her was something Mary wasn’t prepared for. It seems as though the appearing of the angel to her was not the cuse of her discomfort, but the greeting and what it might mean for her. It certainly brought change. Far more change than she could ever have anticipated, but God was also in that change, and though she wondered ‘how?’, the angel could answer that question as well. As a result, Mary submitted herself to do God’s will and accepted the Lord’s promise to her that she would be the mother of the Messiah with a humble heart.
Message
Outline
• The third in this series!
• The dangers we face
• The text’s context…
• See how the text tells of …
- The unsettling greeting conveyed to her (v.26-30)
- The amazing details told to her (v.31-32)
- The welcome assurance shared with her (v.33-37)
Mary’s submissive response
Paul’s direct summary…
The setting of the well known prophecy about the birth of Jesus through a virgin in Isaiah 7:14 is set in a context of a fascinating story about King Ahaz of Judah in Isaiah 7:1-14. Ahaz was in a bit of a spot, politically. The neigbouring nations of Syria and Israel (!) were threatening to attack and he was afraid. It was then that the Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to Ahaz with a message that basically said, ‘trust Me, I’ll even show you a sign if you want one…’ But Ahaz refused. So the Lord gave Ahaz another sign, one of His own making, about the coming Messiah. But this sign wasn’t for Ahaz, but for us who live in this age (A.D.). The sign, of course, is Jesus!
Message
Outline
• This Christmas series!
• Learning from the past
• The chapter’s context…
• See how the text tells of …
- A King who was afraid to trust (v.1-9)
- A sign that was offered to assist (v.10-11)
- A virgin birth was promised as proof (v.13-14)
Who was the sign for?
Will you be like this faithless King?
Genesis 3:15 would have to be one of the most important verses in all of the Old Testament. Straight after Adam and Eve’s rebeliion against God’s righteous rule, the Lord himself promised that the ‘seed of the woman’ would one day come and crush ‘the head of the serpent’. This verse is widely known as the first announcement (or proclamation) of the gospel, and it is very, very good news – all fulfilled in Jesus, the seed of the woman!
Message
Outline
• A Christmas series!
• The unfolding story to grasp…
• What a text to begin with!
• See how the text tells of …
- A sober reminder of humanity’s undoing
- The original setting for conflict unfolding
- The certain promise of Messiah winning
There is hope here…
There is good news here!
On returning to the area of Capernaum after his ministry throughout the regios of Israel and beywond, the ‘Israeli Tax Department’ caught up with Jesus and his disciples, asking Peter if his master had paid the ‘temple tax’. Peter assured them that Jesus had, only to enter the house where Jesus was and take part in a conversation with Jesus that ended up with Peter going fishing and catching a fish with a shekel in it’s mouth to pay the tax, for Jesus and for Peter!!
Message
Outline
• All over the place with Jesus
• Now back to Capernaum and a challenge…
• A story found in Matthew only… Why?
• See how the text tells us of …
- Jesus, as a Jew, was subject to this tax (v.24)
- Jesus, as the Son, had grounds to ignore this tax (v.25-26)
- Jesus, as God, miraculously paid the tax (v.27)
Using our freedoms…
Trusting the Lord to provide!
After being gloriously transfigured up on the mountain, Jesus and his three disciples, Peter, James and John, soon came down from the summit to face reality. There, right in front of him, was a challenge in the form of a pleading father, bewildered disciples, a critical crowd and a demon-possessed boy, all recorded for us in Matthew 17:14-23. And yet, Jesus was clearly in charge of the whole situation and used it once more to speak of his impending death.
Message
Outline
• Another turning point in the text!
• From up on the mountain to down in the valley…
• A confronting story…and Jesus takes charge!
• See how the text tells us of …
- The reality of sin and the misery it brings (v.14-16)
- The words of Jesus and the truth they bring (v.17-18)
- The key to the miracle and the help it brings (v.19-21)
Afflicted from youth…
The only One who can deal with sin!
The reader of Matthew’s gospel goes to many places with Jesus, as we have noted in these last few chapters…by the sea, on the water, in the region of Tyre and Sidon and even at Caesarea Philippi. But the next place that jesus would go, according to Matthew 17:1-13, was the mountain top, where he was transfigured before three of His disciples. This would be a moment they would never forget, as evidenced by the later of two of them, Peter and John, whose testimony about Jesus is clear. They saw His glory.
Message
Outline
- Our travels with Jesus
- Next event in a long
line of them… - Sleepy disciples …now and later
- See how this transfiguration confirmed…
- An unwelcome message (v.1-3, 12)
- An unfinished story (v.4-6)
- An unmatched Saviour (v.7-8)
What was Jesus’ purpose here?
From the mountain of glory to the cross of shame!
After Peter twigged who Jesus was in Matthew 16:16, Jesus took the time to explain to his disciples just what kind of Messiah he was. He was one that would suffer and die at the hands of the Jews. While this fact may have been lost on the twelve, they would also have been overwhelmed at what Jesus went on to say next; that they were also destined for suffering and would need to bear their own crosses. What did Jesus mean by all this? These disciples were about to find out…
Message
Outline
• That major turning point!
• Yes he was the Messiah, but what kind?
• Get His identity right, but get his purpose right too!
• See how in this text we find that …
- As Messiah, He would give up His life (v.21-23)
- As disciples, they should give up their lives (v.24-25)
- As witnesses, they would see His glory (v.26-28)
The kind of life He calls us to…
Three reasons why he calls us to this kind of life!
It is well known that Psalm 1 is the opening psalm in the book of the Psalms, and that in it, a summary of the message of the book of Psalms can be found. But not everyone understands that Psalm 2 complements Psalm 1 and gives us instruction on how to be the ‘blessed man’ (or woman). In this message on both Psalms, PTC final year student, Steve Denness, tells us how.
Message
Outline
• Blessed… the one man (1:1-3)
• Not so… the wicked (1:4-6)
• Rebellious… the peoples (2:1-3)
• Angry… Yahweh (2:4-6)
• Installed… the Son (2:7-9)
• Blessed… the many refugees (2:10-12)
There’s no doubt that Matthew 16:13-20 is one of the key texts of the New Testament for so many reasons. In it, we find that Jesus challenged his disciples with two urgent questions and then three follow up statements all of which were designed to bring the 12 to a point where they were put ‘on the spot’ in relation to Jesus’ identity and then also about their own task in the world as the foundation of the church Jesus came to build.
Message
Outline
There are many who presume or assume that Jesus never stood for much, and that he endorsed social developments or changes that we think of! However in Matthew 16:1-12, this is proved to be false. Here, Jesus spoke out strongly both to his disciples about the influence of the Jewish religious leaders, and he also spoke strongly to them! We would do well to hear what he had to say, so that we are well warned and carefully and rightly directed!
Message
Outline
• The Jesus who stands for many causes…
• This Jesus who ‘never criticized anyone’
• After the feeding of the 4,000, Jesus spoke out!
• See in this text that Jesus had to …
- Confront the demands of naked unbelief (v.1-4)
- Warn the disciples about false teachers (v.5-7)
- Reprimand the disciples about lacking faith (v.8-12)
Unbelief – not due to a lack of evidence!
He gets us! Make sure you get Him!
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is one of the most amazing sections of the Scriptures. Thought it has been widely misunderstood and misinterpreted, it means one of the longest sections we have of Jesus’ teaching, especially concerning the way the citizens of the Kingdom of God ought to live. Matthew 5:1-12 is no exception, and in this message (preached by Keith Bell), this demand upon us, as His disciples, becomes clear.
Message
Outline
INTRODUCTION
Unedifying approaches
The structure of Matthew
The structure of the
Sermon on the Mount
PROPOSITION
Jesus’ aim for His disciples is that they be fully trained as citizens of the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Let’s see how He sets about accomplishing His aim.
I START THINKING AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
II ONLY ONE INSTRUCTOR
III JESUS’ EXPECTATIONS
SO WHAT
CONCLUSION
REFLECTION: How I will respond to this message
It’s somewhat of an oddity that Matthew records the feeding of the 4,000 in Matthew 15.29-39 so soon after the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14:13-21. But the two incidents are not the same. Matthew wasn’t confused and wrote down the same incident twice. Each of the ‘feeding miracles’ have their own contexts and particulars, so they were certainly different in his mind and in the mind of Jesus! Even so, it sowrth noting that the two miracles – though essentially the same – have their own purpose in Jesus’ ministry.
Message
Outline
• Didn’t we just cover this text??
• This miracle follows the Canaanite woman’s faith
• Where this miracle takes place…Gentile territory
• See in this text how we are told about …
- The wideness of His compassion (v.29-31)
- The sureness of His actions (v.32-36)
- The satisfaction in His provision (v.37-39)
The physical needs are most felt…
The spiritual needs are more urgent!
It’s interesting to note how matthew has recorded the meeting between Jesus and the woman from Canaan directly after his comments relating to who is ‘clean or unclean’ and who is ‘defiled or undefiled’…because this woman was most certianly ‘unclean’ as well as ‘defiled’ in the eyes of the Pharisees and even in the eyes of the disciples who just wanted to shoo her away. But not Jesus. Even though it appeared that he wasn’t listening to her, he was, and he gave her what she asked for…and more!
Message
Outline
• Jesus in an unusual place meeting an unusual person
• A turning point in Matthew’s gospel
• This woman – a real ‘outsider’
• See how we are told about their conversation …
- A discouraging beginning (v.21-24)
- A challenging middle (v.25-26)
- A satisfying end (v.27-28)
Saving faith in surprising places…
Outsiders are more than welcome…!
As soon as Jesus was back in the midst of the Jewish people, the Scribes and Pharisees questioned him about his lack of enforcement of the traditions around hand washing. Rather than explain himself directly, Jesus in turn, responded with questions as to why the Pharisees and Scribes failed to comply with God’s commandments about […]
After Jesus fed the 5,000 with bread and fish, he proceeded to perform another miracle. This one, however was not on land, but at sea, and it was not in the day, but in the dark, and it was not done before the eyes of the crowds, but for his disciples alone. After sending away […]
After Jesus received the news of John’s death, he withdrew from public appearances to go away to a lonely place with disciples for some rest and prayer. However, according to Matthew 14:13-21, the crowds twigged where he would be and soon were there too. Jesus, however, as a true Shepherd of the sheep, put their needs before his own and had compassion upon them, even providing them with a free meal. All this happened far away from the eyes of the religious leaders and rulers, but not was not hidden from the eyes of his watching disciples who were taught a number of lessons.
Message
Outline
• A text we know well…
• From John back to Jesus…
• Just one year left for Jesus to live!
• See how the text tells us about …
- How Jesus demonstrated His compassion (v.13-15)
- How Jesus instructed His disciples (v.16-20)
- How Jesus showed His sufficiency (v.19-21)
His ability. Our problem.
‘You give them something to eat!’
After Jesus was rejected by the people of Nazareth, the text of Matthew 14:1-12 shifts to focus our attention on what was happening in the mind and heart of King Herod. Having heard about the miracles and ministry of Jesus, Herod, prompted by his guilty conscience, wrongly assumed that Jesus was John the Baptist ‘raised from the dead’. To fill in why Herod thought this, Matthew then explains for his readers how it was that John’s life ended in martyrdom – ultimately because of a partying King who made an dangerously open-ended promise to a dancing girl.
Message
Outline
• A sad text!
• From Jesus to John…
• Which King Herod is this?
• See how the text tells us about …
- The awful danger of rejecting conscience (v.1-5)
- The strange reward for faithful service (v.6-14)
Herod’s conscience and yours
The cross – the cure for all sin and guilt!
There’s no doubt that Jesus was a popular among the people of Israel for a time. But not so among the people of Nazareth, his hometown. We read in Matthew 13:53-58 that they rejected His word and even rejected Him. It was by no means a ‘happy homecoming’ for Jesus. And so the question is ‘why?’. Why did the people of Nazareth turn their backs on Jesus and reject Him and His message? Hardness of heart has a lot to do with it – something that we must always pray that God would keep us from.
Message
Outline
• Our new series
• Resistance becoming hostility
• Jesus’ experience in his home town
• See how the text tells us about …
- The hardness of their hearts (v.53-54)
- The danger of their assumptions (v.55-57)
- The poison of their unbelief (v.58)
Good and bad news from the prophet Isaiah!
The challenge to those who do and don’t believe!
There’s no debating the fact that the final part of the reign of King Solomon, as recorded in 1 Kings 11:9-43, is something that he would not have been proud of. With the seeds of lust, power and greed sown deeply in his heart, there’s little surprise that these seeds bore fruit. But what is […]
Much of what we read in 1 Kings 1-11 concerns the heights to which Solomon’s reign reached. The visit of the Queen of Sheba was one of the highlights along the way, but cracks have been appearing, and in today’s text of 1 Kings 11:1-8, those cracks just get wider and wider. The text tells […]
The text of 1 Kings 10:14-29 records the growth in King Solomon’s wealth and his armory. The world had never seen a King like him before – so wealthy, so wise, so much glory! But while all these things could be seen as the fulfilment of God’s promises to Solomon, they could also be viewed […]
There’s little doubt that the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, as recorded in 1 Kings 10:1-13, was the highpoint of Solomon’s reign over Israel. While there is much speculation over who she was and where she came from, the main point of what the text records is not so much about […]
In this second message on the book of Jonah, Rev Peter Phillips explores the rebellious response of the prophet to the Lord’s command to go to Nineveh and preach against their evil. This response of Jonah is indicative of all humanity. None of us, by nature, want to serve God. We would all much rather […]
Sometimes the gospel records are read so often that the reader can easily overlook something of significance. This is certainly the case in Mark 1:9-13, where the events of the baptism of Jesus and the temptation of Jesus are linked back-to-back, with only God’s words spoken from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you […]
There’s no doubt that the Scriptures are full of challenges to the reader. This is especially true in the account of Paul’s message to the people of Athens recorded for us in Acts 17:16-34. While the Athenians had many gods that they wished to acknowledge, their altar to the ‘Unknown God’ gave the Apostle Paul […]
With the completion and the dedication of the Temple now behind him, the Lord spoke to Solomon in 1 Kings 9:1-28 to call him to daily and full obedience to His law. You wonder if the Lord did this at this time, because He knew that Solomon’s heart would soon be led astray? Or if […]
There are a fair number of long prayers in the Bible, and in 1 Kings 8:22-66, we have a record of King Solomon’s rather long prayer on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple. The prayer itself is not only long, but it is rich in content and full of many theological themes and […]
It would be missing the point completely to read all about the building, the decoration and the furnishing of the Temple and never think about the One who inhabited the Temple. Solomon didn’t build the Temple for himself but for the God who promised He would come and inhabit it. And the text of 1 […]
Once the task of building the Temple was completed, King Solomon set about to furnish the Temple with the items that would have been prescribed by God to Moses in relation to the tabernacle. 1 Kings 7:13-51 records the many items, some made of bronze, and others of gold, that were soon part of the […]
King Solomon not only built the Temple of the Lord his God, but also a palace for him and his family to live in. The rest of 1 Kings 7:1-12 records this fact, informing us that as part of the palace where various Halls where Solomon would perform his royal duties. One of those halls […]
God didn’t care only about the appearance of the exterior of the Temple, but also the interior. The text of 1 Kings 6:14-38 tells the reader about the carvings, woodwork, gold and furnishings that could be seen inside its walls, all of which were designed to reflect something of God’s love of beauty, His evident glory and His all surpassing holiness. And yet, while the Temple is with us no longer, God’s interest in beauty, glory and holiness remains – all combined so wonderfully together in the cross of our Saviour, Jesus.
Message
Outline
• Getting to know you by seeing your house!
• The same is true for God…
• Progress in the building of the Temple…
• Note from the text how the interior reflects…
- God’s perspective on beauty (v.14-18)
- God’s expression of glory (v.19-22)
- God’s character as holy (v.23-38)
The God of beauty, glory and holiness…
His beauty, glory and holiness in another place!
There’s no doubt that the Temple built by King Solomon stands as one of the most important buildings ever constructed. The Temple would stand for all to see that the God of Israel was glorious, and that He lived among His people. In the text of 1 Kings 6:1-13, we are introduced to the size and the layout of the Temple under God’s instructions. But God wasn’t interested in the mere ‘shell’ of the building alone. This text also tells of the heart matters that Solomon needed to get right so he could walk before the Lord.
Message
Outline
• The Temple of Solomon!
• So much detail
• Psalm 127: 1 ‘Unless the Lord builds the house…’
• Note from the text the…
- Promises that were fulfilled (v.1)
- Details that were recorded (v.2-10)
- Responsibilities that were encouraged (v.11-13)
And what are you building?
Where Solomon failed….!
One of the most important aspects of Solomon’s reign as King was the construction of the Temple of the Lord. This great and significant work was something that God had forbidden King David from doing, but had made clear that David’s son would complete the task. And what a task it was! With the help of King Hiram of Tyre, the gathering of the raw materials was a project of note in itself. As Solomon poits us to Jesus, we are reminded that Jesus gathers His people in to be His new Temple. People of raw material – being transformed into ‘living stones’ that make up His glorious body – the church.
Message
Outline
• The most notable building ever built?
• Modern day? Taj Mahal? Sydney Opera house?
• Moving on to Solomon and the Temple of the Lord
• Note from the text…
- The conversations that led to cooperation (v.1-9)
- The cooperation that led to contracts (v.10-18)
- The contracts that led to construction (v.13-18)
The Church – the new Temple
Being ‘living stones’ for the glory of the builder!
With his throne and kingdom now well established, the text of 1 Kings 4:1-34, explains for readers the way in which Solomon’s kingdom was organized and structured. This was most necessary because of the size of the projects being overseen and the vast wealth that the King had amassed. The text also informs us that Solomon’s wisdom just kept of growing and was soon to be known throughout the world. All this blessing and prosperity reminds us of the greatness of the Kingdom that Jesus will bring in – that He will share with His people, blessings not created by taxes and forced labour but by and because of His great grace.
Message
Outline
• That conflict between leaders and voters..
• The kingdom under Saul, David and now Solomon
• Further details about the king’s wisdom
• Note from the text…
1.The people of the King’s portfolios (v.1-19)
-
The vastness of the King’s wealth (v.20-28)
-
The extent of the King’s wisdom (v.29-34)
God’s promises to Abraham being fulfilled
God’s better promises to us in Christ still to come!
With the previous part of the chapter telling us how God blessed Solomon with wisdom, the text of 1 Kings 3:16-28 gives us some information as to how that wisdom was expressed in Solomon’s life as king. Called upon to give a ruling in a case where it was ‘she said’ versus ‘she said’, the King quickly saw through the confusion to see a way of making the facts plain. The story reminds us that one day we will all need to appear before the throne of Christ to be judged by Him. There is only one safe place to be – on His side already!
Message
Outline
• Like the challenge of a good riddle?
• A real life circumstance!
• Solomon’s wisdom is from the Lord
• Note from the text…
1.The evidence of the case presented to the King (v.16-21)
- The judgment of the case as determined by the King (v.22-27)
- The fame of this case that glorified the King (v.28)
How not to apply this story
Only one safe place to stand before the Judge!
John’s account of the resurrection traces the conclusions that Mary Magdalene reached over the moved stone and the missing body of Jesus. Even though Peter and John also visited the tomb and saw all that Mary had described, it wasn’t until Jesus spoke to her that Mary knew he was alive. The evidence for the resurrection abounds. It is not a lack of evidence that cause people to disbelieve the gospel accounts, but a lack of faith in the testimony of God’s Word, even though God promises salvation to those who do believe! (Romans 10:9-10)
Message
Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Jesus Christ Is Risen
00:20 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
Song: Low in the Grave
04:41 Bible reading: John 19:16-42
Song: In Christ Alone
07:58 Bible reading: John 20:1-18
Song: Never Alone
Sermon: John 20:1-18
Song: Thine Be the Glory
10:44 Closing
Outline
‘The resurrection of Jesus: facts met with faith’
• Believe it or not!
• The same issue
• John describes the scene at the empty tomb
• He tells us of….
- Conclusions over a moved stone (v.1-2)
- Confusion over a missing body (v.3-10)
- Confirmation for a mourning believer (v.11-18)
John’s eyewitness testimony
Three responses to Paul’s message
Romans 10:9-10
There is often something contradictory in all of us – and this certainly was the case with King Solomon. The text of 1 Kings 3:1-15 records both good and bad aspects of Solomon in his early days as king. The bad was seen in the seeds that he sowed that would later produce some ungodly fruit. The good was seen in that ‘he loved the Lord’ and that God bestowed upon him super-abundant grace, even an open cheque to ‘ask for whatever he wanted’. It’s good to remember that Jesus also had the ear of His Father. He could have asked to be rescued from the hands of evil men. But He chose to stay the course. There was no mixture of good and bad in Him.
Message
Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: O for a Thousand Tongues
00:19 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
Song: Jesus Paid It All
06:53 Bible reading: 1 Kings 3:1-15
Song: Behold our God
09:46 Bible reading: Matthew 5:17-30
Song: Meekness and Majesty
Sermon: 1 Kings 3:1-15
Song: May the Mind
12:08 Closing
Outline
• The contradictory person of Solomon
• Encouraging for us!
• Seeds have a habit of growing…
• Note from the text…
1.Bad seeds that grew into bad fruit (v.1-3)
- Good seeds that grew into good fruit (v.4-15)
The church – a ‘mixed bag’
That question – put to Jesus!
Choices, choices, life has so many choices and decisions! We all have to make them and we all have to suffer (or be blessed by) the consequences of our decisions. As Solomon’s reign as King began to be established in 1 Kings 2:12-46, Solomon had to deal with men who had made choices about the way they would respond to him as King, and these men all had to face the consequences of their decisions. In many ways, the same applies to Jesus. When His Kingdom comes, all our choices (good or bad) will surely come into light.
Message
Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Jesus Shall Reign
00:19 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
Song: It Is Well With My Soul
03:46 Bible reading: 1 Kings 2:12-46
Song: Grace Unmeasured
10:39 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28
Song: All My Days
Sermon: 1 Kings 2:12-46
Song: At the Name of Jesus
12:56 Closing
Outline
• Is your brain tired?
• Decisions, decisions!
• Decisions are followed by consequences…
• Note from the text…
- Adonijah’s choices and consequences (v.13-19)
- Joab’s choices and consequences (v.20-35)
- Shimei’s choices and consequences (v.36-46)
Beware of idols
The true King who puts all his enemies under His feet!
The text of 1 Kings 2:1-11 is significant for so many reasons – especially because it recounts for us the death of King David. While David had been such an important figure in the life of God’s people, his death does not receive much attention, except his final words to his son and incoming King, Solomon. And then, he dies… but what of the legacy David left? Isn’t it Jesus Himself? The One who was greater than David? Truly David was great, but Jesus far greater!
Message
Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
00:19 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
Song: Beneath the Cross
04:38 Bible reading: 1 Kings 2:1-11
Song: Worthy of All Praise
06:33 Bible reading: Matthew 25:45-54
Song: Jesus Thank You
Sermon: 1 Kings 2:1-11
Song: I Will Sing of My Redeemer
07:55 Closing
Outline:
• The last words of the dying…
• What we’ve covered so far
• David’s last words!
• Note from the text…
- From father to son (v.1-4)
- From the outgoing King to the incoming King (v.5-9)
- From the throne to the grave (v.10-11)
David’s place in God’s plan
David’s greatest legacy – Jesus!
The text of 1 Kings 1:11-53 tells us of the outcome of Adonjah’s bold and pride-filled push for the throne. When Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba broke the news to the dying old, King David, he acted swiftly, authorising the coronation of the rightful King, Solomon. There will always be those who push forward counterfeit kings and saviours. It has been the devil’s plan from the very beginning to do this, but there is only one true King that God wants us to serve as He says in Psalm 2:6 … and that King is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Standing on the Promises
00:20 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
Song: Search Me O God
05:14 Bible reading: 1 Kings 1:11-53
Song: Jerusalem
13:33 Bible reading: Luke 19:28-40
Song: Yet Not I
Sermon: 1 Kings 1:11-53
Song: My Hope Is Built
15:56 Closing
Outline
• Catching up with the news on the royal family…
• Where we left David
• Where we left Adonijah
• Note from the text…
- Some royal cooperation (v.11-26)
- A royal coronation (v.27-40)
- Two royal responses (v.41-53)
Satan’s plan to provide counterfeit kings
God’s King will rule…!
The book of 1 Kings opens with the final days of King David and tracks the succession of Solomon to the throne. According to 1 Kings 1:1-10, not everything went smoothly – especially when Solomon’s brother, Adonijah, took it upon himself to take hold of the throne. We don’t need a king like Adonijah – one who acts out of pride and self-interest! We need a King who will put His people before Himself! But where would we find a King who would do that? Oh wait … according to Philippians 2:1-11, Jesus did just that didn’t He? What a King!
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: I Heard the Voice
00:19 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
Song: What a Friend We Have In Jesus
05:23 Bible reading: 1 Kings 1:1-10
Song: Be Unto Your Name
07:23 Bible reading: Luke 14:1-11
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love
Sermon: 1 Kings 1:1-10
Song: And Can It Be
08:50 Closing
Outline
• Picking up from the life of David
• This book of 1 Kings… dusty, boring history?
• Will the promised King ever come? Solomon?
• Note from the text…
- The outgoing King’s decline (v.1-5)
- The incoming King’s aspirations (v.6-10)
Adonijah and the prodigal son!
Adonijah and the King we need…
In this message, preached in July 2022, Rev R’jae Rojas explores the crucial moment in the life and ministry of Jesus, when He asked His disciples the telling question, ‘Who do you say that I am?’
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: O Worship the King
00:17 Introduction
00:38 Prayer
03:34 Bible reading: Matthew 9:1-8
Song: Behold the Lamb
05:31 Bible reading: Matthew 16:13-23
Song: Before the Throne
07:25 Bible reading: Matthew 27:62-28:15
Song: Come My Soul
Sermon: Matthew 16:13-23
Song: My Faith Looks Up
09:29 Closing
Outline
Introduction
- Confused by Jesus (v.13-14)
- Confessing jesus (v.15-17)
- Commitment to Jesus (v.18-20)
Exhortation
In this message preached by Steve Blyth in September 2013, Steve spoke from John 14 about Jesus’ love of others – even hours before his own death. With the crucifixion in view, Jesus promised to send his Spirit to prepare them to live well in the world. A selfless bucket-list, but if he could give them anything, why not world peace or an end to poverty? All these things require a change of heart that only the Spirit of truth can bring. As we receive the truth, it brings assurance of peace, a joy in all circumstances and faith in a God who is in control.
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Holy Holy Holy
00:20 Introduction
00:36 Prayer
Song: My Worth Is Not in What I Own
05:04 Bible reading: John 14:1-14
Song: Amazing Grace
07:04 Bible reading: John 14:15-31
Song: My Heart Is Filled
Sermon: John 14:1-31
Song: May the Mind
09:32 Closing
There are some things that are just easy to do, and being confused about Jesus is one of them! In this message from April 2018, Steve Blyth takes us through some of the imagery found in Revelation 1:1-20 and points us to who Jesus is according to the Scriptures.
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Praise to the Lord
00:20 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
Song: O Great God
05:01 Bible reading: Daniel 7:9-14
Song: Tell Me the Old Old Story
06:22 Bible reading: Revelation 1:1-20
Song: My Hope Rests Firm
Sermon: Revelation 1:1-20
Song: All Hail the Power
09:54 Closing
Outline
Confused about Jesus?
Intro to Revelation (1-3)
Picture 1 – The Personal Loving Jesus (4-8)
- Faithful Witness
- First born from the dead
- Loves us and freed us
- Coming back again
Picture 2 – The Powerful Reigning Jesus (12-16)
- Seven Lampstands
- Son of Man
- Royal Robe
- Fiery Eyes
- Powerful Voice
Putting the pictures together (17-18)
Confidence in Jesus
The one who loves you personally and rules all things powerfully
In this message from September 2022, Rev Keith Bell explores the time marker in the ministry of Jesus – something found all through the gospel of John and something so prominent in John 12:20-39, explaining the purpose and the timing of His death for sinners.
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Immortal Invisible
00:19 Introduction
00:36 Prayer
Song: See Him Coming
07:26 Bible reading: 1 Kings 10:1-7
Song: My Jesus I Love Thee
08:31 Bible reading: John 12:20-39
Song: By Faith
Sermon: John 12:20-39
Song: And Can It Be
10:42 Closing
Outline
Introduction
• Passages of the Bible are …
• Consider what had been happening in the lives of Jesus and His disciples:
• Some Greeks came and they wanted to see Jesus.
• Jesus says, “It’s Time …”
- To Fulfil the Prophecies
Everything is falling into place. - To Persevere
I’m here for the long haul and I will persevere to the end. - To Effect My Purpose
a. Judgment on the world
b. Satan cast out/defeated
c. Salvation for God’s people - To Believe in Me
“Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”
So What?
- Be encouraged
- 2nd hand knowledge must be replaced by 1st hand encounter with Jesus
- A great theological mystery
Conclusion
The incident we have been considering is exciting and thrilling and lifts our spirits and gives us hope.
In thie last of this series on ‘tensions’ in the Christian life, this message explores the tension the believer faces by simply being ‘in the world’. If this is a world that ‘God so loved’ (John 3:16), how is it that we are urged to ‘not love the world’ (1 John 2:15)? How can this tension be resolved? Perhaps by understanding 1 John 2:15-17…
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: O Christ in Thee
00:20 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
02:28 Bible reading: 1 John 2:7-14
Song: 10,000 Reasons
03:43 Shorter Catechism Introduction
05:11 Catechism Questions 193-196
10:35 Bible reading: 1 John 4:1-14
Song: Consider Christ
Sermon: 1 John 2:15-17
Song: When We Walk With the Lord
12:57 Closing
Outline
• This series
• Walking a fine line…
• Attitudes to this tension
• Why does John write this?
- Because of what the world is (v.15)
- Because of what the world does (v.16)
- Because of where the world is heading (v.17)
The boat in the water
The problem with our hearts
In this message preached at St John’s in July 2022, Rev Peter Phillips explores the opening verses of the prophet Jonah, revealing God’s heart for those who are ‘beyond the walls’ and who do not belong to the covenant family of faith.
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Rejoice the Lord Is King
00:19 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
05:54 Bible reading: Jonah 1:1-18
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
06:46 Shorter Catechism Introduction
08:13 Catechism Questions 187-192
14:37 Bible reading: Luke 4:14-30
Song: Christ Is Mine Forevermore
Sermon: Jonah 1:1-2
Song: We’ve a Story to Tell
16:16 Closing
Outline
‘Compassion for outsiders’
1) Taking Jonah seriously
2) Taking Jonah to heart
In further exploration of the theme of tensions between two truths, this message explores the tension between ‘loving God’ and ‘fearing God’. If the Apostle John can say, ‘perfect love drives out fear’ (1 John 4:18) and yet Jesus clearly tells us to ‘fear God’ (Luke 12:5), how can this tension be resolved? Perhaps 1 Peter 1:17-18 may help us!
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: All Creatures of Our God
00:20 Introduction
00:39 Prayer
05:34 Bible reading: Psalm 34:1-22
Song: Behold Our God
07:42 Shorter Catechism Introduction
09:10 Catechism Questions 176-186
14:13 Bible reading: Luke 12:1-7
Song: Meekness and Majesty
Sermon: 1 Peter 1:17-18
Song: My God How Wonderful Thou Art
15:23 Closing
Outline
• This new series…
• To fear or not to fear?
• A text that will help us!
• Note that we learn from this text…
- The condition that Peter raises (v.17)
- The reasons that Peter gives (v.17-18)
- The applications that Peter infers (v.18)
John Newton
Never forget your redemption!
As we further explore the idea of there being tensions between two truths in the Christian life, this message seeks to explore the tension between joy and sorrow. Are believers always meant to be joyful? And if so, wasn’t Jesus referred to as a ‘man of sorrows’? There is a definite tension here – one that will only be resolved when what is ‘not yet’ becomes ‘now’.
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: To God Be the Glory
00:19 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
05:54 Bible reading: Psalm 126:1-6
Song: Grace Unmeasured
06:46 Shorter Catechism Introduction
08:13 Catechism Questions 168-175
14:37 Bible reading: 1 Peter 1:1-9
Song: Never Alone
Sermon: 2 Corinthians 6:10
Song: We Rest on Thee
16:16 Closing
Outline
• This new series…
• Are believers meant to be glum or glib?
• Joy or sorrow?
• Note that the Scriptures teach that…
- The Christian life is a life of joy (Philippians 4:4)
- The Christian life is a life of sorrow (James 4:9)
Rejoice in what we know now…
Rejoice is what we know is to come…..
There are all kinds of tensions in the Christian life. Tensions as in truths that seem to clash. In this message, the idea of being ‘free’ in Christ is contrasted with the need to ‘submit’ to Christ as Lord. How do freedom and submission fit together? Maybe Matthew 11:28-30 has the answer!
Message
Radio Service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Stand Up and Bless the Lord
00:19 Introduction
00:39 Prayer
05:15 Bible reading: John 8:12-36
Song: We Are His People
09:16 Shorter Catechism Introduction
10:44 Catechism Questions 162-167
14:43 Bible reading: Galatians 3:1-15
Song: Jesus Strong and Kind
Sermon: Matthew 11:28-30
Song: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
17:43 Closing
Outline
• This new series…
• A life of no conflict
• Freedom through submission?
• Note from this text …
- The invitations Jesus gives us (v.28, 29)
- The promises Jesus gives us (v.28)
- The reasons Jesus gives us (v.29, 30)
The farmer, oxen and yokes
Be yoked to Jesus!
There have been a lot of words written and spoken about the central meaning of Christmas. The Apostle John, in his prologue to his gospel (John 1:1-18), hits the nail on the head in just 4 words from verse 14. These words are so deep and profound that we need to get our heads around them… and it will take 5 words for us to do just that!
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: O Come All You Faithful
00:23 Introduction
00:40 Prayer
Song: Angels We Have Heard on on High
Song: O Little Town of Bethlehem
05:22 Bible reading: Isaiah 11
Song: Hark the Herald Angel
Song: Joy to the World
07:33 Bible reading: John 1:1-18
Sermon: John 1:14-18
Song: Who Is He in Yonder Stall
09:29 Closing
Outline
- Doublespeak… deliberately hiding what you don’t want to say!
- John’s precise message in just 4 words
- The ‘Prologue’ of his gospel – all his themes revealed
- See something of the span of his words by 5 words!
- Consider these…
- Condescension
- Humiliation
- Transition
- Incarnation
- Association
The great question…why?
The hymns’ answers…for His people!
Behold your God!
In the final chapter of the book of Ruth (Ruth 4:1-22), the final outcome of Ruth’s appeal to Boaz for proptection (and therefore marriage) is told. By the city gate where business transactions were carried out, Boaz deals with the man next-in-line to take over Elimelech’s property (which includes a marriageable young Moabitess). True to his word, Boaz carries through with the deal and marriage is followed by the birth of their son, Obed, and the family line is established that leads to David and, of course, to Jesus.
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Tell Out My Soul
00:19 Introduction
00:33 Prayer
04:03 Bible reading: Ruth 4
Song: Worthy of All Praise
08:46 Shorter Catechism Introduction
10:14 Catechism Questions 152-160
14:48 Bible reading: Matthew 1:1-6
Song: Jesus Thank You
Sermon: Ruth 4
Song: O Come O Come Emmanuel
16:05 Closing
Outline
• The story ends, but it’s more than a Hollywood movie!
• How will Elimelech have an heir?
• The problem presented and overcome
• See how the text speaks of these developments…
- The actions of a kind redeemer (v.1-10)
- The blessings of a broad covenant (v.11-12)
- The arrival of a welcome son (v.13-21)
God at work in the whole story!
The point of it all – to lead us to Jesus!
Great movies often use certain plotlines to make the story stand out among others, and the writer of the book of Ruth did also. in the third chapter (Ruth 3:1-18), the reader is given three scenes by which they might understand what is happening; and these three scenes cover the events in one 24 hour period. In the second of those scsnes Ruth makes a move that could be interpreted to be something rather risky. It could all go so terribly wrong…but in the culture of the day, can also be viewed as something fuilled with faith and an appeal from a helpless woman to one who could redeem her. But will he?
Message
Radio service
00:00 Welcome
Song: Marvellous Grace
00:17 Introduction
00:32 Prayer
04:21 Bible reading: Ruth 3
Song: Jerusalem
07:14 Shorter Catechism Introduction
08:41 Catechism Questions 146-151
12:40 Bible reading: Galatians 1:1-5
Song: My Hope Rests Firm
Sermon: Ruth 3
Song: I Will Sing of My Redeemer
13:22 Closing
Outline
• The story so far
• Can you hear wedding bells?
• The crucial next day
• See how the text speaks of these scenes in the story…
- The afternoon’s conversation (v.1-5)
- The evening’s liaison (v.6-13)
- The morning’s conclusion (v.14-18)
Wary of what’s ahead?
See Jesus … who gave Himself!
After telling of Naomi and Ruth’s tragic loss and their eventual trip back to the land of Judah in Israel, the text of chapter two (Ruth 2:1-23) brings us face to face with three central characters. The two widows, Naomi and Ruth, and one man, new to the plot line of the story, Boaz, a […]
Welcome to this series on the book of Ruth, a book that gives us hope in the face of despair and disappointment – just where the book’s first chapter (Ruth 1:1-22) takes us. It introdueces us to Naomi and to her husband Elimelech fleeing from their native Judah to the land of Moab along with […]
In this fifth and last of the parable recorded in Matthew 13, this one in Matthew 13:47-50, Jesus spoke of things that would have been familiar to those who lived on the shores of the Sea of Galilee – the everyday, ordinary practice of the people who made a living from fishing, and the associated […]
In this fourth, and one of the smallest, parables found in Matthew 13:44-46, again we find that Jesus spoke to those who were around him about everyday common items. This time, the fairly well-known practise of finding buried wealth in a plot of land (which means it was yours if you bought the land!) and […]
In this third parable of Matthew 13, Jesus speaks in Matthew 13:31-35 of two very common items from his day. The tiny mustrad seed which, which when grown, became a medium to large sized bush that would be the home for many birds, and an amount of yeast, which would turn a small amlount of […]
In this second parable that Matthew records Jesus teaching in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, the everyday item that Jesus used was wheat and weeds. To us, these might sound like two completely different items, but in his day the ‘weed’ was a ‘counterfeit wheat’ that was very hard to distinguish from the real. As Jesus explained […]
Of the 5 parables that make up Matthew 13, the first in one Matthew 13:1-23 is by far the longest. All of them have to do with the KIngdom of God, how and when it comes and how it grows, and what will be the consequences of not being part of it. In this parable, […]
There’s no question that Daniel 7-12 are difficult chapters to understand and apply rightly. Less so with Daniel 7:1-28 in which Daniel saw a terrifying vision of kingdoms and beasts, but also a comforting vision of the rule of the Ancient of Days with the heavenly figure of the ‘Son of Man’. In the last […]
In the flow of the stores recorded in the book of Daniel, the story of Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:1-28) is perhaps the most well known and one every Sunday School student would have heard. But it’s far from a children’s story and is a wonderful story of courage, bravery, loyalty and […]
In this message on Matthew 5:13-16, Hugh Price examines the two metaphors that Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount to describe his followers. Salt in the ancient days was used mainly as a preserving agent, and light, (in the sense of the opposite of darkness) has one major purpose in all of our […]
On Sunday September 11th, 2022, the St John’s congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary (yes, the congregation was formed on September 8th, 1872). To praise God for His faithfulness and blessing upon us, a celebration service was held at which the PCV Moderator, Rev Peter Phillips, preached the message entitled ‘God’s Word for God’s World’ (the […]
In this message on 1 Samuel 8:1-22, Ryan Smith explores the concept of finding security in the Lord alone from the time the people of Israel went to Samuel to ask them for a king to rule over them. They did this to ‘be like the other nations around them’ and in doing so they […]
There is no doubt that all through the first four chapters of the book of Daniel, God was dealing with King Nebuchadnezzar – and why wouldn’t He? Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful ruler in the world. In fact you could say, the ruler of the world. So it was no surprise that God should engage […]
The story of Daniel’s three friends being thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:1-30 is far, far from being a cute Sunday School story. What a testimony these men had! What courage they displayed! What determination to not give in to the threats of the most powerful King! What faith they had that the […]
While far away in exile in Babylon, Daniel 2:1-49 tells us how Daniel and his friends soon faced another test – one not of their own making, but one that the Lord was certainly in. When King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream troubled him and he sought answers about it, Daniel and friends were about to lose their […]
The book of Daniel is a wonderful encouragement to God’s people because it tells the story of Daniel and his friends, living faithfully before God in the most difficult of circumstances. The exile of these young men of Judah into Babylon was no small test. To be a young man and far from home and […]
When Jesus spoke to the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, he highlighted the ‘lukewarmness’ of their response to His word. The church there wan’t suffering from persecution or false teaching, but they were mediocre in their walk with Him. Using images that could be found all over this city, including items that the city […]
In the message to the sixth of the seven churches, we find Jesus speaking in Revelation 3:7-13 to the church in Philadelphia. It is a relatively short letter, much like the letter to the church at Smyrna, that speaks only encouraging words to the church. Apparently the church at Philadelphia was ‘weak’ but this would […]
Guest preacher, Rev Stuart Withers (at the time minister of Rochester Presbyterian), preached from three main texts in his message on the importance of prayer (Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6) in July 2017. Just as Paul exhorted us to make ‘all kinds of prayers for all the saints’ (Ephesians 6:18), so also in […]
As part of Christian Union Sunday in April 2017, Steve Blyth from CU preached from Matthew 11:1-15. In this passage, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to the world but is a confused messenger. He asks to check if Jesus is the one we’ve been waiting for and what he has come to do. Jesus reassures […]
From July 2018: When the would-be king, David, was spurned by the foolish Nabal in 1 Samuel 25:1-44, he saw red. In his anger, David made up his mind to put an end to Nabal’s life. If it wasn’t for the actions of Nabal’s wife, Abigail (who in some small way points us to Jesus), […]
Have you ever had someone tell you that you’re not quite there as a Christian, that you need to do something else, fulfil some extra requirement, maybe have some sort of extra experience? if you do that then you’ll be a real Christian! In preaching on Colossians 2:6-23 back in September 2014, Steve Blyth points […]
Jesus appeared to his disciples on a number of occasions following his resurrection. Perhaps the most signficant of these is recorded in John 21:1-19 where Jesus specifically took time to speak to Peter. He did this, because in the lead up to the cross, Peter had failed Jesus so badly, denying him three times. So, […]
You have to wonder what the church in Sardis thought when they received their letter from the Lord Jesus in Revelation 3:1-6 and read that his estimation of them was that they were ‘dead’. The church at Sardis may well have had the appearance of being alive. Activity. Preaching. Worship. Giving. Outward signs of life…without […]
Of all the seven cities listed in this part of Revelation, Thyatira was by far the least important. It was neither a major religious centre nor a regional political capital. It was simply a busy, minor Macedonia trading colony notable, if it was notable for anything at all, for the number of trade guilds that […]
When Jesus spoke to the 7 churches of Asia Minor, he did so to bring forth spiritual life and vitality. This is seen clearly in the message he spoke to the church at Pergamum in Revelation 2:12-17 where the church was in danger of compromising with the world – especially due to their toleration of […]
When Jesus sent His message to the church at Smyrna through John in Revelation 2:8-11, and called them to perservere in their time of suffering for the gospel, He did not forget that they had already suffered much in the way of persecution. However, He did urge them to ‘keep on, keeping on’ in the […]
The Lord Jesus gave John seven messages to deliver to the seven churches of the region, and the first of the seven churches mentioned is the one in the city of Ephesus. What Jesus had to say to them was clear in Revelation 2:1-7. There was much to commend the church at Ephesus – they […]
When John turned to see the voice that was speaking to him in Revelation 1:1-20, he saw the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory and fell at His feet as ‘though dead’. While the vision John had was of significance, of even more signficiance was what he heard Jesus say. In this second message […]
The book of Revelation is probably the most misunderstood book in the Bible. Admittedly, there are a few good reasons for that, but Revelation 1-3 could not be clearer. They are a message from Jesus to seven churches of the first century. In this first message on Revelation 1:1-20 which forms something of an introduction […]
In this message, Ryan Smith applies James 1:1-8 to our daily experience of the ‘trials of life’ which always bring to the surface our most desperate need for wisdom! Service 00:00 WelcomeSong: Standing on the Promises00:18 Introduction00:31 Prayer08:09 Bible reading: Romans 8:26-39Song: Be Unto Your Name10:42 Bible reading: James 1:1-8Song: Grace UnmeasuredSermon: James 1:1-8Song: Teach […]
In this message, Rev Peter Phillips reminds us that in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus gives us a very clear picture of how salvation is never earned or merited, but is always given freely by God to those who are undeserving. It is the not the self-righteous […]
When the women first went to the tomb where Jesus has been buried on that first Easter Sunday morning, they never expected to find Him alive. But when Matthew records in Matthew 28:1-20 that Jesus was alive, this changed everything. While they worshipped Him by falling down at His feet, the soldiers who had been […]
Matthew’ gospel continues to record the ‘things that happened to Jesus’ in Matthew 27:11-44. His sufferings did not end with His denial and betrayal or His arrest and trial, but also extended right up to and including His death on the cross. Matthew records all these things to make it doubly clear that Jesus was […]
After Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested and separated from His disciples, the Bible tells us that they all forsook Him and fled. All but one. Peter followed, but at a distance. And through the providence of God, Peter found a way to be nearer to Jesus than the rest of the disciples were… nearer, […]
Was there ever a scene so poignant as the time that Jesus spent in the garden of Gethsemane right before the cross? The gospel writers make much of this, as we find in Matthew 26:36-56. The text tells us that Jesus struggled with the enormity of the ‘cup’ placed before Him by the Father, which […]
The scene at the Last Supper as recorded in Matthew 26:17-35 is so full of significance. Much could be (and has been!) written about the event which connected the Passover to this institution of the new covenant by Jesus. But what happened after the Last Supper is also important for setting the scene that would […]
In the chapters leading up to the events of the death and resurrection of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel, Matthew 26:1-16 follows on directly after the Olivet Discourse. In these chapters, Matthew sets out clearly the events that led up to the the death of Jesus, beginning with the plot the Jewish religious leaders hatched to […]
It’s fitting that the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25:31-46 is the last thing that Matthew records in this long discourse from the mouth of Jesus. The parable has always been and remains one of the scariest parables that jesus ever told – not because it is unclear – but just the opposite! It is […]
When Jesus told the ‘parable of the talents’ in Matthew 25:14-30, He did so in the context of urging His disciples to be ready for His return, and not to be found unprepared, like the five bridesmaids in the previous parable. So, in this ‘parable of the talents’, Jesus took this one whole step further […]
Although we move on in the text and now come to Matthew 25:1-13, the first of three parables Jesus told in this chapter, the topoic is still the same. Jesus has been emphasising the need to be be prapared for his coming and he does this again in this parable concerning the wise and foolish […]
Given that followers of Jesus have become citizens of heaven, Philippians 4:5 reminds the church to live God’s way. Reasonableness is so important for maintaining community and Christians should seek to what is best for everyone, especially in light of the fact that Jesus will surely return as judge. Service 00:00 WelcomeSong: To God Be […]
In this message, guest preacher, Rev. Len Pearce speaks from Galatians 2:15-3:9 about how the believer’s life is not just changed but exchanged. Not one of us is perfect yet there is no other way to stand before God: the believer stands justified by Christ before the throne of God’s justice. By His grace we […]
There’s a line in the heading that you might recognise from the children’s game ‘hide and seek’. The plain facts are that Jesus hasn’t told us the exact date of His return, which means that all of us need to be ready at any time. To illustrate what is required to make one ‘ready’, Jesus […]
When Jesus spoke further about his expected return in Matthew 24:36-44, he gave us some information about it, while keeping some other aspects hidden. While all would like to know the day and the hour of His return, clearly, this is notsomething we are told. But what we are told is that the day of […]
In trying to work out the timing of Jesus’ return, many people turn to Old Testament prophecy, the book of Revelation or even world events. Perhaps an easier approach would be to refer to the things that Jesus said about the topic. However, in Matthew 24:29-35, it has to be said that a wide variety […]
One of the keys to understanding all that Jesus said in Matthew 24 and 25, is to carefully locate the time reference that Jesus is referring to. In Matthew 24:15-28, it’s faily clear that the bulk of what Jesus said relates to the fall of Jerusalem in 70A.D. – something that the disciples of Jesus […]
When the disciples of Jesus once asked Him some questions as they stood near the Temple, they could never have known that the answers Jesus gave them were answers that would echo down the corridors of time for thousands of years. But this is the case with the ‘Olivet Discourse’ recorded for us in Matthew’s […]
It’s worth remembering that the name of the month of January comes from the Roman god, Janus, who is often pictured as having two faces – one looking back to the past and the other looking ahead to the future. At the start of a new year it’s always good to start off with that […]
‘There’s no Christmas without Christ!’ If only that were so. Sadly, there’s lots of Christmases without Christ, and as Christmas comes and goes again, it’s possible that many fall for the trap of living as though, the trimmings count more than the reality. The Apostle Peter knew little about the Christmas story, but what he […]
One of the strong emphases of Scripture when it comes to the return of Jesus, is the important question of ‘how we live’ in the light of His coming. As Paul concludes his letter to the Church at Thesalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, this emphasis can be clearly seen. While Paul has established the fact […]
This message was preached for the occasion of the celebration of the contribution of our organist, Mrs Jean Spicer, for nearly 70 years, something that is a great witness to the faithfulness of the Lord and the faithfulness He calls His people to. The central message of the parable Jesus told in Luke 19:11-27, is […]
There are certain events in life that we must all get ready for. As I write this, Christmas isn’t too far away – and we all know what that means! Some events, like Christmas, are expected. Others are not. The return of Jesus certainly fits into this second category. His return will not be announced […]
If there’s one thing we all need to survive in this world and in order to ‘keep on, keeping on’ it’s hope. Not a vain ‘pie-in-the-sky’ hope that people have when they believe something that isn’t true to lessen the pain of reality, but a hope that is based on something outside of us, something […]
The ability to walk is something that most of us take for granted. It’s only if and when we lose that ability we realise that learning to walk all over again is hard. The Bible also lays emphasis upon how God’s people should ‘walk’ -in the sense of how we conduct ourselves as ‘chidren of […]
One theme stands out in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, and that is the close relationship that Paul had with these believers. This is reflected in so many ways, but is eviden mainly in the language Paul uses to describe the depths of his feelings towards them. In 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13, it is apparent […]
When the Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, he was full of praise for the way in which these people had received and welcomed the gospel. Their lives had been transformed from worshipping idols to turn and wait for Jesus to return from heaven. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5, in describing […]
When Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (points for discussion) on the noticeboard of the church in Wittenburg in 1517, he would have no way of knowing that his actions would change the world. So now, 504 years on, we are still remembering what he did, but more importantly, what he taught. One of the […]
The Scriptures tell us many things about the Apostle Paul – his conversion and calling, his missionary journeys, his leadership and also his letters to the churches of the first century. In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, it becomes apparent that when Paul writes about his example among the believers at Thessalonica, and explains tsome details about […]
In 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, we read the first chapter of the first letter of the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica. The church there began through the preaching of Paul, but according to Acts 17:1-9, the Apostle couldn’t stick around too long to make sure that all went well with the believers there. Perecution […]
In this final instalment on the life and ministry of the prophet Elisha from 2 Kings 13:11-21. we meet Elisha on his deathbed, but also in his grave. The images of Elisha weakened, dying and then dead are quite symbolic of the state of Israel’s spiritual life, but from his weakness came power and from […]
On Tuesday, 5th October 2021, Rev Peter Phillips was appointed as the Moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Victoria. This address was recorded on the 23rd September at Bendigo Presbyterian for the Assembly, which was held remotely. Congratulations to Peter and we look forward to having you and Lorraine represent the Presbyterian […]
This sermon on Luke 18:1-8 by guest preacher, Rev Peter Phillips, tackles some of the biggest questions in life. “Why is there injustice in the world? What is God doing about it? What should the response of God’s people be to injustice?” All these questions circle around us and pervade our society everyday and while […]
Sometimes it’s hard to see how the unfolding of our circumstances can always be as ‘good’ as God says they are. In 2 Kings 8:1-6, we have the situation where the woman from Shunem acted upon what Elisha had told her to do, only to have the whole thing unravel before her eyes. Maybe that’s […]
There’s an awful ring to the story recorded in 2 Kings 6:24-7:20. Not only is the prophet Elisha in danger – this time from the king of Israel! – the whole nation has hot rock-bottom due to the siege laid by the surrounding armies of Syria. Inside the captial, Samaria, things are a mess. Awful. […]
To be able to see is such a wonderful gift. Sight is such an important aspect to everyday life. But to be able to see what is invisible…now that’s something else. In the text of 2 Kings 6:8-23, it’s very clear that Elisha and his servant were in trouble – surrounded by the Syrian army. […]
In this next instalment in the life and ministry of the prophet Elisha, the incident he is called to address in 2 Kings 6:1-7 seems almost insignificant. A borrowed axehead falls to the bottom of the river and needs to be retrieved. Rather than sending in divers or having a dam built to stop the […]
Of all the stories that the Old Testament tells us that concern the ministry of the prophet Elisha, it is perhaps this one, recorded in 2 Kings 5:1-27, the healing of Naaman, that we remember the most. The reason for that is probably the fact that Naaman was an outisder. he was a Syrian. Even […]
In the text of 2 Kings 4:38-44, we find two miracles linked by the same topic – food. In the first, where the food was poisoned, Elisha’s miracle cure was found in the addition that he made to the food. In the second, where the food was insufficent, Elisha’s miracle was found in the multiplication […]
The miracle in the story recorded for us in 2 Kings 4:8-37 is probably one of the greatest ever done through the prophet Elisha. After establishing a strong friendship with this couple from Shunem, the prophet was confronted with the unexpected death of their young son – a son that he had prophesied would be […]
One again the circumstances for Elisha have changed. From being with and ministering to the Kings of Edom, Israel and Judah in matters that affected the whole nation, we next find Elisha with a poor widow in an unknown location. The widow’s trials were manifold. Not only had she lost her husband, she had also […]
After Elisha’s initial encounter with the people of Jericho and then some youths of Bethel, the scene changes somewhat in 2 Kings 3:1-27 where we meet Elisha in the company of the Kings of Israel, Judah and Edom. The situation facing these kings and their armies was nothing short of desparate. Having taking the desert […]
Critics of the Bible might use the text of 2 Kings 2:23-25 to point out how evil the God of the Old Testament is or how uncaring his servants (in this case, Elisha) really are. At first glance of this text, it might appear that they have a point. But with some extra examination and […]
There’s no doubt that there are many, many lovely places to live. Whether it’s in the miountains or by a river or near to the ocean, there are some beautiful places to be. But while all may look good on the outside of these places, not all is always well within. While at Jericho in […]
After Elisha rexperienced a rather compelling and forthright call to succeed Elijah as the Lord’s prophet in Israel, 2 Kings 2:1-18 explores their initial, but temporrary team ministry together which ended when Elijah was swepat away into heaven bu a whirlwind accompanying a chariot and horses made of fire. It must have been a sight […]
It’s hard to say what the prophet Elijah thought when God told him to anoint Elisha as his successor. It’s not an easy thing to find out that your work is done. But in 1 Kings 19:19-21, we have the record of the day when Elijah laid his cloak upon Elisha and called him into […]
Guest preacher, Rev Len Pearce, looks at John 4:1-42 where Jesus has an appointment to pass through Samaria, but the woman he meets needs that meeting. This passage about the woman of Samaria is all about Jesus and his character – he did not see people as others did. How do we see people? Do […]
Not everyone loves the ‘Hokey Pokey’. I am one of those who doesn’t. Ultimately the Hokey Pokey is noy what it’s all about. Mankind was created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. The final Psalm of the book of the Psalms, Psalm 150:1-6, ends the book on a note of great praise to God. […]
We all have memories. Some are special. Some we would like to forget. Some that shape us into who we are! The writer of Psalm 126 also had a memory, a very particular one that involved the amazing deliverance that God gave to His people. And based on that memory, the psalm writer prayed what […]
While the majority of people have physical sight, there’s a high percentage who are blind in another sense. In Psalm 73:1-28, the writer, Asaph, confesses to this. When his eyes were on the wicked and their prosperity and the ease of their lives, he began to lose faith in God. and doubt whether serving Him […]
It’s not unusual these days for anyone to struggle with stress. We all have to manage it in some form. In his role as King over all Israel, David knew stress too, and this Psalm 86:1-17, we find him dealing with it through prayer to the One who could help him. In fact in the […]
In the final chapter of this letter of Paul to the church at Corinth, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 16:1-24, the Apostle comes down from the high point of the resurrection of Jesus and the hope that that brings to His people, to speak of more down to earth, day-to-day matters – especially relating to […]
There’s something to be said about a church than runs smoothly and orderly. As a Presbyterian church, we usually don’t know any other way. The worship is ordered and everything is in its place. That’s certainly not how Paul would have described the very un-Presbyterian Church in Corinth! Instead of order there was chaos. Choas […]
When it comes to ‘life after death’ there are a whole lot of questions and lots of different ideas. The Corinthians too had questions about what happens to our bodies after death, and these questions were the subject of Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, where Paul likened what happens to our bodies when they […]
Sometimes that ‘what if?” question of thought just passes through your mind. “What if I’d married someone else?” “What if I’d been born in another country?” So many options to think on like these! In 1 Corinthians 15;12-34, Paul asks the question ‘What if Christ was not raised?” and comes up with some devastating answers. […]
On what basis are we accepted before God? In Luke 17:1-10, Jesus says his followers are unworthy servants. God owes us nothing and we owe him everything because he has accepted us by grace through faith alone. Hearing him, the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith but they – and we – don’t need […]
Prayer is something that should be fundamental to every Christian, yet we often neglect prayer while also taking prayer for granted (1 John 1:5-2:2). In this message, Ryan Smith reminds us again of the amazing provision that enables us, sinners, to come before a holy and righteous God, with confidence, and call on him as our […]
When you compare the leaders of world religions, it’s clearly a no-contest. Only Jesus lives. The rest are dead. And the evidence for this resruuection of Jesus is something that the Apostle Paul was keen to share with the church at Corinth. So in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul did just that, reminded his readers of […]
There’s no doubt that the death of Jesus was one of the world’s greatest events for all the wrong reasons. Not only was He inncocent of all charges laid against Him and not only did the situation show itself to be one fuelled by anger and hatred, it was also true that it was possibly […]
There’s something about love that means that thousands of songs are written about it and everyone seems to want it! In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, the Apostle Paul speaks about love quite extensively in a well-known text that has been used at many a wedding, but what he has to say really applies in the first […]
There’s no doubt that the human body is a wonderful invention. The fact that we can move, breathe, talk, eat sleep, is so often taken for granted. So much has to happen for everything to work together. If the church is the ‘body of Christ’ as 1 Corinthians 12:14-31 indicates, then it’s likely that the […]
The Old Testament book of Joshua tells the story of the people of Israel taking possession of the land of Canaan according to God’s promise and instruction. By the time Joshua 9:1-27 comes around, not all has gone according to plan for God’s people – mainly through their own disobedience and failure to keep in […]
The Church. What is it? Some say a building. This is true, but only one aspect of the answer. The idea of the Church being a ‘body’ is found in the New Testament, especially in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13. The church is made up of individuals, all saved by grace, and all united to the one […]
There’s little doubt that 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is a difficult text that over the years has been interpreted and applied in many ways. But, as difficult as it is to grasp at first glance, the text must be and is there for a good reason. It seems there was a fair bit of confusion in […]
The Christian Church has been long divided over whether or not the children of Christians should receive the sacrament of baptism or not. As a Presbyterian Church we believe they should, and that the covenant promises of God to Abraham still stand. While this is an important aspect of what we believe, it is still […]
Psalms 132,133 and 134 are three psalms that are linked by a common theme of being part of the ‘songs of ascent’ that were sung by the people of Israel going up to Jerusalem. Psalm 132 highlights that the city of Jerusalem was the city where God’s King lived. Psalm 133 celebrates the unity of […]
We are constantly bombarded with news, but what our world really needs to hear is truly good news! Mark wrote his gospel to give us the truly good news of Jesus the God-Man king, who came to conquer Satan, Sin and death (Mark 1:1-15). This is amazing news that when understood rightly will turn your […]
“You cannot serve God and money.” Jesus illustrates his teaching in Luke 16:10-31 with a story about a rich man and a poor man who live very different lives and come to very different lives after death. The warning is not only for those who are rich, yet poor toward God but also a warning […]
In Luke 16, Jesus tells another parable where an unjust steward—or dishonest manager—wasted his master’s possessions. This reminds us of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) where in the far county he wasted his inheritance in reckless living. Yet here the steward is commended as wise since “the sons of this world are […]
Is that all there is? For the Christian there is more and a great hope. While we wait, how is our focus? Fixed on the distance or stuck on foreground? In 2 Peter 3:1-13, Peter warns that there will be scoffers, just as always. Are we waiting like Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 13) or like […]
Apart from the need for balance in the Christian life (the message of 2 John), we also need authenticity. Jesus spoke of this in the Sermon on the Mount, reminding us that ‘no good tree bears bad fruit’ and that ‘by their fruits you will know them’. John’s third letter, known to us as 3 […]
In this short series called ‘Postcards from the past’ we come across this short letter of John the Apostle in which the writer urges his readers towards balance. Losing your balance can have terrible consequences in life and this is true also in the spiritual life. Sometimes, even sincere believers can go to extremes and […]
No sooner does Christmas arrive, it very quickly goes, and is soon forgotten until it comes around again after another year. Many will fall for the trap of observing Christmas, but never knowing Jesus, the ‘reason for the season’. The gospel writer, Luke, does not want us to do that. After he wrote of the […]
The Christmas story is an old story. Over 2,000 years old. And given that each year we hear about it and sing about it, the danger we face is that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and that we lose the impact of the story. Maybe one way of recovering that impact is to consider the response of […]
Isaiah 11:1-10 is a record of one of the prophecies of Isaiah concerning the coming of the Messiah. Although Isaiah lived 700 years before Jesus Christ was born, he foresaw the arrival of Jesus the Messiah and the effect of his ministry that would in turn transform the whole world. Christians rejoice in the gift […]
Throughout the letter of Paul to the church at Corinth there have been many indicators that the church was not in a healthy state. Divisions, jealousies, sexual immorality, pride and idolatry were evidenced in their behaviour and these were symptoms that something was wrong. In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 it is evident that Paul had to […]
There’s no doubt that food speaks a universal language. We all love it and we all enjoy eating it together. But what happens when the food that we would like to eat has been used in a worship service for a pagan god? This was one of the questions that the believers at Corinth were […]
Hindsight is such a wonderful thing. It enables everyone to be wiser…’if only I had done this instead of that’….but hindisght only works when looking back and never looking forward. As Paul continued to direct the believers at Corinth in the way they should live, after pointing them to his example, he also pointed to […]
After establishing that Paul ‘practiced what he preached’ with regard to not making his full use of his rights as an apostle, in the next verses, 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, Paul continued to explain how he had made it a principle of life to win people for Christ and maintain his own place in the race […]
It’s not always an easy thing to practice what you preach. Sooner or later, someone will point out your hypocrisy. After telling the church in Corinth to put the law of love over the principle of freedom and liberty, the Apostle Paul found it necessary to let the believers in Corinth know that this was […]
It’s pretty fair to say that everybody likes food. Not all the same kinds of food of course, but it’s rare to find someone who isn’t interested in what they eat. At Corinth, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, the believers were having some issues with food, especially food that had been offered […]
Relationship advice is everywhere on just about any topic you can think of in relation to relationships, especially marriage! But the advice that the Apostle Paul gives to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 is advice that helps put all relationships into some kind of perspective. See, no earthly relationship will last, no […]
There’s no doubt that the world we live in offers little in the way of contentment. This applies not only to possessions but also to our relationships. Some say ‘if you don’t like the bed, change the sheets’, ie get a new partner! Some TV shows even throw 2 strangers together and expect them to […]
Relationships. According to the way the world thinks, they’re everything. The best that life can offer. In some ways that is true…but what happens when relationships go sour? In 1 Corinthians 7:6-11, Paul gives some answers towards those questions. Not everyone will end up in a relationship. Not every relationship will stay together. Singleness is […]
It seems that the believers at Corinth were having trouble (as often happens) with sexual issues. We learned something of this in chapters 5 and 6 when we noted how Paul had to address both incest and promiscuity. There was also another extreme view at Corinth which Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5. Some, even […]
There are many times in life when bad news strikes, circumstances change or life takes a twisty turn for the worst. At the other end of the spectrum are the exhortations in the Scriptures that we ought to follow regardless of those circumstances. Philippians 4:4 is one of those verses. The challenge that this verse […]
It seems the members of the church in Corinth, very much like the culture of the people of that city, held to wide ranging views about the place of their ‘bodies’ within the Christian life. Some held the view that it was immaterial what you did with your body, and so, a visit to a […]
It must be a terrible thing to have amnesia – not being able to remember (among other things) your name or your family! It is a terrible thing to have ‘gospel amnesia’, that is, to belong to a church, but not be able to remember how the gospel of Jesus affects your whole life – […]
It’s hard to be a parent when the time comes to discipline your children. You need wisdom, persistence and a strong love, knowing that discipline, (though painful at the time) when applied in the right measure will produce the desired outcome. As far as we know, the Apostle Paul wasn’t a parent, but he knew […]
So far in his letter to these Corinthian believers, the Apostle Paul has had to tackle many things head on. The church was clearly divided with a party spirit and wrongly paid too much emphasis to the flashy skills of gospel preachers at the expense of the gospel itself. But at the root of all […]
After the Apostle Paul took time to dismantle the false edifice that the Corinthians were putting in place around gospel preachers in 1 Corinthians 3, in the next few verses of the 4th chapter, (1 Corinthians 4:1-5), the Apostle took time to correct their perspective. Gospel preachers aren’t everything. In fact, they are just servants […]
No church is perfect. The work of sanctification of God’s people is an ongoing process. Every church falls short of the ideal of ‘what we should be’ in Christ. However, not all churches, like the one in Corinth, had the benefit of having the Apostle Paul tell them where they were going wrong. Paul does […]
The Church in Corinth was in a bit of a mess. It was out of balance. Too much emphasis on one thing at the expense of another. Sometime churches can get like that. Out of balance. In these verses, 1 Corinthians 3:5-17, the Apostle Paul seeks to correct that balance and get the Corinthians back […]
The onset of Elijah’s spiritual depression in 1 Kings 19:1-18 is well documented. From being on a spiritual high on Mt Carmel, Elijah very quickly was running for his life and yet praying that he might die. There were many kinds of factors involved in this, not the least being his sense of failure and […]
After the showdown on the top of Mt Carmel, the text of 1 Kings 18:41-46, tells us of Elijah’s prayers that broke the drought. Given that the drought had begun through the prayers of Elijah 3 years earlier, it is a helpful things for us to read of Elijah at prayer – even though we […]
In 1 Kings 18:20-40, the rubber really ‘hits the road’. All that Elijah has been through in chapter 17 and all his interactions with King Ahab have been leading up to the showdown that these verses describe – fittingly, upon the top of a mountain (Carmel). Lots of important events happen on mountain tops in […]
After the miracle of raising the widow of Zarephath’s son from death, Elijah was instructed by the Lord to go back and present himself to King Ahab. As the events unfold, the story then introduces us to one of Ahab’s servants, Obadiah, who turns out to be a faithful servant of the Lord also. In […]
In 1 Kings 17:17-24, a further piece of a strange puzzle becomes clear for Elijah, even though for the widow with whom he was staying, this puzzle piece must have been quite a puzzle. After keeping Elijah and the widow and her son alive through God’s miraculous provision, the widow’s son suddenly died. This drove […]
So far into his important ministry of declaring God’s Word to King Ahab of Israel, Elijah may be forgiven for wondering (if he ever did) what God had in mind – for no sooner had he appeared before the face of King Ahab, just as soon – the Lord directed him to disappear to a […]
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After bursting onto centre stage to stand for a moment or two under the spotlight, Elijah had announced his one line to the king (about there being no more rain) and then just as quickly as he had come in, he exited stage right. 1 Kings 17:2-7 continue the story of where the Lord sent his prophet so that he too might survive the drought, there by a brook fed by ravens. The story is one of survival, but more than that. God was also teaching his prophet a lesson – one that we also might learn, because every circumstance, yes, even our survival is all dependent upon Him!
Full service
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00:00 Introduction
00:45 Prayer
Song: 10,000 Reasons
04:54 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #39)
Song: The Old Black Crow
08:48 The Persecuted Church
Song: To God be the Glory
12:00 Bible reading: Matthew 6:26-34
Song: The Servant King
13:17 Bible reading: 1 Kings 17:2-7
14:12 Sermon: 1 Kings 17:2-7
38:07 Closing
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There have been many people who have shot to fame (and so to the limelight) out of obscurity. In the Scriptures, Elijah the prophet is one such man. Not much is known about Elijah’s past except to say that he was from the town of Tishbe. Not much is known about his calling to be a prophet, but according to 1 Kings 16:29-17:1, we do know that his call to be a prophet brought him into the presence of Ahab, king of Israel. He could do that, of course, because Elijah knew how to stand before Israel’s true King.
Full service
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00:00 Introduction
Song: Crown Him with Many Crowns
00:37 Prayer
04:54 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #39)
Song: God Never Says Oops
08:26 The Persecuted Church
11:19 Bible reading: John 1:19-30
Song: O Lord My Rock and My Redeemer
13:00 Bible reading: 1 Kings 16:29-17:1
14:17 Sermon: 1 Kings 16:29-17:1
Song: In Christ Alone
37:59 Closing
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Being incarcerated for preaching the gospel of Jesus would be no fun. Especially not if you were being held there until your imminent execution. While that was the case for the Apostle Peter in Acts 12:1-25, God had other plans and these plans not only brought about peter’s release, they also served to spread the gospel message of Jesus even further than before. The whole incident brought two things together as well – the mystery of the will of God and the prayers of His people – somehow they fit together!
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/bpc20200614-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: At the Name of Jesus
00:41 Prayer
Song: Revelation 3:20
06:25 Children’s talk
Song: The Chooky And Her Chickies
09:03 The Persecuted Church
Song: There is a Higher Throne
11:47 Bible reading: Acts 5:12-26
Song: Meekness and Majesty
13:56 Bible reading: Acts 12:1-25
17:40 Sermon: Acts 12:1-25
40:45 Closing
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The life of the Apostle Paul was full of trial. At the time of his conversion, the Lord said of him, ‘I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name’ (Acts 9:16). Reading through the book of Acts and any of his letters will bring those trials to mind – beatings, shipwreck, imprisonment, hatred, scorn and threats against his life – all of these were part of Paul’s experience. But there was another aspect of Paul’s life that he wrote about in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10… his ‘thorn’. The passage is helpful, for Paul was not the only one to have a ‘thorn’, and if you have one, then you will want to know how Paul dealt with it!
Full service
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00:00 Introduction and prayer
Song: Jesus Thank You
03:46 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #99)
Song: Damascus Road
06:16 The Persecuted Church
09:39 Bible reading: 2 Corinthians 11:16-31
Song: Christ is Mine Forevermore
13:04 Bible reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
15:10 Sermon: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Song: It is Well with My Soul
39:07 Closing
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In the Scriptures, perhaps it is the character of Job who gets the title of ‘the saint in the tightest of spots.’ His story is well-known and told to us in the book that bears his name. It’s a long read but worthwhile, especially Job 1:1-2:10. In these verses, the mystery of why Job suffered what he did is unfolded for us as we are told things that happened behind the scenes, behind the heavenly curtain, giving us an rare insight into the mystery of the trials that God allows – which are for our good and for His glory. Let Job’s story give you reason to ‘give thanks in all things’ – like the Scriptures teach us to do.
Full service
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00:00 Introduction and prayer
Song: Worthy of All Praise
05:25 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #43)
Song: 1 Corinthians 2:9
09:04 Greetings from Chris and Naomi
11:31 Bible reading: Job 1
Song: Marvellous Grace
15:06 Bible reading: Job 2:1-10
16:52 Sermon: Job 1:1-2:10
Song: Blessed Be Your Name
42:14 Closing
Song: Blessed be the Name of Jesus
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There are times when the need to pray becomes all the more urgent and important. The Scriptures also record for us the many examples of those who found relief by calling upon God in a moment of danger or trial. King Jehoshaphat was one of these. His prayer recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 stands out in Scripture as a prayer of great integrity and urgency, one that God, in His grace, chose to answer, encouraging us to seek after Him and so bring ‘everything to God in prayer’.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bpc20200524-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: Jerusalem
00:38 Prayer
Song: You Can Tell the Lord that You Love Him Anytime
04:29 Greetings from Daniel and Courtney
Song: God’s Love Is Strong Love
07:29 Bible reading: 2 Chronicles 20:1-17
Song: Amazing Grace
10:35 Bible reading: 2 Chronicles 20:17-30
13:12 Sermon: 2 Chronicles 20
Song: Before the Throne
23:18 Closing
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bpc20200517.mp3
The story of the three Hebrew men standing firm in the face of the fury of the King Nebuchadnezzar and his infamously hot furnace, has long been a Sunday School favourite. Yet the story is far from one that belongs to the children alone. Daniel 3:1-30 tells of courage, bravery and obedience – all in the face of great trial and remains something that urges God’s people along today on our walk with the Lord in this world.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bpc20200517-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: O Worship the King
00:41 Prayer
05:01 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #48)
Song: The One and Only God
10:09 Greetings from Ryan Smith at CU Bendigo
13:26 Bible reading: Daniel 3:1-15
Song: Behold Our God
16:13 Bible reading: Daniel 3:16-30
19:50 Sermon: Daniel 3
Song: He Will Hold Me Fast
42:20 Closing
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bpc20200510.mp3
The book of Esther, as the name suggests, tells the story of the Jewess Esther who became Queen of a mighty kingdom by virtue of being married to its King. Although the book never once mentions God, His fingerprints are all over it – especially in the decisive moment when Esther was faced with a choice of having her own people (the Jews) perish or facing that risk herself by entering unannounced into the presence of the King). The book is remembered for her words, ‘If I perish, I perish’, but it does more for us that relate a climactic story. It points ultimately to the One who chose to perish for His people – even Jesus our Lord.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bpc20200510-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: O the Mercy of God
01:07 Prayer
04:08 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #52-53)
Song: Psalm 68:20 (Our God Is a God Who Saves)
09:01 Prayer
12:58 Greeting from the Canavans
Song: King of Kings
15:07 Bible reading: Esther 4
Song: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
18:18 Sermon: Esther 4
Song: Consider Christ
43:52 Closing
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200503.mp3
There aren’t many men in the Bible of more importance than Moses. Selected by God to be the redeemer of His people, Moses faced a huge challenge for all of his days – none more so that at the outset of his ministry when God sent him to Pharaoh with the demand to ‘let My people go’. It didn’t go down so well with Pharaoh, nor with the rest of the people of Israel. Exodus 4:18-5:21 fills in the details and reminds us of the fact that God is in all our circumstances – even when we’re having a ‘bad day’.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200503-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: Beautiful Saviour (All My Days)
00:45 Prayer
06:14 Children’s talk (see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #15)
Song: Remember the Lord
10:51 Bible reading: Exodus 3:7-12
Song: There is a Redeemer
16:03 Bible reading: Exodus 4:18-5:23
Song: How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
22:38 Sermon: Exodus 4:18-5:21
Song: By Faith
46:28 Closing
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200426.mp3
You can be sure that the story of Daniel in the lion’s den found in Daniel 6:1-28 will make it to just about every children’s Bible that has ever been or will be published. Funny The funny thing about that is this – the story is not really just a children’s story. Instead it is one of the great stories of the Bible that forces us to examine our own loyalty and faithfulness to God. It might have been an extreme test that God allowed Daniel to endure – and while he proved to be faithful, how would you go at being in Daniel’s position?
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200426-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction & Prayer
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
03:21 ANZAC Remembrance
Song: Eternal Father
09:45 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #51)
Song: Stop What You’re Doing and Pray to Jesus
15:13 Bible reading: Hebrews 11:32-40
16:28 Bible reading: Daniel 6
22:34 Sermon: Daniel 6
Song: O Great God
44:39 Benediction
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200419.mp3
David is one of the key characters in the unfolding story of the Scriptures. We can often forget that huge responsibilities and pressures were placed upon his shoulders in his role as King over Israel and Judah. One of those pressures was simply maintaining the stability of his kingdom – especially when it threatened, at times, to crumble from within. Psalm 63:1-11 records David’s feelings in one of those crisis times and shows us what it is we need the most in life – regardless of whether our circumstances are good or bad.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200419-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction & Prayer
Song: Before the Throne of God
07:23 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #35)
Song: From Everlasting
11:35 Bible reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
Song: Grace Unmeasured
13:03 Bible reading: Psalm 63
Song: My Hope is Built
14:12 Sermon: Psalm 63
Song: O Lord My Rock and My Redeemer
40:55 Benediction
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200412.mp3
When the two travelers on the road to Emmaus met with Jesus, as recorded in Luke 24:13-35, they were downcast and disconsolate. They were men without hope. Jesus, whom they had known and had put their hope in, was dead. While they had heard rumours of Him being alive, this all must have sounded so fanciful. Strange. But when a stranger met them on the road and opened the Scriptures to them, all that changed! Jesus fixed their fallen-apart world and hope was renewed again!
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200412-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: Thine be the Glory
02:26 Prayer
Song: Never Alone
06:48 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #89)
Song: Jesus Christ was Raised to Life
10:50 Bible reading: Luke 24:1-12
Song: All Heaven Declares
12:11 Bible reading: Luke 24:13-35
Song: In the Tomb
15:34 Sermon: Luke 24
37:38 Benediction
Song: He is Risen
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200410.mp3
This Easter will certainly be one to remember. One like we’ve never had before. With all this extra time, it is a perfect opportunity to re-visit the foundations of our faith, to go back to the cross and think about what happened to Jesus and what He completed for us there. It really was an amazing day…but coming to Christ in repentance and faith could also prove to be your greatest day!
*This message quotes extensively from an article written by Andrew Lansdown. You can find the original article here. May it help us all to grasp the wonder of God’s grace to us in Christ.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200410-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love
02:22 Prayer
06:07 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise ; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #88)
Song: Boss of the Cross
10:52 Bible reading: Matthew 27:1-2,11-26
Song: This Life I Live
13:00 Bible reading: Matthew 27:27-54
Song: The power of the cross
15:51 Sermon: Matthew 27
Song: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
38:03 Benediction
Song: I can’t save myself
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200405.mp3
The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known in the Scriptures. It’s not everybody that gets swallowed by a huge fish and lives to tell the tale. Talk about socially isolating! But what was Jonah doing in that ‘tight spot’ and what does a ‘socially isolating’ Jonah teach us? This message on Jonah 2:1-10, examines Jonah’s prayer and what we can learn from it.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bpc20200405-service.mp3
00:00 Introduction
Song: All creatures of Our God and King
00:49 Prayer
06:30 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #44)
Song: God is everywhere
Song: Are you serving Cap’n Jesus?
11:59 Bible reading: Jonah 2
13:29 Bible reading: Luke 15
Song: My heart is filled with thankfulness
15:45 Sermon: Jonah 2
Song: In Christ alone
37:36 Benediction
Song: I will trust my saviour Jesus
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bpc20200329.mp3
There’s something about the story of Joseph in the Old Testament that is so fascinating and insightful. In Genesis 39:1-23, the Scriptures tell us about what might be the lowest spot in Joseph’s bright life. And yet, when his story is taken as a vital part of the outworking of Genesis 3:15 in God’s plan of salvation, the story of Joseph is far more than the story of a ‘dreamer’ with a ‘coloured coat’, but of a man who points us all to Jesus and who shows us God’s purpose in suffering is that we become more like Him.
Full service
https://bendigopc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/bpc-20200329-voice.mp3
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #12)
Song: The Lord is King
06:34 Saints in tight spots
Hymn: Praise my soul
08:42 Prayer
14:59 Bible reading: Genesis 39
Song: Christ is mine forever more
19:13 Sermon: Joseph (Genesis 39)
Hymn: Teach me your way
42:51 Benediction
Song: Press on Mums