"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 32)

"Sunday Morning" Tagged Sermons (Page 32)

Sunday Morning

Peter Francis: Developing a fruitful faith

In these opening words of Peter’s second letter he is concerned to remind believers about the importance of having a growing and fruitful faith. Here Peter seems to draw our attention to three key things which will keep us growing in our faith: (1) Remembering the Foundations of our Faith; (2) Fostering the Fruit of our Faith and (3) Remembering the Future of our Faith.

The great discovery

When you discover something new that works so much better, why would you bother going back to the old? That’s essentially what the apostle Paul is saying in today’s passage. The people in the church at Corinth were being conned by some visiting “preachers”, who were telling them they had to go back to obeying the ancient law of Moses as the way to God. Paul knew from personal experience the futility of trying to live that way. So he exposes the inferiority of the law compared with the glory of being made righteous before God by trusting Jesus Christ. To meet Christ personally is to receive His life-giving Spirit and begin a whole new way of life. Why would you ever want to revert to a system that was broken, when Christ offers something far, far better!

Indicators of true gospel ministry

As mainline churches in Australia steadily decline, new churches are popping up with increasing frequency. Sometimes these are a result of strategic church plants. Other times they are the result of splits and breakaways. Sometimes they go well. Often they struggle and fail. Some are well led. Others are not. It’s hard working planting a church in secular Australia. But what are the criteria we should look for in a valid gospel ministry today? Paul had to defend himself against those who opposed and critiqued him harshly at Corinth, and in doing so he gives us five non-negotiable indicators of what every true gospel-centred church should look like. And these indicators are especially relevant today. Are they true of your church… and mine?

A pastor and his people

What happens when a pastor has a falling out with his people? Sadly, it happens… far more often than it should. A rift had developed between “Pastor Paul” and the church at Corinth, and serious damage had been done to their relationship. How could this situation be resolved? In today’s message we explore the approach Paul used to defend himself and to appeal personally to the people for a resolution to the crisis. With humility, grace, forgiveness… and also courage… there was a way forward. If only we might see more disputes in our churches resolved like this today!

Meeting God in the troubles of life

Today’s message by Pastor Murray begins a new series in the book of 2 Corinthians. In this letter to the church at Corinth the apostle Paul shares very personally – his appeals to them, his joys, his disappointments, his struggles in ministry – and through all his vulnerability we see how God gave him the strength to persevere. This theme is introduced in the opening verses of the book, where Paul helps us see that even through the troubles and pain of life, God is there to comfort and care. While we don’t like to suffer, God meets us in our suffering and uses it for beneficial purposes in our lives. What tough situation are you going through at this moment? This message will be an encouragement to you!

A discerning leader with the gift of encouragement (Barnabas)

Jesus, of course, is the only perfect leader, but God seems to have used many different types of men and women to take the lead in His work. In this message we encounter Barnabas, an early Christian convert and trusted leader in the church at Jerusalem. Sent to Antioch by the apostles to check out what was happening in the church there, he quickly realised that God was doing something special, and soon co-opted Saul (later Paul) to help him in teaching the Bible to these young Gentile believers. Next, he and Saul were commissioned by the Antioch church to go out as the very first formal missionaries to the Roman empire. His ability to see what God was doing, get on board, and encourage others to do the same was inspirational.

An ordinary man with a heart to serve (Andrew)

In an age of A-listers and celebrities it is easy to overlook the ordinary people who make up the overwhelming majority of people in the world (and the church!). The disciple, Andrew, is simply referred to in the New Testament as “Simon Peter’s brother” in a couple of places. He was never part of Jesus’ inner circle and we have no record of him in any significant upfront role, yet each he is mentioned, he is doing something useful in connecting people with Jesus. He made the most of his opportunities and served his Master well. God needs more “ordinary people” who are ready, willing and available to use their time, talents and opportunities for Him. Never use your “ordinariness” as an excuse for avoiding the work that God has for you, especially in connecting people to Jesus.

A matter of priorities (Martha and Mary)

More and more today people are struggling because of the stress of 21st century life. Whether it’s anxiety, depression or burnout, the pace of life is taking its toll. Task-oriented achievers who like to be busy are particularly susceptible. Martha was one of these people, and in today’s message we see how Jesus had to gently rebuke her because her busyness was actually holding her back from spending quality time with Jesus Himself. Her priorities were wrong. A little later we see how her sister Mary expressed her devotion to Jesus by “wasting” her most valuable perfume on Him! Are you a busy person? Remember, make sure you don’t neglect having a regular time with the Lord, and always give Him your very best. This is the best way to stress-proof your life.

The Disillusioned Disciple (Judas Iscariot)

Why do people fall away from following Christ? There are many possible answers to this question, and it troubles those of us who love and care for our friends who do. Judas Iscariot stands as the supreme example, as someone who was so close to Jesus, yet not only walked away but even betrayed Him. Why did he do it? What went wrong? In today’s message Pastor Murray takes us behind the scenes into Judas’s life as we wrestle with these questions. But the bigger question is: could it happen to us? Sadly, the answer is “yes” (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13). But the good news is that even when we fall away, God is still offering a way back. Failure doesn’t have to be final. Just as Peter found forgiveness after denying Jesus, we can, too. He is the “God of the second chance”.

God’s humble messenger (John the Baptist)

One of the greatest men of all time, according to Jesus, is John the Baptist. Yet in so many ways he is an enigma to us. He lived in the desert, wore weird clothes, ate weird food and wasn’t afraid to offend people, even the governor and his wife! Yet this eccentric man was also profoundly godly. In the tradition of an Old Testament prophet he fearlessly called people to repent and get ready for the arrival of the Messiah. But he was also deeply humble as he consistently pointed people to Jesus and flatly refused any special attention for himself. His greatest joy was to see other people following Jesus: “He must become greater. I must become less” was his modus operandi. May we be as faithful in pointing others to Jesus in our day.