Sermons from April 2018
Responding Rightly to the Revelation of Jesus
Anyone who has heard of Jesus has made some kind of response to him. In chapter 11 of Matthew’s Gospel we start to see rising opposition to Jesus as some people are looking for the wrong kind of Messiah and some are blatantly unrepentant. Jesus offers forgiveness and true rest to those who respond rightly to him – in repentance and faith. We do well to ask ourselves: “How am I responding to Jesus – for salvation, and daily as…
Euthanasia – the next big ethical battle?
With the same-sex marriage debate settled, ideological and political forces in Australia are now being focused on the issue of euthanasia. Euthanasia has been legalised in countries like Holland and Belgium for many years, and is legal in a number of states in the USA. But it moved much closer to home in November 2017 when it became legal in Victoria. Obviously there is great emotion around this issue, but what are the key factors in the discussion and how…
Excuses for not sharing the gospel
Matthew 9:35 – 10:42
Sometimes we can make excuses for not living out our calling as missionary disciples of Jesus. Several of these excuses are challenged by Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 10. We are reminded that each one of us has a part to play in the mission, that we don’t need to be afraid of what people might say about us or do to us and that we cannot lose more than we will gain in a life spent serving Jesus.
Strong words from a loving pastor
No parent likes having to confront a misbehaving child. It tests and puts at risk the whole relationship, and especially so when the child is an adult. But real love is “tough love”! And that’s what Paul has been showing towards the Corinthian believers throughout this letter. In today’s passage Paul brings it all to a close as he issues a stern warning and a passionate appeal for them to check their hearts and prepare themselves for his upcoming visit. He desperately wanted to avoid a showdown, but he was ready for one if the situation required it. The troubles in the Corinthian church could be similar in your church or mine. But thank God for courageous, godly leaders like Paul. The nominal church urgently needs them today.
Greg Beaumont: Confident evangelism
Evangelism is the kind of topic that often induces fear into the hearts of Christians – even mature Christians. Yet it is something that we are all called to – Acts 1:8 tells us that we are all called to be Jesus’ witnesses to the world. We often fall down in this area because we lack confidence. Some of us are just not outgoing people, we have different levels of biblical knowledge, and others of us have a real fear of rejection and don’t want to feel a sense of failure if the person we share our faith with reject Jesus. So how are we to overcome these reasons for our lack of evangelism? How are we to evangelise with real confidence? The beginning of Acts tells us that we can have confidence, but not in ourselves! Instead we can have confidence in our message, in the power behind the mission, and in the success of the mission.
Everything for your Strengthening
Too many Christians today start their journey of faith well – full of passion, enthusiasm and energy, but then somewhere along the journey they slowly drift away from faith. This is also a fairly accurate description of many within the Corinthian church at the time Paul is writing the letter of 2 Corinthians. In this passage he writes to them of the priority of continually strengthening their faith. This has been the primary purpose of Paul’s ministry to them. The…
You are loved
The Israelites find themselves as captives in another land and they are afraid. God reminded them through Isaiah his prophet that they had no need to fear because he is the supreme God, they are his people, he is with them. He is their God, who loves them and will go to extreme lengths to free them. An encouragement to us knowing that through Jesus we are God’s people also, his children in fact (John 1:10-14). And he has gone to the most extreme length to free us also (John 3:16).
A life worth boasting about!
Humility does not come naturally to most people, especially in today’s culture. But Christians who boast are a contradiction. Or are they? In today’s message we see Paul struggling with this tricky question as he defends himself against his opponents. But God “helped” him from becoming proud by giving him a thorn in the flesh – a messenger of Satan – a constant, painful reminder of his tendency to pride. But even then, God’s grace is always sufficient, and God’s power is always greater than his weakness. As Christians we have only one reason to boast, and that is in Jesus Christ and His cross (Galatians 6:14).
Why does the resurrection matter?
The physical resurrection of Jesus raises all sorts of questions. First of all: Did it happen? And there have been many books written by experts in support of the biblical claims. Today’s message assumes the resurrection as a fact. But the second big question logically follows: Why does it matter? Pastor Murray helpfully spells out five key reasons why, all of which go to the heart of the Christian faith. As the apostle Paul puts it: If Christ has not been raised our faith is futile… we are still in our sins… we are without hope… and we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:17-19). It really does matter enormously what we believe about the resurrection!