Author: Philip

‘Meet the Lord God who knows His plans’ (Exodus 6:10-7:14)

AudioPhilip

After Moses heard back from the Lord God that He would do as He had promised, in Exodus 6:10-7:14, we find again the narrative of this tense looming showdown between the Lord and Pharaoh, bookending a section where suddenly there is a whole genealogy of Moses and Aaron. What’s going on? Only just that Moses wants the people of Israel to know that it was this Moses and this Aaron whom the Lord called and sent to go toi Pharaoh – even despite the fact that the Lord knew that the King wouldn’t listen. God’s plans for His people always include His people. That is why we are called to be His witnesses in every place.

Message

Outline

  • The seventh in this series
  • Things are heating up!
  • Some things hadn’t gone well!
  • Note that in God’s plan Moses and Aaron …
  1. Were sent back to Pharaoh (v.10-17)
  2. Were qualified for the task (v.18-27)
  3. Were recommissioned for service (7:1-7)

William Carey
Psalm 90:10
God’s task and our task…

‘The great escape’ (An Easter reflection)

Philip

In May of this year, it will be 20 years since the rescue of the trapped miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell was unfolding in Beaconsfield, Tasmania. After having been given up for dead because of the thick rock that kept the men from freedom, in the course of time, they were rescued from their captivity and the watching world sighed with relief!  Throughout the whole ordeal and after, tribute was rightly paid to the rescuers who toiled tirelessly to reach the men in extreme circumstances and at great risk to themselves. A movie of it was made too!!

The mine rescue story reminds us of another rescue story, an even better one. The Bible tells us that ‘all men have sinned’ (Romans 3:23) and that because of this we are unable to save ourselves. All of us are ‘trapped’ in the cage of our own sinful natures and all are in need of a Rescuer. Jesus Christ is that Rescuer. At great cost to Himself and to rescue His people, He died upon a cross and was buried and then, to prove that His work was sufficient and accepted by God, and that He was and is the Son of God, God raised Him from the grave after three days, appointing Him to be the “Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).

We all need to be rescued – especially from the coming Judge! Every time Easter comes around, it’s a great opportunity to be reminded that only Jesus Christ can be the Rescuer that we need. Through faith in Him, all who believe are granted full and free salvation. He said, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. (John 8:36). Seek Him. Great joy will follow your rescue too.

Fellowship, fishing and food (inc. spiritual food) – our first ever Men’s Camp!

Philip

Our first ever Men’s Camp was held over Friday March 20 and Saturday March 21 at the Laanecoorie Lakeside Park. The camp kicked off on late Friday afternoon/evening night with a BBQ dinner, a campfire and some input on writing testimonies, after which a few were shared. The next morning broke bright and cool with anothe fine day heading our way. After breakfast, fish were caught, conversations flowed, the campfire burned bright, more testimonies were shared and we gave ourselves to the next study in our series based on the book of Nehemiah. And then, after a BBQ lunch, it was all over and it was time to returns to our homes and families.

It may have been short, but it was a great blessing for us men with busy lives to get away and grow together in friendship in this way. Thanks be to God!

‘Meet the Lord God who can do whatever He pleases’ (Exodus 6:1-13)

AudioPhilip

In our studies so far in the book of Exodus, we have met the Lord God’s appointed deliverer, Moses, and his many excuses and fears. Having gone to Pharaoh as the Lord God had commanded him with the result being far from what Moes had expected, Moses could only now go back to the Lord and ask ‘why?’ The Lord’s answer to Moses is found in Exodus 6:1-13, a great passage which focusses upon what the Lord can and would do to Pharaoh and can and would do for His people. His power is far greater than our weaknesses!

Message

Outline

  • The sixth in this series
  • When and where we left Moses
  • A song for Moses?
  • See how God responded to Moses that He would…
  1. Keep His promises (v.1-4)
  2. Redeem His people (v.5-6)
  3. Demonstrate His power (v.7-13)

Kids’ letters to Pastors
The response of the people!
A better song to be singing…

Easter at St John’s…

Philip

Bendigo is a very busy place over Easter, but with so much going on and so much of it about the holiday itself and not the meaning of Easter, make sure you don’t miss what’s most important.

Come and join us at 9:30am on Good Friday to discover that real meaning. There will be a retiring offering to support the PresAID appeal for our partner chuches in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Stay for morning tea afterward and then be sure to catch ‘The Way of the Cross’ at 8pm in Rosalind Park (free entry).

Then, join us again on Easter Sunday morning at 10:30am (make sure you’ve put your clock back) to find out even more about it! Morning tea follows also…

‘Meet the Lord God who still controls the worst of days’ (Exodus 4:18-5:23)

AudioPhilip

It’s hard enough to cope with circumstances getting worse at any time, let alone when you’ve shown a willingness to obey the Lord’s directions! But in Exodus 4:18-5:23, Moses found out that obeying God doesn’t always mean that everything will go smoothly – sometimes it just doesn’t. In fact, the circumstances for Moses and the people of Israel got significantly worse because Moses obeyed. But…all was not lost and Moses had to find out the hard way that this too was part of God’s plan.

Message

Outline

  • The fifth in this series
  • Moses’ fearful task…
  • Off to meet Pharaoh
  • Note that Moses ought to have learned not to …
  1. Miss the Lord’s requirements (4:18-31)
  2. Miscalculate the Lord’s timetable (5:1-21)
  3. Misread the Lord’s agenda (5:22-23)

The picture in perspective…
William Cowper and the sovereign God
Trusting on the bad days too…

‘Meet the Lord God who doesn’t accept excuses’ (Exodus 4:1-17)

AudioPhilip

When God called to Moses from the burning bush, He also commissioned him for the task He had in mind – of Moses going to Pharaoh with the news! As Exodus 4:1-17 tells us, Moses was quite unwilling and hesitant and…well, frankly…scared! So instead of implicit obedience from Moses, there was continued excuses…. but the Lord God who called him, would accept none of them and sent him anyway!

Message

Outline

  • The fourth is this series
  • This conversation!
  • Moses’ attempts to wriggle out of his responsibility!
  • Note how Moses gave God …
  1. The ‘what if?’ excuse (v.1-9)
  2. The ‘I’m not capable’ excuse (v.10-12)
  3. The ‘please find someone else’ excuse (v.13-17)

A need to trust God
…that His call is His enabling
…that He will help you use what He has given you
…in a way that shows implicit obedience

Book Club is back!

Philip

‘Book Club’ has resumed meeting for the year, on Monday nights, 7pm.

The book in question for this first term is C.S.Lewis’ classic work, ‘Mere Christianity’.

Like to join in? It’s not too late… Just contact us for more details!

‘Meet the Lord God who reveals His true self’ (Exodus 3:1-22)

AudioPhilip

There is no more important text in the Old Testament than that recorded in Exodus 3:1-22 where God revelaed Himself to Moses through the ‘bush that was buring but not consumed’. God speaks! And what he says is so vital to our understanding of who He is and what His plans are! It’s a great event to think about and one that leads us (again) straight to Jesus…

Message

Outline

o The third in this series
o Israel in trouble, God at work
o Chapter 3: significant change in the drama!
o Note the following …

  1. How God caught Moses’ attention (v.1-3)
  2. How God advanced Moses’ comprehension (v.4-9, 13-15)
    • His h
    • His f
    • His t
    • His N
  3. How God soothed Moses’ apprehension (v.10-12, 16-22)

An unplanned meeting
Jesus is YHWH!
The God we serve!

‘Meet the Lord God who turns somebodies into nobodies’ (Exodus 2:11-25)

AudioPhilip

The text of Exodus 2:11-25 helps us see some of the details of what became of Moses the baby rescued in Exodus 2:1-10. This text, along with a section of Stephen’s speech in Acts 7:17-29, tell us that in growing up in the palace, Moses was equipped to be a great leader in Egypt. But not all went according to his plan. God certainly had other ideas for him. After 40 years in the palace being somebody, Moses spent the next 40 years in the desert being a relative ‘nobody’, but God had plans for this too…

Message

Outline

o The second in this series
o What we’ve seen
o The story unfolds…
o Note how God used circumstances to prepare Moses to be…

  1. What God wanted him to be (Acts 7:17-22)
  2. Where God wanted him to be (v.11-15)
  3. Who God wanted him to be (v.16-21)

The situation of the people (v.22-25)
The burdens we bear
What you’ve been given
You and your circumstances