Author: Philip

‘See the upside-down life taught by the Saviour (2)’ (Luke 6:27-36)

AudioPhilip

In Luke 6:27-36, Jesus is still teaching His disciples about their responsibility to be His people in a world that hates them. After instructing them on what constitutes ‘blessings’ and ‘woes’ for his followers, He now makes it clear that His disciples will be known by a special kind of love – one that even includes love for their enemies. What this looks like in practise and why this is necessary is also made plain!

Message

Outline

• The tenth in this series
• Something overlooked!
• The character of this ‘new Israel’…
• See how Jesus taught a kind of love and…

  1. What this love looks like (v.27-31)
  2. Why this love is necessary (v.32-36)

Corrie Ten Boom…
What our Father God is like!

It’s our 40th birthday! (of sorts…)

Philip

Yes, well,…kind of! While we celebrated the 150th annivesary of the formation of the congregation of St John’s in 2022, the actual story of the building we meet in is quite a complex one. In that story (which you can read here), is the important date of 6 October 1985, the date when the church building was re-opened as St John’s Presbyterian Church. So it’s 40 years ago this weekend!

To celebrate this, members of the church family have been busy this week giving our church hall a fresh coat of paint as well as sanding and resealing the floor. So far, thanks be to God, all has gone well and we are looking forward to gathering in it after worship on Sunday for our usual morning tea together.

We are thankful to the Lord our God who has brought us this far in His great and eternal plan!

‘Joshua’s defining moment – for himself and his family’ (Joshua 24:1-28)

AudioPhilip

When Joshua addressed the people of Israel at Shechem in Joshua 24:1-28, there was a large backstory to his words in Joshua 28:14-15. This was an important moment, a defining moment for Joshua and for the people of Israel. Would they serve the Lord or would they serve other gods, ones that laid less demands upon them? And what about us? Who will we serve?

Message

Outline

• A great text (v.14-15)
• Is Joshua boasting here?
• The story leading up to this last chapter…
• See how Joshua told the people of …

  1. The story that God’s grace creates (v.1-13)
  2. The claims that God’s grace implies (v.14-28)
  3. The response that God’s grace demands (v.14-15)

Serve Him!

‘The logic of God’s love’ (Jonah 4:5-11)

AudioPhilip

In this last instalment on the book of Jonah, referrring specifically to Jonah 4:5-11, Rev Peter Phillips brings home the message of God’s love for people we wouldn’t expect that He would love – contrasted wth the ungrateful and unloving attitude of the prophet Jonah – who should have known and done better!

Message

Outline

• A blessing to preach this book, but deeply disturbing
• If Jonah could be so far out of step with the Lord…
• See in this text…

  1. Jonah – pity for a plant
  2. The Lord – pity for a people

Did Jonah go home happy…?
Why this book is relevant to us
God’s love and ours

‘The day the gospel made its way into Philippi’ (Acts 16:11-40)

AudioPhilip

We’re interuppting our studies in Luke’s Gospel this morning, to take into account another part of Luke’s writings, his second book, known to us as the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ or just ‘Acts’. In the text of Acts 16:11-40, Luke shows us the difference the gospel made as it spread into the Roman city of Philippi. There, three unlikely people became the first believers on European soil, all in different walks of life, and yet all united by their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Message

Outline

• From Luke’s gospel to Luke’s other book
• Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria…the end of the earth!
• What is the gospel?
• See how at Philippi, the gospel spread….

  1. Down by the river (v.11-15)
  2. Down in the marketplace (v.16-18)
  3. Down in the prison (v. 19-40)

Where the gospel goes…
See the gospel’s sign!
What does believing the gospel bring?

‘See the upside-down life taught by the Saviour’ (Luke 6:12-26)

AudioPhilip

When teaching what God wanted us to know, Jesus was never one to beat around the bush. He put it out there. Spoke the trusth as he saw it. In Luke 6:12-26, particularly 6:20-26, Jesus taught His disciples in what is known as the ‘Sermon on the Plain’ (which corresponds well with Matthew’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’ but a lot shorter). These verses teach us that Jesus and the world clearly value different things, almost the opposite of each other in many respects, and so, His disciples are called to have a whole new set of ‘upside-down’ priorities and values.

Message

Outline

• The ninth in this series
• This growing portrait of Jesus
• Luke – on the plain, Matthew – on the mount…
• See how Luke wants us to note…

  1. The plain-spoken contrasts He made (v.20-26)
  2. The point-blank challenges He gave (v.20-26)

‘Imagine’
The upside-down kingdom
Your greatest treasure?

‘See the food (and other) laws broken by the Saviour’ (Luke 5:33-6:11)

AudioPhilip

When Jesus and his disciples were challenged by the Pharisees over their obvious love of food (compared to them who loved to show off their fasting) and their ‘working’ on the Sabbath day (despite the strict rules the Pharisees taught and enforced), and then leaing on the Sabbath day (despite it being a work of mercy), all recorded for us in Luke 5:33-6:11, it seems that the Pharisees escaltated their hatred for Jesus and opposition to his message to new levels. But Jesus wasn’t troubled by these accustaions. Nor was he guilty of any sin! How was that so? Listen on…

Message

Outline

• The eighth in this series
• Luke’s portrait of Jesus
• Food!
• See that Luke wants us to note that Jesus was….

  1. Accused of eating when he shouldn’t! (5:33-39)
  2. Accused of eating what he shouldn’t! (6:1-5)
  3. Accused of healing when he shouldn’t! (6:6-11)

Lawbreakers!
Mercy for the guilty!
What would Jesus do….?