Author: Philip

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: living with the end in mind’ (Romans 13:11-14)

AudioPhilip

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…

  1. Knowing that the end is near us (v.11-12a)
  2. Knowing that the fight is around us (v.12b)
  3. Knowing that the flesh is against us (v.13-14)

Augustine’s conversion
Delivered from the kingdom of darkness
Time is short!

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: debtors to love’ (Romans 13:8-10)

AudioPhilip

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 …

  1. Love is the greater debt we owe (v.8a)
  2. Love is the summary and fulfillment of the Law (v.8b,9, 10b)
  3. Love determines how we treat others (10a)

Take a self-inventory!
Why love? Because we were loved first…!
The debt paid for us!

‘Jesus’ Authority, Priority & Purity’ (Mark 1:21-45)

AudioPhilip

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?
  1. Jesus’ Authority (v.21-34)
    • In Teaching
    • Over Spirits
    • Over Sickness
  2. Jesus’ Priority (v.35-39)
    • Prayer
    • Preaching
  3. Jesus’ Purity (v.40-45)
    • Jesus’ willingness
    • Making the ‘unclean’ clean
  • Living sacrifices

‘Care Team’ launched…

Philip

“…through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

This morning we introduced our newest ‘ministry team’ to the rest of our Church family – the ‘Care Team’. Its purpose and function is to provide practical care and help for the church family and to do this for each other whenever difficult or unexpected circumstances arise. We praise God for this small step in the development of our ministries!

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: model citizens’ (Romans 13:1-7)

AudioPhilip

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…

  1. How to consider our appointed leaders (v.1-2)
  2. How to pray for our appointed leaders (v.3-4)
  3. How to live under our appointed leaders (v.5-7)

How did Jesus approach this?
Where all this is heading….!

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: like Jesus (2)’ (Romans 12:17-21)

AudioPhilip

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 …

  1. Reject the way of revenge (v.17, 19-20)
  2. Pursue the way of peace (v.17b-18)
  3. Overcome evil with the opposite (v.21)

‘Be’ something’ before ‘do’ something
This world!
Different weapons for the war…

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: like Jesus (1)’ (Romans 12:14-16)

AudioPhilip

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 …

  1. The way we think of others (v.14-15)
  2. The way we think of ourselves (v.16)

1 John 3:17
That pair of army boots
Like Jesus who was all these things…

Book club begins!

Philip

The first meeting of our new ‘Book Club’ was held last night. The book we are reading and discussing (see image below) is R C Sproul’s, ‘The Holiness of God’….it’s deep and engaging (what else could it be on such a big topic?)!

Interested in joining in? It’s not too late. Contact us for details.

‘Vital facts that demand your urgent attention’ (Matthew 28:1-10)

AudioPhilip

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…

  1. One indisputable fact (v.1-6a)
  2. Two important commands (v.6b-7)
  3. One inescapable conclusion (v.8-10)

The verdict of the gospel writers
The challenge for all people!

‘Mrs Pilate’s crazy dream’ (Matthew 27:19)

AudioPhilip

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…

  1. Three suggestions that are wrong
    Men

We

Not

  1. One suggestion that is right

The

“Innocent” and innocent
That goat!
The gospel: the innocent punished, the guilty go free!