After 12 months of planning and praying, we’re pleased to announce that the ‘John Drama’ is taking shape!
The ‘John Drama’ is a 90-minute, ‘theatre in the round’ production of the story of Jesus, as told by his close follower, John, as found in the Gospel of John.
Thanks to Wycliffe Bible Translators and Reforming Church, the Drama can be seen at Reforming Church on Saturday October 21 and Sunday October 22 at 7pm both nights. There is no cost involved.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is one of the most amazing sections of the Scriptures. Thought it has been widely misunderstood and misinterpreted, it means one of the longest sections we have of Jesus’ teaching, especially concerning the way the citizens of the Kingdom of God ought to live. Matthew 5:1-12 is no exception, and in this message (preached by Keith Bell), this demand upon us, as His disciples, becomes clear.
Message
Outline
INTRODUCTION
Unedifying approaches
The structure of Matthew
The structure of the
Sermon on the Mount
PROPOSITION
Jesus’ aim for His disciples is that they be fully trained as citizens of the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Let’s see how He sets about accomplishing His aim.
I START THINKING AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
II ONLY ONE INSTRUCTOR
III JESUS’ EXPECTATIONS
SO WHAT
CONCLUSION
REFLECTION: How I will respond to this message
Please see the details below! You are more than welcome to attend!
It’s somewhat of an oddity that Matthew records the feeding of the 4,000 in Matthew 15.29-39 so soon after the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14:13-21. But the two incidents are not the same. Matthew wasn’t confused and wrote down the same incident twice. Each of the ‘feeding miracles’ have their own contexts and particulars, so they were certainly different in his mind and in the mind of Jesus! Even so, it sowrth noting that the two miracles – though essentially the same – have their own purpose in Jesus’ ministry.
Message
Outline
• Didn’t we just cover this text??
• This miracle follows the Canaanite woman’s faith
• Where this miracle takes place…Gentile territory
• See in this text how we are told about …
The physical needs are most felt…
The spiritual needs are more urgent!
It’s interesting to note how matthew has recorded the meeting between Jesus and the woman from Canaan directly after his comments relating to who is ‘clean or unclean’ and who is ‘defiled or undefiled’…because this woman was most certianly ‘unclean’ as well as ‘defiled’ in the eyes of the Pharisees and even in the eyes of the disciples who just wanted to shoo her away. But not Jesus. Even though it appeared that he wasn’t listening to her, he was, and he gave her what she asked for…and more!
Message
Outline
• Jesus in an unusual place meeting an unusual person
• A turning point in Matthew’s gospel
• This woman – a real ‘outsider’
• See how we are told about their conversation …
Saving faith in surprising places…
Outsiders are more than welcome…!
The GAA (the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia) met in Hurstville, Sydney, NSW from September 4-7, with Rev David Burke (NSW) inducted as Moderator-General for the next three years.
The business that comes to and is discussed by the GAA relates to matters that affect the whole church and not just the churches in individual states (which are determined by each State Assembly).
For a good sumarry of this year’s business, please follow this link here to an article on the page of the ‘Australian Presbyterian’ written by Rev Mark Powell (Hobart, TAS). You might find the decisions of interst, especially those surrounding the practise of ‘Welcome to Country’ in relation to regular Presbyterian worship.
As soon as Jesus was back in the midst of the Jewish people, the Scribes and Pharisees questioned him about his lack of enforcement of the traditions around hand washing. Rather than explain himself directly, Jesus in turn, responded with questions as to why the Pharisees and Scribes failed to comply with God’s commandments about honouring their parents, so that they might escape the full force of their responsibilities. He also went on to explain that external hand washing (as well as any kind of food) does nothing to deal with the problem of our sinful hearts, reminding them that only a complete transformation from within, from the heart, is what God ultimately requires.
Message
Outline
• From miracles and action to debate
• Hand washing?
• Was Jesus a traditionalist just for the sake of it?
• See how the text tells us about traditions, and …
Traditions and us!
Caring more about the externals than the internals…
After Jesus fed the 5,000 with bread and fish, he proceeded to perform another miracle. This one, however was not on land, but at sea, and it was not in the day, but in the dark, and it was not done before the eyes of the crowds, but for his disciples alone. After sending away the crowds, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, after also sending away his disciples in a boat to cross the lake. In the middle of the night, when the disciples had found the crossing hard going, Jesus came to them and gave them assurance of his person and power. Disciples who feel as though that they have been abandoned by Jesus, need to think through who it was that Jesus was praying for up there on the mountain, and that there is no barrier to his coming to his disciples in their hour of need.
Message
Outline
• ‘Born to be at sea’…
• Following on from the feeding of the 5,000
• A miracle on land, now one on water!
• See how the text tells us about …
Life lesson 101…
Your times are in His hands.
After Jesus received the news of John’s death, he withdrew from public appearances to go away to a lonely place with disciples for some rest and prayer. However, according to Matthew 14:13-21, the crowds twigged where he would be and soon were there too. Jesus, however, as a true Shepherd of the sheep, put their needs before his own and had compassion upon them, even providing them with a free meal. All this happened far away from the eyes of the religious leaders and rulers, but not was not hidden from the eyes of his watching disciples who were taught a number of lessons.
Message
Outline
• A text we know well…
• From John back to Jesus…
• Just one year left for Jesus to live!
• See how the text tells us about …
His ability. Our problem.
‘You give them something to eat!’
We are looking forward to having Rev Hiralal Solanki and his wife Luxmi, come to us on Sunday September 10th to update us all the ongoing ministry of Indian Reformed Fellowship Australia and the spread of the gospel throughout that wide mission field!
The program is as follows;
4pm: Meet & greet over afternoon tea in the hall
4:30pm: Sharing God’s Word & the work of IRFA
There will be a retiring offering received for the work of IRFA. All are welcome.
