Author: Philip

‘Three characters’ (Ruth 2:1-23)

AudioPhilip

After telling of Naomi and Ruth’s tragic loss and their eventual trip back to the land of Judah in Israel, the text of chapter two (Ruth 2:1-23) brings us face to face with three central characters. The two widows, Naomi and Ruth, and one man, new to the plot line of the story, Boaz, a wealthy landowner. While Naomi and Ruth’s plight has been noted, now there is a silver thread, a small shining light of hope introduced, and Boaz begins to notice and care for Ruth. Could this be God’s plan for the continuation of the line of Elimelech?

Message

Radio service

00:00 Welcome
Song: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
00:17 Introduction
00:34 Prayer
02:28 Bible reading: Ruth 2
Song: Be Unto Your Name
06:08 Shorter Catechism Introduction
07:35 Catechism Questions 140-145
14:05 Bible reading: Romans 8
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love
Sermon: Ruth 2
Song: Teach Me Thy Way
15:07 Closing

Outline

• When and where we last met Ruth and Naomi
• How would they survive?
• The fields of Boaz…
• See how the text speaks of the characters in the story…

  1. Ruth the dutiful worker (v.1-3, 10, 17-18, 23)
  2. Boaz the generous protector (v.4-9, 11-16)
  3. Naomi the hopeful schemer (v.19-23)

Insignificant things…and the plans of our God!

‘The thrill of hope a weary world rejoices’

Philip

“O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices“

Adolphe Adam 1803-1856

It goes without saying that our world has been through too many ups and downs over the past couple of years. We found ourselves in situations where everything was constantly changing and uncertainty lurked around every corner. I’m not sure about you, but I am tired. I am exhausted. I am weary.

Even now when we are mostly back to normal, it took me a long time to get back into the swing of meeting up with people again. Now we are at the busy end of the year with breakups and celebrations I don’t feel like I can keep up!

At the first Christmas there was a lot of things going on too; pregnant Mary having to make a cross country journey, giving birth in a stable which mustn’t have been very comfortable, and then the shepherd visitors started arriving! It would have been a far cry from the images on our modern day Christmas cards – dusty, smelly and noisy!

But in all this seeming chaos there lay the longed-for baby, the one that not only Mary and Joseph had been wanting to meet, but the whole world. A Bible verse from Luke chapter 2 verse 11 proclaims “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord”. The Saviour had arrived in the form of a baby and brought a weary world hope for a new future.

This hope was evident throughout all of Jesus life in the way that he was able to show that he was God’s son through his teachings, miracles and love for those who were deemed unlovely by society. There is hope for us now of new life in Jesus when he died on the cross to make us right with God- something that we could never achieve on our own. This is something that I know my weary self can rejoice in!

So in this Christmas season, if things seem overwhelming, turn back to Jesus and rejoice in the hope that his birth brought to our weary world.

By Esther Kerr

Visit of Rev Hiralal Solanki (IRFA)

Philip

We had a very informative and encouraging meeting last night (23/11/22) with Rev Hiralal Solanki and his wife Laxmi, who spoke to us about the ongoing ministry of Indian Reformed Fellowship Australia and updated us on the growth and progress of the gospel throughout the country!

If you would like to know more about IRFA you can visit www.irfa.com.au

‘Three journeys’ (Ruth 1:1-22)

AudioPhilip

Welcome to this series on the book of Ruth, a book that gives us hope in the face of despair and disappointment – just where the book’s first chapter (Ruth 1:1-22) takes us. It introdueces us to Naomi and to her husband Elimelech fleeing from their native Judah to the land of Moab along with their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who eventually marry to Moabitess women, Orpah and Ruth. With Naomi intent now on returning to Judah, what is Ruth to do? And how will God begin to bring about good from the sadness and loss that she and Naomi knew?

Message

Radio service

00:00 Welcome
Song: I Will Sing the Wondrous Story
00:19 Introduction
00:33 Prayer
06:17 Bible reading: Ruth 1
Song: My Worth Is Not In What I Own
10:29 Shorter Catechism Introduction
11:57 Catechism Questions 134-139
16:01 Bible reading: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Song: My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness
Sermon: Ruth 1
Song: Be Still My Soul
18:05 Closing

Outline

• The book of Ruth
• Not just a Mothers’ Day text
• ‘In the days of the judges…’
• See how the text speaks of the journey…

  1. From Bethlehem to Moab (v.1-5)
  2. From Moab to the border (v.6-18)
  3. From the border to Bethlehem (v.19-22)

God’s frowning providence…
The blessings that come through pain and trial!

‘Jesus speaks of nets, fish, baskets and fire’ (Matthew 13:47-50)

AudioPhilip

In this fifth and last of the parable recorded in Matthew 13, this one in Matthew 13:47-50, Jesus spoke of things that would have been familiar to those who lived on the shores of the Sea of Galilee – the everyday, ordinary practice of the people who made a living from fishing, and the associated sorting process that would follow… the not up-to-scratch fish thrown away and the best ones either sold or eaten. On this, Jesus taught that this was just a pointer toward the end of time, when people are sorted out into categories – some rejected, some not – and the only safe place to be to avoid such judgement.

Message

Radio Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Standing on the Promises
00:18 Introduction
00:33 Prayer
06:06 Bible reading: Luke 5:1-11
Song: O Great God
07:37 Shorter Catechism Introduction
09:05 Catechism Questions 128-133
12:32 Bible reading: Revelation 14:14-20
Song: My Hope Rests Firm
Sermon: Matthew 13:47-50
Song: Out of My Bondage
14:05 Closing

Outline

• Found in 1986…
• The daily fishing trade
• A very pointed parable
• See how Jesus tells his followers about …

  1. Their mission (v.47)
  2. Their makeup (v.47-48)
  3. Their future (v.49-50)

This is not a drill!
The only safe place to be …

‘Jesus speaks of a hidden treasure and a priceless pearl’ (Matthew 13:44-46)

AudioPhilip

In this fourth, and one of the smallest, parables found in Matthew 13:44-46, again we find that Jesus spoke to those who were around him about everyday common items. This time, the fairly well-known practise of finding buried wealth in a plot of land (which means it was yours if you bought the land!) and the search for a priceless, most valuable pearl. In the first case, the man who found the treasure gave all he could to gain something of greater value. In the second, the one who came across the pearl also gave up everything in order that he might have it. The Kingdom of God is like that. Worth more than anything else.

Message

Radio Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: And Can It Be
00:19 Introduction
00:34 Prayer
03:53 Bible reading: Matthew 19:16-30
Song: See Him Coming
06:05 Shorter Catechism Introduction
07:33 Catechism Questions 122-127
10:08 Bible reading: Philippians 3:1-11
Song: By Faith
Sermon: Matthew 13:44-46
Song: Glorious Things of Thee
12:00 Closing

Outline

• Daytime TV
• What is valuable?
• What’s the point of these parables?
• See in this parable.…

  1. An unforeseen discovery (v.44, 45)
  2. An unmatched desire (v.44, 46)
  3. An unconventional decision (v.45-46)

Onboard the Titanic!
No entrance fee to the Kingdom, but…
Moses’ choice… and yours!

‘Jesus speaks of a tiny seed and a small amount of yeast’ (Matthew 13:31-35)

AudioPhilip

In this third parable of Matthew 13, Jesus speaks in Matthew 13:31-35 of two very common items from his day. The tiny mustrad seed which, which when grown, became a medium to large sized bush that would be the home for many birds, and an amount of yeast, which would turn a small amlount of leaven into a larger amount of bread. By these, Jesus again taught that the kingdom of God does not come by worldly means, but God brings it about silently and almost behind-the-scenes, leading us to always have hope that His Kingdom ‘will come’.

Message

Radio Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Holy, Holy, Holy
00:18 Introduction
00:34 Prayer
04:20 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Song: 10,000 Reasons
06:17 Shorter Catechism Introduction
07:45 Catechism Questions 115-121
13:00 Bible reading: Matthew 13:31-35
Song: Consider Christ
Sermon: Matthew 13:31-35
Song: Jesus Shall Reign
13:55 Closing

Outline

• These parables of Matthew 13
• Mary, Mary quite contrary
• How does His kingdom grow?
• See in this parable…

  1. From little things big things grow (v.31-32)
  2. From hidden things, some things grow (v.33)

Don’t despise the day of small things
Don’t despair of seeing kingdom growth
Don’t forget there’s room in those branches
Do adopt this vision of the kingdom!

Small steps…but in the right direction…!

Philip

Things are s-l-o-w-l-y returning to something like ‘normal’ (whatever that was!) with some of our ministries at St John’s with some small steps in the right direction over the last few weeks…

For a start, we’ve been able to re-establish our own Youth Group that has met once so far this term and is meeting again soon. It was a great start with just under a dozen youth from Grade 6-Year 12 attending, and with the PYV Summer Camp ahead, things are looking up..!

Then, just last week, after too long(!) of not meeting, our Sunday School is up and running again, and we are looking forward to hearing from our Sunday School scholars all that they are learning from Matthew 13 over the next few weeks!

We thank our great God for His blessing in this way!