Author: Philip

‘Jacob steals the blessing’ (Genesis 27:1-29)

AudioPhilip

After stealing the birthright from Esau, Genesis 27:1-29 tells us how Jacob, led by his mother Rebekah, conspired to also steal the blessing that would normally be given by the father to the first-born, in this case his elder twin, Esau. By deceiving his father, and blasheming against God and following his mother’s instructions, Jacob succeeded. But all was not well within the family. And all is not well when we seek to manipulate others into doing (what we might think was) God’s will.

Message

Outline

• A well-known story
• Like a daytime TV soap opera!
• That recipe for disaster…
• See how Moses tells us of …

  1. Isaac, the spiritually blind father (v.1-4)
  2. Rebekah, the scheming mother (v.5-13)
  3. Jacob, the complicit son (v.14-29)

Aiming for the right goal but doing it the wrong way…
The blessing of the Lord – so needed!

‘Jacob steals the birthright’ (Genesis 25:27-34)

AudioPhilip

After the introduction of the twins, Jacob and Esau, into the family of Isaac and Rebekah, the two boys could not have been any more different. In Genesis 25:27-34, we find that Esau was a hunter and Jacob a man of ‘tents’. One was more inclined to be the outdoors type, while the other, indoors. The traits these brothers showed were probably inculcated upon them by their parents, who played ‘favourites’ among them. Isaac’s favourite was Esau. Rebekah’s favourite was Jacob. This style of parenting reared some ugly fruits – the first seen in Jacob’s stealing of Esau’s birthright and Esau’s own despising of that birthright.

Message

Outline

• Where we are in the story
• Twins and identical twins
• Dysfunctional parents…
• See how Moses tells us of …

  1. The traits that defined them (v.27)
  2. The parents who mistreated them (v.28)
  3. The meal that divided them (v.29-34)

Understanding God’s eternal decrees…
Avoid placing the temporal over the eternal…

‘Jacob arrives on centre stage’ (Genesis 25:19-28)

AudioPhilip

The character of Jacob in the Old Testament is no small, ‘bit part’ player. As one of the patriarchs, with Isaac as his father and Abraham as his grandfather, Jacob plays a vital role in the unfolding of God’s promises to Abraham ‘to bless all the nations’ through him. However, in recording the arrival of Jacob onto the scene, Moses tells it, ‘as it is’, Not all is rosy in the family, and there are hints given that not all will be easy in the lives of Jacob and his twin brother, Esau.

Message

Outline

• Why preach a series on Jacob?
• The importance of Jacob in the Scriptures
• A man saved by grace…
• See how Moses tells us of …

  1. Who Jacob was born to (v.19-23)
  2. Who Jacob was born with (v.24-26)
  3. What Jacob was born into (v.27-28)

A vital character introduced into the plot line…
No longer defined by a physical birth!

‘The King’s response to two men who were among the last’ (Matthew 20:29-34)

AudioPhilip

When Matthew records the plight of the two blind men by the side of the road in Matthew 20:29-34, he completes the theme of ‘the first and the last’ that Jesus has been speaking of in this chapter of this gospel. If James and John were seeking to be ‘first’ in the previous section, then these men were surely among those he referred to as the ‘last’. Yet, though these men were blind, they saw more than other people could by putting their faith in the ‘son of David’ who was passing by.

Message

Outline

• Where we are in the text
• That ‘inverse order’ principle…last & first!
• Fanny Crosby’s comment about blindness…
• See how Matthew tells us that these blind men ‘saw’ …

  1. An opportunity through the One passing by them (v.29-30)
  2. The power of the One who heard them (v.31-33)
  3. The face of the One of who healed them (v.34)

What have we seen in these chapters?
Another illustration of the way His kingdom operates!

Regular activities resume!

Philip

Easter has come and gone. So have the school holidays sandwiched between term 1 and term 2. As of this week, almost all of our regular activities are resuming (except for Friday Playgroup which resumes on April 26th). So, we’re up and running!

Race starting line Stock Photos - Page 1 : Masterfile

‘The King’s response to two men who wanted to be first’ (Matthew 20:17-28)

AudioPhilip

When James and John (through their Mum) approached Jesus in Matthew 20:17-28, they were clearly men who wanted to put themselves first. The did this even though Jesus had been speaking quite a lot about the inverse principle of His Kingdom, that the ‘first will be last and the last first’. Their request, which made the other disciples angry, was one that Jesus could not grant, but what he did do was point them to his own plans. He was going up to Jerusalem to die and give his life ‘as a ransom for many’.

Message

Outline

• Where we are in the text
• That ‘inverse order’ principle…last & first!
• Three sets of eyes fixed on different things…
• See how Matthew tells us of …

  1. Servant eyes fixed on giving Himself (v.17-19, 28)
  2. Proud eyes fixed on gaining glory (v.21-23)
  3. Angry eyes fixed on getting even (v.24-28)

Disciples who weren’t ‘on the same page’ as Jesus…
The next men in the story
He served you! Who will you serve?

‘The King’s parable about the inverse order of his Kingdom’ (Matthew 20:1-16)

AudioPhilip

Sometimes chapter breaks in the Scriptures aren’t that helpful. The chapter break that divides the end of Matthew 19 to Matthew 20:1-16 is a prime example. In Matthew 19;30, jesus had just spoken about the ‘inverse order’ of his kingdom, that is, the ‘first will be last and the last first’. And then to illustrate that point, Jesus went on to tell a parable that makes it clear how this ‘inverse order’ principle works… and it all comes back to the same comment in Matthew 20:16, the ‘first will be last and the last first’…because salvation is not a matter of earning anything or of fairness, but is all of grace.

Message

Outline

• When chapter breaks aren’t that helpful!
• Where we were in chapter 19
• The first/last – last/first principle
• See how the parable highlights …

  1. The just & generous nature of the master (v.1-7)
  2. The ungrateful & resentful nature of the workers (v.8-12)
  3. The abundant & unconditional nature of grace (v.13-15)

Are you trying to earn God’s favour?
Do you really understand the size of God’s grace?

‘Looking for (and finding) the source of real hope (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

AudioPhilip

The motto of ‘let’s eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die’ is sadly all too common in our society. In fact, such a motto is nothing new, but was around in the prophet Isaiah’s day at least 700 years before Christ! The motto is often held as a philosophy of life, because many have no hope beyond the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul lays down some of the fundamentals of the gospel message that centres on Christ’s death and resurrection. It is a message of hope…in fact, on this Easter Sunday, it is the only message that brings real hope.

Message

Outline

The Uni student & the hope-less professor

  • Confusion about the after-life
  • See how Paul wrote about some fundamental building
    blocks…
  1. There’s truth to be believed (v.1,3-4)
  2. There’s evidence that can’t be ignored (v.5-11)
  3. There’s a challenge to be met (v.2)
    Is this hope yours?

‘The moment Jesus knew that the time had come’ (John 12:20-36)

AudioPhilip

The text of John 12:20-36 is a very significant moment in the life of Jesus – especially in relation to his impending death. It happened when some Greeks appeared and sought and audience with him. This was the signal for Jesus that his ‘time had come’…but what did that mean? What did he know? And what significance did it have to his death and resurrection? On this Good Friday, perhaps here are some answers!

Message

Outline

o It’s not over until….
o The Greeks who sought a meeting with Jesus..
o The setting of the text
o What did this mean for Jesus? He knew…

  1. The time for His suffering had come (v.23-30)
  2. The time for His victory had come (v.31)
  3. The time for salvation had come (v.32-36)

There’s more to the story!
‘Now is the day of salvation…’ (2 Corinthians 6:1)

Life’s biggest gamble (an Easter reflection)

Philip

It is said that a man once asked people on the street if they would play ‘Russian roulette’ with a loaded gun for 10 million dollars. Most quickly said ‘yes’, but when offered the gun, all of them declined to participate! The results of this exercise are strange considering that many take huge risks with their lives day after day in so many ways.

But there is another gamble that’s even bigger. It happens whenever people live like God does not exist, or if He does exist, that He doesn’t see or care. This is nothing new of course. About 4,000 years ago, King David wrote, ‘The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God’’. (Psalm 14:1) This approach to life has many risks. What if there is a God? What if the Bible really is true? What if there really is only one way of salvation through God’s Son Jesus? (John 14:6) What if Jesus really did rise from the dead? (The Bible says He did!) And what if all our eternal destiny hangs upon our response to God’s free offer of salvation through faith in Jesus? (John 3:16).

If these things are true, then life’s biggest gamble is to pay no attention to what God has said! And if at Easter, God has made the biggest statement He could ever make by raising Jesus from the dead, then the stakes are even higher. Are you paying attention? This Easter, there is no risk in finding out the truth about Him. Seek Him. You won’t regret it if you do.