Author: Philip

A time for certainty

Philip

It’s not hard to see that this year we call 2021 is unfolding pretty much like the year that came before it…2020. There’s uncertainty everywhere.
Uncertainty about COVID-19 and its new strains.
Uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines.
Uncertainty about the economy.
Uncertainty and unrest in many nations on a political and social level.

But within all this, there’s some things that are certain. Some things that we may have confidence in. And these things that are certain lead us to hope and ‘hope’ says the Apostle Paul, ‘does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’. (Romans 5:5)

To start off our Thursday night Zoom Home Group for 2021, we will spend the next 6 weeks examining the Ligonier MInistries teaching series ‘A Time for Confidence’

Here’s the blurb about the series form the Ligonier website;

“As members of a society that is quickly abandoning its Christian past, followers of Christ often feel disoriented or even frightened. When human leaders and political advocates fail us, doubts arise and the road to compromise beckons. In this series, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols points to the almighty God as the source and ground of our confidence. Though the whole world may shake around us, His kingdom is unshakable. This is a time for confidence.”

The series will cover the following topics

  1. A time for confidence
  2. Confidence in God
  3. Confidence in the Bible
  4. Confidence in Christ
  5. Confidence in the Gospel
  6. Confidence in Hope

You are welcome to come and join us on Thursday nights via Zoom to share in prayer, fellowship and the video of this study series followed by discussion questions, but you’ll need to contact us for the Zoom link! Or join us in the Church Hall on Wednesday afternoons from 1:30pm!

‘The truth that speaks for itself’ (3 John 1-15)

AudioPhilip

Apart from the need for balance in the Christian life (the message of 2 John), we also need authenticity. Jesus spoke of this in the Sermon on the Mount, reminding us that ‘no good tree bears bad fruit’ and that ‘by  their fruits you will know them’. John’s third letter, known to us as 3 John, also calls us to be authentic in our witness for Christ as in unfolds John’s assessment of the example of three men in the local church: Gaius, Diotrephes and Demetries, whose witness and example for Christ, both good and bad, were noted by the Apostle John and recorded for us that we also might know and imitate (or avoid) their conduct.

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
00:17 Introduction
00:36 Prayer
Song: Meekness and Majesty
05:53 Bible reading: 1 John 3:1-10
Song: O Lord my Rock
07:28 Bible reading: 3 John 1-15
09:16 Sermon: 3 John 1-15
Song: O for a Closer Walk with God
30:39 Closing

‘The ultimate in balancing acts’ (2 John 1-13)

AudioPhilip

In this short series called ‘Postcards from the past’ we come across this short letter of John the Apostle in which the writer urges his readers towards balance. Losing your balance can have terrible consequences in life and this is true also in the spiritual life. Sometimes, even sincere believers can go to extremes and get caught up in something that doesn’t help them grow in grace. So John speaks in his letter we know as 2 John, of truth and love, of teachability and discernment, of having an open and closed door, so that his readers (including us) might grow in Christ-likeness and service.

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: All Creatures of Our God
00:19 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
Song: By Faith
06:04 Bible reading: 1 John 2:18-29
Song: There is a Redeemer
08:04 Bible reading: 2 John 1-13
09:54 Sermon: 2 John 1-13
Song: May the Mind of Christ
31:30 Closing

‘First responders to the news of the birth of Jesus’ (Luke 2:18-20)

AudioPhilip

The Christmas story is an old story. Over 2,000 years old. And given that each year we hear about it and sing about it, the danger we face is that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and that we lose the impact of the story. Maybe one way of recovering that impact is to consider the response of the people who were there at the time. These people would include those mentioned in Luke 2:18-20, those who heard the testimony of the shepherds (verse 18), Mary herself (verse 19) and the shepherds themselves (verse 20). Luke gives attention to each of these three group and by noting well their responses we might be able to sort through and answer the question, ‘What is your reponse to the news of the birth of Jesus?”

‘The appearing of the Messiah… viewed from long distance’ (Isaiah 11:1-10)

AudioPhilip

Isaiah 11:1-10 is a record of one of the prophecies of Isaiah concerning the coming of the Messiah. Although Isaiah lived 700 years before Jesus Christ was born, he foresaw the arrival of Jesus the Messiah and the effect of his ministry that would in turn transform the whole world. Christians rejoice in the gift of God’s Son at Christmas, but also know that the fulness of his ministry is not yet seen in this world. However, when Jesus comes again, things will be very different. Isaiah prophesied of this too and we now await the Lord’s return.

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Hark! the Herald Angels
00:20 Introduction
00:47 Prayer
06:04 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise)
Song: The Greatest Treasure
09:35 Bible reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Song: What Child is This?
11:10 Bible reading: Revelation 21:1-7, 22-27
Song: The Servant King
13:34 Sermon: Isaiah 11:1-10
Song: O Come, O Come, Immanuel
35:59 Closing

‘Meet the apostle’s directions to the church in Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

AudioPhilip

Throughout the letter of Paul to the church at Corinth there have been many indicators that the church was not in a healthy state. Divisions, jealousies, sexual immorality, pride and idolatry were evidenced in their behaviour and these were symptoms that something was wrong. In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 it is evident that Paul had to write to them as he did because these symptoms were begiining to appear at the Lord’s table and it was bringing premature judgment upon them. In diagnosing the problem and prescribing the solution, the Apostle brings us also back to how we should prepare ourselves to appear at the Lord’s table, lest we become like them and bring judgement upon ourselves.

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
00:15 Introduction
00:53 Prayer
05:30 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise)
Song: Tax Collector & the Pharisee
10:49 Ministry Update: Reach Beyond
12:45 Bible reading: Luke 18:1-14
Song: The Power of the Cross
15:12 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
18:21 Sermon: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Song: Jesus Paid It All
40:48 Closing

‘Meet the apostle’s answers to the church in Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 10:14-33)

AudioPhilip

There’s no doubt that food speaks a universal language. We all love it and we all enjoy eating it together. But what happens when the food that we would like to eat has been used in a worship service for a pagan god? This was one of the questions that the believers at Corinth were asking Paul, questions that all relate back to what Paul had already begun to speak of in chapter 8. But in 1 Corinthians 10:14-31, they have this added element… the Lord God will not share His glory with another. Eating is nothing in itself, but all that we do – even our eating and drinking – must be for His glory and His alone.

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: All My Days
00:16 Introduction
00:46 Prayer
06:16 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise)
Song: Follow the Saviour
09:10 Ministry Update: Alan & Faye
15:18 Bible reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
Song: Only a Holy God
16:40 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 10:14-33
19:03 Sermon: 1 Corinthians 10:14-33
Song: Have Thine Own Way
44:23 Closing

‘Meet the apostle’s warnings to the church in Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 10:1-13)

AudioPhilip

Hindsight is such a wonderful thing. It enables everyone to be wiser…’if only I had done this instead of that’….but hindisght only works when looking back and never looking forward. As Paul continued to direct the believers at Corinth in the way they should live, after pointing them to his example, he also pointed to examples in the pages of the Old Testament, where God’s people went wrong and faced the Lord’s discipline (severe at times) upon them. These things were written for us, not for them. What happened to them is for our warning, instruction…and even encouragement!

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Jerusalem
00:16 Introduction
00:47 Prayer
06:22 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise)
Song: The One and Only God
09:55 Ministry Update: Daniel and Courtney
13:53 Bible reading: Numbers 11:1-6, 31-33
Song: Oh the Mercy of God
15:51 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
18:05 Sermon: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Song: Yield not to Temptation
40:46 Closing

‘Meet the apostle’s example to the church in Corinth (part 2)’ (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

AudioPhilip

After establishing that Paul ‘practiced what he preached’ with regard to not making his full use of his rights as an apostle, in the next verses, 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, Paul continued to explain how he had made it a principle of life to win people for Christ and maintain his own place in the race toward the finish line through self-discipline by laying aside rights and pursuing responsibilities. Paul’s example before the Corinthians and before us is something that needs to consider well.  Are you too, aiming to win people for Christ? Are you too running the race of following Jesus with all your effort? There’s only one race worth being in – because every other race will something that will end up turning to dust..

Full service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Come people of the risen King
00:16 Introduction
00:53 Prayer
05:29 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise)
Song: Passing Through
09:46 Ministry Update: Kerang-Swan Hill
11:56 Bible reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
Song: Before the Throne of God
13:20 Ministry Focus: Bendigo Christian Union
14:46 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27
16:17 Sermon: 1 Corinthians 9:18-27
Song: O Jesus I have Promised
39:07 Closing