Peter Phillips

‘Grumbling at God’s Goodness’ (Jonah 4:1-4)

AudioAndrew

What is the most surprising thing? That Nineveh repented at Jonah’s message from God? Or, as we read in Jonah 4:1-4, that Jonah is angry that the message was heeded and God spared the people – after he was spared himself! Do we forget God’s promises? Are we surprised by God’s mercy? Do we doubt that God would forgive? No one is beyond the grace of God. We are astonished by God’s amazing grace.

Message

Outline

  • What’s be the most surprising thing?
  • The repentance of the people
  • The ‘repentance’ of God
  • See…
  1. The unreasonable prophet
  2. The reasoning God

‘The power of repentance’ (Jonah 3:3-10)

AudioAndrew

In this message by Rev Peter Phillips on Jonah 3:3-10, we read how by repentance, Jonah was delivered from the sea and from the fish. By repentance, Jonah obeyed the Lord, went to Nineveh and proclaimed the judgment of God. By repentance, the people of Nineveh caused the Lord to relent so that he did not judge them as they deserved. By repentance, we too can receive forgiveness of sins.

Message

Outline

By repentance
Note…

  1. Nineveh’s repentance
  2. God’s repentance

What if the Ninevites had not believed and repented?
What if we don’t?
Jesus can give repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31)

‘Real repentance’ (Jonah 3:1-10, Rev Peter Phillips)

AudioPhilip

Message

Outline

• What’s unbelievable here?
• Jonah’s sin
• Your sin and mine
• See how the text speaks of….

  1. Jonah’s second chance – a gift of grace
  2. Jonah’s repentance – proven genuine by obedience

‘Fruit in keeping with repentance’
Responding to the grace of God…
Something you need to put right?

‘Remembering Him’ (Luke 22:1-23)

AudioAndrew

In Luke 22, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, saying, “Do this in remembrance of me”. As we gather again today to celebrate this meal in obedience to him – full of symbolism and scriptural allusions – what and who are we remembering?

Message

Outline

  • Life forever on earth?
  • Some comments on ‘being remembered’
  • How could Jesus ever be forgotten?
  • Is there more to remembering Him than remembering?
  1. The Old Covenant – remembered in repetition
  2. The New Covenant – remembered in symbol

The object of our faith
The test of our faith
The test of our remembering

‘Bringing the rebel to repentance’ (Jonah 1:3-12)

AudioPhilip

In this second message on the book of Jonah, Rev Peter Phillips explores the rebellious response of the prophet to the Lord’s command to go to Nineveh and preach against their evil. This response of Jonah is indicative of all humanity. None of us, by nature, want to serve God. We would all much rather please ourselves! But God cannot have it that way, and went to great lengths to bring his disobedient prophet back into line and to seeing his own need of mercy.

Message

Outline

  1. Jonah’s rebellion against the Lord
  2. Jonah’s rebellion revealed
  3. Jonah’s repentance unto life
  4. Jonah’s restoration to a right relationship with God

• Acknowledging sin and what it deserves

• Knowing and believing that God has provided a Saviour

• Turning from sin and trusting in God’s provision

‘The King furnishes the Temple’ (1 Kings 7:13-51)

AudioPhilip

Once the task of building the Temple was completed, King Solomon set about to furnish the Temple with the items that would have been prescribed by God to Moses in relation to the tabernacle. 1 Kings 7:13-51 records the many items, some made of bronze, and others of gold, that were soon part of the temple’s furnishings. While some of them sound strange to our ears, they were all of significance and from them we can glean something of God’s redemptive work in saving His people Israel, and also be reminded of the saving work that Jesus would complete for us.

Message (with thanks to Peter Phillips who ‘read’ Philip’s manuscript in his absence due to illness)’

Outline

‘The King furnishes the Temple’
• Moving house… rearranging furniture
• Everything where it should be
• Maybe not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’…
• Note from the text how it tells us of …

  1. The outer items of bronze (v.13-47)
  2. The inner items of gold (v.48-51)

See…the care of our Father
See…the people of His Church
See…the work of our Saviour!

‘Compassion for outsiders’ (Jonah 1:1-2)

AudioPhilip

In this message preached at St John’s in July 2022, Rev Peter Phillips explores the opening verses of the prophet Jonah, revealing God’s heart for those who are ‘beyond the walls’ and who do not belong to the covenant family of faith.

Message

Radio Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Rejoice the Lord Is King
00:19 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
05:54 Bible reading: Jonah 1:1-18
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
06:46 Shorter Catechism Introduction
08:13 Catechism Questions 187-192
14:37 Bible reading: Luke 4:14-30
Song: Christ Is Mine Forevermore
Sermon: Jonah 1:1-2
Song: We’ve a Story to Tell
16:16 Closing

Outline

‘Compassion for outsiders’

1) Taking Jonah seriously

2) Taking Jonah to heart

150th Anniversary Service and message

AudioPhilip

On Sunday September 11th, 2022, the St John’s congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary (yes, the congregation was formed on September 8th, 1872). To praise God for His faithfulness and blessing upon us, a celebration service was held at which the PCV Moderator, Rev Peter Phillips, preached the message entitled ‘God’s Word for God’s World’ (the theme chosen by the Session for our anniversary year!)

Message

Full service

‘All of God’s free grace’ (Luke 18:9-14)

AudioPhilip

In this message, Rev Peter Phillips reminds us that in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus gives us a very clear picture of how salvation is never earned or merited, but is always given freely by God to those who are undeserving. It is the not the self-righteous ‘good’ who make it in God’s eyes, but those who come to Him in complete humility and repentance. All this, is of course, a gift of God’s free grace.

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: And Can It Be
00:17 Introduction
00:35 Prayer
03:30 Bible reading: 2 Chronicles 33:1-20
Song: We Are His People
08:31 Kids’ Talk – Colin Buchanan (with thanks to Compassion)
18:08 Bible reading: Luke 18:9-14
Song: Jesus Strong and Kind
Sermon: Luke 18:9-14
Song: Rock of Ages
19:19 Closing