Philip Burns

Rev Philip Burns is the minister of Bendigo Presbyterian Church.

‘Meet the Lord God who reveals His true self’ (Exodus 3:1-22)

AudioPhilip

There is no more important text in the Old Testament than that recorded in Exodus 3:1-22 where God revelaed Himself to Moses through the ‘bush that was buring but not consumed’. God speaks! And what he says is so vital to our understanding of who He is and what His plans are! It’s a great event to think about and one that leads us (again) straight to Jesus…

Message

Outline

o The third in this series
o Israel in trouble, God at work
o Chapter 3: significant change in the drama!
o Note the following …

  1. How God caught Moses’ attention (v.1-3)
  2. How God advanced Moses’ comprehension (v.4-9, 13-15)
    • His h
    • His f
    • His t
    • His N
  3. How God soothed Moses’ apprehension (v.10-12, 16-22)

An unplanned meeting
Jesus is YHWH!
The God we serve!

‘Meet the Lord God who turns somebodies into nobodies’ (Exodus 2:11-25)

AudioPhilip

The text of Exodus 2:11-25 helps us see some of the details of what became of Moses the baby rescued in Exodus 2:1-10. This text, along with a section of Stephen’s speech in Acts 7:17-29, tell us that in growing up in the palace, Moses was equipped to be a great leader in Egypt. But not all went according to his plan. God certainly had other ideas for him. After 40 years in the palace being somebody, Moses spent the next 40 years in the desert being a relative ‘nobody’, but God had plans for this too…

Message

Outline

o The second in this series
o What we’ve seen
o The story unfolds…
o Note how God used circumstances to prepare Moses to be…

  1. What God wanted him to be (Acts 7:17-22)
  2. Where God wanted him to be (v.11-15)
  3. Who God wanted him to be (v.16-21)

The situation of the people (v.22-25)
The burdens we bear
What you’ve been given
You and your circumstances

‘Meet the Lord God who has it all under control’ (Exodus 1:1-2:10)

AudioPhilip

The book of Exodus, continues the story of God’s sovereign control over all things, especially the plan to save His people, Israel. It begins in Exodus 1:1-2:10 with the people of Israel in slavery in Egypt, struggling under the weight of the burdens laid upon them by Pharaoh, whose evil designs were to bring the people of Israel to nothing. But God had a plan (as he always does) and through the faithful witness of the Hebrew midwives and an a young un-named couple, a baby named Moses entered the scene, destined to be the redeemer of God’s people.

Message

Outline

o A new series!
o Why bother studying Exodus?
o Themes we should know and love…
o Note the following matters …

  1. The fear inspired by the Pharaoh (1:1-14)
  2. The faith displayed by the midwives (1:15-22)
  3. The favour revealed by the Lord (2:1-10)

As long as life continues
…evil will persist
…God’s people are called to be faithful
…God can be trusted!

‘See the control over the demonic by the Saviour’ (Luke 8:29-36)

AudioPhilip

When Jesus arrived on the ‘other side’ of the Sea of Galilee, he was immediately confronted by the presence and power of the evil one in the form of a man possessed by demons. The story recorded for us in Luke 8:29-36, shows that this encounter proved to be no problem for Jesus. He remained in full control of the situation, and not only delivered the man, but also sent him home to be a witness to his own people.

Message

Outline

• The twenty-fourth in this series
• From uncomfortable to the ‘unconfrontable’
• Comparing the three accounts
• See how the text tells of…

  1. The desperate need of the man (v.26-27)
  2. The delivering power of the Saviour (v.28-33)
  3. The varied responses to the miracle (v.34-39)

Eric (the eel) Moussambani
Your ‘rags to riches’ story
Who everyone needs to be safe!

‘See the control over the sea by the Saviour’ (Luke 8:22-25)

AudioPhilip

In Luke 8:22-25, we find Jesus stilling the wild storm that threatened the lives of all who were out in that boat on the Sea of Galilee. It was a moment of great fear for even the most seasoned of fishermen-turned-disciples, probably even more so for those who didn’t have that fishing background. But the greater fear was to follow, when the disciuples came face to face with the true identity of the one they called ‘Lord’, who controlled both the winds and the waves.

Message

Outline

• The twenty-third in this series
• Two growing realities
• Faith in Jesus = trusting and obeying Him
• See how the text tells of these questions…

  1. WHY don’t you act? (v.24)
  2. WHERE is your faith? (v.25a)
  3. WHO is this man? (v.25b)

The Shipwreck Coast
Facing up to His identity!
Your storms and circumstances…

‘See the parable about the seed told by the Saviour’ (Luke 8:1-21)

AudioPhilip

Each of the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke, record the parable that Jesus told, called either the ‘parable of the seeds’ or the ‘parable of the sower’ or the ‘parable of the soil’. In Luke’s gospel, the parable appears in Luke 8:1-21 and is ‘bookended’ by two references to women. Before the parable, referring to those women who supported Jesus through his ministry and then at the end of the parable, his own family, led by his mother Mary. In the middle of these references stands the parable which teaches us about hearing, doing, obeying and growth – all signs that we belong to the Kingdom that Jesus came to bring in through the scattering of the seed (the word of God).

Message

Outline

• The twenty-second in this series
• The context and the parable
• Explaining or hiding truth?
• See how Jesus tells us of…

  1. Some vital activity (v.4-5a)
  2. Some varied responses (v.5b-7)
  3. Some very big results (v.8)

Who Luke has already told us about…
Hearing the Word isn’t enough!
Growth is the proof of life!

‘See the first public appearance of the Saviour’ (Luke 2:21-52)

AudioPhilip

Luke 2:21-52 are verses that might be all too easily overlooked in the Christmas season, when they ought not be. They give us a glimpse into ‘what went on’ for Jesus and even for his parents after the angels and shepherds had all gone away. They cover ‘ordinary’ matters that any Jewish couple of their time would have to observe – involving circumcision of their baby boy and more than one visit to the Temple in Jerusalem…. and it’s there in the Temple that many things unfolded that lead us to learn much more about our Saviour.

Message

Outline

• First Sunday/ last Sunday
• A post-Christmas analysis
• The next (forgotten) part of the story – in the Temple!
• See how Luke tells us of how…

  1. The Law was fulfilled (v.21-24)
  2. The Lord was revealed (v.25-38)
  3. The Saviour was learning (v.39-52)

Pre-New Year
People of faith….
Being like Jesus…

‘See the coming of the Saviour’ (Luke 2:1-20)

AudioPhilip

In Luke 2:1-20, Luke sets down in writing what he had come to know about the birth of Jesus through his faithful research. After having set the scene for the event through the happenings regarding the angel Gabriel’s busy visits to Zechariah and to Mary, the spotlight then turns to the baby promised to Mary. While there are many ways to tackle this well known passage, this message explores the events that Luke recorded through the theme of journeys – 3 of them – that all have ‘joy’ in the centre of them.

Message

Outline

• The next part of this series
• Stability in an unstable world
• What we’ve seen from Luke 1
• See how Luke tells us of…

  1. Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem (v.1-7)
  2. The angels’ journey from heaven to earth (v.8-14)
  3. The shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem and back (v.15-20)

From their journeys to yours
Finding joy….
The salvation He came to bring!

‘See the stage set for the birth of the Saviour’ (3) (Luke 1:57-80)

AudioPhilip

In Luke 1:57-80, we see how Luke continues the story of Zechariah who had been struck dumb for failing to believe the angel Gabriel’s words earlier in the chapter. After his tongue was loosed, Zechariah made up for lost time in declaring the praise of God, His faithfulness and power in coming to rescue His people, bringing together many of the great Old Testament themes. Zechariah’s song pointed his hearers to his own son who would be a prophet of the Lord who would prepare the way for God’s own Son who was to come.

Message

Outline

• Luke’s accurate account
• Characters in the spotlight
• Zechariah speaks and sings
• See how Luke tells us how …

  1. Zechariah’s tongue was loosed (v.57-69)
  2. Zechariah’s voice was lifted (v.70-75)
  3. Zechariah’s son was underlined (v.76-80)

An analogy from the theatre
The spotlight turned heavenward
Join the song!

‘See the stage set for the birth of the Saviour’ (2) (Luke 1:26-56)

AudioPhilip

It’s possible to either over emphasise or under estimate the role that Mary had in being the birth mother of Jesus, but in Luke 1:26-56, it seems that the matter is plain. God’s choice of Mary was the right one – not because she in herself was without sin – but because she was willing to serve Him in this difficult and costly task. It’s all there in the account that Luke recorded fo Theophilus, and for all who read it these many years later!

Message

Outline

• The next instalment
• Another pregnancy
• Elizabeth – unexpected, Mary – impossible
• See how Luke tells us of…

  1. God’s choice of Mary (v.26-27, 34)
  2. God’s grace to Mary (v.28-38)
  3. Mary’s song to God (v.39-56)

Humility
Salvation
Praise