Philip Burns

Rev Philip Burns is the minister of Bendigo Presbyterian Church.

‘God’s saints in tight spots’ #4: Daniel (Daniel 6:1-28)

AudioPhilip

You can be sure that the story of Daniel in the lion’s den found in Daniel 6:1-28 will make it to just about every children’s Bible that has ever been or will be published. Funny The funny thing about that is this – the story is not really just a children’s story. Instead it is one of the great stories of the Bible that forces us to examine our own loyalty and faithfulness to God. It might have been an extreme test that God allowed Daniel to endure – and while he proved to be faithful, how would you go at being in Daniel’s position?

Full service

00:00 Introduction & Prayer
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
03:21 ANZAC Remembrance
Song: Eternal Father
09:45 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #51)
Song: Stop What You’re Doing and Pray to Jesus
15:13 Bible reading: Hebrews 11:32-40
16:28 Bible reading: Daniel 6
22:34 Sermon: Daniel 6
Song: O Great God
44:39 Benediction

‘God’s saints in tight spots’ #3: David (Psalm 63:1-11)

AudioPhilip

David is one of the key characters in the unfolding story of the Scriptures. We can often forget that huge responsibilities and pressures were placed upon his shoulders in his role as King over Israel and Judah. One of those pressures was simply maintaining the stability of his kingdom – especially when it threatened, at times, to crumble from within. Psalm 63:1-11 records David’s feelings in one of those crisis times and shows us what it is we need the most in life – regardless of whether our circumstances are good or bad.

Full service

00:00 Introduction & Prayer
Song: Before the Throne of God
07:23 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #35)
Song: From Everlasting
11:35 Bible reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
Song: Grace Unmeasured
13:03 Bible reading: Psalm 63
Song: My Hope is Built
14:12 Sermon: Psalm 63
Song: O Lord My Rock and My Redeemer
40:55 Benediction

‘The one who fixes fallen-apart worlds’ (Luke 24:13-35)

AudioPhilip

When the two travelers on the road to Emmaus met with Jesus, as recorded in Luke 24:13-35, they were downcast and disconsolate. They were men without hope. Jesus, whom they had known and had put their hope in, was dead. While they had heard rumours of Him being alive, this all must have sounded so fanciful. Strange. But when a stranger met them on the road and opened the Scriptures to them, all that changed! Jesus fixed their fallen-apart world and hope was renewed again!

Full service

00:00 Introduction
Song: Thine be the Glory
02:26 Prayer
Song: Never Alone
06:48 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #89)
Song: Jesus Christ was Raised to Life
10:50 Bible reading: Luke 24:1-12
Song: All Heaven Declares
12:11 Bible reading: Luke 24:13-35
Song: In the Tomb
15:34 Sermon: Luke 24
37:38 Benediction
Song: He is Risen

‘The day of most importance’ (Matthew 27:27-54)*

AudioPhilip

This Easter will certainly be one to remember. One like we’ve never had before. With all this extra time, it is a perfect opportunity to re-visit the foundations of our faith, to go back to the cross and think about what happened to Jesus and what He completed for us there. It really was an amazing day…but coming to Christ in repentance and faith could also prove to be your greatest day!

*This message quotes extensively from an article written by Andrew Lansdown. You can find the original article here. May it help us all to grasp the wonder of God’s grace to us in Christ.

Full service

00:00 Introduction
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love
02:22 Prayer
06:07 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise ; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #88)
Song: Boss of the Cross
10:52 Bible reading: Matthew 27:1-2,11-26
Song: This Life I Live
13:00 Bible reading: Matthew 27:27-54
Song: The power of the cross
15:51 Sermon: Matthew 27
Song: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
38:03 Benediction
Song: I can’t save myself

‘God’s saints in tight spots’ #2: Jonah (Jonah 2:1-10)

AudioPhilip

The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known in the Scriptures. It’s not everybody that gets swallowed by a huge fish and lives to tell the tale. Talk about socially isolating!  But what was Jonah doing in that ‘tight spot’ and what does a ‘socially isolating’ Jonah teach us? This message on Jonah 2:1-10, examines Jonah’s prayer and what we can learn from it.

Full service

00:00 Introduction
Song: All creatures of Our God and King
00:49 Prayer
06:30 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #44)
Song: God is everywhere
Song: Are you serving Cap’n Jesus?
11:59 Bible reading: Jonah 2
13:29 Bible reading: Luke 15
Song: My heart is filled with thankfulness
15:45 Sermon: Jonah 2
Song: In Christ alone
37:36 Benediction
Song: I will trust my saviour Jesus

‘God’s saints in tight spots’ #1: Joseph (Genesis 39:1-23)

AudioPhilip

There’s something about the story of Joseph in the Old Testament that is so fascinating and insightful. In Genesis 39:1-23, the Scriptures tell us about what might be the lowest spot in Joseph’s bright life. And yet, when his story is taken as a vital part of the outworking of Genesis 3:15 in God’s plan of salvation, the story of Joseph is far more than the story of a ‘dreamer’ with a ‘coloured coat’, but of a man who points us all to Jesus and who shows us God’s purpose in suffering is that we become more like Him.

Full service

00:00 Introduction
00:40 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #12)
Song: The Lord is King
06:34 Saints in tight spots
Hymn: Praise my soul
08:42 Prayer
14:59 Bible reading: Genesis 39
Song: Christ is mine forever more
19:13 Sermon: Joseph (Genesis 39)
Hymn: Teach me your way
42:51 Benediction
Song: Press on Mums

‘Meet the wisdom needed by the Church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4)

Philip

When Paul brought up the topic of wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:16-3:4, he was not introducing a new topic. Chapter 1 has told us much about God’s wisdom which is found in the preaching of Christ crucified. The sad case was, that at Corinth, the church had opted for earthly wisdom and this had begun to show itself in the disorder and division that Paul has been addressing.

‘Meet the (original) preacher at the Church in Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Philip

After telling the Corinthians that they could not boast in men, nor in their position in the world before God called them, and that the gospel message was ‘weak and foolish’ in the eyes of the world, in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul went on to write that he too was ‘weak and foolish’. His preaching at Corinth was not a demonstration of his skill or wisdom, but of the power of God who saves ‘foolish’ people through the ‘foolish’ message of the cross.

‘Meet the ‘foolish people’ in the Church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

AudioPhilip

The Church at Corinth was in crisis. Divisions over personalities were fuelled by the cult of pride. While some distance away from them when we wrote his letter, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 reflects just how close Paul was to these wayward believers. Having established that being united to Christ should mean the death of all divisions, Paul now explains what the world calls ‘foolish’ (that is the preaching of the cross) is nothing but the express wisdom of God.

‘Meet the biggest problem in the church at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

AudioPhilip

The text of 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 tells of the report that the Apostle Paul heard from ‘Chloe’s people’ about the state of the church at Corinth. They were a church divided. The issue was playing favourites with people. Some preferred Paul, others Apollos, others Peter and still others – Jesus! At the root of this problem of division was pride and at the centre of the solution Paul outlined was the principle – that when we look to Jesus and Him crucified, there is no room for pride and boasting, for in Christ and Him alone, their is true unity.