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‘Finding your rest in Jesus’ (Matthew 11:28-30)

AudioPhilip

When Jesus invited his hearers to ‘Come to Him and find rest’ in Matthew 11:28-30, his words have long stood out like a beacon on a dark night. We live in a world where there are so many demands on us – in terms of time, responsibility and commitment – at work, school, family and community. As followers of Jesus, we also have the extra burden of being hated and misunderstood by the world, all of which means that what Jesus offers is so more important for believers to take up.

Message

Outline

Life in Nepal
Life in Australia
Rest, but what kind?
See what Jesus says in this text…

  1. Come to me (v.28)
  2. Take my yoke (v.29)
  3. Find rest (v.30)

Would you prefer a heavy yoke?
Becoming like Jesus..
The ‘hidden’ things
A life of rest…

‘Thinking about the Apostle Peter’s first sermon’ (Acts 2:14-41)

AudioPhilip

When Peter got up to preach at Pentecost, it was his first time ever! Luke records a summary of his sermon in Acts 2:14-41 which only takes up about 7 minutes, and yet it is chock full of Old Testament quotes that had found their fulfillment in Pentecost’s events. The sermon is also clearly Christ-centred, explaining the purpose of God behind his death and resurrection, and entreating his hearers to believe the gospel and receive the promises of God – for those who believe and also for their families.

Message

Outline

• My first sermon
• The setting of Peter’s message
• A ‘very good’ sermon!
• See how Luke tells us of …

  1. The Word of God – as the authority on the day’s events (v.14-21)
  2. The Son of God – as the Saviour of men (v.22-36)
  3. The plan of God – for the salvation of His people (v.37-41)

A powerful seven-minute journey
Salvation
Being bold

‘See the most well-known parable of the Saviour’ (Luke 10:25-37)

AudioPhilip

Many people can tell you what the Parable of the Good Samaritan is all about and what Jesus was teaching by it. However, many people can also take the parable in a rather simplistic fashion which makes it all sound ‘nice’, even sort of ‘ a good thing to do’. But Jesus meant so much more by this parable that is recorded in Luke 10:25-37 which follows a long section in which Jesus has been shaping and forming the minds and hearts of His disciples. In that sense, the parable therefore means far more that many might have thought!

Message

Outline

The thirty-second in this series

  • Where we left off…
  • Samaritans and Jews
  • See how Jesus told of the Samaritan’s compassion that was…
  1. Genuine and not ‘put on’ (v.30-32)
  2. Based on needs and not on worth (v.33)
  3. Not just words but costly actions (v.34)

This unsafe world
The law of God
The One who was truly ‘good’

‘See the would-be and wanna-be disciples of the Saviour’ (Luke 9:57-62)

AudioPhilip

The whole chapter of Luke 9 seems to be about discipleship and this is confirmed by the finanl paragraph of the chapter, Luke 9:57-62. here, Jesus meets people who ‘would-be’ His disciples – people He asked to come and follow Him, and those who were ‘wannabe’ disciples – those who came up to Him and said they would follow Him of their own accord. To both groups of people, Jesus gave some very telling and strong demands about discipleship. It’s never to be taken lightly, but involves cost and sacrifice and letting go of many things.

Message

Outline

• The thirtieth in this series
• Jesus training the 12…
• New applicants!
• See how the disciples of Jesus need to let go of …

  1. Earthly security (v.57-58)
  2. Earthly ties (v.59-60)
  3. Earthly distractions (v.61-62)

Australian Idol
What became of these would-be followers?
John Newton’s story

‘See the failures of the disciples of the Saviour’ (Luke 9:46-56)

AudioPhilip

The 12 disciples of Jesus were certainly a mixed bag – hot one day (think Peter saying ‘You are the Christ) and cold the next (think their argument on the road to the cross as to which of them was the greatest!). In Luke 9:46-56 it seems that some pettiness in their minds and hearts came to the fore and out of their mouths. Jesus must have felt burdened that they were so off the mark – just like we can also be. Thanks be to God that He wasn’t, but came ‘not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many’!

Message

Outline

• The twenty-ninth in this series
• Where we left off…
• Those disciples of Jesus!
• See how the text tells of the disciples’…

  1. Lack of humility (v.46-48)
  2. Lack of tolerance (v.49-50)
  3. Lack of compassion (v.51-56)

School report cards
Three ‘fails’
The One who passed with flying colours!

‘See the ups and downs faced by the Saviour’ (Luke 9:28-45)

AudioPhilip

When Jesus went up high on the mountain in Luke 9:28-36, the disciples saw His glory revealed to them by God the Father. But when Jesus came down the mountain into the valley in Luke 9:37-45, He immediately encountered the impotence of the disciples to deal with the situation at hand. Once he has dealt with that, Jesus went on to explain again that He would suffer and die. Although the disciples saw something of the glory which was to come, the cross would come too. Suffering. Pain. Loss. The path God the Father chose for his Son was difficult indeed. Suffering before the fulness of His glory.

Message

Outline

  • The twenty-eighth in this series
  • Luke’s presentation so far
  • Mountains in the Scriptures
  • See how the text tells of Jesus…

1. Up on the mountain (v.28-36)

    The

    The

    The

2. Down in the valley (v.37-45)

   He

   He

   He

How

What

Who

2 Peter 1:16-19

Chariots of Fire – Abrahams and Liddell

‘Meet the Lord God who brings His people safely through’ (Exodus 14:15-31)

AudioPhilip

The account of Israel’s crossing through the Red Sea is quite stunning. Stuck on the western side of the Sea, crying out to God in anguish and despair, the people of Israel were in desperate straits. Pharoah and his armies had pursued them and all looked bleak…except for God. He had to act and He did – in a most powerful and amazing way – delivering His people through the Sea to safety. It’s good to reflect that when Jesus faced the awfulness of the wrath of God on the cross, He did not seek to please Himself, but when through what was before Him to bring us, His people, to safety.

Message

Outline

  • The thirteenth and last in this series
  • The climax of the story
  • Everything had unravelled!
  • Note how Moses tells us of how God was glorified by…
  1. Encouraging them forward (v.15-18)
  2. Protecting them from behind (v.19-20)
  3. Taking them through (v.21-28)

The Exodus event
God’s intervention!
Rescued!

‘Meet the Lord God who saves His people’ (Exodus 14:1-14)

AudioPhilip

In Exodus 14:1-14, the people of Israel who have just departed from Egypt, find themselves in a very, very tricky situation. With Pharaoh and his armies in pursuit of them and impassable mountains to the left and the right, the people (who had been led clearly by God through pillar of cloud and fire) were sitting ducks! Naturally, their reolved and trust in the Lord fell apart. Any hope they had known was now gone. Any trust in the Lord was completely eroded. But God wasn’t finished yet. And all the people had to do was ‘stand still’ and ‘say nothing’ and God would do the rest!

Message

Outline

o The twelfth in this series
o More than exciting history
o Where we were last week
o Note how Moses tells us of …

  1. How the Lord changed their direction (v.1-4)
  2. How Pharaoh changed his mind (v.6-9)
  3. How the people changed their perspective (v.10-14)

Peter’s situation
God’s command to Moses
Salvation!

‘Meet the Lord God who leads His people on’ (Exodus 13:17-22)

AudioPhilip

When the Lord God led His people Israel out of Egypt, there was an ongoing need for the people to be led the right way. They did not necessarily know the way that God was taking them nor was it explained to them. All they knew what that God had a plan for them, and that plan involved leading the people into further trouble. This was not because He wanted to punsish them, but they might see the fulness of his saving power – being fulfilled right before their eyes. And so by night and by day, by pillar of cloud and fire, He led His people along.

Message

Outline

o The eleventh in this series
o A quick recap
o More than exciting history
o Note how Moses tells us of …

  1. God’s providential care for His people (v.17-18)
  2. God’s promise being fulfilled to His people (v.19)
  3. God’s presence with His people (v.20-22)

Predicament
God led them to a place of trial…
The God who is too big to fail!

‘Meet the Lord God who claims a people for Himself’ (Exodus 13:1-16)

AudioPhilip

In Exodus 13:1-16, the drama of chapters 7 to 12 of Exodus have passed by. The people of Israel are now free from the clutches of Pharaoh. Not yet completely free to ‘do their own thing’, but free to serve the Lord their God who led them out of Egypt into the desert regions in the direction of the Red Sea. There, God gave the people of Israel a reminder that they were His, and His alone, and their responsibility in the world was to be just that – His redeemed people for His very own – just like God’s people are today with Jesus as Redeemer and Master.

Message

Outline

o The tenth in this series
o The events of chapters 11 and 12
o Deliverance – more than just getting out of Egypt!
o Note how God delivered the people so that …

  1. They may serve Him (v.1-2, 12-16)
  2. They may live before Him (v.3-11)

The case of Kathleen Folbigg
Blood-bought children…
Coram Deo