Episodes
Monday Jul 24, 2017
Monday Jul 24, 2017
The sower in Jesus' parable in Matthew 13 doesn't strategically target 'the right soil' when he sows his seed. He scatters it everywhere. Just like God's grace - people don't have to live up to a certain standard to receive his love.
How do we let the Word 'get in, get down, get out' and so have a fruitful life? Jesus says that it's all about how we respond (or not) to his word, which is the life-giving word of the good news of the Kingdom.
This sermon was preached at Pakenham Lakeside Church on Sunday 23rd July 2017. It can be enhanced by viewing the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Monday Jun 26, 2017
Matthew 10 The Jesus exchange
Monday Jun 26, 2017
Monday Jun 26, 2017
The Jesus exchange goes like this:
Give up what you cannot keep, in order to gain what you cannot lose.
Jesus says 'Everyone who tries to save their own life will lose it, but everyone who gives up their life for me will find it.'
This is a hard sell in an individualistic, me-focussed culture! Jesus asks nothing less than 100% commitment. But what he gives in exchange for our selfish, fearful, dying life is his own resurrected, joyful, forever life.
This sermon was preached at Pakenham Lakeside Church on Sunday 25th June 2017.
It can be enhanced by viewing the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Genesis 1 The Song of Creation
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.' These are some of the most famous words in all human literature. So begins the story of the Bible, God's interaction with the universe he created. As 21st century people our first question might be 'How?' or 'how long?' Did it really take seven days to create the universe? How did God do it, if he did?
And yet the text itself encourages us to ask a different question - 'Why?' Why did God create? What is the purpose of creation?
This sermon proclaims the good news that love is at the very basis of the universe, that God delights in what he creates, and that God moves to redeem and restore his creation when it becomes 'not good.'
The sermon was preached at Pakenham Lakeside Church on Sunday 11th June, 2017. It can be enhanced by viewing the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Sunday May 28, 2017
Relationships, reconciliation and the ratchet parable
Sunday May 28, 2017
Sunday May 28, 2017
Once upon a time a man bought a cheap air ratchet tool...which didn't work well for long. What did he do next?
When relationships don't quite work...when there is conflict...what is your response?
It's easy to say 'it's not worth it, it's not worth the effort to fix...'
Or to attack the other person
Or to escape and deny the problem
But what about peacemaking responses? Jesus says 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.' This means God himself is a peacemaker.
This sermon proclaims the good news of God's reconciliation for us...the repair of relationships through Jesus. God made us his friends. And he calls and equips us to be peacemakers in our relationships too.
This sermon was preached at Pakenham Lakeside Church on Sunday 28th May 2017.
It can be enhanced by viewing the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Monday Jan 23, 2017
L Plate Disciples: Learning from Jesus (Matthew 4:12-23
Monday Jan 23, 2017
Monday Jan 23, 2017
When you first get behind the wheel of a car as an L-plate driver you realise there is SO MUCH going on. There is a lot to learn! And you can only learn it by doing it. With a good instructor.
When it comes to the Kingdom of God, we are all L-platers. Learners, that is, not losers. We are called to follow Jesus - as Peter, James, John and Andrew were - and to learn from him living by our side. There is so much to learn! And we can only learn it by doing it - living life beside Jesus in the Kingdom of God.
This sermon explores the call and equipping of Jesus through the lens of Matthew 4:12-23.
It was preached on Sunday February 22nd at Pakenham Lakeside Church.
This sermon can be used together with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Sunday Oct 09, 2016
Luke 17:11-19 Private faith and public thanksgiving
Sunday Oct 09, 2016
Sunday Oct 09, 2016
It's a well known story - the story of Jesus healing ten men with leprosy. Only one of them comes back to thank him.
Thursday Jul 14, 2016
A matter of life and death - Jesus and the Lawyer, the Good Samaritan
Thursday Jul 14, 2016
Thursday Jul 14, 2016
The parable of the Good Samaritan is so well known that it's even gone down in the English language. But this is not just a 'nice story' Jesus told with an ethical exhortation at the end. Jesus engages in narrative theology - and the story he tells the expert in Jewish law has multiple layers of depth and meaning. It's actually a matter of life and death!
Monday May 23, 2016
God's Generous People: Becoming a giving community
Monday May 23, 2016
Monday May 23, 2016
On average, churches in North America spend 2 cents in every dollar of income they receive, on overseas mission. The stats for Australian churches are probably not much different.
Sunday Feb 28, 2016
Isaiah 55 Repent and Flourish
Sunday Feb 28, 2016
Sunday Feb 28, 2016
'Repent or perish': it sounds really harsh. Sounds like bad news. In Luke 13 Jesus pulls no punches.
Tuesday Feb 16, 2016
Tempted in every way - a sermon on Luke 4
Tuesday Feb 16, 2016
Tuesday Feb 16, 2016
The bible says Jesus was tempted in every way, as we are, yet without sin.
I don't know about you, but I've never been tempted to turn a stone into bread.
So how do Jesus' temptations during his 40 days in the wilderness relate to our own temptations?
As we explore Jesus' temptations a bit more deeply, we find that they arise because of problems that are common to all human beings.
The problem of provision. The basic question is - How will I live? Will God provide? The temptation is to believe the lie that God is not good.
The problem of power. The basic question is - what will I worship? Is God in control? The temptation is to believe the lie that God is not great - and to take matters into our own hands.
The problem of pain. The basic question is - why must I suffer? Does God care? The temptation is to believe the lie that God is not loving.
Jesus knows that temptation, and any battle with evil, is not a power encounter but a truth encounter. He stands up against every lie with the truth - the Word of God. And through his overcoming of evil, proves to us the truth of God - that God is good, that God is in control, and that God is loving.
This sermon was preached at Pakenham Lakeside Church ( www.pakenhamlakesidechurch.org.au )on Sunday 14th February, 2016 (Lent 1).
It can be used with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.