Episodes
Wednesday Jul 17, 2013
Find your humanity part 5 - Cosmos
Wednesday Jul 17, 2013
Wednesday Jul 17, 2013
Humans are given the task by God of 'serving' and 'taking care of' the world that he has created.
Ecological stewardship is a basic part of our humanity. Yet we often instead 'exploit' and 'dominate' creation.
Jesus calls and transforms us into true humanity - he came not only to restore human relationships to God, but to restore the cosmos itself, the whole of the created order. John 3:16, one of the most famous verses in the Bible, says (literally in Greek) 'for God so loved the cosmos that he gave his one and only Son...'
Not only human sin, but also the death and resurrection of Jesus, has cosmic consequences.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 7th at the Sunday Night at St John's service.
It's designed to be used in conjunction with
- the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link
- The Bible study found at this link (hopefully coming soon
Enjoy!
Monday Jul 01, 2013
Find your humanity part 4: Marriage and Singleness
Monday Jul 01, 2013
Monday Jul 01, 2013
Each human being is involved in a search for intimacy - being fully known, seen, appreciated and loved simply for who they are. Being married, single, or in between is an important part of our humanity. Both can be gifts from God. Both can help to draw one closer to God - or further away.
Ultimately, this search for intimacy is fulfilled in God - who is drawing all people and inviting them to the Wedding Party at the End of the Universe.
This sermon was preached at Sunday Night at St John's, Southgate, on June 30, 2013.
It is designed to be used in conjunction with
Enjoy!
Monday Jun 24, 2013
Find your Humanity Part 3 - Male and Female
Monday Jun 24, 2013
Monday Jun 24, 2013
Genesis 1 says that God creates human beings 'in the image of God, male and female he created them.' Our sexuality is a fundamental part of our human identity. Male and female together bear the image of God in complementary ways. But we do not always relate to one another as God planned. Our sexuality is broken, damaged, in need of restoration. This restoration comes from the love of God through Jesus, so that it's possible for the apostle Paul to say 'There is no longer male and female, but you are all one in Christ.' This sermon is part 3 in a series on true humanity. It was preached at St John's Southgate Lutheran Church at the Sunday Night at St John's service on 23rd June 2013. It's designed to be used with:
Enjoy!Monday Jun 17, 2013
Find your humanity part 2: Community
Monday Jun 17, 2013
Monday Jun 17, 2013
Before the beginning of the universe, there was community. God existed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the perfect intimacy of the Trinity. Community is foundational to our humanity. But community is also broken, scarred by shame, blame and fear. God has been working to restore and reconcile. So we as Christians are called to a remarkably different kind of community than what the world is used to - a ' communion' in the body of Christ, the church. This sermon explores themes of community, reconciliation and transformation as part of our humanity. It was preached on Sunday June 16th 2013 at Sunday Night at St John's. It's designed to be used with
Enjoy!Tuesday Jun 04, 2013
Find your Humanity:Part 1 - Image
Tuesday Jun 04, 2013
Tuesday Jun 04, 2013
'Find your humanity!' Is this an invitation into an exciting journey of discovery? Is it a desperate search for something important that has been lost? Or a bit of both. What does it mean to be truly human? To live in community, to explore communication and vulnerability and maleness and femaleness and friendship and truth... This sermon series begins to unpack the gift, commences the journey of discovery, and gives pointers in the desperate search. The first sermon in the series focuses on 'the image of God' as the essence of humanity...but the image is broken. How shall it be restored? This sermon was preached on Sunday June 2, 2013 at Sunday Night at St John's. It's designed to be used with
Enjoy!Monday May 20, 2013
The Gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts 2
Monday May 20, 2013
Monday May 20, 2013
On the day of Pentecost, God fulfills his ancient promise to 'pour out the Holy Spirit' on all people. Peter also says to the listening crowd that the gift of the Holy Spirit is for them as well. The Holy Spirit is a personal being, not an impersonal force...so the Spirit must be continually received. This sermon explores Acts 2 and the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was preached on Pentecost day, Sunday May 19, 2013, at Sunday Night at St John's. It's designed to be used with
- The PDF bible study found at this link
- The Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Monday May 06, 2013
When God closes a door - Acts 16:6-15
Monday May 06, 2013
Monday May 06, 2013
What happens when God closes a door? When God says a firm 'no' to a deeply desired prayer, plan or ministry opportunity? This is exactly what Paul and his companions experience in Acts 16. However, God's plan is better than Paul's hope. God sends Paul and his friends in a different and unexpected direction which has a huge impact on the future of the Christian church, and in particular, on a woman called Lydia in the city of Philippi... This sermon was preached at Sunday Night at St John's on Sunday 5th May, 2013. It is designed to be used with:
Enjoy!Monday Apr 22, 2013
From Death to Life - the ministry of Jesus continues (Acts 9:32-43)
Monday Apr 22, 2013
Monday Apr 22, 2013
Miracles. Do they even happen any more? Can we believe this in a scientific age? In the New Testament, a 'miracle' is primarily understood not as 'God breaking the laws of nature' but as 'a sign pointing to the identity and power of Jesus.' We place our faith not in the miraculous events themselves, but the One they point to. And yes, miracles really do still happen. Even today. God continues to bring people from death to life through the power of the risen Jesus - in both physical and spiritual ways. This sermon can be used with:
It was preached on Sunday April 21st at Sunday Night at St John's. Enjoy!Monday Apr 22, 2013
What is worth living for? Acts 5 and the message of new life
Monday Apr 22, 2013
Monday Apr 22, 2013
What is worth living for? What is worth dying for? What's worth fighting for, and what's not worth fighting against? These questions are ones that all of us ask, at some time or other. Peter, Jesus' disciple, had very different answers to these questions before Easter and after Easter. The resurrection of Jesus transformed and renewed him. The life-giving power of the risen Jesus can also transform our answers to those important questions. This sermon can be used in conjunction with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link. It was preached on Sunday April 7th at Sunday Night at St John's. Enjoy!
Tuesday Mar 12, 2013
The Forgotten Prodigal (Luke 15:11-32)
Tuesday Mar 12, 2013
Tuesday Mar 12, 2013
The parable Jesus tells in Luke 15:11-32 is famous as 'The Parable of the Prodigal Son.' But it is the love of the Father that is at the heart of the parable. Perhaps it would be better titled 'The Man Who Lost Two Sons' or 'The Forgotten Prodigal.' The story powerfully speaks of three ways of relating to the Father: irreligion, or rebelling against the relationship; religion, or resenting the relationship; and finally GRACE, or receiving the relationship. The Father is lavish and reckless with his love for both of his lost sons - he is the Forgotten Prodigal of the parable. Whether you find yourself more in the situation of the younger son, in rebellion, or of the older son, in resentment, may you receive the Father's lavish love by grace. This sermon was preached on Sunday 10th March at Sunday Night at St John's, Melbourne, Australia. It can be used together with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link. (There is no downloadable bible study to accompany this sermon at this point). Enjoy!