Next Sunday

This week we commence an extended preaching series through Paul’s letter to the Romans. Luther described the book of Romans as “the soul’s daily bread” which could “never be read or meditated too much and too well.” As we consider Paul’s greeting in the first seven verses we will hear how the unfolding revelation of…

Philip’s request: ‘Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us’ reveals both his profound ignorance of what Jesus was doing all along but also the truth of the utter sufficiency of such a revelation to meet our deepest need even if Philip, at the time, had no understanding of the significance…

There are two errors that we can so easily fall into regarding spiritual conflict: one is to underestimate the relentless and fierce determination of the evil one to destroy us and our faith. The second error is to be ignorant of both the capacity and nature of Christ-empowered resistance to overcome the power of our…

None of us are beyond the need to be shepherded. Not even those who are entrusted with the care of God’s flock! In fact ‘elders’ are given special attention by Peter who recognizes both the blessing and the pitfalls of such ministry and so as a fellow elder he shepherds them! He knew from personal…

Bob Ricks will be preaching on Sunday 27 December. He writes, “There is a wide range of responses from those who met the baby Jesus, who had been declared to be Saviour, King and Shepherd of his people. Many waited with faith and hope for this one to come: that God would be revealed and…

On Christmas Day we will focus on the heightened expectation surrounding the birth of Jesus due to the angelic pronouncements who declared this boy-child would be the Saviour, King and Shepherd of his people. Many waited with faith and hope for this one to come: that God would be revealed and His salvation would be…

Last week we heard how, in the face of suffering, we were to arm ourselves with the same attitude that Christ had, living not for ourselves but for the will of God. This week, from 1 Peter 4:7-19, in light of Christ’s imminent return, we are urged to love and serve one another with the…

We have been reminded already this summer just how devastating a bush fire can be, and how quickly one can cause havoc. In our passage this week, just as the CFS urges us to be ‘bushfire ready’ and have our ‘action plans’ in place, Peter urges us to be prepared and ready, not for a…

This week in 1 Peter 3:1-7 we are urged to take the example of Christ’s reverent submission into our homes, and in particular, our marriages. Wives are to adorn themselves with the precious and imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Husbands are to honour and understand their wives, recognising they are ‘co-heirs’ of…

Jesus has shown us what it means to know God. We continue with the latter part of his prayer in John 17 in which he asks that we be set apart for God and live in the unity of the Father and Son. He says he will finish what he has begun, that is, he…