The final talk in our Matthew 8-10 Bible Talk series. In this talk, Bishop Gary Koo considers the costs that comes with following Jesus. As Jesus sends his disciples out into the world, he makes no promises that they will find it easy, but he does promise that it will be worth it. And he wants them to be ready.
Category Archives: 40 Matthew
Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Directive (Matthew 9:35-10:15)
Read the text – Matthew 9:35-10:15
In this Bible talk, Gary Haddon, speaks about how Jesus had compassion on those who did not know him, those who were lost. And how Jesus helped his disciples to see the need, pray and then go and show them Jesus. Do as I have said and done – save the lost sheep of Israel. Save those who have long awaited the kingdom of heaven, and waited for their messiah, their good shepherd – for in Jesus, the time had come.
How do disciples today, proclaim the good news, not as an apostle, but as a disciple commissioned by Jesus to go out to the nations.
Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Goodness (Matthew 9:18-34)
Read the text – Matthew 9:18-34
Whilst Jesus appears to have the power to do anything, he uses it to demonstrate his compassion on all who come (regardless of their station in life) – and the outcome: faith. In this talk, Dave Swan, considers how Jesus shows his goodness and compassion to those who had faith during his time on earth, and they were healed. Just like those who met Jesus during his time as a man, everyone should also put their faith in him and trust his goodness. Not everyone does.
Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Mission (Matthew 9:1-17)
Read the text – Matthew 9:1-17
Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.
In this Bible Talk, Gary Haddon looks at how Jesus’ mission was to save sinners, not the righteous (or those who think that they are righteous!) – after all “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”. Yet how do we know that Jesus could indeed save sinners?
Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Authenticity (Matthew 8:18-34)
Read the text – Matthew 8:18-34
Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.
In this Bible Talk, Nick Lindeback looks at the chaos of life and shows us how Jesus holds the power over chaos. If you know Jesus is in control, then you can live in faith rather than fear. Are you willing to rest in this storm, and are you willing to trust him when the chaos of this life overwhelms you?
Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Authority (Matthew 8:1-17)
Read the text – Matthew 8:1-17
Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.
In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan looks at the unparalleled authority which Jesus demonstrated – his ability to heal a man with leprosy, the servant of the a Roman centurion, Peter’s mother-in-law, those who were demon possessed – all people who suffered because of their circumstance, but also because of there status as outcasts under Jewish law. He heals, and in doing so he fulfils what the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah would do.
This should encourage us to examine our faith in Jesus, by looking at how an encounter with Jesus shaped the belief of others.
Why do we have the Apostles Creed? (Part 1 of 3)
by Jared Lidgerwood
Christians around the world, of various denominations, and across the ages, have at times recited the Apostles’ Creed – a wonderful statement of the Christian faith. Where did we get the Apostles’ Creed? Why do we have it?
Let’s think about the beginning of the Christian church. Jesus Christ gathered a small group of Jews, and called them to be his disciples. For three years they followed, they listened, they watched, they learnt. But their ‘movement’ came to an abrupt end when Jesus was arrested and executed; hung on a cross on the outskirts of Jerusalem by the occupying Roman government. That would have been the end, except that Jesus didn’t stay dead: he rose from the dead, regathered his disciples, and told them this:
All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20)Continue reading
Sermon – Apostles Creed: Good Suffering
For thousands of years Christians have said the words of the Apostles’ Creed together. In the two talks which follow we look at the line in the creed ‘Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the Dead’. These two talks together offer a helpful, yet different, treatment of this important and theologically loaded statement.
Read the texts – Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 27:11-54
This this talk, Nick Lindeback offers a narrative retelling of the trial, cross, death and burial of Jesus. In doing so he gives a broad overview of the importance of the atonement. Nick helps us to see how the Roman parades celebrating their military victories, set something of the context for the supposed ‘humiliation’ of Jesus – yet how by his wounds, and in his crucifixion, we see the coronation of the King of Kings.
In this talk, Dr Trace Akankunda looks at the significance of the sufferings and death of Jesus on the cross. He helps us to see Christ’s suffering in the context of salvation, and then helps us to rethink our own suffering in the context of hope.
Sermon – Apostles Creed: Fully God. Fully Man.
Read the text – Hebrews 2:1-18
For thousands of years Christians have said the words of the Apostles Creed together. In this talk Howard Whitehouse looks at the line in the creed which states ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary’ and focuses on the beautiful and complex nature of Jesus Christ being fully God and fully Man. This is a rich treatment and needs close attention to several Bible passage – and you will see Howard cover many of them in this talk.
Easter Sermons – Life is On! (Psalms 2, 72, 22 & 110)
Easter is such a special time for Christians. The king of heaven to hung on a cross – what a way to treat a king.
To reflect on Easter we have chosen four Psalms: the Psalms of the King. They are essentially about God’s promised once and for all time King, Jesus. The New Testament cites the Psalms more often than any other Old Testament book, so it is right for us to look at them and use them and preach on them, especially at Easter. May we understand how Jesus fulfils the expectations of this one true King.
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