Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Forgiveness (Matthew 18:15-19:2)

Read the text – Matthew 18:15-19:2

Sin and hurt come hand in hand with the human experience – forgiveness not so much. For how hard it is to forgive when you have been hurt by others? Jesus taught his disciples how to deal with sin among believers such that the sin is not swept away or forgotten, but so that believers might know how to truly and genuinely forgive those who trespass against them.

Gary Haddon carefully handles this personal and tricky teaching of Jesus – and in doing so helps us to see the value of forgiveness.

Talk Outline Download

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Child-like Humility (Matthew 18:1-14)

Read the text – Matthew 18:1-14

‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?’, the disciples famously ask. And the answer given, is to look at the child. For the little child, the little ones as this passage will highlight are the ones who come in humility before God.

In this Bible talk, Dave Swan will help ‘those who believe’ in Jesus to understands what it is to stand before he who is in fact the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven – he who in grace makes it possible for all to come to into the kingdom of heaven confident in their forgiveness.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Moving Mountains (Matthew 17:14-27)

For the fifth and last time in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus speaks of what ‘little faith’ might look like – and he offers yet another description of what will happen to him as he heads into Jerusalem where he will be delivered into the hands of opposing men, killed, and then on the third day rise.

In these Bible talks both John Lavender and Ken Noakes look at what faith in the life of a believer might look like – it is not about the quantity of faith (as if that could be measured), but about the genuineness of faith in Jesus.

Preacher: John Lavender

Read the text – Matthew 17:14-27

Preacher: Ken D Noakes

Outline for this Talk Download

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Transfigured (Matthew 17:1-13)

Read the text – Matthew 17:1-13

The disciples Peter, James and John travel up the mountain with Jesus and come face to face with those key Old Testament figures of Moses and Elijah – yet it is Jesus who stands out. A voice from heaven declares: ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ (Matt 17:5). This is not the first time such a pronouncement has been made.

In this talk, Dave Swan helps to show why it is so important to listen to Jesus – the son of God, and the one who is going to suffer (to the point of death) and then be raised from the dead.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Son of Man Revealed (Matthew 16:13-28)

Read the text – Matthew 16:13-28

Famously Jesus challenges his disciples: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ (Matt 16:24). What does it mean today to be a disciple of Jesus? In an age when we express our individualism in many and numerous ways, this message is a challenge for it asks us to put Jesus before ourselves. Yet, Jesus gives very good reasons to follow him.

In this talk, Ken Noakes helps us look first at the identity of Jesus – and as a result to consider what that should mean for anyone who wants to follow him.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Sign Language (Matthew 15:29-16:12)

Read the text – Matthew 15:29-16:12

How do we read the signs today? Are we willing to see, hear and respond – especially when it is for our own good? In this Bible Talk, Gary Haddon, looks at how Jesus shows who he is in a most extraordinary way (the feeding of the four thousand). Yet those who saw, still questioned. The Pharisees and Sadducees asked for a sign! The disciples wondered! So Jesus helped them to see.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Clean & Unclean (Matthew 15:1-28)

Read the text – Matthew 15:1-28

In Matthew 15 we see Jesus interacting with a few different groups of people – the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the crowds, the disciples and a Canaanite woman – quite a demographic spectrum! The role of traditions verse the role of the Word of God comes into focus as Jesus shows them what it means to truly be a person of faith in Jesus.

In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan helps us check our heart – for what comes out of a person either shows a hypocrisy or a faith that honours Jesus.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Fish out of Water! (Matthew 14:1-36)

Read the text – Matthew 14:1-36

In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes considers some very well-known passages: the beheading of John the Baptist, the feeding of 5000, and Jesus walking on water. In each of these accounts the question we as readers are effectively asked is ‘who do you think Jesus is?’ Herod gave his conclusion, the crowds made their approach, the disciples got a firsthand view of Jesus in action. The question: who sees Jesus as ‘truly… the Son of God’?

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: The Kingdom of heaven is…(Matthew 13:24-58)

Read the text – Matthew 13:24-58

The Kingdom of Heaven may seem inconsequential now, but not always. Whoever has ears, hear. Do you?

In this Bible talk, Archie Poulos helps the listener to take Jesus seriously and to take note of his warning about the coming kingdom of heaven. For today, we are at war, and yet may not even realize it! He says: be amazed, not offended. And he says: Take note, don’t be distracted.

LMAP Women’s Retreat 2023 (2 Timothy)

What does it mean to live a gospel life? The Apostle Paul encourages his younger disciple Timothy to stand firm in the truth of the gospel knowing that suffering will come. Timothy is reminded not to be distracted because the reward of life in Christ is worth persevering for today. Erin Lidgerwood, Sarah McConville, Dani Holmes and Tamara Lindeback, teaching from the letter of 2 Timothy, help us to consider what this gospel life might look like for women at each stage of life.

LMAP Women’s Retreat 2023 Booklet Download

Talk 1 – Living the Gospel Life (Erin Lidgerwood)

Read the text – 2 Timothy 1:1-14 & 2 Timothy 4:6-22