Sermon – God & Life: Made in God’s Image

Read the text – Psalm 139; Genesis 1:26-2:4; Colossians 1:15-23; Revelation 21:1-4

We see ourselves as choosing individuals. Our strength is measured by our ability to stand on our own two feet and make decisions (we value agency). And we live in a society which views the autonomy of the individual as sacrosanct and defining, and that any challenge to that autonomy is regarded as a threat (we value choice). In addition, we live in a consumer culture, which tells us that we deserve to have whatever it is we want (we value entitlement). Yet, Christians hold to the biblical view that God makes men and women in his image. He gives life, shapes life, and takes life – and we experience that life both individually and collectively.

This ‘God & Life’ series looks at some of those key and ethical life matters where we, as choosing individuals, are now able to make decisions that will impact our life or another’s life: Abortion, Disability, Euthanasia (to pick three examples).

In this first talk, Ken Noakes sets the scene which help us think theologically about life matters over the next three talks. The purpose: to start a conversation – how can we value humanity as created by God and so in our care for ourselves and others, how do we think Christianly?

Talk Outline Download

LMAP Women’s Retreat 2024 (Proverbs)

Wisdom in Proverbs: More precious than Rubies.

Julie Haddon helps us see the truth of the gospel in Proverbs across 3 talks from our Women’s retreat.

Join her in Proverbs to see God’s creative purposes, through the Fall, until we see Jesus as the true expression of Wisdom in Proverbs 31.

2024 Womens Retreat Program

2024 Womens retreat slides talk 1 and 2

2024 Womens retreat slides talk 3

Talk 1 – Wise Ways (Julie Haddon)

Read the text – 1 Kings 4:29-34 & Proverbs 1:1-7

Talk 2 – Wise Worship (Julie Haddon)

Read the text – Proverbs 9:1-18

Talk 3 – Wise Women (Julie Haddon)

Read the text – Proverbs 31:10-31

Sermon – Firm Faith: The Supremacy of Christ (Colossians 1:15-23)

Read the text – Colossians 1:15-23

Any teaching that wants to suggest that Christians need Jesus PLUS … (anything else) to be a Christian or to live as a Christian is guilty of contradicting the supremacy of Christ. Being told we need more than him (either for salvation or to live as a Christian) means that we are being taught that what he has done is not enough. We need to stand firm in our faith in Jesus as all we need for this life and the next.

In this sermon, Gary Haddon invites us to see who Jesus really is, to see just how far above everything he is, and to find out what that means for our salvation.

Bible Talk Outline

Sermon – Rebuke & Refuge: On that Day (Zeph 1:1-2:3)

Read the texts – Zephaniah 1:1-2:3

In this series we look at the book of Zephaniah and see the hope of grace in the shadow of God’s promised universal judgement and wrath. The focus of the book is on the nature of the day of the Lord. In wrath, God will reverse his blessings, yet also in mercy, he will reverse his curse for those who turn to him in repentance and faith.

In this talk, Andrew Cox helps us to understand how Hebrew Prophecy works to shape our understand of how God deals so justly and completely with sin (in Zephaniah’s time, concerning the people of Judah and in our time, us). And yet, how he does that with and eternal hope for those in faith.

Sermon – Apostles Creed: Creator of the Heavens and Earth

For thousands of years Christians have said the words of the Apostles Creed together. Each line contains rich theology and meaning and in this talk Nick Lindeback focuses on the significance of God Almighty as sovereign and merciful creator.

In looking at both Psalm 33 and the doxology of Romans 11 we see God’s sovereignty, mercy and creating power. And in looking at Romans 12:1-2 we see an appropriate and fitting response to God almighty creator of heaven and earth.

Read the text – Psalm 33; Romans 11:33-12:1

Bible Talk Outline Download

Sermon – A Festal Garment (Song of Songs)

Song of Songs Series Graphic

Do you love a good party? Go back a millennium and you may have found yourself at an Israelite party – or ‘festival’ to be more accurate. Israel as the people for God conducted festivals which celebrated or reminded them of what God had done for his people. At these festivals they would read out one of their (Old Testament) scrolls – Ruth at Pentecost, Song of Songs and Passover, Ecclesiastes at the Feast of Tabernacles, Esther at Purim and Lamentations at the anniversary of the destruction of Jerusalem. This custom was not continued by the Christian church.

Yet these little books exist in our Bible and it is not often that you hear them preached. So, in our Five Festal Garments series we are going to look at these little biblical treasure troves and see what Christians can learn today as we get dressed to live godly lives.

Let’s look at the Book of Song of Songs

Read the Bible text – Song of Songs

– Ben Smith

Sermon – Good Sex (Song of Songs#2)

In this, second of five sermons, Des Smith shows how Song of Songs vividly endorses God’s positive view of sex within the context of faithful heterosexual marriage. He also explains how God is “pro-creation” – that everything God created is good if it is received with thankfulness.

Watch the Sermon

Listen to the Sermon

Read the Bible text: Song of Songs 4:1 – 5:12 , 1 Timothy 4:1-5

Sermon Script

English Support Handout

Sermon – Where Can I Find God? – In His World?

The first of three sermons answering the question “Where can I find God?” In this sermon we learn about God revealing himself in his created World but we are warned to be careful to worship the creator himself and not created things.

Listen to the Sermon

Read the Bible text: Psalm 19

Read the Bible text: Romans 1:18-25

English Support Handout

God makes himself known – look around!

If ‘God’ is truly Almighty, the creator, the reason for existence, the first cause of all things – as would be the nature of anyone who would claim to be ‘god’, then how do we know that? How does he make himself known?

One way to ‘see’ God is to look around – examine what you see. The world around has to be a source of information about God if he is the source of all life.

Continue reading →