Sermon – Rebuke & Refuge: Mercy and Hope (Zeph 3:9-20)

Read the text – Zephaniah 3:9-20; 2 Peter 3:14-18

After two and bit chapters of rebuke and judgement, Zephaniah shifts to focus on a fully fledged future hope. The flipside of God’s terrible wrath is his unmerited and complete mercy where he shows his remnant people a perfect fellowship in mutual love which comes on the Day of the Lord.

In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes addresses a specific events surrounding the newly appointed CEO of the Essendon Football Club. Hours after his appointment, issue was raised because of his association with his church (an evangelical church in Victoria) whose statements of beliefs are biblically shaped and consistent with traditional Christian doctrines. He was forced to choose between his church or his football club. He choose his church.

Sermon – Rebuke & Refuge: Shame (Zeph 2:4-3:8)

Read the text – Zephaniah 2:4-3:8

The Day of the Lord is a universal eschatological disaster. Yet God’s judgement is tantalisingly mingled with hope of restoration and his character of righteousness. All humanity is clearly at his mercy. In this talk Ken Noakes helps us to see that God not only holds all nations to account, but he hold his own people to account. It all hinges on how God can be righteous and just, and at the same time merciful and forgiving.

Sermon – Faith That Works: Discrimination (James 2:1-13)

Imagine being the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Always following in the footsteps of the glory child!! James is refreshingly matter of fact and down to earth. As we read the letter by James, we read his concern that those following Jesus don’t only listen, but actually walk in his footsteps. For him righteousness matters, and it is the practical righteousness that you can hear in the words and see in the actions of the follower of Jesus that really counts. This talk challenges us to not discriminate, but rather model Christ.

Read the text – J ames 2:1-13 Deuteronomy 10:12-22

Talk Outline – Faith That Works: Discrimination Download