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.
Tag Archives: Mission
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’ 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 – Therefore Go…(Matthew 28:16-20)
The resurrected Jesus gathers his disciples together to give them his commission. A timeless commission (at least until he returns). An important job (to go, call, baptism and teach). This sermon looks at the one of the most well known gospel passages (and one of the hardest to apply)
Read the Bible texts – Matthew 28:16-20 Daniel 7:13-14
Sermon – Obeying the Word of the LORD (Jonah 3-4)
We love satire when it comes to political cartoons. Often we see our national leaders’ faults comically exaggerated. But what about satire when it comes to God’s prophets? Jonah is a famed biblical story where we find God’s hero, the prophet Jonah, neglect his responsibility and flee from God. Meanwhile, the city of Nineveh, famed for their evil, turn to God after a surprisingly short sermon!
This is not a story about a giant fish, but rather a God who shows grace and mercy to wicked people, despite his prophet’s rebellion.
This talk will focus on God’s faithfulness in saving Nineveh, despite Jonah’s begrudging obedience. The question remains… are you glad to see God save evil people?
Read the Bible texts – Jonah 3-4; Luke 11:29-32
Is Every Christian Called to be an Evangelist? (Part 7 of 7)
Consider Colossians 4:2-6
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:2-6)
This is a call to do evangelism, that is, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
From time to time there is a little bit of discussion among Christian folk about what Paul means here. Is every Christian called to be an ‘evangelist’?
Practical Tips to being Bold in Witness (Part 6 of 7)
9 Tips which may help you be bold in Witness:
How to be Bold in Witness? (Part 5 of 7)
Why is it that Christians are often reluctant to be bold in witness? For me that is simple – it is often hard work, or I am too chicken, or I am too distracted, or I am…
I know the excuses, because I have used them all. I am the reluctant evangelist.
It is not uncommon for me to be standing on the sidelines of a soccer pitch watching my sons play football. Alongside, stand the other parents. A perfect opportunity to speak about Jesus?
Believe and Confess (Part 4 of 7)
The Apostle Paul in Romans argues that a Christian cannot rightly call themselves a disciple unless they both believe and confess that ‘Jesus is Lord’.
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:9-13)
Bold in Witness & the Great Commission (Part 3 of 7)
Bold in Witness
What does it mean to be bold in Witness?
Jesus asked his disciples to be his witnesses. And that is what Jesus’ first disciples did.
To be a witness, you have to be willing to make a stand, to testify, to speak on behalf of the person or the event that you are bearing witness too. The aim is to provide enough reason or evidence for someone who is not a witness to ascertain the truth behind what you say.
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