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?

Bible Talk Outline Download

Sermon – A World That Knows Jesus (Genesis 12:1-7)

God created a good world, yet it was broken by sin – human rebellion and evil. Is the solution for God to judge the world forever for their sin?

This talk looks at God’s mission, and how it is centred on Jesus. God has called on many people in the past, and they have trusted him. As Christians, we have a role – to share the good news to a world that needs Jesus.

Read the text – Genesis 12:1-7

Sermon – Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:1-7, Rev. 4:1-11)

Who can summarise a person in one word? To encompass their experiences, identity and personality in one word seems an impossible task! So can we summarise God in one word?

This Bible Talk shows us how the Bible summarises God in one word – Holy. And although the prophet Isaiah shouts “Woe to me!” in God’s presence, there is the hope and promise of one who takes away our guilt and pays the price for our sin.

Read the text – Isaiah 6:1-7 Revelation 4:1-11

Sermon – New Beginnings: Seeing What is Best (John 1:19-34)

The Gospel of John introduces Jesus and gives him an extraordinary array of titles. Jesus does not disappoint. His teaching, his interactions, his miracles and his knowledge give those who meet him cause to question who he is – and as readers we also can look at these ‘encounters’ and decide for ourselves whether Jesus is worth another look. Perhaps a new beginning for a new year.

This talk looks at John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus, and helps us to consider who Jesus is.

Read the text – John 1:19-34 Isaiah 40:1-5

From the LMAP morning/online gathering

From the LMAP 6pm gathering

Sermon – JesusWORKS: What is Sin?

JesusWORKS aims to introduce you to the Jesus of history by looking at his life, teaching and work. Primarily, it is for the person who wants to check out the claims of Jesus or the claims about Jesus – so that they can make up their own minds about him.

Yet, it is also for any Christian who wants to be prepared to give a reasoned answer for the hope that they have in the gospel of Jesus (1 Pet 3:15).

Jesus calls people to himself, yet he gives everyone the opportunity to examine him and his message before making that decision.

In this talk, we look at the unpopular and strange idea of ‘Sin’. Isn’t everyone basically good? Why is ‘sin’ such a problem to God and why such a bad thing for us?

Read the Bible texts – Mark 8:27-33; Mark 9:30-32; Mark 10:32-34

Talk 3 – What is Sin? (Outline)Download

Watch the Talk

Listen to the Talk

For more information and resources that go with the JesusWORKS course – go here

Sermon – God’s Own People (Romans 8:5-17)

Romans 1-8 Slide

The most important thing for Christians to do – especially when we find ourselves continuing to sin – is not to do, but to be; to be “in the Spirit” – that is, to belong to God through Christ and submit to his rule. Pleasing God is the work he does in us by his Spirit, as his Spirit leads us and confirms that we are God’s children and heirs, and enables us to call him “Father”.

Read the Bible Text – Romans 8:5-17

– Dave Swan

Sermon – Is God ever Satisfied? (Romans 7:7-8:4)

Romans 1-8 Slide

The unthinkable is distressingly real: Christians continue helplessly to sin. But our continued acceptance by God is not secured by trying harder to be good, but in the same way that we were made acceptable to God in the first place: through faith in the sin-bearing sacrifice of God’s Son in our place. Therefore there is now no condemnation, not for those who try harder, but for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Read the Bible Text – Romans 7:7-8:4

– Dave Swan

Sermon – Whose Slave are You? (Romans 6:1-7:6)

Romans 1-8 Slide

The gospel of free grace – justification by faith apart from works – is not a licence to sin. Our old life of sin was put to death by Jesus’ cross, and we have been given a new life of righteousness by his resurrection. That means we are no longer slaves of sin, yet slaves of God, and so we are to live out our new life, by grace not law. It is unthinkable that a Christian should continue to sin – is that possible?

Read the Bible Text – Romans 6:1-7:6

– David Shead

Sermon – Just Justice (Romans 3:21-26)

Romans Justice evangelistic image - front.png

We all love justice and hate injustice. From earliest childhood this has been the case. One of the first complaints we learn to utter is, “That’s not fair!”

But how do we go when the finger of justice is pointing at us? Are we still as passionate about it? Or is there something else we love even more?

And what about God’s justice? How do we feel about that? Is justice beneath God? Does his justice betray a cranky side of him? And how will we go when God’s finger of justice is pointed at us?

These are very important questions!

Read the Bible Text – Romans 3:21-26

– David Shead

Sermon – Who is Righteous? (Romans 1:16-3:20)

Romans 1-8 Slide

Who in our world is perfect? Mother Teresa? Gandhi? Nobel Peace Prize Laureates? Is there anyone in your community or family who is without fault?

In this sermon, we will see that all people are broken. Paul, the author, paints a vivid picture of how all people fall short of God’s standards. Both the religious and unreligious people of the 1st Century fell short of God’s standards.

But how do we compare? Can we reach the standards God has set? And what happens if we fail…?

Have a look at God’s perfect solution for our imperfect world.

Read the Bible Text – Romans 1:16-3:20

– Josh Ord