Hope From James for a Broken Divided Church Today “The glory that you have given me (cf, 17:5) I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, … Continue reading →

Beyond AI “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let … Continue reading →

Welcome to the Supper 22/5/24 Sparrows College Bible Reading Rev 1:9; 19:1-10 Introduction In ways that are both in line with his earthly life (https://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Luke-Food.htm) and radical discontinuous, the climax of Jesus’ history with humanity involves a meal. This is … Continue reading →

Lord of the Nations Pentecost Sunday 2024 Acts 2:1-21;Ps 104:26-36; Rom 8:17-27; John 15:26-27; 16:4-15 https://www.daleappleby.net/index.php/mp3-sermons/51-recent-sermons/1202-pentecost-2 Introduction  [] = omitted from sermon [It is indispensable to Christian authenticity that] we must interpret Pentecost as a climactic event in [the Spirit’s … Continue reading →

Unthinking Heretics “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all … Continue reading →

Un-F/fathered: the national shame of Indigenous deprivation “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did … Continue reading →

Indwelling All Things Background I have been reading, Is the Great Commission still Great?) by Steve Richardson, son of Don Richardson (author of the famed Peace Child and Eternity in Their Hearts). The central thesis of these books is that … Continue reading →

Christian Anti-Semitism Today “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!…. For the gifts and the calling of God can never be withdrawn.” (Rom 11:1, 29) Background After the atrocities initiating the Hamas-Israel war, I was approached … Continue reading →

Known By God “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hos 6:3) … Continue reading →

A Patchwork of Protective Prayer Background A major shift on my spiritual journey came decades ago when the Spirit of the Lord persistently, and uninvitedly, challenged me to change my prayer life. Whilst the outstanding dimension of this was the … Continue reading →

Change the Culture 1: Re-laying the Foundation “no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3:11) Introduction Whilst many contemporary Western Christians are appalled by the “woke” culture flooding our … Continue reading →

Seeing Angels Gen 28:10-18; John 1:43-51 Introduction  https://youtube.com/watch?v=wu5X_PZys84&si=yjiQ09sH4k0CDIhb Today’s Gospel story, unlike the remarkable miracles (walking on water, feeding the 5, 000) and famous teachings of Jesus (Sermon on the Mount), is virtually unknown to many believers. “Who after all … Continue reading →

Recapitulation Through Suffering Foundational Background: a Revelation of Jesus My journey into understanding something of the scope of Jesus person and work started with an unexpected call in 1994 at the end of a week of prayer (7 days, 6am-6 … Continue reading →

18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. … Continue reading →

Jesus’ Baptism and Ours Gen 1:1-5; Ps 29:1-11; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Introduction https://youtube.com/watch?v=HRm6MU5hpV8&si=G6HfD1NRMgZzrMn6 Though the Bible speaks of “one baptism” uniting all Christians (Eph 4:5), but the Church has divided itself over the age of baptismal candidates, how much … Continue reading →

2024 More Shocking than Ever Background In, The Experience of God, the saintly Romanian Orthodox theologian, Dumitru Staniloae (1903-1993), speaks truth out of suffering. The love of Christ shines through his very concentrated volume. As a Confessor of Jesus, imprisoned … Continue reading →

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Ps 148; Isa 61:10-62:3; Gal 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40 Introduction https://youtube.com/watch?v=2tRa-ds4oU4&si=VyiR3YzlL3Mq1DY4 The omission of the Song of Simeon from our regular liturgies has been costly to the life of the Church, because today’s Gospel … Continue reading →

The Sacrifice of Faith “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 8: Things that must soon take place (Rev 1:1). Bible Readings [] =used in sermon https://youtu.be/NouP1slwvaQ?si=jfztV_qOaxkl-Xvj Revelation 6   Revelation 13 Introduction Made in God’s image, humans have an inbuilt instinct that life is meant to … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 7[1][2]: Music and Singing Bible Readings [] =omitted from sermon https://youtube.com/watch?v=sWD3LAFe9gs&si=SNeDyxRQXPLETsBW Ex 15:1-18 Psalm 116 Rev 15:1-4 Introduction [Long ago I realised the power, promise and pitfalls of singing.] As a very young enthusiastic believer … Continue reading →

The Cost of Confidence in Christ Introduction I am meant to be on a spiritual retreat, seeking refreshment from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:20), but sometimes God has other plans. Given that 2023 has been a hard year, … Continue reading →

Talents and the Judgement Ps 85:1-2; 8-13; Isa 40:1-11; 2 Pet 3:8-15a; Matt 25:14-30 st Marks 9.30 10.12.23 (Explanation on extra section at conclusion) * Like many of the parables of Jesus, that of the talents includes us all, you … Continue reading →

Seeing the Invisible Introduction An aged Christian friend commonly shares how he loves testimonies, for no one can argue with a personal experience. There is something to this claim, especially when backed, as it should always be, by the foundation … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 6: Charismatic Gifts in the Bible and Today Bible readings  [] =omitted from verbal presentation https://youtube.com/watch?v=ybRpjiH2YH8&si=jaHRNh1QP-sECZM4 Luke 3:15-22 Acts 2:29-33 1 Cor 12:1-11 Introduction In the process of coming to Christ [from an unchurched background][1], … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New 5: Confession and Repentance   https://youtube.com/watch?v=dXh-S-7rOGs&si=Fout7LKsMweRB9gR  Bible readings Psalm 32 Mark 1:9-15 Acts 19:11-20 James 5:13-16 Preamble For a consistent Christ-centred approach like I intend, tonight’s focus on confession of sin is especially difficult. Whilst it … Continue reading →

Is Hell Really Real? A Meditation Background It has been a most difficult week. Besides my usual cardiac symptoms, I have come down with excruciating arthritis in both knees, making mobility at times extremely difficult (sceptics can see for themselves: … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 4: The Lord’s Supper as the Story of Jesus Bible Readings  [ ]  = not preached Luke 22:14-22 1 Cor 11:27-34 Introduction  https://youtube.com/watch?v=25p1TBuRIwU&si=b1e0D-OREXTknuUW A well-known Evangelical teacher prophetically spoke of the Lord’s Supper, “Satan fears … Continue reading →

Discipleship Crisis: stop imitating ordinary people Introduction A global prayer figure was recently accused of sexual improprieties, https://ministrywatch.com/international-house-of-prayer-relieves-mike-bickle-of-duties-begins-formal-investigation/. True of false, what I have noticed is that he shares a cultural trend common in Pentecostal-Evangelical circles, tolerating imitation. Whether this … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 3: Rival Stories [] = omit from spoken presentation https://youtube.com/watch?v=2uQIfBWi3wg&si=lrBcgi6MSWvg_fn_ Practical Application: Apostles’ Creed[1] I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our … Continue reading →

Worship Old and New Part 2: Starting in Heaven https://youtube.com/watch?v=RL4K0vMu3yY&si=ZId27zZHqdDcDDH2 Practical Application (to be sung) Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing: … Continue reading →