Holy Smoke                                                                                                            from10.6.16 Personal matters Last week one of the brothers brought this puzzling text to us; “To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so … Continue reading →

A message spoken at a combined church meeting: When I was asked to speak about unity I thought about all the Christians who I have found it very difficult to get on with and consequently avoid ever speaking to.  I … Continue reading →

This is a sermon preached at Ocean Keys Baptist Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe … Continue reading →

                                                                                                                                              The The Silence of the Lamb Personal matters Why does God sometimes not reply to our requests? This issue was raised for us by Jesus’ rebuttal to a man who sought personal justice; ““who made me a judge or … Continue reading →

Jesus’ Heaven Personal Matters Last Friday a brother shared about reading Jonathan Edwards on how in heaven we will delight forever in new facets of the glory of God. This is the picture given us in Revelation of the ceaseless … Continue reading →

Bad Person Personal Matters Last Friday one of the brothers who ministers to young adults was deeply disturbed about the scarcity of spiritual fathers/mothers in the Church. This led us to a key passage in Paul; “I do not write … Continue reading →

Introduction To understand the meaning of baptism is of vital importance and something which generates much misunderstanding and, sadly, even division amongst the congregation of believers. In fact the work of God in baptism should, conversely, bring about unity. The … Continue reading →

Promise          Gen 22:1-19; Ps 105:1-11; Gal 3:15-18;John 8:39-59St Mark’s 22.5.16 https://vimeo.com/163252033    4 minute video precedes sermon   (Questions below followed by…? allow the congregation to verbally respond.) Introduction Throughout our series on Galatians we have seen Paul engaging in one long argument against … Continue reading →

In a recently read article about the parents of autistic and intellectually handicapped children it was revealed that the “overwhelming majority” of parents had negative experiences in their churches and with their clergy when it came to accommodating their disabled … Continue reading →

Undying Love Personal Matters In prayer last Friday we were directed to this text; “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, … Continue reading →

Surely the greatest wonder of Christian truth is God sharing in humanity. Not simply a theophany or a god appearing in the guise of a human such as in Hinduism or Greek mythology where a God takes the form of … Continue reading →

Despised Personal Matters Last Friday morning we were led to pray into a very unpleasant subject. The experience of being “despised” is one you are unlikely to hear expounded in Church today.  But the Bible has a lot to say … Continue reading →

Faith and Spirit Gen 12:1-3; 15:1-6; Ps 32; Gal 3:1-9 Luke 24:44-49St Marks 1.5.16 Introduction Galatians 3:1-9 is a passage where Paul gets fired up against those false teachers who are trying to persuade Gentile Christians that they need to … Continue reading →

Perplexed About Nothing Personal Matters In our Friday prayer time last week the Lord started to speak with us from 2 Corinthians; “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but … Continue reading →

“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.  I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.  But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by … Continue reading →

In his high priestly prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed for his disciples.  He prayed, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (17:22).  What is this glory which … Continue reading →

Angels of Heaven Personal Matters In prayer last Friday we began to engage with an alien topic for mainstream Western Christianity. Though there are hundreds of references to angels in scripture in practical terms for most of us they may … Continue reading →

Unrestrained Personal Matters Someone at Friday prayers was asking the Lord why in his young adults’ fellowship there was an unrestrained response to Christ one week and next time they met the usual measured spirituality. Certainly the cry of dereliction, … Continue reading →

Club or Church ?                     Lev 11:1-12; Ps 26; Gal 2:11-14; Mark 7:1-23 St Mark’s9.4.16  “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the … Continue reading →

Great Things Personal Matters At our Friday morning prayer last week a brother quoted Paul, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in … Continue reading →

The Law and the Glory        2 Cor 3:1-18    Yarloop Christian Fellowship             3.4.16 “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our … Continue reading →

The ABC recently screened a documentary about transgender kids in the US.[1]  The youngest child in the documentary was five years old.  There is a movement to enable children labeled as transgender to transition as soon as possible.  The belief … Continue reading →

Unclean Spirits Personal Matters A man tries to kill himself by running straight in front of my friend’s car, a brother’s niece hospitalised and on suicide watch, children who are too anxious to go to school, a ministry forced to … Continue reading →

At the end of his last meal with his disciples Jesus “took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same … Continue reading →

I recently watched a documentary about a 16-year-old boy in the UK who wanted to become a drag queen.  He had already come out as gay and had decided to come out as a drag queen at his school prom. … Continue reading →

Crucified Eyes         20.3.16                                                                                                Introduction We are living through one of the most dramatic shifts in the history of Western Christianity, from being the most respected institution in the nation as a holy presence the Church is now tolerated by the powers … Continue reading →

Living Repentance Personal Matters Two people attending a shared prayer time recently had been independently drawn to the same passage during the week; “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which … Continue reading →

Jesus Plus…Tradition St Mark’s 6.3.16 Deut 6:4-7; Ps 78:1-8; Gal 1:11-14; Matt 15:1-9 “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any … Continue reading →

Fathering Grief Personal Matters An important message sometimes needs multiple confirmations. This word began as I was listening to angry undertones from some Indigenous Christians on Sunday about the way their ancestors had been treated by whites. As I prayed … Continue reading →

Find Your Voice Introduction I was in inner city Melbourne for a conference last week and experienced an ugly contrast between the world and the Church. Walking down Swanston St I came across a very conspicuous brothel with a neon … Continue reading →