Sermons
Christmas Day: Women of the Nativity: Mary’s Story
Happy Christmas! Hoping you have a very love-filled and joy-filled day. It is Christmas Day! A day of celebration and joy! A day we remember that God Himself chose to come to earth because He loves us so much. But it is also a day to pause and reflect. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. In the excitement of presents, food, family and friends, let us not forget to treasure the greatest gift that we can ever receive - the gift of God with us! Read more
Happy Christmas! Hoping you have a very love-filled and joy-filled day. It is Christmas Day! A day of celebration and joy! A day we remember that God Himself chose to come to earth because He loves us so much. But it is also a day to pause and reflect. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. In the excitement of presents, food, family and friends, let us not forget to treasure the greatest gift that we can ever receive - the gift of God with us! Read more
Elizabeth’s Story
| Women of the Nativity / 3 |
As we continue to follow our Advent series, using the book ‘Women of the Nativity: An Advent and Christmas journey in nine stories’ by Paula Gooder, we turn our attention to Elizabeth and Zechariah. This couple had been diligently serving God their whole lives, but remained childless until they received unexpected joy from God who promised a son. What joys, expected or unexpected, do you have? How can you share your joy with others so that they may join you in praising God? Read more
As we continue to follow our Advent series, using the book ‘Women of the Nativity: An Advent and Christmas journey in nine stories’ by Paula Gooder, we turn our attention to Elizabeth and Zechariah. This couple had been diligently serving God their whole lives, but remained childless until they received unexpected joy from God who promised a son. What joys, expected or unexpected, do you have? How can you share your joy with others so that they may join you in praising God? Read more
Sarah’s Story
| Women of the Nativity / 2 |
The story of Christmas, of God coming down to dwell with His creation is bigger than just the events of the Nativity as found recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The story of Christmas echoes throughout the whole of human history. Matthew’s gospel recognises that the story of Christ begins long ago, as he starts his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, starting with Abraham who fathered Isaac. Which is why we are spending time looking at the story of Abraham and Sarah this week. Read more
The story of Christmas, of God coming down to dwell with His creation is bigger than just the events of the Nativity as found recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The story of Christmas echoes throughout the whole of human history. Matthew’s gospel recognises that the story of Christ begins long ago, as he starts his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, starting with Abraham who fathered Isaac. Which is why we are spending time looking at the story of Abraham and Sarah this week. Read more
So… Share
| Emmanuel - So What? / |
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples an important command and commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus was talking to all of us when He made that statement. We do not have be a Biblical scholar or a charismatic public speaker to be qualified to make disciples, we just have to love God and love others. There is also nothing that disqualifies us either. God is in the business of using broken, flawed people. Read more
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples an important command and commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus was talking to all of us when He made that statement. We do not have be a Biblical scholar or a charismatic public speaker to be qualified to make disciples, we just have to love God and love others. There is also nothing that disqualifies us either. God is in the business of using broken, flawed people. Read more
So… Trust
| Emmanuel - So What? / 6 |
One of the biggest questions we need to ask ourselves is “Am I going to trust God?” Am I going to trust God to guide me each day? Am I going to trust God when things seem out of control? Am I going to trust God enough to let Him use me? Are you trusting in God? Will you let Him lead you? Let’s continue to encourage one another to keep trusting God. Read more
One of the biggest questions we need to ask ourselves is “Am I going to trust God?” Am I going to trust God to guide me each day? Am I going to trust God when things seem out of control? Am I going to trust God enough to let Him use me? Are you trusting in God? Will you let Him lead you? Let’s continue to encourage one another to keep trusting God. Read more
So… Remember with hope
| Emmanuel - So What? / 5 |
Today is Remembrance Sunday, a day to look back and remember the horrors of war and the sacrifice of millions of lives. But it is also a day to look and remember God is with us. We can gain confidence and hope for the present through remembrance as we see God was with us during those difficult times, and He is and has always been our refuge and strength. We can also have confidence and hope for eternity as we remember that all our trials are temporary. Read more
Today is Remembrance Sunday, a day to look back and remember the horrors of war and the sacrifice of millions of lives. But it is also a day to look and remember God is with us. We can gain confidence and hope for the present through remembrance as we see God was with us during those difficult times, and He is and has always been our refuge and strength. We can also have confidence and hope for eternity as we remember that all our trials are temporary. Read more
So… Serve in the Spirit
| Emmanuel - So What? / 4 |
The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer and equips every person with spiritual gifts that are intended to be used to serve others so that the Kingdom of God grows. Everyone who believes in God is given a spiritual gift. These gifts are given to us so that we can serve others effectively. And so, in response to the wonderful news that God is always with us, we should use our gifts to serve as best as we can. Read more
The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer and equips every person with spiritual gifts that are intended to be used to serve others so that the Kingdom of God grows. Everyone who believes in God is given a spiritual gift. These gifts are given to us so that we can serve others effectively. And so, in response to the wonderful news that God is always with us, we should use our gifts to serve as best as we can. Read more
So… Surrender
| Emmanuel - So What? / 3 |
Jesus says “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”. But denying ourselves, surrendering ourselves is not something we do naturally. We must ask God to help us to submit ourselves to God. We need to surrender to God, even when we don’t like what He says to us. We need to surrender to God even when it goes against our plans. Read more
Jesus says “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”. But denying ourselves, surrendering ourselves is not something we do naturally. We must ask God to help us to submit ourselves to God. We need to surrender to God, even when we don’t like what He says to us. We need to surrender to God even when it goes against our plans. Read more
So… Be Grace-filled
| Emmanuel - So What? / 2 |
God is with us always because we have been forgiven the huge weight of our sin and rebellion against God. This deserves our response. So how do we respond to such an amazing thing? Firstly is to be eternally grateful to God and to give Him our thanks. Secondly is to allow that forgiveness to overflow into our lives. When we are hurt, we need to remember to forgive as we have been forgiven! Read more
God is with us always because we have been forgiven the huge weight of our sin and rebellion against God. This deserves our response. So how do we respond to such an amazing thing? Firstly is to be eternally grateful to God and to give Him our thanks. Secondly is to allow that forgiveness to overflow into our lives. When we are hurt, we need to remember to forgive as we have been forgiven! Read more
So… Praise!
| Emmanuel - So What? / 1 |
For the last few weeks we have been thinking about God being with us in the Valleys of our lives. But what are we going to do with that wonderful knowledge that God is always with us? For the next few weeks, our series, Emmanuel - So What? is going to look at how we respond to the knowledge of God’s presence with us. One of the most obvious responses to knowing God is with us at all times is praise. Read more
For the last few weeks we have been thinking about God being with us in the Valleys of our lives. But what are we going to do with that wonderful knowledge that God is always with us? For the next few weeks, our series, Emmanuel - So What? is going to look at how we respond to the knowledge of God’s presence with us. One of the most obvious responses to knowing God is with us at all times is praise. Read more
