Sermons
Disturb routines to make room for the spectacular
| Advent 2023 / week 4 |
The Magi saw the star in the sky and knew something amazing was happening, a child had been born who was going to change the world. Despite being from another culture, another religion, they were open to being disturbed by God, allowing God to direct them to see someone spectacular. How are we being disturbed by God to see the spectacular? Matthew 2:1-18
The Magi saw the star in the sky and knew something amazing was happening, a child had been born who was going to change the world. Despite being from another culture, another religion, they were open to being disturbed by God, allowing God to direct them to see someone spectacular. How are we being disturbed by God to see the spectacular? Matthew 2:1-18
Disturb corruption to make room for justice
| Advent 2023 / week 3 |
King Herod liked to pretend that he was King of the Jews, and so when the Magi informed him of the news of Jesus’ birth, he was disturbed. Herod reigned with fear, intimidation and corruption. Jesus reigns with justice, righteousness and compassion. The birth of Jesus demonstrates the beginning of God establishing His Kingdom of justice on earth. But it is not fully here yet. We still see such corruption and injustice in the world. Read more
King Herod liked to pretend that he was King of the Jews, and so when the Magi informed him of the news of Jesus’ birth, he was disturbed. Herod reigned with fear, intimidation and corruption. Jesus reigns with justice, righteousness and compassion. The birth of Jesus demonstrates the beginning of God establishing His Kingdom of justice on earth. But it is not fully here yet. We still see such corruption and injustice in the world. Read more
Disturb our prejudices to make room for everyone
| Advent 2023 / week 2 |
When Jesus was born, the angels visited some people to invite them to be witnesses to the special event. But the angels didn’t go to the palace to find the king and his court. They didn’t go to the Temple to find the religious elite. They didn’t go to the richest, most influential people to give them the message. Instead, they went to a field, where they found a few shepherds out tending the sheep. Read more
When Jesus was born, the angels visited some people to invite them to be witnesses to the special event. But the angels didn’t go to the palace to find the king and his court. They didn’t go to the Temple to find the religious elite. They didn’t go to the richest, most influential people to give them the message. Instead, they went to a field, where they found a few shepherds out tending the sheep. Read more
Disturb our ordinary lives to work a miracle
| Advent 2023 / week 1 |
Christmas is often pictured as a cute, fluffy scene that we can put on Christmas cards. But the real first Christmas would have been disturbing, shocking. Lives would have been shaken up and transformed. This Advent season, we’re going to look at the different ways Christ’s arrival disturbed the lives of people around Him, and consider how God wants to disturb our lives and transform them for His glory. This week we think about God disturbs ordinary lives to make room for the miraculous Read more
Christmas is often pictured as a cute, fluffy scene that we can put on Christmas cards. But the real first Christmas would have been disturbing, shocking. Lives would have been shaken up and transformed. This Advent season, we’re going to look at the different ways Christ’s arrival disturbed the lives of people around Him, and consider how God wants to disturb our lives and transform them for His glory. This week we think about God disturbs ordinary lives to make room for the miraculous Read more
A Vision Realised
| Remembrance Sunday 2023 |
Today is Remembrance Sunday, a day in which we pause and remember those affected by war - by the wars of the past and the wars of today. But God calls us to a different way of life. Micah paints a picture of the life that God calls us to, a life where God dwells with His people and weapons of war are transformed into instruments of growth. Can we allow God to transform our hearts so that we can see a glimpse of this vision of heaven in our own lives? Read more
Today is Remembrance Sunday, a day in which we pause and remember those affected by war - by the wars of the past and the wars of today. But God calls us to a different way of life. Micah paints a picture of the life that God calls us to, a life where God dwells with His people and weapons of war are transformed into instruments of growth. Can we allow God to transform our hearts so that we can see a glimpse of this vision of heaven in our own lives? Read more
Break Me: Blessing of Brokenness
| Dangerous Prayers / 7 |
Becoming broken by God can be a wonderful blessing as we allow the Perfect Potter to remould and remake us into something beautiful. God can redeem our brokenness and make perfect our weaknesses. If we give ourselves, including our brokenness, to God, He will bring joy out of sadness, glory out of dishonour, strength out of weakness. He will turn the broken things into something beautiful. Can you trust God to bring blessing out of brokenness? Read more
Becoming broken by God can be a wonderful blessing as we allow the Perfect Potter to remould and remake us into something beautiful. God can redeem our brokenness and make perfect our weaknesses. If we give ourselves, including our brokenness, to God, He will bring joy out of sadness, glory out of dishonour, strength out of weakness. He will turn the broken things into something beautiful. Can you trust God to bring blessing out of brokenness? Read more
Break Me: The Need to be Broken
| Dangerous Prayers / 6 |
None of us want to be broken. None of us want to experience trial and hardship, but if we want to grow, we need to allow God to break us. We need to be humbled to recognise our need for God and for Him to take control. Can we ask God to break us, and reform us in His perfect ways? The truth is, we are already broken. But if we are prepared to pray the prayer “break me Lord” then we can be broken in the right way, and put back together by our loving Father, the awesome Creator. Read more
None of us want to be broken. None of us want to experience trial and hardship, but if we want to grow, we need to allow God to break us. We need to be humbled to recognise our need for God and for Him to take control. Can we ask God to break us, and reform us in His perfect ways? The truth is, we are already broken. But if we are prepared to pray the prayer “break me Lord” then we can be broken in the right way, and put back together by our loving Father, the awesome Creator. Read more
Dangerous Prayers: Lead Me
| Dangerous Prayers / 5 |
We are all called to move forward, to keep going in life; but we need to ask ourselves a very important question: in which direction? God longs for us to turn to Him and ask Him to lead us. Only by following God’s directions can we be certain we are on the right path. Are you willing to pray that dangerous prayer and ask God to lead you in the way everlasting? Read more
We are all called to move forward, to keep going in life; but we need to ask ourselves a very important question: in which direction? God longs for us to turn to Him and ask Him to lead us. Only by following God’s directions can we be certain we are on the right path. Are you willing to pray that dangerous prayer and ask God to lead you in the way everlasting? Read more
See if there is any offensive way in me
| Dangerous Prayers / 4 |
As much as we’d like to admit otherwise, we are sinful people. We do things that go against God’s will for our lives. And sometimes we have become so used to doing those things that we don’t even recognise we’re doing it anymore. This is why David prayed “See if there is any offensive way in me”. David knew he needed God’s help to root out the wrongdoing in his life and to bring him to repentance. Read more
As much as we’d like to admit otherwise, we are sinful people. We do things that go against God’s will for our lives. And sometimes we have become so used to doing those things that we don’t even recognise we’re doing it anymore. This is why David prayed “See if there is any offensive way in me”. David knew he needed God’s help to root out the wrongdoing in his life and to bring him to repentance. Read more
Know My Anxious Thoughts
| Dangerous Prayers / 3 |
What do you fear? What keeps you awake at night, and occupies your thoughts during the day? What fears and anxieties hold your mind hostage? David prays to God asking Him to “Test me and know my anxious thoughts.” We all experience anxieties and fears. And often we allow these to hold us back and stop us walking in faith into what God calls us to. But David took his fears to God and asked God to take control, to help him face his fears. Read more
What do you fear? What keeps you awake at night, and occupies your thoughts during the day? What fears and anxieties hold your mind hostage? David prays to God asking Him to “Test me and know my anxious thoughts.” We all experience anxieties and fears. And often we allow these to hold us back and stop us walking in faith into what God calls us to. But David took his fears to God and asked God to take control, to help him face his fears. Read more
