The end result of Philip’s preaching in Samaria is summarised in Acts 8:8 “So there was great joy in that city.” As we launch our Blacktown campus today this text challenges us to ask the question, “What will it take for MBM to bring great joy to Blacktown?”
There are many famous walls in the world which visually represent the division of hostility between countries, people groups and even religions. Today we are going to look at the work God did in his son Jesus to tear down the wall of hostility between all peoples and how this is on display not only before a watching world but also in the heavenly realms.
Have you ever had your reality shattered? Perhaps you have experienced betrayal in a relationship, had your identity stolen or maybe you bought a used car that turned out to be a lemon! Today Jesus will confront us with reality by telling us a story and showing us a stone. Those who understand and believe the story will be amazed and marvel! Those who reject will be shattered suddenly and irreversibly by the stone.
In 2 Cor. 8-9, Paul continues to unpack his favourite topic of grace and here he applies it to giving. In this sermon we ask three questions about this text: 1. What is this grace of giving? 2. What would is the goal of grace giving? 3. What is God actually promising about giving?
We have all struggled with anger either in ourselves or from others. The Bible has a lot to say about anger. Proverbs in particular helps us see how anger can be used as a good gift from God if we use it to stir gently, burn warmly and rule wisely.
If there was a way to bottle up peace and sell it, it would be the hottest gift this Mother’s Day. In our text today, there has been chaos in Israel for 20 years. Deborah, a mother in Israel, rises up and to bring peace to her people. But there’s a surprise! It’s not Deborah but someone else who brings peace and gets the glory.
What was it about the death of Jesus that brought two men out of hiding? For some time both Joseph and Nicodemus had been secret disciples of Jesus. They had faith but only enough to follow him from a safe distance. When they saw Jesus die, they were radically changed. They came out of hiding to be all in for Jesus. John tells us what happened to them so we too can believe and live the all in life.
We have a deep longing for justice. Has your desire for justice ever made you ask hard questions of God? In this sermon, Jesus answers the people asking questions about God’s plan for justice and he confronts those who falsely accuse him. In God’s plan, he never brings justice without first offering mercy.
Making plans for 2023 gives us an opportunity to peak behind the curtains of our heart to see what we think about God. It also helps us see Jesus as the ultimate person who surrenders all to the Father’s control as the ultimate act of trust about what is coming.
Staying connected to Jesus gives us all we need for the life we long for. Confidence replaces shame. Intimacy with Jesus drives out sin. We find meaning and purpose for the life God designed us to live.
John was an ordinary man who fell in love with an extraordinary man named Jesus. He shows us Jesus was a real man who really loved us and made a way for us to dwell with him forever.
Sometimes God has unusual ways of showing up in our lives like he did with Moses and the burning bush. God wants us to know he sees, hears and is truly concerned about our suffering. He offers to be with us if we will put our trust in Him.
The way Jesus teaches us to pray would seem to indicated he knows forgiveness is not easy for us. In fact, what we are going to see today is “It is the prayer that moves our hearts so we actually want to forgive.” What does Jesus want us to know and learn about His Father and forgiveness and how does prayer interact with that?
Jesus wants us to see that His Father is good! He uses his sun and rain to create a safe space where all people can see his goodness. And this is how he wants us to treat others.
There is one thing that makes us invincible until the day our work for God is finished. Today, Pastor Steve Gibb takes us to Acts 23 and 24 and we see that our mission can not fail because Jesus is alive and walking with us each step of the way.
God is calling us to engage with others as he has has lovingly engaged with us. In this talk, we look at 3 pictures, 2 commands and 1 big goal that help us do that.