Sermon Video

Sunday, December 25, 2011

How to Have a Great Christmas



In the final message of our Christmas series, we add tinsel and treats to our tree.  The Tinsel reminds us of the humility of the Saviour’s birth.  If He had chosen to come as a king He would have needed to rule justly, treating us as we deserve.  The Baubles we added to the tree on the previous week remind us that we have all sinned against God, and the penalty that our sins deserve is death.  Jesus as King would need to pass judgement.

However He did not come to function as a King, He came to play the role of servant.  Instead of a palace He had a stable and a bed of straw, which is symbolised by the tinsel on our tree.  As a servant He did exactly what the angel announced to Joseph – He saved us from our sins.  Now there is forgiveness and freedom for those who accept it from Him.

The treats complete the message.  They represent the goodness that waits for those who have been saved from sin.  Because our sins have been dealt with, we are free to belong in God’s family and enjoy eternal life with Him.  We look forward to the time when Jesus returns as King or we go to be with Him, where evil no longer corrupts us and everything around us because it has been judged and dealt with by the King of Kings.

So how can we have a great Christmas?  The shepherds provide us with a great example.
·         They Heard the Message about Jesus
They didn’t give in to fear and run away!  They allowed God to break into their normal experience to speak a life-changing message.
·         They Received the Message about Jesus
They allowed the angels’ message to shape their actions.  They left their sheep behind and went to Jesus.
·         They Shared the Message about Jesus
Once they had encountered Jesus for themselves, they then shared about Him with others.

We can choose to do the same this Christmas.  We’ve had the chance to hear the message about Jesus.  Will you receive that message and allow it to shape your life?  Will you accept Jesus as the Saviour who came to free you from your sins and the King who now reigns in glory?  Will you share the message about Him with those around you who need to hear about Him?

All of us will meet Jesus as King one day.  How we meet Him will depend on whether we have first met Him as our Saviour.  Will you stand before Him as one whose sins are forgiven and who can receive blessings from His hand, or will you stand before Him on your own merits and face the awful reality of His judgement?

Your Christmas can only be a Great Christmas when it reminds you of why Jesus came the first time and when you know that you stand prepared for when He comes again.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Lure of Sin


The Light of the World shows us who God is, but He also reveals who we are. Part of that is good news - we are people made in the image of God. Part of it is bad news - we have been corrupted by sin. There is a part of us that is attracted by things that we know are wrong, even though we are aware that the consequences of sin are disastrous. In this message we explore some practical biblical instruction for how we can turn away from the lure of sin in order to live the life Jesus came to give us. He has set us free and shown us how to live in that freedom. We discover the need to:
   1) start at home, looking at our own lives rather than focusing on the sins of others; to
   2) identify the issue, which is not temptation 'out there', but evil desires within us; to
   3) set our hearts and minds on things above rather than focusing on things that draw our sinful nature; and to
   4) use the tools God's given, which are His Spirit, Word and People who serve to identify areas of hidden sin and help us to change.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Jesus is the Light of the World



Christmas series 2011 pt 2
Jesus is the Light of the World - audio
11/12/2011

Having established in the previous message that God is by nature relational - He exists in a perfect love relationship with Father, Son and Spirit - we now move on to explore Jesus as the One who reveals God to us. We can share in the love relationship that exists within God Himself as we believe and receive the truth that is found in Jesus. This truth not only reveals who God is, but who we are and how we can be reconciled to God.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Three's a Crowd?

The Glorious Doctrine of the Trinity

The Doctrine of the Trinity is a mystery that is beyond our understanding, yet it is something that God desires us to know about Himself. In this message we discover some of the Biblical evidence for the fact that there is only one God, yet He exists simultaneously in three persons - Father, Son and Spirit. This perfect state of relationship is a picture for us of what we will enjoy for all eternity - a love relationship of complete unity, unbroken by sin.