Discovery Church

08/03/2026 - Kyle HannaSeries: Jesus is LordScripture: John 3:1–15The SettingNicodemus, a Pharisee and respected teacher of the law, comes to Jesus at night. Though he is moral, religious, and knowledgeable, Jesus tells him something surprising:“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)Nicodemus assumes Jesus means a physical rebirth, but Jesus is speaking about spiritual rebirth.What We Think the New Birth IsMany people assume the new birth means moral improvement:Trying harder to live wellFollowing rules more carefullyBecoming a better personBut Nicodemus already lived this way. If the new birth were about effort, he would already qualify.Trying to change ourselves through effort alone is like driving in thick fog with high beams on—it feels helpful but actually makes it harder to see.What we need isn’t brighter headlights.We need the fog to lift.What the New Birth Actually IsJesus explains the new birth is a work of God.Drawing from Ezekiel 36, God promises:“I will sprinkle clean water on you.”“I will give you a new heart.”“I will put my Spirit within you.”The new birth is God renewing us from the inside.Think of a garden:Reformation is mowing weeds (managing behaviour).Transformation is pulling weeds out and planting new life.God doesn’t just manage sin—He plants new life within us.Jesus also says the Spirit is like wind (John 3:8).You can’t see wind, but you see its effects:Pride becomes humilityAnxiety becomes trustResentment becomes forgivenessYou don’t control the wind—you witness its effects.The Cross Makes New Birth PossibleJesus points to Numbers 21, where Moses lifted a bronze serpent in the wilderness. Those who looked at it in faith were healed.Jesus says:“So must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15)Just as the Israelites looked and lived, we look to Christ on the cross and receive life.The new birth comes through:The Spirit giving new lifeJesus’ sacrifice on the crossFaith in HimThe InvitationBeing born again is more than seeing Jesus as a teacher or trying to live well.It is receiving Him as Lord and Saviour.A new birth means:A new heartA new lifeGod dwelling within usLike the fog lifting, when we receive Christ, we begin to see clearly:Jesus is Lord — in all that we see, do, and are.Three ways to apply this to our lives:Here are three clear application questions, one for each group you mentioned:Curious about faith:Where in your life does it feel like you’re navigating fog, and what would it look like to consider that clarity might come from Jesus rather than from your own effort?New to faith:Where have you begun to notice small changes in your heart, attitudes, or desires that might be the Spirit of God at work in you?Seasoned in faith:In this season of life, what might it look like for you to lift your eyes to Jesus again and rely on Him rather than just the habits or structures of faith?

Matt Destry Come and see: how Jesus builds the churchBig ideaThis is the raw, first call of Jesus: come and see. They come. They stay. They bring others.Lordship here is relational before it is institutional. Before Jesus gives them tasks, He gives them: friendship, proximity, shared life. The Church is born not as an organisation, but as a shared orbit around a person.Text John 1:35-5135 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said"Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followedJesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said,"Rabbi" (which means "Teacher'), "where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he replied, "and you will" see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him"We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter[a]). 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth!Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe[b] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "Very truly I tell Son of Man.) will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on' (e) theExegesis: the first words of Jesus, The first community forms The pattern of discipleship, The ladder to heaven Movement 1: a church in the radical middle Word people. Spirit people. Justice people. Contemplative people.Movement 2: from admiration to followingMovement 3: why community mattersFollow: bring yourselfCome and see: bring someone elseRemain: bring your placeThe One you were seeking...has been seeking you all along.

Zeke MurleyPASSOVER — EXODUS / MANNA / THE LAMB / BLOOD / DELIVERANCE1ST MIRACLE : FEEDING OF 5000 — BREAD / PROPHET LIKE MOSES / MAKE HIM KING15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.John 6:15 ESV2ND MIRACLE : WALKING ON WATER — SELF REVELATION / IT IS I (I AM — EGO EIMI)20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”John 6:20 ESVCROWD CHASES JESUS — HUNGER / CHASING HIM FOR MORE BREAD26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”John 6:26–27 ESVWORK OF GOD VS WORK OF MAN — BELIEF IN JESUS IS THE WORK OF MAN / SALVATION MOVES FROM LAW TO HIMSELF29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”John 6:29 ESVMOSES VS JESUS — MOSES FED US FOR 40 YEARS / IT WASN’T MOSES WHO FED YOU / IT WAS NOT TRUE BREAD / DIDN’T GIVE LIFE / SOMETHING GREATER THAN EXODUS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOWSome of you are still testifying about what God did ten years ago because you haven’t recognised what He’s doing today. You cannot build the future by living emotionally in the past.ESCALATION — BREAD TO FLESH53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.The Words of Eternal Life60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”John 6:53–69 ESV

15/02/2026 - Matthew DestryBig ideaThe best people in the Kingdom are those who know when to step forward and when to step aside, without losing their joy, their identity, or their faithfulness.Jesus has not come to orbit around us. He has come to be the centre. Not to make us famous, but faithful. Not to draw attention to our name, but to His.The mark of maturity is not how many people are following you. It’s whether you are still pointing to Jesus when fewer people are. Text: John 3:22–30After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptising. 23 John also was baptising at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptised 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptising, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”[a] Context: water everywhere, meaning everywherea: when purification becomes popularityb: heaven decides, not the crowd‘Play the great parts without pride and the small parts without shame.’ CS Lewisc: the friend of the groomFor leaders and buildersFor ageing saints and quiet servantsFor those navigating identity and season shiftsQuestions for small groupsWhen attention shifts away from you, what happens inside you?Where might you be striving to protect something that was only ever meant to be received from God?What role, title, or expectation might God be asking you to loosen your grip on in this season?If joy is found in Jesus ‘increasing’, not in us being needed, what would need to change for your joy to become complete?

08/02/2026 - Matthew DestryWhile the world still stands: Serving a Lord who stoops to serveReading – John 13:1–14 (ESV)Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. Movement 1 – The setup: love that goes all the way to the bottom (v.1)“He loved them to the end.”Movement 2 – The action: the Lord takes the lowest place (v.2–5)Movement 3 – The protest: when pride dresses up as reverence (v.6–11)“You will never wash my feet. Not as long as the world stands.”Movement 4 – The explanation: clean, but still dusty (v.12–14)Application – three movements of responseCleansing: where have your feet been this week?Questions:What has clung to your soul lately?Where have your reactions been sharper than your character?What attitudes have become normal that should be confessed?Example: if Jesus is Lord, pride cannot be my postureQuestions:What task do you secretly hope someone else will do?Where do you avoid inconvenience because it feels beneath you?Has following Jesus made you more interruptible, or more important?Commissioning: washed people become sent people“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news… who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Isaiah 52:7

01/02/2026 - Matthew DestryJohn 1:1-14In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.John presses play on the beginning:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…”Who is John?Immediate resistanceJesus is not the intern: “All things were made through him, and without him not anything was made that was made.”Why the church fought for thisLight and humanity: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”a move from solution to sovereigna move from advisor to Lord.a move from gratitude to formation.Have we reduced Jesus to a solution rather than surrendered to Him as sovereign?Do we consult Him as an advisor, or follow Him as Lord?Are we merely grateful for rescue, or being formed for a Kingdom?

25/01/2026 - Vincent GulaySolomon was the King, but he was under another authority – the God of Israel.He starts his Wisdom literature with Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning ofknowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.“Fear” or reverence, and submitting to the Lord is key to living wisely, and righteously.With relationships – we look to Jesus as the example. Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”Yes Jesus died for his Bride (the church), but he also lived righteously for his bride. We are to do the same.When it comes to romantic relationships, Song of Solomon shows us imagery using gardens as a metaphor, and we are to cultivate a romantic relationship to full bloom.The Bible gives us some guidance on how we can see our gardens in bloom.– Prepare the Soil –Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time and season for everything…”Song of Solomon 2:7 – “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”Song of Solomon 2:11–12 – “For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. Theflowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove isheard in our land.”Song of Solomon 7:12 – “Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vine has budded, ifthe blossom has opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom.”Each of us, regardless of relationship status, are in a specific season of our lives. We arecalled to steward our current season. Let’s ask, “Where do I need healing, where do I needto learn, what do I need to build?”Prepare the soil today, for the garden of tomorrow.Build romance.– Enjoy the Fruit –Ecclesiastes 9:9 – Enjoy life with your wife whom you love – Ecc 9:9Proverbs 5:18–19 – May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice with the wife of youryouth.Song of Solomon 7:12 – “Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, iftheir blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom—there I will give you mylove.”Enjoy the fruit in your garden, and continue to cultivate it.Build intimacy for romance’s sake!Intimacy > Vulnerability > Romance in bloom– Guarding the Garden –Song of Solomon 2:15 – Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, ourvineyards that are in bloom.(External) Proverbs 7:21(Internal) Song of Solomon Chapter 5 Caution, ‘foxes’ in the Modern Era:Language – ‘work wife/work husband’‘Best friends’ of the opposite genderAny relationship/friendship that, if you really go deep, is serving a need that only yourspouse shouldComfort and convenience – don’t get lazy, don’t make excusesPractical Tips:Commit to high transparencyCommit to accountabilityCommit to healthy coping (stress awareness)Commit to wise stewardshipCommit to wise counselCommit to Christ-like formationSong of Solomon 8 - Commit to a relationship in bloom.

18/01/2026 - Ps Matthew DestryProverbs 3:9–10Honour the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your produce;then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.Thought one: honour comes before abundanceThought two: firstfruits train the heartThought three: abundance follows alignment“The retribution principle”Wisdom assumes that creation is morally ordered because God is good. There’s a grain to the universe, and sin is living against the grain. When you live aligned with God’s ways, life tends toward fruitfulness. When you live misaligned, life tends toward fracture.But Proverbs isn’t naïve. It’s not like Job’s friends. It’s not saying, “Good things always happen to good people.” Ecclesiastes and Job exist in the canon precisely to stop us turning Proverbs into simplistic guarantees. The Bible has this exact internal conversation: wisdom without humility becomes cruelty.1. Steward your words before you steward your wealth2. See money as an entrustment, not a trophy3. Let money serve the season you are inFor teens:For young adults:For families:For over 55s:4. Practice generosity somewhere concrete and consistentTrue wealth is not what you accumulate. It is who you trust. Jesus is not just our example. He is our source. When Christ is Lord, money is liberated, and wisdom becomes a way of life.

11/01/2026 - Matt RobinsonScripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 and 12:8-13 Point 1: VapourThe word meaningless comes from the hebrew word “Heval” – which means “vapour”Everything under the sun… everything you can see… Solomon is saying that if we look around us and this is all that there is to life, it’s meaningless.Ecclesieastes is making the point that we can’t just look at everything under the sun for life’s purpose. All the work, goals, achievements, ambitions, what do they matter? When we make life about these things, life is meaningless.Vapour – Everything under the SUN is meaninglessSolomon expands on this in Chapter 2 by listing all of his achievements. He’s reminding us that he knows what he’s talking about, he’s had it all: fame, wealth, luxury, romance, wisdom, power. Point 2: The VineThere is God and because there is a God, there is meaning. The world wasn’t an accident but was created and created with intention, reason and purpose.God is goodness, life. In Him we find fulfillment, purpose, joy and worthIn other words, when we live for God, we live for meaning and as a result, what we do has meaning, life has meaning, all “these” things have purpose, defined by God.This God is Christ, all of the bible speaks of God, his character, traits leading to the peak of the story of all human history with Jesus hung on a cross for us.John 5:19 – Jesus lived in accordance to God’s will rather than His ownWe see this in the garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:36Jesus still: partied, worked, made friends, traveled, celebrated, studied, had hobbies, built things, helped people, told stories. He did all these things and they all had meaning because at the center, God’s will was His focus and that impacted and shaped all these other things.In John 15:1-4 Jesus instructs us to abide in Him, to be planted and rooted in Christ, attached to God and His will.Placing Jesus first and everything else under HimThe Vine – Everything under the SON has meaning Point 3: P.R.A.Y – Peter GriegP: Pause – “Be still and know I am God” Sit quietly, become entirely presentR: Rejoice – Give thanks, acknowledge God for who He is and what He’s doneA: Ask – For yourself, for others, for the big, for the smallY: Yield – Surrender yourself, invite God in, put His will firstThe goal of prayer isn’t to see more miracles but to become a miracle. It isn’t to see more prayers answered but to become an answer to someone prayerC.S.Lewis – “From the highest to the lowest, self exists to be abdicated and, by that abdication, becomes the more truly self, to be thereupon yet the more abdicated, and so forever”Meaning, our goal as Christian is to live in self-surrender of our own will, in order to seek His. This week, Ecclesiastes encourages us to reflect, is there anything we need to surrender to God? Do we need to realign our heart to place Him at the centre?

04/01/2026 - Ps Matthew DestryEveryone is an influencer; the question is, what are you influencing people toward?“The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.” 1 Kings 10:24“The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22And Ecclesiastes 5:10 warns: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money… this also is vanity.”Words outlive wealth. Gold loses its shine; wisdom gains interest forever.Three ways words build worlds1. Words shape identityPractical:This week, audit your words.What are you calling people?Do your words shrink people or stretch them?Are you naming them as beloved or labelling them as burdens?Speak to the destiny in people, not the dysfunction in them.2. Words create culturePractical: Ask yourself this week:What culture am I creating through my words?At home – do I create safety or suspicion?Online – do I contribute noise or nourishment?In church – do I speak faith or fatigue?3. Words reveal treasurePractical: Listen to yourself this week. What theme dominates your conversation – worry, wealth, gossip, gratitude?“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1Application: Three practices this week1. Bless deliberately.2. Culture check.3. Treasure test.That is the new world we now live in – the world created by the Word made flesh. The story of the Bible begins and ends with speech – God speaking, blessing, creating, redeeming.

28/12/2025 - Ps Matthew DestryTexts: Proverbs 3:1-8; Ecclesiastes 11:10“My son, do not forget my teaching,but let your heart keep my commandments,for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;bind them around your neck;write them on the tablet of your heart.So you will find favour and good successin the sight of God and man.Trust in the LORD with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths.Be not wise in your own eyes;fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.It will be healing to your fleshand refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:1-8, ESV)Three marks of biblical wellness1. Long life: “length of days and years of life”Wisdom doesn’t just add years to your life – it adds life to your years.Practical application:Are there habits or attitudes that are shortening your life?•Unforgiveness stealing your peace•Hurry eroding your health•Pride closing you off from correction2. Good sleep:  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart”3. A healthy heart:  “healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones”Practical:Who do you need to forgive, not for their sake, but for yours?Who do you need to bless instead of blame?What relationship needs investment if your own soul is to thrive?Application – Three steps this week1. Check your paceAre you living at a speed that’s shortening your soul?2. Release your nightEvery evening this week, before you scroll or switch off, make a sacred exchange.3. Invest in loveChoose one relationship to strengthen this week.

21/12/2025 - Matthew DestryJesus teaches us not only with words, but with his life. Even as a child. Even before the cross. Even before the resurrection. He teaches us how to be human before God.Luke 2:41–52Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents[g] saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[h] 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature[i] and in favor with God and man.oneJesus teaches us by being close to the Father“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”Reflection questionsWhere do I go when I’m confused?What do I do when I don’t understand what God is doing?Do I perform, or do I remain?twoJesus teaches us by submitting to ordinary obedience“He went down with them and was obedient to them.”Reflection questionsWhere am I resisting the ordinary because I’m waiting for the extraordinary?Where have I mistaken obscurity for insignificance? threeJesus teaches us by growing..“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and people.”Reflection questionsWhere am I more patient than I was?Where am I more honest than I was?Where am I more aware of my need for grace?The child in the temple becomes the man on the cross.The one who teaches us how to live by giving his life. The one who teaches us how to trust by entrusting himself to the Father. The one who teaches us how to die so that we might truly live.

14/12/2025 - Zeke Murley16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.John 3:16-21 NIVWhat’s Going On?The world didn’t just experience darkness — it lived in itLight exposes what darkness hidesThe Light doesn’t create fear or shame — it reveals what’s already thereWe don’t reject the Light because we don’t believe it, we reject it because we doWhy It MattersUnfiltered holiness isn’t safe for sinnersWe could never enter His presence in our stateChristmas is God entering our presenceThe Light didn’t come to end your story, it came to make a new one possibleExposure in God’s Kingdom isn’t final — it’s foundationalOur ResponseStop blending in — start standing outDon’t just believe truth — live itDon’t measure truth by popularityIf you love the light, you’ll move toward itInvite the light to inspect your life

Join our Senior Pastors Matt and Jody Destry as they share some big news for Discovery Church and the wider Churches of Christ VIC TAS movement.You can also watch this podcast online here!

07/12/2025 - Matthew DestryGoing home for Christmas: a meaning worth moving forRead Matthew 2:1–12 ESV (include in full)Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:“And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for from you shall come a rulerwho will shepherd my people Israel.”Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.They took the trip because they believed three deep truths that every modern heart still aches for:the world is not sealed shutGod speaks in ways that require interpretationmeaning is worth moving forTheology corner: general and special revelationPsalm 19:1 ESVThe heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.Micah 5:2 ESVBut you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.John 1:14 ESVAnd the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.He is worthy of worship from those far away.This is your sign that God remembers you. You can hear from God.Look for light in this season.The journey is hard but worth it.Christmas says: these lights won’t save you. But they reveal your hunger. And behind every lesser light is Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, gently drawing you home.

30/11/2025 - Beck LambertLament: “A passionate expression of grief that names what is wrong and anchors it to God’s truth.” Mark Vroegop – Dark Clouds, Deep MercyPsalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”The valley is not the destination or dwelling place – it is something to be navigated throughPray your PainPsalm 139:2 “You perceive my thoughts from afar”Psalm 139:4 “Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely”“When we bring our pain to God, He meets us with His presence, and that changes everything” Karra EloffPsalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”God already knows your pain, prayer gives Him access to it.Pray the WordWhen you can’t find the words, borrow them from the psalmsSuggested lament psalms to begin with: Psalm 6, Psalm 13, Psalm 77Paul’s example to us:Romans 8:35-37 ““Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”Jesus quoted the psalms through the gospels to express righteous anger, knowledge of his betrayal by Judas, and lament on the cross:John 2:14-17 “In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”John 13:18 “But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’”Practice GratitudeThe example of Psalm 13 – from a low place to gratitudePsalm 13How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I wrestle with my thoughtsand day after day have sorrow in my heart?How long will my enemy triumph over me?Look on me and answer, Lord my God.Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”and my foes will rejoice when I fall.But I trust in your unfailing love;my heart rejoices in your salvation.I will sing the Lord’s praise,for he has been good to me.The psalms of lament acknowledge both the pain of life and God’s goodness in the midst of hardship.Gratitude doesn’t erase pain — it anchors us to God’s goodness in the middle of it.Practice CommunityCommunity is God’s gift to lighten the load of grief and pain.Community can help you hear God’s voice when you can’t hear it for yourself.Community can provide those steady footsteps beside you, helping you to pace yourself as you walk through the valley.But…to have community, you must practise community.Reflection QuestionsWhere do I default to during times of pain…have I been trying to rush through my pain, or have I been stuck in it?Where might I be holding something back from God — something I need to name honestly in prayer?What’s one way I could practise gratitude this week, even in a small way?(If I’m practising community) How could I lighten the load for someone in my community this week?(If I’m not practising community) What can I do to change that, knowing community is something I need to be intentional about? Lamentations 3:15-2615 He has filled me with bitternessand given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.16 He has made me chew on gravel.He has rolled me in the dust.17 Peace has been stripped away,and I have forgotten what prosperity is.18 I cry out, “My splendour is gone!Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”19 The thought of my suffering and homelessnessis bitter beyond words.20 I will never forget this awful time,as I grieve over my loss.21 Yet I still dare to hopewhen I remember this:22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!His mercies never cease.23 Great is his faithfulness;his mercies begin afresh each morning.24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;therefore, I will hope in him!”25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,to those who search for him.26 So it is good to wait quietlyfor salvation from the Lord.

23/11/2025 - Vincent GulayPsalm 23As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the goals and plans we made.We reflect on the pace of life, and the impact of hurry on ourselves, our relationships – those welove the most.Could the Lord be calling us to a rest that renews our minds, builds our trust in Him, satisfiesour souls and bring Him glory?“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”Learning to slow down means understanding why we perceive ‘rest’ the way we do. Aligning ourworldly perspective with God’s perspective is a key benefit of rest, but also key to beginning thelife-long journey of pursuing a slower pace.“If we’re not being intentionally formed by Jesus, himself, then it’s highly likely we’re beingunintentionally formed by someone or something else.” – John Mark ComerChange your mindset around rest, then Jesus can change how you see the World.‘He makes me lie down in green pastures…’Changing our mindset is one step, but Trusting him is another thing all together. Shepherds inDavid’s time, in Jerusalem, would only see small sporadic sprigs, in the dry seasons. It wasimportant for the sheep to follow the shepherd to where the food is, and the safe places were torest.In the same way, through hard season, the Lord with show you where the provision is, and will allowyou to rest, while he keeps an eye on what’s important to you.Rest helps us increase our trust in Him.“He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”For when our souls are more tired than our bodies.We are yearning. We are thirsty for something to satisfy our desires. But nothing can, like theliving waters that the Shepherd leads us to.Rest means being led to where we can drink and be restored.Rest allows Him to restore what hurry has drained.“He Leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.”Rest has this way of putting God back in His rightful place. Because when I slow down long enoughto breathe, I remember. He’s the Shepherd, I’m not.But Rest moves the spotlight off me, and back onto Him. He does all of this for us, and we can onlybenefit from it because of His Grace. Supplying our daily needs and offering us peace and rest areall a part of God’s desire to restore our souls, to revive us in Him.Rest helps us direct our worship to the place it belongs.Do not allow fear to manifest as “hurry” and pull you away from who you love. Instead, buildrhythms of rest and be led by The Good Shepherd.Being Led, really starts with being honest. Let’s start with asking a few questions:– What has formed my mindset around rest? How healthy is this?– Do I trust the Lord with provision in my life? Do I trust him with my projects?– How deeply does the Lord need to restore me? When did I last feel deeply content?– Where is my worship directed? Do I need help with this? What do I need to change?Here are some healthy practices you could consider and research. Examen. Sabbath. Silence.Solitude. Slowing. Worship. Delete the apps. And some resourcesResources:– The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry – John Mark Comer– Practicing the Way – John Mark Comer– Peter Scazzero

16/11/2025 - Matthew DestryMain text: Psalm 73:12-17 (ESV)Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.Reflection: the slow way to wisdomBecause reflection is how we see what’s really going onPractices for the roadReflection isn’t passive; it’s a posture we can practise. The Psalms are full of it: “I remember,” “I meditate,” “I consider,” “I ponder.” Each word invites us to walk, not drive.Reflection helps us discern and decide.Reflection helps us judge rightly.Reflection keeps our hearts sweet.Reflection deepens our affection for God.Now, Practising reflection in our seasonAsk:Where did I see God this year?What did I learn through joy? Through pain?What’s still unresolved in my heart that I can bring into His presence?Blaise Pascal said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”Closing prayer:Lord, teach us to walk slowly.Give us hearts that listen deeply.Show us the treasure You’ve hidden in this season, and let reflection lead us to worship.

09/11/2025 - Jody DestryThe Psalms are the prayer book of God’s people — songs and prayers that give voice to every human emotion: joy, grief, hope, fear, longing, courage, anger, and love.They teach us how to bring all of life before God — not just the polished parts.They become both a mirror for the soul and a map for the heart, guiding us toward honesty, healing, and hope.Psalm 42:7–8Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;all your waves and breakers have swept over me.By day the Lord directs his love,at night his song is with me.Before the rush of Christmas, the Psalms invite us to slow down, pay attention to what’s stirring beneath the surface, and let God meet us there.Psalms of Celebration:Key Passage – Psalm 100The Password Into God;’s presence is Gratitude:Sometimes our spiritual lives feel “locked.” We try to log in with the wrong passwords —performance, perfection, panic, or impatience — but the true password into God’s presence is gratitude.Psalm 100:4–5*Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;give thanks to him and praise his name.For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;his faithfulness continues through all generations.Gratitude is not a feeling; it’s a choice.We don’t wait to *feel* thankful — we *enter* with thanksgiving, even in hardship.Celebration doesn’t deny pain; it declares God’s goodness in the middle of it.Celebration Begins with RemembranceWhen we forget what God has done, gratitude fades.But when we remember, joy rises.Psalm 103:1–5Sometimes we have to talk to our own souls – remind ourselves of what’s true until faith awakens again.“Gratitude is not always spontaneous — sometimes we must command our souls to remember.” — Walter BrueggemannCelebration Releases RenewalPraise shifts the atmosphere — it renews hearts and transforms spaces.Psalm 40:1–3Psalm 30:11–12Before renewal is seen in the world, it is sung in the hearts of God’s people.Our gratitude becomes a testimony — our praise invites others into hope.Reflection QuestionsWhen have you felt “locked out” of connection with God?What “passwords” have you been using to try to reach Him?What’s one thing you can thank God for today — even if life feels hard?What does your soul need to remember about God’s goodness?How could gratitude or celebration shift the atmosphere around you this week?

02/11/2025 - ​M​att RobinsonRomans 12Consider:Has there been something that’s happened this year that’s frustrated you? Something you wish you could change? Or perhaps someone?We live in a wild world, and at times we ask ourselves what place do we as Christians have in this world?The church in Rome asked this same question. They were divided by opinion, Jews concerned with the Law and Gentiles feeling limited in how they could minister. It’s into this context that Paul writes Romans.The Invitation:Leading up to Romans 12, Paul emphasises the fact that though we are all different, what unites us is that we all are invited into God’s family. There is an invitation for us to join God and what He’s doing to restore this wild world we live in.The Implication:Romans 12:1-2Saying “Yes” to Jesus means saying “Yes” to being renewed and transformed from the inside out.Parable of the unknown Monk“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town, and as an older man, I tried to change my family.Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”Reflect:What’s actually shaping your mindset? What is influencing your thoughts most right now?The implementation:Karl Barth – “We must hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.”Romans 12:4-8We are all made unique, have different stories, backgrounds, talents, gifting and connections. Paul reminds us of this and that because of this how God uses us is going to look different. We aren’t meant to compare or judge what another is doing for the Lord, but to focus on what He is able to do with us.The Outcome:When we accept the invit ation, we journey with God. We are made students who seek to become like Him and this will be expressed uniquely through who He has made us to be. As a result, the good news will be shared, we will be light-bearers in dark places.Romans 12:9-20Imagine a world where we live like Paul describes in these verses.This is who we are called to be, this is what happens and can only happen, when we live fed by the root, and in response offer our lives as a living sacrifice.What could this look like for us to live this out in our week?Be first to show honour to those around youPursue being hospitable and loving to strangers,Seek to bless those who seek to curse youCelebrate other people’s wins with them, share tears with those who are in ruin.Do your best to understand one another. That means don’t just reject someone because of a view they hold but seek to converse with them, understand the other side of a story. Why do they hold that view?Don’t think so highly of yourself or your understanding of things. Lower yourself so that you can listen, learn, and serveBe radically generous and authentically humble