This week's Gospel message Luke 3:1-6 invites us to 'Prepare the way for the Lord!'. The people of Israel had great expectations about the coming King- he would rule in majesty and be a powerful ruler. They looked forward to the arrival of this King in glory- after all, the Son of God was coming! However, God often fulfils His promises in ways that people don't expect- indeed, perhaps instead of 'great expectations' we ought to 'expect the unexpected!'. Jesus was born of Mary- a human b...
This week's Gospel reading Luke 21: 25-36 appears difficult; speaking openly of nations in anguish, terror and perplexity. The world around us often feels like this today. Considering the judgement each person will face when Jesus returns may feel heavy, and bring a spirit of fear. However, Jesus comes to bring us life and freedom with Him. 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that His Spirit gives us power. Let us look to Luke 21:28 and feel the gladness that comes as we recognise 'redemption is c...
This week our Gospel reading John 18: 33-37 speaks about truth. These days truth seems like quite a slippery concept. We can easily become confused by conflicting stories we hear online and in our neighbourhoods. This makes us feel unsure, and sometimes even unsafe. At times people deliberately spread things that are not true, just to get a reaction or make themselves seem important. However, God made us to have a deep relationship with the truth. When we know for sure who we are and wh...
This week we welcome Bishop Richard Schwedes to St Paul's. Bishop Richard will be speaking on 'Rock Solid Hope', based on Mark 13: 1-8. These days the world seems full of change; it can be hard to know what we can depend on and what to keep hold of as differences swirl all around us. We know that change is a constant in life, yet it can feel scary or worrying when we aren't sure where to put our anchor. The Bible tells us that our stronghold is the Lord. We have no need to fear if we look to ...
This week we are joined by Mark Simpfendorfer, who is sharing a message based on Jeremiah 29:4-14. This passage reminds us that God keeps his promises to those who love him. Promises are not always easy to keep, and the Bible shows us many ways God's people do things which hurt God's heart. Perhaps you have been struggling to keep a promise you have made. Perhaps someone has hurt you, and God's command to 'love as I have loved you' suddenly seems just too hard to bear. In Jeremiah, God remind...
This week's Gospel reading is very familiar, Matthew 5: 1-12. The 'Sermon on the Mount' assures us that we are truly blessed, even (and especially) when we struggle. It can be tempting, when coming to this text, to think we know it all already- that something so familiar could have nothing new to say to us. We must remember our God is a God of creativity; his word is always fresh and he longs to speak deeply to our hearts each time we encounter him. Our Christian lives will require us to step...
This week we remember the Reformation, a time of upheaval, renewal and refreshment for the church. We thank God for the gift of Martin Luther, whose struggles helped birth the Lutheran Church. Today's Gospel reading, John 8:31-36 reminds us that God's grace and forgiveness are gifts, received through faith in Him and His goodness as revealed through Jesus Christ. Our sermon asks, "Do I have to?", as it considers various tasks and requests we may encounter on our life journey with others. Aski...
This week we celebrate God's gift of many nations within His Body. We are thankful for the chance to hear the Pentecost blessing as we worship God together.Christian life brings both challenges and joys as we navigate our culture and rest in God's Word. As we listen to many voices from our church family and hear the languages of their hearts, we grow in love and fellowship. May God bless you as you listen, watch and join in His love 'coming to life'!Today's message was written and presented b...
In this week's Gospel reading Mark 10:17-31 Jesus' disciples recall how much they have left behind to follow Him. Jesus reassures them that no matter what they lose in this world, they will receive much more when they join Him in eternal life. We too might struggle in this world as we follow Jesus, who gave His life for ours to be saved. However we live with joy knowing that Jesus goes before us. As Paul writes in Philippians 3:8-10 the joy we have in knowing Jesus is greater than anything el...
Bishop Paul's Synod message reflects on Ephesians 2:8-10. These verses remind us that we are God's handiwork, created to do good things for Him. Imagine the things you make with your own hands- crafts, furniture, a beautiful meal or a garden bed. Think of the process and time taken to plan, gather materials, build and grow. Remember how much you loved and enjoyed the end result of your labours. We are God's handiwork- how much more must our God love and enjoy us! Our response to this goodness...
This week in our Gospel reading, Mark 9:38-50, Jesus tells us that everyone will be salted with fire. Salt water can cleanse a cut or a scrape, and salt in our tears can cleanse our inner wounds as we release our cries of repentance. Sanctification can be painful, like removing a foot, or a hand, or an eye, as even the deepest parts of ourselves are transformed from who we are today into who God is shaping us to be. Is there a time when the pain of your sin made you feel lik...
This week in our Gospel reading, Mark 9:30-37, we hear how Jesus asked His disciples what they were arguing about on the road, but they kept quiet because they had argued about who was the greatest. Jesus doesn't rebuke them for wanting to be great. Instead, He explains to them exactly what it means to be great - "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." The greatest doesn't just sit at the table with the high and mighty, though to truly be the ...
This week in our Gospel reading, Mark 8:27-38, we hear how St Peter was the first disciple to acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah. But others around Jesus thought He was John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. Some people today might say that Jesus is a "good teacher," but not that He is the Messiah or the Son of the Living God. Who do you say that Jesus is?Written and presented by Rene' van den Tol Support the show
This week in our Gospel reading, Mark 7:24-37, we hear how a Gentile woman came to Jesus and asked Him to help her daughter, who was possessed by an impure spirit. Jesus told her to first let the children eat all they want, that it isn't right to give the children's bread to dogs, but she told Him that even the dogs eat the children's crumbs. And what are the "crumbs" of Jesus? What small part of the bread of life doesn't contain the fullness of life within it? Eve...
This week in our Gospel reading, John 1:1-14 , we hear how Jesus is the true light come into the world, who has given us the right to become children of God. As children of God, we are guided by our heavenly Father, and nurtured by Christ's church, so that we may reach the full height of our faith and be conformed to the image of the only begotten Son of God. Just as trees bear fruit with seed according to their kinds, the fruit of the Holy Spirit who conceived Jesus Christ can only bring f...
This week in our Gospel reading, John 6:56-69 we hear Jesus speaking with His disciples, knowing from the beginning who would believe and who would betray Him. St Peter, also known as Simon Peter, was the first disciple to acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, and at this confession of faith, Jesus declared that Simon, son of Jonah, would be known from then on as Peter. But St Peter is also the man who Jesus knew would deny him three times before His crucifixion -- the discipl...
This week in our Gospel reading, John 6:51-58, we hear how whoever feeds on the flesh of Christ will live forever. When we come to Holy Communion, we are the Church, the Body of Christ, come to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. That which we receive nurtures who we are and who we are becoming, as we grow to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. How does knowing that you are a part of Christ's Body shape your perspective on receiving the sacrament of Holy Commu...
This week in our Gospel reading, John 6:35, 41-51 we hear how Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven. The word 'eucharist' that we use for Holy Communion comes from a Greek word that means gratitude or thanksgiving. How do you express your gratitude to God in response to Him giving us the gift of His Body and Blood, so that we may have eternal life? Today's message was Prepared and presented by Rene van den TollSupport the show
This week in our Gospel reading, John 6:24-35 , we hear how Jesus is the true Bread of Life, come down from heaven. We're all familiar with bread, whether fresh baked or days old and turning hard, but that's the bread of earth, kneaded together by human hands and destined to perish and return to the dust. But Jesus, the true Bread of Life, sustains us both in this world and into our heavenly home, and in Him we have the food that endures to eternal life. The bread we eat on ...
This week in our Gospel reading Mark 6:30-34; 53-56, we hear how Jesus brought His disciples to a solitary place to rest. But when a crowd followed them there, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. How does the love of Jesus draw people to you? How do you find rest in Him when you need a quiet place, but the people around you are still in need of His love? Today's message was written and presented by Pastor Lassi Pappiner of ...