Dressing Up
Text: Ephesians 4:17 – 5:2

Ephesians 1 – 3 has set out the riches of love, forgiveness and new life in the Spirit available to us because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The vision is of a new humanity, at peace with God and others. The vision is of Church communities who demonstrate this new way of living to the world. Then, in chapter 4:1, the call comes to live this out! To live a life worthy of this calling! To walk in the way prepared for us by God.

“You were taught, with respect to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

The recorded version of this week’s sermon can be found here:
​https://youtu.be/8V0INY7sTOU

Soaring to the Heights
Text: Ephesians 4:1-16
Paul sets out a lofty vision for all humanity in the book of Ephesians. And the vision fits neatly into 2 halves. In chapters 1-3 he talks about Jesus on the cross and the coming of the Holy Spirit into the hearts of his people! He sees this vision as being ‘alienated humanity being reconciled to God, fractured human society becoming united and even a new and better humanity being created’ (Stott).
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We have prepared a video on this week’s topic, and you can view that here: https://youtu.be/XQ01Fw9OpyE

Readings: John 6:1-21 & Ephesians 3:14-21

Psalm 145:
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
 
For those unable to join us in person today, we have prepared a video for you which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/xpvmCpsvq4s

The Service sheet can be found on our News page, and the sermon will be uploaded early next week.

Today’s Theme: New Humanity
Readings: Mark 6:30-34 & Ephesians 2: 11-22

Jesus creates ‘in himself one new humanity’. (Ephesians 2:15)
 
To watch the video we have prepared on this week’s service, follow this link:
https://youtu.be/UEn5JxG4TW

A Tested and Thankful Heart
Text: 1 Chronicles 29: 1-2, 6,9, 14-19

David is dying. People are gathering around. He looks back on his life, which seems to have gone so quickly.

Here is the link to the video we have prepared based on what we are doing in church today.
https://youtu.be/1adqT6VIRk0
 
A copy of the sermon will be available from early next week on our News page

Whole Hearted
Text: 2 Samuel, 5 & 6
 
2 Samuel 5 & 6 describes a man who was ‘all in’, not one who was simply doing the formalities of life, work and worship.
 
Peterson remarks that David’s relationship with God is integrated into who he is as a person.
“It is impossible to understand a single thing about David apart from God …. Every aspect of David’s life was God-defined, God-saturated. Everything David knows about God he experiences, enters into, embraces, takes into himself. God isn’t a doctrine he talks about but a person by whom he is led…”
To listen to the recorded sermon, follow this link: https://youtu.be/bgmfBjUFKwk
 
A pdf copy of the sermon will be available from next week on our News page.

​Continuing with the series on King David, this week we are looking at grief, sadness, and lamentation.

The recording for this week can be found here: https://youtu.be/AS1XgxCZ0P

A Brave Heart

Readings: 1 Samuel 17: 1-49
Mark 4:35-41

This Sunday we continue the series on King David, drawing lessons from the Goliath story. What can this teach us regarding the issues that loom over us in our lives?
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If you are not able to join us – or just want to have another listen – the recorded sermon can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/nBwkyatIDjY

Theme: A Humble Heart (the first in a 5 week series based on the life of King David).

Readings:
Luke 8: 4-8, 15
Micah 6: 6-8
 
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
         as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
(from Psalm 103: 11-12)

To listen to the recorded version of the sermon, click on this link:
https://youtu.be/8K0u0pDvAEA

Hope for the Helpless
Text: Psalm 130
Sub- Texts: Genesis 3:8-15 & Mark 3:20-35
The abiding image from the news this week was the dairy farmer who was winched to safety by a helicopter! Several hours before, he was moving his cows to safety in the dark when he was swept 1 kilometre down a flooded river before he was able to grab onto a tree in the middle of the raging torrent.

I wondered to myself – did he pray as he got swept away? Did he pray as he clung to the tree? Did he pray something along the lines of the Psalmist in Psalm 130:
“Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord…..” (v1)

You can view a recording of today’s sermon here: https://youtu.be/EcGZI8ERqS8