2 Peter 1:16-21 Be Assured
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Be Assured audio (4MB)
Di & I have been catching up on the series, Utopia, that we missed on the ABC while we were away. It’s a satire, set in the imaginary Nation Building Authority. In one of the episodes someone hires a management guru, Marvin Hudfield, to run a training course. He rattles off catch phrase after catch phrase, which in the end don’t add up to much and the upper management team aren’t very impressed. But of course everyone gets a nice certificate when the course is over.
That may be that sort of thing that Peter has in mind as he begins to talk about the validity of his own message, though more in religious terms than management training.
He wants to assure his readers that they can trust what they’ve been told.
As is true in most periods of history, there would have been many examples of people in Peter’s day who offered a solution to our human desire for religious significance. But he says he and the other apostles are not like that: “16We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
2 Peter 1:1-15 Be Resolved
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Be Resolved audio (4MB)
I wonder what was the most precious gift you received this Christmas? Of all the gifts I was given, I think this is the one that I value the most. It mightn’t look like much, but it’s a key part of the best wedding present, possibly the most precious gift I’ve ever been given. I guess I should say we, but the truth is I use it a lot more than Sarah!
Series: 61: 2 Peter
- Details
- Written by: Chris Appleby
2 Peter
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Be Resolved |
2 Peter 1:1-15 |
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Be Assured |
2 Peter 1:16-21 |
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Be Warned |
2 Peter 2 |
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Be Ready |
2 Peter 3 |
Matthew 2:13-25 Egyptian Holiday
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Egyptian Holiday audio (4MB) (NB the sermon audio currently includes Cantonese translation)
The bags are packed, the car is loaded, we’re almost ready to go. This afternoon our family is heading down to the beach for a week. If you take a look around the congregation this morning, you’ll see that lots of families are taking journeys at this time of year. Even Mary, Joseph and their newborn baby Jesus head off on a journey it today’s passage!
Now, I should make clear we’re not going to the beach for a holiday. We’re going down to join the Balnarring Beach Mission team as Camp parents. We’re going to support the young adults and the youth, and to make connections with the families that are there. Despite what you might think, it’s not a holiday but work. Though I can’t say the same for everyone else who’s not here today. And Mary and Joseph’s trip is nothing like a holiday!
Luke 2:8-20 Christmas 2014
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Light in the Darkness audio (4MB)
“2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” What do you think of when you hear those words? Do you think in metaphorical terms? The darkness is a spiritual thing, relieved only be the coming of the light of the truth of God? That’s the main point isn’t it? But then in the Christmas stories we find God providing a literal fulfilment of these prophecies as the events unwind. The shepherds are certainly living in literal darkness out on the hills at night. Suddenly they see a bright light shining all around them. So bright in fact that they’re terrified.
Micah 5:1-5 Christmas Peace - 2014
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- Written by: Ruth Newmarch
The Prince of Peace audio (4MB)
If you could have anything for Christmas, what would it be? It would be peace, right? Peace in the CBDs of the world's cities to have a coffee, peace in our homes - the beating-heart of our nation, peace in neighbourhoods instead of the consequences of ice addiction, peace in every school so innocent children can learn, peace to travel by air without fear, safety on public transport ('stand with me'), peace in our jobs from workplace bullying, peace about our health or our future - just peace...peace on earth.
As we look closely at Micah 5v1-5, we're going to find the way to this level of peace is not quite what we might think.
The way to peace on earth is found in at least three ways here in Micah: firstly – we're not to look for it – the state of peace, like in Buddhism, but for a person. Secondly, the way to peace is not by wresting power but receiving it. Thirdly, the way to peace is to understand its timeless quality.
Virtue 8 - The Virtuous Circle
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
The Virtuous Circle audio (6MB)
We began our study of the Good Life, of Virtue, some two months ago with the story of the rich young ruler. Here was a man who wanted to know that he’d have eternal life when he died. He wanted Jesus to tell him some good thing that he needed to do to be sure that he’d get there. But instead Jesus showed him that the solution wasn’t a set of rules but a lifestyle change. His life needed to be spent following Jesus because he was the source of life. We also looked at the way Sully Sullenberger managed to land that plane in the Hudson River because of his lifetime of practice, of a series of small decisions taken over and over again so that when the crisis arose the right actions were second nature.
So today we come to the end of our series with the question still in our minds: how will we live so virtue, goodness, godliness, is second nature to us?
