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PODCAST · religion

Anchor Church City

Weekly preaching audio from Anchor City. Find Home.Weekly Gatherings: 10am Factory Theatre, Marrickville 2204.Lead Pastor: Matt Sparks

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  1. 545

    Enlightened Eyes

    Jacqui shares Paul's prayer from Ephesians 1:15-23 - a prayer that God would enlighten the eyes of our heart to know him and to know the hope, inheritance and resurrection power of Christ that is ours too.

  2. 544

    A Foundation for Gratitude

    Most of our prayers orbit our own lives; jobs, health, the small stuff. But the Apostle Paul prayed for a church he'd never met, and what he asked for wasn't comfort or circumstances, it was knowledge! In this message from Colossians 1, we learn to pray with a wider lens: kingdom-shaped prayers that don't just change what we ask for, but slowly change the people we're becoming.

  3. 543

    Tithing is Trusting

    Money reveals what we actually trust. In this talk from 2 Corinthians 9, Matt explores why consistent, gospel-motivated generosity isn't a financial strategy, it's an act of faith that grows our trust in God as our ultimate provider. When we give, we're not just being obedient, we're training our hearts to rest in Him.

  4. 542

    The Comparison Trap

    We all know the feeling: someone else has what we want, and the maths just doesn't add up. This week, Ps. Matt opens up Psalm 73, where the ancient songwriter Asaph wrestles with the same comparison trap we scroll into every day, and nearly loses his faith over it. A message about how a shift in perspective can turn envy into worship, and why God might just be enough after all.

  5. 541

    Reframing the Cost of Living Crisis

    In this week's message, we're taken to the Sermon on the Mount to reframe the cost of living crisis; not as a financial problem, but as a test of faith. The antidote to anxiety isn't a better budget or a higher salary, but a rightly ordered life that seeks God's kingdom first. A message about letting go of the need for certainty, and learning to trust the one who already knows.

  6. 540

    MOVEMENT SUNDAY

    On this special day, guest speaker Pastor Ashley Brown from Wasilla Bible Church reads from 1 Corinthians:15 and discusses how Jesus' resurrection opens the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven for us all.

  7. 539

    Familiar Stranger: Pentecost Sunday

    In this Pentecost Sunday message, our Lead Pastor Matt, explores why the Holy Spirit came not to make us comfortable, but to make us courageous, and what it looks like for ordinary people to be filled and sent by the same Spirit that transformed a fisherman into a preacher who turned Jerusalem upside down. This is a message for anyone who has ever wanted more of God but isn't sure they're ready for where he might send them.

  8. 538

    Familiar Stranger: Clothed with power

    In this penultimate Sermon of our Familiar Stranger series, Jacques explores how we can live the Christain life in timidity but we are to trust in the power of God. As he may manifest in his gifts for the church.

  9. 537

    Familiar Stranger: Keep in step with the Spirit

    Are you white-knuckling your faith and wondering why you keep losing the exact same battles with sin day after day? A lot of us treat the Holy Spirit like a one-time transaction we received at salvation, leaving us trying to survive an exhausting world entirely on our own fumes. This message breaks down why being "filled with the Spirit" isn't some elite religious experience—it's the daily, non-negotiable fuel you need to stop running on empty and actually live a life of power.

  10. 536

    The Familiar Stranger: A Story of Extremes

    Most of us know about the Holy Spirit — we've sung about Him, read about Him, maybe even preached about Him — but if we're honest, He often feels more like a theological category than a living person. In this first message of Parakletos, we explore why that gap exists, what Scripture actually promises about the Spirit's presence, and why Jesus made the scandalous claim that His leaving was the best thing that could happen to us. If you've ever sensed there's more to the Christian life than you're currently experiencing, this one's for you.

  11. 535

    The Familiar Stranger

    Most of us know about the Holy Spirit — we've sung about Him, read about Him, maybe even preached about Him — but if we're honest, He often feels more like a theological category than a living person. In this first message of Parakletos, we explore why that gap exists, what Scripture actually promises about the Spirit's presence, and why Jesus made the scandalous claim that His leaving was the best thing that could happen to us. If you've ever sensed there's more to the Christian life than you're currently experiencing, this one's for you.

  12. 534

    Hungry for the word

    In a world designed to keep us scrolling, how do we cultivate a genuine hunger for what actually matters? Join us as we explore 1 Peter 2:2-3 and the "Power of 4"—a life-changing rhythm of engaging with Scripture that moves us from being spiritually malnourished to truly satisfied in Christ.

  13. 533

    Once for all

    When so much of life feels uncertain and unfinished, we’re always seraching for something solid to stand on. Hebrews 10 shows the beautiful contrast between the old sacrificial system, where sacrifices had to be repeated again and again, and the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. What those sacrifices could never fully accomplish, Christ completed perfectly. Because of His finished work, we don’t have to live with uncertainty about where we stand with God. Instead, we can have real assurance, drawing near to Him with confidence and encouraging one another to hold firmly to that hope.

  14. 532

    Easter Sunday

    In a world where evil often feels impossible to overcome, the "Easter Paradox" reveals that what appeared to be a victim on a cross was actually a Victor disarming the powers of darkness. This message explores how the King of Glory broke the "impenetrable stronghold" of death, transforming a scene of deep humiliation into a triumphant victory parade for all who believe. Discover how the Resurrection makes the impossible real, inviting us to trade the brokenness of our own hearts for the living hope of a King who has already won the battle.

  15. 531

    Work & Rest

    Discover how a "Rule of Life" and the practice of Sabbath offer a subversive rebellion against the modern cult of busyness and "striving". By embracing our God-given limits, we move from the anxiety of "toil" to a rhythm of "shalom" that fuels our vocational flourishing.

  16. 530

    Career and Calling

    Stop waiting for a "sacred" calling and start seeing your Monday-to-Friday as an act of high worship. Drawing from the story of the artisan Bezalel, this message explores how God uniquely wires, equips, and positions you to serve His purposes through excellence in your everyday work.

  17. 529

    Work and the Curse

    Discover how the "Fall" chapter in God’s story transforms our unmet expectations into a realistic perspective of work that balances fruit with frustration. By understanding sin as a distortion of God’s creative intention, we can stop idolizing or loathing our labor and instead find a hopeful way to work within a post-Eden world.

  18. 528

    Thank God it's Monday

    The Goodness of God, the Goodness of WorkGod has created work for each and everyone of us. As we find our purposes, partner with God and seek pleasure in the vocation God has given us, may we glorify him and serve others with our gifts and talents.

  19. 527

    Not For Display: Raise em Up

    Inspired by the vision of Psalm 78, this message explores the critical "three-generation slide" and the danger of gospel amnesia. Join us as we look at how to move from merely assuming our faith to actively investing in the next generation, turning a community of believers into a family of spiritual parents.

  20. 526

    Not For Display: No Spectators

    In this sermon, Matt explores how the Bible calls each one of us to play our part when it comes to ministry. There are no spectators when it comes to our faith.

  21. 525

    Not For Display: Discipled by the Algorithm

    Discipled by the Algorithm explores how Psalm 1 and John 15:4–5 confront the quiet forces shaping our desires, attention, and habits every day. Jesus invites us to abide in Him like branches in the vine, so that instead of being formed by endless feeds, we become rooted, fruitful, and alive in the Word that endures.

  22. 524

    Not For Display

    Not For Display: Faith that only looks good on the outside is useless. In this episode, we unpack James 2:14‑26 and challenge our church to move from passive belief to a life of action, power, and obedience that changes everything.”

  23. 523

    When Jesus Walks you Home

    Joel Bennet - Guest PreacherWhen Jesus walks you home.Jesus walks with us in what feels insignificant.Jesus walks with us through disappointment.Jesus walks with us when we invite him in.We can depend on him and know that he will be faithful till the end of the age.

  24. 522

    Keeping Score before God

    Jesus tells a story for people who feel spiritually fine. In Luke 18:9–14, He exposes the quiet sin of self-righteousness and the hidden ways we justify ourselves by comparison. This message invites us to lay down our measurements and rediscover the mercy of God.

  25. 521

    Jesus Loves Me , This I Know!

    A teaching from John 13 that invites us beyond knowing about Jesus’ love to being personally affected by it. This sermon explores how Christ loves us completely, practically, unconditionally, and intimately, and calls us to receive that love as the truest foundation of our identity.

  26. 520

    Love One Another

    How do you actually know if you’re following Jesus? John’s answer is simple and challenging—love. Not vague feelings or good intentions, but a love shaped by the way God has first loved us. God’s love redefines how we treat others and is the clearest, truest sign that Jesus is at work in us.

  27. 519

    Better Than Our Plans

    The story found in Luke 8:40-56 disrupts the self reliance we reach for at New Year and the belief that our plans can secure the future we want. Jesus alone can be trusted with both our timing and our plans. His ways lead to a better life than any of us could have imagined for ourselves.

  28. 518

    Christmas Service

    In this sermon, we reflect on what Christmas means to us as Christians: a reminder of God's promise to us.

  29. 517

    Unbroken

    How can I be sure God really loves me? Paul gives us the answer in Romans 8:31-39, reminding us that if God didn’t hold back His own Son, there’s nothing—absolutely nothing—that can separate us from His love.

  30. 516

    CELEBRATION SUNDAY

    How can we remain thankful and joyful in a world full of disappointment and hurt? This is a rally call to defiant joy based on the firm conviction that God. Is. Good!

  31. 515

    No wasted pain

    Romans 8:28-30 contains a promise that there is No Wasted Pain for those who follow Jesus. But what does that mean when we encounter suffering and evil in a broken world? And how do we exchange the great, assuring promise of this passage with false comforts and human platitudes?

  32. 514

    Breathe in the bones

    Drawing on Romans 8:22–27, this sermon reflects on the Spirit’s groaning intercession as the reason Christians can hope even while we wrestle with sin and suffering. We learn how the Spirit forms in us a posture of eager expectation for the world God is making new.

  33. 513

    The weight of glory

    In this message, The Weight of Glory from Romans 8:18–22, we explore Paul’s breathtaking vision that present suffering is not worth comparing to the glory that awaits God’s people. Through vivid imagery and honest reflection, we’re reminded that the path to glory always runs through the cross—and that even creation itself longs for the day when all things are made new

  34. 512

    Spirit of Adoption

    The Bible calls us Children of God, a truth readily acknowledged but rarely lived out. Jacques explores 1) The uniqueness of the Father – child relationship for God. 2) The ways we want to make God our Master and not our father and 3) The spirits work confirming this to our heart.

  35. 511

    Spirit vs flesh

    Many people feel trapped in habits they can’t shake—but Romans 8:5–13 explodes the myth that change is impossible. In this message, we’ll discover how the Spirit of God frees us from the power of sin and leads us into a victorious, Spirit-filled life where real transformation isn’t achieved by striving—but received by surrender.

  36. 510

    Uncondemnable

    Romans 8 is often called 'the greatest chapter in the Bible'. Join us as we begin a seven week journey through the riches of this part of God's word, beginning with the truth that in Christ Jesus - we are not condemned!

  37. 509

    Healing the Boy with an Unclean Spirit

    The disciples had seen God move before—but this time, what worked in the past didn’t work again. It’s a powerful reminder that when it comes to faith, past success doesn’t guarantee future success. Real faith isn’t about formulas or memories of what once worked; it’s about daily dependence on God. What does genuine faith looks like in the ups and downs of life and how can we keep trusting Jesus consistently?

  38. 508

    Wonder-Working God: Miracles

    What is God's purpose behind miracles? Listen as Ben Camilleri unpacks three reasons why God performed miracles in the time of Jesus - and today.

  39. 507

    Compassion Sunday

    When Jesus encountered those in need, instead of turning away he was moved with compassion in a vivid picture of God’s heart for people who are hurting or on the margins. What does it mean to follow his example? Hear about our partnership with Compassion and how together we can bring practical help, dignity and hope to children and families in need around the world.

  40. 506

    Will The Future Still Be Human?

    Dave Deane from Questioning Christianity is our guest preacher to close the Beyond Grey Series. Addressing AI & technology, he answers the question: will the future still be human?

  41. 505

    Infatuated with a Beautiful God

    Guest preacher Jeff Jones invites us to see God not only as true, but as breathtakingly beautiful — both transcendent in majesty and immanent in nearness. When we are captivated by the beauty of Jesus, our worship, obedience, and even our suffering are transformed.Bible Reading: Revelation 5:6-13 (NIV)

  42. 504

    Baby Dedications | Father's Day

    Pastor Matt Sparks speaks on the topic of raising children in the Lord taken from Deuteronomy 6:1-12 and explores how as Christians we ensure that the gospel is passed down to the next generation?

  43. 503

    Made for Love

    In this message we explore the confusion of a “sexular age,” where culture treats sexuality as ultimate but hollow, and contrast it with God’s good design. We show how the Corinthian problem of viewing sex as just an appetite lives on in today’s consent-only ethic, which is too thin to sustain real flourishing. Instead, the Christian vision of sexuality as covenantal, fruitful, and sacred offers a life-giving alternative.

  44. 502

    Who Am I, Really?

    In this message, Matt Sparks explores the question, “Who am I, really?” by contrasting modern identity myths with the biblical story that grounds our worth and purpose in being created in God’s image and redeemed in Christ. You will be invited to rest in the secure identity of being God’s children—loved, chosen, and united with Jesus.

  45. 501

    Beauty in the Ashes

    In a world marred by suffering, pain and hardship - where is God? This message explores how Jesus answers this question through the story of Lazarus' death and resurrection in John 11

  46. 500

    When Life Feels Empty

    In a world caught in a “meaning crisis,” this message explores why our hearts long for purpose and how fragile our self-made sources of meaning truly are. Drawing on Ecclesiastes and the hope of the gospel, it invites us to find lasting fulfilment in knowing and living for God.

  47. 499

    Is There More Than This?

    In this message from our Beyond Grey series, Matt Sparks explores how the person of Jesus reveals the deepest longings of the human heart: truth, beauty, and goodness. Rooted in John 1:1–18, this message invites listeners to encounter the light that overcomes darkness, the glory that captivates the soul, and the truth that brings lasting freedom.

  48. 498

    A Story Worth Living

    In this message, we explore how the Christian story speaks to our culture’s deepest longings for truth, beauty, and goodness. In a disenchanted world, the gospel invites us to live and tell a better story—one that re-enchants reality with hope and meaning.

  49. 497

    Calming the Storm

    In todays sermon, Josh will take us through how Jesus calms the storm, both in Mark but also in our lives.

  50. 496

    Healing the Demoniac

    In Mark 5 we see Jesus heals a demon-possessed man but it results in the pigs, a great resource for the town, being drowned. This causes the people to reject Jesus.In this passage we see Jesus confirm His identity, reveal His authority but the question remains: How will we respond?

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Weekly preaching audio from Anchor City. Find Home.Weekly Gatherings: 10am Factory Theatre, Marrickville 2204.Lead Pastor: Matt Sparks

HOSTED BY

Anchor Church Sydney

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Anchor Church City have?

Anchor Church City currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Anchor Church City about?

Weekly preaching audio from Anchor City. Find Home.Weekly Gatherings: 10am Factory Theatre, Marrickville 2204.Lead Pastor: Matt Sparks

How often does Anchor Church City release new episodes?

Anchor Church City has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Anchor Church City?

You can listen to Anchor Church City on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Anchor Church City?

Anchor Church City is created and hosted by Anchor Church Sydney.
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