Sunday Talks

What is the mission of Jesus all about? Matthew's gospel shows us that Christian must have an outward-looking urgency to declare God’s rescue instead of an inward-pointing goal to socialise and enjoy fellowship.

Paul tells a story about us and our predicament. And then the amazing, gracious way God intervenes to save us. But how will you respond?

You might describe this Psalm as "An Anthem of Breakthrough Joy" because we hear someone describing the overwhelming joy he feels because he is no longer estranged from God. And so, he can sing. With God, everyone has a choice that this part of the Bible brings us to consider: stubborn silence or humble repentance.

Here’s a personal testimony, Psalm 23. One that lyrically describes someone’s deep trust and strong confidence in God’s goodness, both now and into the future.

"If God exists, why doesn't He make Himself known?""Why doesn't He reveal Himself more clearly?"“If he has revealed himself, why doesn't He do it again and again and make it obvious so that we can actually know Him and who He is?"Psalm 19 answers questions like these.

How can I be unshaken, even when trouble comes? The Bible plays a song in which the singer has an unwavering confidence.

There are only two ways. And as each way is described here in Psalm 1, there is a very sobering call to choose the way of the righteous. Yet this isn't simply a call to be good and do better. Listen and find out why.

Everything changes for those who are in Christ. Listen to how the Bible describes God's extraordinary building work - the church!

What is the antidote to a Christian's boasting and lack of assurance? Listen to hear what the Bible prescribes.

Look away from yourself... and look at God’s righteousness revealed – Jesus’ death on the cross.

The Bible attempts brings all of us towards a moment of breakthrough. When sincerity is back. When defiance is stood down. When there can finally be progress. Here in Romans 3, Paul shows how God is right and people are under sin. The question is: how should you respond?

You need to repent and show the kind of life turn-around that demonstrates genuine faith in Christ. You need to stop posturing and realise that real heart-change is by the Spirit!

Today we are reading one of the most direct and sobering explanations of the most serious and devastating global problem.

As Paul begins his letter to the Romans, he provides 3 foundations for being unashamed of the gospel. Listen in.

Every year on Resurrection Sunday we look back at the event that marked the beginning of a new age. That Sunday morning 2000 years ago, Jesus’ Resurrection changed everything.

Many evaluations of what it means to be human are a bit too optimistic. Here in the middle of this short letter is a summary of the Bible’s position.

Being a Christian will not lead to a comfortable, successful and prosperous life. To be a Christian is to live a life of gospel suffering as you humbly announce God’s gracious, saving action in sending Jesus to die for our sins.

Gospel fluency will help you as you take the gospel to the people around you. This message offers Biblical and practical help for Christians as they share the good news.

Even though we live in a share-happy world, ordinary Christians are often reluctant evangelists. This message looks at the Great Commission and offers some practical ways we might overcome this reluctance.

Here we get a glimpse of the future. For people who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, they have more to look forward to than a grand stretch in the evenings, or a few brighter days, or a longed-for break in the sun: Here the Bible describes the extraordinary hope of the new heaven and the new earth.

Listen to how the writer to the Hebrews explains Jesus' sacrifice - once for all!

Far from being a tragedy, the cross, in the grand scheme of things, is in fact the accomplishment of God’s eternal, sovereign rescue plan.

Jesus describes two "musts" to a high-flyer that explain the very core of the gospel. Listen in.

Three important themes from a climcatic part of the Grand Scheme of Things

What if this card arrived at your door?

Isaiah records God's solution to humanity’s greatest need: His suffering, silent, substitutionary Servant, sent to save sinners.

Writing to the Colossians, Paul shares a picture with them. It's a picture of God and what he has done.

God’s people had put themselves at the centre of things. Through Ezekiel, He reminds them that it’s not all about them! Instead, His concern is that all the people of the world see who he is: his glory and his grace. God is promising radical transformation.

We crave good leadership because we have been left wanting by lofty promises. What if there was a better leader? One who could bring proper restoration?

Who is taking the initiative at this major turning point in the history of God and his people?

You may have wondered what God is really like. How he relates to people. As you read the Bible, that picture gradually emerges. And then, every so often we get a section like Exodus 19 that brings extraordinary clarity. Studying the Bible today we are about to see (or be reminded of) what God is really like.

The grim story of human wickedness in the early chapters of Genesis is suddenly and dramatically pierced by the Lord's words in Genesis 12.

Really? That’s the crafty word spoken in Genesis 3, verse 1. That’s the first word that ruptures the harmony of everything God had made.

From the very start, the Bible tells us firstly that God exists, and secondly, it is all about Him. God - and God alone - created the universe. In this series, we're considering the grand scheme of things. And it doesn’t get much grander than the God who made everything here in Genesis 1.

This new series of messages is called The Grand Scheme of Things. It will take us on a tour through the Bible, God’s Word. The aim is to help us to see more clearly how this book is more than a collection of disconnected stories. We need to understand how God disclosed Himself and His plans in history. We are starting with this text here in Ephesians 1, because it’s like arriving at the Bible’s south rim (imagine arriving at the Grand Canyon!)Here we get a panoramic of who God is and what He has done. Today we are going to see a vista of The Plan.

Staying the course as a Christian is not something you can do by yourself. As Paul sets out his vision for these fledgling believers, he urges them to pay close attention to their relationships. Listen in.

Paul describes a stark contrast here in 1 Thessalonians 5. It is between daylight living and night-dark living. And with it he urges Christians to get up and get on with living with Christ.

Something about this time of year that sets our thinking on what's ahead. Behind the smiles and the looking forward, some of us may be running on a supply of hope that's a little bit depleted. The future might feel uncertain because of loss or tragedy that has hit hard in your life, or maybe, some of life has come tumbling in around you. For whatever the reason, hope can be short supply. Even as we look to the future, even at the start of a new term, even for Christians. As we read between the lines in 1st Thessalonians, this group of Christians appear to have suffered loss of some people very close to them and that has left them running low on hope, worried about the future. So Paul writes this letter to the Thessalonians to encourage in the midst of all of that. It's to teach them, to restore them, to assure hope.

I know how the world is going to end. That's a bold claim, right? The truth is all I know about the end of the world is what Jesus said in Luke 17:20-34. It will end on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. It will be sudden, unmistakable and irreversible. Are you prepared for the Coming Kingdom? For the return of King Jesus?

As we dive into our study of 1 Thessalonians we learn that the bible actually commands Christians to learn self-control and not to be driven by our fleshly desires, but to please God instead. If we don't stay within the guidelines God has given us, the consequences will be severe for us and those around us.

This episode we are looking into Hebrews 12:1-3 where the writer urges Christians to endure in the race, using the picture of an athlete in a race. Telling us believers that, as an athlete, we need self-discipline, encouragement and a singular focus in the Christian race.

We can get a lot of insight as we listen to the apostle Paul explaining his deep concern for this recently planted church. This letter bursts with heart that Christians will not only profess to be Christians but live it out and stay the course, whatever opposition they face, whatever influences are surrounding them. So as we listen to Paul’s heart, here are some insights to help Christians stay the course. Listen in.

As Paul describes his work and conduct in Thessalonica, we get to see what constitutes genuine Christian ministry. Establishing this picture will help us because we sometimes get a bit mixed up about what genuine ministry is and what it is not. Listen in.

This letter to the Thessalonians is one of deep encouragement. Specifically here in chapter 1, there are two weighty encouragements for Christians. Listen in.

The fact that there are so many needs around us mustn’t stop us from recognising (and addressing) the greatest need of people everywhere. Here in Acts 6, Luke describes the priority.

Two names here in Acts 5 are now synonymous with deceit. Reading these names must stop us all in our Blackrock tracks to think about the difference between devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ and the opposite: some sort of deceitful pretence.

Acts 4 demonstrates that whenever Christians speak openly about Jesus, they will face significant opposition. The question is this: how will they respond?

Biblical Christianity is about what God has done and only then does it call us to respond. The gospel is not a to-do list. It is like getting the best message through the door of your life that you’ve ever received. Peter explained to the people gathered around him in Acts 3 what their response should be.

If you have come to faith in Jesus Christ, you have a mission. You are called to be one of Christ's Ambassadors. What does this mean?

There is an extraordinary sense of commencement as Peter stands up before the crowd in Acts 2. Peter courageously and comprehensively tells the crowd that this is a new epoch and it is all about Jesus Christ. Listen in.