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What are you afraid of?
These episodes remind us of Jesus’ true identity. They challenge us to think about what, and (more importantly), who, we are afraid of.
Near enough not good enough
Israel is near the end of their journey from Sinai to the promised land. The have already conquered some of the lands to the east of the Jordan River and they are poised to cross over the Jordan and begin the conquest to take the promised land of Canaan on the western side of the river. Then some of the tribes make a suggestion which at first seems innocuous, but it has the potential to discourage the rest of God’s people away from pursuing God’s plan to enter the promised land. In our walk of faith, and we move towards the promised land of eternal life, there are similar temptations to compromise. We forget what we’re aiming at, what our destination is, and we fall short. Even when we don’t realise it, often our compromises discourage others. In order to reach our heavenly destination, we must beware of being too pragmatic (“If it works, it must be right!”) and instead test ‘good ideas’ against the clear instructions of Scripture. We must keep our eyes fixed on our eternal destination. And we must do everything to encourage others to get there too.
What not to bring
Many claim to want to follow Jesus but are unwilling to count the cost of doing so. Listen as we think about what must be left behind by those who want to follow Jesus.
The battle for holiness
Jesus told us to love our enemies, so how do we reconcile this with God specifically ordering the Israelites to annihilate other nations, as we have in today’s passage? There is no neat answer to this difficult question. But in this message Pastor Murray meets it head on. One thing we can be sure of is that God has not changed. And his abhorrence of sin means that his coming judgement of our generation is just as certain as it was for people 3500 years ago. The Christian life is an ongoing battle against sin and compromise. Holiness matters to God. Does it matter to you?
Jesus, God’s heart to restore people to himself
In this passage, we look into Matthew’s record of three healings that Jesus performed. In his Powerful, Authoritative, and compassionate display, Jesus breaks down the religious barriers that separate three religious outcasts from God. Through Jesus, God connects the disconnected, qualifies the disqualified, and gives value to the devalued.
An invitation to worship
There has been much debate about the subject of worship in the past 40 years. But what is worship and what does it look like? In this psalm we are given three specific ways to worship and each of them flows from a life that has encountered God on a very personal level. True worship should produce joy, humility and obedience in the life of a believer. Are they evident in your worship? Of course, congregational singing is one aspect of worship, but let’s take the much bigger view that Psalm 95 urges us to do.
Avoiding a “Peter Pan” faith
A well-documented clinical diagnosis these days is what is known as the “Peter Pan Syndrome”. Peter Pan is the fictional character who never grew up. He lived in a fantasy world where he was the centre of attention and could do whatever he liked. Sadly, there is a Christian equivalent. Christians who never seem to move beyond spiritual infancy. In this message, Pastor Murray challenges us to see how God wants us to be growing in our faith, always going on towards full maturity in Christ.
God’s priorities or mine?
As we start a new year, it’s good to think about what our priorities are. What guiding principles will inform what we do with our time, energy, money etc. this year? The book of Haggai is the word of the Lord, through the prophet Haggai, to the people of Jerusalem in 520BC. They are rebuilding the city destroyed decades earlier by the Babylonians, but they are focused on building their own houses rather than God’s house – the temple. God challenges their priorities. Likewise, we must ask ourselves, ‘When there are lots of opportunities, how will I choose what’s best to do?’ ‘When I face great challenges, what will be most important to me?’ And we will learn that it is better to prioritise God’s glory ahead of our own comfort and success.
Don’t waste your life!
How does God want us to live in 2018? The book of Ecclesiastes seriously questions the meaning of life. In so many ways life can be monotonous, unpredictable and unsatisfying… without God. But when we bring God into the picture and live a life of faith, that’s a very different story! This is a life of enterprise, risk, hard work and satisfaction. As we grasp the opportunities God gives and trust Him for the outcomes, we find the sense of purpose and the joy to get up each morning. Yes – there are many variables in life that we cannot control. But knowing the God who does control theses variables makes all the difference! May you experience “life to the full” as you trust God in the year ahead!
Joy for a discouraged world
As we read the Christmas story in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, it is impossible to not see the note of joy that pervades the coming of Jesus into the world. The birth of any baby is a good reason for joy, but there were even greater reasons in the case of Jesus. That’s why angels announced His arrival and choirs of angels sang. That’s why shepherds became so excited and magi travelled 100s of kilometres following a new star. A Saviour-Messiah-King had been born who would take away sin and transform the lives of people throughout the world. As we reflect back on that day, what better reason for us to be joyful today? Don’t miss out on the joy of Christmas. Jesus came for us, too!
The Christmas promise
A promise made produces anticipation, excitement and hope. A promise kept is something that brings joy and fulfilment and creates trust. In Jesus’ birth God fulfils his promise to send a king for God’s people. The story of Jesus’ birth reveals that Jesus is a new king, he is a king who rescues, and he is king forever. He can rescue each of us from sin and death if we put our trust in him and make him our king. The is the promise of Christmas.
Peace for a troubled world
“Peace, peace… perfect peace” is one of the most elusive longings of our age. Whether we’re talking about the world stage, the workplace, the family or the inner thoughts of the human mind, there is a longing for peace. But is it possible? In the Old Testament the word “shalom” was used to describe this deep contentment of heart and mind, and God wanted to give this to His people. Where could it be found? At the coming of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the angels announced “peace on earth to those on whom His favour rests”. Jesus came to make peace possible… firstly between God and us, secondly between us and others, and thirdly within ourselves. Jesus truly is the peace-maker. Have you found peace in Jesus this Christmas?