Individual Message
Individual Message
Nothing in my hand I bring
Luke 18:9-14 We all can be tempted to believe that our spiritual high achieving might make us acceptable to God. But Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector reminds us that only those who come to God empty-handed are accepted by him.
Come and See
John 1:43-51Nathanael was searching for the one who would set things right for Israel, but when Philip announces that they’ve found this one, he doubts. This story shows us what evangelism in a world of seekers and sceptics requires, both from us and from Jesus.
2020 Vision
Mark 10:46-52The story of Bartimaeus reminds us that only Jesus can fix our spiritual eyes and that Jesus is the only one on whom our eyes should be fixed. Whatever our personal goals or ambitions might be for 2020, let us prioritise seeing Christ – crucified, risen, reigning and returning – more clearly.
Recognising the ‘Christ’ of Christmas
Luke 2:1-20Despite the medical variables of childbirth, most babies make fairly unspectacular entries into the world. In many parts of the world they are still not born in a hospital. Nor was Jesus. Yet despite His humble birth, He has divided history! As we consider the people mentioned in the Christmas story, we can’t help noticing a variety of different responses to this newborn baby – the innkeeper, the shepherds, King Herod and the wise men. Still today people struggle…
The Hope of Christmas
Luke 2:21-40With all the hype of a traditional Christmas it’s easy to overlook the small yet profound details of the original event. Two people who picked up on these details were Simeon and Anna, who had a very personal ‘chance’ encounter with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the temple. This simple story has much to teach us about God, and how He still brings hope and joy to people like us today.
A day to be thankful!
Psalm 100:1-5 Comment: Being thankful should come naturally to Christians, but sometimes we need to set time aside to do it intentionally. Today is such an occasion for us at City North, and this message reminds us of some specific reasons why we ought to be thankful in 2019. “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
No more barriers
Acts 8:26-40 The Ethiopian could say, “what can stand in the way of my being baptised?” because he had come to understand that nothing stood between him and God. As we celebrate baptisms, let us rejoice in the fact that in Jesus, God has removed all the barriers that exist between us and him.
Faith in the Fire (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
Daniel 3:1-30 How real is your faith? How will it stand up when tested? Three Jewish men in Babylon faced the ultimate test when ordered to bow down to a pagan image at the risk of death in a super-heated furnace. Trusting God they refused to bow down, went into the fire, and were delivered by God in the most remarkable way. The ultimate fire we all face is hell, and Christ is able to deliver forever those who trust…
Prayer
Listen as we think about why prayer can be easy for the Christian and what the Bible has to say about some of the reasons we sometimes find prayer hard.
God’s great invitation!
Luke 14:15-24 It’s always good to receive an invitation to a special event … a wedding, a party and graduation etc. In today’s message Jesus tells a story about an even greater invitation to a lavish banquet. In fact, it’s the best invitation anyone could ever hope to receive. The tragedy is that many people refuse to accept it because they’re too busy or too distracted doing other things. God is the host of this banquet, and it is sinners…