Posts with the category “save-our-sundays”

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.1 Peter 4:12-14Have...  Read More

Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.Psalm 1:1-3There are...  Read More

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.Hebrews 3:12-14Post-Covid lockdowns (and being able to li...  Read More

Hear my prayer, Lord;    let my cry for help come to you.Do not hide your face from me    when I am in distress.Turn your ear to me;    when I call, answer me quickly.For my days vanish like smoke;    my bones burn like glowing embers.My heart is blighted and withered like grass;    I forget to eat my food.In my distress I groan aloud    and am reduced to skin and bones.Psalm 102:1-5I rekon that a...  Read More

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believersGalatians 6:10You get out of it, what you put into it. You know that phrase? I’m not sure it’s always true. But one place it often is true. Is Church. Some people come to Church to ‘get fed’. Some to tick a box. Some by force of habit. But my experience is that this approach wi...  Read More

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.Matthew 5:14-16Sometimes at night, when I go to close the blinds on my...  Read More

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.1 Timothy 4:13-14What is the primary job of the pastor? What is the thing above all else they should devote themselves to? I wonder what some would say? Would they say, feeding the poor? Or mak...  Read More

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.Acts 2:42I grew up around food. My Dad is Italian, he was raised in a small village in the southeast of Italy. My ‘nona’ (we didn’t call her that, it made her feel old), never failed to feed us whenever we went to visit. It was stereotypical, ‘mange, mange’ (eat, eat), all the time. I don’t ...  Read More

 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge...  Read More

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20Last Sunday (in the sermon) we saw that we...  Read More

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9I had only been at church for a few months (many many years ago in a church far far away) before I witnessed a sadly classic ...  Read More

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1 Peter 2:4-5At dedicated moments throughout the year, Israel would gather together at the tabernacle and later the temple to offer sacrifices...  Read More

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.2 Timothy 2:8-10There are times in life when being a part of God’s...  Read More

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.Hebrews 4:9-11In the busyness, noise and anxiety of our technology fuelled world, the concept of Sabbath is having something o...  Read More

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is...  Read More

I delight greatly in the Lord;my soul rejoices in my God.For he has clothed me with garments of salvationand arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,Isaiah 61:10Imagine being a cleaner to a King. You come in every day to dust down the royal apartments. It takes you the whole day just to do the walk-ins (wardrobes). One day, you notice the Royal Robe is hanging on its hook. You can’t help yoursel...  Read More

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.Deuteronomy 6:6-7One of the things I love about Village Church is our kids. Oh sure, they are noisy and messy. But they are God’s kids, given to us to raise in the way of the Lord. He has entru...  Read More

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”John 8:12The world feels very dark right now. The Doomsday clock has been moved to 100 seconds to midnight. It’s the war in Ukraine and Palestine. It’s floods and fire. It’s COVID. It’s climate change. It’s the shattering of the narrative tha...  Read More

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.James 5:16The Christian life comes with many costs that we are quick to count. Yet, the privileges far outweigh the costs (if only we would see them). Prayer is a great example of this.Most of us really like the idea of having people in our life th...  Read More

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.John 13:35Have you ever walked into a house or an office and just known that there was a coldness there? That something was missing? That there was no love? What a tragedy if someone walked into a Church like that.Village Church was planted in Bulli to see more people hear about Jesus and be drawn to His love. Because in...  Read More

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.Hebrews 3:13So. I’ve done the smallest amount of pottery. When I was young I made a boat. It served as a paperweight for some time. My understanding with making pottery is that while you work the clay, it needs to stay a little wet to stop the clay from hardening and becomin...  Read More

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.Romans 12:4-6Have you ever tried to write with your feet/toes? What about something crazier, have you ever tried to eat through your nos...  Read More

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.Romans 12:15Have you ever felt like you had to put on a ‘front’ as you walked into Church? That somehow you had to pull it together and at least appear like everything was ok, no not just ok, but great :) I’ve experienced this. Why does this happen? Well, I want to take responsibility, sometimes it was my pride, I didn’t want to be seen to...  Read More

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.I will consider all your worksand meditate on all your mighty deeds.”Psalm 77:11-12I encourage you to go and read all of Psalm 77 if you can. It’s a wonderful example of why God’s people sing. The Psalmist is in a dark place. Feeling forgotten by God. Ever been there? But what does the Psalmist do? Verse 6, he rem...  Read More

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.Hebrews 3:12-13I love animal documentaries. The way God h...  Read More

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.Acts 2:42One of the things I love about Village Church is our dinners together. Food is a wonderful way to celebrate togetherness, to serve one another and to enjoy each other in Christ. When we do this, we partake in a tradition from the earliest converts to Christ. Acts 2 reminds us that t...  Read More

Greet one another with a holy kiss.2 Corinthians 13:12No. It’s ok. I’m not going to suggest we start doing this. I don’t think Paul is either (well, not exactly). In the Greek/Roman world of the early Church, similar to perhaps modern day France or Italy (before COVID), some form of kissing on the cheek was standard practice. It’s a physical gesture that indicates welcoming and closeness. It’s a c...  Read More

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;...  Read More

The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defence before the people. But when they realised he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of ...  Read More

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.Romans 12:6-8One of the mind-bog...  Read More

As iron sharpens iron,so one person sharpens anotherProverbs 27:17Well, here’s a Proverb we can all get behind right. Sounds good. I wonder though, if this is one of those Proverbs that we love in principle but hate in practice.A few things about iron sharpening iron. It can be loud. Uncomfortable. Sparks can fly. The reality of conflict has led to many just avoiding it. Either because they don’t ...  Read More

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.Romans 15:5-6From before we even planted Village Church, Romans 15:5-6 has been my prayer. One of my experiences of Church has been division. No, not at Village (so far). But bef...  Read More

With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.Ezra 3:11What a privilege it is to be loved. I want you to think of someone who loves you. Go on, just picture them for a minute. Hear them say, I love you. See their loving ac...  Read More

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in whi...  Read More

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.1 Corinthians 15:1-2There was a big swing we used to take our kids to. It was massive. A rope probably 20 metres high secured to a big gum bran...  Read More

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly ...  Read More

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a bette...  Read More

Taste and see that the Lord is good;    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people,    for those who fear him lack nothing.The lions may grow weak and hungry,    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.Psalm 34:8-10For thousands of years, God’s people have chosen Sunday as a day to taste and see that the Lord is good. Personally, I don’t believe in the ‘L...  Read More

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;planted in the house of the Lord,    they will flourish in the courts of our God.They will still bear fruit in old age,    they will stay fresh and green,proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright;    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’Psalm 92:12-15A Northern Suburbs version:God’s people will flourish li...  Read More

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25I can’t imagine what sort of training it takes to win an olympic gold medal. Let’s just consider th...  Read More