Teaching

Sunday 10th November 2024, 9:30 service, Chris Hall.

Romans 8:31-32.

Having explained that God works through our weakness and through the challenges we face in our lives, the apostle Paul asks “who can be against us?”

The great message of the Gospel is that God has chosen to come to be with us, in Christ. In giving his one and only Son, we can be confident that our loving Father in heaven will provide for us in a multitude of ways (vs32).

Sunday 3rd November 2024, 6:30 service, Chris Hall.

Romans 8:28-30.

Whatever we may go through in life, God promises to work all things together for good, for those who love him. As a result we can have confidence that we will work his resurrection power to turn around situations which seem humanly impossible.

Through God’s goodness at work in our lives, we become more like Christ (vs 29) as we live according to his call on our lives.

Sunday 20th October, 9:30 service, Chris Hall.

Luke 5:1-11.

Sunday 29th September, 9:30 service, Chris Hall.

Romans 8:6-11 (and 5 AND 12!).

Paul outlines the difference between a mind that is focused on “natural desires”, being ungodly ones AND a mind that is controlled by the Spirit.

He reaffirms that as followers of Christ, we are not controlled by a sinful nature, but by the Spirit of God living in us (vs 9). We are raised with Christ to new life.

Are we living according to our new identity in Christ?

Sunday 1st September 2024, 6:30 service, Chris Hall.

John 21:15-22.

Having denied Jesus three times (in the courtyard, before the crucifixion), Peter walks with Jesus as he is asked three searching questions, “do you love me?”. Jesus helps Peter understand that love for Christ means service – to feed and take care of others.

In following Jesus (vs 19 and 22), we are to serve those around us by making disciples and taking care of one another.

Sunday 18th August 2024, 6:30 service, Chris Hall.

Luke 10:38-41.

As Jesus enters Mary and Martha’s house, he witnesses Mary sitting at his feet, whilst Martha is rushing around “distracted” by preparations. Are we more Mary or Martha? Jesus tells Martha “only one thing is needed”. Jesus calls us to be still, to sit at his feet, to listen to him and to praise him.

Sunday 4th August 2024, 6:30 service, Chris Hall.

Jesus sees everything. He surprises the Samaritan woman in several ways: by speaking with her, offering her a drink, knowing her past and revealing his identity (I am – God).

What would Jesus say to us in terms of our lives? In which areas of our lives do we need living water to refresh and renew us?

Sunday 23rd June, 9:30 service, Chris Hall.

The law was given so that the people of God might know who He was and to live lives that reflect His goodness and holiness. The law provides a definition of sin for us. The law was in and of itself “holy, righteous and good”, but sin twists it into something it is not.

Sin ultimately changes what is good until it leads to death. It can even deceive us into believing that what is good is actually death. Paul here argues against this, saying that the effects of sin lead us to calling sin what it is, and knowing its ultimate effect.

Sunday 2nd June, 6:30 service, Chris Hall.

We are dead to sin. It no longer has a claim or any power over us. Jesus is alive and so are we. Paul uses baptism to illustrate his point in this passage: as we go under the water we are buried with Him, and we are born to the new life He won for us in His resurrection.

The penalty for sin is death, and as death is defeated so sin has lost its power. We are resurrection people who live in the life that Jesus now lives. There is no going back, Jesus cannot die again and His life is fully to God. We are called to live in that same life.

Paul asserts that salvation is exclusively attained through the death of Christ, which can be perceived from multiple perspectives. He emphasises that salvation is obtained solely through faith, reiterating the importance of this concept. He highlights that there is no justification for human arrogance or boasting and that a right understanding of faith is necessary if we are to uphold the law.