Merri Creek Anglican

[Rob Miller] God's Word Brings Life (1 Peter 1:17-25) 26.6.16 by Merri Creek Anglican

Do you come forward at church to receive the bread and wine and know what you are doing? What is the Lord's Supper important? What is this act of worship that Jesus established at the Last Supper? What do Anglicans believe?

In this last of the giving series from 2 Corinthians 8-9, Peter looks at the way Paul wanted the Corinthian church to give Abundantly. In this passage, Paul makes some famous but curious promises about reaping what you sow. What does this mean with regards to financial giving? What is it that we reap? Moreover, why is it so important to become an abundant giver?

It's one thing to be excited about giving your money away, but Paul shows here that you also ned to be organised, doing it voluntarily, and have some accountability structures. Why is this important? It's all about protecting the reputation of the church, and bringing glory to God.

Paul encourages the church in Corinth to follow through with their good intentions and give sacrificially to the suffering poor church in Judea. Out of this section the letter, Paul discusses a series of important discipleship principles such as sacrifice as the true currency in the Kingdom of God (rather than actual dollar value), and financial equity in society.

Living the Christian life and lasting the distance is really hard. But God doesn't leave us on his own. Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that God has given us his living and active word to help us.

Peter continues from last week to bring part two of the sermon Working to stop Working. The focus is on what it means to be a Sabbath People. How to we have the freedom of spirit that the disciples demonstrated in Luke 6:1-11? How do we move on from thinking of Sabbath as a once a week idea to a lifestyle choice?

The writer to the Hebrews says to make every effort to enter into God's Sabbath Rest – in other words, we have to work to stop working for our salvation. In this sermon, Peter explains the Sabbath Rest, and the danger that some might not enter that rest. What practical steps can we make then, to ensure we do enter that rest?

In this sermon, Bishop Genieve Blackwell offers some encouragement to the congregation - and newly confirmees, that God sent the Holy Spirit to help us in our walk as disciples.

This sermon looks at the warning in Hebrews against rebellion against God. The Israelites did not trust God and so God responded by not letting that generation enter the Promised Land. Christians need to learn from the mistakes of our Jewish ancestors. Distrust of God comes from sin and a hard heart. The strong recommendation in Hebrews 3 is to encourage each other in faith.

Peter continues the series looking at the way human beings were meant to be a little lower than the angels, with dominion over the earth, but that sin got in the way. So God perfected Jesus through his suffering and temptation to be the pioneer of our salvation – this was his destiny. He was our trail blazer to God, and by fulfilling his destiny, he fulfilled ours.

In this sermon Peter talks about the place of Angels and that despite their significance, the Son of God is superior.

Jesus said to Martha that he is "The Resurrection and the Life." Listen to this Easter address and see what Jesus meant by that claim. Find out how belief in Jesus is the beginning of new life.

When Jesus died the Temple curtain in tore from top to bottom. What is the significance of this? What does this say about Jesus' death?

If secularism is really, as Charles Taylor put it, an era where there is a supernova of belief systems, all bouncing around the 'imminent frame' then how do get people to notice the gospel more than the other beliefs? In this sermon Peter looks at Paul in Athens, and looks at how Paul did it, and how creatives have a special role to point people to Jesus.

[Rob Miller] The Purpose Of Jesus (Matthew 8:1 - 17) 13.3.16 by Merri Creek Anglican

Jesus has just fed the five-thousand with the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. So the crowd are pretty excited about his power to fill their bellies. But Jesus challenges them to stop worrying about temporary food, and to pursue eternal food - the bread from Heaven. What do you spend your life consuming? Temporary food that will go mouldy and waste away? Wouldn't you rather have a diet that lasts into eternity?

In this second of the 2016 vision series, Peter talks about how we need to do more than believe in community service and relationship building. In fact, as James 2:14-26 says, we need to get up off our feet and do something! Christian faith without corresponding good deeds is dead: it will not save.

[corrected-upload] [Peter Carolane] Training Day 2016 - What Kind Of Sunday Service Do We Want? by Merri Creek Anglican

In this second talk from the 2016 training day, Peter talks about his big picture strategic plans for Merri Creek Anglican.