Sermons@Kingsley Sermons@Kingsley

Everyone has rules they live by. How are yours working for you? As we begin a series in the book of Galatians we look at the purpose and story of the letter to discover a Christian community grappling with what life as followers of Jesus should look like. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of what restored relationship with God and others looks and feels like, but so often there are spoken and unspoken rules for living that can trip us up. Being aware of what those rules are and how they fit with the good news of Jesus is vital if we are going to be free to live a fruitful Christian life.

The book of Acts tells the story of how the first Christians lived on mission. Their lives had a purpose – to witness to Jesus as Saviour and Lord from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the Earth. They followed the example of Jesus in trusting the Father’s plans and relying on the Spirit’s power. We explore what it means to trust the Father’s plans and rely on the Spirit’s power as we live for Jesus today, learning from the practices and experiences of the early Church to guide us.

On Pentecost Sunday we listen to the story of the birth of the Church in Acts 2. It’s an amazing story as we the Holy Spirit bringing new life to people just like Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about in John 3. We reflect on the New Testament’s assertion that the way that God started the Church is also the way He sustains the Church. We rely on the Spirit to do in, through and around us what only God can do. The question for us is whether or not we are willing to believe and receive.

Guest speaker Carl Carmody from Challenge Newspaper shares with us about the priority of prayer in evangelism… and everything else for that matter!

Psalm 40 is a wonderful song of thanksgiving as David reflects on what God has done to bring him out of a pit of despair. To get more insight into what David was feeling before his deliverance we tune into Psalms 38 & 39 which describe that in more detail. While our stories might be different, most of us know what it’s like to feel stuck, recognising our own mistakes and their consequences and being surrounded by people who either don’t know how to help or are taking the opportunity to have a go at us. As David comes out of that by God’s grace he celebrates that his story can also be a blessing to others if he’s brave enough to share it and if they are humble enough to learn from it. That’s the kind of community that we want to build too.

After celebrating a child dedication earlier in our service, we take a look at Psalm 78 which reflects on the spiritual journey of Israel from the generations since their exodus from Egypt. The psalm has much to teach us about how we can help each successive generation to know God and walk in His ways. It describes the blessings that are experienced when that happens as well as the burdens that come from forgetting God’s works and His ways. With ANZAC Day approaching we take some time to reflect on the history of our nation and the world around us from God’s point of view – just as Asaph does in Psalm 78. We challenge ourselves to remember and pass on those critical lessons which are so important in navigating the challenges our world currently faces. We remind ourselves that the same principles apply in our communities and families. We all have stories that we are part of, which formed us and shape how we are also forming others. Will we take the time to seek God’s perspective on our history so that we might step into the future with full confidence in God and obedience to Him?