Riverlife Messages

Riverlife Baptist Church

Weekly messages from Riverlife Baptist Church in Brisbane, Australia. Riverlife is a church that desires to be a family embracing the Father's presence, releasing empowered people to declare and demonstrate Christ's kingdom.

  1. 12h ago

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 9 - Mercy Makes a Merciful People - Petrea Taylor

    Kicking off with Paul’s dramatic shift from celebration in Romans 8 to lament in Romans 9, Petrea draws us into the apostle’s heartbreak for Israel, a people who held every spiritual privilege, yet many missed the fulfilment of God’s promises in Jesus. Through personal stories and playful references (there’s even a KitKat moment!), we’re reminded that God’s mercy isn’t about entitlement, ancestry, or effort, but about His gracious character. The message navigates big questions: Has God’s Word failed? Is God unjust? Using the “potter and clay” imagery, Petrea challenges us to surrender control, trust God’s patient shaping, and resist the urge to argue or strive for status. Instead, we’re called to be softened by mercy, quick to forgive, eager to love, and motivated by a longing for others to know Christ.**Outline of the Message:**- Paul’s lament for Israel and deep love for his people- The privileges of Israel and the challenge of rejection- God’s promises: Have they failed?- Mercy is God’s gift, not our entitlement- The “potter and clay”: surrendering control and trusting God’s purposes- Mercy’s impact: humility, forgiveness, and real transformation- A call to be a merciful, loving community**Bible Verses Mentioned:**  Romans 9 (with particular focus on Romans 9:1-23), Romans 8, Romans 10:1, Genesis 18:10, Genesis 21:1-2, Genesis 25:21-23, Malachi 1:2-3, Exodus 9:16, Exodus 33:19, Jeremiah 18, Isaiah 29, Isaiah 45, Isaiah 64, Matthew 5:7 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 9 - Mercy Makes a Merciful People - Petrea Taylor
  2. 12h ago

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 9 - God’s Faithfulness and Mercy - Jo Leutton

    If you’ve ever wanted the Bible to tie everything up in a neat bow, Romans 9 is here to keep you on your toes! Pastor Jo unpacks Paul’s deep sorrow for his own people and the tough question: "what happens to those who seem to miss out on God’s promises?" Drawing on Shakespearean tragedy, golden calves, and even a nod to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Jo helps us see that God’s plans are rarely straightforward, but they are always faithful. We’re encouraged to sit in the discomfort, repent of our self-reliance and spiritual gatekeeping, and trust that God’s mercy welcomes all through faith in Jesus. The message reminds us that being part of God’s family isn’t about birthright or effort, but about humble faith, no Disney endings required.**Message Outline:**- The “tragedy” Paul feels for unbelieving Israel- The big “what if”: Has God’s word failed?- God’s mercy, sovereignty, and the challenge to our sense of fairness- The difference between birthright and faith- Potter and clay: who gets to decide?- The hope of renewal, God’s family is open to all through faith in Jesus- A call to humility, repentance, and trust in God’s ongoing plan**Bible Verses Mentioned:**Romans 9, Romans 9:1-5, Romans 9:6, Romans 9:14, Romans 9:24, Romans 9:32, Romans 9:33, Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 4, Romans 8, Exodus 32, Exodus 33:19, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, Isaiah 10:22-23, Isaiah 1:9, Hosea 2:23, Hosea 1:10, Genesis 18:10, Genesis 21:12, Genesis 25:23, Malachi 1:2-3, Jeremiah 18:1-6, 1 Peter 2:6-8, Romans 3:23, Romans 1:16, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:31-32 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 9 - God’s Faithfulness and Mercy - Jo Leutton
  3. Sep 28

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 8 - Forgiven and Freed - Sandy Bickerton

    Ever felt like you’re not quite good enough for God, or anyone else, for that matter? Pastor Sandy’s message dives straight into this universal struggle, exposing how the enemy twists God’s word to keep us stuck in shame and fear. Through a blend of storytelling (yes, even a nod to Dickens’ *Great Expectations*), honest confessions, and practical theology, we’re reminded that our behaviour flows from who we believe we are. If you belong to Jesus, you’re not just forgiven, you’re family, with all the rights and privileges that come from being an heir. The heart of this message explores how the Holy Spirit makes God’s love real and personal, pouring assurance into our hearts and forming in us a new cry: “Abba, Father.” Sandy challenges us to reject an “orphan spirit,” receive the Spirit’s witness, and live each day from the joy, peace, and power that come with our new identity. Whether you’re wrestling with old patterns or just need a fresh dose of encouragement, this message is a solid reminder, you’re not condemned, you’re chosen. **Outline of the Message:**- The enemy’s distortion: living under condemnation- Gospel clarity: “no condemnation” for those in Christ- Identity shapes behaviour: you act like who you believe you are- The miracle of adoption: the Spirit assures us we belong- Living in the Spirit: practical freedom, joy, and peace- Invitation to receive and walk in your true identity**Bible Verses Mentioned:**  Romans 8, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:1-17, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:3-8, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:9-11, Romans 8:12-15, Romans 8:14-17, Romans 5:5, Psalm 103:10-14, Psalm 103, Romans 6, Romans 7, Romans 7:15, Romans 7:24-25, Romans 1-3, Romans 3:23 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 8 - Forgiven and Freed - Sandy Bickerton
  4. Sep 28

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 8 - Life in the Spirit, Hope in the Groaning - Sam Bricknell

    Romans 8 is the mountaintop of Paul’s letter, and Pastor Sam doesn’t shy away from the realness of life’s battles, drawing directly from his own story and the tension between trying harder and truly living in Christ’s freedom. The message begins by connecting Romans 7’s cry of desperation (“Who will rescue me?”) with Romans 8’s breathtaking assurance: “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Sam reminds us that the Christian life is not about white-knuckling our way to goodness, but about living from a new position, adopted as sons and daughters, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit.We’re challenged to shift our hope from what we see to what is promised, recognising that suffering and groaning are real, but so is the Spirit’s help and God’s unbreakable love. Sam outlines three sections of Romans 8:- The new way and position in Christ (no longer slaves, but children and heirs)- Living by the Spirit with hope in the midst of groaning- The unshakeable assurance that nothing can separate us from God’s lovePractical, heartfelt, and full of hope, this message calls us to walk as free people, more than conquerors through Jesus.**Bible Verses Mentioned:**Romans 7, Romans 7:6, Romans 7:24-25, Romans 8, Romans 8:1-17, Romans 8:18-30, Romans 8:26-30, Romans 8:28-30, Romans 8:31-39, Romans 8:31, Romans 8:32-34, Romans 8:35-39, Romans 8:14-17, John 8:36 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 8 - Life in the Spirit, Hope in the Groaning - Sam Bricknell
  5. Sep 21

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 7 - Why Repentance Matters - Sam Bricknell

    Ever felt like you just can’t get it right, no matter how hard you try? You’re in good company. In this message, Pastor Sam invites us into the wrestle Paul describes in Romans 7, a tug-of-war between wanting to do good and constantly stumbling over the same old mistakes. We hear candid stories about anger, snacks, and the all-too-human habit of justifying ourselves, before zooming out to see how this struggle plays out for everyone, from biblical heroes to those sitting in church today.Sam unpacks how God’s law is good, but sin has a way of twisting even the best intentions. The message doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff, the cycle of guilt, shame, and self-justification, but also doesn’t leave us there. Instead, it points to repentance as the moment we stop trying to fix ourselves, cry out “Who will rescue me?”, and discover the answer is always Jesus. Repentance isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of freedom and the gateway to living as sons and daughters, not slaves to sin. **Outline of the Message:**- Introduction: The struggle with things we can’t control- Paul’s honest confession in Romans 7- Why the law is good—but not enough- The universal human problem: knowing what’s right, but not doing it- The futility of self-rescue and the invitation to repentance- Finding freedom in Jesus, not condemnation- Living from our new identity as sons and daughters**Bible Verses Mentioned:**  Romans 7, Romans 6:14, Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 6, Romans 8, Romans 9-11, Genesis 3, John 8:36 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (PM): Romans 7 - Why Repentance Matters - Sam Bricknell
  6. Sep 21

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 7 - The Law, Sin, and the Cry for Deliverance - Jo Leutton

    If you’ve ever wondered why doing the right thing feels so hard (even when we really want to), you’re in good company, Paul wrestled with it too! Pastor Jo takes us on a journey through Romans 7, drawing in stories from Exodus and Genesis to show how God’s law, while holy and beautiful, can’t fix what’s broken inside us. Instead, the law shines a light on our need for deliverance and exposes the “parasite” of sin that lingers beneath the surface.The message weaves through Paul’s anguished confession, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing”, and lands with the good news: Jesus has broken the power of the old “in-Adam” life, inviting us to walk in freedom by the Spirit. Expect some honest laughs, and a direct call to embrace the hope found in Christ, not just religious rule-keeping.**Outline of the Message:**- Introduction: Setting the scene and why Romans 7 is such a tough nut to crack- The Law: Beautiful, holy, but never meant to save us- Paul’s Inner Struggle: The universal experience of wanting to do good but failing- Sin as a Parasite: How brokenness clings on and why self-effort doesn’t work- The Deliverer: Drawing hope from Jesus’ finished work and the life of the Spirit- Invitation: Leaving the old life behind and stepping into true freedom**Bible Verses Mentioned:**  Romans 7, Romans 5:20-21, Psalm 119, Exodus 20, Exodus 32, Genesis 3, James 1:14-15, Romans 2, Romans 3, Romans 6, Romans 7:1-6, Romans 7:4, Romans 7:7-12, Romans 7:13, Romans 7:21-25, Romans 7:24-25, Romans 8, Romans 9-11, Ephesians 5:25-32, Galatians 5:19-21 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    To Rome With Love (AM): Romans 7 - The Law, Sin, and the Cry for Deliverance - Jo Leutton
  7. Sep 16

    60 Year Anniversary of Riverlife Baptist (AM) - Jo Leutton

    With a nod to classic Aussie nostalgia, think Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and decimal currency, Jo reminds us that a lot can happen in 60 years, not just in society but in the life of a church. This message weaves together stories of changed lives, faithful service, and generations passing on the wonder of God’s works. Drawing from the Psalms and Ezekiel’s prophetic vision, the message encourages us to see ourselves, whether newcomers or seasoned members, as part of a legacy that’s still unfolding. Anchored in Jesus’ promise to build His church, Jo challenges us to carry the baton: to welcome people home, to pursue God’s mission together, and to trust the Holy Spirit for fresh fruitfulness in the next season. It’s a call to remember, to celebrate, and to ask, “What could God do with the next 60 years, or even the next 60 days, of your life?” **Outline of the message:**- Opening with gratitude for God’s faithfulness and a look at cultural milestones from 60 years ago- Reflecting on the church’s journey, stories, changes, and legacy- Psalm 145: Passing on the stories of God’s greatness from one generation to the next- The prophetic power of celebrating legacy and positioning the church for the future- Welcoming newcomers and recognising everyone as part of God’s ongoing work- Ezekiel 36: God’s promise to rebuild and multiply, calling the church to renewed mission- A future-focused challenge: commit to God’s purposes for the next season **Bible Verses Mentioned:**  Psalm 145:1-7  Psalm 102:18-20  Ezekiel 36:8-11  Matthew 16:18  Romans 8:15  Acts 2:1-4 CONNECT WITH RIVERLIFE CHURCH HERE AT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverlifebaptistchurchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverlifeBaptistChurchWebsite: https://riverlifechurch.org.au

    60 Year Anniversary of Riverlife Baptist (AM) - Jo Leutton

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Weekly messages from Riverlife Baptist Church in Brisbane, Australia. Riverlife is a church that desires to be a family embracing the Father's presence, releasing empowered people to declare and demonstrate Christ's kingdom.