The St Clair Baptist Community Podcast

Jesus came to fulfil the law. We explore what that means and where we arrive is that Jesus wants people with renovated hearts to follow him. He wants people that are in relationship with him to the extent that they reflect his heart. Beyond adultery, he wants us to be pure. Beyond murder, he wants us to not be angry. Beyond tolerating each other, he wants us to be eager to forgive. 

 The Kingdom of Heaven is the main thing. King Jesus extends a high, wide and warm invitation to the last, the lost and the least to embrace him as their King. Its a high invitation and a high commitment; but the calling is to commit to the loving King who died for us. How good is that?!

John's Sermon on the Temptation of Jesus. Using Jesus as our example John explores how we as Jesus' followers should respond to the temptations we face.

Have a listen to our first podcast recorded in a galaxy not so far far away! Hannah & I reflect on our initial experiences including a more complicated-than-expected beginning to the trip, first impressions, a trip up a volcano and back and our reflections on the first 2 weeks with the 'Company'. Enjoy!

Sunday's sermon. Abraham's test in Genesis 22 is one of the more uncomfortable passages in the Bible. However,  a closer look shows us that Abraham is being tested in a way that relates to our everyday walk with God. Will we fully embrace the path Jesus lays before us, fully trusting him when he tells that life abundant is in him (John 10:10) and that whatever we lose in following him will be completely worth it?

Daryl's sermon on John the Baptist. He leads us to reflect how we all need to repent; we all need God's grace; we shouldn't look down on others.

Esther and I sat with David and Hannah days out from leaving for the Philippines. In this interview we chat about the story leading up to their call into the Philippines. We hear about what God was teaching them through their year away travelling around Australia and also their reflections on their year among us that has just come to an end. 

Among other things, You'll hear about how God grew their heart for Justice, challenged them to trust Him more deeply, and also called them into spaces of silence,solitude and stillness in His presence.

Sunday's sermon on the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar and how when we make idols of things in God's creation they can turn from blessings to things that steal, kill and destroy us. 

I love preaching on this as it relates to our core trust issues towards God and likely relates to anyone who is seeking to follow Jesus.

I pray this sermon encouraged and will encourage us to trust our good shepherd Jesus to lead us through this complex world, not making the mistake of putting anything before him. In him is life abundant (John 10:10)

There's a lot of debate out there about the 'why' of suffering. However, no matter what answer you come up with to the 'why' of suffering, it doesn't change the fact that suffering is real and widespread in this world.

When we accept that fact and look at what scripture tells us about how God interacts with suffering we see that 

1. God enters our suffering

2. God provides hope for the suffering

3.God identifies with the suffering

4. God's Kingdom is not stopped by suffering

At some point in the sermon I said at some point something like, 'All God's best work is done in suffering'. I would have preferred to say 'some of God's best work...' I think the former line is too presumptuous. 

Matthew's Gospel starts with  a genealogy. A list of names. Hardly inspiring stuff right? Wrong. Matthew has used this list to give a powerful message about what Jesus is about. He refers to four women who are connected to scandal and/or controversy, the type of things you might want to brush over in your family tree. Why did he do this? Jesus came for the people that others might want to airbrush out of existence; The foreigner, the forgotten and the abused.

Thanks to Tim Macbride and Coffeewiththeking.com for alot of the ideas and inspiration for this message!