Sermons at St Aidan's

Today we come to the end of our series in Genesis, and we revisit the family that becomes the nation of Israel. The sons of Israel leave much to be desired as role models, and yet, these are the ones who the Lord calls "my people". We see today that God's people, both then and now, are those saved by grace as they are enfolded into his promises and given a future.

We continue with the series in Genesis and come to the story of Joseph. It is often the case that Joseph is held up as a great example to follow, he works hard, he flees temptation, and he forgives those who wronged him. But before we apply Joseph's example to our lives, let's first see how he points us to Jesus - the true saviour of the world.

As we continue in our series in Genesis, we come to the story of Jacob (later named "Israel"). We see that the whole of Jacob's life is about struggling to obtain the blessing of God. As we follow the contents of his story, we see a person transformed as he discovers that to know God and his grace is what it means to be truly blessed.

As God's covenant promises faithfully unfold, we come to one of the hardest passages of Genesis to stomach - the call to sacrifice Isaac. This seems wildly unreasonable and a sabotage of God's faithful provision. Nevertheless, we will see that faith in God's promises and provision revolutionises our reason when God provides himself in Jesus.

Today we hear the history-shaping promises that God made to Abraham. Today, we share in these promises as we put our faith in the true son of Abraham, who came to fulfill the promises and bring blessings to the end of the earth.

We continue this week with our series in Genesis and come to the story of the tower of Babel. It is here that humanity, speaking the same language, gather together in rebellion against God and as God sees their pride and arrogance he scatters them and confuses their language. We see that every attempt to build a kingdom, a community, or a life in our own name will be short-lived; but there is one name under heaven given to us which gathers and re-unites for eternity.

We come to the story of Noah and the Ark. This part of God's word reminds us of some hard truths. It confronts us with the darkness of our hearts and God's coming judgement on sin. But it also points to the one who brings comfort to our hearts, and the only true place of safety in our world as we take refuge in Jesus Christ.

In Genesis 3 we are told of how sin entered the world and corrupted our relationship with God, one another, and even the creation. But in this tragic chapter we also see hints of mercy, grace, and hope for a restored and better future.

Today we begin a new series going back to the very beginning. In Genesis 1 and 2 we are told of the God who created all things, including us who are made in his image, and created to glorify him and enjoy him forever.

Joash Parker speaks about the King of Glory from Psalm 24.

Living in a broken world can be disorientating. Like David, in Psalm 23, we need a constant focus on the shepherd to pass through the darkest valleys of our lives.

Jesus was forsaken from his Father in the cross, which means that we are never truly alone.

Today we come to the end of our series exploring what it means to be on mission together, reflecting on how we promote the gospel through our public gatherings. The New Testament expectation is that as believers meet to praise and worship god that will be a powerful declaration of the gospel for all to see.

Today we reflect on how we can use the financial resources God has given us for the growth of his Kingdom. The New Testament describes financial giving as partnership in the gospel, and we are encouraged to remember the grace of the Lord Jesus in our generosity.

Today we reflect on how God has gifted his people and gives gifts of his people to the church. There are different kinds of service, but in all of them, and in every one, the same God is at work.

Today we reflect on the role of our good works or Christian behaviour. Living out our faith corporately as a church and individually as believers will impact how those around us perceive and hear the gospel message.

Today we consider what role each Christian is called to in speaking the gospel. All believers have the privilege and responsibility of speaking about their faith, What might that practically look like for you?

Today we consider the most basic gospel-promoting task - Prayer to the Lord of the harvest.

Today we ask, "What is the message that we promote?" If we are going to be part of God's great plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, we had better be clear about the message we are called to share.

Today we ask "What is the mindset of the ordinary Christian?" Not all are gifted evangelists, but all who know Jesus are to share his heart and to share an outlook on life that cares deeply about the salvation of others.

This is a new series where we will consider what it looks like to be a church on mission together. There are many ways that God has given us and gifted us to serve him in mission. We begin by asking "Why should we be involved in mission?" The answer, simply, is because there is one Lord whom all people are called to worship.

In the final section of his gospel, Luke records how Jesus appears to his disciples and sends them on mission before ascending to the Father as King over all. Having seen the risen Jesus, the disciples worship him with great joy. How will we respond as we see Jesus this Easter?

Following the events of Jesus' death and resurrection, Luke now tells us of the journey of two disciples on Easter Sunday afternoon. They are walking away from Jerusalem in despair, but they meet Jesus on the road, and that night rush back to the other disciples in Jerusalem with their hearts burning within them. Let us consider what led to their despair, what renewed their hope, and what it looks like for us to journey with Jesus today.

A week before Jesus would be crucified, he enters Jerusalem to much fanfare, but leaves that evening in tears. Jesus is rejected by those who should have welcomed him as their King, and Jesus weeps for them. As we approach Easter, may we reflect on our response to Jesus and his reign in our lives.

As we come to the end of Peter's first letter, Peter urges all of us to follow Christ's example of humility in how we relate to one another and in the world. As God's elect exiles we follow him on the path of suffering before glory.

Suffering of all kinds have become badges of honour in our society. Enduring oppression on many fronts so you can live your truth is the narrative to partake in, even if we're not entirely sure what that means. Yet, according to 1 Peter, suffering for our faith is not so much our badge of honour, but an opportunity to honour God. How can we commend this strange suffering to a world that faces God's judgement for honouring themselves and not Him?

In light of the example of Christ's suffering, and the victory he has won for us that we saw last week, we see how Jesus' example shapes how we live for God in an unbelieving world that pushes back against us. We also see how Jesus' victory should give us an eternal mindset, and we see how Jesus' example shapes how we live in Christian community.

What happens when we are mistreated because of our good works? Peter takes up this question and points us to Christ who we are to follow as our example, and to fear as the Lord over all.

As we live as God's elect exiles in the world, what is the best strategy for making an impact on the world around us? In today's passage, Peter writes to those lacking power in the world, encouraging them to follow the example of Christ who did not sin, who did good to all, and who entrusted himself to God through all circumstances.

As we continue in 1 Peter, we are shown how God is building his church on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. As we come to Jesus we are given a new life and a new purpose to bring glory to God's name.

In the Christian life, knowing where you are going helps you to know what to be doing. As we began our series in 1 Peter last week we saw clearly that our destination is an imperishable inheritance, being kept for us by God in heaven. This week Peter spells out how we should live as God's elect exiles as we look toward our inheritance.

In 1 Peter, Peter writes to believers scattered in the world to remind them of their true home with God. Though we may often feel vulnerable or out of place in the culture around us, the status God has given us is chosen, secure, heirs of God's promises, and all of this is ours through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the last chapter of Thessalonians, we find a faithful fellowship of believers who will prayerfully support evangelism, obey the Apostles warnings to those who are idle and busybodies, and will not lose heart as they trust in the peace of Christ.

Today we continue in our series in 2 Thessalonians, knowing that the Thessalonians face trials from both outside the church and from within. Paul gives thanks to God for his great love, which has saved them, and urges them to stand firm in what they have so graciously received.

As we continue in our series in 2 Thessalonians, Paul addresses the believers' concern that they will miss out on the Day of the Lord. This is certainly a day not to be missed, and we hear how we can be certain about being there with the Lord.

When faced with difficult times, it can be helpful to have some certainty when faced with the possibility of death. The  key question is "what will happen when you die?" As believers in Jesus, knowing that we will be in heaven with him when we die gives us great assurance.

Christmas is a time of the year when we can reflect on the year that's been, and give thanks to God for all His blessings to us. Most of all, we can thank God for his greatest gift, when his Son Jesus was born in our world to be our King and our Saviour. Today we hear from the Bible about the birth of the King, and how his coming calls us to respond to him.

Today we reflect on a trustworthy saying that speaks of why the message of Christmas is exciting for everyone of us, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

In our passages from Malachi, we are reminded of the justice of God and the salvation that is ours because of the cross of Jesus. 

Malachi spoke to Israel at a time when they were disillusioned with God and his promises. They questioned whether God really loved them and if God was worth their service and obedience. If you've ever felt like that, then Malachi brings a message of hope grounded in the greatness of God and the promise of his coming.

There is so much to remember at Christmas, so as we begin the season of Advent, we should rejoice along with Zechariah that we have a God of active memory and  mercy.

A report from Rod Morris on the progress of St Aidan's "City to City" undertaking, and a review of distributed questionnaire.

As we draw our short series in Revelation 2-3 to a close, we will consider the call to live a life worthy of Jesus in all aspects of our vision at St. Aidan's. At the same time, we can't help but be drawn to Jesus' heavenly vision in the rest of Revelation; a vision which ensures we will be preserved to worthiness in Christ together.

Jesus' vision for his people is to follow him, which involves costly discipleship. So, when we feel the pressure of hostility, slander, and exclusion, that come from being followers of Christ, how are we to remain faithful? We explore this question as we continue to listen to Jesus' words to his church from Revelation 2 and 3.

Today we consider the importance of recapturing our first love and considering Jesus' words to his church in Revelation 2, where we'll hear Jesus' encouragement and warnings about living as his people.

The Psalms look at our broken circumstances that are rooted in God's love  and are fulfilled in a concrete, future reality.

Today we consider the nature of serving others, and what that means about how we think about ourselves. Jesus has some stern warnings about when we serve for the praise of others, or when we serve in our own strength. Thankfully it's as we listen to Jesus that we can serve him with freedom and joy.

Today we consider the nature of our God, and what that means about serving. Sometimes we serve for the wrong reasons, leaving us joyless. What should be going on in our hearts as we serve our King?

For the next 3 Sundays, the topic will be "Serving without sinking". How can we serve Christ and do that joyfully? To begin with, we look to the model of servanthood, Jesus our servant King.

These are the final chapters in the book of Acts. It has been an exciting journey from Jerusalem all the way to Rome and we reflect here on what we have learnt about God's great mission to see the name Jesus made know to the ends of the earth.