What should we do? 30 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What should we do?
It was quite an exciting weekend at Willetton last week. The multi-cuisine feast was a gourmet’s delight. Once again there were a lot of people present who are not normally in church on Sundays.
And on Sunday at Willetton we also had quite a lot of people who are not normally in church with us. Some were visitors from other churches, and some were visitors from no church.
Is this a good thing? Having people come to events or church services who don’t normally go to church? Coming to meals is OK I suppose. But what about church? Do we really want lots of people coming who are not used to church and don’t know what to do?
God's Love and Baptism 23 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Other Sermons
{podcast id=149}
God's Love and Baptism
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 23 October 2011
Bible readings: Isaiah 40.27-31; Romans 5.1-8; John 3.1-16
Sermon preached at a baptism service about children, families, marriage, baptism and knowing God's love.
Why baptise? 23 October 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Why baptise?
Why would anyone want to baptise children these days? After all it is becoming a minority sport. We could ask why parents add their child’s name to the waiting list for private schools (and pay a large fee for the privilege in some cases)?
Because they want the child to have a good education (and they hope the school will still be a good school 12 years later when the child enters secondary education). So we baptise children because we want them to be part of the (minority) group that follows Jesus. Because we want them to follow Jesus themselves. And learn about him. And find out how to follow him.
In a way it’s a bit like enrolling the child as a member of your favourite football team. You want them to have the privileges of membership eventually – and to be supporters.
7. God's Grace Romans 3.27-31
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=267}
God's Grace Romans 3.27-31
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 16 October 2011
Bible Readings: Jeremiah 23.1-6; Psalm 34; Romans 3.25-31; John 12.20-36
Why there is nothing to boast about by those who live according to the Old Testament expectation that they should live by faith
6. God's Righteousness Romans 3.21-26
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=266}
God's Righteousness Romans 3.21-26
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 9 October, 2011
Bible Readings: Isaiah 53.1-12; Psalm 51; Luke 18.9-14
God's righteousness made known in the gospel and received by faith in Christ by all who believe, by means of God's free gift of grace and the redemption that came by Christ's sacrifice of atonment
Job – was he right? 9 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Job – was he right?
“She has the patience of Job.” is a famous saying. Job has become the great example of patient suffering. But while Job persevered, he may not have been very patient. Much of the book is taken up with complaints. Job’s friends complain that Job is not admitting his faults (and so making it easier for him to escape his suffering). Job on the other hand is complaining that the Lord has caused him to suffer for no good reason.
Both Job and his friends ask the question as to how a person can be in the right with God. The friends have one answer, Job doesn’t agree and wants to talk to God about it. They complain that one of Job’s problems is that he tries to justify himself rather than God.
But one of the interesting things about the book of Job is that it starts off with the wonderful testimonial about Job, repeated by the Lord himself, that “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job is a righteous person at the start, and remains so all the way through.
Jesus at work 2 Oct 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Jesus at work
Lots of people like their work. Some like their workmates as well - or some of them anyway, some of the time. Some would like some of them more if they weren’t workmates. Others find their fellow workers are what saves their sanity in the face of impossible or deadly jobs.
Many jobs are very enjoyable except for the “politics”. Meaning power struggles, petty jealousies, higher ups who haven’t quite grown up, people with chips on their shoulders, and others who bring their own problems from home and inflict them on the group.
Keeping one’s head down and out of the way of the cross-fire is one way of coping. Joining in the struggle appeals to some. And most work-places have peace-keepers on hand to help out.
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