Newlife Anglican Church, Oran Park

With God on Mission: A New Humanity

In the last sermon of the series “On Mission with God”, we listen to Lead Pastor Stuart Starr reveal God’s ultimate plan for humanity - to reconcile all peoples to Himself. Our understanding of how God will reconcile the world to Himself tomorrow, enables us now to live in a way that is fully vital to the redemption of mankind today.

With God on Mission: Inbound Exiles @Night

The book of Isaiah contains some of the most beautiful imagery in all of Scripture, of the unfolding prophecy of a redeemed people. The message of salvation and hope to people at the ends of the Earth affirm the saving nature of our Heavenly Father. Except these words also serve as prelude to the imminent unravelling of Israel. It's exile.

The Israelites had forgotten their true calling - the failed to look towards the one true God and failed to be a blessing to all the nations, in doing so, failed to reveal the creator of the Universe to all mankind and His heart for humanity. They had chosen idols over the one true God and chosen to serve the created order instead of God Almighty. God would hand them over to exile in Babylon as judgement and through their suffering, would renew Israel’s heart for God, and reveal the true God to the Babylonians.

Isaiah speaks of the harsh judgement and wrath of God Almighty, but not in a vindictive way, but rather, an exile that would be transformative, redeeming, and a renewing. Isaiah not only continues to serve as a warning for our nations today, but also the heart of God, who uses our suffering and exile purposefully and intentionally for all nations and peoples.

Join with the NewLife@Night service, as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr opens up the Scriptures.

 

[bible passage="Isaiah 56:1-8" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Isaiah 60" heading="h3"]

With God on Mission: Inbound Exiles

The book of Isaiah contains some of the most beautiful imagery in all of Scripture, of the unfolding prophecy of a redeemed people. The message of salvation and hope to people at the ends of the Earth affirm the saving nature of our Heavenly Father. Except these words also serve as prelude to the imminent unravelling of Israel. It's exile.

The Israelites had forgotten their true calling - the failed to look towards the one true God and failed to be a blessing to all the nations, in doing so, failed to reveal the creator of the Universe to all mankind and His heart for humanity. They had chosen idols over the one true God and chosen to serve the created order instead of God Almighty. God would hand them over to exile in Babylon as judgement and through their suffering, would renew Israel’s heart for God, and reveal the true God to the Babylonians.

Isaiah speaks of the harsh judgement and wrath of God Almighty, but not in a vindictive way, but rather, an exile that would be transformative, redeeming, and a renewing. Isaiah not only continues to serve as a warning for our nations today, but also the heart of God, who uses our suffering and exile purposefully and intentionally for all nations and peoples.

Join with the NewLife@10 service, as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr opens up the Scriptures.

 

[bible passage="Isaiah 56:1-8" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Isaiah 60" heading="h3"]

With God on Mission: Faithful Exiles @Night

Accounts in the scriptures like the ones we find in Daniel, show us the faithfulness of our God. They reveal a lot about the nature of our ancestors and how they viewed the world, and even more, about the saving, redemptive nature of God. The Israelites who are in exile, chose to disobey the Kings orders and bow down to an idol - who are then are thrown into a fire, and SURVIVE the flames, all because of their faith in the God, Yahweh. However, this account is in stark contrast to the stories we find in the New Testament. The familiar suffering and tribulation that we ourselves can often tell of first-hand, differs dramatically to the stories that we read about in the Old Testament.

Has God forgotten about his people? Where does God stand in suffering and in injustice? Does wrongdoing and pain and inequity and miscarriage win? The writer wants us to be aware that while there are flames and even death, there is someone else standing in the flames beside you, a strength that can pull you through the flames, and even through death itself. Or as the writer of Daniel puts it, strength and power looking like the “Son of God”.

This story is a powerful reminder that “faith” isn’t about the belief in the right kind of god - a god that can protect you supernaturally from the flames in life. Though He can, and He often does. “Faith” isn’t even about understanding the supernatural way that He spoke the world into being. Though He did, and He continues to do so. “Faith” is the understanding that we find ourselves in this world now - full of all the injustices, illnesses, sufferings, destructive forces and powers and death, and that He has called you to be different - to renounce evil and stand against hatred and malice of all kinds in seeking Him, and His Kingdom - and more than anything, the understanding that He stands with you through it.

Because faith through that kind of suffering could change the world.

Join with Senior Assistant Pastor Geoff Leader and the NewLife@Night service, as he explores Daniel deeper.

 

[bible passage=“Daniel 1” heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage=“Daniel 3” heading="h3"]

With God on Mission: Faithful Exiles

Accounts in the scriptures like the ones we find in Daniel, show us the faithfulness of our God. They reveal a lot about the nature of our ancestors and how they viewed the world, and even more, about the saving, redemptive nature of God. The Israelites who are in exile, chose to disobey the Kings orders and bow down to an idol - who are then are thrown into a fire, and SURVIVE the flames, all because of their faith in the God, Yahweh. However, this account is in stark contrast to the stories we find in the New Testament. The familiar suffering and tribulation that we ourselves can often tell of first-hand, differs dramatically to the stories that we read about in the Old Testament.

Has God forgotten about his people? Where does God stand in suffering and in injustice? Does wrongdoing and pain and inequity and miscarriage win? The writer wants us to be aware that while there are flames and even death, there is someone else standing in the flames beside you, a strength that can pull you through the flames, and even through death itself. Or as the writer of Daniel puts it, strength and power looking like the “Son of God”.

This story is a powerful reminder that “faith” isn’t about the belief in the right kind of god - a god that can protect you supernaturally from the flames in life. Though He can, and He often does. “Faith” isn’t even about understanding the supernatural way that He spoke the world into being. Though He did, and He continues to do so. “Faith” is the understanding that we find ourselves in this world now - full of all the injustices, illnesses, sufferings, destructive forces and powers and death, and that He has called you to be different - to renounce evil and stand against hatred and malice of all kinds in seeking Him, and His Kingdom - and more than anything, the understanding that He stands with you through it.

Because faith through that kind of suffering could change the world.

Join with Senior Assistant Pastor Geoff Leader and the NewLife@10 service, as he explores Daniel deeper.

 

[bible passage="Daniel 1" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Daniel 3" heading="h3"]

With God on Mission: Unfaithful Israel @Night

There are some stories in the Bible that are easier to remember than others. Stories about Floods & Arks, Towers that reach to the heavens, divinely sent Fish to swallow men - it’s these stories that we pass down to our kids and teach with affection because of the attachment that we’ve had with them growing up. We pass them down because of their redeeming values and the way it helps shift our child-like understanding of who God is, to a bigger, more inclusive awareness of the Divine.

If, however, we only look at these stories as nothing more than some events that have happened somewhere else, some other time, we can easily miss the enduring ministry that has been at work all along through the prophets. Prophets like Jonah. You can look at Jonah’s story and remember fondly the story of how God sent a huge fish to swallowed him up, or you can go deeper, in the awareness that we are all Jonah, in the understanding that we are all on a trajectory, we are all running, we are all being chased, we are all called to something bigger and more expansive. Maybe even into forgiveness.

For generations the Assyrians invaded, marched against, laid siege to, and even deported the people of Israel. Who could forgive a people like this? What kind of God would knowingly and wilfully step into human history to forever change the hearts of a people so wicked? What kind of God would expect an Israelite of all people to take this message to them? The story of Jonah reveals a remarkable step forward in human consciousness, as they wrestled with forgiveness, and shows a pivotal moment in human history where mankind steps into the emergent power of forgiveness with all of the ambiguity and uncertainty and precariousness that comes with it.

God has never been just about one people group. He has always had a higher view of humanity, with the restoration and continued hope of all mankind in mind. Just as he revealed his heart for the people of Ninevah through Jonah, He wants us all to see His heart. Join with Lead Pastor Stuart Starr, and the NewLife@10 service as we go into the depths of the belly of the fish, to find that even when we are at the end of ourselves, He is there.

 

[bible passage="Jonah 1-2" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Jonah 3-4" heading="h3"]

With God on Mission: Unfaithful Israel

There are some stories in the Bible that are easier to remember than others. Stories about Floods & Arks, Towers that reach to the heavens, divinely sent Fish to swallow men - it’s these stories that we pass down to our kids and teach with affection because of the attachment that we’ve had with them growing up. We pass them down because of their redeeming values and the way it helps shift our child-like understanding of who God is, to a bigger, more inclusive awareness of the Divine.

If, however, we only look at these stories as nothing more than some events that have happened somewhere else, some other time, we can easily miss the enduring ministry that has been at work all along through the prophets. Prophets like Jonah. You can look at Jonah’s story and remember fondly the story of how God sent a huge fish to swallowed him up, or you can go deeper, in the awareness that we are all Jonah, in the understanding that we are all on a trajectory, we are all running, we are all being chased, we are all called to something bigger and more expansive. Maybe even into forgiveness.

For generations the Assyrians invaded, marched against, laid siege to, and even deported the people of Israel. Who could forgive a people like this? What kind of God would knowingly and wilfully step into human history to forever change the hearts of a people so wicked? What kind of God would expect an Israelite of all people to take this message to them? The story of Jonah reveals a remarkable step forward in human consciousness, as they wrestled with forgiveness, and shows a pivotal moment in human history where mankind steps into the emergent power of forgiveness with all of the ambiguity and uncertainty and precariousness that comes with it.

God has never been just about one people group. He has always had a higher view of humanity, with the restoration and continued hope of all mankind in mind. Just as he revealed his heart for the people of Ninevah through Jonah, He wants us all to see His heart. Join with Lead Pastor Stuart Starr, and the NewLife@10 service as we go into the depths of the belly of the fish, to find that even when we are at the end of ourselves, He is there.

 

[bible passage="Jonah 1-2" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Jonah 3-4" heading="h3"]

With God on mission: Faithful Gentiles @Night

The story of Jericho is often fondly remembered as one of those stories that we’ve grown up with as children - a story about how a God provides to his faithful, wandering children. Trumpets, fanfare, hype, drama, battles, sieges - what’s not to like? Except, if you read this story on a parallax - from outside of it’s original culture and intended audience, distancing yourself from the child-like bias that we have grown up with - it can be a little unnerving, even barbaric. If you are reading this story for the first time, you could ask what type of God would simply “give over” a whole city to a people who continually disobeys Him? What God would wilfully allow and condone that kind of death and destruction and violence? What kind of God is so exclusively in favour of one people, ignoring and forgiving their sins, and at the same time vengeful and uncompromising with another?

This view of an Old Testament, vindictive and angry God, is often painted in stark contrast to the inclusive, compassionate and loving New Testament God that we read about in the Bible. But if you were living in the ancient, tribal-centred wilderness, you would have an entirely different view and understanding of who and what God is. Every tribe had a different god, and it is generally considered that if you went into battle with a neighbouring tribe or city and won - your god was pleased with you. If you didn’t win, then your god had handed you over because he, (or they), were displeased with you. The story of Jericho starts very similar to many other battles and sieges of that day, except there is a glimmer of something new - a hope of redemption and a brand new way of understanding the Divine.

The writer reveals that the woman Rahab helps the Israelites plan the battle and usurps the Jericho defence - because she has heard something about this God. She, like the rest of the city knows something about the God of the Israelites. She has trembled with the knowing that something “more” was coming, which has caused her to react in such a way that she goes against her whole upbringing. Her whole family’s life irrevocably changing course because of her decision to trust a God who was invisible to her, but bigger than she could imagine.

The story of Jericho starts the same way as many other stories told in the ancient world, but the script quickly takes a tangent and ends up with salvation, restoration and hope as the people continue to awake to the Divine and the revelation of who God really is.

God has always had a higher, more expansive view of the hope for humanity than we do, sowing seeds early on in humanity’s story. In our own time He continues to awaken us the mystery of Himself in cultures all across our planet, and reveals to us that the ground of our being is firmly rooted in love. How we take that hope to our own neighbours and the nations is a continuing revelation, and something to be sought with our whole heart and mind and soul and strength, as we join with God on Mission.

Join with the NewLife@Night service as Stuart Grant takes us further within this mystery.

 

[bible passage="Joshua 2:1-21" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Acts 6:1-7" heading="h3"]

With God on mission: Faithful Gentiles

The story of Jericho is often fondly remembered as one of those stories that we’ve grown up with as children - a story about how a God provides to his faithful, wandering children. Trumpets, fanfare, hype, drama, battles, sieges - what’s not to like? Except, if you read this story on a parallax - from outside of it’s original culture and intended audience, distancing yourself from the child-like bias that we have grown up with - it can be a little unnerving, even barbaric. If you are reading this story for the first time, you could ask what type of God would simply “give over” a whole city to a people who continually disobeys Him? What God would wilfully allow and condone that kind of death and destruction and violence? What kind of God is so exclusively in favour of one people, ignoring and forgiving their sins, and at the same time vengeful and uncompromising with another?

This view of an Old Testament, vindictive and angry God, is often painted in stark contrast to the inclusive, compassionate and loving New Testament God that we read about in the Bible. But if you were living in the ancient, tribal-centred wilderness, you would have an entirely different view and understanding of who and what God is. Every tribe had a different god, and it is generally considered that if you went into battle with a neighbouring tribe or city and won - your god was pleased with you. If you didn’t win, then your god had handed you over because he, (or they), were displeased with you. The story of Jericho starts very similar to many other battles and sieges of that day, except there is a glimmer of something new - a hope of redemption and a brand new way of understanding the Divine.

The writer reveals that the woman Rahab helps the Israelites plan the battle and usurps the Jericho defence - because she has heard something about this God. She, like the rest of the city knows something about the God of the Israelites. She has trembled with the knowing that something “more” was coming, which has caused her to react in such a way that she goes against her whole upbringing. Her whole family’s life irrevocably changing course because of her decision to trust a God who was invisible to her, but bigger than she could imagine.

The story of Jericho starts the same way as many other stories told in the ancient world, but the script quickly takes a tangent and ends up with salvation, restoration and hope as the people continue to awake to the Divine and the revelation of who God really is.

God has always had a higher, more expansive view of the hope for humanity than we do, sowing seeds early on in humanity’s story. In our own time He continues to awaken us the mystery of Himself in cultures all across our planet, and reveals to us that the ground of our being is firmly rooted in love. How we take that hope to our own neighbours and the nations is a continuing revelation, and something to be sought with our whole heart and mind and soul and strength, as we join with God on Mission.

Join with the NewLife@10 service as Stuart Grant takes us further within this mystery.

 

[bible passage="Joshua 2:1-21" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Acts 6:1-7" heading="h3"]

With God on mission: Set Free to Live Free @Night

The early Hebrews, living as slaves in Egypt, had known only a life of hardship, abuse, persecution and oppression. For four hundred years they were forced to build and prop up the Egyptian empire, working as slaves for more than 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. The severity of this persecution and maltreatment was so in-ground in their very being, that their worth was measured in their ability, (or lack thereof), to work - indelibly scarring the psyche of the people. The distant memory of a life in freedom was nothing more than a story. To liberate a people from this kind of oppression by force, (or miracle), is one thing - but how do you un-work the very real and lasting effects of the systematic subjugation and enslavement of an entire nation?

God starts by reminding them that they are His people, and that He is on their side. He alone has heard their cry and He alone has carried them on eagles wings out of slavery. He then gives them new words to live by, so that they would also remember who they were. He gives them words to remember that their worth is not measured in the quota of bricks that they could make. He reminds them that He is looking for a people to show the world his redeeming love.

It’s easy to see why our modern culture sometimes misses some of the major themes in the Bible. The Ten Commandments are often understood as how far short we fall from God’s standard - yet for the Hebrews, these powerful words essentially recalibrated their understanding of what it was to be human. The Ten Commandments reaffirmed that God has gone on ahead of them and is leading them into a new day, and that the moral arc of the Universe is bent towards justice and is on the side of the weak and the oppressed.

Join with the NewLife@Night service, as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr reveals that the Ten Commandments are reminders for us too, how we can carry right living and relationship with God and each other through our lives, and to remember the name of the Lord wherever we are.

 

[bible passage="Exodus 19" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="Exodus 20:1-12" heading="h3"]