Newlife Anglican Church, Oran Park

Johns Gospel: Easter Sunday - Life Beyond the Grave

Christianity has only ever been one stinky corpse away from being disproved. But the account of the tomb has rung out consistently for two millennia just as it was spoken first to the women who went to anoint His dead body;

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him". 

Give Jesus a crack - there's life beyond the grave - no body proves it.

 

[bible passage="1 Corinthians 15:1-22" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="John 20:1-23" heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: Good Friday

Listen together with us at NewLife Oran Park, as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr retells the story of the man,
 who stood up to the most powerful conquerors of his time,
 by standing up for the broken;

and being broken himself,
 broke an empire and a system,
 so everyone could know what a beautiful gift He is.

Johns Gospel: Palm Sunday - Encounters with the King

The writer of Johns Gospel continually presents us with the question, “How do we receive joy?". Does it elicit thankfulness, or does it reveal emptiness? Does it draw out grace, or does it bring condemnation with judgment? Our response to these questions should seem simple, but it can often reveal the complexity of our “humanness”, and show that just below the surface, there is much more lurking than it might first seem.

Lazarus has been raised from the dead, and in one electric, life-changing instant, everything in Mary shifts and a blinding new reality enters. Her thankfulness flows in excess, and in contrast Judas’ response is inward, selfish and hard-hearted. Johns Gospel excellently provides answers on how to take our inner dialogue and that inner awareness, to create a diverse community of oneness. It’s answers on ecstasy, diversity, and union remain wisdom for us today.

NewLife regular speaker Stuart Grant leads us to the cross this Palm Sunday, and shows us a universal truth, as Christ was welcomed with glorious refrain riding in on a colt - the truth that when we receive joy something illuminates inside of us. How will you respond to joy?

NewLife @Morning service.

 

[bible passage="Zechariah 9:9-17" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="John 12:1-36" heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: The Son & Believers @Night

Jesus’ disciples were the first to see him revealed as who he really was - The Christ. They lived with him, they ate with him, they walked the same dusty roads from city to city as he taught, ministered and performed miracles. They lived in the assurance that God was real, that God cared for the sick, that He fed the hungry and that He was ever present in their midst.

But what happens when that assurance is taken away? Where do you find purpose and mission? The disciples had experienced the “Oneness” of the Divine and man personally over the last few years, and now they were being told that Jesus was leaving and something new was happening. Which is a little unnerving - because “new” is terrifying, isn’t it? Everything that you know - your life, your goals, your business venture, your 5 year plan - all of a sudden switches gears and the certain, clear view that lied ahead of you is taken from you and you have to begin something new - without the assurance and guidance that you had become so inextricably tethered to.

Johns Gospel shows how the disciples journey started with a promise - that the Father was sending someone in Jesus place - a promise of a world where they could be comfortable with ambiguity, complexity and unknowing. One that has a space for sadness as well as joy, for the low times as as well as the good times. Because being human is about not trying to run away from the difficult things in our lives, but living in the assurance that being in God means being able to bear them and robbing them of their sting.

Listen with us as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr expands Johns Gospel, to continue to help us understand the beautiful relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and how we can have confidence to endure seeking unity, holiness and His glory.

NewLife @Night service

 

[bible passage=“John 17” heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: The Son & Believers

Jesus’ disciples were the first to see him revealed as who he really was - The Christ. They lived with him, they ate with him, they walked the same dusty roads from city to city as he taught, ministered and performed miracles. They lived in the assurance that God was real, that God cared for the sick, that He fed the hungry and that He was ever present in their midst.

But what happens when that assurance is taken away? Where do you find purpose and mission? The disciples had experienced the “Oneness” of the Divine and man personally over the last few years, and now they were being told that Jesus was leaving and something new was happening. Which is a little unnerving - because “new” is terrifying, isn’t it? Everything that you know - your life, your goals, your business venture, your 5 year plan - all of a sudden switches gears and the certain, clear view that lied ahead of you is taken from you and you have to begin something new - without the assurance and guidance that you had become so inextricably tethered to.

Johns Gospel shows how the disciples journey started with a promise - that the Father was sending someone in Jesus place - a promise of a world where they could be comfortable with ambiguity, complexity and unknowing. One that has a space for sadness as well as joy, for the low times as as well as the good times. Because being human is about not trying to run away from the difficult things in our lives, but living in the assurance that being in God means being able to bear them and robbing them of their sting.

Listen with us as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr expands Johns Gospel, to continue to help us understand the beautiful relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and how we can have confidence to endure seeking unity, holiness and His glory.

 

[bible passage="John 17" heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: The Son & the Spirit

For a little over 13 billion years, our Universe has been heading in one direction. Forward - our growing awareness of our shared humanity, our growing understanding of the relationship we are in with God, our deepening insight into the fragility of this beautiful planet, and our understanding that it is all an integrated existence of spirit and flesh. By many accounts our universe, (see Dr. Luke Barnes’ talk on A Fortunate Universe on our website), should be out of energy. So what is the mysterious, unseen force that is pulling the whole thing forward?

Johns Gospel continues to be an enlightening revelation into the mystery of the relationship that God exists in as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus taught the remarkable truth during his earthly ministry how God, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one, but also unique persons. Lead Pastor Stuart Starr attempts to pull apart the scriptures to try to help us understand how the very nature of the Trinity - in particular this week how the Son & the Spirit - enter time and space and hearts to make change possible, by bringing understanding, repentance and sanctification.

Don’t miss Stuart’s sermon in Johns Gospel, and see how we are all connected in Spirit through the Son, and possess a remarkable opportunity and responsibility to help bring restoration to a broken world.

 

[bible passage="John 15:1-27" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="John 16:1-33" heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: Seeing the Father & the Son

For Christians, we commonly identify purpose, in the existence of life, as loving God and enjoying Him forever. But it was only after Christ came to earth that man could actually see what this looked like "lived out". How Jesus lived - his teaching, love for the poor, care for the tired, patience for his neighbour, understanding for the broken -
essentially redefined what it meant to bring glory to God. It revealed to man the freedom in serving God through enjoyment and humility that had previously shackled mankind in tribes, religions and classes.

But what is the purpose of God? Jesus revealed time and again that God's glory was His glory. In other words, living in perfect harmonious, right relationship with Himself was bringing Himself glory. It was the catalyst that precipitated Creation. It was the passion that led Jesus to the cross. And it was the earthquake that broke death and rose Christ to life.

But three God's in one? Brain freeze? You're not alone....

Lead Pastor Stuart Starr explores this beautiful glimpse that we get of the Trinitarian love that envelopes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Johns Gospel. Jesus uses powerful imagery and language to help the apostles and disciples try to wrap their heads around the beautiful idea that will forever be a mystery to us - the unfathomable, unknowable, incorruptible love of the perfect union of the Godhead - and how it has been revealed to us through Christ.

Johns Gospel continues to be a transformative and revelatory shift in human consciousness, challenging us to reimagine what it means to be human, living in the context and awareness of a New Humanity. Are we all in for Gods Glory - or are we here for ours? Do we experience God's assurance and comfort - or do we live in fear and anxiety? Do we embody God's love or do we seek ourselves? Are we praying God's will - or do we seek our own?

Sit down with us as we explore the place he has prepared. As we meditate on the job to do while we wait for His return. And as we expectantly wait on His promise of assistance, in seeking to love God and enjoy Him forever.

 

 

[bible passage="John 13:31-38" heading="h3"]

 

 

[bible passage="John 14:1-31" heading="h3"]

Luke Barnes – A Fortunate Universe

You don’t have to be a scientist to appreciate the beauty of the night sky, but there is much more to the Universe than its good looks. For scientists, the goal is to unveil the inner workings of nature, the rules and properties that dictate how the bits and pieces of the cosmos move and interact.

Sydney University Astrophysicist Dr Luke Barnes, co-author of A Fortunate Universe, will take us on a tour of the cosmos, from its smallest building blocks to its largest structures. Humanity, we will see, relies on a remarkable set of circumstances that allow us to ponder our place in space and time.

Join us on Wednesday March 15th from 7:30pm to hear the presentation and then we’ll open the floor up for a question and answer time when you can draw on Dr Barnes’ knowledge. It promises to be a great evening for all inquiring minds.

Johns Gospel: What to do with Dirty Feet

For the last few thousand years, (or so), Christians have sought to show the world that Christianity is more than just a means by which we enter Heaven. And of course doing good and living valued lives is important, but it cannot sustain life. It is our faith in Christ alone that is the catalyst for which we draw strength and the vitality needed to continue to be a blessing to those around us and live in right relationship with the Father.

We’ve seen over the last few weeks in our studies of Johns Gospel, how Jesus crucially dissects the understanding of the Sadducees and Pharisees, as well as the Jewish people, to show them that ritual and practice alone do not lead to righteous living and restored relationship with God, but how it can often lead in the opposite direction. Jesus again and again revealed to them that the Father was seeking hearts and new life – not empty ritual, worship and praise.

How then, do we live a life that grows and matures in service and humility, whilst continuing to walk in a world that has been tainted by sin?

John provides pivotal examples on how Jesus’ actions and humility were more powerful than any other power on earth. Jesus’ cleansing and washing of his disciples feet showed them that we all still walk in a sinful world, and that the power of sanctification comes from him, and flows through service, humility, repentance and love.

Join with us as Stuart Grant continues our series in Johns Gospel, on the importance and power of humility in our lives. See how we meet Jesus in the self revelatory path that sanctification offers. And allow Jesus’ teaching to impact you to be a blessing to those around you.

 

[bible passage="1 Corinthians 11:17-34" heading="h3"]

 

[bible passage="John 13:1-30" heading="h3"]

Johns Gospel: Light of the World

John 8 continues the brilliant, creative teaching of Jesus, through the eyes of his disciples. Throughout our series, we’ve seen how Jesus continually broke down the cultural and religious barriers of the people around him by revealing how tradition and ritual can be useful if it leads to knowing and understanding - but can be dangerous if it leads to entitlement and privilege.

Jesus used a continuing metaphor of light and darkness to describe to the Pharisees and teachers off the law the very real nature of sin in rejecting truth. Similarly, how we understand and discern between light and dark, and “truth” and “alternative facts”, are ultimately a matter of the heart. Jesus’ claim, that the Pharisees did not know the light and the truth, is a message that fits well within our own culture and is an important message for everyone.

The harsh truth is that when we seek only news and information and testimony to reinforce our own distorted perspectives of truth, continuing to live in the bias and fictional rhetoric, then we are deceived and become slaves to sin. In brilliant contrast however, when we seek ultimate truth in Jesus, we are set free.

So how do we discern when the night has set in? How then can the light infiltrate the darkness? How do we recognise truth in a world of a million media and news outlets, where you are either uninformed if you don’t listen, or you are misinformed if you do? Join with us as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr continues this series in Johns Gospel to reveal the one hope we all have for freedom, in Jesus.

 

​
[bible passage="John 8:12-59" heading="h3"]