Newlife Anglican Church, Oran Park

Christmas, in our Western culture, easily overshadows every other holiday. Even Easter, which for many Christians is the spiritual equinox in their calendar, is trumped each year by the rise of consumerism, capitalism and the true cost of materialism in December. As such, we can often be blinded to the true nature of the Manger and the virgin birth, as its significance diminishes and falls in the shadow of the growing dominance of a “secular Christmas” each year.

It’s easy to lose the sight to the true meaning of Christmas, and celebrate it in ways that are in direct opposition to its original intent.

Senior Assistant Pastor Geoff Leader reminds us that forgiveness is not exclusively what happens after we are buried, but has to do with the way we live right now and helps us to be fully aware of the powerful, subversive and insistent love that forgiveness offers everyone.

[bible passage="Isaiah 9:1-7" version="esv"]

Prophecy, throughout the Scriptures, helps us glimpse into the unfolding narrative and mystery of Christ. The Psalmist David, wrote down beautiful songs and poems as an expression of the divine mystery that was being revealed to him, as he met with God Most High.

Reading through them, you’ll begin to see something at work, just below the surface, planting seeds, gradually moving and calling and pulling and tugging and inspiring and transforming. Prophecy is like this. It somehow reaches into the future and pulls it into the present, helping us glimpse a world bigger than we knew possible, and inviting us into it.

Lead Pastor Stuart Starr invites us to explore and examine the ancient prophecies that reveal Messiah. He encourages us to look to a world just beyond the horizon where Righteousness and Justice reign. And he invites us to step into the mystery of the unfolding narrative that Jesus has been at the centre of, since before time began.

Join with us as we delve deeper into that eternal mystery of Incarnation, a thousand years after it was revealed to King David, when Love Came Down.

 

[bible passage="Psalm 2" version="esv"]

 

[bible passage="Psalm 118" version="esv"]

This message looks at 2 Thessalonians 3 and looks at Pauls writings to the church regarding living in a world hostile to God, his warnings against idleness and final blessing of peace and grace.

The Thessalonians has become unsettled believing that the return of Jesus had already happened and they had missed it. In response Paul writes to calm their hearts by assuring them of something truly unmissable which will proceed that day. He goes on to explain that preparing for Jesus' return involves being ready for the arrival for the ominous "man of lawlessness". This message also points to the great hope and confidence arising from the assurance that Jesus will defeat this agent of Satan effortlessly.

It’s sometimes hard to picture the image of a loving and redeeming Heavenly Father - a God who is compassionate, who draws us into increasing mercy, acceptance, generosity and peace on one hand - whilst on the other hand trying to comprehend a God who condemns people and a God who sends judgement. For a secular society, this view of God can often seem regressive, outdated and backward, and ultimately, uninviting.

But how should we respond to suffering and persecution in our world? A world overrun with hatred, malice, injustice and intolerance - a world with ISIS, child soldiers, political instability and extreme poverty? Our world is a constant reminder that we are terrifyingly free to do what we want in this life, and if the choice is destruction and death, then God is loving enough to allow us this choice. But does evil win? Can everything in this age be redeemed by God? Will God allow evil to stand in His presence in the age to come?

We need teaching and language and pictures and metaphors that are strong and volatile enough to describe the very real experiences and consequences of the choices of rejecting Christ. 2 Thessalonians is a real letter to a church who is facing persecution of their new found faith, written to encourage and strengthen the resolve of the young church, and to reveal to them the mystery of the “Just Jesus”.

Listen with us, as Lead Pastor Stuart Starr examines this difficult, (and ultimately encouraging), passage.

 

[bible passage="2 Thessalonians 1" version=“esv”]

As Christians, we don't only look to living in Eternity after death, but seek to live a life now that can endure, and survive even death. 

How can we prepare to live in this Way? What kind of things should we surround ourselves with? Or perhaps, how can we better anticipate His coming? Lead Pastor Stuart Starr explores the various ways we can live a life in anticipation of the One who is not only before all, in all and through all, but is also coming again..

Dive in with us, as we study 1 Thessalonians 5.

The choice is ours....

Throughout his letters, Paul reveals to us how persecution makes us doubt the goodness of God, and temptation blinds us to the gifts of God. So how can we ensure our faith won’t leave us stranded? How can we have an “adrenalised" faith that will go the distance? How can we help other believers grow spiritually - even in the face of affliction, trial and temptation?

 

Be encouraged, listening to Lead Pastor Stuart Starr, as he reads with us 1 Thessalonians 3, and recounts Paul’s message of compassion and endurance.

Our spiritual focus in today’s culture can often be blurred. Distorted with advertisement after advertisement, the allure of riches, entitlement and possessions distract us from what is real. What do we filter in? What do we filter out? Who we emulate and who we aspire to be like play an important part in the life of our culture, the life of our church, as well as in our own.

 

Paul’s calling for purpose and encouragement help turn our sometimes misguided vision for what we think a modern Christian church should look like, to a church that can actually embrace hardship and persecution. Lead Pastor Stuart Starr, and Paul, encourage us that persecution and difficulty in standing up for God’s Word, and standing in our broken world are our glory and our joy.

 

Paul's letter to the Thessalonian's is a letter to a church under rising pressure and scrutiny from Rome in the west and Athens in the east. It's a letter of encouragement, perseverance and hope to a young church, and offers much needed perspective in our own lives.

Lead Pastor Stuart Starr encourages us to remain strong in faith and hope that Christ is at work, even in our own times and 21st Century struggles.

This sermon explores the place of "rest" in our lives when living in a world of ever increasing busyness.