By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 John 2: 18-27 1 John 2: 18-27 (NIV) We live in a world full of misinformation, deception, lies and half-truths, especially online. Often it is hard to distinguish truth from lies. Notwithstanding, the most important of all truths is that resurrection life is possible through Jesus.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 John 2: 12-17 1 John 2: 12-17 (NIV) Today we compared what Jesus offers with what the world offers - and in so doing we saw the importance of clinging to that which lasts and letting go of that which is temporal…By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Mike Uptin | Acts 28: 11-31 Acts 28: 11-31 (NIV) Today we saw how Paul was able to take the Gospel to the Gentiles – even when he was under house arrest in Rome. It seems that nothing could prevent the Gospel from going out.By Rev Mike Uptin

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 27: 13-32 Acts 27: 13-32 (NIV) Life is good, but it’s not easy – and all of us will face seriously difficult situations at various points in our lives. Sometimes we refer to these as life’s storms. Whilst none of us will have a ‘storm free’ life, it is certainly true that rejecting Jesus will take us into storms – and tr…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | John 20: 19-31 John 20: 19-31 (NIV) A lot of people are under the misapprehension that believing in Jesus requires a blind leap of faith, when in reality it’s more of an informed step of faith. Today we looked at some of the evidence from John’s Gospel that assures us of Jesus’ literal, bodily resurrection.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Matthew 28: 10 Matthew 28: 1-10 (NIV) Easter is the celebration of a seismic event. An event that is profoundly important to every person who has ever lived. Jesus' resurrection changes everything!

By Rev Bev Bell | Isaiah 53: 1-7,Matthew 26: 57-58 and 63b-68,Matthew 27: 11-31,Luke 23: 26-27 and 32-43,Matthew 27: 45-52a, 54, 57-60 Isaiah 53: 1-7,Matthew 26: 57-58 and 63b-68,Matthew 27: 11-31,Luke 23: 26-27 and 32-43,Matthew 27: 45-52a, 54, 57-60 (NIV) We call this day Good Friday. Why good? When it seems so awful. It has been said that it may…

By Rev Trevor Adams | Matthew 26: 17-19,Mark 14: 17-25,John 13: 3-17,Mark 14: 32-42,Luke 22: 47b - 53 Matthew 26: 17-19,Mark 14: 17-25,John 13: 3-17,Mark 14: 32-42,Luke 22: 47b - 53 (NIV) Peter starts a short but sharp retort with Jesus. He doesn't accept Jesus' prediction of Jesus's violent arrest and hanging! Then three days later rise again? Jus…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Matthew 21: 1-11 and Acts 26: 1-18 Matthew 21: 1-11 and Acts 26: 1-18 On the first Palm Sunday, the crowds welcomed Jesus as King. In less than a week they were screaming for his crucifixion. A total change of direction. However, it can also go the other way. The Apostle Paul began by hating Christians and ended up wanting ev…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 22: 1-22 Acts 22: 1-22 (NIV) We live in a time and place where it’s safe to be a Christian. We can talk about Jesus and proclaim the Gospel without any serious risk of violence being done to us. Living the Christian life here in Australia doesn’t take as much physical courage as it might do in other parts of the world, b…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 20: 7-12, 17-38 Acts 20: 7-12, 17-38 (NIV) The book of Acts tells the story of the growth of the early church. We read how Paul established multiple churches all over the known world. The fact that Paul was able to keep moving on shows that those churches were not reliant on Paul but on the guidance, inspiration and unit…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 19:1-20 Acts 19:1-20 (NIV) All human beings are broken and sinful, and we rebel against God in all kinds of ways. We need to change – and we need to go on changing over the course of our whole lives. God will not force change upon us, but if we put our trust in Jesus he promises to fill us with his Holy Spirit. It is the…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 17: 16-31 Acts 17: 16-31 (NIV) If we are going to make the Gospel relevant to people today, we need to understand the culture we are living in. However, we must understand the culture without succumbing to it in ways that compromise our faith.By Rev Trevor Adams

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 15: 1-11 Acts 15: 1-11 (NIV) The simple message of the Gospel is this, 'everyone who puts their faith in Jesus will receive God’s forgiveness and everlasting life'. However, we love to complicate things, and some people may tell us that we need the Gospel, plus something else. But there is no Gospel plus. Our salvation i…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 14: 1-20 Acts 14: 1-20 (NIV) The First Christians shared the Gospel with all kinds of people, in all kinds of contexts. In Lystra, when Paul prayed for a lame man who was subsequently healed, the crowds began to worship Paul and Barnabus as gods. The fact that those people would make two mere men the object of their wors…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 12: 1-24 Acts 12: 1-24 (NIV) No evil person – no evil plan – no evil situation, can ever derail God’s plans. The good news remains good news, no matter what’s happening in the world or in our lives.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 11: 19-30 Acts 11: 19-30 (NIV) The good news of Jesus has the potential to spread quickly and the Church has the potential to grow quickly. The Jewish Christians in Antioch shared their faith with out and out pagans, with amazing results. There's no reason why the same thing shouldn't happen today.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 11: 1-18 Acts 11: 1-18 (NIV) God gave Peter and a Roman centurion called Cornelius separate visions in order to bring them together and affirm non-Jewish inclusion in his kingdom. God demonstrated his acceptance of gentiles by pouring his Holy Spirit out on Cornelius’ household. Baptism with water and the Holy Spirit is …

By Rev Trevor Adams | Acts 10: 24-48 Acts 10: 24-48 (NIV) The Gospel, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost?By Rev Trevor Adams

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 10: 1-23 Acts 10: 1-23 (NIV) We’re beginning a new series based on the book of Acts called ‘The Gospel Goes Out’. Today we’re going to see that the early church quickly discovered that Jesus didn’t just come for the Jews, he came for the whole world.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Trevor Adams | Matthew 2: 1-12 Matthew 2: 1-12 (NIV) Searching for JesusBy Rev Trevor Adams

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Luke 2: 1-18 Luke 2: 1-18 (NIV) Jesus was born in a backwater of the Roman Empire. An empire that encouraged the worship of an array of false gods and even Ceasar himself. The gods of the Greco-Roman world were capricious, petty and egoistic. Jesus showed the world what God is really like, and it's not what anyone expected.…

By Rec Charlie Lacey | Matthew 1:18-25 Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV) People often dismiss the Christmas story as a fairytale, not because of a lack of evidence, but because to acknowledge its veracity would mean allowing God into their lives.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Hebrews 2: 14-18 Hebrews 2: 14-18 (NIV) Someone once said that “many people are tiptoeing through life, trying to reach death safely.” Death has almost become a taboo subject in our culture. People try not to think about it. As Christians, we don’t fear death because we know that Jesus has defeated death on our behalf. In ord…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Philippians 2: 1-11 Philippians 2: 1-11 (NIV)' Jesus has always existed, but he became human in order to serve a sinful world that hates God. His greatest act of service was to die on a cross for you and for me. We can hardly comprehend the selflessness of Christ and yet in many ways we are called to emulate it.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | John 1: 14 John 1: 14 (NIV) Advent is a time to remember, not just that Jesus has come into the world, but to look forward with hope and anticipation to his second coming. In our Advent series, ‘The Wonder of the Incarnation’, we will be rediscovering what it means to worship a God, who is not aloof and distant, but has enter…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 40: 1-10; 12; 21-22; 25-26 Isaiah 40: 1-10; 12; 21-22; 25-26 (NIV) We stand at a point in history when God has already entered into his creation in the person of Jesus Christ. With Advent just around the corner, we are reminded that we are waiting for Jesus to return. Just as John the Baptiser prepared the way for Jesu…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 36 Isaiah 36 (NIV) When we are facing a tough situation, there are potentially three ways that we can direct our trust. We can direct it inwards by relying on ourselves; we can direct it outwards by relying on the people around us; or we can direct it upwards by relying on the Lord. King Hezekiah of Judah, faced a terr…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 11: 1-10 Isaiah 11: 1-10 (NIV) More than 700 years before Christ, Isaiah spoke of one upon whom the Spirit of the Lord would rest, and he describes his character, kingdom, and people. It’s a message of tremendous hope, not just for Isaiah’s contemporaries, but also for us.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 9: 1-7 Isaiah 9: 1-7 (NIV) The world is full of darkness and many people choose to walk in that darkness. Nevertheless, the light has come into the world - Jesus has established his kingdom. We can walk by the light of Christ now, knowing that one day we will see his kingdom in all its fullness, and his light in all it…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 6: 1-13 Isaiah 6: 1-13 (NIV) God is so pure and holy that he is completely incompatible with anything that is unholy. Like oil and water, holiness and unholiness don’t mix. This is a problem for us and for the whole of humanity, because we are fallen, broken and sinful. The beautiful truth of the Gospel is that God has…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 4: 2-6 Isaiah 4: 2-6 (NIV) The Old Testament prophets spoke about things in the present, the future and the distant future; things that are yet to happen, even for us. They give us a vision of God’s ultimate plan for creation and for his people. That plan comes into focus in the New Testament, but it’s clearly visible …

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 1: 1-20 Isaiah 1: 1-20 (NIV) God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to warn his people that there would be consequences to their idolatry and mistreatment of the poor and the marginalised. However, God also makes it very clear that he longs for his people to return to him and so avoid the consequences of their waywardnes…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 2 Timothy 3: 10-17 2 Timothy 3: 10-17 (NIV) People are often heard to say things like, ‘You can’t rely on the Bible – it’s thousands of years old – it’s been changed – it’s been disproved by science’ and so on. The truth is, the Bible has stood the test of time and the texts contained therein are as reliable today as they wer…

By Rev Trevor Adams | 1 Peter 1: 3-12 1 Peter 1: 3-12 (NIV) The most frequently asked theological question of all time is probably this: Why does God allow suffering? There are three important things to remember when we're grappling with this question. 1. We worship a God who has experienced suffering. 2. God works in the midst of our suffering. 3.…

By Rev Bev Bell | Matthew 23: 1-3 & 23-32 Matthew 23: 1-3 & 23-32 (NIV) People often accuse Christians of being hypocrites and sadly, there is a good deal of hypocrisy in the Church. However, when we read the Gospels, it becomes clear that Jesus had no time for religious hypocrisy either. Jesus' followers are called to live lives of integrity and a…

by Bp John Roundhill | James 5:13-20 James 5:13-20 (NIV)By Bp John Roundhill

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 5:7-12 James 5:7-12 (NIV) James tells us to be patient in the face of suffering. We’re not all suffering right now, but we will all suffer at some point in our lives. James says, be patient because Jesus is going to return, his promises will be fulfilled, and ultimately, all wrongs will be put right.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 4: 1-10 James 4: 1-10 (NIV) Pride is the root cause of all sin and rebellion against God. We must reject the world, the devil and all that is evil and turn to Christ. We must reject pride and embrace humility.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Tevor Adams | James 3:1-12 James 3:1-12 (NIV) Every major event in history began with people exchanging words. Words can be a powerful force for good and they can be used for evil. They can be life giving and they can be destructive. Most importantly, our words often reveal the state of our hearts.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 2: 14-26 James 2: 14-26 (NIV) We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. However, evidence of genuine faith can be seen in the way that one lives their life and in their good deeds in particular. As James puts it, faith without works is dead.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 2:1-13 James 2:1-13 (NIV) Today was International Sunday at St. Andrew's, and we were reminded that we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ equally, regardless of their background, level of income or position.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 1: 19-27 James 1: 19-27 (NIV) James challenges the way we live our lives, by making the point that it is not enough for us to hear God’s word, we’ve also got to respond to it. In today’s passage James focusses on anger and our use of words, but his message is clear: real faith obeys.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 1: 9-18 James 1: 9-18 (NIV) Real faith is, steadfast in its pursuit of righteousness, steadfast in its love of God and steadfast in its resolve to fight against sin.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | James 1:1-8 James 1:1-8 (NIV) Christians are not immune from the trials of life, but even in the midst of them, we can be sure that God is good, the Gospel is true, and God’s plan is still on track.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Proverbs 11: 1-31 Proverbs 11: 1-31 (NIV) There are several threads that run all the way through the book of Proverbs. For example, the comparison between wisdom and foolishness or righteousness and wickedness. But, as we read through proverbs, it becomes clear that the prime movers are humility and pride. These are the chara…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Proverbs 10: 11-32 Proverbs 10: 11-32 (NIV) The book of Proverbs is made up of short, pithy wisdom sayings, which are attributed to King Solomon. They offer us practical skills for living well in God’s world. And a sizable chunk of them relate to our use of words and language.By Rev Charlie Lacey

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Colossians 4: 2-18 Colossians 4: 2-18 (NIV) Paul begins his letter to the Colossians by reminding them who they are in Christ; then he explains what their new life in Christ should look like; and finally, he touches on the mission and purpose of the Colossian Church. It’s a mission and a purpose that we share.…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Colossians 3: 12-25 and 4:1 Colossians 3: 12-25 and 4:1 (NIV) Paul urged the Colossians to rid themselves of ungodly and unwholesome behaviours. He then called them to adopt, or ‘put on’ a more godly set of characteristics. From a moral perspective, Paul was encouraging them to take off their filthy old rags and put on fresh,…

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Colossians 3: 1-11 Colossians 3: 1-11 (NIV) The Good News of the Gospel is that those who put their trust in Jesus, died with him and rose with him to be part of the new creation. Our old sinful nature has died and we have been raised to everlasting life. That life begins now, as does the process of becoming like Jesus. That …