Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 7. How To Be Assured You Are A Christian Now that you are a Christian, (if you are one), there may well be times when you doubt if you are God’s child. For no clear reason you don’t feel saved. But being a Christian is not to be based on emotional feelings but rather the clear and authoritative promise of God. God th…

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 6. How Do You Become A Christian - a follower of Jesus? If you want to turn to God there is no need for delay. God is ready and willing to take you as his own right now. You only have to ask him to forgive you and to give you help on the journey ahead which he will do by giving you the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is …

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 5. Was Jesus Christ Simply Just A Good Moral Teacher? Today we have another question? Was Jesus Christ simply a good moral teacher, and nothing more? It is often a statement often associated with Jesus Christ, that he was simply a good moral teacher. Nothing more. Nothing less. This thinking is also untenable and unw…

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 4. Why Would God Become Human? A natural question now follows. Why would God become human? God Himself has taken on the responsibility for our sins. Jesus when he died on the cross bore our sins. Although he was sinless, he therefore became sin for us. By doing this, we are drawn to him in a personal way. God has sho…

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 3. Jesus is fully Human We looked very briefly yesterday about Jesus being fully God. Today we go further and investigate very briefly at Jesus being fully human. That Jesus was a man who existed is not really disputable. There are a large variety of documents from that period of time about Him, including many and va…

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 2. Jesus Christ - Fully God Yesterday we looked at what the name Jesus meant and how it was appropriate that he was called that. Today we are looking briefly at Jesus being fully God! God’s salvation plan for humans’ involved triumphant victory over sin, death and the grave. However no person could be found who was e…

Jesus Christ - No longer a baby 1. What's in a name? I wonder what your name means. Parents often name their children after the hopes and aspirations they have for that child. For example, I know somebody called Grace, and her nature is full of grace. My name, David, means “beloved”. When my parents named me, it was meant to symbolize the love they…

Psalm 91 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 91:2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." 91:3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will…

Psalm 88 If you can, as you read and listen to Psalm 88, feel the agony of the Psalmist and ask the same questions he does, particularly in regards to our recent troubles across the world... Psalm 88 A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskilof Heman the Ezrahite. 1 LORD, you are the Go…

Psalm 128 A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways. For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house; your children like olive plants, around your table. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears…

Colossians 3v1-4 “Remember Who You Are!” During last week, I attended the funeral of a friend, mentor and editor. This friend is now more alive than ever before! Why? That is explained here from Colossians 3:1-4. If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your …

Why I am a Christian?Right mouse click to save/download this testimony as a MP3 file The Apostle John, writing in 1 John 5:9-12 - "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not …

Partakers Bible Thought 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by…

Nicene Creed What we believe as Christians... We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray and profess together! We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen. ~ We…

When Jesus comes back as KingRevelation 21-22IntroductionRight mouse click or tap here here to download as a MP3 audio file After His ascension, Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father! He is King and what a King. Jesus is coming again, not as a baby this time, but as King and judge. Both ideas are affirmed by Jeremiah and John. We will do two…

Partakers Friday Prayers! We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Let us pray earnestly this prayer together to our great God! Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams…

Why would God become human? In our last study we looked at Jesus Christ being fully God. We concluded with a question - Why would Jesus be fully man and fully God and so what? Today we seek to engage with that question and briefly answer it. One of the church father’s, Anselm, wrote that God’s salvation plan for humans’ involved triumphant victory …

WOW Jesus Fully God Today we are looking at Jesus being fully God! You may remember that in our previous study, we looked at Jesus being fully human. This is also part of what we celebrate at Christmas. As Christians, we believe God inhabited a human body, thereby still being God, but also being fully human. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is acknowled…

WOW Jesus Fully Human At Christmas, we celebrate when God became human, in what we call the incarnation. But could God really enter this world as a human? As Christians, we believe that God did indeed enter our messed up world, as a man – the man Jesus Christ. That Jesus was a man is not really disputable. The primary documents about Him, found in …

WOW Jesus Just A Good Moral Teacher? One thing that a lot of people say about Jesus, even those who are not Christian, is that he was a good moral teacher. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates offered, “how we ought to live”, as a working definition of ‘moral‘. As I said, people often say, even those who would claim to be following Jesus, say tha…

WOW Jesus What’s in a name? Today we are going to ask ourselves, in relation to Jesus, What’s in a name? I wonder what your name means. Parents usually name their children after the hopes and aspirations they have for that child. For example, the name John means “the gift of God”. I know somebody called Grace, and her nature is that of somebody ful…

Apostle Paul’s Jesus Today we are going to look at Paul’s Jesus. Paul, who as a Pharisee was known as Saul. Paul who became a follower of Jesus, after encountering him on the road to Damascus. Paul who describes himself as the least of the apostles, former persecutor of the church and the foremost of sinners. Because Paul chose to follow, believe i…

Apostle Peter’s Jesus Today we are going to look at another person who was one of Jesus’ closest friends – the man we know as the Apostle Peter. Peter, whose name was originally Simon, but given the name Peter, by Jesus (Matthew 16:18). Peter, the great Apostle and some say the greatest Apostle! With John and James, one of the three people closest …

Apostle John’s Jesus John1:1-18 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darknes…

Mary's Jesus Luke 1:26-38 - In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.’ But she was much perp…

WOW Jesus Antiphons In some parts of the church they use as part of their worship, these seven O Antiphons. Each one, addresses Jesus Christ using a Messianic title drawn from prophecy in the Old Testament, looking back to the birth of the Saviour-Messiah. If you read the acrostic backwards, the initials of each title in Latin form the words “Ero C…

18. Jesus The Ascended King Right mouse click or tap here to save this podcast episode as a mp3 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore g…

17. Jesus the Risen King 1 Corinthians 15:1-8: Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first import…

16. Jesus The Dying King Right mouse click or tap here to save this podcast episode as a mp3 Isaiah 52:13-14: See, my servant will act wisely he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness— Isaiah 5…

15. Jesus’ Last Prayer Right mouse click to save this podcast episode as a mp3 John 17:1-5: Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendour of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendour. You put him in charge of everything human so he might give real and eternal lif…

14. Jesus’ Last Teaching Right mouse click or tap here to save this podcast episode as a mp3 “But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. You are very sad from hearing all of this. But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to h…

13. Jesus’ Last Night Luke 4:16-21 - He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me …

12 Jesus Reaches Out In the previous study we saw two different people approach Jesus differently. We saw the rich young ruler who was eager and keen to meet with Jesus, running and kneeling before him, only to leave in sorrow at the cost of discipleship. We then saw Nicodemus coming at night to Jesus in order to check out what Jesus was all about …

11. Jesus’ Encounters We know Jesus spoke to and interacted with large crowds. The Sermon on the Mount and the feeding of large crowds arejust a couple of examples. But we also have records of his encounters with individuals and their reaction to him. People who we talk to about Him, often have three reactions: rejection (either in sorrow or anger)…

10. Jesus’ I AM statements Part 2 Isaiah 5:1-7 - I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: my loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yiel…

9. Jesus’ I AM statements Part 1 Exodus 3:13-14 - Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I am has sent me to you.”’ Isaiah 41…

8. Jesus’ Teaching Luke 4:31-32 - Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. This event in Capernaum was not a one off occurrence. Frequently the writers of the gospel remark how people viewed Jesus’ teaching as authoritative. But wha…

7. Jesus’ Identity Mark 8:27-33: Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Messia…

6. Jesus’ Twelve Disciples Matthew 4:18-22: - As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. Goin…

WOW Factor Jesus Christ - Part 5 Jesus & Mission Luke 4:42-44 - At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ And…

4. Jesus’ Temptations Luke 4:1-13 - Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answer…

3. Jesus’ Baptism Right mouse click to save this podcast episode as a mp3 Luke 3:21-23 - When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ N…

2. Jesus' Birth Luke 1:26-38 - In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.' Mary was gr…

Jesus in the Four Gospels In the New Testament, we have four accounts of the life of Jesus Christ that are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are called Gospels. But what is a Gospel, how are the four accounts different or similar and what were the main points each writer sought to communicate? What the Gospels are! Firstly they are called Gospels…

WOW Word - Covenant ~ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Luke 22:20 ~ Throughout history God has made covenants with humanity! These culminate in the New Covenant which was sealed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How much do you know a…

Holiness I wonder what the biggest fence, wall or barrier is that you have either seen or that you know about! Perhaps one of the biggest walls in the world is the Great Wall of China. It is seen from space and is over 4000 miles long, about 25 feet high and up to 30 feet thick! It is huge and enormous!! It was built to keep out invaders – for that…

WOW Word - Sin~Today Alphy the WOWChurch Cat shares about the WOW Word - Sin! I wonder if you have ever played tennis and went to hit the ball but missed. Or you actually hit the ball and it went outside the court! Or perhaps you are a golfer, and one day you went to putt the ball in the hole, and you missed! The tennis player who hit the ball out …

WOW Word - Truth ~Today Alphy the WOWChurch Cat shares about the WOW Word - Truth! Truth! What is truth? Today we hear consistently that there are no absolute truths anymore! We hear all the time that for twenty first century people “What is true for me may not be true to you! What is true for you may not be true for me?” So what is truth? Truth in…

WOW Word - Idolatry Images of Idolatry I wonder if you are like me and when you hear the word idolatry, you imagine somebody bowing before a statue and worshipping it. A good example is the story of the Israelites worshipping the golden calf, as recorded by Moses in Exodus 32. Or perhaps in our own time when seeing people bow down to the statue of …

The Gospel of Mark - Mark 16 G’day and welcome to Partakers! We are reading together through the Gospel of Mark together, to get a broad view of the life of Jesus during his time here on earth. Today we are looking at Chapter 16. Come on in! Right Mouse click or tap here to save Chapter 16 as an audio mp3 file ** We are reading from the World Engli…