From ground level, Absalom looks secure and David looks finished. But heaven’s perspective is different. The Lord is quietly overturning the rebellion from within. Ahithophel’s advice is strategically wise, but the Lord frustrates it through Hushai, using Absalom’s pride as the means of his downfall. God’s providence works through ordinary means: messages, servants, hidden wells, timely decisions and daily provision in the wilderness. David is preserved, but the passage points beyond him to Christ, the rejected King whose kingdom cannot fail and whose people are secure forever.

Prayer begins with needy disciples coming to Jesus, saying “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus teaches us to come to God as Father, seeking first his name and kingdom, then bringing our daily needs, sins, relationships and weakness to him. The Lord’s Prayer reshapes us: from self-sufficiency to dependence; from anxiety to trust; from bitterness to forgiveness; from distraction to communion with God. And because Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem, we pray through the Son who secures our forgiveness and brings us to the Father.

David is humbled, deceived, cursed and driven from the city, but not abandoned by God. The consequences of his sin are painfully unfolding, but this is fatherly discipline, not condemnation. Even in the dust, David begins to submit himself to the Lord’s hand. The chapter points us beyond David to Christ, the true King, who also left Jerusalem in shame, not for his own sin, but for ours. For those in Christ, sorrow and discipline may be real, but condemnation is gone. Grace still holds weary sinners fast.

Martha welcomes and serves Jesus, but her good service becomes anxious distraction. Mary simply sits at his feet, listening to his word. Jesus doesn’t despise practical service, but he lovingly shows that one thing is needed above all: Christ himself. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, he goes to serve weary, distracted sinners through the cross. We’re invited to come to him, receive his mercy and serve from hearts resting in his grace.

In Jeremiah 29, God tells his exiled people to seek the peace of the place where he has put them. As we come to the Lord’s Table, we’re reminded that Christ has sought our good at the cost of his own body and blood. Receiving his mercy, we’re sent back into our community with open hands: to pray, serve, love our neighbours and bear witness to the Saviour who brings sinners home.

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer who wants to justify himself. The story exposes how easily we define mercy narrowly, see need and pass by. But it also points us to Christ, who didn’t pass us by, but came near in mercy, bore our sin and saved us by grace. Having received that mercy from him, we’re called to become merciful neighbours to others.

Absalom steals the hearts of Israel and David is forced to flee Jerusalem. The chapter shows the bitter public fallout of David’s earlier sin, but also a chastened king beginning to trust God again. David refuses to use the ark as a tool for control, entrusts himself to the Lord and prays as he leaves in shame. Yet David’s sorrow points beyond himself to Jesus, the true Son of David, who crossed the Kidron and went out in shame, not for his own sin, but to save his people.

Luke 10:21–24 takes us behind the scenes of mission and shows us heaven’s view. The 72 return rejoicing, but Jesus redirects their joy from usefulness to grace, their names are written in heaven. Then Jesus rejoices in the Spirit that the Father reveals his kingdom not to the proud and self-sufficient, but to “little children” who receive it humbly. At the centre stands the Son, who alone reveals the Father. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, we’re reminded that salvation is God’s joyful work from beginning to end and our deepest joy is simply to know him.

2 Samuel 14 shows Absalom brought home from exile, but not truly restored. Joab’s scheme moves David to act, but the deeper wounds remain untouched. Absalom returns to Jerusalem without repentance, Tamar remains forgotten and David offers a shallow peace that can’t heal his broken house. The chapter leaves us longing for a better King. In Christ, God truly devises a way for the banished to come home, not by ignoring sin, but by dealing with it at the cross, so that sinners may be forgiven, welcomed and restored.

“The God of mission has a church”! As Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem, he sends the seventy-two ahead of him to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. They go in dependence, prayer and weakness, like lambs among wolves, carrying Christ’s message and authority. Some welcome them, others reject them and Jesus warns that rejecting his messengers means rejecting him. When they return rejoicing in what they’ve seen, Jesus redirects their joy: not in usefulness or success, but in belonging to him.

Two years after Tamar’s violation, Absalom’s silence gives way to carefully planned revenge and Amnon is killed. David grieves, but once again his house is marked by passivity, confusion and unresolved sorrow. The chapter shows that time alone doesn’t heal what sin has broken and that vengeance can’t produce the justice that silence refused to pursue. David’s household is unraveling exactly as Nathan said it would. The passage leaves us longing for a better King than David, one who judges rightly without sin and brings true peace.

Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem” and everything is now shaped by that road. The passage shows how unlike him the disciples still are: narrow where he’s generous, harsh where he’s merciful and hesitant where he’s resolute. Jesus corrects their instincts about who belongs, how to respond to rejection and what discipleship really costs. Following him can’t be done on our terms or at our convenience. The passage calls us to stop trying to reshape the road and instead trust and follow the Christ who set his face towards the cross for us.

2 Samuel 13 shows the sword entering David’s house just as Nathan had warned. Amnon’s desire for Tamar becomes violence, Jonadab’s cleverness becomes complicity, Absalom’s care is mixed with silence and David’s anger never turns into action. Tamar stands at the centre of the chapter as the one who sees clearly, speaks truthfully and is then left desolate. This passage is hard, but it drives us beyond David’s broken household to the true Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is marked by righteousness, justice and grace.

Note: This sermon includes adult themes, including sexual abuse. Please use discernment if listening with children and please take care if this subject matter is difficult for you.

Coming down from the mount of Transfiguration, Jesus meets a scene of confusion, suffering and failure: a desperate father, a tormented boy, disciples who can’t help and followers who still don’t understand the cross. This sermon shows how the glory of Christ is seen not just on the mountain but in the valley, where he rebukes evil, restores the boy and keeps walking towards Jerusalem. It also shows how far the disciples still have to go and how Jesus redefines greatness, not as status or importance, but as humble, cross-shaped service.

Jesus’ resurrection isn’t some nice ending to the gospel story. It’s the decisive event on which the whole Christian faith stands or falls. From Matthew’s empty tomb and Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 15, this sermon shows that because Christ has indeed been raised, faith in him is not futile, sins really can be forgiven, those who have died in Christ aren’t lost and all who belong to him will be made alive. Easter means that the risen Jesus can be trusted completely and that all who are in him have a living, certain hope.

This passage shows what forgiven life looks like when sorrow remains. Though David’s sin is truly taken away, its consequences continue, yet he responds not by withdrawing from God but by pleading, then bowing and worshipping when the Lord’s will is clear. In time, grace brings not only comfort but restoration, as David is returned to the path of obedience. The chapter holds together pardon, discipline and promise, pointing beyond David to the greater Son through whom mercy and justice finally meet.

On Palm Sunday, we see that Jesus is completely in control. Nothing takes him by surprise, not even the cross that lies ahead. He goes to Jerusalem deliberately, knowing he’ll suffer and die, because he came to save sinners. The cross isn’t an accident but God’s plan and through it Jesus makes forgiveness and restoration possible. The question for us is how we will respond: will we simply be near Jesus like the crowd; or will we trust him as our Saviour and welcome him as our King?

The Lord refuses to leave David hidden in his sin. Nathan’s parable draws David into condemning the rich man, only for the prophet to turn and say, “You are the man.” We trace the movement from exposure to confession to mercy. David is brought to say, “I have sinned against the Lord” and immediately hears the astonishing word, “The Lord has taken away your sin.” It’s a sobering passage about the seriousness of sin, the reality of God’s discipline and the wonder of grace that points us beyond David to David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Far from being just knowledge or spiritual appearance, biblical wisdom is revealed in a life shaped by humility, purity and peace. Contrasting earthly wisdom with the wisdom that comes from above, we see that genuine faith is demonstrated in everyday conduct, especially in how we treat others. The call is to examine our hearts, to turn from self-centred living and to seek from God the wisdom he generously gives, wisdom that leads to a life of righteousness, mercy and Christlike character.

The transfiguration gives a glimpse of Jesus’ glory before the road turns fully towards the cross. On the mountain, as Jesus prays, Peter, James and John see his glory, Moses and Elijah appear and the Father’s voice declares, “This is my Son… listen to him.” The sermon shows that the Transfiguration isn’t a detour from the cross but a confirmation of who Jesus is and where he is going. Before the disciples see his suffering, they’re shown his glory, so that they will learn to trust him, hear him and follow him on the road to Jerusalem.

As we come back to our series on the Life of David, this chapter marks a dark turning point in his story. While his army fights, David remains in Jerusalem and begins a chain of sin that moves from lust to abuse of power, deceit and ultimately murder. The chapter shows how hidden sin grows, how quickly conscience hardens and how even the best of men can’t bear the hopes of God’s people. David is exposed and the contrast with Christ becomes clear, where David took and ruined, Jesus gives and saves. The sermon ends by urging us not to cover sin, but to bring it into the light before the true and better King.

Jesus asks the question that has been building through Luke, “Who do you say I am?” When Peter answers, “The Christ of God,” Jesus immediately reshapes what that means, explaining that the Messiah must suffer, be rejected, be killed and rise again. The cross, not worldly triumph, stands at the centre of his mission. Jesus then turns the truth toward his followers: anyone who comes after him must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow. The passage confronts us with the same choice the disciples faced, moving beyond curiosity or admiration to confess Christ and follow the King on the road that leads through the cross to glory.

Jesus withdraws with the apostles after their mission, but when the crowds arrive he welcomes them, teaches about God’s kingdom and meets their needs. As the day ends and the disciples see only limitation, Jesus challenges them to trust him with what little they have, taking five loaves and two fish and feeding the crowd until everyone is satisfied. The passage shows a King who is never inconvenienced by need and who supplies abundantly through his servants, reminding us that ministry flows from Christ’s sufficiency rather than our resources.

We close our series considering the Doctrines of Grace journey answering a deeply personal question: is grace able to carry us all the way home? In Ephesians 1:11–14 Paul points us first to God’s unshakeable purpose “in Christ”, then to Christ’s own promise to lose none of those the Father gives him (John 6) and finally to the Spirit who seals believers and guarantees their inheritance “until” the day of redemption. Perseverance, then, is less about the strength of our grip and more about the strength of God’s, the Father’s planning, the Son’s securing and the Spirit’s guaranteeing. The result is humble assurance for the anxious, a call to keep coming to Christ and hopeful prayer for wandering loved ones.

Jesus sends the Twelve with his own authority to preach the kingdom and heal, showing that mission begins with Christ’s call, not human strength or strategy. They go in dependence, trusting the King to provide, knowing some will welcome the message and others will reject it. As the news spreads, even Herod is unsettled, asking the same question that’s echoed through Luke, “Who is this?” The passage highlights the difference between curiosity and faith and points forward to Jesus himself, the King who sends others and then sets his face toward Jerusalem, where his authority will be revealed most fully at the cross and resurrection.

This sermon in our Doctrines of Grace series explores how anyone comes to faith at all. Salvation is by grace, received through faith and even that faith is God’s gift, leaving no room for pride. God doesn’t just invite from a distance. By his Spirit he works within, making unwilling hearts willing and drawing people freely to Christ. This helps us see our own conversion more clearly, pray for others more hopefully and rest more confidently in the fact that our faith began not with us, but with God’s amazing grace.

This epilogue on Hebrews 4:14–16 at the conclusion of our Prayer Weekend reminds us that prayer rests on what we already have, Jesus, our great high priest. Because he stands in God’s presence for us and understands our weakness, we approach a throne of grace with confidence, not hesitation. Prayer becomes a repeated drawing near for mercy, grace and help in every need, grounded not in our words but in Christ’s finished work.

Jairus pleads with Jesus for his dying daughter while, on the way, a woman who has suffered for twelve years quietly reaches out in faith and is gently brought from hidden shame into public peace as Jesus calls her “daughter.” As news arrives that the child has died, fear declares the situation finished, but Jesus calls Jairus to trust his word instead and, in a silent room, he takes the girl by the hand and restores her to life. Together these two scenes show that Christ’s voice is stronger than fear, stronger than shame and even stronger than death itself.

Jesus steps ashore and meets a man utterly ruined by demonic power and, with a word, restores him to dignity, sanity and peace, showing that even a “legion” is subject to his authority. Yet, while the healed man longs to stay with Jesus, the townspeople, unsettled by his holy presence, ask him to leave and Jesus instead sends the restored man home to tell what God has done. This leaves us with the question of whether we will push Jesus away when he comes close or come to him for mercy and then speak of his grace where we are.

Paul traces the work of salvation from God’s eternal purpose to Christ’s finished work, showing that the cross wasn’t a vague offer but a decisive achievement. In Christ, redemption has been secured through his blood and sins have been forgiven, not potentially but actually, according to the lavish riches of God’s grace. The cross stands at the heart of God’s wise and loving plan to gather his people and ultimately bring all things under Christ’s rule, producing believers with settled consciences, grateful obedience and a humility shaped by a salvation fully accomplished outside of themselves.

Jesus leads his disciples into a boat and straight into a violent storm, revealing that obedience to his word doesn’t guarantee calm circumstances. As fear takes hold, the disciples interpret reality through the danger they feel rather than the promise they’ve heard, until Jesus silences the wind and waves with a word. The calm exposes not only his authority over creation but the deeper question of who he truly is. The passage shows how storms uncover what governs our trust and how Jesus uses both danger and deliverance to train his followers to listen to his word above every other voice.

Paul traces our salvation back beyond our decisions or responses to God’s gracious purpose before the world was made, showing from Ephesians 1 that grace begins not with us but with God’s loving choice in Christ. Before we existed or did anything good or bad, God chose a people in his Son, not because he saw something worthy in them, but out of sheer love, with the aim of adopting them into his family and shaping them to be holy in his sight. Election, far from being cold or abstract, is presented as deeply personal and relational, rooted in the Father’s love, centred on Christ and designed to end in worship. This truth strips away pride, grounds assurance, fuels holiness and prayer and leads the church to say with joy and humility, “Not to us, O Lord, but to your name be the glory,” as all praise belongs to God’s glorious grace alone.

Jesus presses home that hearing God’s word is never neutral. When it’s truly received, it brings light that shows itself in changed lives. Using the picture of a lamp, he warns against a comfortable, hidden faith that listens without obeying, and urges us to consider carefully how we listen, because careless hearing dulls us while responsive hearing deepens us. He then makes it clear that real belonging to him isn’t about proximity, background, or familiarity, but about hearing God’s word and beginning to put it into practice, however imperfectly or dependently and by grace, so that those who listen and follow are shown to be part of his family.

The opening of a new evening series on the doctrines of grace, beginning with the Bible’s honest diagnosis of the human condition and why grace is necessary at all. Drawing on Psalm 51, Genesis 6 and Ephesians 2, it sets out the doctrine of total depravity, that sin reaches every part of us leaving us unable to save ourselves and highlights the wonder of God’s intervention in mercy, making the spiritually dead alive through Christ.

Jesus explains why the same word produces such different responses by telling a simple story about seed and soil, showing that the issue isn’t whether God speaks, but how his word is heard. The parable exposes hard, shallow and crowded hearts, while holding out the hope that through grace, perseverance and the work of Christ by his Spirit, God can make ordinary lives genuinely fruitful.

Christmas is God’s gift to ordinary people, announced not as advice but as good news that a Saviour has been born for us. Through the shepherds’ story, the focus is on receiving what God freely gives, Jesus Christ, the Son given, who comes to rescue, not because we’ve earned him, but because we need him.

Jesus is born into a crowded world where the expected place is already full and from the very beginning his life is marked by humility rather than status. The familiar line that there was “no room for them in the inn” reveals not hostility but ordinary fullness, showing how God comes quietly into the margins and how Christ makes room for us even when there was no room for him.

Who is Christmas really for? Drawing on the familiar carols and the opening words of John’s Gospel, it reminds us that Jesus didn’t come for the strong, sorted or self-sufficient, but for the weak, weary and unfaithful, stepping right into our darkness so we might become God’s children. It gently invites each of us to respond, not with performance or pretence, but by simply receiving him.

As those who were there responded to Jesus’ birth in different ways, so we’re invited to respond, not just with tradition, but with trust. Whether it’s commitment like Joseph, fear like Herod, worship like the wise men or wonder like the shepherds, the question is, how will you respond to the Christ who came, who died, who rose and who still calls us today? Will it be yes, like Mary?

As Jacob’s long story draws to a close, God speaks into the mess of chapter 34 and calls him back to Bethel, a return not just to a place, but to the promises of God. This chapter is full of grace: idols are buried, worship is renewed, old names are reaffirmed and, even in the midst of deep sorrow and lingering sin, God’s covenant purposes hold firm. The line of promise might not look impressive next to Esau’s kings, but it’s through Jacob’s flawed family that the King of grace will one day come.

At a dinner in a Pharisee’s home, a woman with a sinful past breaks into the room and pours out tearful, costly love at Jesus’ feet, an act that exposes both her need and Simon’s blindness to his own. Jesus tells a simple story that reveals the truth: forgiven people love much and those who think they need little forgiveness love little. In the end, the woman receives assurance and peace and Simon is left to face the question that rests on every heart at the table: how will we see our sin and how will we respond to the Saviour who freely forgives?

Genesis 34 shows the fallout of Jacob stopping short of obedience. Dinah is grievously wronged, her brothers answer sin with deceit and bloodshed, Jacob retreats into fear and the whole disaster exposes what happens when God’s people live in compromise instead of at Bethel. It’s a dark chapter, but it drives us to the God who steps back in at the start of chapter 35, the righteous Judge who will put every wrong right and the gentle Shepherd who gathers the wounded and the wandering back under His care.

Note: This sermon includes adult themes, including sexual abuse. Please use discernment if listening with children and please take care if this subject matter is difficult for you.

John the Baptist, once so sure about Jesus, sits in prison confused and asks a question we all recognise “Are you really the One?” Jesus answers with evidence, broken lives healed, good news preached, and gently says, “Blessed is the one who isn’t tripped up by me.” Then he turns to the crowd, honours John, and exposes the heart that’s determined to resist no matter what tune God plays. Luke leaves us with a simple choice: either bring your honest doubts to Jesus, or fold your arms and refuse Him. Only one of those paths leads to life.

Jacob limps into a new day after wrestling with God and Genesis 33 shows what grace looks like when it’s lived out in real relationships. The brother he feared meets him with unexpected mercy, Jacob responds with humility and yet the old instincts still surface, a reminder that God’s work in us is real but often uneven. Even so, the chapter ends with Jacob safe in the land because God keeps His promises, holding His people steady as they learn to walk in His grace.

Jesus walks into a tiny nowhere town and straight into a funeral, a widow burying her only son, her last bit of security and hope. He sees her, feels deep compassion, stops the whole procession with a touch and, with a word, brings her son back to life. Jesus isn’t just moved by our tears, He has authority even over death itself and the only sane response is not to admire Him from a distance, but to trust Him as the Lord of life who will one day speak our names too.

Jacob’s story is as messy as ever, running from Laban, dreading Esau and realising his biggest problem isn’t his brother at all, it’s himself. Before any reunion can happen, God meets him alone in the dark, wrestles him to the ground and blesses him with a limp. It’s a chapter that shows us how God sometimes breaks our strength to rebuild our trust and how real change often starts where our self-reliance finally gives way to grace.

As Israel prepares to cross the Jordan, God gives them four simple, life-shaping instructions: look to the Lord and follow Him, because that’s how you’ll know the way; consecrate yourselves, because God is about to do amazing things; listen to His words, because His voice leads with power and purpose; and trust that the Lord of all the earth goes ahead of you.

After the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus walks straight into Capernaum and into the need of a Roman soldier whose servant is dying. The centurion knows power, but he also knows his limits and he humbly asks Jesus to heal with just a word. Others say he deserves it; he insists he doesn’t. Yet his trust in Jesus’ authority moves the Lord Himself to amazement. Here’s a glimpse of the kind of faith that makes Jesus smile: not proud achievement, but humble confidence that His word is enough.

Jacob finally heads home, but not because the circumstances are easy, they’re actually falling apart around him. Laban’s family turns against him, idols get smuggled out under a saddle and a furious chase follows through the hills. Yet in every moment, God is quietly at work guiding Jacob forward, restraining harm, exposing false gods and defending a man who’s tried to live with integrity. This chapter reminds us that when God says “Go,” He also says, “I will be with you” and that promise is enough.

Jesus ends His Sermon on the Plain with a simple but searching question: why call Him “Lord” and then ignore His words? He says real disciples don’t just enjoy the sound of His teaching, they put it into practice. Like a wise builder who digs down to the rock, obedience gives our lives depth and stability when the storms come.

Jacob’s story reminds us that God’s providence doesn’t switch off in the workplace or the grind of daily life. While Jacob labours under Laban’s schemes, God quietly turns the odds in his favour, not through trickery or luck but through mercy and faithfulness. The striped sticks and spotted sheep aren’t magic, they’re a backdrop for a far greater truth, that the Lord keeps His promises. Even when the system’s rigged and the deck’s stacked, God’s hand is steady. The same God who prospered Jacob still watches over His people today.

Jesus says that sooner or later, what’s inside us will always show on the outside. Fruit comes from nature, not from noise. A good tree can’t bear bad fruit and a bad tree can’t bear good fruit. Our words, our habits and our attitudes all trace back to the heart’s root system. The mouth’s just the loudspeaker of whatever’s been stored up inside. But the good news is that Jesus doesn’t just polish rotten fruit, He makes bad trees good. When His grace takes root, new life and new fruit follow.

Jesus shows us what mercy looks like when it really gets down into the heart. Instead of picking up the gavel of judgement, we’re called to take up the scoop of generosity, giving others the same grace we’ve received. The measure we use matters, because it reveals what’s shaping us. True sight begins with humility and real correction starts with confession. The good news is that Jesus has already carried our beams at the cross, so we can see clearly, forgive freely and live with the same mercy we’ve been shown.

In a household marked by rivalry, jealousy and heartache, God’s grace quietly holds the centre. Leah, unloved and overlooked, discovers that the Lord sees her misery and hears her cries. Rachel, jealous and scheming, finds that the Lord remembers her and opens her womb. Across all the bitterness and bargaining, it’s God, not human striving, who moves His promises forward. He’s the God who notices the unseen, listens to the broken, remembers the forgotten and gives life where none can be found.

Jesus calls His followers to live differently: to love their enemies; to do good to those who hate them; to bless those who curse them; and to pray for those who mistreat them. This love isn’t sentimental but deliberate, a grace-shaped mercy that mirrors the Father’s heart. It’s the love Jesus Himself displayed at the cross: kindness to the undeserving; forgiveness to His enemies; and mercy to those who could never repay.

After the vision of Bethel, Jacob doesn’t find angels or ladders, only a well, some shepherds and a young woman arriving with sheep. Yet through these ordinary details, God leads him to Rachel and into the next stage of His covenant plan. Even amid love, labour, deception and disappointment, God is at work quietly guiding His people, exposing idols, disciplining sin and preparing the line of Christ. In Jesus, the true Bridegroom, we see the One who doesn’t deceive or exploit but the One who gives Himself in love for His bride.

Jesus opens His kingdom manifesto with shocking verdicts. He pronounces blessing not on the rich, the comfortable, or the popular, but on the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the hated, those who belong to Him. And He speaks words of lament over those who look secure now but are storing up emptiness for eternity. True blessing isn’t about your circumstances today but about belonging to Christ and living now in light of His promised future.

Jacob runs into exile with guilt on his conscience, a stone for a pillow, and nothing to his name. Yet it’s there, in a “certain place,” that God meets him, not because he deserves it, but because God comes down in grace. Jacob sees a stairway between heaven and earth, a vision fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the true Bethel, the living gate of heaven. And in this we see the gospel, not that we climb up to God, but that God comes down to us in Christ.

Before Jesus speaks a single word of the Sermon on the Plain, Luke slows us down to look at Him. He comes down among ordinary people, His presence is both heard and felt and power flows from Him to heal and restore. Here is the Christ who is accessible, compassionate and sufficient. The call of this passage is clear. Will you entrust your life into His hands?

Before choosing the twelve apostles, Jesus prayed through the night. Out of many disciples, He called ordinary people - fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, doubters and brothers - to be His witnesses. Their mission rested not on their brilliance but on His blood. And still today, Jesus calls, chooses and sends His people to bear lasting fruit in His name.

At the start of a new church year, we’re reminded of three simple but life–shaping words: WE SHARE CHRIST_._ Together we belong to one another in Him, we joyfully share the gospel and our lives and we keep Christ at the centre of our worship, welcome and witness. This is our calling and our privilege as His people.

On the Sabbath, Jesus meets a man with a withered hand and restores him with a word. As we return to Luke's gospel after a break over the summer months, we see in this passage that the Lord’s Day isn't about box-ticking rules but about mercy, restoration and life. The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and when He speaks, withered things live again.

We know we should pray, but does it actually change anything? In this final message of our Faith FAQs series, James reminds us that prayer is God’s chosen means of working in the world, shaping our hearts and deepening our relationship with Him. Prayer matters, not because our words are powerful, but because the God who hears is sovereign, wise and good.

In a world where trouble feels endless, Obadiah lifts our eyes to God’s promise of restoration, reversal and reign. What’s lost will be restored, wrongs will be put right and the final word is not despair but hope. “The kingdom will be the Lord’s.”

Paul knew resistance to the gospel was normal and so should we. In a spiritually blind world, our task isn’t to edit God’s message or control the results, but to faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, trusting Him to open eyes.

Looking at Paul in Athens, we learn to see our community as God sees it, start where people are, speak their language and move from common ground to gospel ground. Some will reject, some will be curious, and some will believe, but every person needs to hear.

Obadiah lifts our eyes from one nation to all nations, declaring, “The day of the Lord is near.” This is not a distant theological concept, but a certain day of justice when every deed will be brought to account. Yet for those in Christ Jesus, the judgment we deserve has already fallen on Him, He has drunk the cup of wrath in our place. In light of eternity, we’re called to live and sow the gospel with urgency, compassion and confidence in the Saviour who will one day return.

Are tongues, prophecy and healing still for the church today, or were they for a particular time and purpose? In this message from our Faith FAQs series, we turn to God’s Word to see how the Spirit worked in the early church and how He continues to work now through the ordinary means of grace.

In this sermon from our Faith FAQs series, we face one of life’s most personal and profound questions: what happens when we die? While the world offers confusion and sentiment, Scripture speaks with clarity, warmth and hope. We see that for those who are in Christ, death is not the end. It’s going home.

We continue through the book of Obadiah and see how the Lord calls out Edom, not just for what they did but for what they failed to do. As we reflect on their silence, indifference and eventual cruelty, we’re reminded that gospel people aren’t called to stand at a distance but to step in. Because Christ didn’t stand aloof from us. And now, Christ sends us.

Is it arrogant to believe Jesus is the only way to God? In this sermon, we listen to Christ’s own words, “I am the way, the truth and the life” and explore why His exclusive claim isn’t narrow minded, but deeply loving and gloriously true.

As we begin our Sowing Seeds summer, Obadiah confronts us with the needed warning that pride blinds, isolates and deceives. But God humbles the proud not to crush them, but to prepare them for grace, for growth and for mission. Real gospel work begins on our knees.

Jesus is our prophet, priest and king. What does it mean that Jesus is our king?

Jesus is our prophet, priest and king. What does it mean that Jesus is our priest?

Jesus is our prophet, priest and king. What does it mean that Jesus is our prophet?

Suffering raises some of life’s hardest questions and the Bible doesn’t avoid them. In this message, we consider what Scripture says about a world marked by pain and a God who meets us in it. Not with easy answers, but with real hope: a Saviour who suffered for us, walks with us and will one day make all things new.

As Jesus walks through a grainfield on the Sabbath, a quiet moment becomes a striking revelation of who He is. In this passage from Luke 6, we see that Jesus isn’t just correcting misunderstanding, He’s claiming authority. He is the Lord of the Sabbath and in Him we find the true rest our hearts were made for.

When questioned about fasting, Jesus responds with three vivid images: a wedding; a patch; and a wineskin. Each of them reveals that He hasn’t come to improve religion but to replace it. In this sermon from Luke 5, we see that Jesus brings joy, new life and a fresh start, not something to sample, but Someone to follow.

This sermon kicks off our new series, Faith FAQs, where we’re asking and answering some of the big questions of the Christian faith.

Is the Bible reliable? Can we really trust what it says? In this sermon, we consider the Bible’s own claims about its authority and truthfulness and we explore the reasons Christians believe it is the inerrant Word of God, breathed out by Him, trustworthy in every part and sufficient for all of life. If the Bible is what it claims to be, it changes everything.

Jesus’ call to Levi wasn’t about worthiness or reputation, it was a call of pure grace. In this sermon, we see how Jesus not only calls sinners but shares His table with them, welcoming the unlikely and the unwanted. And we’re challenged to respond: will we grumble at grace, or will we open our homes and lives, making space for others to meet Jesus too?

(And apologies for the slightly dodgy audio in the middle of the sermon. The sound desk had a moment and the Craig had to go old-school, lungs only!)

David extends kindness to the Ammonites, but his peace offering is rejected, his messengers shamed and a war erupts that didn’t need to happen. In this sermon from 2 Samuel 10, we explore what happens when grace is misread as a threat, how pride escalates conflict and how David’s battles point us forward to a greater King, our Lord Jesus Christ, the One who offers kindness but will one day return as a conquering King. Will we receive His kindness or reject it?

When a paralysed man is lowered through a roof to Jesus, the crowd expects a miracle of healing, but Jesus sees a deeper need. In this sermon from Luke 5, we explore how Jesus’ authority goes far beyond restoring broken bodies; He forgives sin. This isn’t just a story about a man who walked again, but about a Saviour who knows the heart, meets us in our greatest need and offers us something far greater than we often expect. How will we respond to His authority?

Psalm 74 is a contemplative prayer in the face of spiritual ruin. With the temple destroyed and God’s name dishonoured, Asaph pleads with the Lord not for comfort, but for God’s glory to be restored. This sermon reflects on the relevance of that prayer for today’s church, in a time of confusion, compromise and cultural darkness. How should God’s people respond? With serious, heartfelt prayer rooted in God’s past faithfulness, present promises and enduring power.

A man covered in leprosy comes to Jesus with a desperate request, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” What unfolds is a powerful moment of grace. Jesus touches the untouchable and speaks cleansing with divine authority. This passage reveals not just the compassion of Christ, but His willingness to restore the broken and welcome the outcast. It also shows us His quiet strength, as He withdraws to pray in the midst of growing fame. What kind of King is this? One who cleanses, restores and communes with the Father.

In this account from 2 Samuel 9, we see King David reach out in kindness to a forgotten, broken man named Mephibosheth. It’s a picture of grace: covenantal, undeserved and deeply personal. David’s mercy mirrors the greater mercy of God, who seeks out sinners, not for what they offer, but for the sake of His Son. Just as Mephibosheth is lifted from Lo-Debar and seated at the king’s table “like one of the king’s sons,” so too are we, through Christ, welcomed into the household of God. The kindness of God is still seeking, still welcoming and still transforming lives today.

What happens when people hear the Word of God in their own language? Lives are changed. Hearts are opened. Nations are reached. In this message, we reflect on Isaiah 55:10–11 and hear powerful stories from the work of Bible translation with Wycliffe, including how one word in one language unlocked the gospel in a whole new way. God’s Word doesn’t return empty. It accomplishes His purpose. And as we partner together, through giving, praying and going, we can be part of that great purpose: that everyone might hear the voice of Jesus in a language they understand.

Peter thought he knew what he was doing, until Jesus stepped into his boat. This isn’t just a story about fish. It’s about a call that confronts, convicts and transforms. Jesus interrupts Peter’s ordinary day with a command that makes no sense, “let down the nets” and Peter obeys. The result? A miraculous catch, but more than that, a man undone by holiness. Peter falls at Jesus’ knees, not in pride but repentance. And Jesus lifts him. “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” It’s a call not to part-time religion but full-time surrender. Peter leaves everything. Will you?

Peter doesn’t begin with problems, he begins with praise. Jesus is alive and that changes everything. His resurrection gives us new birth into a living hope, an inheritance that can’t perish, spoil, or fade. That hope holds in suffering. Even when faith feels fragile, God keeps us. Our future is secure, not because we’re strong, but because Christ is risen. So take heart: we don’t follow a memory, we follow a living Saviour. And because He lives, we live too.

On that Friday, Jesus was crucified. Mocked, rejected and alone, He hung on a cross between criminals. But this was no ordinary death, this was the moment sin was judged, wrath was spent and salvation was won. As darkness fell, Jesus bore the weight of the world’s sin and cried out in abandonment. And when He died, the temple curtain tore, the way to God thrown open. A Roman centurion looked up and saw what many missed, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” Do you see it too?

On the night before the cross, Jesus gives His disciples a powerful promise and prays a profound prayer. The promise? His body and blood, broken and poured out, are the guarantee of God’s covenant love, the gift of forgiveness and life. The prayer? “Not my will, but yours be done.” At the darkest hour, Jesus walks the hardest road for us. Trust the promise. Follow the prayer.

As Holy Week continues, Jesus is rejected by the religious leaders and betrayed by Judas; but in the middle of it all, He’s honoured by a woman who pours out costly perfume in love. While others plot, she worships. It’s a challenge to us. Are we rejecting, betraying or truly honouring Jesus with our best?

Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree and overturns tables in the temple. Both are signs of judgment, not on outsiders, but on empty religion. It’s a call to repent, to return to our first love and to let Jesus bring the change we need.

Following God’s covenant promises to David in chapter 7, 2 Samuel 8 shows those promises beginning to unfold. David’s reign expands through a series of military victories, not for personal glory, but as a testimony to God’s faithfulness. We see a king who rules with justice and righteousness, honours the Lord with what he gains and points us forward to a greater King still to come. This chapter isn’t just a record of battles; it’s a glimpse of God’s kingdom breaking in.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem to cheers and shouts of “Hosanna!”, but not as the people expected. He came not on a war horse, but on a donkey. Not to claim power, but to lay it down. From Matthew’s account of that first Palm Sunday and Paul’s reflection in Philippians, we see the heart of Christ: gentle, humble, obedient, even to death on a cross. He is the King we need and one day every knee will bow before Him.

After a powerful day of ministry in Capernaum, Jesus withdraws to pray. When the crowds try to keep Him, He refuses. Jesus hasn’t come to settle, but to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. This passage reveals the heart of Christ’s mission: not popularity, but purpose. His eyes are set on preaching, His steps are guided by the Father and His kingdom is always moving forward.

In response to God’s covenant promises, David doesn’t rush to act, he sits and prays. His words reveal a heart shaped by humility, worship and faith. Rooted in God’s grace and promises, David’s prayer becomes a model for how we respond to the mercy and faithfulness of God, not with striving, but with trust.

Jesus leaves the synagogue and enters Simon’s home, where He heals Peter’s mother-in-law with a word. As evening falls, crowds gather, and Jesus lays hands on each one, healing the sick and casting out demons. This passage shows us the compassion and authority of Christ, not only in public but in private, not just in teaching but in personal, restoring power.

In Capernaum, Jesus teaches with striking authority, unlike anything the people had heard before. His words don’t just inform, they command. And when a demon confronts Him, Jesus silences and casts it out with a word, showing power not just over minds, but over the unseen spiritual realm. This passage challenges us to move beyond admiration of Jesus and respond in faith and submission to His authority.

David plans to build a house for God, but God reveals a greater plan, to establish an eternal kingdom through David’s line, fulfilled in Jesus. This passage reshapes history, highlighting God’s faithfulness and a kingdom that will never end.

When Jesus returns to His hometown, He reads from Isaiah and declares, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” At first, the people marvel, but when He challenges their expectations, declaring that God’s grace extends beyond them, their admiration turns to rage. This passage warns us that knowing about Jesus isn’t the same as knowing Him. The people of Nazareth grew up with Jesus but rejected Him as Lord. Many today admire Him but never surrender to Him. The people of Nazareth let Jesus pass by. What will you do with Him? Will you reject Him, or will you receive Him as Saviour and King? Now is the day of salvation. Don’t wait.

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness is more than just an example. Where Adam fell in Eden, Jesus stood firm. Where Israel failed in the wilderness, Jesus remained faithful. Satan tempted Him with shortcuts to satisfaction, power and security, but Jesus refused, choosing obedience to the Father over compromise. He fought not with miracles, but with Scripture, showing us that God’s Word is our greatest weapon against the enemy’s lies. And because Jesus won this battle, He wins every battle. His victory is our victory. So when temptation comes, will you fight in your own strength, or will you stand firm in His?

Jesus’ family tree isn’t just history, it’s theology. Luke traces His genealogy all the way back to Adam, showing that Jesus isn’t just Israel’s Messiah, He’s the Saviour of the whole world. While Adam’s failure brought sin and death, Jesus, the Second Adam, came to undo what was broken and bring life to all who belong to Him. His victory over temptation, sin and death means that in Him, we receive a new identity, a new family, and a new future. So the question isn’t just where you come from, it’s whose family you belong to. Are you still in Adam, or have you found new life in Jesus?

The Lord’s Supper is far more than a memorial. It’s a means of grace, a sign and seal of God’s covenant, a family meal and a foretaste of the feast to come. When we come to the Table, we don’t just remember Christ’s sacrifice, we actively participate in the grace He offers. This meal unites us as His people, strengthens our faith and assures us of His promises. And as we take the bread and the cup, we not only look back to the cross but forward to the day when we will feast with Him in glory. So come humbly, expectantly and joyfully, for Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again!

True worship isn’t about appearances, it’s about the heart. As the Ark of the Covenant enters Jerusalem, David rejoices with unrestrained joy, while Michal watches from the window in contempt. One heart is captivated by God’s presence, the other is consumed by pride. This passage challenges us: are we worshippers or spectators? Do we seek God’s glory or human approval? True worship might look foolish to the world, but it brings life and joy. The question is, will we stand with David in celebration, or with Michal in criticism? The choice is ours.

At His baptism, Jesus steps into the water, not because He needs repentance, but to identify with sinners and fulfil all righteousness. In this powerful moment, the heavens open, the Spirit descends and the Father declares His love and delight. This isn’t just about Jesus, it’s about us. He steps into our place so we can step into His grace. He opens the way to God so we can know Him personally. And the same Spirit that anointed Jesus is available to us today. Heaven is still open, the Father is still calling, so what’s stopping you?

The presence of God can either bring judgment or joy, fear or freedom. The difference is in how we approach Him. In this passage, we see David’s first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem end in disaster, while his second attempt overflows with worship. The lesson? God’s presence is not to be handled casually but approached with obedience, reverence and awe. And ultimately, the only way to come before a holy God is through Jesus Christ, our Mediator, our Sacrifice and the way into God’s presence forever.

Real repentance isn’t just about feeling sorry for sin, it’s about real change. John the Baptist calls out superficial faith, warning that God isn’t fooled by religious appearances. True repentance produces visible fruit, transforms our actions and leads us to full surrender to Jesus. John reminds us that Jesus is not only the Saviour but also the Judge. His fire will either refine those who belong to Him or consume those who reject Him. The time for repentance is now, because the King is coming. Are you ready?

We support the work of Care for Cambodia as a congregation. For more information and to donate, visit www.careforcambodia.org.kh

The nine lessons were: Genesis 1:1-5; Numbers 24:15-19; Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Isaiah 60:1-5; Malachi 4:1-2, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12; John 1:1-14; John 8:12, 31-32, 51, 58; and Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21.