The story of the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a made up story to make us feel good about death or to give Jesus some more status that wasn’t meant for him. In Matthew 28:1-10, the facts are laid out for all to see and they must be wrestled with! For, if God did really raised Jesus from the dead, then everything changes – nothing is the same! An…

When the gospel writer, Matthew, recorded the fact that Mrs Pilate (Claudia Procla) told her husband, Pontius Pilate, about her dream and her ill-feeling towards the situation her husband would soon be in, sentencing the Lord Jesus, we could ask the question, why? Why did Matthew record that incident? There might well be some suggestions that aren’…

Having laid the foundation of love as being the key character trait of the believer, in Romans 12:11-13, Paul adds more to the picture of what it means to live the Christian life. In these verses, Paul gives a set of commands that believers are to follow, not as a way of ‘putting on’ Christianity as an outward, external thing, but as an inward thin…

The world often throws up the line or the comeback that ‘love is love’. Well, it is, and it isn’t. In Romans 12:9-10, the Apostle Paul, gives us some clear instructions as to how God’s people should ensure that ‘love’ is the key to the way we function as a church. He speaks of love, but not as the world understands it, rather as God defines it -and…

After estabslising what believers should do in response to God’s grace with their lives (Romans 12:1) and their minds (Romans 12:2), Paul progresses the way that this response to grace should affect the way we treat each other in the body of Christ (Romans 12:3-8). Here, Paul points out that we are one body with different gifts and that these gifts…

In Romans 12:2, Paul continues the theme of how we ought to live in response to the wonder of God’s grace given to His people. After telling us that nothing less than offering ourselves as ‘living sacrifices’ to God will do in verse 1, he then rounds out the picture by telling us the ‘how in verse 2 and indeed, in the rest of the chapter. Verse 2 t…

It’s kind of unusual to start a series on the book of Romans at chapter 12, three-quarters of the way through the book! But in an attempt to cover the more ‘practical’ aspects of the Christian life, and to follow on from the series on Malachi, Romans 12 is a great place to start – especially Romans 12:1, where Paul gives some clear instructions abo…

The final words of Malachi’s book, found in Malachi 3:13-4:6 are also the final words of the Old Testament. While the Old Testament begins with God’s creative work in Genesis 1:1, it ends with God’s promise of a destructive work in Malachi 4:6. This is helpful, because it reminds us that while God’s people in the time of Malachi were unfaithful to …

When our thinking about God is wrong, so too everything else will be wrong. In Malachi 2:17-3:15, the people of Judah’s thinking about God was way off. They thought that He had changed to the extent that He no longer cared about punishing sin or evil, and that He actually approved of sin and evil. They couldn’t have been more wrong! Thankfully, the…

it has been noted that ‘the fish rots from the head down’. Given that the Lord God had already shown through the prophet Malachi that the priests (the leaders of the religious aspect of God’s people) were corrupt and spiritually poor, then it is little surprise that the people also began to disregard the word of God and its importance in their live…

You may have heard the expression, ‘the fish rots from the head down’. As with that proverbial fish, so with God’s people. In Malachi 2:1-9, we find that the cause of the spiritual decay that had set in among the people of Judah, was found in the priests of the day who were unfaithful and corrupt. They themselves were led astray and so by their tea…

We have a saying in Australia that goes, ‘things are crook in Tallarook’. Maybe they aren’t always, Tallarook is quite a pretty place. But things were certainly ‘crook’ in Judah when Malachi declared God’s word in Malachi 1:6-14. The people had settled back into Jerusalem after the exile, but the worship had been turned upside down. Were they bored…

The book of Malachi is the last of the books of the Old Testament, written about 450 years before the appearing of John the Baptist. In it, Lord addressed His people through the prophet Malachi, calling them to wake up to themselves. Their spiritual condition was poor. And so in Malachi 1:1-5, it’s surprising to see the note with which the book beg…

Borrowing from the work of John Mackay, guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock explored some significant references in the Bible concerning stars, the magi mentioned in Matthew 2:1-15, and how these point to God as Creator and Saviour. Message Outline Matthew 2:1-12. How did the magi know? Numbers 24:17. A gentle prophecy. Genesis…

Guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock, spoke from Genesis 1 about God as creator. The author of creation has authority over it. This is a unique and exclusive claim and has many implications for us as his creatures. Because he is good and loving, we can take him at his word, rely on him and honour him as our maker. Message Outlin…

Among the book of Psalms there are many gems. Psalm 122:1-9 is one of those. This joyous Psalm was sung by pilgrims as they wound their way up to Jerusalem, expressing something of the joy they felt at the prospects before them. While we are not attached to Jerusalem in the way God’s people of old were, the principles King David gives us in this Ps…

The book of Proverbs is a wonderful part of the ‘wisdom literature’ found in the Old Testament. The text of Proverbs 3:1-12 is especially helpful when considering the uncertainty of life – especially the new year (2025) ahead of us. The text calls us to do certain things, and it helps us to see that if we do those things, then the wisdom we need fo…

There’s no doubt that the shepherds feature prominently in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, especially so in Luke 2:8-20. The fact that the angels appeared to them and not Mary and Joseph must have had a purpose in God’s plan, and Luke likes to emphasize how utterly afraid they were because of their sudden appearance. But the shepherds soon be…

One of the most common misconceptions about the birth of Jesus, especially the words of the angels in Luke 2:14-16, is that ‘peace on earth’ would be automatic. Just looking around at the world in any era of history will tell you that this didn’t happen and never will. What was the message of ‘peace’ that the angels declared, and how is that peace …

There are all kinds of things to be confused about at Christmas, but we ought not be confused about is what to believe. The virgin birth of Jesus is at the heart of the Christmas message and the gospel. But how could it have happened? And of what the critics say about it? How can we understand and defend the truth of it in this modern world? Hopefu…

In 2 Timothy 4:9-22 we come to the final section of text in this letter. Paul’s last words. Last words take on signficance, especially when the person who gives them or says them is facing death. As Paul signs off to Timothy, his last words take on extra significance as we hear of his needs, his joys, his sorrows, his comfort, his confidence and mo…

In 2 Timothy 4:1-8, we are close to the final words of Paul’s letter – although they are surely the climax of all that Paul has said. As Paul now wraps us what Timothy is expected to do, he uges him toward being diligent, fervent and constant – all in the light of the coming of Jesus, the coming of apostasy and the coming of Paul’s own death. All t…

Sometimes last words carry more ‘weight’ than others. As we draw closer to the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his words in 2 Tmothy 3:10-17 stand out among his last instructions to the young pastor. In the context of dealing with false teachers and the prevalence of fale teaching in the last days, Timothy needed much encouragement to stick…

When the Apostle Paul wrotes this his last letter to Timothy, he was aware that he was living in the ‘last days’ – days when human sin and rebellion will increase and become part and parcel of daily living. In fact, ever since the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, those ‘last days’ have been here – and so in 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Paul encouraged Timothy to…

Paul used numerous meteaphors in the first part of this letter and also in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, especially the diea of a ‘clean vessel’. In order that Timothy might be a ‘worker approved by God’, he would need to be like a ‘clean vessel’ and it would be this, not his wisdom or strength that would make him useful to the Master – especially as he faced…

With the Apostle Paul aware that he would soon die, part of his motive in writing to Timothy the young pastor was to prepare him for the day when he would no longer be there to help him. Further to this, the church at Ephesus (like all the churches of that era) faced the challenges associated with the rise of false teachers and their associated her…

The Apostle Paul was never one to tell someone what to do or to face danger, if he hadn’t done what he said or faced that danger himself. Sitting in his prison cell, writing to young pastor Timothy, Paul wanted Timothy to ‘do as he had done’ – that is, prove to be faithful in all aspects of his ministry and true to the Lord Jesus. How Paul did that…

Any talk about being ‘soldiers of Christ’ may be a bit ‘on the nose’ for many today. Images of the Crusades might quickly come to mind. But this was the metaphor that Paul used the most in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 as the Apostle urged Timothy to do many things that would show him to be a faithful servant of His master and trustworthy with the gospel. Messag…

As Paul wrote to the younger pastor/teacher Timothy from his Roman jail cell, his time on earth was short, and Timothy’s time on earth would soon become more complicated with the rise of many false teachings and teachers. So what Paul wanted Timothy to do was be committed to the truth of the gospel – not be like others who fell away – but remain st…

Message Outline • What’s unbelievable here? • Jonah’s sin • Your sin and mine • See how the text speaks of…. Jonah’s second chance – a gift of grace Jonah’s repentance – proven genuine by obedience ‘Fruit in keeping with repentance’ Responding to the grace of God… Something you need to put right?Bendigo Presbyterian Church

Message Outline • Jonah, down, but not gone! • The appointed rescuer • Did it really happen? • See how the text speaks of…. Jonah’s praise of the Lord – delivered from death Jonah’s promise to the Lord – to keep his vows Vows? Before you vow! If you’ve broken a vow…Bendigo Presbyterian Church

In this message on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Presbyterian Theological College student, Aaron Maskell, encourages us from the text to live lives on integrity (by both believing and living the gospel) based on Paul’s experience and example. Message Outline Introduction Perseverance (v.1-2) Pleasing God (v.3-6) Loving others (v.7-12)…

In 2 Timothy 1:8-12, we find that the Apostle Paul was just ‘getting warmed up’ after his initial greeting to Timothy. After establishing the reasons why he was so thankful for Timothy, Paul proceedes with some exhortations to Timothy to take responsibility for the gospel, not so much teaching it (not yet anyway), but suffering for it. Paul was in …

The letter of Paul to Timothy that we know as 2 Timothy is significant for a number of reasons, but mainly because it stands as Paul’s last letter before his execution. Written to his younger son and trainee Timothy, a pastor-teacher in the first century, it is full of warm feelings from Paul to Timothy, but also strong advice and exhortation about…

The text of Genesis 35:1-29 tells us that Jacob finnaly headed from Shechem, where there had been much disgrace brought upon his family, to Bethel, where God renewed so many of His promises to Jacob’s family. With three revelations of the Lord to Jacob on the way to and while at Bethel and three deaths in Jacob’s immediate family, the chapter is fu…

There’s no way of looking at Genesis 34:1-31 without saying that the story is not a pretty picture. In fact, the actions of jacob’s sons were deplorable, as we the actions of the young man who raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Moses, who recorded the story for us, certainly doesn’t hold back – even Jacob himself comes across as all too passive when dea…

The text of Genesis 33:1-20 gives the conclusion to the long anticipated meeting of Jacob and his twin, Esau. All that Jacob had been through now led up to this most significant moment when he would have to face up to his brother. But while the reader might have expected to be fireworks and anger, the situation has been diffused. Jacob is different…

When Jacob was left alone at the river Jabbok, with all his family and goods sent on ahead of him to placate Esau, he could never have known that this was the moment when his life would be changed forever. After meeting with angels earlier in chapter 32, then his own messengers returning from Esau, then God met him. And he did it in such a way that…

When Jacob finally broke ties with Laban, he had another, bigger trial with someone else ahead of him. His twin brother, Esau. Though Jacob feared His meeting with Esau, God showed his great kindness to Jacob in preparing him for what was ahead – even sending his angels to remind him of his previous encounter with the Lord at Bethel. The story is r…

After Jacon and family left Laban secretly, it’s little wonder that Laban did his best to ctach up with his fleeing family. The text of Genesis 31:22-55 tells the story of how Laban caught up with Jacob, the difficult conversation thjat followed and the fruitless search for the household gods he valued so highly (that Rachel had hidden in the camel…

There are many times when decision making is hard. Guidance doesn’t always come easy. But in the case of Jacob in Genesis 31:1-21, the Lord made the decision for Jacob to leave Laban a relatively easy one. He told him to go. Circumstances around Jacob were also pointing in that same direction. And even when he talked this over with Rachel and Leah,…

Through all the story of Jacob’s life, God’s providence and favour toward him is evident. This is never more so than in the outworkings of the evenst recorded in Genesis 30:25-43. While Jacob is trying to free himself from Laban’s hold, the Lord enables Jacob to see his flocks and wealth flourish under His good provision, so that when the time come…

Although the Bible tells of men who had more than one wife (such as Abraham and Jacob) it never speaks favourably about it. Jacob is a case in point. Although he loved Rachel and ended up being married to her after marrying her sister, Leah, things didn’t work out well! Jacob soon found himself in a corner, unable to solved Rachel’s infertility and…

The ongoing story of Jacob and Rachel and Laban continues in Genesis 29:21-35. The text tells of how Jacob ‘met his match’ in Laban, that is, to say, his match in deception! For in having woken up the morning after his marriage to find that he had married Leah and not Rachel, Jacob had been deceived in a similar way to his own deception of his fath…

In Genesis 29:1-20, so many of the promises of God that Jacob heard at Bethel began to be confirmed. No wonder he wept. He was aware of the goodness of God toward him, not only leading him to the place he set out for, but also providing for him a potential wife in Rachel. It remains to be seen how things will work out with his future father-in-law,…

The next event in Jacob’s life as recorded in Genesis 28:10-22 is highly significant. Jacob was now an exile from home, and so it was while he was on his journey to his uncle’s that the Lord God appeared to him and gave him many assurances. The result was not only that Jacob had hist first encounter with God, but also called the Lord ‘my God’, proc…

As the first of the book of Psalms, the one we know as Psalm 1:1-6 is very helpful. for many reasons. It not only sets the tone for many of the Psalms that follow, but it encourages God’s people to ‘walk in the ways of the Lord’ and to find blessing as we do, so that we might be a blessing to others. Message Outline • Arriving at today’s message • …

In Luke 22, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, saying, “Do this in remembrance of me”. As we gather again today to celebrate this meal in obedience to him – full of symbolism and scriptural allusions – what and who are we remembering? Message Outline Life forever on earth? Some comments on ‘being remembered’ How could Jesus ever be forgotten? Is t…

Where do you find joy? Paul, writing in Philippians 1:1-11, finds it in people, in relationships but specifically in partnership for the gospel. Despite his imprisonment, he is thankful that God is at work in the Philippian church and prays for their growth, to the glory and praise of God. If we are partakers of his grace, God promises to work in u…

There were repercussions for Rebekah and Jacob after they conspired to steal the blessing of the first-born from Esau. In Genesis 27:31-28:9 we find that not only was Esau very angry about this and wanted to enact revenge upon Jacob, but also that Jacob had to flee the family home to escape his brother’s designs. This was at great cost to Rebekah w…