City on a Hill: Geelong

Jesus' teaching astonishes the crowds, demonstrating His authority. He performs miraculous wonders - healing the sick and calming the raging seas. The crowds begin to ask “who is this man and by what authority has he come?”

True or false? Wise or foolish? Jesus ends his “sermon on the mount” by inviting us to walk the narrow path, following His way that leads to life. As followers of Jesus we put our firm foundation in Him, withstanding trials and temptations and finding everlasting joy in Him.

Jesus warns against hypocritical judgment, teaching that we should examine our own faults before criticising others as we grow in humility and self-awareness. God is the only worthy judge of good and evil and so we seek his forgiveness and thank Him for redeeming us.

Jesus invites us to look beyond this world and what it can offer us, and look to His kingdom where eternal treasures lie. God is our provider - we do not need to be anxious about tomorrow for He gives us all we need for life and righteousness in Jesus.

Jesus calls His followers to seek a deep, genuine relationship with God rather than outward religious performance. Practice humility in prayer, devotion and generosity as you serve the Lord as your King in secret and in public.

Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He came to redirect our fixation from rules and laws, to loving and knowing Him. Jesus is serious about sin - He wants us to walk the path of righteousness that leads away from darkness, towards His marvellous light.

Jesus calls us to be ‘salt' and ‘light' - to be people who seek Him and show the world His beauty and grace. As followers of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit, we are to shine in a way that invites the world to want to find out who Jesus is.

Jesus promises blessing, fulfilment, and the kingdom of heaven to those who are poor in spirit, mourn, and are persecuted for His sake. Jesus invites us to walk in His light, to truly see God and to rejoice that our reward is great in heaven.

John the baptist prepares the way for Jesus. As Jesus is baptised in the river Jordan, the heaven's open up and the Spirit of God descends like a dove and God declares “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

God's promise to send a Saviour to redeem Israel is made clear in the genealogy of Jesus and the generations before His birth, from Abraham to Joseph. God is faithful to save His people by sending His Son - Immanuel, God with us.

Practice love, hospitality, and compassion, as you trust in God's provision. Fix your eyes on the kingdom of God, as we continue to praise Him, abide in His word, act mercifully and share the good news with others, for these sacrifices are pleasing to Him.

Through Jesus, our mediator, we are invited into His kingdom of joy and celebration. Jesus invites us to listen to God's voice, reminding us that one day everything temporary will be shaken, leaving only God's unshakeable kingdom.

A good father will discipline his children. Likewise, God disciplines us as his children to produce holiness within us, and to form us into the likeness of Jesus. The way we live is an example to the world of Jesus' ways, and the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

Many have gone before us in trusting God, and in His promises, without seeing the end reward. We endure the difficulties of this life by looking to Jesus, who perfected faith by enduring the cross, and strengthens us to stay steadfast in the face of opposition.

Through Jesus, we can draw near to God with assurance that we are forgiven of our sins. Despite struggle, in Jesus there is great eternal reward. Stand firm, resist sin, encourage one another and remember God is faithful to forgive and save you.

The old covenant's earthly tabernacle and repeated sacrifices were abolished with Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. We do not have to earn our faith or perform sacrifices to God. Jesus has paid the price for our sin and sanctifies us by his blood, giving us a new identity in Him.

Jesus entered the heavenly sanctuary, offering His own blood as a sacrifice to secure eternal redemption for us, to cleanse us of sin and to gift us the presence of God, the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus we are invited into the throne room of God, to enjoy a relationship with Him.

Jesus fulfilled God's promises of a new and better covenant, making the old obsolete. This new covenant is built on God's promises to write His laws on the hearts of His people by the Holy Spirit, offering complete forgiveness and a direct relationship with Him.

Unlike earthly priests, Jesus' priesthood is permanent because He lives forever. His perfect sacrifice brings complete salvation, making Him the ultimate mediator between God and humanity. Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant between God and us, his people.

Our hope in God's promises serves as an anchor for the soul, with Jesus as our eternal High Priest. Hebrews 5-6 encourages believers to keep trusting Jesus, warns against spiritual stagnation and reminds us to trust in God's promises and persevere in the faith.

Jesus is the great High Priest who sympathises with our weakness and temptation to sin, yet remains sinless. He offers mercy and grace, providing eternal salvation through his obedience to the Father and suffering at the cross and fulfilling his role as great High Priest.

Hebrews 4:1-13 reveals the glory of God through the promise of rest found in Jesus. This rest represents not only physical respite but spiritual fulfillment and peace. The invitation to enter God's rest through Christ showcases His glorious provision and the divine purpose of offering eternal rest and tranquility.

In Hebrews 3:1-19, the glory of God is embodied in Jesus as the Wonderful Counsellor. Compared to Moses, Jesus' glory surpasses that of the greatest Old Testament leaders. His faithful leadership and guidance reflect the divine wisdom and glory, offering us a deeper understanding of God's plan and purpose for His people.

Hebrews 2:1-18 highlights the glory of God as seen in the sacrificial role of Jesus, our Saviour. Through His incarnation and suffering, His willingness to become human and endure suffering for our salvation reveals God's magnificent grace and redemptive power.

Jesus is the perfect, ultimate, final revelation of God. He is the ultimate expression of God's glory, surpassing all previous revelations and angels. In Jesus, we're invited to witness and experience the majestic glory of God's presence.

Worshipping “in spirit” involves a heartfelt devotion, love for Jesus and full surrender to God. The Holy Spirit reveals and illuminates truths about God's character, His will, and His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ to our heart, leading us to praise and worship him with our whole lives.

Those in Christ stand secure in the kingdom of God, yet we know the prince of darkness rules the city of man. The Holy Spirit allows us to fight sin, darkness and evil, as we put on the armour of God and take out the Sword of the Spirit.

God gives signs, wonders and gifts by the Holy Spirit to point us to his power, grace and love. He wants us to walk in the newness of life given to us in Jesus, seeking and using our spiritual gifts to help us to know Jesus deeper and to make Him known.

God's Spirit and His Word are intimately connected and mutually reinforcing in the life of a believer - both are needed to flourish in Christ. The Holy Spirit illuminates the message of the Bible, enabling us to understand its truths and apply them, and to see and know the person of Jesus.

Disciples of Jesus are not only called to follow him, but also become like him. The Holy Spirit transforms us into the likeness of Jesus - leading us to a deeper sense of dependency on God as we navigate seasons of trial and temptation, and seek His guidance and strength.

Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, reminding us that our redemption is not based on our own work or efforts but is a gift of God's amazing grace. By the Holy Spirit and through faith in Jesus, we get to walk in our new and transformed lives.

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a gift received by faith, allowing us to encounter God, enabling our transformation and empowering us for life and ministry. As a living member of the Trinity who is with us today, The Holy Spirit desires ongoing fellowship with us.

In an age of social media, comparison and jealousy can easily creep into our hearts. God desires us to not be jealous and to be content in his gift of salvation in Jesus.

Is it ever okay to tell a lie? Deception and mistruth is evident throughout our world, but Jesus himself claims to be the truth and the light. Will we follow him in our actions?

In a confused generation, where is the line on adultery, cheating and affairs? We are all searching for the “right” way to do relationships. Will we follow God's way?

Theft hurts other people, but it also dishonours God. Jesus teaches us that all we need for life can be found in him, and that God is our ultimate provider.

Murder is wrong. Most of us would agree on this. But is it ever justified? What does God have to say about life, death, and the value he places on humanity?

God created the heavens and Earth in six days, and on the seventh day he rested. God also desires us to rest and practice the Sabbath, and ultimately find true rest in Jesus.

Family is designed to be a place of love and safety, but it can also be messy and hurtful. How should we honour our parents and follow Jesus' example, even when it's difficult?

God reveals his character and power in the Bible. But there are many who share false gospels and misuse the name of Jesus. How should we honour Jesus' name in truth?

Our hearts seek satisfaction in many idols like money, sex, power and entertainment. But we are made to be fully satisfied in Jesus. Do you desire God above all else?