City on a Hill: Surf Coast

‘Woke' is a term we hear a lot and yet its definition is hard to pin down. Where does it come from – and how should the church respond to it? Do we celebrate it or resist it? It's worth asking – what would Jesus affirm and would he confront? And what is the way forward from here?

How should we read the ancient text of the Bible in light of our ever-expanding scientific knowledge? Does evolution contradict the Bible, or just help us understand it better?

In a noisy and distracted age, how do we recognise the word of God – and how do I know if what I'm ‘hearing' is the word of God, or just the voice of my own heart?

As wars rage in the Middle East and opinions divide, we are confronted with the question of how we should respond. What does God have to say about war in general, and what might he have to say about this one in particular?

Many people around us are going pretty well in life; they're kind, they help others, they are successful and have purpose – so why (and how) do you share the good news of Jesus with people when they seem to be doing fine without it?

Jesus declares, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant… even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve”. Jesus is the greatest — not in the way the world recognises, but in the way heaven does.

Jesus calls those who follow Him to sacrifice, lay their lives down, and loosen their grip on the treasures in this world. We cannot enter the kingdom with our earthly riches, but instead trust in the eternal riches gifted to us in Jesus.

A sermon from our teaching series, ‘Matthew S4'. Passage: 'Matthew 18:1-6; 15-35'. Preacher: Michael Ghobrial. Visit www.cityonahill.com.au for more about our mission to know Jesus and make Jesus Known.

Visit www.cityonahill.com.au for more about our mission to know Jesus and make Jesus Known

Visit www.cityonahill.com.au for more about our mission to know Jesus and make Jesus Known

Visit www.cityonahill.com.au for more about our mission to know Jesus and make Jesus Known.

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.

Visit www.cityonahill.com.au for more about our mission to know Jesus and make Jesus Known

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.

Jesus begins his ministry, revealing His kingdom of light to the world. Jesus endures forty days of temptation in the wilderness before He begins to preach the good news, calls His first disciples and performs healings and miracles.

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.”

Jesus is born, the promise fulfilled and the Saviour is here. King Herod hears of the news and, seeking to kill Jesus, wipes out all the newborn sons in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt following an angel of the Lord's warning, before returning to Nazareth.

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.

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.

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.