Liberti Church Coomera Sermons

If you want to see the glory of God, you need to see the grace of Jesus. For the God whom no-one has seen, has now made Himself known through Jesus becoming human. And in Jesus, we receive an abundance of grace that displays His glory.

There are two - and only two - possible responses to the light of Jesus Christ: either fully reject Him or fully receive Him. To those that receive Him, He gives the highest possible blessing, which is to make them children of God.

For a book written with the explicitly stated purpose, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name" (Jn. 20:23), the book starts how you might expect. A breathtaking presentation of the pre-existent 'Word' in the first five verses.

If God is the sovereign giver of mercy, who are we to hold it back from anyone? Jonah learns a lesson about his own love for mercy and his implicit need to be part of extending that mercy to others.

Is anyone beyond the mercy of God? Chapter 3 of Jonah shows how an unlikely city facing God's judgement ended up receiving God's mercy. And in doing so, became a sharp example for God's people of what humility and repentance looks like.

As Jonah is thrown into the ocean, he quickly recognises his utter despair and need of the mercy of God - mercy he did not want to show others. Through a surprising 'saviour', Jonah's life is spared. Once again, we find Jonah is us. We too are drowning in sin and unable to save ourselves. Jonah reminds us that salvation belongs to the Lord.

The surprising mercy of God is experienced even through the actions of Jonah. This reluctant prophet would do anything to withold mercy from his enemies, even if it cost him his life.

As we see in Matthew 2, the reality of Jesus' kingship can either cause great trouble or exceedingly great joy. As Jesus is established as the legitimate King, we're invited to humbly and sacrificially worship Him.

All the foundations for who Jesus is and what He will accomplish in His time on earth are revealed in this short Christmas story. Joseph is an ordinary guy having to navigate extraordinary things: from his pregnant fiancé Mary, to a visit from an angel telling him that Jesus will be our Saviour from sin.

We need to be careful not to take anything out of context, as context often gives us the real meaning behind what is happening. It is the same with Christmas. When we seek to know the true meaning of Christmas, the context, it turns out, is the Old Testament. Matthew begins his gospel by summarising the Old Testament family lineage to Jesus and includes in the list, exactly the kinds of people Jesus has come to save.

As Peter draws the letter to a close, he summarises the central message of the book: that humility comes before exaltation; suffering before glory; and that by the grace of God we may stand firm in our faith and resist Satan.

Who should lead the flock of God, and what should that look like? Peter gives instructions for elders to shepherd the church with pure motives and to set a godly example. The response to this leadership is a humble submission that is necessary to navigate life as elect exiles in a hostile world.

Life is full of choices, but in response to Jesus there are only two. The path of genuine discipleship is hard but life-giving. On this path we must watch out for deception and be careful we don't deceive ourselves. Genuine discipleship is marked by intimacy and obedience to Jesus.

What are your expectations of what the Christian life would be like? In this passage, Peter tells Christians not to be surprised when trials and suffering come. We discovered how Christians throughout the world and in history were not surprised, but rather rejoiced when facing persecution for the sake of Christ.

Our discipleship in this world ought to ask the question, "What time is it?" If we want to live as a faithful presence for Jesus in our world, then we need to live in the reality that His return is near. In light of this end, we are to give no more time to sin, but instead give our time to serving others.

We live in a world that is marked by fear right now. It is therefore very easy for the Christian to succumb to fear as we deal with both present and future suffering for holding fast to biblical truths. Into this culture Peter calls us to "have no fear of them, nor be troubled".

In a hostile world filled with opposition, the church is the place to be filled with compassion. There is a tender humble love that characterises the local church to sustain us as we live as elect exiles.

Marriages can be a confusing topic in today's age. How can the Bible help bring clarity to the way husbands and wives relate to one another? And how does this distinct character end up leading us into greater joy and greater witness for the gospel?

In a culture of expressive individualism, the Christian faith is one that is marked by submission to others, even those who mistreat us. In this passage, Peter encourages us to follow the example of the faithful slave, and the example of Jesus Christ himself who suffered for doing good without sinning.

Submitting to authority can be hard for any of us. But it is one way that our good conduct can help point others to Jesus. As servants of Christ, we use our freedom to obey so that God may be honoured.

Everyone's life is built upon something. But not everything builds us up. For the Christian, they are being built into a spiritual house where God dwells. In response to God's grace, they both speak and show His excellencies with their lives.

Everyone is looking forward to something. The Christian ultimately looks forward to their future heavenly hope. This is no easy task however, and requires we prepare our minds. This response to God's grace empowers us to live out holy lives and conduct ourselves in a manner that values the price paid for our freedom.

How practical is theology in helping us stand firm in a hostile world? Peter begins by laying out the future realities of an inheritance that is secure and spectacular. He also acknowledges our lived experience is one marked by purposeful trials and inexpressible joy. It's not the final word, but it's the first place to start.

Peter writes a letter to persecuted Christians and from the very start reminds them of who they are. They are "Elect Exiles". Chosen by God, and rejected by the world. He wants them to know how the Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit) has worked with one harmonious will to secure their salvation. This ought to bring them - and us - great comfort in times of suffering for the gospel.

Psalm 42 is a song of lament which means it is sung out of deep despair. The psalmist offers complaints against God who seems distant from him, and at the same time reminds himself to hope in God. It is a raw look into how we might speak to God and to ourselves during times like these.

It is not enough to merely hear the sermon on the mount, we must also obey it. As Jesus closes out His message, He warns of the judgement of God for those who fail to obey.

For the person who has entered the kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount lays out a grand vision for their life. While we desire to live this vision out, we wonder if we can without Divine help. In this passage, Jesus calls us to Ask, Seek, and Knock and it will be given. We have the assurance that God cannot give us bad gifts.