MBM South West Sydney // Bible Talks

We live in a world that is full of despair. At a personal, community, and global level our world is full of hardship and difficulty. Our situation, of course, is nothing new. It is in a similar context that God called a prophet named Jeremiah to speak words of judgment and hope. In the opening of the book of Jeremiah we see God's calling of the prophet and are reminded again, that no matter how difficult our circumstances God's presence brings us confidence.

The end result of Philip's preaching in Samaria is summarised in Acts 8:8 “So there was great joy in that city.” As we launch our Blacktown campus today this text challenges us to ask the question, “What will it take for MBM to bring great joy to Blacktown?”

At the end of God's great redemptive story is the promise of eternal life in heaven with him. But what is the nature of that eternal life? For my people heaven appears boring, mysterious, and vague. In this section of Revelation we get a great vision of God's glorious plans for his children.

As the Scriptures unfold the picture of God's plans become clearer. With the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Christians now have a message to proclaim. It is not a message of self-help, its a message of God's wonderful offer of forgiveness which now comes through Jesus.

God uses a symphony of testimonies to provide certainty that Jesus is God's promised king, the one promised to usher in God's kingdom, and the only hope for humanity.

God speaks through His Prophets to raise our eyes to blessing above and beyond our earthly hopes and dreams.

In God's unfolding story we continue to see God's plan coming to pass through ordinary people. In 2 Samuel we see David graciously engaging with king David through promising to establish through him the one who will bring about God's eternal plans.

There are not many topics that are more interesting yet less clear for us than Angels and Demons? Do they exist? If so, what do they do? Should I be afraid? What role if any should the unseen realm play in my day-to-day life? How do we think about Angels and Demons in light of the good news of Jesus?

Idea: Sin is worse than we think or imagine. In Genesis 3, we see that sin (1) destroys our relationship with our creator, and in turn (2) introduces discord between fellow human beings, and (3) brings disorder with the rest of creation. Aim: For listeners to be convinced and convicted of the sinfulness of sin (i.e., extent and ramifications), and then be moved to taste the only remedy available and able to deal with their problem.

An often thankless task, Motherhood and motherly love are wonderful gifts God gives. In Luke 1, we reflect on the announcement of Jesus's birth given to Mary. In this passage we will see that God uses ordinary everyday faith and obedience to change the world.

The Bible is the most influential book in History. Though containing 66 books, and written by over 40 authors, the Bible actually reflects one larger story, the story of God and his purpose for his creation. In Genesis 1:1–2:3 we have a big picture of not only who God is, but who we are as his creation, and the purpose for our being. Genesis 1:1–2:3 provides us with the opening act of the unfolding good and perfect plan of God.

A true understanding of God's character leads us to have a deeper, joyful relationship with Him. In this encounter with Jesus, He reveals to us that God is someone to fear and, at the same time, calls us to draw near. If we only hold on to one of these things and not the other, it will affect how we relate to God.

“Living with Hope: Finding Confidence in a World Full of Uncertainty” - Discover how believers can rely on the certainty established by God through Jesus' resurrection, even in the midst of life's unpredictability.

Before his ascension Jesus commissioned his followers to take the good news message out to the world. But what does that look like? What does it look for a modern follower to be a disciple of Jesus? What is our mission as the people of God. In Matthew 28:16–20 Jesus calls not only the eleven disciples, but all of us who know him to take his good news to the world.

The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian hope. Three days after the brutal arrest and death of Jesus the most glorious of statements is made by angelic hosts. ‘He has risen!' The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Hope in the midst of chaos, life in the face of death, victory over the powers of sin and death. All of this comes, ‘just as he said.' Because Jesus's word is sure we can trust his promises for our futures.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. How was Jesus forsaken and why? How does Jesus bring rescue and acceptance with God?

Rejection and betrayal hurts deeply. In this account Jesus is rejected by a friend, his disciples, and a large crowd. This betrayal, however, is part of God's larger plan that will bring not rejection, but reconciliation for rebels.

The second coming of Jesus Christ is the subject of interest to many. When will he return? Are we living in the last days just before his return? What should we expect when he returns? In Matthew 24 Jesus assures his disciples of his return and shapes both our expectation of when that will occur and how we should live in the meantime.

Have you ever had your reality shattered? Perhaps you have experienced betrayal in a relationship, had your identity stolen or maybe you bought a used car that turned out to be a lemon! Today Jesus will confront us with reality by telling us a story and showing us a stone. Those who understand and believe the story will be amazed and marvel! Those who reject will be shattered suddenly and irreversibly by the stone.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem on his way to the cross he does so in a peculiar way, he arrives on a donkey. Rather than arriving on a noble steed in pomp and power, Jesus enters the city on an ordinary everyday donkey. What are we to make of this? In Matthew 21:1–11 we get insight into the nature of Jesus's kingship and it surprises us.

Jesus challenges who and what we think greatness is. Jesus uses a child to teach about what greatness is. Jesus teaches that greatness is shown in dependence, humility and in helping others.

There are no more significant questions that we should think about than ‘where we will spend eternity?' In this account Jesus gives us certainty as to how we can enter into his Kingdom.

In the chaos and noise of the world it is easy to become overwhelmed, distracted, and confused. In the midst of this how can we remain connected with God and cultivate a relationship with him. In this unique section of Matthew's gospel we get an astonishing vision of Jesus that calls us to awaken from spiritual slumber as we see his majesty revealed.

If you are sure you are a Christian then walk in grace, live in love and grow in fellowship.

Central to our nature is the desire to be valued and known. In this section of 2 Corinthians the Apostle helps us re-frame how we think about the location of our worth and value. This value is not found inherently in our efforts or achievements, but in recognizing God's power shown in our short-comings.

We live in a world that raises serious questions about truth. People are skeptical about news on social media, news from sources of authority, news that is ‘fake'. In 2 Corinthians 11:1–30 Paul strongly defends the importance of truth, and in particular he defends the truth of the gospel as the basis for genuine Christian ministry. In this sections he condemns falsehood and then reveals the surprising nature of what true gospel ministry looks like, namely, weakness.

Acts 20:24 gives us the greatest resolution for 2024 - and it is an old resolution…

In a world of such chaos it is easy to become overwhelmed, sad, and despairing. Yet into this broken chaotic world God entered and took on flesh. In the angel's announcement in Luke 2:10–11 we find reasons why we can have joy, even in the midst of our broken world.

In 2 Cor. 8-9, Paul continues to unpack his favourite topic of grace and here he applies it to giving. In this sermon we ask three questions about this text: 1. What is this grace of giving? 2. What would is the goal of grace giving? 3. What is God actually promising about giving?

Have you ever felt a ‘block' in your relationship with your pastor? Are you struggling with something they said to you? Have you ever felt similarly about God and His words to you? This talk is a challenge to cheer up your pastor by rightly dealing with such issues.

Followers of Jesus have the great privilege, and the great responsibility, of representing the good news of Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 6 Paul lays out how we represent Jesus in a way that doesn't discredit the good news he came to bring.

In the Bible having a good relationship with God is described in a few ways. God's people are ‘redeemed' reflecting the idea of payment. God's people are ‘justified' reflecting the idea of justice. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul is going to emphasize a new idea of ‘reconciliation' which reflects the idea of restoring a broken relationship. In this passage we have the astonishing good news that we can have a good relationship with God and are called to share this news with others.

Christians worship the God of comfort in the midst of pain and hardships. But the temptation is to serve the idol of comfort and seek to escape suffering. Paul shows us that as our bodies waste away, we can have confidence that our home is in heaven, not on earth; not in a mortal body, but an eternal one.

Discouragement is a real part of life. While many of us have great days, there are frequently in experience days where we lose hope, we lose heart. The Apostle Paul was deeply familiar with disappointment and had many moments of losing heart. Yet as he writes to the Corinthians he exhorts his readers ‘do not lose heart.' In this section we explore where we can find encouragement as we follow Jesus, even in difficult times.

Let the surpassing and transforming glory of Christ 1. Enliven you, 2. Embolden you, & 3. Repurpose you!

Christians carry the aroma of Christ everywhere we go. As we share Jesus with the world, some people will love it, some will hate it, but God is pleased to use us regardless of the outcome.

We live in a day where we are skeptical of leadership. Leaders are often dishonest, immoral, or just plain disappointing. In the Church of God, however, leadership plays a critical role in the proclamation of the good news. In this section the Apostle Paul defends his apostolic leadership and gives insight into what godly leadership entails.

Most of us want to live lives that are comfortable, free of pain, and filled with joy. While there is nothing wrong the desire for comfort, the reality is that we live in a broken world where our desires often feel out of reach. In fact for most of us, suffering and hardship seems more frequent than comfort. So how do we praise God in the midst of hardship? In 2 Cor 1:1–11 Paul addresses that issue, and the answer lies not within ourselves, but in the God of all comfort.

Of the many images of life with God, one that is constantly used in the Bible is that of a banquet. A banquet is a place of laughter, joy, delight, and great company. In this story Jesus reveals who is invited to the wonderful banquet of God.

Singing is an essential part of the Christian Faith. Nate unpacks why it is essential for us to sing in church. It not only brings praise to God but serves others in our community and helps us collectively fix our eyes on Jesus.

We have all struggled with anger either in ourselves or from others. The Bible has a lot to say about anger. Proverbs in particular helps us see how anger can be used as a good gift from God if we use it to stir gently, burn warmly and rule wisely.

Of all the subjects one could talk about, the issue of speech is the most commonly talked about topic in all of the Proverbs. There is power in words. In this message we explore God's wisdom on how to speak well.

Pride is something we all struggle with. Whether winning an argument, gaining a promotion, or being noticed, we all have a desire to come out on top. In God's kingdom, however, greatness is not marked by accomplishment, but by humility.