Vision Christian Fellowship | Christian Church in Canberra - Podcast

Andrew Baker | Numbers 10:11-13, 11:4; Deuteronomy 8:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 12:7-10; Genesis 1:1-2; Jeremiah 4:23-26, 31:10-14; Matthew 3:3, 4:4; John 1:14, 19:41, 20:14-15; Romans 8:22; 1 Peter 1:8 — The book of Numbers records how God led Israel into the wilderness before entering into the promised land. Throughout Scripture and in our lives today, we see that God uses the wilderness seasons as an integral part of His redemptive purposes - not to punish us, but to work in our hearts and reveal our ultimate need for Him.

Adam Ritchard | Job 1:13-21, 35:9; John 16:33; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Romans 5:3; James 1:2; Acts 16:24-31; 2 Samuel 24:24; Psalm 42:5-6, 102:3; Hebrews 13:15; Daniel 3:16-18; Matthew 26:30 — As believers, we live in the constant tension between Christ's victory and freedom, and the earthly reality of brokenness and pain. Scripture reveals the significance of the songs we bring to God in the depths of these ‘night' seasons; the sacrifice of praise that is costly but of supreme value to Him. Anyone can praise ‘when the 'sun is shining', but in the darkness of the night will we find our song of praise?

Andrew Baker | Exodus 25:8, 40:34; Numbers 1:1; Leviticus 16:8-10,29-30; Hebrews 9:22, 10:4; Genesis 3:21; John 1:29; Revelation 5:9-10; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:2 — The Book of Leviticus is foundational for our understanding of the Gospel. It reminds us of the pervasiveness and seriousness of sin. It outlines the provision of a Holy God who maintains justice while dwelling amongst a sinful people. And ultimately it points to Christ crucified; that there is nothing but the blood of Jesus that can truly deal with our sin.

Andrew Baker | Exodus 19:5-6, 25:8, 28:29, 33:14-16, 40:34-35; John 1:14, 2:18-22; Revelation 1:4-6, 5:10, 21:3; Matthew 6:9-10; Genesis 1:26, 2:15; Hebrews 7:17-26; 2 Corinthians 6:16 — Mankind was created in God's image; literally, to bear His representation and carry His presence on Earth. Adam, Aaron, and the nation of Israel all failed to completely fulfil this priestly role, but Jesus came as the perfect presence-bearer and mediator, our great high priest. May we follow Jesus' example, responding to this divine priestly calling to carry the precious, powerful presence of God to the world.

Andrew Baker | Exodus 19:3-6; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Colossians 1:20; John 16:7, 17:20-21; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23, 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 3:14-19, 5:32; John 14:2; Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 19:6-9 — Beginning at Mount Sinai and littered throughout both Testaments, God (and Jesus) clearly describes Himself as the husband, lover, and bridegroom of His chosen people. For God did not create humans to be obedient slaves, but rather to be His treasured possession.

Adam Ritchard | 2 Chronicles 20:1-22; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Numbers 28:11 — We must not have a small or reduced picture of worship, for it is a powerful weapon which must be wielded rightly. Worship focuses our hearts, gives us right perspective, steadies our gaze, and invites the Lord to do what only He can.

Andrew Baker | Colossians 2:13-15; Romans 5:20, 8:31-39; John 11:25-26; 1 John 3:16, 5:19 — The resurrection is the defining moment of the Biblical narrative. God stepped into human history; lived, died, and rose again to rescue and redeem us. Through the resurrection Jesus won the decisive victory over sin, death, and evil.

Adam Ritchard | Matthew 27:11-54; Isaiah 55; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 6:23 — The Cross of Calvary is confronting. We are confronted by the injustice and brutality of Christ's death. We are confronted by the ugliness of our sin that deserves such a penalty. We are confronted by Christ's divine humility contrasting our human pride. And we are confronted by the immeasurably high price He paid to save you and me.

Andrew Baker | John 12:12-15; Luke 19:37-40; Galatians 3:9; Genesis 15:13-16; Exodus 2:23-25, 7:17, 8:10,22, 9:14,29, 10:1-2; Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Ephesians 6:12 — From the Exodus of Egypt to Palm Sunday, scripture's declaration is of a God who not only fulfils His promises and plans, but in doing so demonstrates the ultimate triumphant victory of Christ over all other powers and authorities. To Him be all glory and dominion forever and ever, amen!

Selwyn van Wyk | Psalm 147:3; Revelation 18:2; Matthew 9:27-30,36, 10:8, 15:8,21-28,31; Luke 4:41; Deuteronomy 7:22-23; Ephesians 6:18 — The reality of demonic possession and deliverance is clearly found in scripture, but often ignored in the modern church. What can we learn from the Biblical accounts in question, and how can we strike the right balance on this polarising topic? Hear from Selwyn van Wyk, author, speaker, and founder of Unseen Realm Ministries.

Adam Ritchard | Revelation 4:1-5:14; John 4:23-24; Genesis 12:1-8 — In Revelation we see a picture of unceasing worship of the One seated on heaven's throne. What could our earthly worship possibly add to this picture of perfection? As we explore this question over the coming series, let us consider Abraham. In and out of season, Genesis records him building an altar to the Lord. These were intentional acts of worshipful devotion; establishing places of encounter, remembrance, and surrender.

Andrew Baker | Genesis 11:1-9,28 12:1-3, 22:15-18; Matthew 24:35; Deuteronomy 32:8-9; Joshua 24:2; Galatians 3:7-9,16,28-29; John 11:49-53 — In the Abrahamic covenant we see God fulfil an incredible promise: through an aged, idol-worshipping, faithless man (and his barren wife), God established a people of His own through whom all nations would receive salvation. From Abraham to Christ, God's covenant promises are founded upon His faithfulness and centred around His gift of grace, all to achieve redemption for a fallen and broken mankind.

Andrew Baker | Genesis 6:1-8; 2 Peter 2:4-9; Acts 17:30-31, 10:42; James 2:13, 5:11; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:4; Hebrews 3:7-8, 4:16; Romans 8:1; Luke 18:9-14 — As early as Noah's Ark, human history shows that the natural result of free will is brokenness, evil, and rebellion. Across scripture we see that God is a just and righteous judge who does not let human sin go unchecked. But likewise we see that God takes mercy so seriously that He bore its price to ensure we receive it.

Kathryn Hartley | Psalm 37:3, 51:15-17; Hosea 6:6-7; Matthew 23:23; 2 Timothy 2:11-13 — God is unrelentingly faithful to us, and as followers of Christ we are called to grow in faithfulness to Him. But this is not simply achieved by willpower and acts of devotion. Cultivating true God-honouring faithfulness is a work of the Holy Spirit. We are to trust in and seek after Him (not our own efforts), and persist in intent and action with whatever He's placed in our hands.

Andrew Baker | Genesis 3:1-22 — Out of the perfection of Eden, we see the ‘twist in the tale' of God's created order: the temptation of the serpent causes Adam and Eve to fall into sin. But even in the midst of human guilt, futile cover-ups, and blame-shifting, we see a God who pursues us, promising hope and providing a means for our redemption.

Andrew Baker | Luke 24:25-27,45-47; Genesis 1:1,27-28, 2:7; Romans 1:20, 5:8; Ephesians 1:5-6; Psalm 19:1 — From Creation to Christ we see a God with a heart of love for mankind, like a Father tenderly holding His newborn child. And it is nothing less than this love that is the central longing and need of every human heart. We were created and predestined for loving relationship with our Creator.

Steve Lazar | 2 Kings 5:1-14 — Naaman's account is one of despair turned to hope; pride turned to humility; and sickness turned to health. Like Naaman, our greatest need is to come in simplicity to the river of God's grace, receiving the healing only He can bring. Hear reflections from long term missionary to Mozambique, Steve Lazar.

Andrew Baker | Luke 24:13-32,44-49; 4:16-21 — On the road to Emmaus, Jesus came alongside His downcast disciples and ‘interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself'. In the Bible we see a single unified story which points to God's great redemptive plan weaved throughout time. Like His disciples, may delving into His Scriptures anew cause our hearts to ‘burn within us' as we see Jesus afresh.

Dave Lamerton | Matthew 18:21-35; John 19:28-30; Luke 7:36-38 — Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant should be a sharp reminder to us of the importance of forgiveness. Truly forgiving others from our heart is possible (and necessary!) because God has forgiven us of an infinitely greater debt. If we can't forgive others, then we have not fully appreciated the immensity of God's mercy to us at the Cross of Calvary. Hear from Dave Lamerton, current Board member at Vision Church.

Andrew Baker | John 2:13-22, 1:14, 4:19-26; Isaiah 9:7; Luke 19:46; Acts 3:4-8 — In John's gospel, we read of Jesus clearing the temple courts, consumed with ‘zeal' for the Lord's House. This righteous passion was not for the building itself, but rather for God's people to come to Him without hindrance. May we return to that which we were created for: living with an unhindered, passionate zeal for our infinite God.

Andrew Baker | John 4:3-38; Matthew 24:6-7; Hebrews 12:27 — After the Samaritan woman's testimony of meeting Jesus, many from her town came to see if He was the Christ. At this, Jesus proclaimed to His disciples: ‘see that the fields are white for harvest'. As we ask for His eyes to see and a hunger to do His will in whatever season of life we're in, may we too see the great desire and need for Jesus in the world around us. Stop, look up, and see that the harvest is ripe!

Adam Ritchard | Luke 17:11-19; Psalm 50:7-15,23; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Romans 1:21; Isaiah 1:4-6; Colossians 3:15b — Of the ten lepers who cried out and were healed by Jesus, only one returned to give thanks. This account should provoke us to consider our own hearts and lives: like the one leper, will we intentionally come to Jesus with gratitude even in the mundane and ordinary ‘every-day' of our lives?

Kathryn Hartley | Luke 2:21-38— Even as the parents of the promised Messiah, Mary and Joseph's first year after Jesus' birth was filled with light and shadow. Amongst the light and shadow in our lives, how do we reflect on 2024 in such a way that finds and carries deposits of hope into the new year?

Adam Ritchard | Luke 2:1-20, 22:19; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:6-8; Genesis 3:15; 1 Corinthians 6:20; John 1:11-12 — Jesus was given as God's great gift to mankind. Like all earthly gifts, the gift of Jesus was marked by anticipation and cost. It came in the midst of the mess to bring great joy. And most importantly, it was given that it might be received; for all those who receive shall be called children of God.

Adam Ritchard | Isaiah 8:22-9:7; Genesis 5:3-29; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Judges 6-7; Matthew 2:1-2; 11:28-30 — The weariness of our world is not simply the product of seasonal tiredness or a frenetic modern lifestyle. Every human heart is weary from the weight and depravity of our sin. But as Christ came to earth, so came the ‘thrill of hope'; the confident assurance that Jesus came as the present and eternal solution to our greatest need. In response to Christ, ‘the weary world rejoices' - may we too respond with hope and rejoicing as we receive the life that Jesus came to bring.

Kathryn Hartley | Matthew 1:1-16, 9:12-13; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 145:3-4 ; Ephesians 3:21— Matthew's genealogy of Jesus might seem an odd preface to the Christmas story, but in it we find a testament to the unending goodness of God. From Adam to Christ, God was faithful through the generations to deliver His promised Messiah. And so too will His faithfulness endure from Christ's birth to His second coming.

Andrew Baker | Luke 2:8-16,20; Isaiah 9:6-7, 53:5; Romans 5:1 — At the birth of Christ, the heavenly host appeared proclaiming "Glory to God" and "on Earth peace". This angelic proclamation did not mark the absence of earthly strife. Rather, God's greatest gift achieved something even more significant: Jesus came in human flesh to restore peace between humankind and God. This peace is our greatest need and invitation.

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 10:19-25; Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 9:4-5 — As we take stock of 2024 and with gratitude recall all that God has done, may we heed the encouragement given by the writer to the Hebrews: in all things fix your eyes on Jesus, seeking to live out love and good works as the Body of Christ.

Adam Ritchard | Habakkuk 3:2; Psalm 27:4; Revelation 3:14-20; Romans 12:11; Matthew 3:8, 24:12; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Acts 2:37-38 — If we truly desire awakening then we must continually seek after it. In order for us to sustain this cry for awakening, we must heed the call of Jesus given to the Laodicean church: to fuel the fire of God in our hearts; to humble ourselves in repentance; and to make room for Him. May our hearts be constantly stirred to see awakening in our time and nation.

Andrew Baker | Ephesians 4:1-16; John 17:22-23; Acts 2:42-47 — There are few things more effective at thwarting the work of the Spirit than disunity. It is no wonder then that the Apostle Paul, the Early Church, and Jesus himself all call us to prioritise unity with our fellow believers. As we press in to see God move, may we put aside our personal preferences to pursue the great uniting call of the Gospel.

Adam Ritchard | Luke 18:1-8; Mark 11:15-17; James 5:16b-18; Nehemiah 4:15; 1 Kings 18:1,41-45 — If awakening is the fire, then prayer is the spark. Through the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus' listeners were encouraged to always pray and never lose heart. But they were also challenged: will Jesus find this kind of faith on the Earth? As we cry out for awakening in our day, will we persist in faith-filled prayer for God's will to be done?

Andrew Baker | Mark 10:46-52; Luke 8:40-48 — The healing of Bartimaeus' blindness was not remarkable compared to many of Jesus' other miracles. But what does stand out is the desperate hunger with which he cried out for Jesus. As the rumblings of revival go on in our midst, will we be spectators or participants? Will we too cry out ‘all the more' with an unusual hunger for God's will, that He would move in our city and nation?

Matt King | Psalm 107:9; Matthew 5:3; Psalm 42:1 — When God says that revival is coming, what is our response? Do we hunger and thirst for deeper relationship with Him, crying out for Him to move? Or are we lulled into comfortable, secure, spiritually apathetic lives? God is too good to leave us where we are. His invitation today is to “Come away with me”; to go deeper with Him in the secret place, that He might work mightily throughout our city and nation.

Andrew Baker | Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:4,14, 3:1-2,17-19; Acts 19:8-20 — While an awakening of belief in the world around us is ultimately a work of God, we as believers have a critical role to play: Like Habakkuk, our hearts must be deeply moved by the brokenness of our world, and our faith must be restored by the permanent promises of our Living God. As we enter 40 days of prayer and fasting as a church, may our hearts be awakened to seek a great awakening - may His kingdom come and His will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven!

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-12; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; James 1:2-3 — Jesus' ministry and death show that the Christian should not be surprised to suffer persecution. In fact, Christ says that those who are mistreated on His account ought to rejoice, for they are blessed to receive the kingdom of heaven. If and when we endure persecution, it is to this promise - the only promise that will not fade - that we may anchor our hope: seeing and knowing our Creator face to face for all eternity.

Adam Ritchard | Matthew 5:1-9; Romans 12:18, 15:13; Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 13:20; Colossians 1:20; Ephesians 2:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:18; John 14:27; Isaiah 53:5 — Biblical peace is not simply the absence of conflict. Rather, it is the God-given wholeness that we as His children may know in every circumstance of life, and actively pursue in every situation. As we sow and carry this kind of peace, may those around us see the God of all peace reflected in us.

Kathryn Hartley | Matthew 5:1-12; Ephesians 2:4-9 — The mercy that typified Jesus' ministry was more than a charitable act or a withheld punishment. In countless encounters (not least the Crucifixion), Jesus delighted to move towards the helpless, suffering, and sinful - you and me - in unrestrained kindness. As we seek to live ‘the Jesus way', may the reality of our continual need for His mercy propel us towards our fellow sinners in love and compassion.

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-8,48, 15:10-20, 23:27-28; Proverbs 4:23, 20:9; Psalm 51:10; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:15 — Jesus' mission wasn't concerned with external appearances. Rather, He came to do what we could never earn or achieve for ourselves; to create in us a pure heart, that we might see Him for all that He is and overflow with passion for Him.

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-6 — Beneath all the brokenness, rebellion, and sin in the world, the deepest need within every human heart is to be made righteous; to be welcomed as sons and daughters into the arms of our heavenly Father. Will we follow Jesus' instruction to hunger and thirst after this our true and greatest need, or will we instead seek after what will never satisfy?

Adam Ritchard | Matthew 5:1-5, 11:28-30, 26:50-54; John 2:13-17; 2 Timothy 3:1-4; Mark 10:35-45; Philippians 2:5-8; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 1:3 — In a cultural context that celebrated power, Jesus' description of the ‘meek' being blessed would've sounded just as strange to His original listeners as it does today. But true Biblical meekness is not weakness, and we are not to be spineless pushovers. Rather we are called to live as Jesus did: God-yielded strength manifested in humility and gentleness.

Dave Pellowe | Luke 4:16-19; Matthew 6:9-10; Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 24:3-4; Exodus 12:3; 1 Timothy 5:8; Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 4:7-10 — Families are the fundamental unit of our society and of God's good created order, and the role of God-honouring fathers to this design is indispensable.Hear from Dave Pellowe, Director of Church and State, a ministry founded to educate Christians about the Scriptural and historical basis for Christian influence in society & politics.

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-4; Luke 15:7 — In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes that those who mourn are blessed. While we'd all prefer a life with only beauty and joy, mourning is central to the Christian life. As we mourn the reality of brokenness in the world around us and deep inside every human heart, we see our great need for a saviour like Jesus: the One whose mission and delight is to reach down to comfort and redeem those in the dust.

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-3; 4:17, 23; 11:2-5; 12:22-25; Mark 1:14; Genesis 1; Leviticus 8; Exodus 25:8; John 1:14; 2:13-22; 14:23; Colossians 2:13-15; Psalm 2:1-4; 24 — Jesus' first beatitude describes that it is the poor in spirit who are blessed to receive the kingdom of heaven. But what exactly does Jesus mean when he refers to this kingdom? And how are we to respond that we might be blessed to receive it?

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-16; John 3:17 — As we seek to live the ‘Jesus Way', what does it look like to engage with the cultural influences that surround us? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs us to be ‘salt and light'; a preserving and illuminating influence present in the very midst of the world, for its benefit and flourishing. For God did not come to condemn the world, but rather do His greatest work in the very midst of the world's greatest need.

Adam Ritchard | John 17:13-19; Romans 12:2; Matthew 5:13-16 — Living this earthly life can be painful and disheartening; something that we Christians just ‘grit our teeth' through while waiting for Heaven. But, Jesus specifically prayed that we would not be taken out of the world. Instead, we are to live remembering who we are and whose we are; set apart and sent on mission into the world. We are to live the Jesus Way.

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 13:1-25 — While the author concludes his letter by addressing a range of topics, the book of Hebrews makes one central proclamation and defining declaration: Jesus. He is not a precursor or a side-point. He alone is the fulfilment of God's promises. He alone is the foundation. He alone is the centre, the source, the substance, and the sufficiency of our lives. It's all about Jesus.

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 12:18-29, 10:23-25; Romans 12:1; Mark 14:1-9 — The Book of Hebrews is all about illuminating the majesty and superiority of Christ. But the author's intent is not simply to provide us with information. Rather, this theological understanding of Christ ought to grab a hold of us both personally and corporately, producing a response of awe-filled wonder and passionate worship.

Kathryn Hartley | Hebrews 12:11-17, 25; Matthew 22:35-40; Ephesians 4:1-3; Deuteronomy 29:18-19 — While the race of faith is no doubt an endurance event, the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to ‘sprint' after peace with one another and holiness before God. As we put off our hard-hearted pride and rely on God's enabling grace, these ‘sprints' bring us back to the very core of why we're running in the first place: to love God and love people.

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 12:3-13; Jude 24; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Peter 1:3 — As we run the race of faith we can experience dejection and weakness. But this is not how we have been called to run. Instead, through the discipline (training up) of our perfect Heavenly Father who has created and purposed us as His beloved children, we may put off the ‘drooping hands' and ‘weak knees' to run with endurance the race that He has marked out for us.

Vision Church | Isaiah 58:6-11; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 9:22; Luke 18:18-30, 19:1; 1 John 4:19 — Last month, Vision Church sent a team to connect with and support long-term missionaries Steve and Ros Lazar serving in Mozambique. Hear stories & testimonies from Kathryn and the team, and a sermon from Kit, all flowing from their time in and around Zimpeto Children's Centre. Where we give our whole lives to God, His love flows through us to accomplish the impossible.

Adam Ritchard | Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:24-26; John 6:68-70; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Philippians 3:8 — Our life of faith is not a ‘fun run' with no value or no consequence. Rather, it is a race to be run with passion and endurance, in which our sights are fixed firmly on our example and our prize - Jesus Christ himself.