Our Mission
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- Written by: George Hemmings
We're on a Mission from God audio (5MB)
Just like Jake and Elwood in the Blues Brother’s, we’re on a mission from God. Like theirs, ours is a holy mission. But our mission isn’t to raise money for an orphanage. Our mission is something a little more profound than that.
This morning we’re starting a new sermon series, looking at our mission at St. Thomas’. It’s an important summary of what we’re on about as a church. Guides us as we think about what’s important. Should shape all that we strive to do. When I started here, asked how does each ministry fit into this mission? Questions we should all be asking, how can we, how can I help carry out this mission. What part am I going to play in it?
So what is it? Who knows what our mission is? Who thinks they can remember it?
Series: Theme: On a Mission from God
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
On a Mission from God
A series based on the Mission Statement of St Thomas' Burwood.
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On a Mission from God |
Acts 1:6-9 |
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Speak the Gospel |
Rom 10:10-15 |
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Teach the Bible |
2 Tim 3:14-4:5 |
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Build Community |
Rom 12:1-13 |
Habakkuk 3
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- Written by: Ian Thomason
A Prayer of Faith: A God Who Delivers audio (5MB)
Habakkuk 3:1-19
Good morning.
Before I preach on Habakkuk chapter three, I’d like to pose a question that I hope everyone will devote a little time to in quiet reflection, as I speak for the next twenty minutes.
It’s been my experience that preachers will often ask rhetorical questions in sermons, sometimes with a knowing look and a gentle tilt of the head. Stagecraft aside, they do this because preachers don’t want us to be passive pew-sitters, they want us to be actively thinking through the implications of a given point.
My question is quite straightforward, but the proper response has consequences that directly affect everyone in church today.
The question is this: for what purpose were we created?
Habakkuk 2
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- Written by: George Hemmings
A Promise of Vindication (Unfortunately due to technical difficulties the audio for this sermon was not recorded.)
I wonder how are you at waiting? How was that wait? Were you itching for the sermon to start? Could you not wait to hear a response to the reading?
Chapter 2, begins with Habakkuk waiting. He’s waiting for God to answer him. If you were here last week, you’ll know that the book of Habakkuk is a conversation between the prophet and God. It started with Habakkuk complaining to God about the injustice he saw going on in Judah. He asked God – Why are you letting all this violence go on? How long will you let it happen? When are you going to do something about it?
Series: 35: Habakkuk
- Details
- Written by: Chris Appleby
Habakkuk
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A Call for Justice |
Hab 1:1-2:1 |
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A Promise of Vindication |
Hab 2:2-20 |
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A Prayer of Faith |
Hab 3 |
Habakkuk 1
- Details
- Written by: Chris Appleby
A Call for Justice audio (5MB)
The cry for justice is a common occurrence in our world isn't it? Injustice takes place at all sorts of levels and we wonder, why does God allow it? It's like what we saw in Psalm 73 a few weeks ago. Why do the wicked prosper? Why do the powerful get away with taking advantage of the weak and helpless? Why doesn't God do something about it if he's the good and powerful God that we think he is?
Those are the sorts of questions that Habakkuk struggles with as he looks at the nation of Israel. And as we'll see in a moment there's an even more difficult question that needs answering. That's the question that arises when we see evildoers being punished at the hands of those who are just as evil if not more so.
We occasionally see on the news stories of bikie gang members being shot by members of rival gangs and you think that's justice - yet it's justice carried out by someone whose as wicked as the one receiving the punishment.
It's sometime around the end of the 7th century BC. The nation has gone through a period of revival under Josiah but now he's dead and the rich and powerful are back to their old tricks.
Luke 10:25-37
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- Written by: Michael Prabaharan
Who is my neighbour? audio (5MB)
Passage: Luke 10:25-37
Have you ever not really liked someone? Not just nyeah, I’m not sure about them.
I mean really not liked someone. Not happy to have them around at all.
You don’t have anything nice to say about them, they just could never do anything right and boy whenever they are around they are nothing but trouble!
All around the world there are many wars and civil conflicts going on. Often when you talk to people on one side that’s the way they feel about people on the other side. They can’t say anything nice about them and really don’t like them and don’t want them around.
But you might hear people talk like that even when there isn’t a war around, maybe when a friendship has gone wrong or someone feels humiliated or betrayed by someone. We have our own prejudices, we make selective observations and remember things that happened in past history or the way certain people behaved.
Well when Jesus lived, it was exactly the same. There were two groups of people who couldn’t stand each other and would rather cross the street than walk on the same side if they saw them coming along.
