Weekly Talks

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 14: 1-25  1 Corinthians 14: 1-25 (NIV) The Corinthians were using their spiritual gifts in divisive and unhelpful ways, so Paul tries to teach them how to use their gifts in a way that is constructive and edifying. At St. Andrew’s, we believe that all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible are available to us today - and we want to use them in ways that ar...

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 (NIV) One of the best known and most evocative images of the church is that of the Body of Christ. This idea that we all make up one body and we all have a different part to play within the body. It’s a beautiful picture of unity and inclusivity. 

By Rev Charlie Lacey  | 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 (NIV) Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen how the first century church in Corinth was divided and wayward. Perversely, that division was most evident when they gathered for the Lord’s Supper (Communion). Paul helps them (and us), to understand what Communion is, why it’s important and how we should treat it. Rev Charlie...

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Peter 2: 4-5a  1 Peter 2: 4-5a   (NIV) Peter begins his first letter by reminding the Christians of Asia Minor (now Turkey), that they all belong to God's family.  2,000 years later and God's family (the Church), is made up of people from every nation, language and walk of life.  Built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 10: 1-33 1 Corinthians 10: 1-33  (NIV) The Christians in Corinth were good at doing all the outwardly religious stuff - they got baptised, they gathered for worship, they received communion - but despite all that, they were not glorifying God in any area of their lives. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to live lives that are consistent with their citizenship in God...

By Rev Bev Bell  |  Psalm 18: 1-19, 30-36 Psalm 18: 1-19, 30-36  (NIV) Life can throw some very challenging and painful situations our way, but the Lord is our rock and when we cry out to him, he hears us

Peter Jongkuch | 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NIV) Ever since Jesus brought in the New Covenant, God’s people have had a lot more freedom.  However, not all Christians agree on how far we should go in exercising this freedom.  Paul had to deal with the question of whether Christians can eat meat that's been sacrificed to idols.  That's not a problem that we're likely t...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 (NIV) In first Corinthians, chapter 7, Paul responds to some questions that the Corinthians had written to him about – and in so doing he gives a whole load of advice about marriage, singleness and sexual relationships.  Advice that is still relevant to us today...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 5: 1-13 & 6: 12-20 1 Corinthians 5: 1-13 & 6: 12-20 (NIV) The city of Corinth was one of the most sexually liberal places in the Greco-Roman world.  Many aspects of everyday life were X-rated.  It is therefore not surprising that the church in Corinth was struggling in this area.  

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 2: 1-8, 12, 14a, 22-24, 32-33, 36-39  Acts 2: 1-8, 12, 14a, 22-24, 32-33, 36-39  (NIV) On the Day of Pentecost, Paul urged the crowd to repent, to be baptised and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Together, those three things (repentance, baptism, Spirit filled), are the marks of being a Christian, though they don't have to happen in that order.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 4: 1 - 17 1 Corinthians 4: 1 - 17 (NIV) The Corinthians were full of pride; they were puffed up; they thought they’d made it.  They celebrated their wealth, comfort and affluence and they despised the life of personal sacrifice and suffering that the apostles were experiencing.  To them it seemed like foolishness to live like that. Paul helps them to see what f...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Genesis 1: 26-28, Genesis 2: 15-17, John 10: 10-11 Genesis 1: 26-28, Genesis 2: 15-17, John 10: 10-11 (NIV) We are to enjoy living in this wild world and we are to enjoy living in the light of this wild Gospel! 

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 3: 1-23 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 (NIV) The Christians at Corinth were elevating various leaders, breaking into little groups and factions and undermining the unity and the mission of the church.  Paul has to remind them that they are co-workers in God’s service.  They are supposed to be working as one body, under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16  (NIV)

By Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 2:5 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 2:5 (NIV) When you browse through any news website, you can see that humanity is, in many ways, very clever, but not wise.  And when we look at the messiness of our world, we might think ‘Don’t we have the collective wisdom to sort all this out?’ Well, the answer to that is, 'No we don’t', because the world has dismissed...

By Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 (NIV) Today's service was very special because we welcomed Isla and George into the church through baptism. We also started a new series, based on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.  The church at Corinth had become dysfunctional, to say the least, but Paul was keen to remind them that God had set them apart, called them to be...

By Charlie  Lacey | Matthew 28:16-20 Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) Today we remembered those who suffered and died at Gallipoli in the First World War, as well as those who have been maimed and killed in conflicts since that time.  In the space of little more than 100 years, there have been two world wars and we now find ourselves dangerously close to a third.  However, we need not fear because we know t...

by Charlie Lacey | Matthew 28: 1-15 Matthew 28: 1-15 (NIV) Today is the most important day of the year for Christians.  The day of Jesus’ resurrection; a day of tremendous joy, hope and celebration.  The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christianity.  In 1 Cor. 15, the Apostle Paul writes: ‘If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.’  But Jesus has been r...

By Charlie Lacey | Isaiah 53:1-7;Matthew 26:57-58 and 26:63b-67, 27: 11-31, 33-44, 45-52a, 54, 57-60 Isaiah 53:1-7;Matthew 26:57-58 and 26:63b-67, 27: 11-31, 33-44, 45-52a, 54, 57-60 (NIV) The American missionary, Samuel Zwemer said this: “There is no mystery in heaven or earth so great as this - a suffering Deity, an almighty Saviour nailed to a Cross.” Not only is Jesus’ crucifixion a hard thing...

By Peter Jongkuch | Matthew 26: 17-56 Matthew 26: 17-56 (NIV)  

By Charlie Lacey | Matthew 26: 1-16  Matthew 26: 1-16  (NIV) Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem by an excited crowd, full of praise and adoration, but when Jesus didn’t fulfil their agenda, that is to say, when he didn’t confront the Roman occupiers, the atmosphere turned sour.  In today’s reading, we saw a sharp contrast between those who hated Jesus and those who treasured him.

By Charlie Lacey | Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus told us to be ready for his return.  In other words, we are to live as faithful servants of Christ, knowing that he could come back at any moment.  Jesus made it clear that when he does return there will only be two categories of people, those who belong to him (the sheep) and those who do not (the goats).  The sheep will be characterised by love, compassi...

By Fiona Martin | Matthew 24:45-25:30  Matthew 24:45-25:30  (NIV) Last week we heard that Jesus commanded us to be ready for his return at the end of the age - and we concluded that being ready means being a faithful servant of Christ.  Jesus told three parables that contrast two different kinds of servant: those who do what their master commands and those who do the opposite.

By Charlie Lacey | Matthew 24:29-44 Matthew 24:29-44 (NIV) Nobody knows when Jesus will return – but, as we saw last week, the signs are already there to be seen.  Jesus could come back at any time.  The question is, are we ready?  If Jesus were to come back tomorrow, would he find us faithfully serving Him and prioritising His kingdom?

By Charlie Lacey | Matthew 24:1-14  Matthew 24:1-14  (NIV) Jesus spoke to his disciples about two future events – one in the near future and the other in the distant future.  The first happened in AD70 and the second we are still waiting for.  Jesus promised to return and when he does, it will be the end of time and history as we know it.  God’s people will live with Him forever in a renewed and r...