CityReach Marion

Luke Watts shows why Nahum’s message of judgment is also a message of comfort. The Lord is good, and because He is good, He will not allow evil and injustice to continue forever. Those who take refuge in Him can therefore have hope, even in the darkest circumstances. Yet no one can withstand God’s judgment. Jesus has borne that judgment for us, reconciling us to God and showing us the mercy that c...

As we finish up our sermon series in John 1-6, Luke Watts and Darren Western have a conversation about how life is found in Jesus. Why do we need Jesus? What is faith? How to we come to find this life? The signs and encounters through these chapters show us that Jesus is accessible to all and all can believe, but not all will.

Darren Western unpacks the larger section of John 6, seeing that not only does Jesus provide physical bread, he is the Bread of Life and source of eternal life. 

When the crowd sees what Jesus can do, they want Him to meet their needs on their terms. But Jesus shows that He is far greater than the provider or earthly king they expect. He feeds thousands with abundance, then reveals His power over the stormy sea, showing them who He truly is. That same challenge comes to us. James March calls us to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, rather than simply seeking...

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells His followers who they are, what they are called to do, and why. Luke Watts explains that Christians are the light of the world, so they are to live openly as followers of Jesus and do good for others. These good works are not done to earn salvation or gain attention, but so that people may see God's goodness and give glory to Him. How are you living in a way that p...

Peter Budimir asks the question at the heart of this passage: Who is Jesus? Jesus is not presented as an ordinary man, but as the Son who does what the Father does, gives life, judges, and receives the same honour as the Father. Because such claims raise the question of how we can know they are true, Peter points to the witnesses that testify about Him. As the evidence makes clearer who Jesus is,...

Jesus meets us in our need, but He is concerned with something deeper than simply changing our circumstances.   In John 5, Luke Watts looks at the man at Bethesda. Jesus personally seeks him out and restores him after 38 years of disability, but His work does not end with physical healing. He brings new life and calls those He restores to turn from sin and live in the life He has given them.   Do...

Dr Les Crawford joins us from Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry to share on the important topic of staying true in a world of lies. When deception abounds and is getting worse and worse, followers of Jesus must go back to the reliable and powerful source of God's Word to avoid and confront deception. 

When life leaves you powerless, Jesus is still enough. Luke Watts shows how the official came to Jesus wanting his circumstances changed, but he was led to something deeper: taking Jesus at His word before he could see the outcome. That is where this account presses us too, because Jesus offers more than help in a crisis; He offers Himself. So when you come to Him, do you want Jesus for who He is,...

No matter your background, God can use you to share the good news of Jesus. Scott Beeson looks at the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus crossed barriers to speak with her and reveal Himself to her, and she went back to tell her community about Jesus. Will you share Jesus with others, even with those you might normally avoid?

There is joy in knowing that Jesus is the One who matters most. Luke Watts reflects on John the Baptist’s words, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” calling us to see Jesus as central rather than ourselves. Jesus is above all, and the Father has given all things into His hands. The call is to believe in the Son, live under His authority, and point others towards Him.   Is Jesus truly central...

God loves you, and He has shown His love by giving His Son. Luke Watts reminds us from John 3 that we cannot make ourselves new or work our way into God's kingdom - new life comes from God. Jesus calls us to look to Him, believe in Him, and find life in His name. If there is life in Jesus, what will you love first and most?

Darren Western leads us through the last section of John 2, when Jesus cleanses the temple. 

Peter Budimir leads us in looking at the first sign Jesus performed at the wedding in Cana - turning water to wine. We see in this sign another reason to behold Jesus and believe in him. He is always working, always turning water to wine, either in seasons or in marvelous moments. Will we believe and trust he cares for us and see his glory? Or will we just dismiss his glory?

Luke Watts shares from the end of John's first chapter that the first disciples were invited, but then became inviters, that Jesus truly sees & knows those who he calls to follow him, and those who follow him are changed & expectant.

Luke Watts continues our new series in John's Gospel, considering the testimony of John the Baptist. John's purpose was that of preparing the way for Jesus and proclaiming him clearly - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Those who believe in Jesus now have much the same purpose, that of preparing others to meet him and inviting them to behold him - who can deal with our greatest...

Luke Watts, Lead Pastor at CityReach Marion, begins our new sermon series in John's Gospel. John the Apostle had a clear purpose in his account of Jesus' life - to provide example, witness, and opportunity for people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing, they might have life in his name (John 20:31). His introduction to this purpose is to who Jesus really is, an...

Will Hall from Compassion Australia shares with us about the 3 spaces of mission. It begins where God's people gather - today, that's the church, to prepare us to go into the marketplace where we demonstrate and proclaim Jesus, and then also erquips us then to be ready when we are invited into spaces where God is not known.

The next generation is shaped by the voices they hear most. Henry Engelbrecht, Principal of Sunrise Christian School - Marion, points to Psalm 145 and the responsibility to declare God's works from one generation to another. Whether a testimony feels dramatic or ordinary, it still speaks of what God has done. What are you declaring to the next generation?

God's compassion reaches further than our own. John Warner from Bush Church Aid Society reflects on Jonah's anger when God showed mercy to Nineveh, revealing how difficult it can be to accept grace for those we believe deserve judgment. Since Christ died for us while we were still His enemies, how might His mercy move you to show compassion to someone you find difficult?

If you are in Christ, you do not stand condemned. John Ewers from Destiny Rescue Australia draws from Romans 8:1–11 to remind believers that the Holy Spirit already dwells in them as Helper, seal, and enabler. Rather than living from fear, failure, or the flesh, you are called to walk by the Spirit, repent when convicted, and bear fruit that witnesses to the world around you. If the world is readi...

Every good story longs for a happily ever after, but the closing chapters of Esther refuse to tidy up the mess. On the very day enemies hoped to destroy God’s people, the reverse happened, and relief came in full. As Luke Watts walks through these final scenes, the brutal details aren’t softened, because they carry a weightier truth: God never saves halfway, and He never judges halfway. That same...

When the crisis seems tangled and unfinished, Esther reminds believers that God can still be working through the mess. Darren Western traces the moment when Haman’s plot is exposed, his own gallows become his end, and yet Esther must plead again because the danger to her people remains. From there, the sermon presses toward courageous faith: seeking God’s presence before crisis, using what we have...

God has made us for honour, but Esther 5:1–6:13 shows how quickly the desire for recognition can become twisted. Luke Watts traces Esther’s risky approach to the king, Haman’s fragile joy, Mordecai’s unexpected honour, and the sleepless night that reveals God’s providence at work. As Haman’s hunger for glory exposes the selfishness of the human heart, the sermon points to the only King who can tak...

Esther 4 brings God’s people to a moment of crisis. Haman’s law threatens the Jews with death, Mordecai mourns in public, and Esther must decide whether to stay silent or risk her life for her people. Luke Watts shows how Esther responds with courage, trust in God, and love for others. Esther’s brave action points us to Jesus, the true King, who gave His life to save His people. What does it look...