Trinity Church Victor Harbor

Why not pray? The journey into cynicism: “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3) The progress of cynicism: Worthless idols, broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2) An age of cynicism: Praying in the 21st century Learning to trust again

A touchy subject? Our approach: Prayer in the big picture Beloved dust: Created to live with God (Genesis 1:26-2:7) All things new: Redeemed to live with God (Revelation 21:1-22:5) Prayer in the push and pull: Glorifying God, enjoying him forever

The key to the Psalms: “what God is like, not what we should do” • so we avoid moralism (we’re not OT Jews; only God is exemplary - He’s the main character in the Bible) • so we see how Jesus is the fullest revelation of what God is like • so we have the confidence to read the Psalms for ourselves! 1. What Ps 131 says about God 2. How Ps 131 points us to Jesus Mt 11:27 - “All things have been comm...

The God-enabled response that brings all of someone to respond to Him. What is Worship? • A rebellious people ransomed • Rebellion despite ransom • A faithful God Our Lives as Worship • Now • Romans 12:1-3 • Because of Eternity • Revalation 22:1-5 Our Golden Calves

Signs and wonders today? 1. An Amazing Miracle  A sign 2. What does the sign point to?  The significance of the Ark of the Lord A Sign for us?  Miracles today? Matthew 12:38ff  Preaching the sign today?  Experiencing God today?

Not what you would expect…  After chapter 1  Spies from Shittim   Numbers 13 and 25 1.An Unusual hero (v2-7) 2.What do we learn from Rahab?  Unexpected grace  God can use anyone   Matthew 1:5   1 Corinthians 1:26  The God who judges  The nature of faith   James 2:24-25

Not exactly earth shattering news The crisis Deuteronomy 34:10 Written for people like us – who face an uncertain future 1. How to Face the future with confidence - A positive attitude? - Joshua 1:2-5 - What has God promised us? 2. Taking hold of the Promises of God - Strong and courageous – Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18. Facing the future with confidence

Joy of the Redeemed The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 s...

Making preparations Glory is coming… but Jesus is going (13:31-33) Life after Jesus = a life of witnessing love (13:34-35) = not self belief … (13:36-38) = … but hope-filled belief in God (14:1-4) = life with Jesus! (15:4-7) Life after Jesus in the Year of our Lord

Et tu, Brute? Surprising sovereignty (v. 18-20) Distress and confusion (v. 21-26) Betrayal (v. 27-30) “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.”

Joe Louis. Boxer. Transition: the stage is set (v. 1) Scandal: the all-powerful slave (v. 2-5) Confusion: Peter blurts out what everyone’s thinking (v. 6-11) Model: following the master (v. 12-17) Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Darkness and light Jesus, the unbelievable arm of the Lord (v. 37-43) Jesus, the radiance of the Father (v. 44-46) Jesus, the speaker of salvation (v. 47-50) “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

God is holy. "Who will go for us?"."Here am I, send me.". The loving kindness of God. "As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, since it is written" You shall be holy, for I am holy".

Psalm 23 could be summarised under 6 “P’s” 1. Profess. “The LORD is my Shepherd.” 2. Provide. “I shall not want” 3. Pilot. “He leads me in paths of righteousness…” 4. Protect. “...I fear no evil for you are with me…" 5. Prepare. “you prepare a table before me…” 6. Promise. “and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

God's greatness. God has no body God has no birthdays God has no bounds God's Fatherly goodness. It is vital to hold together these two "sides" of God. 1.Vital to our welfare 2. Vital to our worship.

Famous last words... Waiting together in thoughtful, gospel-focused peace (v12-15) in joy-filled, discerning dependence on God’s Spirit (16-22) in yearning, confident trust (23-24) in warm, word-based unity (25-27) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

KEY IDEA: The Courageous Christian who stands firm and endures to the end as they share Jesus with others is a confident Christian, thoroughly convinced that having ‘come once’ Jesus is coming again to save those who live and die believing in him. This ‘confidence’ will not just ‘stand firm’ but ‘stand out’ in a Christian’s courageous choices and conduct towards others trusting that God always fin...

Death and FOMO 'Those who sleep...' An informed, hope-filled grief (v13), made sure by Jesus’ once-for-all victory (14), that guarantees his triumphant return (15-17), and means those who sleep ‘in him’ will in no way miss out (15-17). The eternal encouragement that outshines our fear

Now about love in God’s family… This love comes from God (v. 9) This love never ends (v. 10) This love is ambitiously humble (v. 11) This love is attractively hard working (v. 12) …we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more

God’s better story of sex and relationships Living the better story in Thessalonica The underlying reality: God’s will for our holiness (v. 3) Sanctified sex: Three commands Avoid pornea! (v. 3) Control your own body (v. 4-5) Don’t wrong a brother or sister (v. 6) Sanctified sex: Three motives The judgment of God (v. 6) The call of God (v. 7) The Spirit of God (v. 8) Living the better story in Vic...

A sense of direction? ‘As for other matters…’ ‘…we instructed you’ ‘…how to live in order to please God’ ‘…do this more and more’ ‘…by the authority of the Lord Jesus’

“A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul” – Proverbs 13:19 Do you know this joy? Do you have a when and where story yet? FULFILMENT (v1-2) …when Jesus again entered Capernaum … FAITH (v3-5a) When Jesus saw their faith … FORGIVENESS (v5b-10) “I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him- the ra...

Love’s joy and anguish at ‘Kiah Ridge’ CONTEXT: Love’s joy and anguish at Thessalonica … Paul’s ‘love letter’ defence against deceivers … (‘you know’ … 1:5, 2:1, 2, 4-5, 7-8, 9, 10, 11) 1) Love’s anguish with no news (2:17-20) 2) Love’s disruption to find out news (3:1-5) 3) Love’s joy and thankfulness with THIS news (3:6-9) 4) (WHY) Love prays like this (3:10-13 cf 2:18, 3:5) No greater love for...

An attitude of gratitude Grace and peace (v1) Gospel-shaped gratitude (v2-10) The fruit of the gospel (v3) Gospel assurance (v4) The coming of the gospel (v5a) Gospel imitation (v5b-6) Gospel modelling (v7) The going out of the gospel (v8-9a) Lives transformed by the gospel (v9b-10) Greater gratitude, expressed in joyful thanksgiving

What do you give the person who has (given you) everything? Mary's grace-soaked gift (v. 1-3) Judas' self-soaked piety (v. 4-6) Jesus' cross-soaked priority (v. 7-8) Lazarus' Jesus-soaked witness (v. 9-11) Giving as receivers