Bendigo Presbyterian Church

Borrowing from the work of John Mackay, guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock explored some significant references in the Bible concerning stars, the magi mentioned in Matthew 2:1-15, and how these point to God as Creator and Saviour. Message Outline

Guest preacher and theological student, Daniel Hitchcock, spoke from Genesis 1 about God as creator. The author of creation has authority over it. This is a unique and exclusive claim and has many implications for us as his creatures. Because he is good and loving, we can take him at his word, rely on him […]

Among the book of Psalms there are many gems. Psalm 122:1-9 is one of those. This joyous Psalm was sung by pilgrims as they wound their way up to Jerusalem, expressing something of the joy they felt at the prospects before them. While we are not attached to Jerusalem in the way God’s people of […]

The book of Proverbs is a wonderful part of the ‘wisdom literature’ found in the Old Testament. The text of Proverbs 3:1-12 is especially helpful when considering the uncertainty of life – especially the new year (2025) ahead of us. The text calls us to do certain things, and it helps us to see that […]

There’s no doubt that the shepherds feature prominently in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, especially so in Luke 2:8-20. The fact that the angels appeared to them and not Mary and Joseph must have had a purpose in God’s plan, and Luke likes to emphasize how utterly afraid they were because of their […]

One of the most common misconceptions about the birth of Jesus, especially the words of the angels in Luke 2:14-16, is that ‘peace on earth’ would be automatic. Just looking around at the world in any era of history will tell you that this didn’t happen and never will. What was the message of ‘peace’ […]

There are all kinds of things to be confused about at Christmas, but we ought not be confused about is what to believe. The virgin birth of Jesus is at the heart of the Christmas message and the gospel. But how could it have happened? And of what the critics say about it? How can […]

In 2 Timothy 4:9-22 we come to the final section of text in this letter. Paul’s last words. Last words take on signficance, especially when the person who gives them or says them is facing death. As Paul signs off to Timothy, his last words take on extra significance as we hear of his needs, […]

In 2 Timothy 4:1-8, we are close to the final words of Paul’s letter – although they are surely the climax of all that Paul has said. As Paul now wraps us what Timothy is expected to do, he uges him toward being diligent, fervent and constant – all in the light of the coming […]

Sometimes last words carry more ‘weight’ than others. As we draw closer to the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, his words in 2 Tmothy 3:10-17 stand out among his last instructions to the young pastor. In the context of dealing with false teachers and the prevalence of fale teaching in the last days, […]

When the Apostle Paul wrotes this his last letter to Timothy, he was aware that he was living in the ‘last days’ – days when human sin and rebellion will increase and become part and parcel of daily living. In fact, ever since the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, those ‘last days’ have been here […]

Paul used numerous meteaphors in the first part of this letter and also in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, especially the diea of a ‘clean vessel’. In order that Timothy might be a ‘worker approved by God’, he would need to be like a ‘clean vessel’ and it would be this, not his wisdom or strength that […]

With the Apostle Paul aware that he would soon die, part of his motive in writing to Timothy the young pastor was to prepare him for the day when he would no longer be there to help him. Further to this, the church at Ephesus (like all the churches of that era) faced the challenges […]

The Apostle Paul was never one to tell someone what to do or to face danger, if he hadn’t done what he said or faced that danger himself. Sitting in his prison cell, writing to young pastor Timothy, Paul wanted Timothy to ‘do as he had done’ – that is, prove to be faithful in […]

Any talk about being ‘soldiers of Christ’ may be a bit ‘on the nose’ for many today. Images of the Crusades might quickly come to mind. But this was the metaphor that Paul used the most in 2 Timothy 2:1-7 as the Apostle urged Timothy to do many things that would show him to be […]

As Paul wrote to the younger pastor/teacher Timothy from his Roman jail cell, his time on earth was short, and Timothy’s time on earth would soon become more complicated with the rise of many false teachings and teachers. So what Paul wanted Timothy to do was be committed to the truth of the gospel – […]

Message Outline • What’s unbelievable here?• Jonah’s sin• Your sin and mine• See how the text speaks of…. ‘Fruit in keeping with repentance’Responding to the grace of God…Something you need to put right?

Message Outline • Jonah, down, but not gone!• The appointed rescuer• Did it really happen?• See how the text speaks of…. Vows? Before you vow! If you’ve broken a vow…

In this message on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Presbyterian Theological College student, Aaron Maskell, encourages us from the text to live lives on integrity (by both believing and living the gospel) based on Paul’s experience and example. Message Outline Introduction

In 2 Timothy 1:8-12, we find that the Apostle Paul was just ‘getting warmed up’ after his initial greeting to Timothy. After establishing the reasons why he was so thankful for Timothy, Paul proceedes with some exhortations to Timothy to take responsibility for the gospel, not so much teaching it (not yet anyway), but suffering […]

The letter of Paul to Timothy that we know as 2 Timothy is significant for a number of reasons, but mainly because it stands as Paul’s last letter before his execution. Written to his younger son and trainee Timothy, a pastor-teacher in the first century, it is full of warm feelings from Paul to Timothy, […]

The text of Genesis 35:1-29 tells us that Jacob finnaly headed from Shechem, where there had been much disgrace brought upon his family, to Bethel, where God renewed so many of His promises to Jacob’s family. With three revelations of the Lord to Jacob on the way to and while at Bethel and three deaths […]

There’s no way of looking at Genesis 34:1-31 without saying that the story is not a pretty picture. In fact, the actions of jacob’s sons were deplorable, as we the actions of the young man who raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Moses, who recorded the story for us, certainly doesn’t hold back – even Jacob himself […]

The text of Genesis 33:1-20 gives the conclusion to the long anticipated meeting of Jacob and his twin, Esau. All that Jacob had been through now led up to this most significant moment when he would have to face up to his brother. But while the reader might have expected to be fireworks and anger, […]

When Jacob was left alone at the river Jabbok, with all his family and goods sent on ahead of him to placate Esau, he could never have known that this was the moment when his life would be changed forever. After meeting with angels earlier in chapter 32, then his own messengers returning from Esau, […]