Disciples Church Sermons

Advice begins with "If you want this to happen, then do this..." A fairytale begins with "Once upon a time" A proverb begins with "A wise man once said" But news begins with, "Something has happened!", which is why the angels declared, "Behold! I bring you good tidings of great joy!" They had great news to share! News is a report about what has already been done. News urges you to recognise someth...

This Sunday we get to chapter 8 of Romans and the final instalment in the "Living New Lives" section of this amazing book. In chapter 7, Paul described the life of the person "in Adam" who is a slave to sin. In chapter 8, he details what being "in Christ" looks like. And the good news is that when you are in relationship with Jesus you now have the power NOT to sin.

This Sunday we start into a section of the Book of Romans that develops an argument over the course of almost three chapters. The subject of this detailed explanation by the Apostle Paul is the effect that the Gospel has on our lives in the here and now. Through faith in Jesus we are not only justified - made righteous, we are also sanctified - given the power to live new lives.

So, how does it work that the crucifixion of one man can result in the forgiveness of sins for so many people? This Sunday, Pastor Greg will look at this question as he preaches from the second half of Romans 5. The Apostle Paul contrasts the difference between the first man Adam, and Jesus - how sin entered the world through one man, and forgiveness through another.

In the passage that we're looking at this Sunday, the Apostle Paul says we should rejoice when we experience trials. How does that work? Was this a slip of the quill? No, far from it. This is the way we can respond when we have a Gospel Perspective on life. The secure hope of salvation revolutionises how we look at our life and circumstances.

How is your joy? Are you feeling close to God right now? You know, there's a link between joy and repentance. Repentance isn't a one time event. It's more of an ongoing lifestyle. And the Apostle Paul (of the New Testament) agrees with King David (of the Old Testament) that our joy comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven through faith in Jesus. The more we repent, the more joy we will experi...

Theologians talk about the 'visible church' and the 'invisible church'. What's the difference? The visible church is everyone you see being a member of a church. The invisible church is those in the church with real and genuine faith. We don't see peoples' hearts the way God can, so only He really knows those who are His. This Sunday, as we continue our sermon series from the Book of Romans, Pasto...

The Apostle Paul is aware that the newly planted church in Rome was made up of both Gentiles and Jews, and so some of the things he was writing would be received differently by each group. After unloading pretty heavily on the wayward pagan world in chapter one, he is quick to tell the Jews that they are no better. It's a lesson for all Christians that without Christ, we all stand condemned. We ne...

The world can be a beautiful place, but it doesn't take long to realise that it's also pretty messed up. Ever since the first humans turned their backs on God, we've been doing our best to deny Him, pretend He's not there, and invent replacements for Him. And all this while creation is screaming at us that there is a Creator. In this sermon, Pastor Greg Gardiner preaches from the second half of Ro...

The Apostle Paul begins his letter to the fledgling Roman church by zoning in on the most foundational aspect of the Christian faith - Jesus is Good News! Without Jesus, there is no Good News - and this is not something to be embarrassed or ashamed of. Instead it should be proclaimed for all the world to hear!

This Sunday Nathan Rule will be preaching from chapter 2, where we will be challenged to persevere through our circumstances by trusting in his "I am with you" promise. Jesus is the new temple through which we meet and have fellowship with God. He calls us to build each other up in the Gospel, powered by the Spirit who lives within us.

We can usually think of all sorts of good excuses as to why we can't possibly serve Jesus as we should. The real reason is usually that we are focussing on something else - something that doesn't have eternal significance. That was the case with the returned Jewish exiles, and the Lord was quick to intervene.

How does living out of our new Gospel identity affect our marriages, family, and our work? Paul gives some helpful Gospel applications for these few key relationships in the next part of Ephesians, that we will look at this Sunday. Over all, it points to the truth that living our lives empowered by the Holy Spirit will have an impact on all our relationships.

This Sunday we take a week off from our series in Ephesians and, as it is Father's Day, Pastor Greg will be taking the opportunity to speak on 'the heart of our Heavenly Father.' It is one thing to know what God has done (created, redeemed, etc) but it is another thing entirely to know who God is. Thankfully, Scripture doesn't leave us guessing. Instead, it gives us a picture of a father who is ab...

Many people think of Christianity as a list of do's and don't's. If you read a passage like the one we are looking at this Sunday simply on its own, you could easily get that impression. But Paul has littered it with allusions to remind his readers, both the original and now us, of what he has already laid out in this letter. Where does the empowering come from that allows us to begin to live holy...

Everyone knows that to build up your physical body you need to workout. But what about building up the spiritual body? What are the things that help it to grow healthy and strong? In Ephesians 4, Paul lets us in on the key - that our spiritual growth is closely linked to our unity in the body of Christ. What might it look like for us to grow closer together as we mature in Christ?

What's the greatest privilege you've ever had? Paul considered the opportunity to deliver the Gospel to the Gentiles to be his. He had the honour of revealing God's mysterious plan to people who had never heard of it. Even though this meant suffering, he still rejoiced and praised God for the privilege. What was his heart for those he ministered to? Through the magnificent prayer he prays at the e...

The start of Ephesians 2 is a wonderfully rich passage that addresses our salvation: the state we were in before we were saved and the transformed state we now have by faith. What does it mean to have new life by faith? How can our lives be changed by holding onto these truths? Come along and be reminded of this miracle that God works in our lives and how it speak into our identity in Christ.

After reminding the Ephesians of their new Gospel identity in Christ, Paul lets them know about his prayers for them. There are many powerful components to this prayer, as he sets out to both encourage them and call them to keep growing in the Gospel. Hopefully, the desired outcomes will be the same for us as we work through this passage together.

If you were asked to describe yourself, you would usually start off by saying, "I am a ...". What would you instinctively write in that blank? What do you think defines you? How do you define yourself? This question is of critical importance to believers. Paul opens his letter to the church in Ephesus by highlighting some of what it means to be IN Christ and he continues with the identity theme th...