Disciples Church Sermons

Jesus saves; Jesus transforms; and Jesus calls us into His mission. In this sermon, Pastor Greg Gardiner draws our attention to the second of the three fold effect of the Gospel: Jesus transforms. God's ambition for Christians is that they would be holy.

The Gospel targets our hearts, giving us new life, a new identity, and new desires. Instead of working to please God, the Gospel frees us to serve God, empowering us to be His ambassadors to all those we encounter.

The biggest struggle you will face following Jesus is overcoming your pride... particularly for those who don't think they are proud!

Too often, following Jesus is described as finding a balance between the law of God and the grace of God. But this is not helpful. Instead, Jesus calls us to a relationship with Him - a relationship so satisfying that it ultimately transforms us.

The invitation given by Jesus is, "Come, follow me!" But what does that mean? What does it look like? And ultimately, how do you become a follower of Jesus?

Becoming a Christian is sometimes described as inviting Jesus into your heart or life. In reality, we don't do the inviting - Jesus does. God authors, carries out and puts into effect everything required for our salvation, because He is a pursuing God.

Peter was an ordinary bloke who, like all of us, had failed Jesus. But he was a guy redeemed by a gracious Saviour and called into the work of making disciples. As John ties up this "loose end" in the last chapter of his account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded that it is the Gospel that qualifies us to serve in ministry, and nothing else.

Does the death of Jesus really atone for all my sins? What about the ones I committed today - the ones I said I'd never do again? How can I be sure I'm saved when I know I fail so regularly? And if God is so forgiving, then does my sin not matter?

When Jesus makes the call to follow Him, he has two things in mind - a personal relationship with a merciful, gracious God, and your involvement in His mission to share the Gospel. Pastor Bryan Brown serves on the staff team of Perimeter Church in Atlanta USA.

Seeing the resurrected Jesus was a life changing moment for His disciples. Everything changed from that point on. But what about you? If you really believe that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive, what has been the effect of this belief on your life?

All of Christianity is based on this one fact: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. If there is no resurrection, then Christianity is a fraud. But all the credible evidence shows that Jesus was resurrected to new life, conquering Satan, sin and death - and through faith, this can be your experience as well!

When you become a Christian, your identity changes. Instead of being an enemy of God, you become a child of God. And He becomes your perfect heavenly Father.

Jesus was not the only person in the history of the world to be crucified. So, why did the crucifixion of Jesus change the course of world history?

How does an innocent man get sentenced to death? Answer: political pressure. Jesus was sentenced to die because the Jewish majority forced the hand of Pontius Pilate. But before you go attributing all the blame on the Jews in Jerusalem at the time remember this: it was your sins that put Jesus on the cross.

The Jewish trial of Jesus was a sham, but the Roman trial of Jesus was not. Pontius Pilate concluded that Jesus was innocent of any crime. This is good. We need a sinless Saviour. Only the perfectly righteous Son of God would be able to pay the penalty that we deserve to pay for our sins.

Before you rush to judgment on Peter, know this - we all get asked the same question every day: "You're not one of that man's disciples, are you?" How you answer that question shows whether you are denying yourself and living under the control of the Holy Spirit, or if you are continuing to live as a slave to sin. Only the Gospel frees you to deny yourself and follow Jesus.

Who is in control of your life? You, or Jesus? We struggle with this concept because we think we know what's best for ourselves. In the Gospel of Jesus According to John, the account of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus is a picture of His being in control of the whole proceedings. This wasn't a random act, but rather, the Son of God voluntarily laying down His life for all who would believe in Him...

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus spent time in prayer for His disciples - not just the 11 who remained with Him, but every disciple who would ever live. So, what were the things He prayed for?

You often hear people talk about 'finding themselves,' or being on the search for their true identity. Who you are is an important question for everyone, but how should those who follow Jesus answer it? Pastor Anthony Sligar explores this topic and shares some of the biblical truths that speak to our identity in Christ.

Jesus said our outward behaviour is directly linked to the attitudes and motivations of our hearts. In the Gospel, God graciously provides what is required to regenerate our hearts and transform our lives.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, but what does the Holy Spirit do? Often, discussion about the work of the Holy Spirit concentrates on "gifts of the Spirit." But, a look at all of the Bible shows that the work of the Holy Spirit involves much more than this.

What are you expecting from a relationship with Jesus? The first disciples of Jesus had to significantly re-think their expectations. Jesus called them to give their lives in the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. You may not be called to give your life, but you are called to mission!

Jesus wants to see outcomes in your life and ministry. Jesus saves, and Jesus changes us by the Holy Spirit to be holy, like Him. He calls these outcomes fruit. You live the fruitful life by being connected to Jesus, and we demonstrate we are connected by our obedience to Him.

The Bible describes God as three persons in one God. We call this the Trinity. In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples about the third person of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit. He will empower all disciples to have as intimate a relationship with Jesus as Jesus does with God the Father.

It's trendy these days to take the pragmatic view that all religions are of equal value and equally connect you with God. But Jesus disagrees. Contrary to religious notions, Jesus says it is a relationship with Him that connects us with God.