GBC | Sermons

In this week's message we turn to the third relational context that God uses as we follow Jesus; the personal context. In the personal context between 5-12 people regularly gather to experience closeness, support, and challenge. If the divine context is God and you and the transparent is you and few, the personal is you and a crew. In the personal context our relationships are built around Jesus;...

This week we continue our current sermon series entitled "The Topography of Discipleship: Finding Our Way as the Church Today". Based on the book "Discipleship That Fits" we are exploring five relationships that God uses to mature us as followers of Jesus. This week, Belinda Lakelin helps us think through how we can take some simple steps towards more intentional discipleship relationships in the...

This week we continue our current sermon series entitled "The Topography of Discipleship: Finding Our Way as the Church Today". Based on the book "Discipleship That Fits" we are exploring five relationships that God uses to mature us as followers of Jesus. This week we are exploring the Transparent context; you and a few - where we are intentional with a few people to be transparent about what God...

This week we continue our new sermon series entitled "The Topography of Discipleship: Finding Our Way as the Church Today" looking at the Divine context; how do we, as a community of faith, create a culture where  spending time alone with God normal. In this message we have a look at some of the obstacles we face as we seek to make spending time alone with God a normal part of our life together. S...

This week we launch a new sermon series entitled "The Topography of Discipleship: Finding Our Way as the Church Today" Our world may be changing but our central mission - to make disciples - does not. A changing world does, however, require a new map. It is my hope that this nine-week series will provide us with a set of foundational and formational concepts, ideas, and terminology that will help...

This week we continue our series "On This Rock" but with a twist. Instead of sharing personal reflections on a foundational text, Matt spoke on a passage that is foundational for us right now; in the midst of the current lockdown occurring in Greater Sydney. That text is 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. Our experience of COVID and lockdown has shown us that so much of our life has become temporary, and so w...

In this special 'Trailer' Associate Pastor Matt Willis and Senior Pastor Marc Rader have a discussion on our new upcoming series The Topography Of Discipleship. This new series is based on the Book Discipleship That Fits by Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom. Due to the current Public Health Order our facilities are closed to the public until at least Friday July 9. This means that if you'd like to...

This week we continue our series "On This Rock" but with a twist. Instead of sharing personal reflections on a foundational text, our senior pastor Marc Rader reflects on a passage that is foundational for us right now; in the midst of a shelter-in-place order. That text is Psalm 46. We are invited to shelter-in-place with God - to remember the ways he has been our refuge, to repent of our own eff...

This weekend in Sydney we entered another period of lockdown due to a resurgence of COVID 19. This lockdown is the first city-wide lockdown since March 2020 and I think it's fair to say that we're all a bit rattled. This sermon was pre-recorded before the lockdown was announced and doesn't directly address this situation, but I hope that wherever you are, this message will speak to you and your si...

This week we finish our series entitled "Following Jesus in John's Gospel" in which we are exploring John's somewhat unique way of describing discipleship in his account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Associate pastor Matt Willis brings the series to a conclusion with a reflection on Jesus' words in chapter 15, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener". Following Jesus is, once...

The message was given on the occasion of a baptism service in our evening congregation. It is a word directed to those who were about to be baptised. I hope that, by listening in, you will be challenged and encouraged as well. If you have placed your faith in Jesus but have not yet been baptised let me invite you to consider if that might not be your next faithful step as you follow Jesus. As you...

This week we continue our series entitled "Following Jesus in John's Gospel" in which we are exploring John's somewhat unique way of describing discipleship in his account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. In this message we look at one of the last "follow me" sayings in the gospel found in John 21:19. The risen Jesus invites us to participate with him in his plans to restore and renew the...

In this week's message we turn to another "follow me" passage in John's gospel but with a twist; instead of an open invitation to follow Jesus tells his disciples there are limits placed around our ability to follow. When we place our trust in Jesus he binds himself to us and we walk with him to be where he is. On our own we may not be able to follow him, but in his forgiveness, grace, and mercy a...

In the second of two different messages this week, Marjy Robertson who oversees our Serve Team here at GBC, shares some insights from Mary's anointing of Jesus in John 12 and what it means for us. "Smell the perfume"; I hope that you are a bit more aware of your senses and that, if you smell something beautiful this week, that you might be reminded of the beautiful fragrance that filled the banque...

In the first of two different messages this week, we have a look at a turning point in John's gospel and what it means for us to follow him through death. As servants who know our master's business, the most powerful discipleship question we can ask is, "Lord, what are you doing today and how can I help?" Is there someone you know who really needs to hear this message? Why not share it with them a...

This week Belinda Lakelin shares some reflections on the raising of Lazarus in John 11 and what we learn about Jesus from this sign and what it means to follow him. We follow the resurrection and the life even in the midst of trouble, sickness, and death and we wait for the day when Jesus will call us out of everything that binds us and they will have to let us go. Do you believe this? I hope you...

This week we heard two different sermons on two different passages in John's gospel. This is the second of them, preached in our evening congregation by Matt Willis. In this message Matt takes us through John 9 and the experience of the man born blind who provides us with a model of what it looks like to follow Jesus. We too have been invited to follow the light of the world and that invitation is...

This week we heard two different sermons on two different passages in John's gospel. The first, preached in our morning services by Roxane Lawler, explored Nicodemus' night-time visit to Jesus in John 3 and what we can learn about following Jesus from this interaction. As we spend time with Jesus, bringing our questions and confusion, we are invited to recognise who he is and receive the life he o...

As we continue to explore John's unique perspective on following Jesus we turn to yet another "I am" passage; "I am the Good Shepherd" in John 10 where we learn again that following Jesus begins with Jesus. Before the ethical imperatives or moral models of following Jesus there is a simple directive for those who want to follow Jesus: learn to recognise his voice and follow him. This familiarity c...

In this message, the second of two different sermons this week, Belinda Lakelin - an evangelism consultant with the Baptist Association of NSW & ACT and with us here at GBC - shares insights from the feeding of the 5,000 and the challenge, invitation and encouragement that we encounter in John 6. Following Jesus, perhaps unsurprisingly, means allowing him to set the agenda and follow the crucified...

This week we continue to explore the ways that John describes discipleship in his gospel. In this message, the first of two different sermons this week, considers Jesus' invitation to follow him; the light of the world. When we follow the light of the world we are being led to the Father from whence we receive an identity, a purpose, and a mission. Like Jesus himself, we find our identity in relat...

As Term 2 begins we launched a new series entitled "Following Jesus in John's Gospel" in which we want to listen to John's unique take on discipleship. In this first message we have a look at the first instance of "following" in the gospel - as two disciples of John the Baptist begin to follow Jesus. The first lessons we learn from John are that following Jesus is essentially about spending time w...

Today we continue our short little series entitled On This Rock, Personal Reflections on Foundational Texts. This title is taken from Matthew Chapter 7, where Jesus says that anyone who hears his words and listens to them is like a wise person who built their house on a rock. This week, newly appointed Associate Pastor Roxanne Lawler reflects on the significance of Jesus’s words in Mark Chapter 8....

This week we start a sermon series that will recur throughout the year entitled "On this rock.. - personal reflections on foundational texts". Each sermon will be on a text, biblical character, or theme that has been particularly foundational for the preacher. The title is taken from Matthew 7 where Jesus says that "Anyone who hears his words and listens to them is like a wise person who built the...

Our theme for Easter this year has been regeneration; inspired by the miraculous regeneration of the Australian bush after fires. This is the imagery that we are using to reflect on the hope we have in Jesus' resurrection. What areas of your life do you need Jesus' resurrection power? Bring them to him and allow the risen Lord to restore and renew them. Do you have one or two people in your life w...