Gracehouse

When Paul is thinking about how Jews and Gentiles should relate to one another he is operating from a revelation of a new created order, beginning with Jesus. And so in this new creation there is no need for division because the two are made one in Jesus.

When it comes to beauty, there’s something about it that can be experienced but not explained. The mystery surrounding beauty points to the fact that it is connected to God, who is both the source of beauty and the ultimate expression of it. Tune in to this week’s sermon to find out how “beauty will save the world”.

With the way Paul argues against works of the law you'd think he was completely against the law. Paul understood the value of the law and how it might be used to bring wisdom. But he also knew very clearly that 'works of the law' never had the ability to save or change a person's heart.

As Paul continues to counter the false teachers in Galatia he brings some scripture of his own to bear. We examine for ourselves what is the difference between law and faith? And how does the promise to Abraham to bless the nations relate to the law?

Jesus, like teachers from his time, acted out what he was saying as he said it. Here in Matthew 21, Jesus acts out the message that the old way of dealing with sin was being replaced by something that would work permanently and be for everyone. Here is the basis for why we think the good news, is the good news!

When we live with our eyes fixed on Jesus, everything else in our life falls into perspective and right alignment and we experience beautiful freedom to be all that God has called us to be.

While Christians in some eras have been fearful of pain and actively avoided it (pain-aversion), in other eras they’ve chased it in the hopes of becoming more holy (voluntary martyrdom). But when we look at the life of Christ, we see that he neither avoided it nor sought it out, setting an example for his followers throughout history on how to suffer well.

No doubt there have been many a Christian who has started their walk with Jesus 'by the Spirit' but then has somewhere along the line adopted their own works into the relationship. But this is not the Gospel...and Paul wants to know who cast a spell on them (whether tongue in cheek or serious) that they would so easily get fooled into believing another Gospel.

It was a problem in Paul's day and it is still a problem today. Doesn't God being so gracious open the door for sin to abound? Certainly not...because we have died to the old way of life so that we can belong to Jesus and the life that he brings.

What does it look like to relate to God as a Father? So many Christians want to stay in a place of infancy in their relationship but our Father in heaven wants more for us.

Having studied the believer’s union with Christ a few weeks ago, we turn to the topic once again to get a deeper understanding of it and its implications. This week, we specifically looked at whether we should love Jesus for his sake or for our sake, and how union with Christ helps us to arrive at a balanced answer by bringing together the person of Christ and the blessings of Christ.

Paul continues his testimony that undermines the false teachers in Galatia. Revealing that the apostles in Jerusalem were in agreement with him on the issue of circumcision. What is amazing though is how quickly error can set in to the church. We all need to be on guard against those things that would seek to enslave us afresh.

As Paul begins the defence of his apostleship and Gospel he begins by sharing his testimony. That the Gospel he received was not from tradition or something passed onto him by someone else. But it was by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

As we continue our series in Galatians we tackle some strong words from the Apostle Paul where he pronounces that those who preach another Gospel are under a curse. We see that there is no other good news from heaven apart from Jesus.

The believer’s union with Christ tends to be quite a neglected topic today, perhaps because of its abstract and mysterious nature. Ironically, it’s one of the most central and important topics in all of Scripture. Tune in to this week’s sermon, “Mystical Union”, to understand more about what it means to be “in Christ”, and all that it entails.

We are called to be a people set apart and wholly devoted unto Him. We look at the life of Joshua and how he was a success story because he was one who knew, listened, trusted and obeyed the voice of God. In all that we are and everything we do, the call is to have whole-hearted devotion to the Lord, alone.

This week we begin to dig into the text of Galatians. We see Paul making a claim about his apostleship and as we will see this claim is central to the message he brings. As an apostle commissioned by the Jesus he is able to bring a message of grace and peace from the God of heaven.

This week we embark on a journey through the book of Galatians. Beginning with an introduction to the main characters and ideas in this letter. Who is Paul? Who are the Galatians? And what has caused such a stir that Paul is moved to write such a letter?

In this week’s message, Elliot delves into the captivating reality of testimony, unveiling the transformative power it holds. Drawing inspiration from his own life experiences and the timeless wisdom of scripture, Elliot weaves together a thought-provoking narrative. Reflecting on the question posed by John the Baptist's disciples in Luke 7:17-23, "Are you the Messiah we have been expecti...

Knowing your identity and the particular way that God has created you is important. Otherwise, we’ll constantly feel the internal temptation or external pressure to project a version of ourselves that isn’t genuine. But the good news of the gospel is that it frees us to be ourselves.

As God calls us into relationship with himself we begin to learn about who God really is. As we draw close to God we learn to love the things he loves and our desires become aligned with his. So, what does it look like for us to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind?

The radical call of the Gospel is often met by opposition in our own hearts. We want to obey the Lord but so often we find things like loving our enemies (or even just people we don't like) so difficult. Jesus however still calls us not to simply find out who our neighbours are and love them...but everywhere we go...to be the neighbour to everyone we meet.

On Sunday pastor Theunis preached his last sermon as a pastor at Gracehouse. In this sermon he shared some of the key lessons that he learnt over the last 4 years of pastoring. Tune in to be stirred about the unshakable goodness of God.

In this message, Ben looks at several passages from the Bible that highlight God’s miracle working power. Jeremiah 32:17 reminds us that nothing is too hard for Him. Ben asks the question, are we available for God to use us?

The leading of the Holy Spirit doesn't always make sense, especially in the natural world, but God is looking for a people devoted and so in love with Him that we will say 'Yes, Lord' to His way, His leading and His voice before we understand it all.