St John’s Diamond Creek Talks

The Bible says heaps about love, and we hear lots of messages about loving God, and loving your neighbour (rightfully so, as they're the two greatest commands). Did you know, though, that there's a whole book of the Bible about romantic love, and sex?  In this talk, Kirk looks at romance, dating and finding your "soulmate" from a biblical perspective.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Andrew Bowles looks at Ecclesiastes 6:1-7:4, where the Teacher critiques 'the pursuit of happiness' and our belief that things in the world are getting better. But Jesus also offered a deeper foundation for hope that can overcome the tragedy and darkness of the world.

It seems like whether we have lots of money or just a little, it still causes us problems. Tim Johnson looks at Ecclesiastes 4 & 5 and the ways in which money can either be a 'phantasmagorical god' or a useful tool for learning thankfulness before God,

This sermon by Andrew Bowles on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 is about the tension between our desire for a perfect life and the reality that we experience seasons of good and bad times. This encourages us to reflect on why God has placed the desire for eternity in our hearts, and how to face reality with joy and thankfulness.

The second talk in our Not In Polite Company series. This week, Kirk talks about sex, and specifically what the Bible has to say about some of the messages we're recieved from our culture in Melbourne, Australia. CONTENT WARNING: Talks about sex. 

All of us pursue our dreams of 'the good life', including our vision of the place of success and prosperity in giving meaning to our lives. Ecclesiastes reminds us that even if we achieve everything we ever hope for, it can still fall short of our expectations. The meaning of life is to be found somewhere else. Andrew Bowles considers Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 & 17-23.

What is the meaning of life? Is there any at all? The book of Ecclesiastes challenges us to face the limits of our knowledge about what life is all about and how to live it. Tim Johnson begins by looking at the claim of the 'Teacher' that life is like a cloud of smoke that seems substantial but which we are unable to grasp. Ecclesiastes 1:1-14.

A week before the Australian Federal Election 2016, Kirk takes a look at a Christian perspective on politics. How do you choose a political party to support? Being a Christian means committing every part of your life to Jesus, and voting is most certainly included in that. 

Tim Johnson concludes our 'Faith in Action' series on James by looking at 5:12-20, and the ways in which James encourages Christians to be faithful in prayer and hope in God's action.

In this sermon on James 4:13-5:11, Andrew Bowles considers James's words on the futility of trusting in our own plans and our financial security.

In this sermon on James 4:1-12, Kirk Mackenzie considers the issue of how Christians can avoid friendship with 'the world', and have a positive attitude to engaging with our culture.

What does it mean to be truly wise? In James 3:13-18, James compares the wisdom that comes from God with the usual wisdom of the world.

As we celebrate Pentecost this year, Tim Johnson investigates the progression that we can see in the Bible, as God promises his people that they will receive a full experience of his Holy Spirit, a promise that was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost after Jesus ascended to heaven. Our Bible passages are Numbers 11:24-30 and Acts 2:1-4.

What is the difference between a faith that is dead and one that is alive? James 2:14-26 helps us to reflect on what it means to truly have a 'faith that works'.

This week in our series on James, Jeremy Watson considers the issue of favouritism among Christians, which James speaks about in James 2:1-13.

What is 'religion' supposed to be really all about? Kirk Mackenzie speaks to us from James 1:19-27 about the importance of faith as something that translates to concrete action.

How do we deal with 'trials' - the difficult times, suffering, persecution, temptation, things that make us want to give up? Tim Johnson looks at what James has to say about this topic in the opening passage of his letter. James 1:1-19.

In a prelude to our 'Faith in Action' series on the letter of James, Tim Johnson gave us a FPS (First-Person Sermon) introducing us to James, the brother of Jesus, and his journey to accepting Jesus as his risen Lord. The Bible passage was 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

On Easter Sunday we looked at the accounts of Jesus's first appearances to his disciples after the resurrection, where their lives were changed forever by the unexpected good news of God's victory over sin and death. From John 20:1-29.

On Good Friday, we finished our 'Because of the Cross' series with a reminder of the power of the Cross of Jesus to restore our relationship with God and with others. Tim Johnson looks at 2 Corinthians 5:6-21 and our new role as 'ambassadors of reconciliation'.

This week, we reflected on how the Cross of Jesus makes us right and heals our nature, the topic of 'justification'. Andrew Bowles considers the teaching of Paul in the letter to the Romans (5:1-11).

In our second sermon in our series on the Cross, Tim Johnson considers another angle on what Jesus achieved - the topic of 'redemption', being set free from an old way of life in order to serve God. 1 Peter 1:17-21.

In our first sermon in the series 'Because of the Cross', Tim Johnson speaks to us about how on the Cross Jesus takes the 'cup' of God's wrath and judgement and drinks it on our behalf. The Bible passage is Matthew 26:36-46.

Our series on Jesus’s parables of the Kingdom from Matthew 13 closes with a look at the parable of the ‘drift net’, and Kirk Mackenzie considers how we face the challenge and comfort of the judgement of God.

Among Jesus’s parables of the Kingdom of God are two that characterise the kingdom as a treasure that is worth seeking. Tim Johnson considers the parables of the treasure in the field and the precious pearl as they challenge us about what we truly value. From Matthew 13:44-46.