Weekly Talks

By Bishop John Roundhill |   Daniel 1:8-21 Daniel 1:8-21 (NIV)

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Daniel 1:1-7 Daniel 1:1-7 (NIV) The first six chapters of the book of Daniel shows Daniel and his three friends living out their faith, under the spotlight, in a pagan environment. This book has a lot to teach us about how to live as Christians in the midst of a culture that is increasingly turning away from God. 

By Rev Charlie Lacey | John 4:1-14 John 4:1-14 (NIV) WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY TO THE UNSATISFIED? (All Age Service) I think most people want to have a meaningful, fulfilling and satisfying life, but there are millions of people who are deeply dissatisfied – with some aspect of their lives – or with life in general. What would Jesus say to such people? 

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  Luke 12: 13-21  Luke 12: 13-21  (NIV) The overall standard of living here in Australia is one the highest (if not the highest), in the world. Of course, there are lots of people who are struggling, but there’s also a lot of people who are quite comfortable, materially speaking. So the question and the theme for today is 'What Would Jesus Say to the Satisfied?' 

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 16: 1-18  1 Corinthians 16: 1-18 (NIV) Throughout Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he urges them to "stand firm" in the Christian way of life. In today's reading, he reminds them to stand firm in their giving; to stand firm in the face of opposition; and to stand firm in their love and commitment to each other. 

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 15: 35-58  1 Corinthians 15: 35-58 (NIV) There was a lot of confusion in the Corinthian church about the most important facet of Christianity, namely resurrection. That is to say, the resurrection of Jesus (a past event) and the resurrection of all believers (a future event). Paul seeks to shed light on, not only the fact of the resurrection, but also a lot of...

By Rev Bev Bell |  1 Corinthians 15: 1-23 1 Corinthians 15: 1-23  (NIV)  The resurrection of Jesus is the lynchpin of Christianity; our faith and our hope of eternal life rely on it. There is a surprising amount of evidence for Jesus' resurrection, some of which Paul alludes to in this passage. 

By Rev Trevor Adams | 1 Corinthians 14: 26-40 1 Corinthians 14: 26-40  (NIV)  When the church in Corinth gathered it was disorderly and chaotic. Paul is keen to bring a sense of order, so that their gatherings will be fruitful and pleasing to God. This passage contains one of the most controversial verses in the New Testament, so it is very important that we do not misinterpret it! 

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 14: 1-25  1 Corinthians 14: 1-25 (NIV) The Corinthians were using their spiritual gifts in divisive and unhelpful ways, so Paul tries to teach them how to use their gifts in a way that is constructive and edifying. At St. Andrew’s, we believe that all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible are available to us today - and we want to use them in ways that ar...

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 (NIV) One of the best known and most evocative images of the church is that of the Body of Christ. This idea that we all make up one body and we all have a different part to play within the body. It’s a beautiful picture of unity and inclusivity. 

By Rev Charlie Lacey  | 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 (NIV) Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen how the first century church in Corinth was divided and wayward. Perversely, that division was most evident when they gathered for the Lord’s Supper (Communion). Paul helps them (and us), to understand what Communion is, why it’s important and how we should treat it. Rev Charlie...

By Rev Charlie Lacey |  1 Peter 2: 4-5a  1 Peter 2: 4-5a   (NIV) Peter begins his first letter by reminding the Christians of Asia Minor (now Turkey), that they all belong to God's family.  2,000 years later and God's family (the Church), is made up of people from every nation, language and walk of life.  Built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 10: 1-33 1 Corinthians 10: 1-33  (NIV) The Christians in Corinth were good at doing all the outwardly religious stuff - they got baptised, they gathered for worship, they received communion - but despite all that, they were not glorifying God in any area of their lives. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to live lives that are consistent with their citizenship in God...

By Rev Bev Bell  |  Psalm 18: 1-19, 30-36 Psalm 18: 1-19, 30-36  (NIV) Life can throw some very challenging and painful situations our way, but the Lord is our rock and when we cry out to him, he hears us

Peter Jongkuch | 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NIV) Ever since Jesus brought in the New Covenant, God’s people have had a lot more freedom.  However, not all Christians agree on how far we should go in exercising this freedom.  Paul had to deal with the question of whether Christians can eat meat that's been sacrificed to idols.  That's not a problem that we're likely t...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 (NIV) In first Corinthians, chapter 7, Paul responds to some questions that the Corinthians had written to him about – and in so doing he gives a whole load of advice about marriage, singleness and sexual relationships.  Advice that is still relevant to us today...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 5: 1-13 & 6: 12-20 1 Corinthians 5: 1-13 & 6: 12-20 (NIV) The city of Corinth was one of the most sexually liberal places in the Greco-Roman world.  Many aspects of everyday life were X-rated.  It is therefore not surprising that the church in Corinth was struggling in this area.  

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Acts 2: 1-8, 12, 14a, 22-24, 32-33, 36-39  Acts 2: 1-8, 12, 14a, 22-24, 32-33, 36-39  (NIV) On the Day of Pentecost, Paul urged the crowd to repent, to be baptised and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Together, those three things (repentance, baptism, Spirit filled), are the marks of being a Christian, though they don't have to happen in that order.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 4: 1 - 17 1 Corinthians 4: 1 - 17 (NIV) The Corinthians were full of pride; they were puffed up; they thought they’d made it.  They celebrated their wealth, comfort and affluence and they despised the life of personal sacrifice and suffering that the apostles were experiencing.  To them it seemed like foolishness to live like that. Paul helps them to see what f...

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Genesis 1: 26-28, Genesis 2: 15-17, John 10: 10-11 Genesis 1: 26-28, Genesis 2: 15-17, John 10: 10-11 (NIV) We are to enjoy living in this wild world and we are to enjoy living in the light of this wild Gospel! 

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 3: 1-23 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 (NIV) The Christians at Corinth were elevating various leaders, breaking into little groups and factions and undermining the unity and the mission of the church.  Paul has to remind them that they are co-workers in God’s service.  They are supposed to be working as one body, under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

By Rev Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16  (NIV)

By Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 2:5 1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 2:5 (NIV) When you browse through any news website, you can see that humanity is, in many ways, very clever, but not wise.  And when we look at the messiness of our world, we might think ‘Don’t we have the collective wisdom to sort all this out?’ Well, the answer to that is, 'No we don’t', because the world has dismissed...

By Charlie Lacey | 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 (NIV) Today's service was very special because we welcomed Isla and George into the church through baptism. We also started a new series, based on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.  The church at Corinth had become dysfunctional, to say the least, but Paul was keen to remind them that God had set them apart, called them to be...

By Charlie  Lacey | Matthew 28:16-20 Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) Today we remembered those who suffered and died at Gallipoli in the First World War, as well as those who have been maimed and killed in conflicts since that time.  In the space of little more than 100 years, there have been two world wars and we now find ourselves dangerously close to a third.  However, we need not fear because we know t...