Grasslands Church Podcast

Through his providence God through his justice works to put right the wrongs of this world and through his judgement allows perpetrators to suffer the consequences of their actions. SCRIPTURES: Esther 7:1-10, 2 Peter 3:3-9 & 17-18

God in his providence works through events that seem completely random, and, people who seem completely flawed, to show his grace and save his people. SCRIPTURES: Esther 6, Colossians 3:1-4

Having a greater purpose in life gives us something to hope for and live for. We can make great sacrifices when we have a sense of purpose, but are our lives grounded in the saving purposes of God? SCRIPTURE: Esther 5:1-14, Mark 10:42-45

What do we do when we encounter difficult or even impossible situations? How can we find the courage to face them head on? SCRIPTURE: Esther 4:1-17

Jonathan preaches from Esther 2-3 on God's providence, his power to work out his good plans through all the ups and downs of human history. SCRIPTURES: Esther 2:15-3:19, Romans 8:26-30

Jon opens up our series in Esther 1-2 by giving some context to the book and pointing out how these chapters of Esther's story expose the powerful and elevate the powerless. SCRIPTURE: Esther 1:1 - 2:18

What you believe about the resurrection determines how you relate to Jesus. He's either a dead Jewish man from 2000 years ago, or he is the Messiah, the Son of God. SCRIPTURE: Mark 15:37-16:8

In Jesus' day, crucifixion was the most shameful way to die whether you were a Roman or a Jew. Yet it was through the cross that God works to free his people from sin and its shame. SCRIPTURE: Mark 15:15-39

Pete Greenwood (Inner West Church) preaches from Mark 14:12-26 on Jesus' Last Supper. The Passover meal was a tradition kept for centuries by devout Jews, yet when Jesus came to eat it, he dramatically reinterpreted its meaning. Jesus it the Passover Lamb who saves God's people and sets them free from slavery to sin and evil. SCRIPTURES: Exodus 12:21-28, Mark 14:12-26

Graeme Blore preaches from Mark 14:1-11, about Jesus' anointing before his final days by an unnamed woman. The woman's striking and generous act of worship points to the greater sacrificial act of Jesus' death upon the cross to save all of humanity. SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:1-11

Coming up against the authority of Jesus can cause fear or rebellion in us. But Jesus' authority can also be a great assurance for those who those who follow him. SCRIPTURES: Malachi 3:1-5, Mark 11:27-12:12

Jesus' kingdom is not build on force or violence, but on self-giving, sacrificial service. But how can we resist the urge to use our power to dominate others so that we can do as Jesus did? SCRIPTURE: Mark 10:32-52

We all hope (and somewhat expect) that our lives must go from one high to the next, otherwise something is wrong. Yet the trajectory of Jesus' life is very different - his is a story of suffering and glory, and so is the life of every one of his disciples. SCRIPTURE: Mark 8:31-9:13

The people who get to enter Jesus' kingdom might surprise you. Jesus says that only those who come empty handed, like little children, get to enter in. SCRIPTURES: Exodus 20:1-17, Mark 10:13-31

Where do you turn for peace that lasts? In the resurrection we find a source of peace stronger than death - Jesus himself. SCRIPTURE: John 20:1-22

All of our lives have a message that we live by and that we live out. We want our church's message to be all about Jesus and his kingdom. SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:1-11, Colossians 1:9-13

We're committed to being a local church for local people. We'll only grow into that if we grasp how powerful God's love for us is before expressing that love to others. SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 2:13-15

Jon preaches from Luke 11 in the park while our church is between venues. We are a spiritual family with a good Heavenly Father. We know he is good because Jesus is proof. We pray with confidence because we know God hears us and he cares. SCRIPTURE: Luke 11:1-13

Pete begins a new series on our church's vision to be a family of disciples on mission with Jesus to our local neighbourhoods. The first sermon is on our identity as 'disciples'. SCRIPTURE: Luke 19:1-10

What do with do when anger rises up within us? Do we lash out? Or bottle it up? The Psalms of Imprecation help to give us language to take our anger to God and to trust him to bring true justice and judgement. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 109:1-31 and Romans 12:17-20

From Psalm 21, Campbell Brice (Inner West Church) points us to see that the royal psalms highlight our need for a truer, better and more ultimate authority - Jesus. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 21, Mark 15:15–20, 25–34

Who or what do you turn to when the going gets tough? Where do your deepest hopes lie? Pete Greenwood (Inner West Church) preaches from Psalm 27, a psalm that draws our eyes to see the one who is most deserving of our trust - God. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 27, Hebrews 1:1-4

To lament is to bring your sadness, pain and suffering to God trusting that he cares, and asking him to act. Lament is a pathway to greater self awareness, as well as deeper intimacy with God. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 13, Hebrews 4:14-16

Psalm 116 teaches us that we must look through God's actions to see the heart of who God is. From there we respond with thanks, delight and love. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 116, Romans 5:6-11

Who or what do we praise most often? The Psalms of praise help us to see and celebrate who God is as the good, loving and faithful Creator and Sustainer of all things who is seen most clearly in Jesus. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 100, John 1:14-18