Author: MBC

Forming Followers – Jesus Appears to His Disciples

17 April 2022 ~ EASTER SUNDAY

John 20:19–23

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

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Call to worship (Psalm 16:5-11)

Prayer

Listen to the Scripture reading

Read the Sermon  “Forming Followers” – Brian D LIma (pdf)

Listen to the Sermon  “Forming Followers” – Brian D Lima

Benediction

 

 

 

IT IS FINISHED – Jesus’ Crucifixion

10 April 2022 ~ Sunday before Easter

John 19:28–37

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am
thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop
plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his
head and gave up his spirit.

31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did
not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies
taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and
then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his
legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so
that you also may believe.

36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones
will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.


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Read the Sermon  “It is Finished” – Rodney Duncan  (pdf)

Listen to the Sermon  “It is Finished” – Rodney Duncan

 

 

Criminal or Saviour – Jesus’ Crucifixion

3 April 2022

Listen to the Reading

 

John 19:16b-27

1916Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”[a]

So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.


Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “Criminal or Saviour – Jesus’ Crucifixion” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Listen to the Sermon  “Criminal or Saviour – Jesus’ Crucifixion” – Brian D.Lima

 

Humanity’s Heart

27 March 2022

Listen to the Reading

John 19:1–16a

191 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.


Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “Humanity’s Heart” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Watch the Sermon  “Humanity’s Heart” – Brian D.Lima

 

The Father that Suffers

20 March 2022

John 18:1–14

Listen to the Reading

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “The Father That Suffers” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Watch the Sermon  “The Father That Suffers” – Brian D.Lima

 

Following God’s Will

13 March 2022

Luke 22:39–46

Listen to the Reading

22 39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “Following God’s Will” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Watch the Sermon  “Following God’s Will” – Brian D.Lima

 

Revealing God’s Heart Through Trial

6 March 2022

Matthew 4:1–11         

Listen to the Reading

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

 

Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “Revealing God’s Heart Through Trial” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Watch the Sermon  “Revealing God’s Heart Through Trial” – Brian D.Lima

 

Submit Yourself to God

27 February 2022

James 4:1–12

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbour?

Download Virtual Service (pdf)

Read the Sermon  “Submit Yourself to God” – Brian D.Lima  (pdf)

Watch the Sermon  “Submit Yourself to God” – Brian D.Lima

 

News: Tribute to Sue Dickie

25 February 2021

Susan Dickie, the Pastoral Worker at the church for the past 15 years or so, is stepping aside to take some more time with family.

Covid restrictions did not permit a planned tribute and thanksgiving in the church service, so Pastor Brian and his wife Jo met with Sue to ‘do the honours’.

THANK YOU SUE!

Click Here to view the video of the presentation and Sue’s testimony.