Speaker: Matt Johnson

You see addiction comes in many forms. For some its alcohol, or narcotics or sex or porn. For others addiction may be gluttony or a lust for power, or material comfort, or popularity, or fashion, or body image or simply being in control. For others, it may be an INVERTED DESIRE of the flesh – an inability to trust, an inability to really love, an inability to really commit to anyone or anything. These are all fleshly primal instincts – that are a form of addiction in many peoples lives. Sadly, as sinners (and without God’s help) A) we don’t control our fleshly desires, instead B) our fleshly desires control us.

Now this fleshly desire controls us because of 1) a fear of death, 2) need for security, 3) lack of trust, 4) demonic influence and 5) even an insatiable desire for meaning and happiness. Basically, the pursuit of happiness (in a world that is decaying before our eyes) – means that like greyhound dogs chasing a pretend, elusive rabbit around the race track – we all keep running after a pretend, elusive idea even though we are exhausted and we know it is killing us. We can’t stop…

But through the death and resurrection of Jesus (knowing that we are loved, knowing that we are forgiven, knowing that we have life beyond the grave) the Holy Spirit begins to set us free from this slavery to fleshly desires. Look again – at verse 17.

As Colin Buchanan sings; we all deserve to die because we all like sheep have gone astray. Bah, Bah, Doo bah Bah. Each of us has turned to his own way. Bah. Bah, Doo. Bah. Bah. But the Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. Singing – Bah. Bah. Doo Bah. Bah. Isaiah 53:6. So Jesus does the time for our crime. That’s profoundly unjust. But in this injustice we are saved. If you believe Jesus died for you and you love Jesus for dying for you and you begin to repent of your sins – God will forgive you and He will take you to heaven. ALSO PROFOUNDLY UNJUST – because you deserve to go to hell. But Jesus willing suffered injustice so you could be saved.

Big Idea:       The Purpose of New Life in Christ is God’s Glory (& our Joy) read more…

Big Idea:       Christians Pilgrims are singing Precious Royal Priests Intro:               Well morning friends and visitors. read more…

Most people picture the Christian God as THE FUN POLICE – who stops you enjoying little bits of naughtiness. They think God is all about rules that make life MISERABLE – until you supposedly get pie in the sky when you die. But that is not true. God is good and those who glorify Him, begin to enjoy Him – now. Those who truly draw near to God (and take up His purposes in the world) actually begin to experience God’s goodness in their life here and now. There is a joy, a meaning and peace that comes to life…

Isaiah explains that those who take hold of God’s Word which is imperishable, will also become imperishable.

The cross was the most despicable image in the days of the Romans. It was a symbol of suffering, shame, nihilistic despair and total brokenness and even now God has turned that same object into the best known symbol in the world today, worn on buildings across the world and around the necks of people everywhere as an object of beauty, faith, hope and love. And the cross is our story as Christians. God is taking the shameful, pathetic, despised things of this world and making them truly glorious. So we don’t face difficulty and suffering with despair, but with hope. If God could take the worst symbol in the Roman Empire and make it the most glorious symbol in the modern world – imagine what God could do with you?

This sermon introduces us to the “Precious” series on 1 & 2 Peter via historical accounts and an understanding of the recipients of Peter’s 2 letters.
Peter, being the apostle to the Jews, and Paul for the Gentiles.

The incredible reality of Easter is that Jesus death and resurrection really is good news to be shared. The truth of Easter touches people’s hearts as they grasp Jesus’ LOVE for them. It fills them with HOPE as they see Jesus power to help them. And it inspires people to step out in FAITH following in the footsteps of Jesus. And as this Easter message has been shared 1) Christianity has grown to be the largest religion on earth. What’s more, 2) some of the hardest and most crooked people on earth have really been miraculously changed. I myself am living testimony to the power of the gospel. God took a druggie and turned him into a preacher.   

The good news of Jesus we are sharing is powerful to change peoples lives because it really is good news. So trust the gospel and expect the gospel to be received positively. I’ve seen again, and again, that when we faithfully share the gospel (not watering it down or turning it into something else) some people do become Christians. There’s no TRICKERY or CLEVERNESS to it. There’s no sleight of hand. The plain ordinary gospel of 1) Jesus our Penal; Substitute, 2) Jesus Christus Victor and 3) Jesus Christus Exemplar is powerful to save. And believe it or not – Jesus and the Holy Spirit are still using this good news – to save sinners, draw them to God and change their lives.

The words; “DO NOT BE AFRAID” or “FEAR NOT” are perhaps the most common command in the entire Bible. More than 100x God tells His people “Do not be afraid” – which kind of suggests human beings have a problem with fear. But post Jesus’ resurrection – both the angel AND Jesus tell the Mary’s “Do not be afraid.” So how big a problem is fear and is Jesus’ resurrection really the answer?

As Christians our fear is completely swallowed up in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Death has lost its sting. Good Friday tells us Jesus loves us more than own mothers. And Resurrection Sunday tells us Jesus is God and He is more powerful than anything we face in this world. So if JESUS loves us enough to die for us and JESUS is powerful enough to defeat death – what have we got to fear. Even if we do die – Jesus has promised to bring back to life – those who believe in Him. AND WITH THIS OBJECTIVE TRUTH (based on the historicity of Jesus) comes an unassailable subjective truth – that I am LOVED, I am SECURE, I have finally found something – ETERNALLY GOOD in Jesus – and that produces joy.