It’s a rare and wonderful gift to be able to learn from the mistakes of others. When we can do so we are saved from the pain of making those mistakes ourselves. We can learn from the crowds that tried to murder Paul. They themselves were hurting, afraid and helpless and prone to further abuse. Jesus loved and taught many such crowds and He teaches us how to avoid the destruction of rage and find the peace that we call crave. If you’re longing for peace, come and listen.

Ever felt completely confused by a passage of Scripture? That's exactly where this message begins—with one of the most challenging passages in Acts. Paul has been preaching that we're saved by grace, not by keeping the law, so why does he suddenly participate in temple ceremonies? Has he abandoned his message, or have we completely misunderstood grace? Whether you're crushed by guilt or comfortable thinking you're "not that bad," this sermon will challenge how you understand God's grace and what it truly means to obey Him—not out of fear or obligation, but out of love and gratitude for what Jesus has already done.

We don’t like being told what to do, yet when making decisions, we often want all the facts first. Even then, knowing the facts does not always make the right choice clear. Sometimes, we still choose wrongly—or hesitate. The prophet Agabus revealed by the Spirit that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem. Hearing this, the disciples urged Paul not to go. From their perspective, the facts were clear: danger awaited him. But Paul, also led by the Spirit, declared he was ready even to die for the name of Jesus. The Spirit does not contradict Himself. Agabus and Paul both heard the same warning. The difference was in the response. The disciples interpreted it as a reason to stop. Paul understood it as preparation to obey—no matter the cost. We see this pattern throughout Paul’s life. In Damascus, Thessalonica, and Berea, he faced danger, sometimes escaping but always enduring. Ananias, too, obeyed despite fear when sent to help Paul (who was infamous for murdering Christians at the time). Paul was later imprisoned, yet from prison came some of his greatest letters—Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. God’s will is not always convenient—but it is always purposeful. Do we obey when His path is not what we wish to hear?

What will our lives mean when we lose them? What will we leave behind that’s of real value? The last will and testament of the most diligent, responsible and successful person, leaves only temporary goods to people to enjoy temporarily. If that’s important, how mush more important is an eternal legacy, one that serves people for all eternity? Paul’s life is an example of how God’s grace can leave a legacy through our lives, that will live on for ever.

Sometimes in the Scripture, as in life, we encounter strings of events which seem nothing more than meaningless diversions. We view them as irritations to overcome and put behind us so that we can carry on with what’s important to us. This passage of Acts is wrapped in exactly those kinds of events, but when you look closely and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, we find God’s purpose precisely timed and encoded in every detail. We need to ask God to direct our every move, trust Him to do so not matter the outcome, and continue to obey Him in the details.

Do we follow Jesus so that we can “get into heaven?” Sure, it’s part of it, but if we’re not careful this approach can lead us further away from Jesus and an eternity with Him. Idolatry isn’t defined by by the worship of statues. It’s defined by a transaction mentality, a desire to manipulate in order to gain. The Idolising business characterises every religion except for genuine Christian faith. What can we learn from Scot Adams heart wrenching statement and the contrast between Paul and Demetrius, to ensure that we stay on God’s path to eternity instead of trying to forge our own?

What are we here for, is everything a meaningless pursuit of survival and pleasure - or is there far more? As we look out at our plans for the new year, let’s learn from Scripture what makes us who we are, and what we’re supposed to do to understand and live out the purpose for which God created us. David’s life provides a great picture of what it means to be authentically ourselves and to live for God’s purpose.

The start of the new year gives us an opportunity to think about our lives and their purpose in God’s plan. We are not capable of doing anything new or worthwhile. Without God our existence is meaningless repetition of the same old stuff. The older we get the more we realise this. But God is a God of New Beginnings, and when we seek His will and purpose in our lives, we can look forward to a meaningful and fulfilling new year regardless of what it holds. The proof is in Scripture, in God’s blueprint for New Beginnings.

As we look toward 2026, we may find our minds crowded with ever-changing plans often leading to restless 3 a.m stints. as we try to control an uncertain future. Proverbs 19:21 invites us to discover the unshakeable peace of recognizing that while our human plans may fail or change, God’s singular purpose is firm and eternal. Rather than relying on self-belief, faith in Jesus Christ empowers us with the Holy Spirit to perform the true "work of God"—loving others with a genuine and fervent heart. Like Moses, our small, daily acts of honest obedience can align us with God’s purpose that we do not yet fully see. Join us as we learn to navigate the coming year aligning our will with God’s purpose by gratitude, constant prayer, and a commitment to serve, starting with the needs of those right here in our own Church community.

Is the 25th of December even Jesus’ birthday, is Christmas a pagan holiday? Should we rather celebrate the Jewish festivals of the Old Testament? These questions aren't new, and thankfully the Bible addresses them in one way or another, but whatever we think about Christmas, it remains a great opportunity to share our faith and be blessings to one another. It’s also an opportunity which is under constant threat whether by distraction or disruption. How can we make Christmas the Jesus centred celebration that it should be?

As Christmas approaches, we have many things on our minds. Even when thinking about Jesus and His birth, Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and angels can be a distraction. We can fall into a dangerous trap when we focus too much on people like Mary, but we can also learn a great deal from her, as we can from others in Scripture. Mary did something wonderful and powerful and very useful in the way that she treasured the works of God and pondered them deeply. We may not have the same blessed experiences as she did, but we can gain deep blessing from our own experiences of God by responding in a similar way. Such a response yield great blessing now and for eternity.

The Name of Jesus is powerful beyond our understanding, but it’s not a magic word or incantation. God works powerfully through His children who rely on the grace and authority of Jesus Christ. God exercises the power of Jesus Christ through us when we confess our sin, humble ourselves and trust completely in Him rather than our own strength or that of anything else. Evil seems to triumph in the world, but remember Jesus Christ has already overcome the world, our sin and the enemy. Jesus wins, always and forever.

We find a curious situation in Ephesus that leads to questions on the Holy Spirit and His gifts like speaking in tongues. many different understanding are out there around these questions but the most important question is, have we received the Holy Spirit and are we being filled with the Holy Spirit with power to be witnesses?

The Church is called the bride of Jesus. A successful marriage is built on teamwork, and the Church needs to be reminded of this all the time. Sometimes when we’re doing the work of God, we can get focused on the outcome and not on Jesus Himself. Watching the team at work through the first century Church can help us to remember to put Jesus first, to trust Him for everything, and to give Him the Glory. God can achieve any outcome any time. Our focus needs to be on trusting and obeying Him regardless of the outcome.

Paul was more like us than we realise. He also got tired and despondent, he could only do the extraordinary things he did because of the love and power of Jesus Christ. When we reach the same lows as he did, we can be encouraged and strengthened in our faith that Jesus will supply our needs and raise us up to complete His purpose for us.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Paul encountered intelligent, educated people who considered themselves wise, cultured and sophisticated, but still believed nonsense about our inexistence, value and purpose because they believed that they made gods rather than that God made us. in 2000 years nothing has changed we still encounter people like this every day. Paul teaches us how to reach them with the truth, and give them every opportunity to know the One true God Who made us to know, love and worship Him.