Dying Well (Genesis 23-25)
Posted on December 5th, 2011
We’re all gonna die. So let’s die well…like Abraham did. He kept trusting God’s promises right to the end. But his faith in a sovereign God didn’t mean he kicked back in retirement. He kept working to see God’s promises fulfilled and fleshed out in his own family. How are you going with that? Guest preacher Dave Miers (youth pastor, St Faiths Narrabeen) unpacks this section of Genesis for us.
check out the sermon here
Zac died well…
The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.
Genesis 25:5-11
5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. 7 Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.
SOLID ROCK CAFE – 3 WAYS TO HELP
Posted on December 2nd, 2011
Solid Rock Cafe will be on again from 5th-13th January. A team of 70 young adults will be coming to Forster to share the gospel with the young people of our team. Here are 3 ways you can help.
1. Prayer – join the prayer team, pick an hour that suits you and commit to pray) – sign up on Sunday
2. Food – feed the team and the youth, pick a day and bless em with delicious treats
3. Money – stick money in an envelope labelled ‘solid Rock support’ and stick it in the collection on Sunday (our aim for Coast Ec is to raise around $700 to go towards to cost of mission).
Any more questions, contact Ruthie
Sacrifice your son? (Genesis 22)
Posted on November 29th, 2011
After 25 years of waiting for God to fulfil His promise, Abraham finally gets his son Isaac. And now God commands him to slit his throat and set him on fire. What kind of God asks for that? And what kind of dad is prepared to do that? And why does the bible think this was a great moment in history? The New Testament says Abraham was a man of faith and we’re to imitate him. But is he really a man of faith? Or is he or bit unhinged, willing to kill his kid? Seriously, what on earth has this horrific story got to say to us?
check out the sermon here
Genesis 22:1-2
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
Baptism – Mateo, Mikaela and Jeff (13th Nov 2011)
Posted on November 22nd, 2011
After church on the 13th Nov, we had 3 spontaneous baptisms! So stoked for Matty, Mikaela and Jeff. Check out the vid here.
And if you want to hear the talk they heard at church that made them keen to get baptised, check it out here
God’s merciful warning (Genesis 18-19)
Posted on November 22nd, 2011
Our culture doesn’t want to hear about God’s judgement or His perspective on sexuality. And neither did the people of Sodom. But God is our Maker and our Judge. He has the right to determine our morality, and our sexuality. And He will hold us accountable. What God did to Sodom and Gomorrah stands as a loving warning for us today. And what God did for Lot reminds us of God’s mercy to us in Christ. Are you ready to meet your Maker at the Judgement?
check out the sermon here
Genesis 18-19
Blood Covenants – be cut, or be cut off (Genesis 15-17)
Posted on November 14th, 2011
God makes an everlasting covenant with Abraham to bless him and his descendants. God vows to keep His promises…even it it kills Him. And God expects Abraham to chop off part of his penis as a display of obedience.
What the???? Are you serious????
God also says “My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
So does this mean we need to get the snip? Be cut, or we’ll be cut off from God’s blessings??
Brace yourself, you might not like what you hear.
check out the sermon here
Genesis 15-17
Honouring God’s Priest-King (Genesis 13:5-14:24)
Posted on November 7th, 2011
Wealth and success can be blessings from God AND huge tests of our faith. How we respond to them says a lot about us and our relationship with a promise-making and promise-keeping God. In Genesis 13 and 14 Abraham’s faith is tested in a number of ways, and he handles them well, providing us a good model of faith and trust. And he meets a guy called Melchizedek…who really should rock your world!
check out the sermon here
Genesis 14:18-20
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem[Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.