In Sermons: showing 1-15 of 49

Subversive Christianity Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 30, 2020

This is Talk 1 in a 13 talk series from Colossians. Alternative philosophies, learning thankfulness, a letter to our church.

I’d like to read to you a letter written from prison written in 2004. From a father to a son …. “Hi my boy. Thankyou for coming to see me. It made me feel so good to see you that it hurt because I really do miss you. I am proud of you, Nolan. Please be good at school and listen to your mother, ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Scripture And Truth

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Sep 2, 2019

A talk intended to increase confidence in Scripture, regarding it as a source of truth and considering its historical features.

There’s a saying that goes like this, “A Bible in the hand is worth two in the bookcase”. C.H. Spurgeon wrote: "I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Pain Of Truth Decay

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Sep 2, 2019

Understanding Biblical truth in a post-truth world

The 2018 notable quote of the year came from Rudy Giuliani, an American politician who said, “Truth isn’t truth”. He meant that there are lots of versions of the truth, different versions called “alternative facts”. We live in a post-truth world. Unfortunately “truth” in the 21st century has a very ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-38

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seriously, Someone Rising From The Dead?

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Apr 22, 2019

An Easter Sunday talk which touches on the evidence for the resurrection before explaining its significance.

Seriously, someone rising from the dead? I was doing some research recently on the longest anyone has ever been dead before being brought back to life. Some of the stories seemed a little far-fetched. But The Daily Telegraph in the UK ran a headline on 19 April 2019, “Lazarus Syndrome: man comes ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fanaticism Taken Too Far?

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Apr 22, 2019

A Good Friday talk from the point of view of Jesus and religious fanaticism.

Fanaticism Taken Too Far? Israel Folau (an Australian Christian sporting personality) has been in the news lately for expressing unpopular views—for quoting an unpopular part of the Bible on his personal Instagram page. Is his belief in heaven and hell fanaticism taken too far? Is Australian Rugby ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Swing The Sickle Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Feb 17, 2019

God's judgement is fearful. God will call to account those who reject him. Don't say you weren't warned. Return to the Lord.

The great and terrible day of the Lord. Are you afraid of God? Do you secretly harbour a fear of him? Maybe in your upbringing you were introduced to a god who scared you and this was reinforced as you read those violent stories in the OT. Does a fear of God turn you away him? The language that ...read more

Scripture: Joel 3:1-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Spirit Is Coming! Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Feb 17, 2019

Joel promises restoration through his Son and the sending of his Spirit. God promises to renew people who repent and turn to him.

For all the talk about forging our own brave, new world, the evidence seems to the contrary. People are despondent and the world seems a mess. Every day the ideological battles play out in the public square are they are prising apart public opinion and fragmenting society. Climate change—gender ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:18-32

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Sort Of Day? Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Feb 17, 2019

The Day of the Lord is a day to prepare for and this is done by trusting in Jesus.

Clear and present danger. When there’s danger, the alarm usually sounds—more than once. Sydney has a CBD emergency warning system. There are 98 speakers throughout the city and 13 messaging signs at key transport hubs. The system is designed to manage lots of people needing to be moved in the ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:1-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Big Wake Up Call Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Feb 17, 2019

The Book of Joel is a wake up call. God is good but he is not safe.

The challenge of national tragedy. In his poem, The Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot writes, Go, said the bird, for the leaves were full of children, Hidden excitedly, containing laughter. Go, go, go, said the bird: human kind Cannot bear very much reality. People can only accept reality in very small ...read more

Scripture: Joel 1:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lord Is Good

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jan 6, 2019

A short sermon for a funeral service. I wrote this talk for the funeral of a Christian person.

In Nahum 1.7—a book in the Bible not often heard—the prophet Nahum says, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). It may seem counter-intuitive to consider this verse at a funeral when death is clearly on our minds. How can we say that the ...read more

Scripture: Nahum 1:7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I'm Too Proud To Be Humble Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Dec 17, 2018

A simple Christmas Day sermon around the theme of humility. A little shorter than normal and I tried to be jargon free.

Introduction—humility. Someone once said, “Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening”. I wish on a day like today that fruit cake, chocolate and pavlova were non-fattening. One of my favourite humility sayings is, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-56

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Crossing The Resurrection

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Apr 10, 2012

An Easter Sunday sermon

Recently I came across a collection of the best last lines of books ever written: “Tomorrow, I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day.” –Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind (1936) But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Gazing At The Cross

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Apr 10, 2012

A Good Friday sermon

A few years ago I witnessed a head on collision between two cars. The car about 300 metres in front of me collided head-on with a vehicle overtaking a truck in the opposite direction. I had a clear, unobstructed view of the incident. The cars collided head-on but off-centre. So they rotated when ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:21-39

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Are We Serious About Hell? Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Sep 1, 2011

This talk examines two common alternatives to the traditional idea of hell: universalism and annihilationism.

The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Accountability Rules Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Sep 1, 2011

A talk which explores the biblical theme of judgment

The prospect of STANDING before God on judgment day is one of those Bible ideas that gets lots of bad press: We either laugh it away (slide) Or think of those failed predictions (slide) Or the images are so horrible we push them to one side (slide) The Word of God brings us BACK to out senses. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:11-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed