Sermons on Predatory Birds:

Still Sufficient And Supreme

Contributed by Michael Bird on Feb 8, 2002

Deals with the text of Col 1:15-20 by expositing its rich Christological significance.

Col 1: 15-20 - Still Sufficient and Supreme (full text) In our survey of Col 1:15-20 we are now up to course five of this amazing Christological feast of the person and work of Christ. Course Five: Christ the Pope v.18a In 1376 John Wycliffe, a lecturer at Oxford University, wrote a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Schism With The Scribes And Factions With The Family

Contributed by Michael Bird on Jul 13, 2002

This sermon describes the opposition Jesus faced from both his own family and from the Scribes. It attempts to highlight how Christians today can face similar accounts of rejection by both the world and from family.

Schisms with the Scribes and Factions in the Family Introduction I would like set before you a couple of stories in order to illuminate the background to this passage. Scene 1: A Carpenter Shop in Nazareth The road for Sepphoris to Nazareth consisted mostly of rolling hillsides. It was a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:20-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Zeal For Peace

Contributed by Michael Bird on Apr 30, 2003

This sermon exposits Eph 4.1-6 contending that in view of their salvation the Ephesians are to zealously contend for the unity within the body.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (Zeal for Peace) Introduction Tradition claims that Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchure is built over the cave in which Christ is said to have been buried. In July 2002 the church became the scene of ugly fighting between the monks who run it. The conflict began when a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Empires In Collision: Christ And Caesar

Contributed by Michael Bird on May 11, 2003

This sermon sets out to examine Mk 12:13-17 not in terms on Church-State relationships but rather by illucidating its socio-religious context and its application for God’s image bearers today.

EMPIRES IN COLLISION: CHRIST AND CAESAR Mark 12:13-17 13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:13-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facing A Hostile World

Contributed by Warren Bird on Jul 24, 2003

The world is hostile to God and His people. It was to David, son of Jesse, also. How did he face spiritual opposition and what can we learn for the battle we are called to fight today?

Introduction I read something this week that reinforced a conviction that has been growing in my mind over the past several months. What I read was a news item about a plaque that has been taken away from a tourist centre at the Grand Canyon in the USA. Have any of you been to the Grand ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 26:1-12

Denomination: Independent/Bible

John 1.1-18: What If God Was One Of Us?

Contributed by Michael Bird on Dec 6, 2003

This sermon attempts to demonstrate the importance, meaning and significance of the incarantion for Christian life.

John 1.1-18: What if God was One of Us? Introduction In J.B. Phillip’s New Testament Christianity, a senior angel is showing a very young angel around the splendours of the universe. They view the whirling galaxies and blazing suns, and then flit across the infinite distances of space until at ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lord Bless You And Keep You

Contributed by Warren Bird on Jan 18, 2004

Grace, peace, blessing, keeping. God desires wonderful things for His faithful people! Blessing is a term that gets misused a lot - this sermon explores what it really means.

Have you ever noticed how the apostle Paul opens every one of his letters by wishing his readers “grace and peace”? It is also present in both of Peter’s letters, one of John’s and Revelation. When they said, “grace and peace” these Biblical writers were not merely using a polite form of words to ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Reality Of The Resurrection

Contributed by Warren Bird on Apr 17, 2004

Christ’s post-resurrection appearances establish its historical reality, its prophetic reality and its evangelistic reality. It really happened - to fulfil God’s plan, promised in the Old Testament. Thus, it is GOOD NEWS for us, to live and to proclaim.

Christ has died …… Christ is risen ……… Christ will come again. Do you believe it? {Extract a strong affirmation from the congregation.} In that case, you are a step ahead of the original disciples in those early hours and days after the first Good Friday and Easter morning. They found it very ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-53, 1 Peter 1:3-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

America Must Choose

Contributed by Dale Bird on Jun 29, 2004

Just as Joshua confronted Israel, Christian Americans must Choose as did Israel - Will we committ?

We all face choices every day. Some choices are big and some are small. Some choices have only a limited effect while others may affect the course of our entire lives and the lives of others. Today as Americans, and as Christians we continue to be called to choose. The days of free choice are ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:1-28

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Biblical Reflections On Faith In A Pluralistic World

Contributed by Michael Bird on Jan 4, 2003

This sermon evaluated the recent trends towards religious pluralism and attempts to construct a Christian response.

BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS ON FAITH IN PLURALISTIC, POSTMODERN, POST-CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN WORLD MICHAEL BIRD INTRODUCTION We live in an age which is becoming increasingly hostile historical Christianity. This hostility emanates from a public mindset that is pluralistic, postmodern, post-Christian and ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Exodus 20:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Of Truth And Authority - Introduction To Titus Series

Contributed by Warren Bird on Jan 14, 2003

Why should we believe the New Testament? Paul’s introduction in his letter to Titus gives important teaching about the source of his authority as a teacher of God’s message and helps us to understand the New Testament as God’s inspired Word.

Introduction The media love crises. Situations where something is going wrong; someone has mucked up; or someone has to be sent into a situation to fix it up make really good copy. Well, if you’re the sort of person who buys the newspaper or watches ‘A Current Affair’ to learn about the latest ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:1-5

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Elders And Passing The Baton Series

Contributed by Warren Bird on Jan 14, 2003

The role of church elders is to pass the baton of gospel truth from one generation to the next

Introduction Being the 15th of September 2002, today is the 2nd anniversary of the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games. I was fortunate enough to be there at Homebush that evening – I have here my little yellow suitcase to prove it! What a spectacle it was, from the time the lone horse ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:6-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God's Unique Sign

Contributed by Warren Bird on Dec 15, 2002

Why did the shepherds get excited when told that a baby had been born? Why did Simeon and Anna get excited when they saw the baby Jesus? A baby!! So what? So everything - this was the hopes and fears of all the years meeting in Bethlehem that night.

Introduction When a baby is born the new parents get all sorts of different reactions from family and friends: • “Oh, how lovely!” • “Look, he’s got his dad’s eyes!” • “Doesn’t she look just like her mum?” • or, simply, “oh!” But when Mary gave birth to her first son in a stable in Bethlehem ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Guidance

Contributed by Warren Bird on Dec 15, 2002

How does God guide us in the decisions we have to make? This sermon provides an outline of a Biblical model of guidance, using Colossians 3.

Introduction I don’t suppose many of you are old enough to remember the original TV Quiz Show, “Pick-a-Box”. It was hugely successful back in the very early days of television in Australia in the 1950’s and 60’s – so, yes, all the episodes were in black and white. The big moments in “Pick-a-Box” ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17, Psalm 25:1-22

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Marriage - A Special Relationship

Contributed by Warren Bird on Dec 15, 2002

Transforming our attitudes to marriage to conform with Christian teaching

Introductory Discussion The relationship of marriage seems to be a pretty popular topic here at Padstow, with goodness knows how many engagements we have at the moment and maybe some more to come if what I see going on is any indication. And this is a really good thing. The lifelong commitment of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33, Matthew 19:1-6

Denomination: Independent/Bible