Posts by James Stone
The King’s Way, Matthew 21 to 28
These are the study notes for the series on “The King’s Way”, chapters 21 to 28 of Matthew’s Gospel. Participants’ Guide Leaders’ Guide You can view a study online by clicking within the file view and then scrolling up and down. You can download the studies by clicking the button.
The King’s Way, Matthew 14 to 20
These are the study notes for the series on “The King’s Way” Study 1 – Matthew 14:1-36 – The One True King Study 2 – Matthew 15:1-16:12 – The King for All Study 3 – Matthew 16:13-28 – The King Revealed Study 4 – Matthew 17:1-27 – The Servant King Study 5 – Matthew 18:1-35 – The King’s new people Study 6 – Matthew 19:1-12 – Marriage in the Kingdom Study 7 – Matthew 19:13-20:16 – The upside-down Kingdom Study…
A Letter to the Church Family as Sydney opens up
A Letter to the Church Family as Sydney opens up. October 12, 2021 Dear church family, I imagine that this week’s easing of restrictions across our city and state will be received in a variety of ways. For a number of us, we will experience relief and excitement as much-cherished freedoms are restored. For others, there may be ongoing frustration and disappointment as restrictions remain in place for those who have not been vaccinated. For still others, there will be…
A Letter to the Church Family
September 7, 2021 Dear church family, As part of our time together on Zoom for Launch a couple of weeks ago, Pauline led the kids (and the other leaders) in a fun game called ‘Never have I ever’. I wonder if you’ve played it before? The way it works is that you need to come up with something that you have never done but that you think all, or at least most, of the other players have done. So, for…
A Letter to the Church Family
August 17, 2021 Dear church family, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” 2 Timothy 2:8-10 It would be reasonable to expect Paul to become despondent and…
A Letter to the Church Family
July 28, 2021 Dear Engadine Cong church family, It has now been just over 4 weeks since our lockdown commenced and it would appear that this situation will continue for some time yet. I wonder what kinds of feelings this produces in you? What a privilege that we can turn to our Lord, whatever we may be feeling, because he knows us completely. We also have the privilege of sharing what we are going through with one another. We may…
Who’s Doing The Heavy Lifting?
Sometimes when I am watching sport on TV the commentators will refer to a player and say, ‘He, or she, has been doing the heavy lifting’. What they mean is that that particular player is doing the most demanding part of the work, or the work that is requiring the most effort, on behalf of their team. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah there is a theme that runs consistently throughout. Isaiah repeatedly draws a contrast between idols and the one…
COVID-19 in Perspective
The first of April is usually reserved for April Fool’s jokes. If only COVID-19 was nothing more than one of these! As you would be more than aware, the situation our country, and our world, is presently facing is far from a joke. The number of infections, and deaths resulting from infections, is devastating. The impact on people’s lives and livelihoods is immense. This ought to engender compassion on the part of Christians, a desire to show God’s love in…
A prayer in response to COVID-19
A prayer in response to COVID-19 Lord, we commit ourselves to you as people affected in various ways by this particular coronavirus, COVID-19. We have seen and heard and felt so much over these past few weeks – on the news, on the internet, in our supermarkets. We have experienced a whole range of emotions – shock, worry, concern, uncertainty, nerves, stress, fear. And so we come to you, because you, Lord, know us. You know when we sit and…
On being human
Samuel Beckett’s play, ‘Breath’, lasts for a total of 35 seconds. No people are seen on the stage. Instead, the stage is littered with miscellaneous rubbish. There is a recorded cry – a birth cry – at the beginning of the play. This is then followed by a recording of someone slowly inhaling and exhaling, as the intensity of the stage lighting is increased and decreased. There is a second identical cry. And the play concludes. Is that all there is to being human? Is that what…
Justice and judgement
For many people the idea of judgement, and of God as Judge, is so unpalatable that it renders faith in the God of the Bible impossible. Perhaps that might describe you? Although I am a Christian, and a church leader, I admit to occasionally feeling a palpable sense of awkwardness upon reading some of what the Bible says about judgement. How are we to navigate this challenging topic? One comment I would venture is that I wonder whether at least some of…
Fear
What is your greatest fear? Many of us could list all kinds of different fears that we experience. Some of us are afraid of heights. Others are afraid of the dark. Still others are afraid of clowns. But when it comes down to it I think many of us would say that our greatest fear is our fear of death. I’ve been consistently reading the words of Jesus for about twenty years now, yet He never ceases to surprise me with what…
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