Role: Pastor |
Hi my name is Phil Irvine and I’m the Pastor at Emu Plains Community Baptist Church. My family and I moved all the way from the Blue Mountains and to live in the community here in Emu Plains. Jesus said “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.” Sometimes we find that our lives are so full with things to do, but we don’t seem to be fulfilled. I enjoy running, spending time with my family, playing Xbox and a good coffee. But what fills my life is Jesus. If you are wanting your life full, the best it can be, why not check out Jesus and take him up on this promise?
Sunday, 23 June 2019
Amos once again tells the people of Israel to hear the words of God. Amos remind the people that after all of their sin and turning their backs on God, all they have to do is seek Him and live. This call goes out to the whole of the nation but it is up to individuals to respond. By not turning to the Lord the Israelites will not receive His mercy and will be destroyed. We need to seek the Lord by seeking the good, and avoiding evil, in what we do and God will grant us life. Turn our back on God and we will face His coming judgement.
Sunday, 16 June 2019
In this passage we see that the Israelites have fallen way short of the commandment of loving God and of loving others. Through Amos, God is highlighting the selfishness of the Israelite people as they have turned their backs away from God and have been self indulgent to their own needs. Today, we need to rely on God who will provide us with all that we need. God wants us to have an attitude of generosity as we acknowledge that everything we have has come come from Him. [RECORDING NOT AVAILABLE]
Sunday, 02 June 2019
Duration: 37 mins 26 secs
God had brought His people to the promised land and had provided them with security. But some generations later, we see in these opening chapters of Amos that God is not happy with the people and their sinful ways. The prophet Amos now tells the people of God's judgement that is to come. The sins of the surrounding kingdoms are highlighted first but ultimately God draws His attention to the Northern Kingdom of Israel focusing on their injustice, immorality and idolatry. Today, we need to come before God to repent of our sins. If we fall into the hands of God we will have to face His judgement, but if we place ourselves into the hands of God then we will find forgiveness.
Sunday, 26 May 2019
Duration: 29 mins 15 secs
Paul's life was full of selfless acts as he shared about Jesus to others. We see in Acts 27 that Paul is heading for Rome to stand trial before Caesar. He did not travel alone and we are reminded that the Christian life is not meant to be traveled alone. Paul showed that whatever circumstances he faced, particularly in the difficult travel circumstances to Rome, he always trusted in God. Paul also continued to share the good news of Jesus and was an encouragement to others. Today we to need to have these same characteristics that Paul had as we move through life and witness to others about the love of Jesus.
Sunday, 12 May 2019
Duration: 34 mins 15 secs
Nearing the end of Paul's life, we see him continuing to defend the gospel as he shares about the love of Jesus. In this passage, Paul's response to King Agrippa starts off with a reflection of what his life was like before committing his life to Jesus. All of us have a past that has been apposed to God. As Paul did, we need to continue to share the gospel at every opportunity, so that people's eyes will be opened from the darkness of Satan to the light of God.
Sunday, 28 April 2019
Duration: 19 mins 13 secs
Paul's ministry to the Gentiles continued as he entered into Jerusalem, but he was met with a lot of hostility to the message he was presenting about Jesus and was ultimately put in prison. All Paul had to do was stop talking about Jesus and he would be set free from prison. Paul did not want people to pity him because of his situation, he just wanted them to know about what Jesus had done for him and what he could do for those who followed Jesus. How can we live a life that is worthy of Jesus? We need to give our whole life over to Jesus and let Him direct us in His ways.
Sunday, 21 April 2019
Christianity has at its heart the belief in the resurrection from death of Jesus. If Jesus wasn't raised from the dead then the Christian faith would be futile. We see in this passage how the disciples and friends of Jesus had their eyes opened to the reality that He had been risen from the dead and was alive again. When we look at Jesus today, is it as a historical figure or as a reality that He is alive in our lives. As Christians, we need to open the eyes of others to the reality of Jesus.
Sunday, 07 April 2019
Duration: 31 mins 43 secs
In this passage Paul's message of Jesus was falling on deaf ears in a lot of cases because the Ephesians had forgotten what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. It is easy for us to move into the same situation as the Ephesians where we fall away from the enthusiasm we had when we first became a Christian. We need to continue to work on our relationship with Jesus and rely on Him in all things and not do things in our own strength.
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Duration: 30 mins 53 secs
Political parties send out messages and promises to the people, but even though we all hear the same message, we each respond to those messages differently. In this chapter of Acts, Paul visits three different cities, and whilst he brings the same message to each city, the good news of Jesus, people responded to the news differently. Today, we have this same message to share with others. We are not responsible for how people respond to the message we bring, but we are to faithful, like Paul, in delivering the good new of Jesus to others.
Sunday, 10 March 2019
Duration: 39 mins 20 secs
God has made us for partnerships and when we come together with others, disagreements can occur, as was the case in this passage. As a church, we aim to live in unity with each other as we strive to live like Christ. Paul and Barnabas could agree on the mission but not agree on the team. The gospel is about getting the right balance of staying firm and true to God's Word, but also being flexible when appropriate. We are called to be partners with each other and to be partners with God so that He can speak through us as we minister to others. Are you ready to partner with God?
