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, 18 November 2018
Duration: 23 mins 31 secs
In this passage, Stephen shows us what it means to be faithful in life and death. From Acts 6 we see that Stephen's life was full of faith, full of grace, he had wisdom from the Holy Spirit and had a face like an angel. When Stephen faces death, he gets to see Jesus. Stephen reflected Jesus in his own life. Death comes to this world because of sin, but because of Jesus' victory, we can have eternal life with God if we believe in Him.
Sunday, 11 November 2018
Duration: 29 mins 17 secs
We see in this passage how the apostles are confronted by the religious leaders as they proclaim the good news of Jesus. The religious leaders were at a loss of how these uneducated men had such a following of the people. Peter tells the leaders that they are obeying God and not man - a challenge that continues for Christians today as we live as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. The apostles continued to teach about Jesus using every opportunity given to them. We too are to use every opportunity available to us to tell others about Jesus.
Sunday, 04 November 2018
Duration: 18 mins 52 secs
We see in this passage two types of Christians - faith followers and façade followers. The believers at the time were one with Jesus, unified and generous. An example of this was shown with Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, and the selling off of his property. We need to give willingly and with careful thought. Ananias and Sapphira were hypocritical in their faith by pretending to be more spiritual than they really were and in doing so deceived others and God. As Christians today, we need to be faithful followers of Christ, being careful that our words match our actions.
Sunday, 28 October 2018
Duration: 35 mins 31 secs
In this passage, Peter and John are challenged by the religious leaders of how they were able to heal the lame man. Despite the threats imposed on them by the leaders, Peter and John stood firm in acknowledging the power and authority of Jesus Christ's name. On hearing what had happened to Peter and John, the early Christians prayed for God's help and leading and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As Christians today, we would accept that prayer is to be an important part of our life. The practical challenge for us is how much is prayer a part of our daily life?
Sunday, 21 October 2018
Duration: 31 mins 26 secs
For the disciples, holding onto the name of Jesus was going to make life difficult for them. The healing of the lame man in this passage by Peter and John was through the name of Jesus, not because His name is magical, but by power and authority that Jesus had through the grace of God. The lame man's trust in God allowed him to be healed. We need to allow Jesus' power and authority to work in our lives and submit ourselves daily to Him to allow Him to work in us as we serve others.
Sunday, 14 October 2018
Duration: 29 mins 54 secs
"We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God." In this chapter of Acts we see the disciples waiting expectantly for the arrival of the promised Holy Spirit. When He comes in power it is in a way that none of them could have predicted, and even the people around them wonder what has happened and what it means. Peter responds to them with different types of evidence for who Jesus is, which is something all of us need to answer for ourselves today. As Peter pleads with them they respond with remorse and repentance and the church is unified, magnified and multiplied.
Sunday, 07 October 2018
Duration: 20 mins 31 secs
The end of the gospel of Luke reads like a happily-ever-after story, but Jesus isn't finished with His disciples. Although His salvation work is finished, He now declares them to be His witnesses and commissions them to proclaim His good news to all nations. The book of Acts also finishes without a real ending, because until Jesus returns our job as witnesses is not yet done.
Sunday, 30 September 2018
John 3:16 is probably the most well known passage in the Bible, but what is the context in which it comes? As Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus He reminds him of when God instructed the Israelites to look in faith to the bronze serpent in order to be saved from physical death. He then compares it to His own death and resurrection and the eternal life that comes through looking to Him. Charles Spurgeon was one man who was confronted to look to Jesus and it changed his life forever.
Sunday, 23 September 2018
Duration: 28 mins 56 secs
In Ephesians 4 Paul begins by identifying the commonality we all share as Christians - one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of all (v4). This gives us a basis for natural connection with the Church, both locally and globally. In this morning's passage Paul then goes on to describe how we differ in areas of gifting, but that these are given with the common goal of building up the body of Christ and giving glory to Jesus. How are we using these gifts and abilities to love the Church?
Sunday, 16 September 2018
Duration: 26 mins 23 secs
We know that God loves our community, but does our community know that God loves them? In today's passage we find the disciples hiding behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders when they have an encounter with the risen Jesus, who then blesses them with His peace before commissioning them to go out and love the world as He has done. If Jesus showed up in our community today, where would He go? Who would He help? What would He do? We can't do everything, but we can do something.
