Talks

An introduction to this new series starts with the fact that the story of Jonah is not really about Jonah at all, it’s about God. About God and shaped by God. Jonah is a character we can relate to and in his call we see a parallel with Israel’s call, how Jesus fulfilled that call and how this connects with our call as believers

In Mark 2, we hear the story of someone who becomes a new man, inside and out. And it happens because of the faith of his friends who bring him to Jesus. How does this story speak to us today?

We give our money to God out of all he has given us. As an act of worship, and an antidote to the power of money but also that we might see God’s kingdom and temple (the church) established on the earth. At a big moment in the life of Grace church we look at David rallying Israel in 1 Chronicles 29 to lay down their treasures to see the temple built under Solomon’s kingship.

The three friends were determined to follow God even as their lives were threatened. Matt continues our series in Daniel with what it means for us to look at the response of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were determined to worship God even into the fires of a furnace and how they miraculously found that God was there with them and for them in that moment. 

As we prepare to baptise Aidan and Jackson, Matt explains the significance and meaning of Christian baptism.

Matt considers the theme of Spirit-empowered healing from the Book Acts, and how that should inform our expectations today. The start of the preach is missing.

Matt explains how the birth of Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac, foreshadows the coming of Jesus into the world: the new and better Isaac.

The story of Abraham consistently shows that God’s plan is not thwarted by our mistakes. Matt reflects on the importance of knowing ‘the God who sees me’.

Matt concludes our ‘Jesus is Better’ series from the spring.

In the first of four messages on the theme of Vision, Matt presents the possibility of Grace Church making an offer on Woodlands House.

The message of Hebrews can be summed up with the following words: ‘keep trusting God and don’t give up on Jesus.’ Matt explains how this theme applies to our lives ‘today’ from Hebrews 3.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Ephesians 1:15-23

Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus (or Nick as Matt likes to call him) highlights just how revolutionary Jesus was in how he showed us to relate to God. Matt unpacks this encounter and helps us to see the amazing nature of the grace of God.

Speaking from Psalm 96, Matt looks at how we can celebrate in prayer as we look to the day of judgement; including an exploration of why judgement is good news, not bad.

Matt uncovers the astoundingly comprehensive nature of our salvation as he expounds Psalm 103

God created the world good, with appropriate rhythms and enough rest. What went wrong?

Starting the series, “God’s Promised Rest”, Matt sets the scene for rest being an essential part of life; how rest and work fit together to make a healthy and happy rhythm – including how this rhythm is all part of paradise.

Our culture has taken the biblical value of tolerance (treating all people with dignity and respect) and turned it into the ‘new tolerance’ that treats all beliefs as equal. Yet, no one can live consistently that way. Matt Leach explores how the Book of Daniel points us towards an alternative way to live.

The Bible tells one big story. It’s the story of how a loving God sets about redeeming a people for himself. That people is made up of individuals like you and me.
Launching our series where we’ll be looking at the story of the book of Exodus Matt Leach invites us to see the humanity of the people involved and connect with the God who never lets go.

Does God accept me? How does the cross of Jesus answer this question and what does his resurrection from the dead mean for us now. Matt Leach takes a survey on this key foundation of the Christian faith.

God loves us just as we are but love us enough not to leave us that way” When come to God it’s like he switches the lights on inside. As we go on He gets to work on us straightening out the kinks. As we launch our 40 day giving challenge from 2016 Matt Leach invites us to give our financial priorities a fresh lick of paint in the light of how God encourages us to turn to him in every circumstance and the strength of his promises.

How should we relate to those in power when the promises made are constantly under delivered and our Christian values clash with those in authority? Matt Leach looks at this contentious subject.

Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11

Solomon had done it all. And by all we find that he had really done it all! Yet in the end everything he pursued, he determined, was meaningless. In this sermon Matt Leach takes us through Solomon’s assessment of the pursuit of pleasure points at how ultimate satisfaction found is found only with Jesus.

Matt looks at the foundation of how we become a distinctive community, speaking from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 12.

Paul has learned the secret of being content in every circumstance. Mere bold assertion or is their some substance?

In the next part of our Christ Central series Matt Leach looks what could lie behind this and how we might step toward this in our own lives.

Money wants to guide and exert influence on every aspect of your life.

Guess what?

That’s precisely what God wants too.

No wonder there’s a battle going on.

Who will win? You decide.

When we celebrate communion we retell the greatest story in history –
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matt looks at the
significance of the event of the Last Supper and it’s implication for
God’s people individually and as a
family together.

Relevant for then and relevant for now this story packs a punch far above the weight of it’s few verses. Extra details and a crunch of gears just help to make us wonder what Jesus was talking about. Matt endeavours to explain the significance.