The Wrestle
Hope for Israel
We come to the end of Jacob’s life. He is an old man, on his death bed, and all his sons gather around him. In this moment Jacob will prophetically bless each of his sons and as he does he pushes our minds forward to the nation that will be formed from his family. As we listen to these blessings, God will challenge us with the reality that our lives need to be formed by the story he is telling…
Longing for Justice
As Jacob and his family take up residence in the Promised Land tragedy strikes… Jacob’s only daughter Dinah is raped. As we are confronted with the circumstances of this atrocity and how the various people respond to it, we will be gripped by a desperate need for God to reform our thinking about abuse and the brokenness that has surrounded our response to it. This sermon does contain difficult content. If you have any questions, concerns, or it causes you…
Set Free Indeed
On Sunday 18th November 2018 we baptised a young couple. This is the message preached on that day to joyously reflect on the gospel that saved them so powerfully.
A Changed Man
Having walked confidently into Peniel, Jacob now limps out… but his limp signifies the dramatic change that took place in his life; he was no longer Jacob the deceiver, he was Israel the contender. But now he actually comes face to face with his greatest fear; meeting his brother Esau. Will Jacob demonstrate this change, or will he fall back into his old ways?
Wrestling with God
Jacob has finally freed himself from bondage to his Uncle Laban and now he heads home with his new family and all their possessions. But there is still one thing that lingers over his head. The reality that he must soon confront his brother Esau; the brother he wronged 20 years ago. As Jacob deals with the stress of this situation, God reveals Himself in a way that changed Jacob forever.
The Deceiver is Deceived
Jacob has escaped from his home, fleeing from the wrath of his brother Esau. He has also met God on the road and discovered Him to be bigger and more powerful than he had previously thought. But now he arrives at his destination, the house of his uncle Laban where he hoped to find a wife. As Jacob seeks a bride we will see what is in his heart and how it impacts his life practically.
The Self-Reliant Man
Intern Nico Crampton continues to unpack the story of Jacob by looking at the way in which different characters in the narrative deal with difficulty. As we see the way they respond we will be challenged to see something that is a challenge to many of us.
Journeying with God
Jacob has escaped Esau’s wrath and is on the road towards his mother’s family. On this journey, God meets Jacob in a dream and it dramatically challenges his understanding of God.
Spiritual Void
Jacob now has the desire of his heart, Rachel as a wife… but it has cost him so much. Jacob is now the head of a household that is divided, difficult, and plagued with problems. As we hear what this broken house produces, we will be challenged about how we are living in the chaos of our own lives.
Faithless Conspiracies
One of the beauties of the ancient stories of the Christian faith is that they are not like normal heroic tales or traditional myths that gloss over indiscretions or exaggerate the amazing qualities of the heroes. The ancient stories of our faith are warts and all tales of broken people. This is beautiful because it helps us understand our own brokenness and thrusts us towards the same God who worked in and through their brokenness. In this passage we see…
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