St John’s Diamond Creek Talks

Lord of Might || O Come, O Come || Isaiah 2:1-5

The Christmas Carol O Come O Come features different names of Jesus from prophecies 200 years before his birth. Andi looks at the verse "Lord of Might", the future hope of a just lord, ruling over all the nations.

Emmanuel || O Come, O Come || Isaiah 7:10-17

Advent is again upon us, and this year, these four Sundays leading us to Christmas will be spent exploring the various names given to Jesus in the popular Christmas carol: O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
This week, Kirk kicks off our Advent series by looking at the first name Jesus is given: Emmanuel - "God with us" - and what it means when Isaiah receives the name in a prophesy over 400 years before the first Christmas.

A Portrait of Jesus || Baptism Service || Luke 23:33-43

How would you want to be captured in a portrait? What would you include? What would you omit? And when that portrait was finished, would you still be recognised by those who knew you?
In the wake of three baptisms, special guest Bishop Kate Prowd brings us this week's talk on the nearness of God even in the darkness of life and how we can reflect who Jesus is just as he reflects us in the suffering that he faced.

Local Missions Expo || Mark 5:1-20

This week, Julie brings us a story from the book of Mark, of the freedom that comes through mission, and invites three guests to talk about their experiences with different parts of local mission.

Thanksgiving 2019 || Luke 17:11-19

This week, St John's celebrates its 152nd birthday and as is tradition, we spend the time giving thanks to God for all he has done in the past year. Also, Tim brings us a story from Luke that highlights the importance of thanksgiving.

A Seeker || Jesus vs... || Mark 12:28-34

What does it mean to be a Christian in this day and age? Sometimes we can complicate the answer when it can easily be summed up in one word: love. But for such a common and meaningful word, "love" can be vague. So what does it really mean?
This week, Tim rounds out the series by looking at one final interaction where Jesus is once again approached with a question. But this time, there is no trickery, just an earnest teacher of the law seeking an answer.

The Sadducees || Jesus vs... || Mark 12:18-27

Death is inevitable, whether we often think about it or not, and that can be troubling. But have any of us got reason to believe there is more to life than just our physical existence? And if so, how confident can we really be?
This week, Tim brings us the next group of opponents: the Sadducees, as they approach Jesus with their intricately woven questions on death and the possibility of resurrection, while also exploring what hope we might have in the face of death.

The Pharisees || Jesus vs... || Mark 12:13-17

No one really enjoys paying tax. Some of us don't mind, but tax is generally regarded as a "necessary evil" in our modern society. In Jesus' time, however, tax served as a harsh reminder of foreign rule - of Roman occupation.
This week, Tim continues the story as the teachers of the law send in the Pharisees to confront Jesus with a question about this controversial tax.

The Teachers of the Law || Jesus vs... || Mark 11:27-12:12

This week marks the beginning of a new series looking at some of the altercations between Jesus and various opposing groups.
In this first talk of the series, Tim explores an interaction between Jesus and some of Israel's highest authorities as they confront Jesus and challenge his authority.

A Spectacular Love || Tim Foster || 1 Corinthians 13

Our Bible reading for this episode is a famous one. It's one of the most well-known passages on love and you've most likely heard it at a wedding at some point.
This week, our talk comes from guest speaker and Vice-Principal of Ridley College, Tim Foster. Tim offers a different perspective on Corinthians than the one most commonly preached at weddings and encourages us to base our lives on a spectacular love.