St John’s Diamond Creek Talks

Life Within Limits - The Time of Your Life

In this final sermon in our series on Ecclesiastes, Andrew Bowles discusses the Teacher's final words in Ecclesiastes 11:5-12:8 on the 'meaninglessness' of life. How do we understand the opportunities and challenges of the different stages of our lives, as we head toward an uncertain future?

Life Within Limits - A Common Destiny

How to we experience 'life before death'? Delle Matthews explores what the Teacher says in Ecclesiastes 9:1-11 about how to face our 'common destiny' with hope and assurance.

Not In Polite Company - Romance

The Bible says heaps about love, and we hear lots of messages about loving God, and loving your neighbour (rightfully so, as they're the two greatest commands). Did you know, though, that there's a whole book of the Bible about romantic love, and sex? 
In this talk, Kirk looks at romance, dating and finding your "soulmate" from a biblical perspective.

Life Within Limits - Let it Go

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Andrew Bowles looks at Ecclesiastes 6:1-7:4, where the Teacher critiques 'the pursuit of happiness' and our belief that things in the world are getting better. But Jesus also offered a deeper foundation for hope that can overcome the tragedy and darkness of the world.

Life Within Limits - The Problem of Money

It seems like whether we have lots of money or just a little, it still causes us problems. Tim Johnson looks at Ecclesiastes 4 & 5 and the ways in which money can either be a 'phantasmagorical god' or a useful tool for learning thankfulness before God,

Life Within Limits - A Season for Everything

This sermon by Andrew Bowles on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 is about the tension between our desire for a perfect life and the reality that we experience seasons of good and bad times. This encourages us to reflect on why God has placed the desire for eternity in our hearts, and how to face reality with joy and thankfulness.

Not In Polite Company - A Biblical Overview of Sex

The second talk in our Not In Polite Company series. This week, Kirk talks about sex, and specifically what the Bible has to say about some of the messages we're recieved from our culture in Melbourne, Australia.
CONTENT WARNING: Talks about sex. 

Life Within Limits - Living the Dream?

All of us pursue our dreams of 'the good life', including our vision of the place of success and prosperity in giving meaning to our lives. Ecclesiastes reminds us that even if we achieve everything we ever hope for, it can still fall short of our expectations. The meaning of life is to be found somewhere else. Andrew Bowles considers Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 & 17-23.

Life Within Limits - Under the Sun

What is the meaning of life? Is there any at all? The book of Ecclesiastes challenges us to face the limits of our knowledge about what life is all about and how to live it. Tim Johnson begins by looking at the claim of the 'Teacher' that life is like a cloud of smoke that seems substantial but which we are unable to grasp. Ecclesiastes 1:1-14.

Not In Polite Company - Who Would Jesus Vote For?

A week before the Australian Federal Election 2016, Kirk takes a look at a Christian perspective on politics. How do you choose a political party to support? Being a Christian means committing every part of your life to Jesus, and voting is most certainly included in that.