God's Old Testament promises of blessing for the whole world are fulfilled through Jesus. His birth announces him as the true Son and promised king who ends the exile and gathers God's people.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Matthew 1

Outline:

1. The arrival of the King. (Matt 1:1; 27:37)

2. The arrival of the saviour. (Matt 1:21; 26:28)

3. Forgive and give. (Col 3:13; 2 Cor 8:7)

Unfortunately, we really do see Eden revisited, with King Solomon repeating Adam and Eve's rebellion and ignoring God's Word. As King Solomon follows other gods, God no longer blesses Israel.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: 1 Kings 11

Outline:

1. Clear instructions from someone you trust but a choice to go a different way.

2. Clear instruction for the king. (Deut 17:14-20)

3. A choice to go a different way. (1 Kings 11)

4. The greater king to follow. (Matt 4:1-11, 12:42, 26:61-64)

We glimpse fulfilment of God's promises to Abraham as Israel experiences blessing under David. It's almost 'Eden revisited', with God's gathered people living in God's special place under God's King.

Speaker: Brock Johnston

Passage: 2 Samuel 7

Outline:

1. Waiting for the big reveal.

2. God's partial reveal: King David. (2 Sam 6-7)

3. God's final reveal: King Jesus. (Rev 5)

God's promises to Abraham show he will deal with the problem of our sin and bring blessing back to our world: God's people, in God's place, under God's rule.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Genesis 12

Outline:

1. Shame: my story

2. The pattern of the old story. (Genesis 1-11)

3. The promise of the new story: Abraham. (Genesis 12)

4. The possibility of the new story: Jesus. (Matthew 8)

The tragedy of humanity's rebellion against God sets the scene for the rest of the Bible story. Sin destroyed the perfect relationship between God and us (and each other). The blessed world is now cursed and the people are scattered.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Genesis 3

Outline:

1. Shame: my story.

2. Now the serpent... (Gen 3:1)

3. Sin id born.

4. No shame. Jesus' story. (Matt 4-5)

God made the world and rules over the world as the loving King. He created a good and blessed place for his people to delight in together.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Genesis 1

Outline:

1. Road maps and the Bible.

2. In the beginning God... (v1:1)

3. And God said... (v 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24)

4. And it was good (v1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25)... it was VERY good. (v1:31)

5. No shame. (2:25)

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Psalm 121

Outline:

Why we didn't go to Uluru.

Help from the maker of heaven and earth. (v1-2)

Always watching. (v3-8)

Always watched.

Speaker: Brock Johnston

Passage: Luke 7:36-50

Speaker: Guest Speaker

Passage: Matthew 22:1-14

God's word sustains his messenger in midst of danger.

Speaker: Russell Smidt

Passage: Acts 27

Outline:

Through many dangers, toils and snares.

God's messenger in danger.

God's messenger sustained.

Grace will lead me home.