Mossvale Community Church

As we journey towards Pentecost, Pastor Gladstone reminds us that Scripture calls us to awaken our hearts and run with renewed passion for the Lord and His house. Moses prays in Psalm 90:12 that we would “number our days” so we live with holy urgency, and Paul urges us in 1 Corinthians 9:24 to run our race to win, not drift. Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us to throw off every weight and fix our eyes on Jesus with endurance. Jesus Himself modelled burning zeal, driving out distraction from the temple in John 2:14–17, declaring that His food was to do the Father’s will (John 4:31–34), teaching that the true work of God is to believe in the One He sent (John 6:29), and saying He came down from heaven not to do His own will but the Father’s (John 6:38). Yet in John 21:1–3, even after the resurrection, the disciples went back to fishing instead of forward into mission, because the Baptism of the Spirit had not yet come. Passion fades without the Spirit’s power, but Pentecost is God’s answer, igniting hearts to love Him, serve His house, and carry His gospel into all the world.

In the second message on the Doctrine of God the Holy Spirit, Pastor Hugh explores the vital work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. From inspiring and illuminating Scripture, to convicting of sin, regenerating, indwelling, sealing, filling, sanctifying, and empowering Christians for service, this sermon reveals how the Holy Spirit makes the presence of Christ real and personal in every believer. We discover why Jesus said it was “better” for Him to return to the Father, how the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, and how believers can live surrendered, Spirit-filled lives that reflect Jesus to the world.

Today's sermon introduces the doctrine of the Holy Spirit by showing how God meets humanity’s deepest needs: forgiveness through Jesus’ death at Calvary and transformation through the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost. Drawing from Jesus teaching at the last supper, John 14–16, we learn that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but a divine Person, the third member of the Trinity, sent by the Father and the Son to dwell within believers as Helper, Comforter, and Advocate. We look at who the Spirit is and what He does: teaching, guiding, speaking, testifying about Christ, and leading God’s people into truth. We are urged to move from head knowledge to Spirit-led experience grounded in Scripture. And we are warned that the Holy Spirit can be resisted, grieved, or rejected, calling us to respond with openness, obedience, and a softened heart to His ongoing work in our lives.

Pastor Hugh explores the doctrine of God the Son, centering on John 1 to present Jesus Christ as eternal, divine, and fully human. It emphasises that Jesus pre-existed His birth, is one with God, and is the ultimate revelation of God to humanity, the “Word” made flesh. The message explains key Christian beliefs including the Trinity, the incarnation through the virgin conception, and the hypostatic union (Jesus as fully God and fully man). It highlights Biblical evidence of Christ’s deity, His divine attributes, and His role as Creator, Saviour, and the only way to God, while warning against false reinterpretations of Jesus. Ultimately, we are called to recognise Christ’s authority, respond in worship, and personally surrender to Him as Lord and Saviour.

Pastor Hugh began a new series on doctrine, looking today at God the Father, beginning with Genesis 1:1 and showing how all understanding of life, ourselves, and the world flows from knowing God as He reveals Himself in Scripture. True life is found in personally knowing God through Jesus Christ, not just knowing about Him, and that God reveals Himself both through creation and through His Word and Son. We look at one God in three persons, His personal and relational character, and His eternal, unchanging, all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful attributes. Ultimately, it points to the profound truth that our Creator invites believers into a relationship as their loving Father, one who knows their needs, sustains them, and calls them to trust Him fully.

Pastor Hugh spoke, prior to a time of prayer and ministry, on Peter and John’s healing of the lame man in Acts 3, showing that the power of Jesus is what truly transforms lives. Peter had no money to offer, but he gave what he did have: faith in the risen Christ and the authority of His name, which brought instant healing and joy. God works through our obedience, using our gifts, availability, and willingness to bless others. When believers walk in obedience, exercise spiritual authority, and expect God to move, His power becomes visible in transformed lives. Christ remains the only hope for a broken world, and those who trust Him are called to share His life and His Gospel with boldness and JOY.

Pastor Hugh Chalk preaches from Matthew 28, on Easter Sunday - Afraid Yet Filled With Joy!

Rev Kingsley Armstrong brought a powerful message for Palm Sunday “A Tale of Three Cities.” Drawing from Matthew 2:1–3, Matthew 21:10, Acts 9:29, and Acts 18:9, he explored moments when entire cities were disturbed, stirred, or in uproar, and God’s promise that “I have many people in this city.” We were challenged to consider our own ‘city’ wherever we live, work, or serve, and to become a faithful influence right where God has placed us.

Mairi Stewart shares from Psalm 18 - David’s great song of thanksgiving, written on the day God rescued him from all his enemies, echoed in 2 Samuel 22. It reveals who God is in our trouble, how He responds when we cry out, and what He does for those who trust Him. David names God as his Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Shield, the Horn of his salvation, even as “the cords of death” closed around him. Then the Psalm erupts with the picture of a God who comes down - earth shaking, heavens bending, thunder roaring, lightning flashing - as the Lord moves in power to save. David declares God rescued him because He delights in him, echoing the wider witness of Scripture that the Lord delights in those who fear Him, obey Him, and place their hope in His unfailing love. From that delight flows strength for the battle, as God equips His people with everything they need. The psalm ends in praise, celebrating the great salvation God gives to His king and to his offspring forever (the lineage that leads to Jesus). The message is clear: God hears the cries of His people, He has the power to save completely, and He delights in those who trust Him.

In the final message of the Psalm 23 series, Pastor Hugh reflects on verse 6, reminding believers that God truly “saves the best for last.” Looking back over life, the Christian can say with confidence that God’s goodness and mercy have faithfully followed them through every joy, sorrow, and trial, working all things together for good for those who love Him. Surrendering to the Good Shepherd shows us God’s hand even in difficult seasons, drawing the heart toward eternity. The psalm ultimately points forward to the believer’s great hope: dwelling in the house of the Lord forever. Heaven is a prepared, perfect, and present hope—free from pain, sorrow, and sin—and made possible not by our works but by Jesus, the Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep.