Sermons

Partners in the Gospel - Philippians

This May and June we have a new sermon series through the book of Philippians, titled Partners in the Gospel. In the first century AD, when this letter was written, Philippi was a large, pagan city with very little Jewish presence, and a deep loyalty to the Roman Empire. A small church began there (see Acts 16), but the surrounding people and culture were hostile to the gospel. They even rioted and locked Paul up when he visited. But Paul writes to this small church, under pressure though it is, with joy and thankfulness in his heart, to encourage them and spur them on. He describes the church in Philippi as partners in the gospel with him:

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:4-5, NIV)

His words are not just for the leaders of the church, but ‘To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons’ (1:1b). We are all partners in the gospel, not just the leaders.

Partners in the gospel, according to Philippians, share together in:

The Benefits of the Gospel – Together they share in the grace of God, and the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ (1:7, 11)
The Work of the Gospel – They support Paul’s missionary work (2:25, 4:14-16) and strive together for the gospel (1:27).
Suffering and Glory – Our great hope is to share in Christ’s resurrection life, even persisting through suffering in a Christlike way (3:10-11).
Joy, Affection, Concern for each other – Paul and the Philippians show concern and affection (2:20, 4:10, 1:8) for each other. Indeed Paul ‘has them in his heart’ (1:7). They have many reasons to rejoice (at least 8 times!)
Prayer – They pray regularly and joyfully and thankfully for each other (1:4, 9, 19).
Peace – They have peace with God and peace with each other (1:2, 4:7, 4:9).

As we read through Philippians together, I encourage you to reflect on your partnership in the gospel. How does the gospel shape your life and encourage you as a Christian, alongside your fellow-partners at Ormond and beyond?

Audio Podcasts

• 23/3/25
Freedom of Forgiveness

In the context of a funeral, Luke engages with the freedom of forgiveness. Roger's story, Psalm 32 and Matthew 11 help us see this powerful freedom that Jesus brings, which was lived out in this Christian man's life and faith.
- Greg Allinson
- Gospel of Matthew
• 3/3/25
The Wise & Foolish

“In a sense, the bible is a dangerous book to read and the church is a dangerous society to belong to because in them we hear the words of Jesus. But the challenge is do we do them, do we act on them, do we live them?”
- Gospel of Matthew
- Luke Prentice
• 24/2/25
The True Disciple

Jesus warns his disciples that the road to life is hard pressed and the gate narrow, to beware of false prophets, and to be a true disciple.
Matthew 7:13-23 has much to teach us and Luke Prentice guides us through this passage to understand what is being said and how we can approach scripture ourselves.
- Gospel of Matthew
- Luke Prentice
• 17/2/25
True Sight

Luke unpacks Jesus' teaching in Mathew chapter 7, encouraging believers to have true sight; to see themselves truly, to see gospel opponents truly, and to see our Father truly.
True sight produces kingdom joy. This sermon includes the post-sermon Q&A.
- Greg Allinson
- Gospel of Matthew
• 10/2/25
What is Your Focus
- Gospel of Matthew
- Luke Prentice
• 3/2/25
Your Will Be Done

Luke guides us through Matthew 6:1-15, ensuring we hear the hard words of Jesus. Too often, our prayers are focused on ourselves, and too often, we withhold forgiveness from others.
Luke helps us to dwell on the need to put God first and forgive others whilst reminding us that we can only do this in the power and forgiveness we have already received from God.
- Greg Allinson
- Gospel of Matthew
• 27/1/25
Pretending or Not?

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:48
Jesus' teaching encourages his followers to move past simple adherence to the law and instead to a perfect standard. Greg continues our journey through Matthew looking at Chapter 5:38-48, and helps us understand what the life Jesus calls us to look like and how it must inherently lead us to the cross.
- Greg Allinson
- Gospel of Matthew
• 20/1/25
Exceeding Righteousness

In Matthew 5:17-37, Jesus instructs all of his followers to live a life of exceeding righteousness, to move past the simple sayings and interpretations, and to stand out as different from those around us. Greg takes us through these challenging verses clarifying things when needed and encouraging Christian listeners to strive for exceeding righteousness
This sermon is part of our January and February Series covering Jesus' teaching in Matthew chapters 5 to 7.
- Greg Allinson
- Gospel of Matthew
• 14/1/25
Being Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16, To be salt and light is to live in a way that preserves life, reveals truth, and dispels evil. Greg encourages Christians to make sure their faith is having an impact on the world.
This sermon is part of our January and February Series covering Jesus' teaching in Matthew chapters 5 to 7.