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G’day and welcome to Partakers Christian Podcasts! Join us for uplifting Bible teaching, inspiring readings, heartfelt worship, powerful prayers, and fascinating church history. Whether you’re new to faith or growing deeper in your journey, we’re here to encourage and equip you. 🎧 Tune in, interact, and be inspired—wherever you are in the world.
Episodes
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
God Gets His Hands Dirty
02. Jesus' Identity
In Isaiah 42, we have what is almost universally called “The 1st Servant Song”. In this book of Isaiah, one of the key words is “Servant”. In Isaiah 41, the nation of Israel is also called a “Servant of God”. Isaiah himself has been called a servant of God (Isaiah 20:3).
However, here in Isaiah 42, it is as if the phrase “Servant of God” has taken on a new meaning – someone who is unique, special. God Himself is speaking, and announcing “my Servant”. By looking further into what God says, we know it cannot be Israel. If anything, Israel is the bruised reed or dimly burning wick. Remember Israel was to be a light to the nations and reflect God to the whole world. In chapter 41, Isaiah describes Israel as always complaining resentfully, fearful, discouraged and embittered.
Later in Isaiah 42, we see Israel described as blind, deaf and disobedient. This is not the ideal that Israel was to aspire to, but rather one person who would be God’s response to Israel’s failure and weakness. So, what does the rest of this passage tell of the identity of the Servant, the Messiah whom God would send?
To find out what we think the answer to this question is, please do download the mp3 using the links below...
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Tuesday Jan 02, 2024
Tuesday Jan 02, 2024
God Gets His Hands Dirty
01. Introduction
The birth of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated around the world. These celebrations are diverse and transcend cultures, peoples, and languages. Of course, most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Jesus Christ is the most unique person in history. Jesus Christ is also the most divisive person to be found at anytime and anywhere.
Almost everyone has an opinion about Him, even if that opinion is based on ignorance, silence or misinformation. Christians believe that Jesus’ birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming. From the time of the Fall when people showed active rebellion and disobedience towards God in Genesis 3, God was planning the time when He would step into history as a saviour or messiah. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is this messiah.
Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the birth, life and mission of this Messiah is the aim and focus of attention. We see it in the stories of people such as Abraham and Moses. We see it in the nation of Israel, which was to be God’s light to all the nations. We see it in the Israelite sacrificial system and law. We see it during the time of the Judges and the Kings. We especially see it through the prophets. The whole Old Testament is joined together, because it all speaks about this Messiah baby, Jesus Christ. This baby, who was both 100% human and 100% divine, grew in wisdom and stature. This baby was born in order that He would die on a cross some 33 years later. He did not die for his own sins, but for the sins of the entire world – all past, present and future sins. This baby was born to die so that the entire world may have life and life everlasting, if an individual chooses to accept it.
As we go through this adventure, we start together, by looking only at what two people from the Old Testament, had to say about Jesus Christ. These two people we know as Isaiah and Zechariah. Let’s start the adventure together by looking at an introduction to these two books of the Bible.
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Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Understanding the Kingdom
John 3:1-18
I wonder what you think the Kingdom of God is. In the Old Testament we learn of all kinds of different earthly kingdoms. Each one of these kingdoms were doomed to fail from the start, because of the promised commencement of a new and everlasting kingdom. Perhaps by having a brief overview of what Jesus in the Gospels said about the Kingdom will help us understand more about it before we focus on just a couple of aspects. From what Jesus said, we learn that:
- The kingdom had small beginnings.
- It advances slowly and unspectacularly.
- It works in an unseen way, like yeast in dough.
- It grows side by side with evil and error.
- The members are drawn from every part, for it is a universal part.
- When discovered, it is the source of true joy and fulfilment.
- It requires sacrifice, submission and surrender.
- It ends in an eternal separation of the good from the evil, of the true from the false.
- It centres only on Jesus Christ (Luke 9:28-36).
So having seen these descriptions, mainly from Matthew 13, we can now go on to a main definition of the kingdom. We find this ultimate definition in Romans 14:17 'For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.'
This is the experience of salvation. Every believer, all those who trust in Jesus Christ, has entered it and been accepted by Jesus when He died on the cross. So, having described it and then defined it, the next question we ask is how do we enter the Kingdom of God. Well, after such a long introduction, we are going to look at this aspect of the God's Kingdom based on our reading of John 3:1-18. So, if you haven't done so already please do have your bibles open at that passage - John 3:1-18.
1. Birth (vs. 1-7).
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
2. The wind (vs. 8-13).
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven-the Son of Man.
3. The snake on the pole (vs. 14-18).
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
Conclusion
The definition of the kingdom of God is exposed from Romans 14:17 which we also see as the experience of salvation. "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." The path into the kingdom of God, was defined in the 3 distinct pictures Jesus told to Nicodemus. Firstly in the picture of new birth from above, secondly in the picture of the blowing wind or spirit and thirdly in the Old Testament picture of the snake on the pole.
For those of us who are in the kingdom of God: are you growing in your faith and immersing more of yourself into the Kingdom of God. Is your story or testimony of what Jesus is doing in your life up to date, or are you living on past memories, last Easters' prayers and past Sundays' sermons. The testimony of how we are living in the Kingdom of God is vital for our witness in the Kingdom of God. Jesus commanded us to go and tell, so go and tell the wondrous news of an eternal kingdom - one which will never end! God has promised and He always fulfils His promises.
Now finally, what stops people from entering into the Kingdom of God? People want to continue to do things against God, and this keeps them from coming out of darkness into the light of the Kingdom of God. This is because the closer someone who loves darkness gets closer to light, the more their evil ways are exposed to the light of God. It is not any intellectual problems that keep people out of the Kingdom. It is a moral and spiritual problem. It would involve a change of lifestyle, of being 'born again' as it was.
What is your reason, for not being yet a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? If for some reason, you are not part of God's kingdom yet, then your opportunity is here. You may not get another chance. You might just walk on out of here tonight, not having entered into the eternal Kingdom of God, and die. It really could be that shocking and happen. Take your opportunity now. Please do come and see one of the leaders about how you can enter the Kingdom of God this very night!
Grab your Bible, and listen to the podcast to find out more about this intriguing and wonderful piece of Scripture!
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Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
PulpTheology Book
"God Gets His Hands Dirty: The Story of Christmas"
Free on Kindle until end of Wednesday 27th December 2023. Click or tap here!
G’day! The book this week is "God Gets His Hands Dirty: The Story of Christmas". Inside this little book, there is something for you to learn afresh or be reminded about, regardless of who you are.
Ahhh Christmas. When people around the world remember that moment in time when God Himself, got his hands dirty and entered our world. Christmas is the most wonderful time of year! Christmas, where the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated around the world - by Christians and others of all faiths and none. That is how God got his hands dirty. These celebrations are diverse and transcend cultures, peoples and languages.
Of course, most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Christians believe that Jesus’ birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming and coming to show that God gets his hands dirty - transcending time and space.
In the Bible, the whole Old Testament is a united story which speaks about this event - the coming of the baby we know today as Jesus Christ. Written in short chapters and accessible language, we inspect together Christmas future through the eyes of Isaiah and Zechariah, before going on to look at Christmas past and Christmas present. Come inside to either learn afresh or be reminded of the people and events of the Christmas story - the why, how and who.
Whether you have not started the Christian journey yet, you are just starting your journey as a Christian, or have been a Christian for a while, you can either learn afresh or be reminded about the Church. Come on in!
"God Gets His Hands Dirty: The Story of Christmas" available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle with ISBN: 978-1506104348
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Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Prophecies Fulfilled 4 – Who would this Messiah be?
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
There are over 300 predictions in the Old Testament look to the coming of a Messiah. That man we Christians believe was Jesus Christ. We continue today by looking at some of the global predications about who this Messiah would be
15 Predicted: This Messiah would be a prophet.
Prediction: Deuteronomy 18:15
Fulfilled: Acts 3:17-24
16 Predicted: This Messiah would be preceded by Elijah.
Prediction: Malachi 4:5-6
Fulfilled: Matthew 11:11-14
17 Predicted: This Messiah would be declared the Son of God.
Prediction: Psalm 2:7
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:16-17
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Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Prophecies Fulfilled 4 – Global predications
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
There are over 300 predictions in the Old Testament look to the coming of a Messiah. That man we Christians believe was Jesus Christ. We continue today by looking at some of the global predications about Jesus the Messiah
11. Prediction: Messiah would spend some time in Egypt.
Predicted: Hosea 11:1
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:14-15
12. Prediction: A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace.
Predicted: Jeremiah 31:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16-18
13. Prediction: A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah.
Predicted: Isaiah 40:3-5
Fulfilled: Luke 3:3-6
14. Prediction: Messiah would be rejected by his own people.
Predicted: Psalm 69:8 Isaiah 53:3
Fulfilled: John 1:11; John 7:5
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Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Prophecies Fulfilled 3 – The Messiah’s Ancestry Part 2
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
The first Christmas almost 2,000 years ago is the time when the invisible becomes visible. When God who is outside of time and space, entered time and space. This Almighty God becomes a weakened baby, in what we call the incarnation. Almighty God has become one of his created beings – a helpless human.
We continue today by looking at Jesus’ ancestry – something very important for the nation of Israel at the time!
1. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a woman.
Predicted: Genesis 3:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:20 & Galatians 4:4
2. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Predicted: Isaiah 7:14
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:22-23 & Luke 1:30-31
3. Prediction: Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Predicted: Micah 5:2
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:1 & Luke 2:4-6
7. Prediction: Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.
Predicted: Genesis 49:10
Fulfilled: Luke 3:33; Hebrews 7:14
8. Prediction: Messiah would be heir to King David's throne.
Predicted: 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7
Fulfilled: Luke 1:32-33; Romans 1:3
9. Prediction: Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal.
Predicted: Psalm 45:6-7; Daniel 2:44
Fulfilled: Luke 1:30-33; Hebrews 1:8-9
10. Prediction: Messiah would be called Immanuel.
Predicted: Isaiah 7:14
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:22-3
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Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
Prophecies Fulfilled 2 – The Messiah’s Ancestry Part 1
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
We continue today by looking at Jesus’ ancestry – something very important for the nation of Israel at the time!
4. Prediction: Messiah would come from the line of Abraham.
Predicted: Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1 & Romans 9:5
5. Prediction: Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac.
Predicted: Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:12
Fulfilled: Luke 3:34
6. Prediction: Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob.
Predicted: Numbers 24:17
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:2
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Saturday Dec 16, 2023
Saturday Dec 16, 2023
Prophecies Fulfilled 1 – The Messiah’s Birth
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
The first Christmas almost 2,000 years ago is the time when the invisible becomes visible. When God who is outside of time and space, entered time and space. This Almighty God becomes a weakened baby, in what we call the incarnation. Almighty God has become one of his created beings – a helpless human.
“For this is how God loved the world: He sent his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”(1 John 3:16)
“So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” (Romans 8:3)
1. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a woman.
Predicted: Genesis 3:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:20 & Galatians 4:4
2. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Predicted: Isaiah 7:14
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:22-23 & Luke 1:30-31
3. Prediction: Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Predicted: Micah 5:2
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:1 & Luke 2:4-6
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Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Big Story - Act 5 Scene 3:
The Church at the End of the Ages
with Roger Kirby
It began, after the Creation, with a garden; it ends with a garden city in Revelation 22: 1 – 4 : “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.”
There are two great differences between them: the garden has only 2 people in it; the city is full of people, all those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Only God walks in the garden; the Lamb walks with him in the city and the people walk by the light of the lamp, which is the Lamb. Wow! And triple Wow!
Unfortunately I find it difficult to write this chapter because there is so much disagreement about how we should understand what the Bible says about the End of the Ages. That Jesus Christ will revisit the scenes of his triumph, his death on the Cross, is beyond doubt. What will happen to us is much less clear.
The popular picture seems to be of us sitting on the clouds, playing harps, but that is an old idea from a few hundred years ago and is not the Biblical picture at all.
About 200 years ago the idea was spread about that when 1 Thessalonians 4: 17 says “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever,” means that the Lord will come halfway to earth to collect his people and take them back to heaven with him in what is called the Rapture.
But that is not really the picture here. The scene reflects what happened if Caesar visited a city in one of his outlying provinces. The people of the city would come out to greet the Emperor and then escorted him on into their city. Caesar kept going in the same direction; it was the people who reversed their direction. Yet in the popular teaching of the Rapture it is the Lord who reverses while the people keep going in the same direction! I cannot begin to unravel which is correct. Fortunately Jesus himself said: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” And we should heed that warning.
The book of Revelation is a an uncertain guide here for there are so many ways to understand its amazing images, but it is useful to illustrate what the more straightforward parts of Scripture say.
Nowhere is more straightforward than the book of Romans and there we read in 8: 18 – 23 : “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”
This says that our final destination is not heaven, floating in the sky, but here, on earth, part of the New Heaven and New Earth.
And that is what the book of Revelation also says in 21: 1 – 3: “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
When John was writing he said that there would be 144,000 people there – a big enough number that all followers of Jesus might expect to be included but not so big that all might presume to be included. (I have ignored the distinction between those described as of Israel and the great multitude. In this age we, the people of God are all Israel. ) That number is 12x12x10x10x10. If he was writing today he would have needed to add 2 more 12’s and 2 more 10’s to get a number slightly bigger than 2 billion so that we might all hope to be present but not presume on it. See you there!
This is what one writer has called ‘life after life after death’. ‘life after death’ is our immediate presence with the Lord which is what Paul meant when he wrote Philippians 1: 21, 23b: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far”. Unfortunately this is what there is so much argument about.
Our ultimate goal is beyond dispute as Revelation 22: 1 – 5 says: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
So what?
It will be obvious to you that I have left out many things that could be included in the Big Story of the Bible. I think the really interesting one is that last Scene where I thought about the church NOW. We should not, and cannot, replicate any of the previous scenes ourselves. We can only live now. How we behave, how we act, how we serve is inevitably bounded by the world we live in and who we are. The important thing is to worship and serve the Lord within those bounds. For many of you, many of us, that means working with Dave in the WOW church, on the Internet. The Lord is Worthy-Of-Worship indeed. Our way may well be in this very new, very different, very important development. Go to it!
The Lord bless you.