St Andrews Church Geraldine‘s Podcast

182: 06-07-2025 Romans (Part 78) Grace Filled Relationships

Grace Filled RelationshipsRomans 12:14-16

181: 29-06-2025 Romans (Part 77) Genuine Christian Love; Sincere in Character, Selfless in Action, Steadfast in Hardship

What does real Christian love look like in the complexity of everyday life? In this message from Romans 12:9–13, we explore how love that is shaped by the mercy of God is more than mere politeness or outward niceness. Genuine Christian love is authentic in heart—it refuses to pretend and is rooted in God’s transforming love. It’s selfless in action—taking delight in honouring others, flipping the honour-seeking culture of the ancient Roman world and our modern world on its head. And it is steadfast in hardship—remaining patient, prayerful, and open-hearted even in suffering, rejection, and disappointment.
We’ll look at powerful biblical examples and historical stories—from the bold love of Jesus, to the lives of John Owen and Richard Baxter, to Jean Vanier’s legacy of honouring the overlooked. Whether you’re feeling crushed by pain or just needing a deeper vision of love, this message will point you back to the God whose faithful love is both the pattern and power for ours. Listen in to be reminded that Christian love is not a performance—it’s a miracle of grace lived out in the messiness of real life.Romans 12:9-13

180: 22-06-2025 Everybody Will/Must Die Twice

How do we respond to this passage?Let's dive into it together.
Revelation 20:11-15
1 Corinthians 15:35-521 Thessalonians 4:13-18John 3:3-8Hebrews 10:15-252 Corinthians 5:14-19Luke 9:23-27Jude 8-9Acts 19:11-16Matthew 7:21-232 Corinthians 10:3-6

180: 15-06-2025 Romans (Part 76) Humble Hearts, Active Hands

In this message, we explore how spiritual gifts, while vital for the church’s flourishing, must be exercised with deep humility and in close community. Paul begins Romans 12 not with a call to action but with a warning: “Don’t think you are better than you really are.” Before serving with our gifts, we need to examine our hearts. Gifts are not achievements, but grace-gifts from God. The church is a body, not a platform, and pride can quickly distort even the most powerful gifts — as illustrated in the tragic fall of Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church. Each gift, whether prophecy, service, teaching, or encouragement, is given “for doing certain things well” — not everything — reminding us that we need one another and must discern our callings in mutual dependence.Romans 12:3-8

178: 08-06-2025 Romans (Part 75) When Calling and Joy Collide

When Calling and Joy CollideRomans 12:2

177: 01-06-2025 Romans (Part 74) What drives your life—your past, or God’s mercy?

What drives your life—your past, or God’s mercy?Romans 12:1 & Romans 8:28

176: 25-05-2025 Two Lies and the Truth That Sets You Free

The Christian faith has always faced two great distortions of the gospel: legalism and lawlessness. Legalism insists that you must earn God's love through strict obedience, turning faith into performance and God into a distant taskmaster. Lawlessness, on the other hand, twists grace into permission to sin, offering cheap affirmation without transformation. Both errors sound convincing, even biblical, but miss the heart of the gospel. Through the story of John Newton and the contrasting voices he might have heard—one of judgment, one of excuse, and one of grace—we’re reminded that neither rigid moralism nor permissive compromise can set us free. Only the gospel can.
Titus 2 tells us that grace not only saves but also trains us to say no to sin and yes to godliness as we await Christ’s return. Grace gives us a new identity, a new power, and a new purpose. It doesn’t demand change to earn love, nor does it eliminate the call to holiness—it changes us because we are already loved. Whether you’re weary from striving or numb from compromise, the good news is this: Jesus meets you with grace that transforms. And it’s my prayer that here at St Andrews, this grace—not the lie of legalism or the lure of lawlessness—will shape lives across the Canterbury Plains.
Galatians 3:1-3, 10-11, Jude  4, 18-21 & Titus 2:11-14

175: 18-05-2025 The Jesus Manifesto (Part 37) What are we really standing on when the storms of life come inevitable

In Matthew 7:24–28, Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with a clear and urgent warning: storms will come—whether through suffering, loss, or final judgment—and only those who build their lives on obedience to his words will stand. He likens the obedient to a wise builder who anchors his house on rock, unshaken by floods or winds. This call to action is not passive admiration but radical trust and daily practice. History echoes Jesus’ words—whether in Hans Heberle’s war-torn Germany, Augustine’s sack of Rome, or the witness of persecuted Christians today, it is only those rooted in Christ who remain firm when all else falls. Jesus’ teaching forms a storm-resistant soul by shaping our character through suffering (Matthew 5:3–12), shifting our hope from temporary treasures to eternal reward (Matthew 6:1–24), and freeing us from anxiety by anchoring us in the Father’s care (Matthew 6:25–34). As C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” Ultimately, Jesus presents two builders, two foundations, and two destinies—not to alarm, but to invite: build your life on the Rock, and when the storm comes, you will stand.Matthew 7:24-29