St Paul's Box Hill Podcasts

"How will I know if he really loves me?" So sang Whitney Houston. How DO we know if anyone loves us? This is the question that the Apostle John tries to answer in his first letter, and the one we look at today. [Organ/Choir - Good Shepherd Sunday]

On the first Easter evening, the risen Jesus opened the minds of his disciples so that they understood their Bible stories. And with a little detective work, we can share in Jesus' Bible study. Visiting Pastor (and Bishop Emeritus) Greg Pietsch shows us how. [Organ - Easter 3]

How’s your fellowship? It was one of the distinguishing features of the early church. No one had seen anything like it. What does it mean? What does it look like? How might we be part of it? Following up from our Good Friday and Easter celebrations, we see how God made all this possible. [Organ - Easter 2]

Some people worry about looking foolish. And St Paul even writes that "we are fools for Christ's sake". What does this mean? Should believers worry about looking foolish for believing that Christ rose again from the dead? [Organ/Choir - Easter Day]

On this night before his crucifixion, Jesus' final word to his followers was that we should love one another, "just as" he first loved his disciples. (There are no images, and no sermon notes, for this service.) [Organ/Choir - Maundy Thursday]

What were his last words? How and to whom did he say them? We often hear about people's last words. What might be ours? Today, and in this final week before Easter, we hear some famous last loud cries. [Organ/Choir - Palm Sunday]

Do you learn the easy way or the hard way? How do you think Jesus learned? The Scriptures are clear that he "learned to obey" (Hebrews 5:8). How might we learn to do the same? [Organ/Choir - Lent 5]

As Moses lifted the carved serpent (or snake) in the wilderness, so we are to lift up Jesus. What does that mean? How does that work? May God help us to lift Jesus higher. [Organ/Choir - Lent 4]

Who are the history makers? What does that even mean? Today in our readings, God reveals Himself in His story in several ways. The surprise in the end is that our stories and His story become one. [Organ/Choir - Lent 3]

Guest preacher today is Bishop Emeritus Pastor Greg Pietsch. Jesus told us to take up our crosses daily; but what are our crosses? [Organ/Choir - Lent 2]

Into the wilderness -- this is where Jesus was LED. Why would God lead Jesus (or anyone) into the wilderness? This is part of our Lenten (and life) journey. May God teach us the lessons there that we need to learn. [Organ/Choir - Lent 1]

Transformation. It’s a big word or concept. It is not used often in Scripture, but this is one of those days. The disciples were witnesses of it. Later they experienced it for themselves. This is meant for all of us. [Organ/Choir - Transfiguration]

Jesus was running all kinds of risks when he healed Simon's mother-in-law, but he did not hold back. He engages directly and intimately with human need. The healing he brings allows us with our wounds to minister to others. [Organ/Choir - Epiphany 5]

Words have layers of meaning, and change all the time. So to really understand a Bible story, sometimes it's good to dig deep. Like when Jesus preached with authority plus freedom plus privilege; and then Paul writes that we share in the same privilege and freedom to serve like Jesus. [Organ - Epiphany 4]

What is repentance? We can learn from Jonah and the Prodigal Son. It begins with a change of mind, with the realisation that things aren't going so well. Next comes a change of direction. Thirdly, and at last, we change our lives, the whole point of repentance. [Organ - Epiphany 3]

Does God still speak to us, or did He fall silent after the Bible was written? The latter is what a lot of people believe, but this is not what the Bible teaches, and not what many Christians experience. Today we take a closer look at how God is still calling and wanting to speak to us. [Organ - Epiphany 2]

Have you ever been “torn”? God has. This was part of the sign or significance of His baptism. The result is all good for us. The heavens are open, the Holy Spirit comes, and we hear God. [Organ - Epiphany 1]

Last day of the church year. Today we end with a new beginning. Epiphany is when we remember the visit of the wise men from the East. The lessons we learn from them are to carry us well beyond what we find. [Organ - Christmas 1]

Amid ever-increasing change, some important things continue to resonate. Have you noticed that in this story, we hear next to nothing about the travel and birth itself, and enormous detail about the announcement of the news? [Specialist Choir - Christmas Eve Midnight Mass]

This year, Christmas Eve is also the fourth Sunday of Advent, traditionally celebrating the angel telling Mary that she was to bear the child Jesus (the Annunciation). In this morning's service, visiting Pastor Robert Wiebusch explores what this event tells us about Mary, and how it reflect on our own situation. [Organ/Choir - Advent 4]