Para Vista Lutheran Church

This Sunday we look at Moses who was possibly the greatest person in the Old Testament. Moses led the people of Israel out slavery from Egypt to the promised land. It was an incredible fete. Moses spoke directly with God. God gave us the 10 commandments through Moses. Yet none of us would have known Moses if he hadn’t taken an enormous risk and stepped out of his safe zone and into faith zone when he responded to God’s call at the burning bush.

As we look at Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, we see that it was not easy for Moses to step out of his safe zone into God’s faith zone. In fact, he put up quite an argument against it. Yet in the end he went and was used by God to do amazing things.

The same is true for you and me. Our natural tendency is to play it safe. God may never call us to lead a nation out of slavery, but as people of faith we are called to live by faith every day. To live by faith is to step out of our safe zones into God’s faith zone. Join us this Sunday as we learn from Moses how to can live in the faith zone.

Pr. Noel Kluge

This Sunday we look at Moses who was possibly the greatest person in the Old Testament. Moses led the people of Israel out slavery from Egypt to the promised land. It was an incredible fete. Moses spoke directly with God. God gave us the 10 commandments through Moses. Yet none of us would have known Moses if he hadn’t taken an enormous risk and stepped out of his safe zone and into faith zone when he responded to God’s call at the burning bush.

As we look at Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, we see that it was not easy for Moses to step out of his safe zone into God’s faith zone. In fact, he put up quite an argument against it. Yet in the end he went and was used by God to do amazing things.

The same is true for you and me. Our natural tendency is to play it safe. God may never call us to lead a nation out of slavery, but as people of faith we are called to live by faith every day. To live by faith is to step out of our safe zones into God’s faith zone. Join us this Sunday as we learn from Moses how to can live in the faith zone.

Pr. Noel Kluge

Pastor Wayne Kerber's message on how our Heavenly Father not only delights in His Son, our Lord Jesus but also delights in us as his pre-loved children.

Matthew 3: 13 - 17.

Pastor Wayne Kerber's message on how our Heavenly Father not only delights in His Son, our Lord Jesus but also delights in us as his pre-loved children.

Matthew 3: 13 - 17.

Bible reading: Revelation 21:1-6

 

Our guest today is Pastor Matt Thiele.  Matt grew up at Para Vista and is now Pastor at St Luke's Lutheran Church Nambour in
Queensland.  The message is New Year! A better kind of new?

Bible reading: Revelation 21:1-6

 

Our guest today is Pastor Matt Thiele.  Matt grew up at Para Vista and is now Pastor at St Luke's Lutheran Church Nambour in
Queensland.  The message is New Year! A better kind of new?

The alarm blared at 5 am. It was a cold, foggy autumn morning. I wasn’t overseas on a ministry trip heading out early, there were no appointments in my diary, and I only planned to start writing at 8.30. Why the early start?

There was no hesitation, however. I leapt out of bed, dressed appropriately, switched on my headlamp, and went to meet the four other morning joggers waiting at the local pub.

Halfway home, I huffed to the guy running next to me, “I wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t for you lot. Not only did your presence motivate me, but you also made it enjoyable.”

“Same,” he gasped.

That’s the power of presence.

“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Christmas is about the power and possibilities of presence.

Presence changes everything. In Jesus, God is with you, despite the worst of you, outside of your circumstances, and regardless of what others think of you. You have his very presence living within you through the Holy Spirit.

You now begin to see yourself as incredibly loved, one in whom the Father delights. Even when you feel abandoned, you can declare out loud that you are chosen and loved.

This is the message of Christmas. Jesus enters this world and your world. He dies in your place and is raised to life to be present with you always.

How different would life be if you knew that you were never alone, that your problems don’t cut you off from God but instead move his heart toward you? That’s the power and possibility of presence. It releases you to think in a new way—about God as your Father, about yourself, and about others.

Pr. Peter Steicke

The alarm blared at 5 am. It was a cold, foggy autumn morning. I wasn’t overseas on a ministry trip heading out early, there were no appointments in my diary, and I only planned to start writing at 8.30. Why the early start?

There was no hesitation, however. I leapt out of bed, dressed appropriately, switched on my headlamp, and went to meet the four other morning joggers waiting at the local pub.

Halfway home, I huffed to the guy running next to me, “I wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t for you lot. Not only did your presence motivate me, but you also made it enjoyable.”

“Same,” he gasped.

That’s the power of presence.

“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Christmas is about the power and possibilities of presence.

Presence changes everything. In Jesus, God is with you, despite the worst of you, outside of your circumstances, and regardless of what others think of you. You have his very presence living within you through the Holy Spirit.

You now begin to see yourself as incredibly loved, one in whom the Father delights. Even when you feel abandoned, you can declare out loud that you are chosen and loved.

This is the message of Christmas. Jesus enters this world and your world. He dies in your place and is raised to life to be present with you always.

How different would life be if you knew that you were never alone, that your problems don’t cut you off from God but instead move his heart toward you? That’s the power and possibility of presence. It releases you to think in a new way—about God as your Father, about yourself, and about others.

Pr. Peter Steicke

A message from Pastor Steen Olsen.

All Christians experience doubts at times.  John the Baptist shows us what to do when the devil whispers such thoughts into our ears.  He points us  to Jesus.

A video message from Pastor Steen Olsen.

All Christians experience doubts at times.  John the Baptist shows us what to do when the devil whispers such thoughts into our ears.  He points us  to Jesus.