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The right kind of confidence

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4 October, 2026Pastor Dale Gosden

Self-confidence mostly seems to be a good thing. Unless, of course, your confidence is completely misguided. The Apostle Paul had his spiritual self-confidence smashed to pieces by the risen Lord Jesus, and it was something for which Paul was forever thankful. Now, this wasn't a case of Jesus cutting down tall poppies. Instead, he wants to cut out any self-righteousness in all of us - the sort of spiritual self-confidence that pushes God away and keeps us focussed on ourselves. It's like waking up from chasing 'fool's gold' and discovering that Jesus is the true treasure right on our doorstep. There's no going back.

~ Pastor Dale Gosden


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Philippians 3:4b-14

Everything loss compared to Christ

4 If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

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A one hit wonder.

That’s what we call an artist whose star flamed brightly for a brief moment and then lapsed into obscurity. One such artist is Joan Osborne. Back in 1995 she had a massive hit song (#1 in Australia, #4 in America) titled ‘One of Us’. It’s got a crunchy little distorted guitar riff and some pretty ordinary rhymes, but not the usual lyrics for a hit pop song. Osbourne sings:

What if God was one of us

Just a slob like one of us

Just a stranger on the bus

Trying to make his way home?

That’s not a bad question, even for Lutherans who believe that God was one of us. But, how much humanness will we allow God to have? Will we allow God to be ‘a slob like one of us’? Or, would we rather keep him at arm’s length, safe in heaven?

This is one hit that makes me wonder.

Click here for a link to our new spotify podcast containing the latest sermon recordings.

If you are unable to access spotify, 2026 sermon recordings can be found here

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There's No Accounting for Sinners

13 September, 2026 Pastor John Strelan

Fishermen are generally considered masters of the tall story. The ‘one that got away’ is always the biggest fish they might have caught. Perhaps Jesus’ rubbing shoulders with too many fishermen meant their tale tales rubbed off on him as he told the story of a king who wished to settle his accounts. One of the king’s slaves owed him 10,000 talents. Now, just one talent was worth more than 15 years’ wages of a labourer! My maths was never any good, but by my calculations that slave would have to work for 150,000 years to pay off the debt! Now what kind of God king would be kind crazy enough to allow someone to get into that kind of debt in the first place? And, what kind of God king would be kind crazy enough to cancel that sort of debt?

Ha! Good one, Jesus.

Please note there is currently no audio recording of this week's sermon available. However, click here for a link to listen to all our previous sermons from this year over on our spotify podcast "Sermons @ St J's". If you are unable to access spotify, 2026 sermon recordings can be found here

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