Luke 14:27-28 (ESV) 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Jesus, not us, defines what it means to be a disciple, a Christian. His terms are all or nothing.

To learn more, listen to today`s sermon at https://ballinabaptist.org.au/sermons/24-the-cost-and-purpose-of-discipleship/

#ballina #ballinacommunity #ballinansw #ballinashire #ballinanow ...

If you`d like a good free commentary by a Reformed Baptist on the whole Bible, then John Gill`s Exposition of the whole Bible is a great resource. You can access it for free at https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb.html ...

10 Lessons from the Puritans

The Puritans were 16th & 17th century Protestants who sought to ‘purify’ the Church of England from the continuing influences of the Roman Catholic Church teachings and practises. They sought to continue the process of reform (from the Reformation), and their influence spread to the New World (North America) and via England to Australia. We can learn a lot from them and have indeed benefitted greatly from their theological writings and pastoral ministry focus and practises.

The following is an adapted concise and simple summary compiled by  Dr Joel Beeke that reflects the priorities found in the Puritan writers as they sought to know and glorify God.

Fill your mind with the Bible


Embrace both God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility


Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ


Love the true God


Keep following Christ through Trials


Make your family a little Church


Pray often for the Holy Spirit i.e to strengthen you to be growing and serving in the likeness of Christ.


Seek good Christian Friends


Pray for your Church and be committed to her Worship / Gatherings & Ministry


Be a serious, joyful and humble Christian. ...

Luke 14:16-24 (ESV) 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‎‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Don`t reject the teachings of Jesus like the Jews and be turned away from the entering the Kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone. ...

Romans 3:21 (ESV)
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. ...

Luke 14:11 (ESV)
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1 Peter 5:4 (ESV)
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Only through humbly acknowledging our sinfulness, repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus Christ alone for justification before God can we one day be exalted and receive a crown of glory from God.

Hear more about God`s way of salvation at https://ballinabaptist.org.au/sermons/23-the-king-of-the-banquet/ ...

Creeds and confessions prevent innovative and inferior theological teachings.

In a culture that is hostile to the Bible, we need robust, thoroughly biblical expressions of Christianity.

We commend this confession of faith which you can read for free at https://founders.org/library-book/1689-confession/ ...

Luke 13:24-25 (ESV)
24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‎‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‎‘I do not know where you come from.’

Many will think on Judgment Day they will be saved, but they will be not. Only through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone will people be saved. A genuine faith will be shown by repentance from sin and self-righteousness, and turning to Christ, shown in loving His Word, His church and His mission.

Learn more about Christ being the only way to salvation at https://ballinabaptist.org.au/sermons/22-gods-glorious-kingdom-and-its-narrow-door/ ...

Mark 4:14-20 (ESV)
14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Jesus focuses on discerning between the 3 outwardly positive responses to the Gospel. From appearances it seems soil 2 and 3 represent people who hear and believe the Gospel. However, over time and by means of the testing of opposition and challenges or because of the attractions and cares of the world, both these hearts are seen to be fundamentally unchanged and their ‘faith’ superficial. Selfish desires wanting the approval of man or wanting the security and benefits of this world show themselves as the governing desires. Jesus - His Kingdom and righteousness, is not what these people really treasure.

The 4th soil is fundamentally different. The word is received truly so as to bring real heart and life transformation whereby Jesus really is trusted as Saviour and submitted to as King. It is not as though these people still do face the challenges of worldly pressure and promises. Instead, because God has graciously opened their eyes to see – their minds and hearts to understand and love Jesus as the worthy master who has wonderfully saved them, that they truly trust Him and bear ongoing and lasting fruit.
The professing Christians’ attitude and action regarding the word of God is the key test of genuine spiritual life. ...

Luke 13:1-5 (ESV)
​1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Christ tells us that terrorism and disasters should warn us of God`s coming judgment day, when those who have not repented will be eternally tortured for their rebellion against God and for their breaking of His laws.

Full sermon available at https://ballinabaptist.org.au/sermons/21-the-kings-holy-fruit/ ...

Hebrews 11:1-7 (ESV)
​1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

To learn more about saving faith, join us Sundays at 10 AM or at our Christianity Explored Bible study groups at either Tuesdays at 7 PM or on Thursdays at 10 AM.

#ballina #ballinacommunity #ballinansw #salvation #judgementdayiscoming ...

Mark 10:32-34 (ESV)
32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

Mark 10:45 (ESV)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus` crucifixion and resurrection was not by chance, but part of the plan of God. Jesus` sinless life as the Son of God meant death could not hold Him down, and that His life is the ransom price for His disciples.

Join us Sundays at 10 AM and at our Christianity Explored Bible study groups at either Tuesdays at 7 PM or Thursdays at 10 AM to learn more about what it means to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

#ballina #ballinacommunity #ballinansw #ballinashire #ballinanow ...

Luke 13:1-5 (ESV) ​1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Natural disasters are warnings to us of the judgment we will all face after death.

This Sunday we`ll hear Jesus` teaching on the necessity of repentance and faith before judgement day.

Join us on Sunday at 10 AM to learn more. You can also join us at our Christianity Explored Bible studies on Tuesdays at 7 PM or on Thursdays at 10 AM.

Email pastormarcus@ballinabaptist.org.au if you`d like more information.

#nepal #ballina #ballinansw #ballinashire #jesuschrist ...

John 15:18-20 (ESV) 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‎‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Join us on Sundays at 10 AM and at our Christianity Explored Bible study groups on Tuesdays at 7 PM, or on Thursdays at 10 AM to learn more about the cost of following Jesus Christ and the eternal life found in Him alone. ...

Luke 12:39-40 (ESV) 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

https://ballinabaptist.org.au/sermons/19-ready-and-faithful-disciples/

Learn more about how to be ready for Christ`s return as judge at out weekly Christianity Explored Bible studies on Tuesdays at 7 PM or on Thursdays at 10 AM. Sunday service is 10 AM. ...