Topic: Authority
At Open Icon Baptist Church, we value great preaching — preaching that engages deeply, humbly and honestly with Jesus, the Bible, and the pain and joy of living in the real world. And since going permanently online, we have been able to welcome great preachers from all over the world without having to wait for them to visit our shores. Click here to meet the inspirational preachers depicted in the gallery above, none of whom have preached for us!
Each sermon below opens in a new tab. Close the tab when you're done to return to this page.
-
20 October, 2019
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Authority, Bible, Discernment, Faithfulness, Law, Love
Scripture: 1 & 2 Timothy, Jeremiah
Reading scripture with God’s people keeps us honest as we seek to interpret and live by God’s law written on our hearts.
-
26 May, 2019
Following the living Jesus is the pathway to healing, integrity and life, and sometimes it comes into conflict with “following the Bible”.
-
6 May, 2018
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Authority, Grace, Hospitality, Jesus, Reconciliation
Rather than close the book on who can and cannot be accepted into the church, the Bible calls us to follow Jesus on a path of continually expanding inclusion.
-
15 October, 2017
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Authority, Faith, Fear, Forgiveness, Grace, judgement, Law, Temptation
Scripture: Exodus
God invites us to live joyously, boldly and freely in the midst of mystery, but we are frequently tempted to grasp for something more tangible and certain.
-
1 October, 2017
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Authority, Discernment, Faithfulness, Jesus, Law, Love
Scripture: Matthew
The marriage equality debate raises questions about authority, but prophetic authority is not proved by fidelity to past rules, but by its power to produce a harvest of new life and love among the people.
-
2 November, 2014
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Authority, Fullness of Life, Humility, Jesus, Leadership, Service
Scripture: Matthew
Jesus does not burden us with crippling moral expectations, but humbly takes our burdens on himself and frees us to relax into the life of God.
-
25 August, 2013
God is all ready to heal and free us, but organised religion is not always so quick to agree.
-
2 June, 2013
Being a follower of Jesus means honouring his authority by following his teachings and his example (something that has become surprisingly rare).
-
22 April, 2012
The foundation of our faith is in a living Christ who enables us to understand the Bible, rather than in a Bible that enables us to understand a dead Christ.
-
24 January, 2010
The reading of scripture is one of the most important places where God has promised to become present and known to us.
-
15 March, 2009
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Scripture: John
Jesus is angered by our trivialising of religion that inoculates us against the claims of a holy God, and calls us to clean out the crassness and commercialism and approach God on God’s terms.
-
1 February, 2009
Jesus meets us with not just words of hope, but with actions of authority and integrity.

